Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
If you like country side, pick this book right now. If you like a rich girl going to a rural farm in Australia to woo a guy for her benefit but later ends up falling in love with him while working in the farms. You pick this book up. If you want to read a slow but not a cringy romance book.. just falling in love part, not after love part, then pick this book up.
Enough said, just pick this book up already
Enough said, just pick this book up already
I really loved this book. I think from the very start it was the characters that drew me in.
I found all the characters so incredibly likeable.
I loved the Aussie accent, phrases and the descriptions of Australian life and the land.
I was rooting for the jules and Mick and was happy with their ending as much as Kim and Sam.
I lovely read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I found all the characters so incredibly likeable.
I loved the Aussie accent, phrases and the descriptions of Australian life and the land.
I was rooting for the jules and Mick and was happy with their ending as much as Kim and Sam.
I lovely read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a cute Christian Inspirational romantic comedy about American risk-taking business developer, Kimberly, and risk-averse, Australian youth pastor, Sam, and how these on the surface, polar in personality opposites, are actually pretty similar in their self-doubt and fear and yet have to work together to save Sam’s sister’s farm in Australia.
There’s also a secondary second chance romance plot in this featuring Sam’s sister, Jules, and his best friend, Mick, so you kind of get a two-for-one with this. I think that was both bad and good- good because I don’t think I would have wanted to read a completely separate book for Jules, but bad because it took away a bit from the focus on Sam and Kimberly. There are also multiple perspectives in this book- we get the story from Kimberly’s, Sam’s, Jules’, and Mick’s perspective and for this reason, urgency in one conflict is sometimes lost when the story is taken on by a different character with a different conflict. This relay style of story telling and flashing to other storylines in the middle of someone’s plot and conflict, read more like a tv miniseries, than it did a novel and I could definitely picture this as a film or miniseries. I also think that the relationships as they are written would have transferred better on film than they did reading them- I didn’t feel like there was enough of a “why” for the romantic relationships.
Overall, I did enjoy this. It’s a little slow-going in parts because it was a little hard to stay in the story sometimes with all the voice-switching. What I did love were the themes of letting things go and trusting God, and the difference between the identity we give ourselves and who we think we are, versus the identify God gives us and who he says we are. I think the author did an amazing job blending the Christian part of the messages in with the plot really seamlessly so it never came across as separate or forced. For a Christian reader who prefers a completely chaste romance or wants to buy this for someone who does, there is quite a bit of kissing/making out in this. It’s never anything beyond PG or PG-13 but just to keep in mind if this is not something you want to read. This was my first book by this author and I would read her again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
There’s also a secondary second chance romance plot in this featuring Sam’s sister, Jules, and his best friend, Mick, so you kind of get a two-for-one with this. I think that was both bad and good- good because I don’t think I would have wanted to read a completely separate book for Jules, but bad because it took away a bit from the focus on Sam and Kimberly. There are also multiple perspectives in this book- we get the story from Kimberly’s, Sam’s, Jules’, and Mick’s perspective and for this reason, urgency in one conflict is sometimes lost when the story is taken on by a different character with a different conflict. This relay style of story telling and flashing to other storylines in the middle of someone’s plot and conflict, read more like a tv miniseries, than it did a novel and I could definitely picture this as a film or miniseries. I also think that the relationships as they are written would have transferred better on film than they did reading them- I didn’t feel like there was enough of a “why” for the romantic relationships.
Overall, I did enjoy this. It’s a little slow-going in parts because it was a little hard to stay in the story sometimes with all the voice-switching. What I did love were the themes of letting things go and trusting God, and the difference between the identity we give ourselves and who we think we are, versus the identify God gives us and who he says we are. I think the author did an amazing job blending the Christian part of the messages in with the plot really seamlessly so it never came across as separate or forced. For a Christian reader who prefers a completely chaste romance or wants to buy this for someone who does, there is quite a bit of kissing/making out in this. It’s never anything beyond PG or PG-13 but just to keep in mind if this is not something you want to read. This was my first book by this author and I would read her again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I wasn’t crazy about Jessica Kate’s first book, Love and Other Mistakes, but I’m glad that didn’t keep me from reading this one! We met Kimberly and Sam in the first book, but this one can definitely be read as a standalone. The seamless way Australian culture and vocabulary were included added interest and uniqueness to the story, and I thought the characters were more compelling in this book. Kim and Sam look like opposites on the surface, but as their friendship grows, they find that the past hurts they're both dealing with help them understand each other better. I also really enjoyed the secondary storyline that focused on Sam's sister Jules and her former fiance, Mick. Overall, a solid story about family, purpose, and overcoming obstacles, with a little humor!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Crickey, this was a good read! Not only did I love that it was set in my part of the world, but the characters in this story were somehow irresistibly vibrant and wonderfully down-to-earth at the same time. The air around Kimberly and Sam positively crackled, at first from the genuine discord between them, but then transforming—along with their growing understanding of each other—into a delicious current of attraction and affection. And Sam’s sister Jules (whose story is an integral part of the plot) provided some sparks of her own. Loved seeing a female character with her grit and determination.
