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The Girl in the Hard Hat
From the author of the bestselling The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots comes another romance novel set in the Australian outback. Perfect for rom com fans!Wendy Hopkins arrives in the Pilbara to search for the father who abandoned her at birth.Getting mixed up in construction site politics at the Iron Ore wharf just out of town was not high on her ‘to do’ list. But when she takes a job as their new Safety Manager she becomes the most hated person in the area. Nicknamed ‘The Sergeant’, she is the butt of every joke and the prime target of notorious womanizer, Gavin Jones.Giving up is not an option, though.For, as it turns out, only Wendy can save these workers from the impending cyclone, find a man who wants to stay buried and ... put a bad boy firmly in his place.The Girl in the Hard Hat is a deliciously romantic and funny love story, and set to be the perfect summer read!
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
16 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Loretta Hill
22 books173 followersFor her bestselling novels The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, The Girl in the Hard Hat and The Girl in the Yellow Vest, Loretta Hill drew upon her own outback engineering experiences of larrikins, red dust and steel-capped boots. She is also the author of The Maxwell Sisters, The Grass is Greener and The Secret Vineyard, and the ebook novellas Operation Valentine and One Little White Lie, which was a no.1 bestseller on iTunes.
Loretta always wanted to be a writer. As a kid she filled pages of exercise books with stories to amuse her friends. Her father, who never wasted his time on fiction, didn't see much worth in this past time and pushed her to pursue a 'sensible' career. Fortunately, she had inherited some of his talent for numbers and decided to give it a go. She graduated from the University of Western Australia as structural engineer and took her first job with a major West Australian engineering company.
Despite her career in engineering and her journey into motherhood, Loretta continued to write. Not because she had a lot of time but because it was an addiction she couldn't ignore.
Loretta always wanted to be a writer. As a kid she filled pages of exercise books with stories to amuse her friends. Her father, who never wasted his time on fiction, didn't see much worth in this past time and pushed her to pursue a 'sensible' career. Fortunately, she had inherited some of his talent for numbers and decided to give it a go. She graduated from the University of Western Australia as structural engineer and took her first job with a major West Australian engineering company.
Despite her career in engineering and her journey into motherhood, Loretta continued to write. Not because she had a lot of time but because it was an addiction she couldn't ignore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
November 11, 2018
A delightful romantic romp.
December 29, 2012
I'd gone to Big W in search of a completely different book when I stumbled across The Girl in the Hard Hat by Loretta Hill. I loved The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots so much that the authors name was enough to convince me to buy it (I didn't even read the blurb!) and put it straight to the top of my TBR pile (and start on it immediately, despite the fact I was halfway through a book already).
If I'd actually taken the time to notice more than just the authors name, I would have realised this was a continuation from Boots. It picks up immediately where that one finished, giving us a chance to get reaquainted with Lena and Dan, Carl and Sharon, Gavin, as well as meeting new safety manager, Wendy.
Like its predecessor, this book was so much fun to read. I read it all in the space of a day, I just would not put it down.
Once again, a great Australian read (I love reading a book that is uniquely Aussie!), definitely worth checking out!
If I'd actually taken the time to notice more than just the authors name, I would have realised this was a continuation from Boots. It picks up immediately where that one finished, giving us a chance to get reaquainted with Lena and Dan, Carl and Sharon, Gavin, as well as meeting new safety manager, Wendy.
Like its predecessor, this book was so much fun to read. I read it all in the space of a day, I just would not put it down.
Once again, a great Australian read (I love reading a book that is uniquely Aussie!), definitely worth checking out!
February 12, 2013
Loretta Hill, you just earnt yourself another fan. I could not put this book down :)
I know it’s often a long shot, but Loretta Hill’s second novel is just as good, if not better than her first one. For if Hill proved to have a lot of potential in her debut novel The Girl In the Steel-Capped Boots, than she more than demonstrates her growth as a writer in The Girl in the Hard Hat cementing herself firmly in the role of a must read emerging author.
