Review: Heartland by Cathryn Hein

 

Title: Heartland

Author: Cathryn Hein

Published: Michael Joseph: Penguin May 2013

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Status: Read from May 04 to 05, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

In Heartland, Callie Reynolds has spent eight years avoiding her family but her grandmother’s death necessitates her return to Glenmore, the property that was once Callie’s childhood refuge, and which now belongs to her. Intending to simply sell up and move on, Callie’s plans are quickly sabotaged by a warty horse, a mad goose, a frightened girl and her handsome neighbour, Matt Hawkins. But Callie is determined to do what she is sure is the right thing by her sister’s memory, even if it breaks her heart. A delightful novel, Heartland is Cathryn Hein’s third heart warming rural romance.

The tragic death of Callie’s sister, Hope, has been a burden Callie has carried for almost a decade. She has avoided anything that could give her more than a fleeting moment of contentment, punishing herself due to misplaced guilt. Focused on her goal of selling the property and donating the proceeds to the foundation established in her sister’s name as some kind of restitution, Callie is surprised to find herself reluctant to let go of Glenmore. I sympathised with Callie who was struggling under the weight of so much pain and self recrimination. Though fragile and vulnerable, Callie is not weak or helpless and I loved that Hein allowed Callie to find her way forward at a natural pace.

Callie’s journey towards forgiving herself is supported by the relationship she develops with Matt. The romance between the emotionally crippled Callie and physically scarred Matt is written beautifully. Matt is kind and patient with an emotional strength earned from overcoming a difficult childhood and his experiences in Afghanistan. He is just the type of hero that appeals to me and I was half in love with him myself. Though their relationship is sweet and tender, there is also a delicious simmering of desire, and more importantly they are what each other needs and there is a genuine sense of respect between them.

The animals featured in Heartland have their own personalities and play an vital role in the story. Honk, the recalcitrant goose, adds hilarity to temper the more sober themes. Phantom, aka ‘Warty-Morty’, helps Callie overcome her fear of attachment and is instrumental in curing Lyndall’s fear of horses. Patch, the puppy Callie begrudgingly accepts as a gift, assists Callie to process her guilt over the death of her sister.

With Heartland, Cathryn Hein has written a wonderful, moving story exploring the themes of grief, guilt, family and love. It will definitely be on my favourites list for 2013 and I am happy to recommend it.

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My Review

 

Review & Giveaway: The Yearning by Kate Belle

 

Title: The Yearning

Author: Kate Belle

Published: Simon and Schuster May 2013

Status: Read from May 05 to 06, 2013 — I own a copy{Courtesy the author}

My Thoughts:

” I need your eyes to see, your hands to touch, your spirit to acknowledge that which I hold most deeply and secretly in my heart. My yearning for you.”

A shy teenage girl writes scented letters of longing to her new high school English teacher and neighbour, the handsome and charming, Solomon Andrews. From her bedroom window she watches and hopes for him to notice her.
Solomon is flattered by his young student’s attention, and though wary of another scandal, he finds himself unable to resist her passionate adoration.
While Solomon justifies their affair as his “ultimate and ecstatic gift” to her, the girl believes he is her soul mate, her one and only true love.
When they are discovered and separated she clings to the to the idea that she and Solomon are destined to be together. It is a belief that she cannot relinquish, and well into adulthood the yearning for him remains.

The plot of The Yearning extends beyond the scandalous affair between a teacher and a student, even beyond the a sensual coming of age story of an unnamed teenage girl in love with with a twenty something year old man. It is a compelling exploration of the nature of love, of lust, of longing and desire and how our early experiences with these emotions affect the way in which we resolve them as adults.

For the girl – now a woman, the affair leaves her endlessly searching for a lover able to stir the same feelings within her. It’s an obsession that sabotages her relationships with other men, and even when she submits to Solomon’s absence and marries Max, she is not free of their decades old connection. If she can’t find some way to relinquish her teenage fantasy happiness will always elude her.
For Solomon, whose introduction to sex was divorced from love or even affection, the craving for attention, physical satisfaction and control of his emotions has him at the mercy of his libido. The value of an emotional connection, love if you will, escapes him not only in his relationship with the girl but in all his relationships to follow.

