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Erica Jewell #1
Rough Diamond
Funny, romantic, and action-packed, Rough Diamond introduces Australia's own Stephanie Plum – the unforgettable Erica Jewell.
The shock ending to Erica Jewell's marriage left a huge hole in her bank balance and a bigger one in her heart. And now her life goals make a very short list: no surprises, no debt and, definitely, no men. That is, until she finds one bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden one stormy Friday night.
Jack Jones is a man whose emotional wounds are more life-threatening than the bullet in his shoulder. Under orders, he recruits Erica to his secret team of vigilantes, and Erica suspects her safe, predictable world is about to be turned upside down.
And she's absolutely right.
The shock ending to Erica Jewell's marriage left a huge hole in her bank balance and a bigger one in her heart. And now her life goals make a very short list: no surprises, no debt and, definitely, no men. That is, until she finds one bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden one stormy Friday night.
Jack Jones is a man whose emotional wounds are more life-threatening than the bullet in his shoulder. Under orders, he recruits Erica to his secret team of vigilantes, and Erica suspects her safe, predictable world is about to be turned upside down.
And she's absolutely right.
376 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2012
53 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Ledson
3 books35 followersIn 2006, I had a hissy fit and divorced the world of business where I’d worked mostly as a PA, and mostly in Melbourne. There were some exciting snippets during that 25 year career, including time in the late 80s spent on Hayman Island working for its PR department. And where I made life-long friends and met an array of fascinating folk – rich and famous ones – and saw things the paparazzi would envy me for. From there I travelled throughout Europe for the required 12 month period, returning to a job offer as Peter Ustinov’s PA for his 1990 Australian tour. One thing led to another and I found myself on the road again soon after, this time with rock bands Dire Straits and AC/DC (more paparazzi envy).
So, 2006, back to school where I completed a writing and editing diploma, assuming I’d resume my corporate life but this time as a writer. I dabbled in various bits and pieces – poetry, short stories, some corporate and travel writing (all unpublished) – and discovered a natural ability for editing, the perfect outlet for a pedantic scrabble-meister. I did love that – the editing – especially fiction and I do take on the occasional project if time allows.
I tried to be sensible, tried to set a new career in motion, either as a freelancer or back in an office, earning a salary. But instead came Erica Jewell, the lead character in my debut novel Rough Diamond. Erica’s will and need to exist were so powerful, I was forced to abandon all other writing and editing efforts, much to my hubby’s dismay. The reward for our stubbornness (mine and Erica’s), however, was a publishing deal with Penguin Australia. Today I’m working on the second in a planned Erica Jewell series, and I’m fascinated by the things Erica thinks she can do.
So, 2006, back to school where I completed a writing and editing diploma, assuming I’d resume my corporate life but this time as a writer. I dabbled in various bits and pieces – poetry, short stories, some corporate and travel writing (all unpublished) – and discovered a natural ability for editing, the perfect outlet for a pedantic scrabble-meister. I did love that – the editing – especially fiction and I do take on the occasional project if time allows.
I tried to be sensible, tried to set a new career in motion, either as a freelancer or back in an office, earning a salary. But instead came Erica Jewell, the lead character in my debut novel Rough Diamond. Erica’s will and need to exist were so powerful, I was forced to abandon all other writing and editing efforts, much to my hubby’s dismay. The reward for our stubbornness (mine and Erica’s), however, was a publishing deal with Penguin Australia. Today I’m working on the second in a planned Erica Jewell series, and I’m fascinated by the things Erica thinks she can do.
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December 27, 2017
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Sometimes you just need a fun, sexy, witty and swiftly paced read. Rough Diamond is the debut novel from Australian author Kathryn Ledson that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It features an amiable heroine, Erica Jewell, who finds herself caught up in a vigilante ring, targeting terrorists actively trying to take down Melbourne. Readers who choose this novel to read are in a for a fast paced adventure ride, with Erica and Jack Jones, her handsome accomplice.
Rough Diamond is the opening book in a series featuring terrorist busting heroine Erica Jewell. When Erica returns to her home in Melbourne one day, she is shocked to find a mysterious stranger bleeding profusely in her backyard. Erica’s first instinct is to call the authorities and get help for this unfortunate man but he begs her not to do so. Instead, Erica’s encounter with the mysterious man, who goes by the name Jack Jones, leads her to become part of a covert team, who fight terrorism. For this mild mannered and naive PR girl, life becomes a lot more complicated with Jack by her side.
Rough Diamond has been sitting on my shelves for a significant length of time. I recall purchasing this book after I saw more than a few favourable reviews on Rough Diamond by other reviewers I followed at the time the book was released back in 2012. Although much time has passed since I first acquired this book, an opportunity to dust this one off the shelves came my way, in the form of a book challenge I am completing with a friend. Rough Diamond was chosen to fulfil the category of ‘a comedy’. Whilst I will say this book is witty, especially in the banter that passes between the leads and the mishaps they find themselves embroiled in, Rough Diamond wasn’t quite the laugh out loud experience I was expecting. I did have some other great qualities, which I will discuss further in my review.
Firstly, what I appreciated about Rough Diamond was the original and fresh approach to a novel. I can’t say there is anything quite like an Australia’s Stephanie Plum, Janet Evanovich’s well known heroine out there in the Aussie book world. Erica Jewell is by far our country’s best answer to this style of character. I liked the fact that Ledson has given Australian their own answer to Stephanie Plum in Erica. Kudos to Ledson for coming up with an original series idea and heroine.
Erica Jewell is a highly likeable, dare I say even loveable character. I liked her from the outset and I admired her move from PR to terrorist butt kicker! Obviously as she is in quite a dire financial situation through paying her ex husband’s debts. The money this new and dangerous line of work provides is a source of motivation, along with the chance to work alongside handsome Jack, the man who recruits her. It is great to see the change in Erica, from the start of the novel where she is naive and sheltered, to a woman willing to take risks.
We learn early on in the piece that both our leads have suffered heartbreak in the romance department. Jack lost his wife and parents in 9/11. While Erica has a deadbeat ex husband that she is still continuing to clear his debts. Understandably, the two are hesitant to embark on a romantic relationship together due to past hurts. This provides Ledson with the leverage to introduce a slow burn style romance. The heat is definitely evident between the two leads but it is never acted upon. There still seems a possibility of love that could spark between these two in future instalments of the series. In the meantime, it is entertaining observing their banter and comebacks to one another, fuelled by unfulfilled physical attraction.
In terms of content, Rough Diamond runs along at a fast pace from the beginning. Readers will find themselves entertained for the entire novel. My favourite aspect of this novel was the setting, as it enabled Ledson to insert iconic landmarks and places of Australia. It was great to see the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Cup included in the events of the novel. The local flavour worked well to draw me into the novel. I will say this book is action packed, but some of the situations the characters are faced with seemed just a little too far fetched for my own personal taste. However, I can see the broad appeal of this novel and I am sure it will capture the attention of many readers.
Sometimes you just need a fun, sexy, witty and swiftly paced read. Rough Diamond is the debut novel from Australian author Kathryn Ledson that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It features an amiable heroine, Erica Jewell, who finds herself caught up in a vigilante ring, targeting terrorists actively trying to take down Melbourne. Readers who choose this novel to read are in a for a fast paced adventure ride, with Erica and Jack Jones, her handsome accomplice.
Rough Diamond is the opening book in a series featuring terrorist busting heroine Erica Jewell. When Erica returns to her home in Melbourne one day, she is shocked to find a mysterious stranger bleeding profusely in her backyard. Erica’s first instinct is to call the authorities and get help for this unfortunate man but he begs her not to do so. Instead, Erica’s encounter with the mysterious man, who goes by the name Jack Jones, leads her to become part of a covert team, who fight terrorism. For this mild mannered and naive PR girl, life becomes a lot more complicated with Jack by her side.
Rough Diamond has been sitting on my shelves for a significant length of time. I recall purchasing this book after I saw more than a few favourable reviews on Rough Diamond by other reviewers I followed at the time the book was released back in 2012. Although much time has passed since I first acquired this book, an opportunity to dust this one off the shelves came my way, in the form of a book challenge I am completing with a friend. Rough Diamond was chosen to fulfil the category of ‘a comedy’. Whilst I will say this book is witty, especially in the banter that passes between the leads and the mishaps they find themselves embroiled in, Rough Diamond wasn’t quite the laugh out loud experience I was expecting. I did have some other great qualities, which I will discuss further in my review.
Firstly, what I appreciated about Rough Diamond was the original and fresh approach to a novel. I can’t say there is anything quite like an Australia’s Stephanie Plum, Janet Evanovich’s well known heroine out there in the Aussie book world. Erica Jewell is by far our country’s best answer to this style of character. I liked the fact that Ledson has given Australian their own answer to Stephanie Plum in Erica. Kudos to Ledson for coming up with an original series idea and heroine.
