Rosie might be a young Australian woman returning home to her small town after the end of WWII, but I was surprised to find how much I could identify with this lady. Sure, I might be from a small town in the Midwest of the United States, but I could relate to the reverse culture clash involved of returning home after living in a big city for so long. Rosie encounters this friction of facing nostalgia and the happy memories of childhood with the reality of looking at her home from an adult’s perspective. It’s such a bizarre juxtaposition to have to face as an adult. Home is supposed to wrap you up in warmth and comfort, but sometimes you get cold moments instead, with a wall being put up in place of a welcoming embrace. This book tackles some serious issues and discussions revolving around racism, women’s rights, and the status of immigrants. It makes us realize that in some respects we’ve come a long way, and yet at the same time it’s so sad to see how much has remained the same. Honestly, this book could have been set in the present day based on some of the conversations which took place. I had to keep reminding myself that we were dealing with a post-WWII setting. Such an eye-opening comparison!

A main discussion point of this novel revolved around the topic of war, specifically the effects of men returning home after risking their lives to protect the safety of their country. PTSD of the returning soldiers isn’t the only issue highlighted though. We also see the impact of women having to return to their “proper place” in the home after getting a glimpse of independence. There’s also a spotlight shone on societal issues involving all of the different migrant communities who fled their homeland to escape the terrors of war, and in some instances had to leave a home behind which no longer existed because of the mighty wrath of war. In my opinion, all of these sensitive topics were described and detailed to perfection. You feel for these characters, and understand their frustrations in life, as well as the difficulties they face in moving on from such a tumultuous and unforgiving war.

There are some heavy subjects which are discussed in this book, and yet a guiding light through it all is the blossoming romance between our home girl Rosie, and a mysterious Italian immigrant named Tomas. To be frank, it was sort of the one component of the story which was somewhat lacking for me. There’s definitely a coy flirtation going on between them, but Tomas is obviously a troubled man dealing with the atrocities he’s witnessed in war. Sometimes this difficult past causes him to lash out at Rosie when she tries to learn more about what happened to him back in Italy. Now, it’s 100% understandable that he would want to try and forget the past rather than dredge up the painful memories of all the tragedy he’s seen firsthand. But then he has the tendency to push Rosie away, only to pursue her again, or she’ll come after him to make some headway, but then he’ll push her away again.

It’s kind of a grueling back and forth that, while undeniably realistic of many post-war relationships of the time, made me feel kind of bad for Rosie. They also both have the somewhat annoying tendency to start sentences or thoughts without finishing them. It happens a LOT. I lost track of the number of times they would be in the middle of a deep discussion, and just when we’re about to make some headway in their connection one or both of them would utter, “Never mind, it doesn’t matter”. Yes it bloody well does!! Tomas comes across as a rather moody man with a short fuse, and you can never really tell when he’s willing to open up about his past to lay all his cards on the table, versus when he’ll get testy and stalk off in a huff. It speaks to Rosie’s headstrong and persistent nature to not give up on him, but I wish we could have seen just a few more sparks of lightness and tenderness from Tomas.

A must read for your next book club. Definitely some interesting discussion points on society which still resonate today. While it’s kind of sad to see that some of these issues are still present, it shows us a light at the end of the tunnel, and how people can overcome their differences if they’re just willing to open up their eyes to see the good in other people. For me the standout feature of this book was really the societal issues discussed in terms of PTSD, racism, sexism, and the stigma of migrant communities. Tomas and Rosie’s romance was nice, but in my opinion it took a back seat to these other topics.

When a female war worker returns to a rural hometown in the aftermath of World War II, there is bound to be conflict between her new outlook and the older, more traditional ways. In Alli Sinclair’s Burning Fields, there is that and more. Part homecoming story, part coming of age, with a family secret revealed.

With her brothers lost to the war, Rosie Stanton is determined to help her family’s farm thrive. Soon meeting and feeling a pull towards a new neighbor, Tomas Conti, Rosie finds herself coming up against her father’s unwillingness to allow her to do anything but “women’s work” and his prejudice against Italians. And Tomas faces his own challenges, as a new man in town enflames anti-Italian sentiment in his vendetta against Tomas.

While Rosie finds acceptance and joy with the neighboring Conti family, and love with Tomas, this is more than a romance. It is also a story that illuminates the rampant sexism and racism of the time. While other novels have served a similar purpose, Burning Fields also brings to light the “White Australia” policy that would have affected families like the Contis.

Suitable for Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult fiction readers who enjoy Historical Fiction with chaste romance, Burning Fields is a bit of a gem when it comes to modern fiction set in the post-World War II era.

I’ve been wanting to read more from Australian and New Zealand authors, and I am happy to have discovered Alli Sinclair. I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

This review refers to a digital galley read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

A young woman returns to the family farm after a stint in the big city. As she works through the challenges that threaten her family’s livelihood, she learns to trust her instincts and stand up for herself in a male-dominated world. Author Alli Sinclair brings the Australian sugarcane farming community to life in the somewhat uneven but fairly enjoyable book Burning Fields.