Belle’s lyrical prose ensures The Yearning avoids becoming a tawdry, sensationalist tale of sexual exploitation. Both Eve and Solomon are able to give voice to the motivation behind their feelings and desires. The author captures the excitement and confusion of lust and love with raw honesty. Eve’s letters and diary entries are the romantic, sensual ravings of a young girl in the throes of intense infatuation. Solomon’s musings, though indisputably self serving, are thoughtfully revealing. It is important to know that the descriptions of various sexual unions are at times explicit but not without purpose.

Beautifully crafted, The Yearning is an evocative, sensual novel exploring the connection between love and desire.

Learn  more about Kate Belle, The Yearning and enter a giveaway for a signed print edition by clicking HERE

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Review: Taking a Chance by Deborah Burrows

 

Title: Taking A Chance

Author: Deborah Burrows

Published: Pan Macmillan May 2013

Status: Read from May 02 to 03, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

For some reason I had expected that the characters from A Stranger in My Street, Deborah Burrows debut novel, would reappear in Taking a Chance, instead, the author introduces two new protagonists at the center of another mystery in wartime Perth, Australia.

In Taking a Chance, twenty four year old journalist, Eleanor “Nell” Fitzgerald, reluctantly becomes involved with a convalescing American war time correspondent’s crusade to prove a woman, tried and convicted for her lover’s murder, innocent. Captain Johnny Horvath is charming, handsome and persuasive and Nell, with ambitions of using her degree in English Literature for more than penning an admittedly popular fashion advice column, agrees to assist him with his investigation.

Proving Lena Mitrovic innocent forms the bulk of the mystery plot as Nell and Johnny investigate the victims life, looking for evidence that could exonerate the woman. As they follow a trail of heartbreak, jealousy and greed in the artist’s commune where Lena and her lover lived, they encounter small town bullies, a woman crazed by grief and uncover a story of four missing young girls.

For me, the most fascinating part of the story is Burrows expose of the less desirable result of US servicemen flooding into Perth. Young, naive women, thrilled by the attentions of the exotic, cashed up visitors and swept away by the idea of wartime romance were vulnerable to exploitation. The lucky ones found themselves married to someone they barely knew, the unlucky found themselves left behind, humiliated, with their reputation in tatters, the very unlucky became ‘Lost Girls’, tricked or forced into prostitution.
The plight of these young girls becomes part of Johnny and Nell’s investigation when clues point to two of the missing girls from Lena’s community being involved in the murder and becomes of personal interest to Nell when she and Johnny rescue fourteen year old orphan Eve from a couple of drunk and belligerent sailors.

I really liked the way in which Burrows developed the relationship between Nell and Johnny, she allows it to evolve quite naturally despite the intensity of their situation and Johnny’s imminent return to active service. Nell is determined to ignore her growing attraction to Johnny, who has a reputation as a bit of a ‘cad’. She expects to marry her long time boyfriend, a lawyer, when he returns from his wartime secondment but finds it increasingly difficult to resist Johnny’s charm. Nell is worried that taking a chance on Johnny’s affections being true will leave her another heartbroken and humiliated statistic.

Just as in A Stranger in My Street, I really enjoyed the blend of mystery and romance in Taking A Chance. I loved revisiting wartime Perth (my hometown) and was once again impressed by the author’s ability to seamlessly integrate the historical detail of time and place. With all of that, combined with strong characterisation and a well crafted plot, I can only recommend you ‘take a chance’ on this entertaining and engaging novel.

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Review: Oath Bound by Rachel Vincent

 

Title: Oath Bound {Unbound #3}

Author: Rachel Vincent

Published: MIRA  April 3012

Status: Read on April 14, 2013 — I own a copy{Courtesy Harlequin AU}

My Thoughts:

I was lucky enough to hear Rachel Vincent speak earlier this year at The Harlequin Blogger Summit. Having already enjoyed her Shifter’s series, I ordered Blood Bound and Shadow Bound to read in preparation for her visit. Though I didn’t have the time to review either novel I devoured them both and gave them each 41/2 stars.

In general I prefer urban fantasy to paranormal romance but what I love about this series is how well it combines the two. Oath Bound, like the other installments in the Unbound trilogy, is gritty, dark, fast paced and action packed. The development of the romance is an important element but it doesn’t take precedence over the plot, which is complex and well thought out.

Oath Bound is the final novel in the adult paranormal romance trilogy which is set in a world where the ‘skilled’ population are forced to choose sides between two ruthless mafia-like syndicates. Jake Tower and Ruben Cavazos exploit the abilities of ‘binders’ to press those they find useful into servitude to ensure the operation of their criminal and business enterprises. The complex and creative world building quickly drew me in, much of the groundwork is laid down Blood Bound and the framework remains an important part of the story through the trilogy. In Oath Bound the a major part of the plot involves the characters actively working to dismantle the Tower group.