Erica Jewell is a highly likeable, dare I say even loveable character. I liked her from the outset and I admired her move from PR to terrorist butt kicker! Obviously as she is in quite a dire financial situation through paying her ex husband’s debts. The money this new and dangerous line of work provides is a source of motivation, along with the chance to work alongside handsome Jack, the man who recruits her. It is great to see the change in Erica, from the start of the novel where she is naive and sheltered, to a woman willing to take risks.
We learn early on in the piece that both our leads have suffered heartbreak in the romance department. Jack lost his wife and parents in 9/11. While Erica has a deadbeat ex husband that she is still continuing to clear his debts. Understandably, the two are hesitant to embark on a romantic relationship together due to past hurts. This provides Ledson with the leverage to introduce a slow burn style romance. The heat is definitely evident between the two leads but it is never acted upon. There still seems a possibility of love that could spark between these two in future instalments of the series. In the meantime, it is entertaining observing their banter and comebacks to one another, fuelled by unfulfilled physical attraction.
In terms of content, Rough Diamond runs along at a fast pace from the beginning. Readers will find themselves entertained for the entire novel. My favourite aspect of this novel was the setting, as it enabled Ledson to insert iconic landmarks and places of Australia. It was great to see the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Cup included in the events of the novel. The local flavour worked well to draw me into the novel. I will say this book is action packed, but some of the situations the characters are faced with seemed just a little too far fetched for my own personal taste. However, I can see the broad appeal of this novel and I am sure it will capture the attention of many readers.
July 20, 2019
Rough Diamond is book one in the Rough Diamond series by Kathryn Ledson. One night Erica found a man in her garden suffering from a gunshot wound to his shoulder which did not want the police involved. Erica against her friends advises organising with someone on the phone to look after this mystery person in her garden. Unbeknown to Erica, this one case of kindness would change Erica life for the better. The readers of Rough Diamond will continue to follow Erica to find out what happens.
Rough Diamond is the first book I have read of Kathryn Ledson, and I enjoy it. Due to the different way that Kathryn Ledson portrayed the main character allow me to engage with the plot from the beginning of this book. Rough Diamond was well written and researched by Kathryn Ledson. I like the way Kathryn Ledson portrayed her characters and intertwined then with each other throughout this book. At times reading Rough Diamond, I was unable to stop laughing with what the characters get up too.
The readers of Rough Diamond will learn about ammonium nitrate and how it can be used to make bombs. Also, readers of Rough Diamond will understand about terrorism and how it affects local communities.
I recommend this book.
Rough Diamond is the first book I have read of Kathryn Ledson, and I enjoy it. Due to the different way that Kathryn Ledson portrayed the main character allow me to engage with the plot from the beginning of this book. Rough Diamond was well written and researched by Kathryn Ledson. I like the way Kathryn Ledson portrayed her characters and intertwined then with each other throughout this book. At times reading Rough Diamond, I was unable to stop laughing with what the characters get up too.
The readers of Rough Diamond will learn about ammonium nitrate and how it can be used to make bombs. Also, readers of Rough Diamond will understand about terrorism and how it affects local communities.
I recommend this book.
January 30, 2013
Set in Melbourne, Rough Diamond is a funny, fast paced, romantic caper that introduces an unlikely heroine. Nursing a broken heart and a mountain of debt after being deserted by her cheating husband, Danny, Erica Jewell lives a quiet life working in media relations for an oil company, making weekly visits to join her parents for dinner and resisting her best friend's efforts to rekindle her social life. But Erica's world is turned upside down when she discovers a man, bleeding from a bullet wound, in her front yard begging her for her help.
Action, humour, mystery and romance blend in Rough Diamond to create a lighthearted romp with an improbable plot involving terrorists armed with a hijacked load of fertiliser, a few villainous psychopaths and a secret team of well funded vigilantes protecting Melbourne from terrorist threats. It's pure escapist fun, allowing the reader to fantasise about escaping their ordinary lives into the arms of a handsome, rich hero and saving the world, or at least their corner of the world, at the same time.
Erica is an ordinary woman, a little dull, a little lonely and downtrodden and the arrival of Jack Jones injects excitement and danger into her lacklustre existence. Though there is no good reason to trust the wounded man on her doorstep, she overrides the objections of her best friend, Lucy, and helps him evade the police and as a natural people-pleaser she can't resist when he asks for more. Though hapless and a little naive, Erica is an endearing heroine and I found myself cheering for her. I only hope that Ledson lets Erica grow as the series continues.
You can't ask for much more from a hero, Jack Jones* (*likely not his real name) is handsome, wealthy, intelligent, dangerous and has a social conscience. Nursing his own heartbreak after the death of his parents and his wife in the 9/11 attacks, and wary of making Erica a target for his enemies, he is reluctant to act on his attraction to Erica providing plenty of slow burning, romantic tension to add heat to the novel.
There are moments of suspense as the Melbourne Cup and Sydney Opera House are targeted by the terrorists and Erica is kidnapped by one of her ex-husband's nefarious cohorts. The action allows the story to move along at pace as Erica stumbles along on her madcap adventure. Witty banter and strong dialogue, with the odd amusing Australian colloquialism thrown in, ensures Rough Diamond is an entertaining read.
Rough Diamond is a fabulously entertaining debut novel and I am already eager for the next installment. With appealing characters, good natured humour and an exciting plot, I loved Rough Diamond and I know fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, Marianne Delacourt's Tara Sharp and Lisa Lustz's Izzy Spellman will too.
May 1, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a fast-paced, relatively light-hearted romp which makes for entertaining reading. The writing is tight and there's a good mix of tension/suspense with romance and humour. The Australian setting and characters added to my enjoyment.
It's great to find lighter fiction that's also well-written, and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
It's great to find lighter fiction that's also well-written, and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
January 25, 2013
The Blurb
“Funny, romantic, and action-packed, Rough Diamond introduces Australia's own Stephanie Plum – the unforgettable Erica Jewell.
The shock ending to Erica Jewell's marriage left a huge hole in her bank balance and a bigger one in her heart. And now her life goals make a very short list: no surprises, no debt and, definitely, no men. That is, until she finds one bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden one stormy Friday night.
Jack Jones is a man whose emotional wounds are more life-threatening than the bullet in his shoulder. Under orders, he recruits Erica to his secret team of vigilantes, and Erica suspects her safe, predictable world is about to be turned upside down.
And she's absolutely right.”
Summary
Erica Jewell is having a bad day! And it looks like it’s about to get a whole hell of a lot worse!
After separating from her “lying-cheating-bastard husband”, Dan, she’s been enjoying her single, quiet life, slowly working towards getting rid of the debt her estranged husband left her with.
Arriving home from work one night, she finds a bloody, semi-conscious man on her doorstep issuing her with half-lucid instructions not to involve the authorities but to call the number on a card he manages to hand to her.
Of course, she doesn’t realise that her safe, predictable and cheap life as a media relations office for Dega Oil is about to take a decidedly twisted and dangerous turn!
Commitment phobic Jack Jones is the mysteriously injured man and after her and her best friend (who just happens to be a nurse) manage to help him on the road to recovery, he proceeds to disappear again, showing up a few days later with a rather lucrative but dangerous proposition – for her to become part of his highly organised vigilante team.
And so begins the reluctant heroine and Jack’s dangerous liaison – in more ways than one. Whilst trying to second-guess would-be terrorists, escape bombs and attempt to find the perpetrators of the heinous crimes being committed in Melbourne, they are not only putting their lives on the line, but their emotions too.
My Thoughts
I loved Erica’s character and thought that a lot of her actions – and reactions – were hilarious. In particular, I enjoyed the somewhat comical (or not) situations she found herself in and actually found myself laughing out loud, in particular with the antics at the dinner table scene and the quote “I pictured her disapproving face; lips pursed so tight her mouth would look like a cat’s bum”.
Kathryn Ledson's writing style is a bit different, having written this novel in the first-person singular narrative. She uses a lot of “telling” and not much evocative description. However, her characters are realistically portrayed with their typical Aussie lingo and a lot of humour. Although I personally find that this way of narrating limits the way in which the other characters’ motivations unfold, it does tend to be a bit more realistic as, in every day life, we do not get to hear what another’s thoughts are.
Whilst initially I thought this was going to be “just another” traditional romance, I was most pleased that this tale had a somewhat unpredictable conclusion.
The fact that the book is based in Australia is an added bonus and, having not yet visited Melbourne and Sydney, I loved the snippets shared by the author.
