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September Moon
In this, her third novel, the multitalented author of Night in Eden returns to the glorious setting of nineteenth-century Australia, to the ancient, primal vistas of the outback, to a land as untamed as a man's soul. . . .
Patrick O'Reilly loves life in the wilderness. All he needs is his land, his work, and the company of the children he adores. The last thing he wants is the prim and proper Englishwoman who arrives to care for his unruly children. Amanda Davenport seems unprepared for the harshness of the place O'Reilly calls home, and yet he finds himself inexplicably drawn to this proud woman and the fire he knows exists beneath her refined exterior.
Accepting a job as governess is the only way Amanda can earn passage back to her beloved England and away from this land that she hates--rugged, uncivilized, intoxicating, like Patrick O'Reilly himself. Despite her fears, Amanda gradually awakens to the shimmering heat of this wild primitive land, to the children she can't help but love, and to this magnificent man whose raw sensuality dares to expose her own undeniable passion. . . .
Patrick O'Reilly loves life in the wilderness. All he needs is his land, his work, and the company of the children he adores. The last thing he wants is the prim and proper Englishwoman who arrives to care for his unruly children. Amanda Davenport seems unprepared for the harshness of the place O'Reilly calls home, and yet he finds himself inexplicably drawn to this proud woman and the fire he knows exists beneath her refined exterior.
Accepting a job as governess is the only way Amanda can earn passage back to her beloved England and away from this land that she hates--rugged, uncivilized, intoxicating, like Patrick O'Reilly himself. Despite her fears, Amanda gradually awakens to the shimmering heat of this wild primitive land, to the children she can't help but love, and to this magnificent man whose raw sensuality dares to expose her own undeniable passion. . . .
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 5, 1999
35 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Candice Proctor
7 books203 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 16, 2021
This is my third book by Candice Proctor and it was another solid four star read ... set in Australia, in the 19th century, it was a tough place to settle and try and make a living and survive with droughts, crop failure, vast landscapes and little interaction with neighbours or friends (many of whom live miles and miles from your own homestead).
O'Reilly, a man of Irish descent whose ancestors were convicts sent from Ireland by "The Crown" - these "convicts" might only have stolen a loaf of bread but the Irish, under British rule, didn't have many rights or privileges so off they were sent on convict ships! But, once you did your time and you earned your freedom, you could make your mark, travel, buy land, but if the conditions are hard and the rains don't arrive, times are hard.
After her employer dies, Amanda Davenport takes the job as a governess for O'Reilly and his three children until such time as she can earn enough money to pay her fare for the boat back to England.
Amanda is a prim and proper lady. O'Reilly is a rough and ready rancher, trying to tame the land and make a living.
The two older children don't want her around and do their best to make her feel unwelcome. But there is an attraction between O'Reilly and Amanda. Both try to fight the attraction.
A lovely story and this author is becoming a favourite, especially her tales that are set in the Australian outback.
O'Reilly, a man of Irish descent whose ancestors were convicts sent from Ireland by "The Crown" - these "convicts" might only have stolen a loaf of bread but the Irish, under British rule, didn't have many rights or privileges so off they were sent on convict ships! But, once you did your time and you earned your freedom, you could make your mark, travel, buy land, but if the conditions are hard and the rains don't arrive, times are hard.
She was too feminine and delicate, too straight-laced and corset-pinched, too ostentatiously virtuous, too English. Bloody hell, he didn't even like her.
After her employer dies, Amanda Davenport takes the job as a governess for O'Reilly and his three children until such time as she can earn enough money to pay her fare for the boat back to England.
Amanda is a prim and proper lady. O'Reilly is a rough and ready rancher, trying to tame the land and make a living.
The two older children don't want her around and do their best to make her feel unwelcome. But there is an attraction between O'Reilly and Amanda. Both try to fight the attraction.
Wicked thoughts. Abandoned thoughts. Seductive thoughts.
A lovely story and this author is becoming a favourite, especially her tales that are set in the Australian outback.
This country was like O'Reilly, she thought; both the man and his land frightened her and disturbed her and attracted her, all at the same time.
... what she felt for this place was still fierce. And fierce love is always so close to hate.
January 21, 2021
3.5 to 4 stars. A repressed English woman stranded in Port Adelaide, South Australia in the 1860s is forced by circumstance to take a position as governess to three rowdy children in the Australian outback. The children's father, grandson of a convict, is raising them alone, as his wife walked out several years ago, when the youngest child was a baby. They fall in love and finally marry.
A familiar trope, (falling in love with the nanny) but a very different and beautifully drawn setting. As an Australian, I really appreciated the setting and historical elements of this book. It's mostly set in the Flinders Ranges, north of Adelaide, a rugged, remote, dusty, and beautiful place. I'm lucky enough to have visited the area, and I can well recall its magnificent beauty, the extraordinary quality of the light, and the remnants of the dusty ruins of stone buildings abandoned by the early settlers such as those depicted in this book. The settlers naively lacked any understanding that the district was totally unsuitable for the kind of farming they tried to introduce, and most were driven out by drought and difficulty.
So the storyline felt quite fresh to me in this unique setting, and the characters' experiences rang true. I liked Amanda and I enjoyed her slow journey towards loving the outback and its people, as well as her romance with Patrick. Patrick was well-drawn and likeable as well. He felt very Australian, and his love for his children was admirable. His persistence in the face of incredible challenges was also to be admired.
So I enjoyed the read. Now I'm sad I've finished all three of Ms Proctor's Australian-set historical romances in short order. Boo. None left to read now. I will try her other HRs with different settings and see how I find them. Maybe I will try her Sebastian St Cyr books one day too.
But I recommend this one if you like HR, whether you are Australian or not. A quality writer.
A familiar trope, (falling in love with the nanny) but a very different and beautifully drawn setting. As an Australian, I really appreciated the setting and historical elements of this book. It's mostly set in the Flinders Ranges, north of Adelaide, a rugged, remote, dusty, and beautiful place. I'm lucky enough to have visited the area, and I can well recall its magnificent beauty, the extraordinary quality of the light, and the remnants of the dusty ruins of stone buildings abandoned by the early settlers such as those depicted in this book. The settlers naively lacked any understanding that the district was totally unsuitable for the kind of farming they tried to introduce, and most were driven out by drought and difficulty.
So the storyline felt quite fresh to me in this unique setting, and the characters' experiences rang true. I liked Amanda and I enjoyed her slow journey towards loving the outback and its people, as well as her romance with Patrick. Patrick was well-drawn and likeable as well. He felt very Australian, and his love for his children was admirable. His persistence in the face of incredible challenges was also to be admired.
