Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft follows Rose as she accompanies an orphaned child to Australia in the midst of the war. She leaves behind a life and a fiancé only to discover a new potential life and love. I love the writing and this love story is so unique and beautiful. The characters are charming and the story is so engaging, even for my wildly distracted brain right now. This is my second Jenny Ashcroft book and she has definitely become a new favourite.

☀️Updated thoughts: I’m so glad I read this one slowly, it felt like I was savouring something so incredibly special. This book is one of my favourites of the year. This story and these characters are incredible. I loved absolutely everything about it and wouldn’t change one aspect of the book. This is going on my forever shelf.

Thank you to @stmartinspress for my copy.

World War II novel that moves from England to a Australian cattle station. Main character Rose suffered a tragic loss and is lost as how to go on with her life. On her birthday she is traveling by train to meet up with her Uncle and brother. She is reading a newspaper when she sees a advertisement for a companion to travel with a orphan from London to Australia. Rose has a feeling that she must interview for the companion. In the interview Rose meets Walter a shy 4 year old and his guardian. Rose is sure this is something that she must do and can not be talked out of it by her friends and family. Rose and Walter travel by ship across the Pacific waters and make new friends on the voyage. After landing they travel to the cattle station owned by the Luknows. Rose and Walter fall in love with the land and the people. The history of Australia in WWII was new to me as I have not read much of Australia before. This is a grand drama that had a satisfying ending.

A lonely woman looking for peace, a small boy looking for love and family, and a world of adventure during World War II come together in Under the Golden Sun. The plot was intriguing with love of all kinds, forgiveness and friendship, while the characters kept things interesting. A well done historical fiction with just the right amount of heart, put this on top of your tbr pile!

Under The Golden Sun
Jenny Ashcroft

A Historical Fiction Romance Set in London and Australia

Under the Golden Sun is a wonderful and emotional love story from one of my favorite authors, Jenny Ashcroft, who wrote Meet Me In Bombay – a five star read for me.
It was no surprise how much I enjoyed this novel that captured my heart about Rose Hamilton and the relationship that blooms between her and an orphan child Walter – whom Rose had to accompany to Queensland in the midst of the second World War. Under The Golden Sun is a very unique and beautiful historical fiction story that captures the themes of loss and grief, the war, and most of all love and the meaning of family.

This is a sweeping tale that is the perfect escape read.

I greatly enjoyed this historical fiction novel by Jenny Ashcroft. The premise was so unique, an engaged woman sees a newspaper ad about an orphaned boy that needs a chaperone to Australia. Set during World War II, there are many challenges and sad moments, but also hope and happiness. I didn't want Rosie's story to end and I enjoyed following her life as she found herself in rural Australia.

This is the second book by Ms Ashcroft I have tried and I so wanted to enjoy it, alas it was just too slow for me as was the book before this one. It's such a shame because the covers are so lovely and make the story look intriguing, it's just when I get down to the brass tacks of the story it is just too slow to hold my interest and I find my mind starts to wander while I am reading. I probably will not be picking up another Jenny Ashcroft book again in the future..I told myself if I didn't like this one after giving this author a second shot I probably won't end up picking up any more of her books. I am sure she is a lovely human being it's just I can't keep interested in the stories she's telling.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book about discovery and finding and carving your own path in life, despite oppositions. For me, I loved the concept of the book, but it was slow moving. The romance and Rose's struggle with the men in her life was palpable but frustrating. I would definitely read another book by Jenny Ashcroft, but this one left me with much to be desired.

I really loved this story. Rose is engaged to Xander but things are kind of shaky after she experiences a loss and wonders if she can trust him. On a train ride she reads an advertisement in the paper. Vivian is looking for a companion to take a young child to Australia. She tells Rose a bit of Walter's background. This is all in the midst of World War II and travel is dangerous and will takes months. When she gets to Australia nothing is what she expected it to be.

This author is so good at setting a scene. I can almost feel Rose's surprise at how big Australia is and the vastness of the station where she is taking Walter to live. I liked her first Christmas where it was summer and very hot, comparing it to what the weather would be like in London. It was a slow progress as Rose falls into the routine on the farm and grows to love Walter as her own. Sometimes I would find myself tearing up over something as simple as Walter holding a baby koala bear for the first time. Of course this is a love story but who is she in love with. I liked Rose. She was a kind soul just looking for some happiness and found it in an unlikely spot. At first I hated Lauren but she grew on me but Esme was a delight. Even Xander, her fiance, wasn't always present in the book but you learn about him through wires he sends to Rose or when she thinks about him but he still feels fully developed.

Meet Me in Bombay was one of my favorite books last year and Under the Golden Sun did not disappoint and I enjoyed it every bit as much.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Jenny Ashcroft for free e-ARC of Under the Golden Sun in return of my honest review.