Delightfully funny, light-hearted and fast-paced, Kathryn Ledson managed to keep me entertained with a few tummy-tingling moments thrown in, and I am looking forwarding to Erica’s next rollicking adventure!
Move over Stephanie Plum – Erica Jewell is in the house!!
I wish to thank Penguin Australia (Michael Joseph) and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review.
About the Author (Adapted from information on the author’s website)
Kathryn Ledson is a former PA and spent some time during her 25 year career on Hayman Island working for its PR department where she met an array of fascinating folk, including some rich and famous ones and was privy to things the paparazzi would envy her for.
After travelling through Europe for 12 months she returned to a job offer as Peter Ustinov’s PA for his 1990 Australian tour. With one thing leading to another, she found herself on the road again with rock bands Dire Straits and AC/DC.
Having completed a writing and editing diploma, she assumed she’d resume her corporate life as a writer and dabbled in various bits and pieces including poetry, short stories and travel writing, which all went unpublished, but discovered a natural ability for editing.
Whilst trying to be sensible, and set a new career in motion, Erica Jewell’s will and need to exist were so powerful that Kathryn abandoned all other writing and editing efforts and eventually landed a publishing deal with Penguin Australia.
Kathryn likes to hang out with family and friends, sharing her time between Melbourne and Aireys Inlet on Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road where she lives with her husband and a big woolly dog and is currently working on the second book in her Erica Jewell series.
“Funny, romantic, and action-packed, Rough Diamond introduces Australia's own Stephanie Plum – the unforgettable Erica Jewell.
The shock ending to Erica Jewell's marriage left a huge hole in her bank balance and a bigger one in her heart. And now her life goals make a very short list: no surprises, no debt and, definitely, no men. That is, until she finds one bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden one stormy Friday night.
Jack Jones is a man whose emotional wounds are more life-threatening than the bullet in his shoulder. Under orders, he recruits Erica to his secret team of vigilantes, and Erica suspects her safe, predictable world is about to be turned upside down.
And she's absolutely right.”
Summary
Erica Jewell is having a bad day! And it looks like it’s about to get a whole hell of a lot worse!
After separating from her “lying-cheating-bastard husband”, Dan, she’s been enjoying her single, quiet life, slowly working towards getting rid of the debt her estranged husband left her with.
Arriving home from work one night, she finds a bloody, semi-conscious man on her doorstep issuing her with half-lucid instructions not to involve the authorities but to call the number on a card he manages to hand to her.
Of course, she doesn’t realise that her safe, predictable and cheap life as a media relations office for Dega Oil is about to take a decidedly twisted and dangerous turn!
Commitment phobic Jack Jones is the mysteriously injured man and after her and her best friend (who just happens to be a nurse) manage to help him on the road to recovery, he proceeds to disappear again, showing up a few days later with a rather lucrative but dangerous proposition – for her to become part of his highly organised vigilante team.
And so begins the reluctant heroine and Jack’s dangerous liaison – in more ways than one. Whilst trying to second-guess would-be terrorists, escape bombs and attempt to find the perpetrators of the heinous crimes being committed in Melbourne, they are not only putting their lives on the line, but their emotions too.
My Thoughts
I loved Erica’s character and thought that a lot of her actions – and reactions – were hilarious. In particular, I enjoyed the somewhat comical (or not) situations she found herself in and actually found myself laughing out loud, in particular with the antics at the dinner table scene and the quote “I pictured her disapproving face; lips pursed so tight her mouth would look like a cat’s bum”.
Kathryn Ledson's writing style is a bit different, having written this novel in the first-person singular narrative. She uses a lot of “telling” and not much evocative description. However, her characters are realistically portrayed with their typical Aussie lingo and a lot of humour. Although I personally find that this way of narrating limits the way in which the other characters’ motivations unfold, it does tend to be a bit more realistic as, in every day life, we do not get to hear what another’s thoughts are.
Whilst initially I thought this was going to be “just another” traditional romance, I was most pleased that this tale had a somewhat unpredictable conclusion.
The fact that the book is based in Australia is an added bonus and, having not yet visited Melbourne and Sydney, I loved the snippets shared by the author.
Delightfully funny, light-hearted and fast-paced, Kathryn Ledson managed to keep me entertained with a few tummy-tingling moments thrown in, and I am looking forwarding to Erica’s next rollicking adventure!
Move over Stephanie Plum – Erica Jewell is in the house!!
I wish to thank Penguin Australia (Michael Joseph) and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review.
About the Author (Adapted from information on the author’s website)
Kathryn Ledson is a former PA and spent some time during her 25 year career on Hayman Island working for its PR department where she met an array of fascinating folk, including some rich and famous ones and was privy to things the paparazzi would envy her for.
After travelling through Europe for 12 months she returned to a job offer as Peter Ustinov’s PA for his 1990 Australian tour. With one thing leading to another, she found herself on the road again with rock bands Dire Straits and AC/DC.
Having completed a writing and editing diploma, she assumed she’d resume her corporate life as a writer and dabbled in various bits and pieces including poetry, short stories and travel writing, which all went unpublished, but discovered a natural ability for editing.
Whilst trying to be sensible, and set a new career in motion, Erica Jewell’s will and need to exist were so powerful that Kathryn abandoned all other writing and editing efforts and eventually landed a publishing deal with Penguin Australia.
Kathryn likes to hang out with family and friends, sharing her time between Melbourne and Aireys Inlet on Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road where she lives with her husband and a big woolly dog and is currently working on the second book in her Erica Jewell series.
February 8, 2018
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I saw a very nice review of this novel a few years ago and it is true that I kept it in mind until now … The problem? Because of course there is one, it is to find it. The author being Australian, it is quite difficult to obtain a copy of her book. Besides, I find myself once again with the same concern to read the second volume that I am impatient to have!
We discover Erica, a banal young woman who after discovering her husband cheating on her, ruining and deceiving her, decides to start over. But when she comes home one night to find a man dying outside her door, Erica does not expect her life to change that much. As he seems to know her, our heroine does not hesitate to help him without warning the police when it seems that something terrible happened : one the main ingredient to create bombs had been lost and everyone is very worried about the possible consequences of all this. She therefore finds herself embarked in a story that goes beyond her and that will place her in terrible situations.
Forced to work with Jack, the man she saved, Erica is going to be hired in “The Team” to try to thwart the plans of the terrorists. It is very difficult to tell you more or to explain not to reveal too much in the face of the complexity of the story and the characters but I can tell you that I had a great time with this first novel. We easily connect to Erica by fully understanding her attractiveness, naivety and mistrust and yet, whatever one does to her, she always gets empathy with those who hurt her and it starts with her husband. And what about Jack? We can only fall under his charm and despite what he presents to others, it is a character much more complex than we might think. It was very interesting to learn to discover him and to know some bits and pieces of his past. We hope throughout the book that a nice relation between the two characters would appear but nothing will be really simple especially when we take into account their wounds.
The author presents us with a story full of action, plots and colorful characters, and I confess that I had a hard time putting the book down before finishing it. I was really looking forward to know the end of the story and what the next catastrophe would be. And I can tell you that there will be several!
To conclude, it was a very nice discovery and I had a great time with the characters. The end surprised me a bit, but I’m curious to read more.
My English review
I saw a very nice review of this novel a few years ago and it is true that I kept it in mind until now … The problem? Because of course there is one, it is to find it. The author being Australian, it is quite difficult to obtain a copy of her book. Besides, I find myself once again with the same concern to read the second volume that I am impatient to have!
We discover Erica, a banal young woman who after discovering her husband cheating on her, ruining and deceiving her, decides to start over. But when she comes home one night to find a man dying outside her door, Erica does not expect her life to change that much. As he seems to know her, our heroine does not hesitate to help him without warning the police when it seems that something terrible happened : one the main ingredient to create bombs had been lost and everyone is very worried about the possible consequences of all this. She therefore finds herself embarked in a story that goes beyond her and that will place her in terrible situations.
Forced to work with Jack, the man she saved, Erica is going to be hired in “The Team” to try to thwart the plans of the terrorists. It is very difficult to tell you more or to explain not to reveal too much in the face of the complexity of the story and the characters but I can tell you that I had a great time with this first novel. We easily connect to Erica by fully understanding her attractiveness, naivety and mistrust and yet, whatever one does to her, she always gets empathy with those who hurt her and it starts with her husband. And what about Jack? We can only fall under his charm and despite what he presents to others, it is a character much more complex than we might think. It was very interesting to learn to discover him and to know some bits and pieces of his past. We hope throughout the book that a nice relation between the two characters would appear but nothing will be really simple especially when we take into account their wounds.
The author presents us with a story full of action, plots and colorful characters, and I confess that I had a hard time putting the book down before finishing it. I was really looking forward to know the end of the story and what the next catastrophe would be. And I can tell you that there will be several!