So I enjoyed the read. Now I'm sad I've finished all three of Ms Proctor's Australian-set historical romances in short order. Boo. None left to read now. I will try her other HRs with different settings and see how I find them. Maybe I will try her Sebastian St Cyr books one day too.
But I recommend this one if you like HR, whether you are Australian or not. A quality writer.
May 7, 2024
Re-read. beautiful story
Strong characters.
Re-read, wonderful! Loved it. Will re-read again. Strong characters.
Beautifully written book about harsh and hard life in Australia in 19 cent, about love, forgiveness, opening to new living style... and more.
Very proper English governess are working for 1 year only, only to earn some money for the passage back to her country.
She fell in love with children, with this beautiful, caring man and with Australia...
I love this author: Her descriptions of Harsh Outback Australia are so vivid I felt like i’m there.
The heroine and the hero was soo soo different but they were soulmates for each other.
Not safe: scenes with hero and other woman.
The heroine was not virgin... At least!
I recommend it to all readers who are enjoying Historical Romance.
Strong characters.
Re-read, wonderful! Loved it. Will re-read again. Strong characters.
Beautifully written book about harsh and hard life in Australia in 19 cent, about love, forgiveness, opening to new living style... and more.
Very proper English governess are working for 1 year only, only to earn some money for the passage back to her country.
She fell in love with children, with this beautiful, caring man and with Australia...
I love this author: Her descriptions of Harsh Outback Australia are so vivid I felt like i’m there.
The heroine and the hero was soo soo different but they were soulmates for each other.
Not safe: scenes with hero and other woman.
The heroine was not virgin... At least!
I recommend it to all readers who are enjoying Historical Romance.
January 17, 2016
I read this earthy romance over a decade ago and forgot how much I loved it. It was long before I was reviewing and rating books. Thank you, Lyuda, for reintroducing me to Patrick's and Amanda's story!
Ah, Amanda. She was 27 years old and in dire straits. Her father, a well-known scholar and teacher, died five years before and did not provide for her. Unfortunately, Amanda was raised to have things done for her. She was an educated English gentlewoman but with few actual skills. Cocooned in loneliness, she found a position that took her Australia. It was short-lived.
And then there was the hero, Patrick O'Reilly. He was born in Tanzania, had married young and had three children. Then his wife couldn't take it anymore and abandoned the entire family. Left to their own devices, Patrick was trying to run a ranch in the Australian outback while drifting through governesses like water. The words 'little heathens' and scamps don't do justice to describe the children, especially the older two. Missy, the youngest at six, was still very impressionable and empathetic.
I have got to say that Ms. Proctor pulls no punches with her heroes. You will find dirt under their nails, they talk before they think and they love completely when they find the right woman. Patrick was no different. He was the grandson of a convict, his education came from the bush and his children were his be-all and end-all. He thought he knew love once but because of what happened trust had to be earned.
Though Amanda was never a governess, she knew in her heart that she had to perform this job until she could earn enough to take her back to England. She had no choice. But then things changed. This romance was about a couple who didn't even like each other at the start. They had many preconceived notions of whom the other was. Finally, with much anguish, they came to love each other.
Ah, Amanda. She was 27 years old and in dire straits. Her father, a well-known scholar and teacher, died five years before and did not provide for her. Unfortunately, Amanda was raised to have things done for her. She was an educated English gentlewoman but with few actual skills. Cocooned in loneliness, she found a position that took her Australia. It was short-lived.
And then there was the hero, Patrick O'Reilly. He was born in Tanzania, had married young and had three children. Then his wife couldn't take it anymore and abandoned the entire family. Left to their own devices, Patrick was trying to run a ranch in the Australian outback while drifting through governesses like water. The words 'little heathens' and scamps don't do justice to describe the children, especially the older two. Missy, the youngest at six, was still very impressionable and empathetic.
I have got to say that Ms. Proctor pulls no punches with her heroes. You will find dirt under their nails, they talk before they think and they love completely when they find the right woman. Patrick was no different. He was the grandson of a convict, his education came from the bush and his children were his be-all and end-all. He thought he knew love once but because of what happened trust had to be earned.
Though Amanda was never a governess, she knew in her heart that she had to perform this job until she could earn enough to take her back to England. She had no choice. But then things changed. This romance was about a couple who didn't even like each other at the start. They had many preconceived notions of whom the other was. Finally, with much anguish, they came to love each other.
December 10, 2020
Originally read as a paperback years ago, it’s still a wonderful story.
June 16, 2011
3 ½ stars.
Old Port Adelaide, by artist Robert Todonai
I waffled on rating this one between 3 ½ stars to 4 stars. I liked this story set in Australia well enough; in fact, the setting was the best part. Ms. Proctor knows the country and its history and writes it well. However, I could not help thinking Ms. Proctor compromised her ethics a bit (or maybe they’re just my Romanlandia Rules) to write a standard storyline here (governess falls for father of three difficult children - which is a favorite of mine, hence the bookshelf).
Royal Arch caves at Chillagoe in the Outback near Port Adelaide
Not that I mind when writers do that, but only when they can pull off a story that stands taller than others of the same theme. This one begins nicely with our heroine, Amanda Davenport; a stranded, prim English woman who decides to take a job for which she has no experience. Nevertheless, I disliked that the hero, Patrick O’Reilly, was often really laughing at the heroine (sometimes with his children), not with her, making me wonder if his attraction toward her was more a matter of proximity rather than him coming to care for her. Here is a scene between the hero and his prior lover, where she asks about his intentions toward Amanda:
Still, there are some nice dialogues and scenes in this one, making me at times believe it would rise to four full stars. This is especially true after the hero comes to realize his love for the heroine while still faced with a harsh drought and other obstacles in the Australian Outback before they get their HEA. See Shannan's Goodread Review of September Moon for what else I liked about it, specifically her comment: "I was also pleased to see that the conflict between the two leads is based on their very different backgrounds and isn't easily resolved by the Power of Amazing Orgasms."
Old Port Adelaide, by artist Robert Todonai
I waffled on rating this one between 3 ½ stars to 4 stars. I liked this story set in Australia well enough; in fact, the setting was the best part. Ms. Proctor knows the country and its history and writes it well. However, I could not help thinking Ms. Proctor compromised her ethics a bit (or maybe they’re just my Romanlandia Rules) to write a standard storyline here (governess falls for father of three difficult children - which is a favorite of mine, hence the bookshelf).
