(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

When the father she barely knew dies suddenly, midwife Eve Wilson decides she owes it to him to go the funeral and meet her stepfamily in Red Sand. She doesn't expect to be so completely charmed by the beautiful remote township in far west Queensland – or by local station owner, Lex McKay.
After disappointment and heartbreak in Sydney, Dr Callie Wilson decides it might be time to move home to spend some time with her grieving mother. When she is approached to oversee the establishment of the area's first medical clinic, it seems the perfect opportunity. And Callie is keen to involve Eve, the sister she's just getting to know.
Melbourne-based obstetrician Sienna Wilson can't understand why anyone would want to bury themselves in the outback, but when her hospital sends her north to research the medical mystery affecting women in Red Sand, it seems fate is intent on bringing the three sisters together. And when disaster strikes, they must each decide if being true to themselves means being there for each other...

From the start of this book, I thought I was going to get another Australian rural romance novel...and that would have been fine. I enjoy them, they are a great choice for something lighter to read between other novels or works of non-fiction.

But this book was more than that. This was more about the power of family, the strength of women to overcome any obstacle and also the power of the heart. It tells the story of a sisters, and coming home.

I have to say that the three main women in this story were definitely the highlights of this story. The personal stories of Eve, Callie and Sienna are at times heartbreaking, but to see them stand against their fears and overcome them was fantastic.

The romantic element of this story played second fiddle to the relationships between family members - and that was quite a bonus. While each of the women had a love interest, it never outweighed the telling of the story of the sisters or medical mystery in Red Sand.

As always, a standout for this book was the descriptions of the Australian outback. It would be easy to say that there is a dead tree and a bunch of sand...and that could be technically true - but the author does go well beyond that and let's the reader feel the dust and dirt in their faces, the heat beating down on the heads and the sense of isolation that comes from living in a small community like this.

All in all, another great addition to the Australian rural novel collection. More than just another romance novel...


Paul
ARH