As a lover of historical fiction I couldn’t pass on this one. A story of love and war set mainly in Australia - I was sold. Usually WW II stories are set up in Europe, and I was intrigued about the one on Australian soil. While the historical part of the novel was quite interesting, the love aspect of it was tedious and predictable. Rosie is in shambles after pregnancy loss and no support from her partner. The tragedy set them further apart and she signs up for a half of the world passage to bring little Walter to his family in Australia from England, to his uncle Max. You guessed it right - she falls in love with Max and Australia is the new life. In the midst of it the mystery of Walter’s birth and why his mother took him to England, far far away from his Australian roots. Also Walter is half Aboriginal, so there is also that narrative which is not well explored.

Anyway, the promise was intriguing and fascinating, however, the execution in my opinion lacked the diversity and ingenuity

An impulsive decision leads to a whole new life for Rose Hamilton in Jenny Ashcroft’s UNDER THE GOLDEN SUN. A novel of renewal and acceptance, Ashcroft’s well-researched novel is beautifully written. I could close my eyes and see myself in Australia on the station or at the movies. It gave me a different view of World War II, as well as life in Australia at the time. I was intrigued by this as well as the trip between England and Australia during the War.
The characters were well-developed, and the setting was a character itself. I found myself immersed in the story and was sad to resurface at the end.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#UndertheGoldenSun #JennyAshcroft #StMartinsPress

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5

A WWII era - historical fiction that centers around Rose Hamilton, who stumbles upon a newspaper ad to escort a young, orphaned boy to Australia from England. It would be months on a ship, but Rose is immediately drawn to this idea of getting away and being a supportive mother figure to Walter (especially after a heartbreaking miscarriage recently). After her arrival, she realizes right away that the “plantation” is not as large and grand as was advertised - and his backstory was cloudy to begin with, but now she arrives with more questions than answers. She pleads to stay with Walter a while longer so he is more settled and hopes to get the real story from Walter’s uncle, a former wounded pilot.

This is a real slow burn. REAL SLOW. However, I loved the relationship between Walter and Rose - it was heartbreaking to read about all the losses he endured at such a young age. Also loved the backdrop of rural Australia, particularly Brisbane, during this era. Jenny’s writing really takes you there. I would have loved more romance between Rose and Max - it was obvious they would eventually be together, so would have loved to read more besides just the epilogue. I really enjoyed it overall!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a lovely novel! Under The Golden Sun is the second story I've read from this author and it's even better than the first. I was immediately taken in by Rosie, the protagonist. Her brokenness is worn on her sleeve but her stubbornness keeps her glued together. She needs to be needed in a bad way and that leads her to taking on an absolutely insane job by anyone's standards: taking an orphaned five-year-old boy from the UK to Australia during WWII. But she's living a life she can't continue to live, so what is there to lose?

The better question though is what is there to gain because Rosie ends up finding everything she needs by leaving everything she knows behind. All the other characters add so much to the theme and story: Walter is so lovable it'll make your heart hurt ("that child was born for joy"), Esme's undaunted laughter in the face of hardship, the way Lauren comes around despite her ghosts ("bugger me"), and Max learning to see himself as unbroken. Nearly every character you meet in this story is bruised terribly. Life has not been kind. But they heal and they do it together, they hold each other together when they can't do it on their own.

I really don't want to give anything away about the plot because there are plenty of surprises along the way but I will say that it was a beautiful read with unique voices for different characters, gorgeous descriptions of the Australian countryside, and a story that will put you into sadness only to lift you back up as the characters develop. And the ending is the true cherry on top. It won't be my last Ashcroft novel, I'm sure of that!

It's a great read for any lover of historical fiction, especially WWII buffs or those who like a little romance in the mix.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Set in World War II in Australia, this love story features Rose Hamilton, who takes the job of escorting Walter, a 5-year-old orphan, to his new family. This was a pretty risky trip: the war, winter seas and more, but Rose decides to do it.
When they get there, Rose can tell things are not as expected, so she is reluctant to leave until Walter is settled. And perhaps part of the reason is his uncle, a wounded fighter pilot!

Last year, I absolutely loved reading Ashcroft's MEET ME IN BOMBAY. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled when the publisher reached out directly and invited me to read her latest. Set during WWII, the book opens with Rosie's birthday. Still grieving an unexpected loss, Rosie impulsively stops on her way to lunch and interviews for a position to shepherd a young boy to Australia from London. What follows is an emotional wartime adventure - with loss, plenty of love, family secrets and relationships. The characters all spring to life. It's a moving book and one that I genuinely loved. I laughed, I cried and went through at least five tissues that I can see on my nightstand. I grew to genuinely love these characters and honestly didn't want this book to end.

