Elsa’s Stand by Cathryn Hein
When the sudden death of his mother forces outback opal miner Jack Hargreaves home to Wirralong, his plan is simple: mourn his mother, sort out the family farm, and get the hell out of the town that has always hated him. But Elsa O’Donoghue, the beautiful hairdresser with a big heart and even brighter smile, has other plans.
From the moment Jack strides into her salon and helps himself to her clippers, Elsa is in lust. He might be a poster boy for the strong silent type, but That was the thing about opal mining, especially around the Ridge where a black opal run could turn a man into a millionaire overnight: it was a game built on potential.
Jack gripped the steering wheel, resisting the urge to turn around. Rumour had it there were a couple of new blokes doing the thieving, perhaps a gang. One ratter you at least had a chance against. A gang, nope. Whoever it was, they’d want to watch themselves. Bush retribution could be savage, as the last ratter who’d been caught discovered. Jack wondered if the bloke’s fingers had been worth the price.
Worried their association will harm Elsa’s business, Jack tries to avoid her, but Elsa is irresistible. Soon, she has him believing and hoping for a future with her in Wirralong
This is Jack Hargreaves and Elsa O’Donoghue's story.
The claustrophobic outback heat and swirling red dust suited Jack Hargreaves’s mood. Ratters had hit his neighbour last night. Snuck in while Dimitry was off visiting his lady friend in Lightning Ridge, a woman no one was supposed to know about but everyone did. Dimitry had arrived home in the morning to find his claim raided, the promising opal seam he’d just caught a glimpse of hacked out. Gone forever, along with its potential, perhaps making someone else a fortune. It could have been useless rock. It could have been riches. Now he’d never know.
He turned off the unsealed and unnamed goat track onto a wider gravel road that would eventually lead him to the Castlereagh Highway and Lightning Ridge. The track was one of many that criss-crossed the rocky, barren landscape and hid a secret population that most of the world, most of Australia for that matter, had no idea existed.
I highly recommend reading.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Elsa’s Stand by Cathryn Hein is a wonderful well written 4 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Cathryn Hein.
Cathryn's Books with Tule:
Elsa’s Stand
Outback Brides

Outback Brides
Book 1
Maggie’s Run
by Kelly Hunter
Book 2
Belle’s Secret
by Victoria Purman
READ · PRE-ORDER

Book 3
Elsa’s Stand
by Cathryn Hein
READ · PRE-ORDER

Book 4
Holly’s Heart
by Fiona McArthur

This is the 3rd story in The Outback Bride Series. Each is written by a different author. Cathryn Hein takes us prospecting, Jack for Opals, his mom for Sapphires, Elsa for love. Jack spends his life on the hunting opal. Just him and his dog it's lonely but he thinks a full life. Then his mom dies and he's brought back to the small town he grows up in. A town that the rumor mill is either talking about his mother digging for sapphires or his father who was a thief. Returning to town he is needing a quick haircut and shaves, to get to her funeral. Meet Elsa she runs the local beauty shop and cant help him right now. He grabs her clippers and buzzes his own hair and shaves his beard. That’s was not the shocking part, it was when he changes his clothes out on the street in front of her shop. Now it seems he is as attracted to Elsa as she is to him. Trying to bring the ranch back to life. Also working on his relationship with his brother who lives with his father. Elsa takes her stand she doesn't care what people think of him. She stands by him even when it cost her a customer. When a problem arises will Jack take a stand or will he escape to the outback?

A nice quick read with some interesting characters and storyline. I didn't enjoy this one as much as some of the others in the series but overall it isn't a bad read. For me I had a hard time feeling the connection between Elsa and Jack. She's gregarious, outgoing and loves the little town of Wirralong. He's a loner, reserved, and has a major chip on his shoulders when it comes to the town and it's residents. The combo just seemed odd. The book is well written and the characters nicely developed so it's a solid book.

Elsa's Stand is book three of the Outback brides Series. Each book is by a different author, reads as a stand alone but has connections within the Wirralong community. Cathryn Hein’s addition to the series has two of my favorite characters in the series. Perhaps that is because Jack needs love and there is not one brighter or better than Elsa to love him. This story also had the most authentic feel to it. I could feel the heat and see the harsh landscape of the outback in my mind. Then the actions and ways of the characters was just wonderfully done. The expressions or turn of a phrase seemed just so real to me; not “Crocodile Dundee” real but normal talk real. Still I must say I cringed every time I read an expression about a bicycle that Jack often used.

