OUTBACK HERO

by Noelene Jenkinson

Photo journalist, Kate Reed, can’t forgive her neighbour, Matt Thornton, for being the pilot of the plane that killed her mother six years ago.
Now, with Kate’s family homestead in debt and up for sale, Matt wants to buy it but Kate resists.
Then Matt makes a proposition to Kate and her brother, Pete, that she would be churlish to refuse. But not before she learns that Matt has suffered equally since that fateful day years before.
When Matt’s property is threatened with a bush fire, Kate puts herself in danger to go out and photograph his beloved Hundred Acre conservation paddock that is in the path of the flames in case it doesn’t survive. Matt finds her and tells her to leave, believing she is only after a newsworthy story.
Hurt by his attitude, Kate prepares to leave for her new job in Paris and forget the man she grew up with and for whom she has fallen in love. Will their true feelings for each other ever be revealed?

Genres: Romance, Australia, Ebooks

108 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2011

About the author

Australian author, Noelene Jenkinson, writes rural and small town romance and romantic suspense. Her latest release is ROADHOUSE MYSTERY Book #4 Wimmera Series. She has also written historical fiction in A GENTLEMAN'S BRIDE and PEACOCKS ON THE LAWN, set in Australia's pastoral era and released a junior chapter children's novel, THE HAUNTED GARDEN. She has a backlist of 24 books all available in ebook and print. Her latest books are also available through libraries in large print and audiobook.

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Noelen...

Noelene loves reading, writing, crochet rugs and playing music on her keyboard. She lives in coastal Victoria.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Outback Hero an interesting love story with a somewhat clueless but very attractive male rancher owner, Matt and a beautiful photo journalist, Katie with lots of hang-ups from losing her mother in as a teenager. I liked his coming back to talk out the problems and giving her time to think about the deeply hurtful issues between them. I loved the romantic ending when Matt and Katie finally got it right. The descriptions of the outback and the danger of the fire made it interesting and exciting in turn. I found the Australian dialect added to the story and helped fit it all together.

[Live2Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

Matt? Pretty sure his name is Mark. Mark Thornton, to be precise. Anyways, DNF, basically skimmed and then stopped. This is how I feel from the parts I have read. First, as much as the heroine’s trauma and pain are valid, I also can’t stand her and found her hatred (for the hero) obnoxious. Couldn’t connect with her, rather I feel like she has a desire to play victim to another victim. Basically, her whole childhood was unhappiness filled, and with the loss of her beloved mother, she became bitchy bitter. Mark and her unloving father are to blame for her past, present, and future…

As Mark told her that she wasn’t looking at the whole picture. He was suffering, too. His father also died in that crash. He indeed feels guilty about everything. He was the only survivor, found injured and now has a limp. Once more, Mark try to get the heroine to see that her father was fighting his own demons, too. But this girl, somehow, only saw her pain first. I think she can use some vulnerability and sensibility. It’s not like she didn’t know Mark before the accident. He was her crush/neighbor/friend. It was a tragic accident, no??? Her pain and cognitive process definitely missed the “mark.”

[Floriansijulia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little predictable.