It's well-researched and while I've read many novels set during WWII, I have probably only read a handful that involve Australia during this time period. And the Australian wildlife makes for a fun addition here (though I am sure that many were expecting more snakes and spiders, just as Rosie feared). I really just loved these characters and how all of the relationships grow and develop over the course of the novel. I appreciated the epilogue - but wished that it was set even further into their future.

I honestly was really surprised at the depth of my emotional connection to the characters here - at one point I was legitimately sobbing... I just loved reading this one. And I think that an audio version would make for a fun listen. I'm looking forward to reading more from Ashcroft in the future, that's for sure!

I liked this!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for my advanced copy of Under the Golden Sun.

Things I Enjoyed-

*The Setting- This book takes us on a journey from England to Brisbane Australia.

*The Time Period- I am a huge reader of WWII fiction and this story was something new for me. I usually read books set in Europe during this time. Although this story starts in Europe it doesn't take place there for very long.

*Rose- I loved Rose. I really wanted the best for her and was invested in her story. She was a very well developed character.

*The Relationship Between Rose and Walter- Warmed my heart.

*The End- I was worried there for a minute but I'm so glad it ended the way it did.

Why This Book Lost Stars-

Mainly- I found this so slow moving. I struggled for at least the first half of the book. Things did pick up for me and I became more involved in the story towards the end.

Overall- Recommend.

Rose has taken a unique job. She has been hired to accompany a small child, Walter, on a trip to Australia. Walter has recently become and orphan and he is about to lose his only caregiver. So, he is being sent to Australia to be reunited with family.

Rose has fallen hard for this sweet little boy. She has become his biggest protector. So, when they arrive in Australia and are faced with some strange challenges, Rose is going to fight to protect him at all costs.

I loved Rose. When she is first introduced in this novel, I was a bit hesitant to like her. She seemed a bit scatterbrained and not very “with it”. But she grew on me. And I found her resilient and compassionate as the story moved along.

I very rarely say this. This is probably a book I would have enjoyed more if I had physically read it and not listened to it. I had a bit of trouble with some of the mundane details (I tend to skim those when I physically read a book) Usually these things don’t bother me much. But this story moved a bit slowly in certain areas. I wanted a faster pace and a bit more action.

I did enjoy the location. Australia is on my bucket list. Plus, the narrator, Olivia Dowd, did a great job. She has become one of my favorites.

Need a good story with a fabulous location…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

A well written, well developed story of WWII. The main character is flawed and at lose ends after being discharged from the war effort, but has a planned future in rural England, until she hears about Walter, a 4 year old little boy who needs to get back to the Australian outback and family, Loved the journey, loved reading about the outback, shred tears for how beautifully written the story is.

I really enjoyed this book. It takes place during WWII but it’s not your typical story because it takes place in Australia. The characters are extremely likable and sweet, and I found myself rooting for the will they/won’t they romance. It was a sweet heartwarming story. I’ll definitely look for more by this author. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved Jenny Ashcroft ever since I read Meet Me in Bombay and loved it, so it makes me happy that I had the same feelings for Under the Golden Sun. The majority of the setting is Australia during World War II, although the beginning is set in England, and Ashcroft made it feel very vivid and atmospheric. I am used to reading historical fiction focused on the war, this was really more of a love story which was a nice change. Rose was the perfect female lead and Walter was a completely adorable child. There were a few moments that brought tears to my eyes, and at times this was a pretty emotional story. I could also tell that it was very well researched, and I loved the historical note that the author included at the end. I listened to the audiobook but would recommend having a physical copy as well or finding a way to at least read that note.

The audiobook is narrated by Olivia Dowd, and she really heightened my experience of the book. I loved that she was great to listen to and her narration was smooth and spot-on for the emotion of the story. I will say that even though this is a love story, it is still important to pay attention, or you will completely miss what is going on. I ended up being distracted by work while I was listening and missed a little bit, so I tried to just figure out what was going on by continuing on and that definitely didn't work for me. I ended up going back through what I had missed and highly recommend you give Under the Golden Sun your undivided attention if entirely possible. I could definitely see doing another listen of the audio or even reading the actual book in the future. It was such a beautiful and touching story, and I'm already longing to go back and lose myself in its pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical fiction that takes place during WW2. This wasn’t about the war, not really. The majority of the novel takes place in Australia.
There was a slow burn romance and lots of hard ache. Some forgiveness and some regret. It drove me a little crazy because I don’t like for a person to be so undecided. It makes me crazy. But besides that, it was enjoyable.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and I read half of it. The narrator was Olivia Dowd and she was spectacular. I highly recommend listening to it.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
I’m leaving my review on Instagram, FB, BB, Amazon, Goodreads and B&N.