To conclude, it was a very nice discovery and I had a great time with the characters. The end surprised me a bit, but I’m curious to read more.
December 8, 2018
Slick, funny and fabulous
I shouldn't have started reading this so late in the evening. I had to read it into the wee small hours. The characters jumped off the page they were so alive. I laughed out loud at Erica as she stumbled and snarked through the well-paced plot and snappy dialogue. Axle was a hoot, and Erica's family's antics hilarious and just a little bit horrifyingly familiar.
Add some conspiracy, lots of unresolved sexual tension with a slightly damaged but gorgeous guy and you've got a great read, set in beautiful Melbourne with a Sydney cameo. Book 2 is a must.
I shouldn't have started reading this so late in the evening. I had to read it into the wee small hours. The characters jumped off the page they were so alive. I laughed out loud at Erica as she stumbled and snarked through the well-paced plot and snappy dialogue. Axle was a hoot, and Erica's family's antics hilarious and just a little bit horrifyingly familiar.
Add some conspiracy, lots of unresolved sexual tension with a slightly damaged but gorgeous guy and you've got a great read, set in beautiful Melbourne with a Sydney cameo. Book 2 is a must.
December 1, 2012
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Erica Jewell has a lot in common with Stephanie Plum. The end of her marriage and a low bank balance was a big motivator for Erica. These were just the marked similarities in the beginning.
Another idea that I didn’t warm up to was how easily Erica allowed a bullet-wounded stranger into her house when she realised that the police were searching for him. I mean there were police crawling all over her street and helicopters searching for this man and she is like, yeah why not, I am a nice person and this poor guy is hurt so why not open my doors to a wanted man. It was a foolish decision and it precluded me from connecting with her.
But she doesn’t just do this once, she does it again when he calls her and asks her to pick up something for $10,000. By this time, I found her not only foolish, but lacking morals. So she goes, and guess what she picks up? A gun. Ladies and gentlemen, she doesn’t call the police and let them handle things, although she is guilty for co-conspiring and they rightly ought to have arrested her too, but she picks it up and quickly hides it in a bag and takes it home.
Added to this was the rumour that the fertiliser that was stolen on the night she hid the stranger in her house, was something that could be used and was probably being used in terrorist activities. In the end, it doesn’t matter if the guy wasn’t a terrorist or if he was wrongly accused, prima facie, he was shot, his hair colour was obviously dyed as a disguise, his activities were suspicious and you don’t even know him! You do not just help a guy who could be a part of a terrorist organisation and hope for the best. She barely asks any questions relating to his activity and what he was doing there and why and even if she does, she doesn’t get a proper answer. And this is just 36 pages into the book.
There were many instances where I found Erica to be a push over… For example where she, without much argument, agrees to the ‘stranger’s’ demands or when her mother invites the stranger (Jack Jones) over for dinner or when she invites herself over to Jack’s house, even though she doesn’t want him over, or when her ex, later on, asks to stay with her in the house for a couple of nights, she lets him and so on.
And then there was another part where the police wants her to call them if she sees her ex. She sees him, but does she call the police? Nope. She doesn’t even have a reason for not calling them. When Jack asks her why she didn’t call him she goes “I don’t know. I...”???? I just don’t get it. Was she feeling lazy? Could she not have picked up a phone and dialled a number or was that too difficult for her. Because as far as I could see, there was no love lost between her and her ex, especially with him maliciously flaunting his blonde girlfriend.
This happened not once but twice and the second time when she lets him stay in the house for two nights, I was happy when he left with all her money and credit cards, she needed to learn a lesson or maybe many lessons. Then Jack rightly asks her why she hasn’t divorced him, especially now when it seems that her ex was related to some suspicious activities and she doesn’t have an answer! She doesn’t have an answer for anything, why didn’t you call the police, oh I don’t know, why haven’t you divorced your ex, oh I don’t know?
The only person I liked was Lucy. She was the only level-headed, rational character. She was head-strong and had her ethics and morals straight. Although she couldn’t influence her friend’s decisions, she at least tried.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Australia.
Erica Jewell has a lot in common with Stephanie Plum. The end of her marriage and a low bank balance was a big motivator for Erica. These were just the marked similarities in the beginning.
Another idea that I didn’t warm up to was how easily Erica allowed a bullet-wounded stranger into her house when she realised that the police were searching for him. I mean there were police crawling all over her street and helicopters searching for this man and she is like, yeah why not, I am a nice person and this poor guy is hurt so why not open my doors to a wanted man. It was a foolish decision and it precluded me from connecting with her.
But she doesn’t just do this once, she does it again when he calls her and asks her to pick up something for $10,000. By this time, I found her not only foolish, but lacking morals. So she goes, and guess what she picks up? A gun. Ladies and gentlemen, she doesn’t call the police and let them handle things, although she is guilty for co-conspiring and they rightly ought to have arrested her too, but she picks it up and quickly hides it in a bag and takes it home.
Added to this was the rumour that the fertiliser that was stolen on the night she hid the stranger in her house, was something that could be used and was probably being used in terrorist activities. In the end, it doesn’t matter if the guy wasn’t a terrorist or if he was wrongly accused, prima facie, he was shot, his hair colour was obviously dyed as a disguise, his activities were suspicious and you don’t even know him! You do not just help a guy who could be a part of a terrorist organisation and hope for the best. She barely asks any questions relating to his activity and what he was doing there and why and even if she does, she doesn’t get a proper answer. And this is just 36 pages into the book.
There were many instances where I found Erica to be a push over… For example where she, without much argument, agrees to the ‘stranger’s’ demands or when her mother invites the stranger (Jack Jones) over for dinner or when she invites herself over to Jack’s house, even though she doesn’t want him over, or when her ex, later on, asks to stay with her in the house for a couple of nights, she lets him and so on.
And then there was another part where the police wants her to call them if she sees her ex. She sees him, but does she call the police? Nope. She doesn’t even have a reason for not calling them. When Jack asks her why she didn’t call him she goes “I don’t know. I...”???? I just don’t get it. Was she feeling lazy? Could she not have picked up a phone and dialled a number or was that too difficult for her. Because as far as I could see, there was no love lost between her and her ex, especially with him maliciously flaunting his blonde girlfriend.
This happened not once but twice and the second time when she lets him stay in the house for two nights, I was happy when he left with all her money and credit cards, she needed to learn a lesson or maybe many lessons. Then Jack rightly asks her why she hasn’t divorced him, especially now when it seems that her ex was related to some suspicious activities and she doesn’t have an answer! She doesn’t have an answer for anything, why didn’t you call the police, oh I don’t know, why haven’t you divorced your ex, oh I don’t know?
The only person I liked was Lucy. She was the only level-headed, rational character. She was head-strong and had her ethics and morals straight. Although she couldn’t influence her friend’s decisions, she at least tried.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Australia.
January 28, 2013
Rough Diamond is a witty, action-packed debut novel by Australian author Kathryn Ledson. I hoped this book would be the first in a series and after dropping by the author’s website it looks like it will be- YAY!
Set in Melbourne, Rough Diamond is an exciting new series with a funny, outspoken and full-of-trouble heroine, Erica Jewell- who gives Stephanie Plum a run for her money!
Erica Jewell is quite happy with her mundane life consisting of a PR job, weekly dinners at her parent’s house and paying off her deadbeat ex-husband’s debt. It’s not until a sexy, mysterious gunshot victim lands on her doorstep- whom she suspects a terrorist- with two requests: don’t tell the police and to phone the number on a nameless business card. Intrigued and possibly a little naive, Erica does as he asks but not before consulting with her bossy best friend Lucy whom confirms she’s out of her mind.
Once Erica dumps the man known as Jack Jones on a park bench and watches him be picked up by a couple of blokes in a pie van, she believes the burst of excitement in her life has disappeared too. But it’s really just the beginning, Erica is thrown into a whirlwind adventure once she is recruited in an underground ‘team’ who seem to play by their own rules and outside the law to keep the city safe from terrorists. Stolen fertiliser to car bombs and kidnappings, Erica gets a reality check into the darker side of Melbourne. But she takes it with a grain of salt and working alongside handsome Jack Jones certain eases the strain, as does the hefty cash payments she’s receiving for her new job.
The romance sub-plot between Erica and Jack weaves its way throughout the story and I liked how the relationship developed gradually upon a friendship bound with attraction, playfulness and loyalty. Written in first person, it was always a little uncertain where Jack’s feelings lie, though his actions were clear neither questioned their relationship because of fear of what they would lose if they did. Both Erica and Jack have loved and lost and neither are ready to risk their hearts again.