Royal Arch caves at Chillagoe in the Outback near Port Adelaide
Not that I mind when writers do that, but only when they can pull off a story that stands taller than others of the same theme. This one begins nicely with our heroine, Amanda Davenport; a stranded, prim English woman who decides to take a job for which she has no experience. Nevertheless, I disliked that the hero, Patrick O’Reilly, was often really laughing at the heroine (sometimes with his children), not with her, making me wonder if his attraction toward her was more a matter of proximity rather than him coming to care for her. Here is a scene between the hero and his prior lover, where she asks about his intentions toward Amanda:
”No? Well, I hate to tell you this, O’Reilly, but women like your Miss Davenport aren’t usually comfortable with the kind of arrangements I like.”Likewise, it bothered me that he was still
“Hell, I know that.”
Mary stopped swinging her hat. “Then what exactly are you doin’, O’Reilly? Or do you even know?”
O’Reilly knocked his pipe against the post and stared down at the hot ashes before grinding them beneath the sole of his boot. “I thought I did. It started out as…oh, I don’t know, some kind of a joke. It just got outa hand.”
Still, there are some nice dialogues and scenes in this one, making me at times believe it would rise to four full stars. This is especially true after the hero comes to realize his love for the heroine while still faced with a harsh drought and other obstacles in the Australian Outback before they get their HEA. See Shannan's Goodread Review of September Moon for what else I liked about it, specifically her comment: "I was also pleased to see that the conflict between the two leads is based on their very different backgrounds and isn't easily resolved by the Power of Amazing Orgasms."
October 31, 2010
3 stars may be generous.
The story was very slow moving and more or less centered on a drought which apparently did (does?) happen in Australia. The romance itself staggered along and by the end I was thinking why even bother. The Hero's children had a big roll in this book which I'm not fond of. And I never felt a huge connection between the kids and the heroine so there was not even an "Awww... Isn't that sweet" moment.
Overall, a little on the depressing side but reading about the settlers and their survival was interesting.
The story was very slow moving and more or less centered on a drought which apparently did (does?) happen in Australia. The romance itself staggered along and by the end I was thinking why even bother. The Hero's children had a big roll in this book which I'm not fond of. And I never felt a huge connection between the kids and the heroine so there was not even an "Awww... Isn't that sweet" moment.
Overall, a little on the depressing side but reading about the settlers and their survival was interesting.
February 21, 2023
Another winner!!
This author is amazing and I wanna read everything she has written.
This author is amazing and I wanna read everything she has written.
August 11, 2016
Set in the middle of 19th century in the Australian outback, the story is captivating, full of interesting historical details and sense of place. The wild, open dangerous, treacherous place known as Australian outback occupies as big part of the story as a romance between English governess and Australian rancher. After death of her professor father Amanda Davenport worked as a secretary for an English couple. She desperately wanted to leave Australia for her bellowed England. But when her employer suddenly falls ill the night before the ship sets sail, Amanda is left without funds. In a desperate situation facing her, she accepts an offer from the O'Reilly family to be a governess for Patrick O'Reilly's three hellion children. Their home is located in the Australian outback, the place that have not seen a drop of rain in more than a year. Patrick O'Reilly loves his land with all his heart and makes everything possible and impossible to survive and provide good life for his children. He is bitter after his wife left him and his children because she was unable to coup with harsh outback conditions. She was a "proper" Englishwoman and that is how Patrick sees Amanda at the beginning. But the more he knows her the more difficult is for him to stay away from her.
November 10, 2025
Basically The Sound of Music but set in the Australian outback and a drought instead of Nazis? I’m seated and listening. Candice Proctor can write the hell out of a hero…
January 31, 2011
3.75 stars historical romance
Amanda Davenport finds herself in the raw primitive land of Australia, left with a feeling of hopelessness when her employer dies from a bout of illness leaving her destitute with nowhere to turn to. Amanda, the daughter of a brilliant scholar back in England had been hired by Frances Blake who had been a botanist to act as his secretary, a post that few women were thought capable of handling back then. However, growing up alone with a brilliant scholar because her mother had died when she had been a mere baby, Amanda had ended up more educated than even most men, because that had been Amanda’s way of vying for the attention of a father who was more mindful of his students and the academics than his only daughter. When her father had died 5 years earlier leaving her with little means to look after herself, Amanda had been forced to seek employment and hence her current predicament where Amanda is forced to find a job in order to survive and earn enough money to return back to her beloved England.
Experiencing the fact that the post of a secretary would be hard to attain, Amanda ends up agreeing to be the governess of Patrick O’Reilly’s 3 children. The one fact that deters her is the fact that the O’Reilly’s live so far in the outback that the land was considered primitive and harsh, and for someone like Amanda who misses the gentle surroundings of England, the mere thought of roughing it out in the outback is a daunting thought in itself. But in the end, her hopeless situation has her agreeing to be the governess of Hannah, Liam and Missy aged between 11 and 6 years old for a period of 1 year after which she would have the means to return back to her home.
When Patrick O’Reilly sets eyes on the tightly buttoned up English woman his sister Hetty had once again hired as a governess for his children, all Patrick senses is a woman who forces down her emotions to the extent that she appears to have a perpetual straight line where her lips should be. But even her buttoned up figure dressed in the ugliest garbs Patrick had ever seen does little to hide her dainty figure and her impressive gray eyes which seems to stare down haughtily at him, a sign classic of the English women.
Full review: http://bit.ly/bjFoZG
Amanda Davenport finds herself in the raw primitive land of Australia, left with a feeling of hopelessness when her employer dies from a bout of illness leaving her destitute with nowhere to turn to. Amanda, the daughter of a brilliant scholar back in England had been hired by Frances Blake who had been a botanist to act as his secretary, a post that few women were thought capable of handling back then. However, growing up alone with a brilliant scholar because her mother had died when she had been a mere baby, Amanda had ended up more educated than even most men, because that had been Amanda’s way of vying for the attention of a father who was more mindful of his students and the academics than his only daughter. When her father had died 5 years earlier leaving her with little means to look after herself, Amanda had been forced to seek employment and hence her current predicament where Amanda is forced to find a job in order to survive and earn enough money to return back to her beloved England.
Experiencing the fact that the post of a secretary would be hard to attain, Amanda ends up agreeing to be the governess of Patrick O’Reilly’s 3 children. The one fact that deters her is the fact that the O’Reilly’s live so far in the outback that the land was considered primitive and harsh, and for someone like Amanda who misses the gentle surroundings of England, the mere thought of roughing it out in the outback is a daunting thought in itself. But in the end, her hopeless situation has her agreeing to be the governess of Hannah, Liam and Missy aged between 11 and 6 years old for a period of 1 year after which she would have the means to return back to her home.