Blood Bound also introduces the core characters for the trilogy but each of the books in the Unbound series features a different couple who become romantically involved. In Oath Bound that is Kris and Sera, through whom the story unfolds with alternating first person points of view.
ris’s sister, Kori, a Shadow walker, was featured in Shadow Bound developing a relationship with Ian Holt. Kenley, their youngest sister and a gifted Binder, has been an integral cast member all the way through, and Oath Bound begins with her kidnapping.
Sera is a newly introduced character, the unacknowledged, illegitimate daughter of Jake Tower, who proves to be a vital linchpin in the group’s plans to destroy the Tower Syndicate. Sera has made the mistake of approaching her Aunt Julia for help when Kris interrupts Sera’s meeting with Julia after Kenley is taken. In the firefight that follows, Kris takes Sera with him as he escapes into the shadows. Sera is incensed, certain she is being held hostage while Kris can’t properly explain his compulsion to take her.

Various story arc’s span the trilogy so I would recommend starting at the beginning if you are interested. I have really enjoyed the Undone series and while Oath Bound provides closure, I’m sorry the author chose to end it. Still, Rachel assured me when I had the opportunity to ask, that a new adult audience series would be launched later this year and I am looking forward to it.

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Review: Fractured by Dawn Barker

Title: Fractured

Author: Dawn Barker

Published: Hachette March 2013

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Status: Read on March 29, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy The Reading Room}

My Thoughts:

Fractured is a devastating portrayal of a young family shattered by tragedy from debut author, Dawn Barker. When Anna is found bruised, battered and uncommunicative on a seaside cliff, her husband, Tony, imagines she has been attacked, perhaps car jacked. While he is relieved she has been found safe, their newborn son, Jack, is still missing and Anna can’t, or won’t, tell them where he is.

Structured along two alternating timelines that eventually meet, Fractured begins with the day that Anna and Jack disappear and then takes the reader back to the day that their much wanted and loved son was born. As the story unfolds, primarily through the viewpoint of Tony, we are witness to Anna’s experience of new motherhood and Tony’s struggle to make sense of the disintegration of his family.

With sensitivity and compassion, Barker explores this confronting situation and it’s heart rending results. The tension comes at first from the unknown fate of baby Jack but is maintained as Anna and Tony have to come to terms with events, and are faced with the unimaginable emotional and legal repercussions of tragedy.

As the characters vacillate between blame, empathy, loathing and pity so does the reader, forced to confront the boundaries of our understanding about postpartum mental illness. It is an intense study of human frailty, drama and tragedy of which many have little understanding.

A superb debut for Dawn Barker, Fractured is a psychologically complex, gripping story that I couldn’t put down. This adult fiction title is one that will haunt me for a while.

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Review: The French Promise by Fiona McIntosh

 

Title: The French Promise

Author: Fiona McIntosh

Published: Michael Joseph: Penguin Australia March 2013

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Status: Read from March 24 to 26, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy Penguin/Netgalley}

My Thoughts:

The Lavender Keeper, set primarily in France during World War 2, introduced Luc Bonet, a lavender farmer who joined the Resistance after his family was dragged away by Nazi collaborators and their farm in Provence was seized, and Lisette Forestier who was recruited by the London Home Office, tasked to infiltrate the Reich and aid the downfall of the Nazi regime.
The French Promise continues their story as they rebuild their lives after the war has ended. Luc, haunted by all he has lost, is struggling with his new life in England. Though he loves Lisette, and their son, Harry, he is unable to lay the ghosts of his past to rest. Lisette, increasingly concerned about her husband, believes they need a fresh start and the family sets sail for Tasmania where Luc can return to Lavender farming. Luc’s grief recedes as they establishes themselves in Australia, adding a daughter, Jennifer, to their family but when tragedy strikes Luc is overwhelmed by despair until a letter from the son of a war time friend provides him with the opportunity to finally fulfill his sworn promise to avenge those he loved.

I had been looking forward to this sequel after having enjoyed the blend of action, adventure, romance and intrigue in The Lavender Keeper. While Lisette is the dominant character in first novel, The French Promise features Luc and is a quieter story that focuses on emotion and human drama in the aftermath of the war. I love how the author connects the characters and events of The Lavender Keeper with The French Promise, and for that reason wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone novel. I feel the experience would be lacking without knowledge of the history of Luc and Lisette’s history.