Reading it on my kindle it felt like quite a lengthy book with many little plots and plenty happening but I was entertained the entire way. I’m not quite sure how else to explain why I loved it so much other than Erica being a fantastic heroine, it was witty and the romance was engaging. What’s usually dragged out throughout a series was stepped up in this novel. We didn’t have to wait for the next book for Erica and Jack to kiss or *ahem* do more… which was great as I’m a touch impatient.
The only reason I didn’t give this book a five star was because of the ending. I wanted a bit more closure between Erica and Jack and at the time I didn’t realise it was the start of the series, so my rating reflects my immediate feelings upon finishing the book.
I highly recommend Rough Diamond, it’s a really fun Australian mystery with a loveable heroine and a mysterious hero. It’s a book not to be taken too seriously with improbable situations but that’s what makes it fun! I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
Set in Melbourne, Rough Diamond is an exciting new series with a funny, outspoken and full-of-trouble heroine, Erica Jewell- who gives Stephanie Plum a run for her money!
Erica Jewell is quite happy with her mundane life consisting of a PR job, weekly dinners at her parent’s house and paying off her deadbeat ex-husband’s debt. It’s not until a sexy, mysterious gunshot victim lands on her doorstep- whom she suspects a terrorist- with two requests: don’t tell the police and to phone the number on a nameless business card. Intrigued and possibly a little naive, Erica does as he asks but not before consulting with her bossy best friend Lucy whom confirms she’s out of her mind.
Once Erica dumps the man known as Jack Jones on a park bench and watches him be picked up by a couple of blokes in a pie van, she believes the burst of excitement in her life has disappeared too. But it’s really just the beginning, Erica is thrown into a whirlwind adventure once she is recruited in an underground ‘team’ who seem to play by their own rules and outside the law to keep the city safe from terrorists. Stolen fertiliser to car bombs and kidnappings, Erica gets a reality check into the darker side of Melbourne. But she takes it with a grain of salt and working alongside handsome Jack Jones certain eases the strain, as does the hefty cash payments she’s receiving for her new job.
The romance sub-plot between Erica and Jack weaves its way throughout the story and I liked how the relationship developed gradually upon a friendship bound with attraction, playfulness and loyalty. Written in first person, it was always a little uncertain where Jack’s feelings lie, though his actions were clear neither questioned their relationship because of fear of what they would lose if they did. Both Erica and Jack have loved and lost and neither are ready to risk their hearts again.
Reading it on my kindle it felt like quite a lengthy book with many little plots and plenty happening but I was entertained the entire way. I’m not quite sure how else to explain why I loved it so much other than Erica being a fantastic heroine, it was witty and the romance was engaging. What’s usually dragged out throughout a series was stepped up in this novel. We didn’t have to wait for the next book for Erica and Jack to kiss or *ahem* do more… which was great as I’m a touch impatient.
The only reason I didn’t give this book a five star was because of the ending. I wanted a bit more closure between Erica and Jack and at the time I didn’t realise it was the start of the series, so my rating reflects my immediate feelings upon finishing the book.
I highly recommend Rough Diamond, it’s a really fun Australian mystery with a loveable heroine and a mysterious hero. It’s a book not to be taken too seriously with improbable situations but that’s what makes it fun! I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
January 20, 2013
Kathryn Ledson's Rough Diamond plays for laughs and delivers them, albeit in a "dramedy" (comedy-drama) fashion reminiscent of '80s TV series Moonlighting. The novel introduces Erica Jewell, an accidental heroine caught up in an adventure far beyond her imaginings; she reminded me of Olivia Joules (Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination) and Bridget Jones put together.
No men. If nothing else in her life is clear, at least Erica's clear on that policy. Still coming to terms with the fact that her husband, Danny, left her for a bimbo, Erica is trying to piece her life and her bank balance back together. Her plan is clear-cut, in keeping with her need for stability and predictability: no no surprises, no debt and definitely, no men. When she finds one (a man who also happens to be a surprise) bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden, that's two of her no's at once. So when he asks her to help but not to call the authorities because it's a matter of national importance), what's a girl to do? Help him, of course.
Erica's good deed is rewarded with $10,000 - and there's the promise of more where that came from. She just has to become part of a secret team of vigilantes. That's all. No problem, right? The lure of money (which would solve the debt problem) is tempting, and it's all for the greater good ... and "what would I have to do?" is Erica's question. Before long, Erica is posing as Jack's girlfriend, going to the Melbourne Cup, helping stop terrorists and even taking Jack to meet her parents in between her day job as a media relations officer for Dega Oil. Life may have become far less predictable, but it's also become a whole lot more interesting.
Rough Diamond is a fast, fun, light read with an improbable plot, a lovable heroine and a dashing leading man. It reads like a sitcom about a hapless heroine with a sarky best friend and not-quite-with-it parents who stumbles into a strange situation and finds herself caught up in one muddled incident after another. At times, I almost expected to hear canned laughter in the background. The chemistry between Erica and Jack is believable; their sparring and teasing leaves you with one conclusion as to where it's going to lead. Come to think of it, the Moonlighting comparison is really appropriate here - they're both moonlighting, just like Maddie and David from Blue Moon Detective Agency (and Erica, like Maddie, is riddled with debt) ...
Rough Diamond is one of those books with mass-market appeal that will please people who want a light read that is quite simply fun. To me, the sitcom factor wore a bit thin at times and the plot was a bit too far-fetched, but it delivered pretty much what I expected - nothing deep, nothing taxing, just an easy read. The author has also left the ending open-ended, so you can be sure there is more Erica to come, which will please those who see bits of themselves in Erica.
Available from good bookstores and Penguin Books Australia. This copy was courtesy of Penguin Books Australia.
No men. If nothing else in her life is clear, at least Erica's clear on that policy. Still coming to terms with the fact that her husband, Danny, left her for a bimbo, Erica is trying to piece her life and her bank balance back together. Her plan is clear-cut, in keeping with her need for stability and predictability: no no surprises, no debt and definitely, no men. When she finds one (a man who also happens to be a surprise) bleeding to death in her Melbourne garden, that's two of her no's at once. So when he asks her to help but not to call the authorities because it's a matter of national importance), what's a girl to do? Help him, of course.
Erica's good deed is rewarded with $10,000 - and there's the promise of more where that came from. She just has to become part of a secret team of vigilantes. That's all. No problem, right? The lure of money (which would solve the debt problem) is tempting, and it's all for the greater good ... and "what would I have to do?" is Erica's question. Before long, Erica is posing as Jack's girlfriend, going to the Melbourne Cup, helping stop terrorists and even taking Jack to meet her parents in between her day job as a media relations officer for Dega Oil. Life may have become far less predictable, but it's also become a whole lot more interesting.
Rough Diamond is a fast, fun, light read with an improbable plot, a lovable heroine and a dashing leading man. It reads like a sitcom about a hapless heroine with a sarky best friend and not-quite-with-it parents who stumbles into a strange situation and finds herself caught up in one muddled incident after another. At times, I almost expected to hear canned laughter in the background. The chemistry between Erica and Jack is believable; their sparring and teasing leaves you with one conclusion as to where it's going to lead. Come to think of it, the Moonlighting comparison is really appropriate here - they're both moonlighting, just like Maddie and David from Blue Moon Detective Agency (and Erica, like Maddie, is riddled with debt) ...
Rough Diamond is one of those books with mass-market appeal that will please people who want a light read that is quite simply fun. To me, the sitcom factor wore a bit thin at times and the plot was a bit too far-fetched, but it delivered pretty much what I expected - nothing deep, nothing taxing, just an easy read. The author has also left the ending open-ended, so you can be sure there is more Erica to come, which will please those who see bits of themselves in Erica.
Available from good bookstores and Penguin Books Australia. This copy was courtesy of Penguin Books Australia.
March 1, 2013
Romantic caper, with just a smidgen of edge, ROUGH DIAMOND is the first book in a new Melbourne based series built around a typically untypical pair - Erica Jewell and Jack Jones.
Erica Jewell - recently separated from a husband who left her bank balance and her life in tatters. Working in PR for a major corporation her life is now pretty much devoted to avoiding the ex, paying off his debts, keeping a roof over her head, and deflecting her best friend's attempts at getting her out and about again.
Jack Jones - man of mystery and danger, gorgeous, and seemingly perfect, despite the bullet wound in his shoulder when Erica falls over him in her front garden one rainy Melbourne night. You'd think that in most people's lives getting shot would be a fairly major thing, but Jones seems to have other things on his mind. And a seemingly never ending supply of cash, fancy cars, minders and a very big beautiful house.
They soon find themselves on the same side, in a secret and private organisation set up by a not very mysterious benefactor to fight the threat of big plot terrorism. Which, in this case, involves the theft of a truckload of fertiliser, the Bolte Bridge and the Melbourne Cup.