At the end of The Girl In the Steel-Capped Boots, we get the barest of glimpses of a new female character entering the Pilbara’s domain, and its through he Girl in the Hard Hat that we get to know her a lot better. Wendy Hopkins has been out of work for the last couple of years, although that’s not really a concern for her right now, for two years ago her mother dropped the biggest bomb – Wendy’s dad was not her biological father. Even since learning the truth, Wendy has been on a mission and fighting against the odds to find a father who practically abandoned her at birth. Armed with only the knowledge that her father was once a welder and has an interesting injury (I won’t give away what) she sets out on a mission to find him. And where exactly does this search lead her? To the Pilbara of course!
Landing the job as the new OHS (safety) manager Wendy knew she was in for a tough time. A prospect made even worse when within hours of her arrival on site she brought about the dismissal of the long standing previous OHS manager – a man who was meant to be boss. Hated instantly on spot, Wendy isn’t out to make friends; rather she is determined to bring the long list of overdue safety issues back in line, no matter the cost. Slowly Wendy earns the respect of the men through sheer determination and her ability to wear just about everything they throw at her. Except for maybe Gavin Jones, who despite her best efforts, Wendy is unable to leave alone. All looks to be improving for Wendy with a budding romance slowly blossoming away, that is until Jones’ past gets in the way and he retreats from everyone around him. With cyclone season fast approaching Wendy has her hands full making sure the boys are ready for the coming storm season and is a little too preoccupied to dwell on anything else. Including the long lost search for her father.
With an explosive ending that had me sitting on the end of my seat and reading until the early hours of the morning The Girl in the Hard Hat is not a book to be missed. It is sure to have something for everyone – a bit of romance, a bit of suspense and a whole lot of mystery. While its true I could never have predicted Gavin’s story line – I just thought he was a notorious player and a bit of womaniser – I do feel that the father search and big reveal was a bit predicable. Maybe not in terms of the way in which everything exploded at once with the cyclone (boy did I love everything about that plot line), but from the beginning of the book I was fairly certain where this father search was heading. So much so that early on I made a list of things I thought would happen. This included my initial thoughts as to who the mystery father was; and I was right on the money. Other things listed varied from who Wendy would end up with (and although I was right there, I was wrong about so much else) to the identity and the purpose of the new girl hanging around Bulldog. I could have sworn at one stage that apart from antagonising Lena she was there as some sort of link to Gavin’s history in some far out way. She’s not. You can all rest easy. She’s a bit of fun, and I’d say possibly the new protagonist in the next book in this series judging by the way Loretta sets up her books.
The old cast of characters (Lena, Bulldog, Carl and Sharon) are back and for the most part are just as great, although Lena Todd does slip back into her early days for a bit of one-dimensional character solely focused on Bulldog and lacks her usual spunk (I must admit to liking her more in the first book, but she does come around slowly in the end to the character we all know and love). I very much enjoyed the interactions between our favourite group of previous characters and their growth (for the most part) and development from the first to second book, particular where Gavin Jones is concerned. Hill gave the perfect mix of contrast between his outer persona that we are used to from the first book against a more complex and emotionally conflicted ‘true’ inner Gavin that we met for the first time here. We also get some new characters in the form of Wendy’s new co-horst Chub who brings a lot of laughs to the already fun packed story. I think I would have like more of a development into his and Annabel’s relationship or lack thereof. Their relationship just suddenly appears to be there in the end and it’s a shame because Chub is quite an interesting and unexpected character. Overall the pace of the novel is spot on with tension building slowly in the background until it all hits home with the full force of the cyclone.
All in all a great sequel from one of Australia’s emerging writers, one with a bright future ahead of her no doubt. Don’t worry though if you haven’t read the first book in the series, because all though many of the characters are the same, the book can be read as a stand alone; in doing so you would be doing yourself a slight disfavour by not enjoying the first novel but its not essential to your understanding of this one.
Thank you to Random House Australia for the advanced copy of this novel I received.
This review was originally posted on my blog - The Never Ending Bookshelf - and can be found here: http://theneverendingbookshelf.blog.c...