The novel begins by sharing the fate of Luc’s family at Auschwitz-Birkenau where Rachel and Sarah are the only family members to survive the initial purge on arrival. While Sarah labours in a German factory, Rachel’s musical talents provide her with some advantages when she is chosen to teach music to the camp supervisor’s children. Unfortunately it is there that she comes under the notice of Commander Herr von Schleigel, an enemy of Luc’s, who takes perverse pleasure in condemning Rachel and her sister to death. McIntosh deals with the subject of the Holocaust sensitively but it is it’s aftermath and it’s impact on the survivors that is featured in the novel.

Not knowing exactly what happened to his family after they were taken by the Nazi’s has been a festering source of grief for Luc. Though he was certain they died in a German death camp it’s not until he is contacted by Max Vogel seeking information about his own father, Colonel Killian, with whom Luc and Lisette share history, that Luc is able to mourn his family. Through Luc, McIntosh explores the ethics of vengeance and it’s cost, as he decides to confront Commander Herr von Schleigel for his wartime atrocities. I found it interesting that though my sympathy was wholly with Luc, and my hatred for the Nazi officer complete, I hoped Luc would surrender his drive for revenge in favour of moving on with his life and finding the happiness he deserved. The characters of The French Promise are so finely and realistically drawn that I became invested in their well being and cried and laughed along with them.

The French Promise is a captivating saga of love, loss, and the triumph of the human spirit, providing closure for Luc and Lisette’s story. Fiona McIntosh is an extraordinary storyteller (I can also recommend her DCI Jack Hawksworth crime series and her fantasy stand alone, The Scrivener’s Tale) and this historical fiction duology is a stunning example of her talent.

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Review: The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee

 

 

Title: The Midnight Dress

Author: Karen Foxlee

Published UQP February 2013

Status: Read from March 14 to 15, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

Will you forgive me if I tell you the ending?

The Midnight Dress begins with a girl waiting anxiously in the darkness, the sounds of the town celebrating echoing in the distance, wondering what she will say when he comes for her. This is the girl that will disappear, the girl wearing the midnight dress.

The narrative shifts between the present, as a Detective searches for the missing girl, and the past as present as the midnight dress comes to be. Rose arrives in the small northern Queensland town of Paradise with her alcoholic father, is befriended by Pearl despite her reluctance and with the Harvest Parade celebration imminent agrees to work with the eccentric Edie Baker to create a dress for the occasion. A midnight dress of deep navy blue, mourning lace and glass beads, hand sewn by Rose while she listens to the stories Edie has to share.

I saw The Midnight Dress labeled as ‘rural Australian gothic’ (I am not really sure where – sorry about that) and thought it the perfect description. It has many of the elements associated with the genre – a wild, isolated landscape, a crumbling house, an illicit love affair, a lurking sense of something ‘other’.

The suspense is finely crafted, despite the intertwining narrative that foreshadows the grief and loss. There is a haunted quality that reminds me of The Picnic at Hanging Rock, it has that sense of an inexorable slide towards tragedy, of menace waiting to take advantage of innocence.

The Midnight Dress is beautifully written with a lyrical rhythm and evocative language. I felt as though I could step inside Edie Baker’s house, crowded with decaying junk, mildewed fabric and lost dreams. Gaze upon the looming mountain covered with dense forest, a waterfall burbling in the distance as the sweat of tropical humidity trickles uncomfortably down my spine. Spy on Pearl’s flirtation with Paul amongst the tiny, musty rooms of the book exchange.

Despite the teenage protagonist I would say this novel exceeds the boundaries of young adult fiction, it is more than a coming of age tale even as it delves into the angst of adolescence. The Midnight Dress is compelling, a story of loss, of yearning and dark enchantment and leaves me eager to read more from Karen Foxlee.

