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

When her beloved father dies, Eliza Mayberry's privileged world comes crashing down around her ears. On the verge of losing the business that has been in her family for generations, she has no option but to take over the last remaining case: tracking down the elusive Fingal McLeod in outback New South Wales and bringing him back to Sydney.
Fin, however, has other ideas. Determined to find the legendary Dark Flame, a rare opal that has eluded opal-hunters for decades, he has no intention of leaving his mine, Rebel's Ruin, to reunite with the family of the man who abandoned him – even for the beguiling Miss Mayberry.
Drawn to the people and starkly beautiful landscape of the desert, Eliza discovers the new start that she's been seeking in this unlikely place and with a man who is as infuriating as he is intriguing. But as passion blooms under the scorching outback sun, secrets from the past and present are bubbling below the surface – secrets that could destroy both the fragile trust between Eliza and Fin, and the bright promise of the future.

*3.5 stars*

An interesting take on the rural romance genre. Not only do we get the romance aspect, we also get a number of mystery sub-plots to go with it. And that is a good thing.

The highlight of any good Australian rural story is the setting - and this book has that in spades. There is something about the Australian Outback that sucks me into a story every time. As long as it is well written, of course. And the author has done a sensational job of creating, in my mind, exactly the type of place she wants. I can taste the dust, could feel the coat between my fingers (the sense of claustrophobia was real at times - that was amazing...) and the sense of isolation was there all the time.

The characters, especially Eliza and Fin, were a little cliché - a little bit "cardboard-cutout" (not that they were bad, just a little bit predictable in the actions and motivations) but it was the rest of the characters in small town NSW that really made this book come alive. Simply because these people are the same as real people in real small towns - quirky, funny, snarky, eclectic...you name it, they are all there.

The one thing that really brought this crashing back to a 3-star novel was the sex scenes. I understand that people like sex scenes in their novels, that sex happens in real life. I am certainly not a prude or anything of that sort. However, some of the sex in this was just so over-the-top with vivid descriptions. Totally out of character with the feel of the rest of the book, like it was added solely as a selling point, not because it served the story. In fact, it detracted from the story as it Eliza and Fin seem only interested in the sex, not their relationship.

However, having said that, the story itself is excellent. The threads of mystery that permeate the novel are excellent: suspicious goings-on in the mines, the whereabouts and fate of Fin's dad, and the behaviour of other characters bring tension and excitement to this story.

An excellent rural story with romance and mystery to boot.


Paul
ARH