In the northern Queensland community of Piri River, Rosie Stanton comes home to regain her composure. After serving the efforts of Australian soldiers in Brisbane during World War II, Rosie thought she could continue life in the big city. An uncomfortable encounter convinces her to go home to the family sugarcane farm. She knows life on the farm; she understands it. No one, she thinks, will try to take advantage of her there.

While the last sentiment may be true, Rosie has forgotten that farm life is still driven by men—the same problem she found in Brisbane. Never mind that her father is having trouble keeping the financial records straight, and Rosie suspects one of the farmhands of fixing the books. Because of her gender, Rosie is told, she needs to keep her opinions to herself.

She’s had enough of cowing in a corner, however, and she practically bullies her father into letting her take over day-to-day operations. When he suffers a health setback and the suspicious farmhand turns out to be just as rotten as Rosie guessed, she steps into the role of leader. Men challenge her along the way, but she holds her ground.

Not all of the men in her life think of her as dimwitted or incapable, however. Tomas Conti, a newly-arrived Italian immigrant, finds Rosie charming. He’s one of the few people in town to call her by her full name—Rosalie—and they share common ground on the fact that their families’ farms sit adjacent to one another. It doesn’t hurt that Tomas is incredibly handsome, and he exudes a mysterious air. Rosie knows he’s hiding something, but the secret only makes her more curious about him.

A strong anti-Italian viewpoint runs through Piri River, however. It’s well-known that for a time the Italians fought with the Axis powers during the war, and many of the families lost loved ones in battle. They eye all Italians with suspicion, Rosie’s father included. As she fights to save her family’s farm from financial ruin and also to protect her growing friendship with Tomas, Rosie learns she’ll have to juggle trials she never imagined possible.

Author Alli Sinclair does an admirable job of highlighting the problem of prejudice in Piri River. While many American readers might see racism through a particular lens, Sinclair reminds readers that hatred exists in other places. It’s not a uniquely North American problem.

Her descriptions of Australian farmland will certainly charm readers. Main character Rosie doesn’t dwell on her time in Brisbane, instead focusing on Piri River. Sinclair’s choice to follow Rosie around the small Queensland town allows readers to focus on the action and the characters.

Unfortunately, the novel lacks in both areas. Early on Rosie’s mother is introduced as struggling with alcoholism due to losing her two sons in the war. Other than the occasional mention of her drunkenness and her stumbling into and out of scenes, however, she doesn’t contribute anything to the story. Other characters, like Rosie’s best friend and even her father at times, don’t do much other than help Rosie bide time from one disaster to the next.

Rosie herself exhibits inconsistencies. At times she seems level-headed, ready to take on her father’s patriarchal views in order to help the family. Other times she’s petulant, faulting Tomas for not opening up to her about personal topics soon after they’ve met. His brooding manner makes it clear he has suffered during the war, but Rosie pesters him about it like a teenager whining about wanting to go out on the weekend. At the end of it all, readers won’t be sure exactly what Rosie thinks because she herself doesn’t know.

The book offers many predictable plot twists, but a few unexpected ones at the end feel forced and unnecessary. Also, at times the characters seem to be begging for attention to social issues. In one scene, Rosie wonders aloud when women will get their due and whether there will ever be a time when they can speak up for their rights. While Sinclair’s intentions should be applauded, the “on-the-nose” treatment of these topics is a little too much to handle.

Readers who want something quick for a weekend and who would like a peek into life in Australia may enjoy this one. Those expecting a more thoughtful, meaty book might want to give the book a pass. I recommend readers Borrow Burning Fields.

Burning Fields is a pretty read. I am giving it four and a half stars and recommend it to other readers.

The year is 1948, the war is over, but racism is alive and well in Australia. Some Italians have moved into the sugar plantation next to the one owned by Rosie Stanton's family. Rosie's dad dislikes that the Italians have moved into their area of Australia.

Rosie has come home to find that her family's farm is deep in debt and the farm manager that her father has trusted for years has absconded with the payroll and left town. Rosie sets about trying to overcome her father's prejudices and take over the books.

Next door, Rosie has met Tomas and his family and has come to love them all, but her father's mindset stands in the way of her happiness because Tomas is Italian.

Tragedy is the only way this book can come out to any reasonable conclusion and to bring all the characters together in unity. Alli Sinclair writes with unusually high quality in her plot, characters, and settings.

This is a five star book with two thumbs up and some cane sugar to sweeten your day.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Title: Burning Fields
Author: Alli Sinclair
Genre: Fiction, historical
Rating: 4 out of 5

In 1948, world War II has impacted every corner of the globe and brought change. For Rosie Stanton, it brought an opportunity to live and work away from home for the first time, growing her independent nature even stronger. But now she’s back home on her family’s sugarcane farm, which is foundering thanks to her father’s old-fashioned ideas, sabotage from the inside, and her parents’ grief over the loss of her two brothers. Even worse is her father’s dislike of Italians, especially the Conti family that lives next door.