The transformation of Kimberly and Sam’s relationship was one of my favourite aspects of this story, partly because it felt so organic (I LOVED the scene where Sam realised how completely he had misjudged Kimberly) but also because the transformation didn’t change the underlying tension between them. Kimberly’s business savvy and her desire to excel and prove herself were fundamentally at odds with Sam’s poor view of his own intelligence (he’s had a life-long struggle with dyslexia) and his fear of repeating previous mistakes. If anything, their growing attraction actually heightened the tension precisely because it was clear that these insecurities would eventually bring them into opposition again.
As for the rest of the story, there’s the same combination of wit, sass, and occasional situational humour that I loved in her first book, although I feel as though Kate is carving a niche that sits a little to the side of conventional rom-com in the way she integrates a more serious element in her stories. And anyone who wants to get a bit of a feel for the Aussie landscape and culture will revel like a wombat in a dust bath. It’s there in the setting, in the descriptions, and, of course, in the dialogue, along with handy and well-integrated (for the most part*) translations for non-US readers.
Definitely a top pick for contemporary romance lovers!
*(I occasionally felt as though the context provided enough meaning for the reader without asides like “or X, as Kimberly would call it” being required. We are living in the age of Google, after all! And yes, that may seem easy for me to say as an Australian reader, but I can assure you I’ve done the same thing many a time as I read US-based fiction!)
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The transformation of Kimberly and Sam’s relationship was one of my favourite aspects of this story, partly because it felt so organic (I LOVED the scene where Sam realised how completely he had misjudged Kimberly) but also because the transformation didn’t change the underlying tension between them. Kimberly’s business savvy and her desire to excel and prove herself were fundamentally at odds with Sam’s poor view of his own intelligence (he’s had a life-long struggle with dyslexia) and his fear of repeating previous mistakes. If anything, their growing attraction actually heightened the tension precisely because it was clear that these insecurities would eventually bring them into opposition again.
As for the rest of the story, there’s the same combination of wit, sass, and occasional situational humour that I loved in her first book, although I feel as though Kate is carving a niche that sits a little to the side of conventional rom-com in the way she integrates a more serious element in her stories. And anyone who wants to get a bit of a feel for the Aussie landscape and culture will revel like a wombat in a dust bath. It’s there in the setting, in the descriptions, and, of course, in the dialogue, along with handy and well-integrated (for the most part*) translations for non-US readers.
Definitely a top pick for contemporary romance lovers!
*(I occasionally felt as though the context provided enough meaning for the reader without asides like “or X, as Kimberly would call it” being required. We are living in the age of Google, after all! And yes, that may seem easy for me to say as an Australian reader, but I can assure you I’ve done the same thing many a time as I read US-based fiction!)
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
3 Reasons to Love & Fear the Outback
Not only have I never read anything by Jessica Kate before, but before reading the synopsis of her book, I’d never heard of her. Right about that time, friends started buzzing about her debut novel, Love and Other Mistakes. Reviews were mixed, but none bad. I had to read this one for myself.
Not only was I treated to a well-written, humorous look at the psyches of two psychologically damaged humans. The way Ms. Kate then took her characters through a process of self-discovery and eventually through Biblical lenses just shows that people still write solid Christian fiction without making it icky and preachy. Well done!
Not only that, but Thomas Nelson still publishes them. *thud* Thank you, TN for the apparent shift back to your roots as a real Christian publisher. Praying it sticks.
The book—seriously, it’s awesome. I kept waiting for that thing to happen—the one where my stomach bottoms out and my heart sinks down with it. That thing where all my hopes for this great book become dashed against mediocrity.
Spoiler. It doesn’t happen.
Instead, Jessica Kate keeps us riveted to the page, makes us believe we’re there with snakes and spiders and kangaroos. We hear the accents, see the love for shortening everything to a nickname ending in “ie,” and end up slathered in Vegemite. What more could we want?