Styled very much in the way of most romantic comedy caper novel these days, there's a good dose of what readers might expect. He's gorgeous, she's a bit clumsy, he's clever and richer than Croesus, she's more attractive than she thinks she is. She's also brave, up for a challenge, and he's cautious and extremely resourceful. She's a bit slow on the uptake on some things, and quick as a whip on others. Is there a romantic attraction between these two or is it just the pressure of everyone else trying to kill them? And, of course, there is the madcap pet, in this case Axle the kitten who goes from dead sleep to whirlwind in the length of a cat's whisker. In ROUGH DIAMOND, it all does seem to work. Which I must admit was a bit of a surprise. Perhaps it's because it is light-hearted and funny and you can't help but wonder just a little about a tongue placed firmly in cheek. It doesn't hurt that the threat, as you'd expect, is big and faceless, and the power behind the plot to save the world (well Melbourne anyway) is mysterious and much closer to home than even Jewell could have guessed. It also doesn't hurt that there are points at which I was laughing a lot.
Of course, there may have to be some filing away of disbelief, but who cares when you're having fun and frankly the pace rips along very well, keeping the reader engaged even though it does get dangerously close to a tiny bit mad more than once.
For this reader there is also a lot about the ending that appealed enormously, although I suspect I can hear the sound of some reader's teeth grinding, particularly if you're the type that likes everything wrapped up neat and tidy. It seems this is the first book in an ongoing series, and really why not. It's fun, it's local and it's entertaining.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Erica Jewell - recently separated from a husband who left her bank balance and her life in tatters. Working in PR for a major corporation her life is now pretty much devoted to avoiding the ex, paying off his debts, keeping a roof over her head, and deflecting her best friend's attempts at getting her out and about again.
Jack Jones - man of mystery and danger, gorgeous, and seemingly perfect, despite the bullet wound in his shoulder when Erica falls over him in her front garden one rainy Melbourne night. You'd think that in most people's lives getting shot would be a fairly major thing, but Jones seems to have other things on his mind. And a seemingly never ending supply of cash, fancy cars, minders and a very big beautiful house.
They soon find themselves on the same side, in a secret and private organisation set up by a not very mysterious benefactor to fight the threat of big plot terrorism. Which, in this case, involves the theft of a truckload of fertiliser, the Bolte Bridge and the Melbourne Cup.
Styled very much in the way of most romantic comedy caper novel these days, there's a good dose of what readers might expect. He's gorgeous, she's a bit clumsy, he's clever and richer than Croesus, she's more attractive than she thinks she is. She's also brave, up for a challenge, and he's cautious and extremely resourceful. She's a bit slow on the uptake on some things, and quick as a whip on others. Is there a romantic attraction between these two or is it just the pressure of everyone else trying to kill them? And, of course, there is the madcap pet, in this case Axle the kitten who goes from dead sleep to whirlwind in the length of a cat's whisker. In ROUGH DIAMOND, it all does seem to work. Which I must admit was a bit of a surprise. Perhaps it's because it is light-hearted and funny and you can't help but wonder just a little about a tongue placed firmly in cheek. It doesn't hurt that the threat, as you'd expect, is big and faceless, and the power behind the plot to save the world (well Melbourne anyway) is mysterious and much closer to home than even Jewell could have guessed. It also doesn't hurt that there are points at which I was laughing a lot.
Of course, there may have to be some filing away of disbelief, but who cares when you're having fun and frankly the pace rips along very well, keeping the reader engaged even though it does get dangerously close to a tiny bit mad more than once.
For this reader there is also a lot about the ending that appealed enormously, although I suspect I can hear the sound of some reader's teeth grinding, particularly if you're the type that likes everything wrapped up neat and tidy. It seems this is the first book in an ongoing series, and really why not. It's fun, it's local and it's entertaining.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
May 20, 2019
Brilliant! Funny! Engaging! A joyful read.
Kathryn Ledson has created a wonderful female protagonist, Erica Jewell and in this, the first book in the series, we are introduced to a set of main characters that face adversity head on. This is a thrilling, fast paced mystery that is tempered with humour and a hint of romance.
This series would make fantastic TV! The world is ready to meet Erica Jewell.
Fun, exciting, mysterious and oh so Australian – I love this read!
Kathryn Ledson has created a wonderful female protagonist, Erica Jewell and in this, the first book in the series, we are introduced to a set of main characters that face adversity head on. This is a thrilling, fast paced mystery that is tempered with humour and a hint of romance.
This series would make fantastic TV! The world is ready to meet Erica Jewell.
Fun, exciting, mysterious and oh so Australian – I love this read!
May 15, 2013
Loved it. I LOVED reading a book set in my hometown of Melbourne. I read alot and it was nice to read about places I have been to on a regular basis. But it was not just a book set in Melbourne - it was a GOOD book set in Melbourne. Rough Diamond is a fun, fantastic, romantic romp. It is hard to believe this was a debut novel. The story is interesting and well paced, balanced between Jack & Erica's interactions and the background terrorist plot and the characters were interesting and well written. And it was funny, really, really funny. I laughed out loud more than once (which I generally don't do - I am more of a quiet smiler). As I was reading I would laugh at something and think - I must remember that as a favourite quote for the review - but then I kept reading and there was another, then another. In the end there were too many favourite quotes to pick from. I will say I loved the kitten Axle. It is the little quirky things like Axle's interesting personality(and the lies she tells to placate her difficult mother) that make the story that step above. Best friend Lucy was also great, especially in the self defence lesson. I just had to suspend disbelief at Erica's actions when she finds Jack in her front garden - I can't think of any one who wouldn't call the cops or an ambulance in that situation but without this we would not have this wonderful story so I just ignored the illogic of that bit. Cannot wait for book number 2. Thank you Kathryn Ledson.
August 31, 2015
To be honest I was not really prepared to love this book, it worries me when books get compared to another author who has written a successful series such as the Stephanie plumb series. HOWEVER and yes I am shouting I loved Rough Diamond so much. Erica Jewell is such a wonderful character, I love the freshness of this book, as for Jack Jones he is my new book crush I think. Much better than the Stephanie plum series, this one is so fresh and has more depth.
There really is something special about us Aussies and how we see the world, our sense of humor is just so dry at times. What I loved about Erica is that she could be me or my best friend and everything that the author Kathryn Ledson wrote about could really happen.
I laughed a lot reading this book and really identified with it. Kathryn writes good solid believable character who have a great depth to the them. If Kathryn stays true to her characters she will have a hit series on her hands. I love that while there is angst between Jack and Erica,Kathryn didn't feel the need to put another person in the path of them, and that there is a sense of fun as well. Aussie men and women are really different to Americans in how they relate to each other.
Brilliant first novel. Well done and I will be the first one lining up for the next book let me tell you.
There really is something special about us Aussies and how we see the world, our sense of humor is just so dry at times. What I loved about Erica is that she could be me or my best friend and everything that the author Kathryn Ledson wrote about could really happen.
I laughed a lot reading this book and really identified with it. Kathryn writes good solid believable character who have a great depth to the them. If Kathryn stays true to her characters she will have a hit series on her hands. I love that while there is angst between Jack and Erica,Kathryn didn't feel the need to put another person in the path of them, and that there is a sense of fun as well. Aussie men and women are really different to Americans in how they relate to each other.
Brilliant first novel. Well done and I will be the first one lining up for the next book let me tell you.
February 20, 2013
I LOVED this book. To be honest i almost didn't buy it (in an effort to save money that week lol) but i went against my wallet and bought it anyway. I wasn't to far in before i couldn't put it down. It was so refreshing to read an Aussie book - the language, the places, and the people you can relate to as an Australian yourself. I am more used to reading books of this genre that come from American authors etc, but i am always on the lookout for a good Aussie book. I loved all the characters (omg Jack Jones!), and I often found myself laughing out loud many times as the story progressed. I can't wait for the sequel Emerald Island to come out. I guess i will have to re-read Rough Diamond again (ok, probably several times) to pass the time. No real hardship there :)
Highly Recommended! :)
Rough Diamond
Highly Recommended! :)
Rough Diamond
October 17, 2014
4.5 out of 5
I’ve just started commuting to a new job on the glorious melting pot that is Melbourne’s public transport system, and it is allowing me quite a lot of extra time to read.
So, I decided to scour my Kindle for something to read the other morning, and came across one that I’d requested a while ago from NetGalley – but somehow overlooked, and that book was Rough Diamond by Kathryn Ledson.
After finishing it, I had to give myself a rap over the knuckles for not reading Rough Diamond earlier. Gosh, this was a lot of fun to read.
You can check out the full review at My Written Romance.
I was provided with a copy of this title by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve just started commuting to a new job on the glorious melting pot that is Melbourne’s public transport system, and it is allowing me quite a lot of extra time to read.