Elsa has minor roles in the first books, but it is in this one that she really shines. Ms. Helms does a fantastic job fleshing out these two opposite personalities, whose lives have been rather opposite too. I loved the strong, silent Jack that Elsa brought color to his otherwise brown, dusty existence. I loved their first meeting even if it was on a sad day. I knew life would get better for Jack. I loved watching Jack open-up as a person, emotionally and socially.

Which brings me to my wish for Serenity and Jesse to have their stories told. I was a bit disappointed to see that the fourth book was not Serenity’s. Still I have hope for the future.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher for an eARC to read and give my honest opinion.

Elsa's stand was just a fun and delightful read. Jack Hargreaves never stood a chance. Late for his mother's funeral he strolled into Elsa's beauty parlor and commandeered her clippers for a haircut.
The book is swarth with a just heartening bloom of a beautiful relationship over months between Jack and Elsa. She slowly wins him over which makes the chemistry smolder. I really enjoyed my first read by this author and I would definitely read more. Five stars of entertainment!

Oh goodness this is a good story. Third in the Outback Brides series, Elsa’s Stand is set in the northern Victorian town of Wirralong. Mining is central to this story as Jack Hargreaves, an outwardly strong, confident and self-assured man returns to his home town for his mother’s funeral.
I adore Jack, a huge, muscled tough looking man who is carrying a world of hurt on his shoulders, having been shunned by many of the townsfolk because of his father. He’s a loner but as you get to know Jack you realise he’s keeping to himself to protect his feelings. He’s also a decent, hardworking and caring man and oh my goodness the struggle he has to contain himself when he meets Elsa. I loved his “Christ on a bicycle” declarations, even if they were only muttered to himself. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the poor man.
Elsa is pretty much the exact opposite of Jack. She’s gregarious, fun-loving, a bit of a flirt and a bit of a tease, but she’s also loyal and generous and willing to stand up for what she believes in. I loved the way she stood up for Jack in the face of disapproval from some of the townspeople.
This story has so much appeal for me that it’s hard to say exactly what I liked most about it. The setting, the characters, the plot and the pace were all perfect and I galloped through the story as fast as I could, loving each and every page along the way.

I really loved this book! It had me hooked from the beginning! Jack a handsome brooding loner and Elsa a beautiful and kind hearted woman. The perfect match up for a romance novel!!!! This book was well written. I liked being a part of Jack and Elsa love story. It was sweet. I like when characters in a story are not judgemental. Elsa knew from the beginning Jack was a good man and stood up for him. I liked how the author portrayed Elsa! I also really liked the other characters in the story. Serenity was funny and I had hoped Jesse and her would hit it off but it seemed quite the opposite. This is my first book by this author! I can't wait to read more from this series.

OMG this is such an awesome story, MS Hein has bought every emotion there is out in this one, it sparkles with love and caring and strength, it is one that I just literally inhaled and savoured, I am loving this series. My visit back to Wirralong brings us Elsa’s HEA with the gorgeous opal miner Jack Hargraves who has arrived back in the town he grew up and never felt at home in for his mother’s funeral, but a meeting at the local hairdressers with Elsa the best hairdresser in town and all round fabulous woman is about to turn his life upside down, sit back and enjoy this ride.

Jack has never felt comfortable in Wirralong and inherited his mother’s prospecting genes and took off as soon as he could for Lightning Ridge and opal mining, he is a loner and keeps to himself doesn’t see his father or brother much or keep in touch with them but he does with his mother eccentric Kate who is still living on the family farm trying to find her sapphires, Jack is devastated when her learns of her death and makes I home just in time for the funeral, but being a mess he first goes to the hairdresser for a haircut, where he meets Elsa and this first meeting is amazing.

Elsa has been working hard getting her hair salon off the ground and with the weddings being held at Wirra Station things are moving well, but when the gorgeous giant of a man walks into her hair salon caring Elsa picks up on his pain and allows him to cut his own hair, this starts a sensual pull that Elsa will not give up on no matter what anyone in the town says or Jack either and her sheer determination had me cheering her on as Jack does what he thinks his right for Elsa.

There were tears, there was laughter, and there were sighs and such joy reading this one, I loved Jack and Elsa and their very sensual journey to such a fabulous HEA, yes there were a few hurdles to jump over along the way, but that is happens when true love runs deep and Elsa what a heroine the strength that she shows to get her man and Jack the strong silent hero and when he walks back into that salon wow awesome, I highly recommend this story, and I am loving this series can’t wait for the next one. Thank you MS Hein for such an awesome story.

