This story took me back to Ballarat and the gold rush in 1854, where we meet Indigo Wallace, single woman miner on the goldfields, times are tough and there are plenty of soldiers there to help keep the peace and one of them catches the eye of Indy, Lieutenant Will Marsh, but their first meeting is shall we say different, but this starts a journey filled with danger and ups and downs, make yourself comfortable when you pick this one up because you won’t want to put it down.

Indy works hard on the goldfields at Eureka, never giving an inch to anyone she stands up for herself and anyone that is in need. There is trouble brewing in the fields between the police, army and the miners and Indy seems to be getting caught in the middle and the handsome Will seems to be there to help her and Indy is losing her heart to the man that could be posted elsewhere anytime, is there a future for them?

Will is an orphan and grew up on the tough streets of London, until he joined up with the army, here he has found family and is a true army man moving up the ranks on his own merits and now he is here in Ballarat to protect the gold, but when he meets Indy the sparks fly and he cannot deny the love that is growing, but it takes him a while before he finally acts on that love and looks to the future.

This is such a great story from page one, it is fast paced very interesting, and Indy wow what a heroine man she is feisty, strong, caring and fabulous and just the heroine Will needs, and Will he is strong handsome so caring, these two belong together. MS Adnams has written a story that made me remember what I learnt in school about The Eureka Stockade and what these people went through, beautifully written, fabulous true to life characters and this is a story that I would highly recommend, it was a fabulous read.

I picked this one up because the concept sounded exciting: a romance set during the Eureka stockade? Two protagonists, each on opposite sides of the conflict? I figured the action would offset the romance a little.

I'll be honest, I had to force my way through this one at the start, because it was very slow for at least the first third of the book. But I'm still giving it three stars: the prose is well-written, and I liked that the internal voice of each POV character was very distinct from the other. There is a bit of intrigue, a bit of action, and a bit of humour: three ingredients to an all-round decent book.

The Girl From Eureka is very romance driven for at least the first third, during which it's pretty much a back and forth dance between our protagonists. This comes at the expense of the plot to a fair degree. You get a lot of fun interaction while not a lot is really happening. Occasionally, the odd event to the relevant social tension is thrown in here or there, to remind us that this is probably going somewhere interesting eventually. Don't fret though, the big fight does come. There's just a lot of dialogue and interaction to get through first.

Both the main characters were fine. Indy is a woman ahead of her time, a miner who is fierce and stubborn. Not a character you haven't seen before, but I am a firm believer that if a cliche works for you, there is no shame in enjoying it. She does have some witty things to say, and I enjoyed her tongue lashings of stuck-up characters. Will, the soldier, I found to be quite a bit more boring. He's just an all round nice guy, who really doesn't have all that much to him: he does all the right things, makes all the choices and has the right opinions. Will doesn't do anything that the reader wouldn't do, really. But he's handsome, and he has a growing affection for our little firecracker heroine that allows him to see her point of view the way a romantic interest should. All in all, the two of them had a tried and true dynamic, pitting Indy's chaos with Will's lawfulness for a great story of opposites attracting.

My problems with it were mostly that the main characters don't really develop, aside from their relationship with each other. A lot of conversations are had about their political and social views, but most of the time that conversation ends and nobody really changes. There are a few exceptions of course, but for the most part, all the characters seem to be waiting around (and falling in love) while the unrest very slowly escalates. The antagonists were fairly one-dimensional. There is one particular character who has a personal grievance with Indy, but he's very firmly a bad guy.

However, the writing and dialogue were great fun. Indy has some great things to say, and I think she was a great point-of-view for a story about rebellion. The author doesn't sugarcoat the horrible, wet, sweaty, muddy, and all-around gross conditions these people lived in. You really do feel like you're out in the bush in Ballarat, or panicking as you navigate a dusty, bloody battlefield. Once the action gets going, it's very engaging.

Fans of romance and historical fiction, especially those who, like me, were intrigued by a story told on their own home turf, would enjoy this. 3/5.

The attraction between Indy Wallace, independent and trouble-attracting and British Army Lieutenant Will Marsh is unexpected for both of these strong characters. As trouble between the miners and the army escalates, these two find their love and devotion challenged to their limits.

A wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the lives of the characters. The author weaved a great story and made the historical era of that turbulent time in Australia's history really stand out.
I would read another book by Cheryl Adnams. I highly recommend.

‘Ballarat was already a place struggling with an imbalance of justice.’

Having read her contemporary novels in the past, I knew I was in for a good story in this latest offering by Cheryl Adnams, but I have to say, I really feel as though she has found her true calling here in historical romance. The Girl From Eureka was a terrific read, action abounding right from the very first page, the town of Ballarat as it was in the mid 19th century recreated with vigour and atmosphere. This novel put me in mind of a Poldark inspired adventure, but right here on Australian soil: the miners clashing with the crown, unrest and rebellion, a soldier with a conscience, a feisty heroine attempting to break through the traditional female barriers, and a love story against all odds.

‘Three years. Three years she’d lived in this commune of contradictions. So much wealth and so much poverty existing side by side. It had been an adventure for sure. But, like any adventure, it had provided its fair share of challenges too. And, despite so many people living so close together, it could be a lonely place.’

I spent the first ten years of my childhood growing up in south-east rural Victoria, and like many school children within this region, I visited Ballarat on several occasions for school excursions and I learnt my Eureka Stockade history as well. I haven't come across any fictional accounts of this tumultuous history prior to reading this novel; I’m not sure whether this is because they don't exist or that they just haven't come to my notice. Either way, I love nothing more than reading fresh historical fiction, and The Girl From Eureka certainly offered me that.

‘They were headed to the goldfields, along with the rest of the city it seemed. I remember the mass exodus from Melbourne. It was like Moses leading the Jews across the Red Sea. People just up and left their jobs at the post office, the ship docks. Teachers abandoned schools, farmers gave up their properties and cattlemen and shearers left stations to travel to these rural fields to stake a claim.’

Cheryl has researched with finite care and her findings have been woven into the narrative with the skill of a strong storyteller. She paints a vivid landscape and treats the history she is writing about with respect. I loved how she offered a dual perspective of the Eureka Stockade within this story: both the miner and the soldier. There are some interesting points within her author notes that are worth reading, particularly where she highlights the unease felt by many soldiers about the events of the Eureka Stockade, so much so, that high numbers deserted the army post battle.

‘Are we not seeing here democracy and independence on fledgling legs being requested …’ Will rolled his eyes at George’s look, ‘demanded then— by immigrant miners who just want to see some results from the taxes they pay. A right to vote in this country they live in, a right to have a seat in the legislative council regardless of whether they own land or not and the right to purchase that land should they wish to and have the means? Land they could sew and reap, land on which they could raise livestock. Would this country not be a better place if more industry could be found other than at the end of a pick and bucket of dirt?’
‘Careful, Will,’ George teased. ‘Your words smack of dissent.’
‘Is it dissent, George?’ Will asked thoughtfully. ‘Or decency?’

The tensions within Ballarat play out and mount in tandem with the love story between Will and Indy, but the romance never overshadows the history. Given that Will and Indy are technically from opposing sides, this political tension often wedges itself between them. They were both honourable characters, firm in their beliefs and true to their purpose. Their intellectual sparring made for some entertaining reading and the attraction they felt towards each other was heated. Despite this, each had a personal journey they needed to traverse before being able to join together.

‘She was a woman without choice. In that moment she understood what Will had been trying to tell her. The Army was his home, just as this band of rebel miners was hers.’

The Girl From Eureka offers a realistic account of the events leading up to the Eureka Stockade, including the battle itself. It's a story that's brimming with tension and action, rich in atmosphere and charged with emotion. Highly recommended.

‘A makeshift flagpole had been erected. While the Union Jack was flying, it was soon lowered and another flag was raised in its place. Indy had to admit it was impressive . The five white stars of the Southern Cross constellation, connected by white stripes on a field of deep blue— it was a symbol for the people of a new Australia. A defiant departure from the tyrannical rule of Her Majesty under the Union Jack. ‘The Australia Flag’. It was clear the miners had been planning this revelation for some time.’


Thanks is extended to Escape Publishing for providing me with a copy of The Girl From Eureka for review.
Review will be posted to my blog closer to the release date.