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Blog Tour Review: Hope’s Road by Margareta Osborn

Title: Hope’s Road

Author: Margareta Osborn

Published: Random House Australia March 2013

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Status: Read from March 13 to 14, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy Random House}

My Thoughts:

In Hope’s Road, Margareta Osborn’s second novel, she returns to the Victorian highlands and the rural community she knows so well. Montmorency Downs is home to Tamara McCauley who inherited the dairy farm upon her grandparents tragic death. Tammy loves the land and is proud of her heritage but when her marriage breaks down Tammy risks losing her family legacy as her faithless husband tries to force a sale. High on the hill at the boundary of the property lives Joe McCauley, sixty years ago he walked away from Montmorency Downs and cut all family ties when his brother married the woman Joe had fallen in love with. When the elderly Joe is injured, Tammy surprises herself by volunteering to care for the old man, along with wild dog trapper and Joe’s neighbour, Travis Hunter. Forced to keep company, a fragile bond is forged between Tamara, Travis and Joe, cemented by the needs of Travis’s young son, Billy, but as their pasts threaten to overwhelm them, they risk losing everything.

Vivid, authentic characterisation is becoming a hallmark of Osborn’s writing. I feel as if her characters could easily walk right off the page and slot neatly into my local community. Tamara McCauley is gutsy, intelligent and hard working but not without her vulnerabilities after years of insidious abuse from her husband. The portrayal of Travis Hunter as a single father out of his depth is well done, and his son, Billy, is just adorable. Curmudgeonly Joe McCauley evokes sympathy, despite his temper and his inability to let go of a sixty year old grudge. These are complex characters that demonstrate real growth as tentative connections are made and strengthened through shared adversity.
Osborn’s minor characters are equally colourful personalities, from the eccentricities of Tammy’s best friend, Lucy, to the flirty desperation of local school teacher Jacinta Greenaway, whose single minded pursuit of Travis provides some amusingly awkward moments. Even the abusive Shon Murphy, Tammy’s husband, is a man who also inspires some pity when it would have been simpler to simply paint him as a villian.

At it’s core, Hope’s Road is a contemporary romance but the storyline also touches on issues such as domestic violence, abandonment and elder care. The connection with family and the need to belong is a major theme illustrated by the relationship between Tamara and Joe, and Travis and his son. As rural fiction, the connection between the characters and the land also plays a vital role.
I really like the way in which Osborn approaches rural life in Hope’s Road. The romantic view of farm life cedes to the reality of dairy farming, graphically depicted when Tammy’s cows suffer bloat, and newborn calves come under attack from a wild dog.

I find Margareta Osborn’s writing style particularly appealing though I am not entirely sure why I connect with it so strongly. I think because I find her characters so believable, her plot’s have a realism I appreciate and her stories are well grounded in settings that are familiar to me. I enjoy the author’s sense of humour and feel the narrative flows well. The dialogue is authentic, though fair warning, it may be a little coarse for some at times. I thought the pace was good, firmly establishing character and back story before introducing the conflicts. I love that Osborn slips in a mention of the characters of Bella’s Run connecting the two stories, even if only peripherally.

Hope’s Road is a fine example of contemporary rural fiction. It’s no wonder the genre is enjoying a surge in popularity with such appealing characters and engaging stories capturing the readers imagination. Hope’s Road will definitely be on my favourites list for 2013 and I am happy to endorse it.

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Follow the tour to find out more about Hope’s Road

March 7^th: All the Books I Can Read

March 8^th: Confessions from Romaholics

March 9^th: Reading in the Bath

March 10^th: Book Muster Down Under

March 11th: MrsMichelleS

March 12^th: Intrepid Reader

March 13: Daystarz Books

March 14^th: Book’d Out

March 15: Sam Still Reading

March 16^th: This Charming Mum

March 17^th: 4 Ravens

Review: Blackwattle Lake by Pamela Cook

Title: Blackwattle Lake

Author: Pamela Cook

Published: Hachette December 2012

Read an Excerpt

Status: Read from February 11 to 13, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Author}

My Thoughts:
In Pamela Cook’s debut novel, Blackwattle Lake, Eve Nicholls has returned to her hometown after an absence of twenty years, having inherited the family farm upon her mother’s death. She plans to sell up and move on as quickly as possible, unwilling to remain in the community that drove her away twenty years ago. But as Eve sorts through a lifetime of clutter and memories, she is forced to confront the consequences of the choices she made as a teenager, and find a way to live with them if she is to have the future she hopes for.

I was expecting what has become a reasonably formulaic storyline for the rural fiction genre (misled in part by the cover) only to be pleasantly surprised by Blackwattle Lake. This is largely a character driven novel focusing on the protagonist’s need to confront the tragic circumstances that precipitated her abandoning her home, family and friends, though she is also forced to cope with external challenges including a raging bushfire that menaces the community.