Thomas Conti left the war behind him when he came to Australia but finds prejudice and hatred here as well. Thomas still struggles with his experiences in the war and wants to keep to himself because he just knows he’ll hurt anyone who cares about him. Rosie wants to get to know Thomas, but when a ghost from his past shows up to ruin his future and a bombshell from Rosie’s past destroys who she thinks she is, they’ll have to turn to each other if they’re to survive.

I’d never read anything from this particular setting, so it was an interesting—and sad—read. So much conflict and hatred towards others…kind of like today. Rosie is an interesting character: caught on the brink of a changing world and society but having to fight for every single step she takes forward. I enjoyed this read quite a bit.

Alli Sinclair is an award-winning author. Burning Fields is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Kensington Books/Lyrical Press in exchange for an honest review.)

A chance meeting on a bus will affect Rosie Stanton's life in ways she could not imagine.

I was totally captivated by Burning Fields by Alli Sinclair from the first page. She writes with such attention to detail, be it historical or social, A treat for the senses, Alli Sinclair evokes setting so vividly in Burning Fields, whether it is Australia or Italy that I could picture the scenes in an almost cinematic way.

Rosie is very much a modern woman attempting to fit into a male dominated world. Her internal struggle when falling in love with Tomas but still wanting to be an independent woman is extremely well presented. She felt very real to me, as did all the characters. I found Tomas's back story actually quite disturbing.

I loved the storytelling and was swept up in the events and the twists and turns of Rosie's relationship with Tomas that are gradually uncovered with great skill. However, there are so many layers to this narrative. Burning Fields could simply be read as a hugely engaging romantic history, but it is much more than that. Alli Sinclair explores the impact of world events on the ordinary person. She weaves deep and important themes through Burning fields, from Fascism and racism to loyalty, love to war, feminism to patriarchy and sexism, family to PTSD, so that I really did feel I was given a greater understanding not only of the 1940s of the novel, but sadly, of many of the aspects still affecting the world today. Reading Burning Fields made me question how I might have behaved had I found myself in the same position as Tomas. The answers didn't always make for a comfortable feeling.

It is Alli Sinclair's ability to entertain, subtly to educate and to make the reader think that I feel makes Burning Fields such a good read. I really enjoyed this read.

Terrific historic fiction! Set in 1948 Australia, with some scenes in Italy during WWII, this is the story of Rosie and Tomas, both of whom are trying to find their place in the world after the trauma of the war. Societal change can be slow, especially for women and outsiders, no matter the date. Rosie confronts prejudice against women, not only from her neighbors but also from her family, when she takes over the farm. Tomas, well, he's an outsider and has a rougher road. Nicely written and plotted, this was a very good read. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

1948, Queensland, Australia. Rosie Stanton returns to her family's sugar cane farm to help her father. The story also involves a young Italian, Tomas, who has come to help his family with their farm as well. They both meet on the bus that takes them to the town where their relationship will go much farther than the first meeting that brought them together. Tomas comes from war-torn Italy with a past that has him conflicted, with secrets that he is certain not to reveal. Rosie for her part has been fired from her job in Brisbane and seeks stability with her family. However, that is not about to happen as she finds out. The plot will keep you glued to the story as it is told in chapters focusing on Tomas and Rosie.

With secrets abounding, along with angst, racism and the central female character being strong-willed and compassionate, this brings a most satisfying read. My thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't remember ever reading a book set in Australia, which was why I chose to read this story. The author transports the reader to the sugar cane fields of this fascinating country, after World War II. Rosie Stanton, a strong female protagonist, returns home after serving in the Australian's Women Army Service in Brisbane to her home in Queensland. She wants to help on her family's sugar cane ranch, but her father is of old school thought and is stubbornly against her assisting. While dealing with her bull-headed father, and a mother having difficulty coping, she's also faced with the loss of her brother's in the war and the farm's unscrupulous manager.

On the bus ride to her home, Rosie meets Thomas Conti, who lives on the neighboring farm. They hit it off right away and the two become friends. However, Thomas is Italian and the attitude toward Italians at this time is ridiculous. We do get a clear look at Thomas' experiences in Italy during World War II. I did like Thomas. He does have a feisty grandmother.

I was disappointed in the book. I thought at times the chapters ended abruptly and there were gaps in time, that left me puzzled. I loved the brief descriptions of Australia but I expected more. I felt they were somehow lacking.
At times I was completely engrossed in the book and at other times it was a chore to read it. There was some tough profanity in the story which did not help with the overall reading of the book.
I have struggled with how many stars to give this book. I finally decided on 3 *** stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.