This novel was so engaging to read. Telling the story of Laura - a city doctor who needed a break from her medical practice and Jake who returns home to the country as his father is very ill. I could tell the author drew on her own experiences as a nurse when it came to medical issues and patient care which painted a very realistic picture of living in a small country town with community medicine.
I read this one quite quickly as it was such an absorbing and realistic story. It made you think of how difficult it is for people living in our country towns with limited medical services and battling against drought, lack of rain, lack of supplies and dealing with relationships having no family support.
I highly recommend this one for readers of Womens Fiction. Thank you to Negalley and Penguin books Australia for a copy of this for review purposes.

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

Rebuilding her life again after unexpected tragedy, GP Laura O'Connor flees Adelaide, and her medical career, for a quiet life in rural Potters Junction. She's looking to escape her own family dramas. The last thing she expects is to become caught up in another's.
Jake Finlay is a man with a troubled past and a passion for risk-taking. After years away from his small home town, he's hell-bent on keeping his distance. But his father is dying and this could be the last chance they have to make amends.
As Laura and Jake come together over the care for the frail man, they experience an irresistible attraction. Will facing death help them both to grab hold of life? And might love be just what the doctor ordered?

A fantastic Australian rural romance - but a novel where the story takes precedence of the romance. And that is a good thing...

The beauty of this story, for me, was that you can pick up all of those characters, drop them into any location, and they would still resonate with the reader. Sure, the rural location presents its own challenges but, for the most part, the problems faced by the characters in this novel are universal - coming of age; parental issues; sick neighbours...these things are relevant to us all.

Also, the slow burning romance worked really well for me. It showed that, while all of these other things are going on, we still need connections, we still need love. And that doesn't happen overnight (for 99% of us, anyway.)

And, finally, the author does a brilliant job of conveying the Australian landscape. It is a unique challenge and it is presented in such a way that you can taste the dust and smell your skin burning...great job!


Paul
ARH