Elsa's Stand by Cathryn Hein, book 3 in the Outback Brides series. A sweet addition to the series. I love the setting of the series and the characters. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I liked Elsa and Jack’s characters. The emotions portrayed by Jack held merit and at times, were moving. Elsa’s nickname fit well in the story to depict her character. A quick read in the Outback Brides series.
Review copy received from Tule Publishing via Netgalley

I really loved this third chapter in the Outback Brides series. Elsa is such a great character, open and honest and strong in her beliefs. And Jack, well I'd happily have Jack, the tough looking guy who deep down hides his hurt at being made to feel less than, just because of who his father is. I really enjoyed the coming together of these two characters. Serenity is another great character who I definitely hope gets her own story or we at least get to hear about her happily ever after, because she is such good fun, her antics cracked me up at times. This is definitely a great series and I look forward to book 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.

Jack Hargreaves, didn't plan on staying in Wirralong for long. He was only there for his mother's funeral and to sort out the farm. Then, he would head back to Lightning Ridge where he mined for opals. He always felt out of place in Wirralong and never felt welcome.

Jack met Elsa O’Donoghue at her salon where he stopped for a haircut. There was something special about her and Jack really wanted to get to know her better. So, he decided to stay in Wirralong a while longer. Plus, he really wanted to find the legendary Strathroy sapphires that his mother mentioned during her last call. But when a situation occurs at Jack's father's house and Jack gets caught up in the drama, will the scandal be the end for Jack and Elsa's new romance?

I liked Jack right from the start. He was a hard worker, a bit stubborn and standoffish, especially when it came to women and the town he was raised in. But, I could tell he had a sensitive side. He just needed the right woman to bring it out of him. The author did a wonderful job with the plot and the background details of the characters. I enjoyed the setting too. There were some emotional moments along with some parts that made me laugh. All around, this is a great addition to the Outback Brides series.

Awesome book, this is a must read! This book gives you a taste of life in the outback and what it is like to mine for gems. It contains some very real scenarios about why we should not judge a person until they know them.
This book can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the Outback Brides series!

Loved it good read enjoyable would recommend reading it and the author amend other books in series won’t disappoint

I loved the setting – the historic gold town rush of Wirralong, Australia – and the characters in “Elsa’s Stand” and how the author, Cathryn Hein, created such a singular plot against the backdrop of opal search in Australia, something completely new to me.
Jack and Elsa are great protagonists and their romance delightful to read, with no forced drama or angst. Their families bring the exact amount of texture, humor and drama to the story and enhance their own personalities.
Jack’s grief about his mother’s death was very well written.

I don't know where to start. I loved the beginning of Elsa and Jack's story, the middle was teasing and not and I adored the ending. Jack comes home from opal mining in the outback when his mother, Kate dies. His mom had always believed there were sapphires on her property but had never found them. Jack meets Elsa, a kind hearted hairdresser and the chemistry sizzles but he doesn't think he is good enough for her and believes the town thinks that, also. Elsa believes in Jack, they fall in love but never tell each other. He goes away and doesn't call her for too long. One short message and a gift. He finally comes to his senses and comes back for her, but will she have him? Will the sapphires ever be found? I thought this was an absolutely great book..I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review and no compensation otherwise.

It had been a while since I read a book set in Australia and I think this was one of the first books that I had set in the bush and not in one of the major cities. I felt this book was okay but some of it was too ridiculous or it required a bit more background for some of the events that took place.

I loved Elsa and Jack. Jack, in particular, was so unexpected. He was so sweet, unsure, and insecure underneath his gruff exterior. I just adored him! And Elsa was a terrific foil to him, keeping him focused on what truly matters.

Elsa meets Jack when he is back in town for his mother's funeral. he is a solitary person, used to his own company after spending years on his own in mining country. But Elsa isn't letting him get away that easily, and soon he is under her spell. When family problems lead to him leaving town, she doesn't know if he is gone for good.

Enjoying this series and looking forward to the next book.

I love when a romance brings a strong woman up against a strong man with baggage instead of the other way around. Elsa’s Stand, book three of the Outback Bride series, pairs Elsa O’Donoghue with Jack Hargreaves in rural Australia. He left the unforgiving town of Wirralong in the dust when he left for the solitary world of opal mining. He’s only returned for his beloved mother’s funeral, to find the fabled Strathroy sapphires, and to return to opal mining. Fate has a different path for Jack in the form of Elsa. She sees the deep sorrow in Jack’s eyes and the reprehensible attitude of some of the townsfolk. It is Elsa’s determination, coupled with their intense chemistry, which can change everything for Jack-if only he will believe.