When Patrick O’Reilly sets eyes on the tightly buttoned up English woman his sister Hetty had once again hired as a governess for his children, all Patrick senses is a woman who forces down her emotions to the extent that she appears to have a perpetual straight line where her lips should be. But even her buttoned up figure dressed in the ugliest garbs Patrick had ever seen does little to hide her dainty figure and her impressive gray eyes which seems to stare down haughtily at him, a sign classic of the English women.
Full review: http://bit.ly/bjFoZG
December 19, 2010
Good story, I enjoyed reading about Australia and the character development was pretty believable. However, it was somewhat predictable, what with the English governess and three bratty children who all come to love and respect one another with the hunky father who finds that his lust has some real feelings attached.
April 25, 2018
Another splendid book from Proctor. Reading her earlier romance books has definitely helped fill the huge hole left from Sebastian St. Cyr.
October 6, 2021
Really lovely book. I hovered between 4 & 5 stars, but ultimately there was something about the way we rushed from denying/longing/lusting into full on LURVE that missed a beat. So... 4.5?
July 11, 2025
July 2025
3.5 stars
A Historical Romance in the Australian Outback
This was read after Night in Eden, the author's most popular book on Goodreads. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, but the writing is still excellent, and the story is full of emotional moments. There's a touch of realism, and the ending was satisfying.
Night in Eden is mainly about human cruelty.
This book focuses on surviving a severe drought and the harshness of the land. (It's interesting that in both books, the heroes were married to women who hated living in Australia. Nothing they did made them happy.)
I almost DNF'd by the halfway point, because I disliked the MCs' instant attraction and constant lusting as they ogled each other and exchanged heated gazes. I also found it disappointing that the heroine is hired as a governess, but there's little actual on-page teaching. I had to change my expectations and skim through some dull scenes—like the parts about caring for the sheep—to get to the exciting ending.
What made it enjoyable: several touching scenes (including ones with the children), two steamy sex scenes that aren’t overly graphic, and vivid details and descriptions of the characters and the untamed outback. The characters have their own voices and personalities. I felt like I was watching a movie, able to clearly envision what was happening.
📕 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 & 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝚰𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒 📕
Amanda Davenport (27), from England, traveled with the Blakes to Australia. She worked for Mr. Blake, a botanist. He's killed by a thief who stole their money, and Mrs. Blake dies soon after of a heart condition. Amanda refused to return home until she passed, not letting her die alone. Afterward, with the ship having sailed and little funds, Amanda looked for work.
Her Tragic Backstory: Her mother died, and she was ignored by her scholarly father. She spent lonely hours reading, studying hard to impress him. But as a girl, she couldn’t compete with his books and college position. At 17, she fell in love and, believing he would marry her, gave herself to him. Later, she read his engagement notice to another woman in the paper.
Henrietta Radwith, hires Amanda as a governess for her brother, despite his dislike of English women.
Patrick O'Reilly (early 30's) owns Penyaka, a large run of 1,500 square miles with numerous cattle and sheep. It's on the northern edge of the colony's habitable area.
His Tragic Backstory: He was married to Katherine, an Englishwoman, for six years and had three children before she abandoned them. His father had a similar story—he married an Englishwoman who left him. Turns out, he's half Irish and half English.
(He often leaves his shirt unbuttoned or off, to show his muscles and attract Amanda.)
O'Reilly's Three Children:
▪️Hannah, at age 11, is the oldest. She dresses as a boy, not wanting to be like her mother. Her relationship with her father is strained. She wouldn't accept his comfort as a young child, and they frequently argue.
▪️Liam, nine, is the only boy. He's the least likable of the children—showing no remorse for his actions and little kindness. At the end, he's still naughty.
▪️Missy, age six, is the sweetest child. O'Reilly shows tenderness by telling her a story and singing her to sleep, after she has a nightmare.
O'Reilly has struggled to keep a governess for six years, as Hannah and Liam terrorize them—one nearly went insane. Despite his discipline, O'Reilly has little control over his unruly children. Amanda has to stay there for twelve months, to get paid and return home. She may look small and fragile, but she endures their tricks—like making her stand on an ant’s nest or putting a snake in her room. After some scary incidents, she earns the children’s respect.
Amanda and O'Reilly fight their strong attraction. He doesn’t want another uptight Englishwoman and hopes she’ll leave. Amanda hates it there and misses England. She starts off haughty, disapproving and frigid—clinging to her English ways. She hides her true vibrant, sensual self who longs to be free.
O’Reilly tries to get her to loosen up, but she remains annoying until around 80% into the story. That's when she stops being so stiff, and improves significantly.
The Turning Point: The Shearing Season
Due to the killing drought, O'Reilly starts shearing early, planning to cull the weak and old sheep. After six weeks, everyone celebrates with a horse race and dancing. O'Reilly convinces Amanda, the proper governess, to dance with him. That night, they have sex for the first time and Amanda changes for the better. Admitting their love, they're now a solid couple.
Despite Amanda’s insistence on staying with O'Reilly, he doubts her sincerity due to Katherine and his mother. She proves her devotion in the climax, as drought and dust storms force him to send Amanda and the children to his sister’s in Adelaide, where it’s safer. He then drives his remaining breeding stock to better pasture, planning to pay for their shelter. After two months, he returns to an empty home to find wildfires destroying the land and people. Mistaken for a fellow station owner killed in a fire, he’s declared dead. Weeks later, he races to Adelaide, fearing Amanda has returned to England as she promised if something happened to him. The rains have begun, but the drought’s parched earth now causes flooding.
Meanwhile, Amanda and the children are devastated but refuse to believe he’s gone. She decides to return to the homestead with missionaries. O'Reilly nearly misses her when he crosses a swollen river, but after turning back, he sees Amanda on the other side. Despite her warnings, he crosses back, and they share a joyful reunion. Amanda’s steadfastness proves her love for the land and O'Reilly.
In the epilogue, a year and a half later, the MCs are getting married. Amanda’s pregnancy prompted O'Reilly to desperately seek a divorce from Katherine, which he had previously avoided since divorce was difficult and not good for the children. He learns Katherine divorced him years ago to marry someone else. (This conflicts with earlier details, which indicated he was free to remarry after seven years.)