So, I decided to scour my Kindle for something to read the other morning, and came across one that I’d requested a while ago from NetGalley – but somehow overlooked, and that book was Rough Diamond by Kathryn Ledson.
After finishing it, I had to give myself a rap over the knuckles for not reading Rough Diamond earlier. Gosh, this was a lot of fun to read.
You can check out the full review at My Written Romance.
I was provided with a copy of this title by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2013
A very enjoyable debut novel from Kathryn Ledson. Very much along the lines of the Stephanie Plum and Tara Sharp novels (which I also love!) Erica Jewell is great, likeable character and I enjoyed how her relationship with Jack played out throughout the story. Far fetched, yet entertaining and I'm looking forward to the next instalment :) A great read :)
May 23, 2013
Fanbloodytastic!! Loved it IMMENSELY. A perfect mix of humour (had me in absolute hysterics on a few occasions) action & romance. Erica Jewell is now one of my all-time favourite characters. Will be waiting very eagerly for the second Erica Jewell book.
February 24, 2013
Yes it's ridiculous, yes it uses a lot of tropes, but damn I still loved this. Plus, it's made in Melbourne!
(Also, Batman is mentioned. This is meaningful to me.)
(Also, Batman is mentioned. This is meaningful to me.)
March 18, 2019
An early reviewer said, "'If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, you'll love this new heroine Erica Jewell from Melbourne..." Well I am not sure how or why that comparison was made, because the two's personalities are nothing alike other than a mutual dislike of firearms. And I don't believe that if you like Stephanie it would have any bearing on liking Erica Jewell. However, Erica is a funny character who gets herself into the darnedest situations and is quite likable all on her own!
30ish Erica works for Dega Oil in the publicity and public relations department. In spite of a superior (who may or may not be a vampire) who apparently does nothing for herself (telling Erica to get her coffee and to pick up her laundry when she actually has a personal assistant which is not Erica!) In spite of that, Erica is efficient and dedicated to her job, always doing what it takes to keep the company's PR as it needs to be. On nights she makes it home at a reasonable hour, she no longer chooses to go to pubs with friends, but rather wants nothing more than to stay home in cozy clothes and veg. She does have two best friends, Lucy and Steve, who actually happen to be dating. It is Lucy who gets the call whenever she needs help or guidance.
When she returns home one night in a torrential downpour, all she can think of is her day from hell. To top it off, there was a police blockade on the way into her neighborhood, her front gate is unlocked, and there by the front door is her stupid umbrella that she forgot this morning. I a fit of rage she pitches it towards the garden and it doesn't even register if it lands or not. For there in the garden is the body of a man who appears to be dead.
Thus she has just met the man who will play an important part in her life, Jack Jones. Question is, is he dead or alive? What happened? How did he come to be in her garden?Who should she call for help? After a tentative poke she discovers he is "not dead" and begins on the adventure of a lifetime.
Jack doesn't want her to call for help, but she calls Lucy (who happens to be a nurse) and the adventure begins. What follows is a captivating book that I simply couldn't put down. I read until the wee hours of the morning and as I read the last lines I looked a little farther and discovered there were 2 more books in this series.
Apparently this was a debut novel which was the first of a trilogy. The author had a terrific mystery with plenty of ways you could think things might go. The characters were interesting and exciting. Erica had a good head for mystery, but she didn't always make good judgments or listen to good advice. While confident at work, she became a little clingy and whiny the rest of the time. But she also had the good graces to know when she was wrong and when to shut her mouth. Jack and friend Joe were intelligent men who often didn't see Erica's value in a situation. The author made the diverse characters work well, and I immediately started the next book in the series.
30ish Erica works for Dega Oil in the publicity and public relations department. In spite of a superior (who may or may not be a vampire) who apparently does nothing for herself (telling Erica to get her coffee and to pick up her laundry when she actually has a personal assistant which is not Erica!) In spite of that, Erica is efficient and dedicated to her job, always doing what it takes to keep the company's PR as it needs to be. On nights she makes it home at a reasonable hour, she no longer chooses to go to pubs with friends, but rather wants nothing more than to stay home in cozy clothes and veg. She does have two best friends, Lucy and Steve, who actually happen to be dating. It is Lucy who gets the call whenever she needs help or guidance.
When she returns home one night in a torrential downpour, all she can think of is her day from hell. To top it off, there was a police blockade on the way into her neighborhood, her front gate is unlocked, and there by the front door is her stupid umbrella that she forgot this morning. I a fit of rage she pitches it towards the garden and it doesn't even register if it lands or not. For there in the garden is the body of a man who appears to be dead.
Thus she has just met the man who will play an important part in her life, Jack Jones. Question is, is he dead or alive? What happened? How did he come to be in her garden?Who should she call for help? After a tentative poke she discovers he is "not dead" and begins on the adventure of a lifetime.
Jack doesn't want her to call for help, but she calls Lucy (who happens to be a nurse) and the adventure begins. What follows is a captivating book that I simply couldn't put down. I read until the wee hours of the morning and as I read the last lines I looked a little farther and discovered there were 2 more books in this series.
Apparently this was a debut novel which was the first of a trilogy. The author had a terrific mystery with plenty of ways you could think things might go. The characters were interesting and exciting. Erica had a good head for mystery, but she didn't always make good judgments or listen to good advice. While confident at work, she became a little clingy and whiny the rest of the time. But she also had the good graces to know when she was wrong and when to shut her mouth. Jack and friend Joe were intelligent men who often didn't see Erica's value in a situation. The author made the diverse characters work well, and I immediately started the next book in the series.
January 26, 2019
Fun Read
I loved this...it’s actually the best I’ve read that’s similar to the Stephanie Plum books without it being basically a rip off. However a few things:
1. Erica is slightly annoying. She cries way too much. Come on get a grip. Not everything is worth crying over. I also don’t understand how every time she gets drunk she wants to sleep with Jack but the second she’s sober she’s terrified and embarrassed. I didn’t enjoy her whole debacle the day after Australia Day and just being so annoying about sleeping with Jack.
2. Her mother is the worst. Please just stop with her antiquated awful character. Also why does her dad have zero personality besides being able to fart? It’s bizarre and isn’t funny. And as for Erica’s brother did we even get a name? Why doesn’t he come to the Monday dinners? Also she mentions her parents are about 60 yet they are retired and act like 90 year olds. No. My 60 year old dad does CrossFit everyday, hikes mountains, and works 80 hour weeks. 60 is not that old so stop trying to make them seem old and useless.
3. The whole ex husband thing. Are they divorced? Are they not? What is the deal? Also what even happened with his storyline.
4. There was a bit too much going on. This should have either focused solely on her ex husband’s illegal dealings or solely on the Shane McGann and terrorism plot line. Because the ex husband/kidnapping/etc took up so much time the ending with the fertilizer seemed very rushed.
I will definitely look forward to reading more of these books as long as Erica stops being annoying and her awful mother stops thinking that this is the Victorian era and a single daughter is the worst thing in the world to have. All in all I give this 5 stars for being entertaining and simply for having a much more original storyline than basic girl stumbles upon dead body, hot cop appears, ex husband/boyfriend comes back, random mystery guy who for some reason loves so called basic girl pops up, and all men fight for her attention all the while forgetting about the dead body leaving basic girl to figure out who killed him/her, she gets herself in trouble and gets rescued by hot cop but then can’t stop thinking about random guy.
I loved this...it’s actually the best I’ve read that’s similar to the Stephanie Plum books without it being basically a rip off. However a few things:
1. Erica is slightly annoying. She cries way too much. Come on get a grip. Not everything is worth crying over. I also don’t understand how every time she gets drunk she wants to sleep with Jack but the second she’s sober she’s terrified and embarrassed. I didn’t enjoy her whole debacle the day after Australia Day and just being so annoying about sleeping with Jack.
2. Her mother is the worst. Please just stop with her antiquated awful character. Also why does her dad have zero personality besides being able to fart? It’s bizarre and isn’t funny. And as for Erica’s brother did we even get a name? Why doesn’t he come to the Monday dinners? Also she mentions her parents are about 60 yet they are retired and act like 90 year olds. No. My 60 year old dad does CrossFit everyday, hikes mountains, and works 80 hour weeks. 60 is not that old so stop trying to make them seem old and useless.
3. The whole ex husband thing. Are they divorced? Are they not? What is the deal? Also what even happened with his storyline.
4. There was a bit too much going on. This should have either focused solely on her ex husband’s illegal dealings or solely on the Shane McGann and terrorism plot line. Because the ex husband/kidnapping/etc took up so much time the ending with the fertilizer seemed very rushed.