The moment Eve swore, lit a cigarette and poured herself a drink while her kelpie, Banjo, lay panting at her feet, I knew we were going to get along. She felt familiar in an indefinable way and is probably one of the most authentic characters I have encountered in a while. She is complicated in ordinary ways and though defensive and abrupt at times, Eve invokes sympathy without pity.

For me, the absence of a traditional romantic subplot was refreshing. There are a few interesting moments with the childhood sweetheart she left behind, the cheating ex who follows her to beg for forgiveness and the vet who saves Banjo’s life but they contribute to developing Eve’s character rather than providing a convenient distraction from her journey.

I found the realism of character, crisis and landscape in Blackwattle Lake very engaging. Cook proves to be a skilled writer, deftly capturing natural dialogue and behaviour. From the first page I was able to create a mental picture of Eve’s surroundings with small details, such as the “crushed Coke can littering the path”, and the “humming of cicadas working their way up to a crescendo somewhere above her head” providing sensory realism to the scene.

Well written, with appealing characterisation and an engaging storyline, Blackwattle Lake is an appealing contemporary novel set in rural Australia which I truly enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from Pamela Cook in the future.

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Review: Rough Diamond by Kathryn Ledson

Title: Rough Diamond

Author: Kathryn Ledson

Published: Michael Joseph Penguin January 2013

Synopsis: The shock ending to Erica Jewell’s marriage left a huge hole in her bank balance and a bigger one in her heart. And now her life goals make a very short list: no surprises, no debt and, definitely, no men. That is, until she finds one bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden one stormy Friday night. Jack Jones is a man whose emotional wounds are more life-threatening than the bullet in his shoulder. Under orders, he recruits Erica to his secret team of vigilantes, and Erica suspects her safe, predictable world is about to be turned upside down. And she’s absolutely right. Read an Extract.

Status: Read from January 20 to 21, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy Penguin Australia}

My Thoughts:

Set in Melbourne, Rough Diamond is a funny, fast paced, romantic caper that introduces an unlikely heroine. Nursing a broken heart and a mountain of debt after being deserted by her cheating husband, Danny, Erica Jewell lives a quiet life working in media relations for an oil company, making weekly visits to join her parents for dinner and resisting her best friend’s efforts to rekindle her social life. But Erica’s world is turned upside down when she discovers a man, bleeding from a bullet wound, in her front yard begging her for her help.

Action, humour, mystery and romance blend in Rough Diamond to create a lighthearted romp with an improbable plot involving terrorists armed with a hijacked load of fertiliser, a few villainous psychopaths and a secret team of well funded vigilantes protecting Melbourne from terrorist threats. It’s pure escapist fun, allowing the reader to fantasise about escaping their ordinary lives into the arms of a handsome, rich hero and saving the world, or at least their corner of the world, at the same time.

Erica is an ordinary woman, a little dull, a little lonely and downtrodden and the arrival of Jack Jones injects excitement and danger into her lacklustre existence. Though there is no good reason to trust the wounded man on her doorstep, she overrides the objections of her best friend, Lucy, and helps him evade the police and as a natural people-pleaser she can’t resist when he asks for more. Though hapless and a little naive, Erica is an endearing heroine and I found myself cheering for her. I only hope that Ledson lets Erica grow as the series continues.

You can’t ask for much more from a hero, Jack Jones* (*likely not his real name) is handsome, wealthy, intelligent, dangerous and has a social conscience. Nursing his own heartbreak after the death of his parents and his wife in the 9/11 attacks, and wary of making Erica a target for his enemies, he is reluctant to act on his attraction to Erica providing plenty of slow burning, romantic tension to add heat to the novel.

There are moments of suspense as the Melbourne Cup and Sydney Opera House are targeted by the terrorists and Erica is kidnapped by one of her ex-husband’s nefarious cohorts. The action allows the story to move along at pace as Erica stumbles along on her madcap adventure. Witty banter and strong dialogue, with the odd amusing Australian colloquialism thrown in, ensures Rough Diamond is an entertaining read.

Rough Diamond is a fabulously entertaining debut novel and I am already eager for the next installment. With appealing characters, good natured humour and an exciting plot, I loved Rough Diamond and I know fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Marianne Delacourt’s Tara Sharp and Lisa Lutz’s  Izzy Spellman will too. Click HERE to learn more about Kathryn Ledson and Rough Diamond in the Q&A I posted earlier today.

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