🌟 One of my favorite scenes is at the shearing party, when Liam is injured and can’t ride Fire Dancer in the race. Hannah, a better rider, persuades Amanda to ask her father to let her take Liam’s place. Though Amanda dislikes the idea of Hannah acting so unladylike, she sees it as an opportunity for Hannah to prove herself and improve their strained relationship. She explains to O'Reilly that Hannah feels unloved, which he hadn’t realized. Hannah then races fiercely, nearly missing a jump and falling, but wins. Her father grants her the approval she craves, mending their bond.
3.5 stars
A Historical Romance in the Australian Outback
This was read after Night in Eden, the author's most popular book on Goodreads. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, but the writing is still excellent, and the story is full of emotional moments. There's a touch of realism, and the ending was satisfying.
Night in Eden is mainly about human cruelty.
This book focuses on surviving a severe drought and the harshness of the land. (It's interesting that in both books, the heroes were married to women who hated living in Australia. Nothing they did made them happy.)
I almost DNF'd by the halfway point, because I disliked the MCs' instant attraction and constant lusting as they ogled each other and exchanged heated gazes. I also found it disappointing that the heroine is hired as a governess, but there's little actual on-page teaching. I had to change my expectations and skim through some dull scenes—like the parts about caring for the sheep—to get to the exciting ending.
What made it enjoyable: several touching scenes (including ones with the children), two steamy sex scenes that aren’t overly graphic, and vivid details and descriptions of the characters and the untamed outback. The characters have their own voices and personalities. I felt like I was watching a movie, able to clearly envision what was happening.
📕 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 & 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝚰𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒 📕
Amanda Davenport (27), from England, traveled with the Blakes to Australia. She worked for Mr. Blake, a botanist. He's killed by a thief who stole their money, and Mrs. Blake dies soon after of a heart condition. Amanda refused to return home until she passed, not letting her die alone. Afterward, with the ship having sailed and little funds, Amanda looked for work.
Her Tragic Backstory: Her mother died, and she was ignored by her scholarly father. She spent lonely hours reading, studying hard to impress him. But as a girl, she couldn’t compete with his books and college position. At 17, she fell in love and, believing he would marry her, gave herself to him. Later, she read his engagement notice to another woman in the paper.
Henrietta Radwith, hires Amanda as a governess for her brother, despite his dislike of English women.
Patrick O'Reilly (early 30's) owns Penyaka, a large run of 1,500 square miles with numerous cattle and sheep. It's on the northern edge of the colony's habitable area.
His Tragic Backstory: He was married to Katherine, an Englishwoman, for six years and had three children before she abandoned them. His father had a similar story—he married an Englishwoman who left him. Turns out, he's half Irish and half English.
(He often leaves his shirt unbuttoned or off, to show his muscles and attract Amanda.)
O'Reilly's Three Children:
▪️Hannah, at age 11, is the oldest. She dresses as a boy, not wanting to be like her mother. Her relationship with her father is strained. She wouldn't accept his comfort as a young child, and they frequently argue.
▪️Liam, nine, is the only boy. He's the least likable of the children—showing no remorse for his actions and little kindness. At the end, he's still naughty.
▪️Missy, age six, is the sweetest child. O'Reilly shows tenderness by telling her a story and singing her to sleep, after she has a nightmare.
O'Reilly has struggled to keep a governess for six years, as Hannah and Liam terrorize them—one nearly went insane. Despite his discipline, O'Reilly has little control over his unruly children. Amanda has to stay there for twelve months, to get paid and return home. She may look small and fragile, but she endures their tricks—like making her stand on an ant’s nest or putting a snake in her room. After some scary incidents, she earns the children’s respect.
Amanda and O'Reilly fight their strong attraction. He doesn’t want another uptight Englishwoman and hopes she’ll leave. Amanda hates it there and misses England. She starts off haughty, disapproving and frigid—clinging to her English ways. She hides her true vibrant, sensual self who longs to be free.
O’Reilly tries to get her to loosen up, but she remains annoying until around 80% into the story. That's when she stops being so stiff, and improves significantly.
The Turning Point: The Shearing Season
Due to the killing drought, O'Reilly starts shearing early, planning to cull the weak and old sheep. After six weeks, everyone celebrates with a horse race and dancing. O'Reilly convinces Amanda, the proper governess, to dance with him. That night, they have sex for the first time and Amanda changes for the better. Admitting their love, they're now a solid couple.
Despite Amanda’s insistence on staying with O'Reilly, he doubts her sincerity due to Katherine and his mother. She proves her devotion in the climax, as drought and dust storms force him to send Amanda and the children to his sister’s in Adelaide, where it’s safer. He then drives his remaining breeding stock to better pasture, planning to pay for their shelter. After two months, he returns to an empty home to find wildfires destroying the land and people. Mistaken for a fellow station owner killed in a fire, he’s declared dead. Weeks later, he races to Adelaide, fearing Amanda has returned to England as she promised if something happened to him. The rains have begun, but the drought’s parched earth now causes flooding.
Meanwhile, Amanda and the children are devastated but refuse to believe he’s gone. She decides to return to the homestead with missionaries. O'Reilly nearly misses her when he crosses a swollen river, but after turning back, he sees Amanda on the other side. Despite her warnings, he crosses back, and they share a joyful reunion. Amanda’s steadfastness proves her love for the land and O'Reilly.
In the epilogue, a year and a half later, the MCs are getting married. Amanda’s pregnancy prompted O'Reilly to desperately seek a divorce from Katherine, which he had previously avoided since divorce was difficult and not good for the children. He learns Katherine divorced him years ago to marry someone else. (This conflicts with earlier details, which indicated he was free to remarry after seven years.)
🌟 One of my favorite scenes is at the shearing party, when Liam is injured and can’t ride Fire Dancer in the race. Hannah, a better rider, persuades Amanda to ask her father to let her take Liam’s place. Though Amanda dislikes the idea of Hannah acting so unladylike, she sees it as an opportunity for Hannah to prove herself and improve their strained relationship. She explains to O'Reilly that Hannah feels unloved, which he hadn’t realized. Hannah then races fiercely, nearly missing a jump and falling, but wins. Her father grants her the approval she craves, mending their bond.
April 25, 2022
No cliche unused
What could have been a wonderful story set in a beautiful, wild place is instead, cliched nonsense lacking in plot. This was one of the least interesting books I’ve read in a good long while.
The author introduces sexual attraction between Amanda and O’Reilly and beats the reader over they head with it at every single encounter between the two of them. She references “the play of his muscles beneath the rough fabric of his shirt” and then had him bursting through her door in the middle of the night, stark naked to rescue her from a snake. The reader is shortly thereafter treated to a description of the “ heated looks” they exchange as they watch two horses breeding. All if this and so much more before the reader gets to the halfway point of the book. Puh-leez.