How about those reasons to love and fear the outback?
Love:
As a green American with no clue what life is really like in Australia, it feels very much like one of the “last frontiers” to me—like my life in Mojave as a girl. Except with electricity and running water. They have that. We didn’t. But… I bet we had better cell service…
Blunt speaking. Seriously, if all Aussies are like the characters in A Girl’s Guide to the Outback, I’d be in heaven there. While I’ve learned to couch my words in other words that ensure people know that I care about them even as I say what I think, it’s not natural. I’d rather be able to say, “I think that shirt looks hideous” rather than have to say, “Well, it’s not my favorite, but it sure looks comfortable” as a lead into a final, “Yeah, I really don’t think it’s flattering.” I can just hear several of those Aussies saying, “Seriously? Why would you buy such an ugly shirt?” God bless the Aussies.
Romance. If your heart goes pitter-patter at romance, well. I suspect the Outback is the place to go. More on that in a bit.
Fear:
The weather. It sounds rather extreme to me—kind of like where I live. Except we don’t have cyclones in the desert—and rarely tornadoes. We do have earthquakes, so maybe we’re even on that. What do I know? Still, when your whole world can be upended by a little wind… ahem.
Critters. Again, we have them here. Scorpions, rattlers, all the creepy crawlies. Still, there aren’t that many and not as deadly as the stuff out there. Just sayin’. If you want to stay safe, go where there’s not much in the way of crawlies—like Greenland or Antarctica.
Not only have I never read anything by Jessica Kate before, but before reading the synopsis of her book, I’d never heard of her. Right about that time, friends started buzzing about her debut novel, Love and Other Mistakes. Reviews were mixed, but none bad. I had to read this one for myself.
Not only was I treated to a well-written, humorous look at the psyches of two psychologically damaged humans. The way Ms. Kate then took her characters through a process of self-discovery and eventually through Biblical lenses just shows that people still write solid Christian fiction without making it icky and preachy. Well done!
Not only that, but Thomas Nelson still publishes them. *thud* Thank you, TN for the apparent shift back to your roots as a real Christian publisher. Praying it sticks.
The book—seriously, it’s awesome. I kept waiting for that thing to happen—the one where my stomach bottoms out and my heart sinks down with it. That thing where all my hopes for this great book become dashed against mediocrity.
Spoiler. It doesn’t happen.
Instead, Jessica Kate keeps us riveted to the page, makes us believe we’re there with snakes and spiders and kangaroos. We hear the accents, see the love for shortening everything to a nickname ending in “ie,” and end up slathered in Vegemite. What more could we want?
How about those reasons to love and fear the outback?
Love:
As a green American with no clue what life is really like in Australia, it feels very much like one of the “last frontiers” to me—like my life in Mojave as a girl. Except with electricity and running water. They have that. We didn’t. But… I bet we had better cell service…
Blunt speaking. Seriously, if all Aussies are like the characters in A Girl’s Guide to the Outback, I’d be in heaven there. While I’ve learned to couch my words in other words that ensure people know that I care about them even as I say what I think, it’s not natural. I’d rather be able to say, “I think that shirt looks hideous” rather than have to say, “Well, it’s not my favorite, but it sure looks comfortable” as a lead into a final, “Yeah, I really don’t think it’s flattering.” I can just hear several of those Aussies saying, “Seriously? Why would you buy such an ugly shirt?” God bless the Aussies.
Romance. If your heart goes pitter-patter at romance, well. I suspect the Outback is the place to go. More on that in a bit.
Fear:
The weather. It sounds rather extreme to me—kind of like where I live. Except we don’t have cyclones in the desert—and rarely tornadoes. We do have earthquakes, so maybe we’re even on that. What do I know? Still, when your whole world can be upended by a little wind… ahem.
Critters. Again, we have them here. Scorpions, rattlers, all the creepy crawlies. Still, there aren’t that many and not as deadly as the stuff out there. Just sayin’. If you want to stay safe, go where there’s not much in the way of crawlies—like Greenland or Antarctica.
hopeful
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
It was okay. The characters were just too bland for me.
4.5 stars. I didn't realize this was a christian romance, which I don't read much of, until I started reading it. The religious stuff wasn't totally in your face the whole time, and I appreciated there was still lots of humor and some banter. The romance itself was mild...no super steamy scenes or anything, it still seemed realistic, and their connection felt strong. Having grown up on a dairy farm myself, I liked that most of the book was set on an Australian dairy farm. It made for a great setting for the story.