I will definitely look forward to reading more of these books as long as Erica stops being annoying and her awful mother stops thinking that this is the Victorian era and a single daughter is the worst thing in the world to have. All in all I give this 5 stars for being entertaining and simply for having a much more original storyline than basic girl stumbles upon dead body, hot cop appears, ex husband/boyfriend comes back, random mystery guy who for some reason loves so called basic girl pops up, and all men fight for her attention all the while forgetting about the dead body leaving basic girl to figure out who killed him/her, she gets herself in trouble and gets rescued by hot cop but then can’t stop thinking about random guy.
July 6, 2025
I’d like to begin by saying that I read this novel because of reviews saying it was like the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novels. “Love that? Read this!”it says. This is false. It is nothing like those stories. Like at all.
This book isn’t funny or cute. There’s no love triangle, wild best friends and Her family is tedious at best. This is a book about a down and out woman getting caught up in a world of specialized individuals trying to stop terror attacks from happening in Australia.
Erica is kind of a loser. I spent the whole book trying to figure out what was special about her. She has a lackluster life and a loser ex husband. She can’t really stand up for herself. She’s not funny or entertaining.
She also cries. Like a lot. I also don’t like her best friend Lucy.
The love interest Jack Jones. He is pretty much the only thing I liked about this book. Former military man with money. The head of this anti terrorist team. The thing is: Jack is pretty upfront in this story. He never actually wants a relationship with Erica. I mean he’s into her but Boys got issues. His parents and wife were killed at the towers on 9/11 waiting for him. (His flight was late) Yet the whole book she just keeps throwing herself at him. It’s kind of annoying actually. He even invites a woman over in the middle of the night while Erica is in the other bedroom. I mean they do hook up eventually but he is still pretty clear that nothing can ever be between them.
This is by far the biggest reason I didn’t like this book through. This is coming from an American reader. This book is by an Aussie author. An Australian author who’s using September 11th and the events of that day as fodder for her book. She’s using it as a benchmark of terrorist attacks to both giver her male character Jack a backstory and to measure against for future possible attacks that could take place in this story in Australia. And she uses the WRONG date twice. September 10, 2001. She uses the wrong date for a national tragedy. I just…. I can’t. I can’t forgive that. Sorry. This book is a no for me.
This book isn’t funny or cute. There’s no love triangle, wild best friends and Her family is tedious at best. This is a book about a down and out woman getting caught up in a world of specialized individuals trying to stop terror attacks from happening in Australia.
Erica is kind of a loser. I spent the whole book trying to figure out what was special about her. She has a lackluster life and a loser ex husband. She can’t really stand up for herself. She’s not funny or entertaining.
She also cries. Like a lot. I also don’t like her best friend Lucy.
The love interest Jack Jones. He is pretty much the only thing I liked about this book. Former military man with money. The head of this anti terrorist team. The thing is: Jack is pretty upfront in this story. He never actually wants a relationship with Erica. I mean he’s into her but Boys got issues. His parents and wife were killed at the towers on 9/11 waiting for him. (His flight was late) Yet the whole book she just keeps throwing herself at him. It’s kind of annoying actually. He even invites a woman over in the middle of the night while Erica is in the other bedroom. I mean they do hook up eventually but he is still pretty clear that nothing can ever be between them.
This is by far the biggest reason I didn’t like this book through. This is coming from an American reader. This book is by an Aussie author. An Australian author who’s using September 11th and the events of that day as fodder for her book. She’s using it as a benchmark of terrorist attacks to both giver her male character Jack a backstory and to measure against for future possible attacks that could take place in this story in Australia. And she uses the WRONG date twice. September 10, 2001. She uses the wrong date for a national tragedy. I just…. I can’t. I can’t forgive that. Sorry. This book is a no for me.
March 4, 2019
If you are looking for a calorie-free guilty pleasure, this is it. completely far fetched it is still fast-paced fun. Erica's bad luck in love leaves to worse luck with money. But soon that changes when she is apparently tapped into a secret anti-terrorist organization. Erica is a bit of a ditz but still likeable and her handler is the usual sexy, brooding hunk. there are some truly funny moments and witty discourse. I loved her kitten Axle who has two settings: sleep and tornado. The only thing I didn't like was her stupidity with the ex-husband. She should have divorced quickly and protected her assets. Her soft-heartedness towards him was just stupid. Trick me once, shame on you. trick me twice, shame on me. Trick me a million times, shame on Erica. That being said this is an entertaining way to escape for a few laughs.
July 28, 2022
Apparently this is Australia's answer to Stephanie Plum - and I'm here for it! Definitely different to the Plum series, but I can see the similarities that warranted this comparison. Fiesty FMC brought into a dangerous situation, but managing to hold her own, with help from a very handsome (of course) mysterious stranger who needs her help. I am very interested to read more of this series, I am glad there are 3 in my library!
May 22, 2021
I loved this book so much! Erica is such a great character and there were lots of laugh out loud bits. Erica's friend Lucy said 'Are you sure you know what you're doing?'
Erica replied, 'No'. Lucy - 'Well, as long as you're sure'.
It's light-hearted, romantic, funny and fast-paced, sometimes just what you need!
I can't wait to read the 2nd one.
Erica replied, 'No'. Lucy - 'Well, as long as you're sure'.
It's light-hearted, romantic, funny and fast-paced, sometimes just what you need!
I can't wait to read the 2nd one.
November 7, 2021
This one (and number two in the series) have been unread on my shelf forever. Started it a few times but couldn’t get over how naïve (and stupid) our heroine is- I was shocked to discover she’s supposed to be 32! She finds a guy shot and bleeding on her doorstep during a massive police hunt and chooses NOT to call the police/ ambulance; fetches a gun from a dumpster for shot stranger; keeps helping her scumbag cheating ex even after she knows he’s wanted by police for embezzlement; joins a vigilante antiterrorist organisation etc. I know the book isn’t to be taken too seriously but when you don’t understand the heroine’s basic decisions it’s hard to keep turning the pages….
It’s an Australian book and still seemed like maybe it could be a fun romp if only I could adequately suspend disbelief, so have kept persevering. Now three-quarters of the way through and it’s down to two stars. Having both our hero and heroine (in their 30s) get completely drunk on separate occasions isn’t sexy or smart, and I just can’t accept the extent of the vigilante group- it’s not just a neighbourhood watch group; think cold-blooded murder and stealing fancy cars. Book is being compared to Stephanie Plum series but she had some righteousness on her side as an authorised bounty hunter. The last straw was our hero giving a heroine a handgun she doesn’t know how to use and going to a range to practice- it’s Australia; we don’t have a gun culture and guns are strictly regulated; the idea of illegal, unregistered firearms is completely repugnant to me.
It’s an Australian book and still seemed like maybe it could be a fun romp if only I could adequately suspend disbelief, so have kept persevering. Now three-quarters of the way through and it’s down to two stars. Having both our hero and heroine (in their 30s) get completely drunk on separate occasions isn’t sexy or smart, and I just can’t accept the extent of the vigilante group- it’s not just a neighbourhood watch group; think cold-blooded murder and stealing fancy cars. Book is being compared to Stephanie Plum series but she had some righteousness on her side as an authorised bounty hunter. The last straw was our hero giving a heroine a handgun she doesn’t know how to use and going to a range to practice- it’s Australia; we don’t have a gun culture and guns are strictly regulated; the idea of illegal, unregistered firearms is completely repugnant to me.
March 7, 2019
Awesome read.
I could not put this book down. Loved it, loved the characters, I just loved everything about it. This is one author that I will continue to read. Erica Jewels is a character that keeps you going. I love her.
I could not put this book down. Loved it, loved the characters, I just loved everything about it. This is one author that I will continue to read. Erica Jewels is a character that keeps you going. I love her.
July 4, 2019
Adorable Story
I love this story. It's beautifully written and Jack is a dreamboat. Erica is hilarious. She says 'yes' and thinks 'nope.' I love the way she keeps Jack guessing all the time. Can't wait to read the others now.
I love this story. It's beautifully written and Jack is a dreamboat. Erica is hilarious. She says 'yes' and thinks 'nope.' I love the way she keeps Jack guessing all the time. Can't wait to read the others now.
April 25, 2020
Entertaining
I am impressed by the writing. This author knows her way around words. The book is a fun entertaining read with just enough mix of mystery and mayhem. Erica is an idiot at times but you've got to love her..
I am impressed by the writing. This author knows her way around words. The book is a fun entertaining read with just enough mix of mystery and mayhem. Erica is an idiot at times but you've got to love her..
December 19, 2020
Fantastic read!! Sucked me and I stayed up until 3am reading. Such a great mix of suspense and romance. I love that the characters aren’t 20- somethings but in their 30’s with a history and real baggage.
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