There is little else to this story except for an unrelenting drought and three mother-abandoned children. Amanda is their governess but she expends a lot of energy being conflicted over her attraction to O’Reilly. Of course, she has the required “dark secret” that adds to her guilty feelings.
O’Reilly is equally conflicted about his wayward thoughts and his disdain for “proper English ladies, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasizing about Amanda.
All this might have been bearable if I had detected the least bit of chemistry between the two main characters. When an author tries to force that chemical connection as this one did, I believe they need to re-examine their writing, characterization, and plotting.
What could have been a wonderful story set in a beautiful, wild place is instead, cliched nonsense lacking in plot. This was one of the least interesting books I’ve read in a good long while.
The author introduces sexual attraction between Amanda and O’Reilly and beats the reader over they head with it at every single encounter between the two of them. She references “the play of his muscles beneath the rough fabric of his shirt” and then had him bursting through her door in the middle of the night, stark naked to rescue her from a snake. The reader is shortly thereafter treated to a description of the “ heated looks” they exchange as they watch two horses breeding. All if this and so much more before the reader gets to the halfway point of the book. Puh-leez.
There is little else to this story except for an unrelenting drought and three mother-abandoned children. Amanda is their governess but she expends a lot of energy being conflicted over her attraction to O’Reilly. Of course, she has the required “dark secret” that adds to her guilty feelings.
O’Reilly is equally conflicted about his wayward thoughts and his disdain for “proper English ladies, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasizing about Amanda.
All this might have been bearable if I had detected the least bit of chemistry between the two main characters. When an author tries to force that chemical connection as this one did, I believe they need to re-examine their writing, characterization, and plotting.
August 28, 2016
Written in 1999, September Moon is definitely showing its age. The premise - tightly-wound governess moves to the wilds to take charge of an attractive man's children - has worked since Jane Eyre and continues to stand the test of time, but the romance itself smacks of the '80s and '90s where men were men (and men were jerks) and people fell in love because, well, sexual chemistry.
Proctor - who still writes fabulous mysteries under the name C.S. Harris - has talent, and her depictions of nineteen century Australia are vivid and striking. Her eye for telling historical detail is unerring, which shouldn't be a surprise given she's got a Ph.D. in (European) history. In fact, the majority of the fun to be had in this novel is in the vicarious experience of the wild beauty of a virtually untamed (and very unforgiving) continent.
Still, romance novels are not loved for setting alone, and it's difficult to root too hard for the couple here, who seem like they could work out their feelings with a good shag and then just go on about their separate lives. So perhaps it's best to read this a historical travelogue, or as a solid exemplar of an era in romance from which we've gratefully graduated.
Proctor - who still writes fabulous mysteries under the name C.S. Harris - has talent, and her depictions of nineteen century Australia are vivid and striking. Her eye for telling historical detail is unerring, which shouldn't be a surprise given she's got a Ph.D. in (European) history. In fact, the majority of the fun to be had in this novel is in the vicarious experience of the wild beauty of a virtually untamed (and very unforgiving) continent.
Still, romance novels are not loved for setting alone, and it's difficult to root too hard for the couple here, who seem like they could work out their feelings with a good shag and then just go on about their separate lives. So perhaps it's best to read this a historical travelogue, or as a solid exemplar of an era in romance from which we've gratefully graduated.
July 26, 2014
Amanda Davenport is an impoverished companion to an elderly lady living in Australia. When the lady dies, Amanda is desperate to get back to England. In need of money, so she takes a position of Governess to three children living with their father in the Outback.
Patrick O'Reilly loves the wilderness of the Outback. He's not happy that his sister has sent yet another English Governess to care for his children. He finds Amanda so rigid and unbendable, he's not sure she is what the children need. But as Patrick gets to know Amanda, he finds there is a woman ready to break out of her shell. And Patrick wants to be the man to help her.
This was a very satisfying historical romance set in Australia. Candice Proctor gives us lots of descriptions of the country and its people. You feel like you're there. Her characters are very well-drawn and easy to root for. My rating: 4 Stars.
Patrick O'Reilly loves the wilderness of the Outback. He's not happy that his sister has sent yet another English Governess to care for his children. He finds Amanda so rigid and unbendable, he's not sure she is what the children need. But as Patrick gets to know Amanda, he finds there is a woman ready to break out of her shell. And Patrick wants to be the man to help her.
This was a very satisfying historical romance set in Australia. Candice Proctor gives us lots of descriptions of the country and its people. You feel like you're there. Her characters are very well-drawn and easy to root for. My rating: 4 Stars.
July 7, 2021
This is my third book by Candice, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoy her writing. She is reminiscent of Mary Balogh in that her books always have depth, are beautifully descriptive and always give you a swoon-worthy ending. Her writing is simply superior to most HR writers out there.
Most of her books are on heavy on the angst, but that does not bother me so much because she does not let it linger. I hate when MCs are forever denying themselves to the point of irritation on my part. Candice does a great job of giving the readers enough reality without being too drowned out by the difficulty her MCs find themselves in….and there are definitely moments you think they will not make it. The settings are harsh, her heroes are hard and the path to get to a HEA is difficult, but because she writes so beautifully you find yourself lost in the story.
Most of her books are on heavy on the angst, but that does not bother me so much because she does not let it linger. I hate when MCs are forever denying themselves to the point of irritation on my part. Candice does a great job of giving the readers enough reality without being too drowned out by the difficulty her MCs find themselves in….and there are definitely moments you think they will not make it. The settings are harsh, her heroes are hard and the path to get to a HEA is difficult, but because she writes so beautifully you find yourself lost in the story.
November 8, 2014
Loved this story! I was totally sucked in, I loved the sexual tension and chemistry the couple had. Another great one by an amazing author!
June 20, 2025
Okayyy I just want to stop a bit in chapter 18 because it got me so annoyed and irritated. This book is going along okay and the next thing we know we have 2 chapters about the heroine contemplating if she should dance or not.
Well she really really want to dance but nooooo~ she couldn’t because it would not be in any way proper for a gentle woman of her standing to be dancing!! The world would end because she is an English woman and she should not dance. But she wants to!!! She does not want to be a pruned up old lady like the other governesses who never dance! Oh! But it is not proper!!!
On and on and on this went.
Like who cares so much about this stuff??
—————-
Well that bit over, I did continue to read the rest of the book and skimmed maybe the last two chapters. This was a good book, writing wise and historical wise. I got to learn more of old Australia and its environs.
However, as a love story, I am not too sold with the couple’s connection. I got tired of reading the long drawn out description of their physical attraction. What I get is that he is hot, she is hot and they want to fuck one another from the first moment. Then these descriptions went on for paragraph to paragraph everytime they see each other or catch glimpses of one another. It was too numerous for my liking that my mind keeps glazing over and over this repeated monologues from both parts.
The heroine’s issue with always wanting to be a proper English gentlewoman got real old, real boring, real quick. The author repeatedly informing us that the H is a big, bad, hot Australian guy also got old.
I want the author to show us through the H’s actions that he is a hot, capable man and not just tell it to us.
My other issue also is that we haven’t seen the h build a deeper relationship and bond with the children. I was specifically waiting for them to be like a real family and see h as a mother figure they can trust after what their real mother did to them. But the connection didn’t really get to that point.
Well she really really want to dance but nooooo~ she couldn’t because it would not be in any way proper for a gentle woman of her standing to be dancing!! The world would end because she is an English woman and she should not dance. But she wants to!!! She does not want to be a pruned up old lady like the other governesses who never dance! Oh! But it is not proper!!!
On and on and on this went.
Like who cares so much about this stuff??
—————-
Well that bit over, I did continue to read the rest of the book and skimmed maybe the last two chapters. This was a good book, writing wise and historical wise. I got to learn more of old Australia and its environs.
However, as a love story, I am not too sold with the couple’s connection. I got tired of reading the long drawn out description of their physical attraction. What I get is that he is hot, she is hot and they want to fuck one another from the first moment. Then these descriptions went on for paragraph to paragraph everytime they see each other or catch glimpses of one another. It was too numerous for my liking that my mind keeps glazing over and over this repeated monologues from both parts.
The heroine’s issue with always wanting to be a proper English gentlewoman got real old, real boring, real quick. The author repeatedly informing us that the H is a big, bad, hot Australian guy also got old.
I want the author to show us through the H’s actions that he is a hot, capable man and not just tell it to us.
My other issue also is that we haven’t seen the h build a deeper relationship and bond with the children. I was specifically waiting for them to be like a real family and see h as a mother figure they can trust after what their real mother did to them. But the connection didn’t really get to that point.
November 1, 2019
So beautifully written. Stranded Amanda Davenport is destitute and on her own in Australia. Her father didn’t provide for her adequately before he died, and disappointed in love she has not married. Educated in subjects usually only taught to men, she decides to work for her living She travelled out to be a secretary to an academic and companion to his wife, when they arrived they were robbed and both her employers have died and she had missed the ship back to England.
Determined to earn the money to buy her passage home she takes on a post as governess to three unruly children, Prickly teen Liam, 13 year old
Tomboy Hannah and 5 year old little madam Missy.
Their Irish/English father has been abandoned by his wife, and he is running a sheep farm as the land suffers from a extended drought partly exacerbated by his unknowing management of the land. He regrets this now, but is on a knife edge waiting for the drought to break.
Patrick O’Reilly is a ruggedly good looking man. Lusty and rough, he disdains the proper and genteel rules of English society and despises the English governesses his sister keeps sending him, as both his mother and wife ran away from their husbands and the outback to go back to England.
Amanda struggles with the instant attraction she has towards him and Patrick is determined to break down her defences as although he dislikes her, he is also fascinated by her.
As Amanda tries to adjust to the culture and land she inhabits now, her prejudices about black savages and Australia are challenged as she builds a relationship with the difficult, prickly children and their arrogant father.
How will they deal with their attraction when O’Reilly has never divorced his wife.
Beautifully and tenderly written, despite the colonial overtones that slightly marred it.
Determined to earn the money to buy her passage home she takes on a post as governess to three unruly children, Prickly teen Liam, 13 year old
Tomboy Hannah and 5 year old little madam Missy.
Their Irish/English father has been abandoned by his wife, and he is running a sheep farm as the land suffers from a extended drought partly exacerbated by his unknowing management of the land. He regrets this now, but is on a knife edge waiting for the drought to break.
Patrick O’Reilly is a ruggedly good looking man. Lusty and rough, he disdains the proper and genteel rules of English society and despises the English governesses his sister keeps sending him, as both his mother and wife ran away from their husbands and the outback to go back to England.
Amanda struggles with the instant attraction she has towards him and Patrick is determined to break down her defences as although he dislikes her, he is also fascinated by her.
As Amanda tries to adjust to the culture and land she inhabits now, her prejudices about black savages and Australia are challenged as she builds a relationship with the difficult, prickly children and their arrogant father.
How will they deal with their attraction when O’Reilly has never divorced his wife.
Beautifully and tenderly written, despite the colonial overtones that slightly marred it.
February 23, 2021
This book was decent but having read Night in Eden so recently I couldn't help but compare the two. This book was VERY similar. The only difference was the fact that Amanda was a governess and not an indentured servant.
Amanda was a reluctant governess to Patrick's brood of children whereas Bryony was the wet nurse to Hayden's newborn. Very similar positions. The power imbalance was the same since Amanda literally could not leave the position because she was stranded in Australia and could not afford to go back home to England unless she finished out the year as a governess.
I have also come to the conclusion that all of Proctor's heroes are the same. Very alpha and very controlling. No matter how many times Amanda told Patrick that she didn't want to stay in Australia and didn't want to get involved he just kept pursuing her. Also, her reasoning for not wanting to get involved with him, because Australia sucks, was a bit childish considering he was literally still married!
This book was pretty depressing too. While I understand she did a lot of research and wanted to include it I think that it was a tad bit too realistic for a romance. The ending was satisfying though. Overall, I enjoyed this book but it wasn't a favorite.
Amanda was a reluctant governess to Patrick's brood of children whereas Bryony was the wet nurse to Hayden's newborn. Very similar positions. The power imbalance was the same since Amanda literally could not leave the position because she was stranded in Australia and could not afford to go back home to England unless she finished out the year as a governess.
I have also come to the conclusion that all of Proctor's heroes are the same. Very alpha and very controlling. No matter how many times Amanda told Patrick that she didn't want to stay in Australia and didn't want to get involved he just kept pursuing her. Also, her reasoning for not wanting to get involved with him, because Australia sucks, was a bit childish considering he was literally still married!
This book was pretty depressing too. While I understand she did a lot of research and wanted to include it I think that it was a tad bit too realistic for a romance. The ending was satisfying though. Overall, I enjoyed this book but it wasn't a favorite.
January 6, 2023
Ms. Proctor also writes the Sebastian St. Cyr historical mysteries under the name C.S. Harris which is an automatic preorder for me each year, but I enjoy her historical romances also. September Moon is another set in Australia in the 1800s. Amanda Davenport takes a position as a governess in the Outback to three children. Their father, Patrick O'Reilly, is not predisposed to like English gentlewomen as his wife and mother both deserted their families to return home. Amanda is appalled at the free-wheeling attitudes of the people of this wild land while Patrick tries hard to get her to loosen up, convinced she's not as stuffy as she appears.
This is a slow-burn romance with an enemies-to-lovers trope that also details what living on an Australian sheep station entails. There are lovely descriptions of this desolate land, both flora and fauna, and the impact of drought.
Patrick is pretty much the man he appears to be, but Amanda can sometimes be annoying as she vacillates between letting go and maintaining her English manners. It's another good read from an excellent author.
This is a slow-burn romance with an enemies-to-lovers trope that also details what living on an Australian sheep station entails. There are lovely descriptions of this desolate land, both flora and fauna, and the impact of drought.
Patrick is pretty much the man he appears to be, but Amanda can sometimes be annoying as she vacillates between letting go and maintaining her English manners. It's another good read from an excellent author.
December 4, 2021
I liked this book but there were a few time jumps that made it hard to see how the characters’ relationships developed.
I liked Amanda and O’Reilly’s relationship but it was a bit quick. Throughout the whole book, Amanda is resisting him then near the end they sleep together and suddenly she’s in love with him.
Also, there could have been more scenes showing Amanda getting to know O’Reilly’s kids (Hannah, Liam and Missy) as at first the kids hated her, then Missy was really attached to her and finally Hannah and Liam got over their hate. I wanted to see them interact more.
I didn’t like how Amanda still isn’t sure about what her future will look like in Australia or if she can even stay there forever but Amanda and O’Reilly are separated for a month or two and when they see each other again, she suddenly likes Australia.
I liked this book but I preferred other books by this author.
I liked Amanda and O’Reilly’s relationship but it was a bit quick. Throughout the whole book, Amanda is resisting him then near the end they sleep together and suddenly she’s in love with him.
Also, there could have been more scenes showing Amanda getting to know O’Reilly’s kids (Hannah, Liam and Missy) as at first the kids hated her, then Missy was really attached to her and finally Hannah and Liam got over their hate. I wanted to see them interact more.
I didn’t like how Amanda still isn’t sure about what her future will look like in Australia or if she can even stay there forever but Amanda and O’Reilly are separated for a month or two and when they see each other again, she suddenly likes Australia.
I liked this book but I preferred other books by this author.
November 12, 2017
Amanda Davenport has missed her ride home, and is struggling to feed herself as she awaits another ship bound for England. As time passes her funds run low and she is forced to take the job as a governess for three wild children who want nothing to do with another governess. Amanda's hate for Australia doesn't help matters any, especially since she soon finds herself falling in love with her employer, one Mr. O'Riley who is far from the man she thought she would one day find and love.
This is a wonderful book. It is refreshing in the fact that is a historical romance that is set in Australia which is a place that I have seldom encountered in novels. I was amazed at Ms. Procter's ability to describe the landscape well enough for me to picture it, and of course her romances are never lacking excitement, strong personal conflict or passion.
This is a wonderful book. It is refreshing in the fact that is a historical romance that is set in Australia which is a place that I have seldom encountered in novels. I was amazed at Ms. Procter's ability to describe the landscape well enough for me to picture it, and of course her romances are never lacking excitement, strong personal conflict or passion.
June 29, 2023
This was a good read.
I seriously didn't like it initially in the story, h being a prim and obnoxious person.
H being his careless self and the children were a horror, i didn't think i would like it the way it seemed with the h hating everything and being condescending but then you get to see something under our getup and i started warming up to her, same with the H his dilemma and the betrayals he has had.
They way they interacted , their chemistry and towards the end the hopelessness of the drought and the advent of the rains to their meeting culminating in the wedding, it was good.
The one thing i really liked was that the interaction between the children and the h wasn't shown to be all goody and even at the end it was more of a friendship with deeper feelings possible to grow , i mean it was shown more realistic.
I seriously didn't like it initially in the story, h being a prim and obnoxious person.
H being his careless self and the children were a horror, i didn't think i would like it the way it seemed with the h hating everything and being condescending but then you get to see something under our getup and i started warming up to her, same with the H his dilemma and the betrayals he has had.
They way they interacted , their chemistry and towards the end the hopelessness of the drought and the advent of the rains to their meeting culminating in the wedding, it was good.
The one thing i really liked was that the interaction between the children and the h wasn't shown to be all goody and even at the end it was more of a friendship with deeper feelings possible to grow , i mean it was shown more realistic.
December 5, 2025
4★s. september moon by candice proctor. she’s one of those authors i’ll read anything from, and while i definitely have favorites, she rarely drops below a 4 for me. this one fits right into that category. i still prefer one night in eden, but this had that same rugged australian outback setting with a pretty realistic feel. (i can’t swear to accuracy since i’ve never lived in australia, but it didn’t feel overly romanticized—more like a deep respect for how brutal that timeline would’ve actually been.)
amanda and patrick were both really well built-out, which is one of proctor’s biggest strengths. you root for them—individually and together—so the crossroads they hit actually feel as painful and complicated as they do for the characters.
all in all, a solid read with great atmosphere and strong character work.
amanda and patrick were both really well built-out, which is one of proctor’s biggest strengths. you root for them—individually and together—so the crossroads they hit actually feel as painful and complicated as they do for the characters.
all in all, a solid read with great atmosphere and strong character work.
September 29, 2019
Amanda Davenport is in Australia as a companion and secretary to a British couple. When both die and leave her stranded, she takes a governess job in a very remote Australian station for Patrick O'Reilly and his 3 children. Patrick's English wife left him and the kids several years earlier and he doesn't trust Englishwomen. On top of that, they're in the middle of a killing drought. Amanda is different though. First she wins over the kids and then Patrick. Things really heat up despite both of their background problems. Eventually both begin to believe in each other and their love.
Unusual setting. More character development than setting though.
Unusual setting. More character development than setting though.
March 3, 2022
Fine.........just fine. I liked the premise, but did not like the characters. The hero was often making fun of the heroine with his children, had a weird parenting style, and I don't know why he fell in love with the heroine. The heroine was a bit better though, but she was quite judgmental. I did not like the oldest child Hannah, at first, but by the end I liked her. The youngest child was okay too. However, I never liked the middle child. I did like reading about the historical aspect - the droughts and their effects on people, the rugged beauty of the rough terrain in Australia, workings of a farm, and upkeep of animals.
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