I know it’s often a long shot, but Loretta Hill’s second novel is just as good, if not better than her first one. For if Hill proved to have a lot of potential in her debut novel The Girl In the Steel-Capped Boots, than she more than demonstrates her growth as a writer in The Girl in the Hard Hat cementing herself firmly in the role of a must read emerging author.
At the end of The Girl In the Steel-Capped Boots, we get the barest of glimpses of a new female character entering the Pilbara’s domain, and its through he Girl in the Hard Hat that we get to know her a lot better. Wendy Hopkins has been out of work for the last couple of years, although that’s not really a concern for her right now, for two years ago her mother dropped the biggest bomb – Wendy’s dad was not her biological father. Even since learning the truth, Wendy has been on a mission and fighting against the odds to find a father who practically abandoned her at birth. Armed with only the knowledge that her father was once a welder and has an interesting injury (I won’t give away what) she sets out on a mission to find him. And where exactly does this search lead her? To the Pilbara of course!
Landing the job as the new OHS (safety) manager Wendy knew she was in for a tough time. A prospect made even worse when within hours of her arrival on site she brought about the dismissal of the long standing previous OHS manager – a man who was meant to be boss. Hated instantly on spot, Wendy isn’t out to make friends; rather she is determined to bring the long list of overdue safety issues back in line, no matter the cost. Slowly Wendy earns the respect of the men through sheer determination and her ability to wear just about everything they throw at her. Except for maybe Gavin Jones, who despite her best efforts, Wendy is unable to leave alone. All looks to be improving for Wendy with a budding romance slowly blossoming away, that is until Jones’ past gets in the way and he retreats from everyone around him. With cyclone season fast approaching Wendy has her hands full making sure the boys are ready for the coming storm season and is a little too preoccupied to dwell on anything else. Including the long lost search for her father.
With an explosive ending that had me sitting on the end of my seat and reading until the early hours of the morning The Girl in the Hard Hat is not a book to be missed. It is sure to have something for everyone – a bit of romance, a bit of suspense and a whole lot of mystery. While its true I could never have predicted Gavin’s story line – I just thought he was a notorious player and a bit of womaniser – I do feel that the father search and big reveal was a bit predicable. Maybe not in terms of the way in which everything exploded at once with the cyclone (boy did I love everything about that plot line), but from the beginning of the book I was fairly certain where this father search was heading. So much so that early on I made a list of things I thought would happen. This included my initial thoughts as to who the mystery father was; and I was right on the money. Other things listed varied from who Wendy would end up with (and although I was right there, I was wrong about so much else) to the identity and the purpose of the new girl hanging around Bulldog. I could have sworn at one stage that apart from antagonising Lena she was there as some sort of link to Gavin’s history in some far out way. She’s not. You can all rest easy. She’s a bit of fun, and I’d say possibly the new protagonist in the next book in this series judging by the way Loretta sets up her books.
The old cast of characters (Lena, Bulldog, Carl and Sharon) are back and for the most part are just as great, although Lena Todd does slip back into her early days for a bit of one-dimensional character solely focused on Bulldog and lacks her usual spunk (I must admit to liking her more in the first book, but she does come around slowly in the end to the character we all know and love). I very much enjoyed the interactions between our favourite group of previous characters and their growth (for the most part) and development from the first to second book, particular where Gavin Jones is concerned. Hill gave the perfect mix of contrast between his outer persona that we are used to from the first book against a more complex and emotionally conflicted ‘true’ inner Gavin that we met for the first time here. We also get some new characters in the form of Wendy’s new co-horst Chub who brings a lot of laughs to the already fun packed story. I think I would have like more of a development into his and Annabel’s relationship or lack thereof. Their relationship just suddenly appears to be there in the end and it’s a shame because Chub is quite an interesting and unexpected character. Overall the pace of the novel is spot on with tension building slowly in the background until it all hits home with the full force of the cyclone.
All in all a great sequel from one of Australia’s emerging writers, one with a bright future ahead of her no doubt. Don’t worry though if you haven’t read the first book in the series, because all though many of the characters are the same, the book can be read as a stand alone; in doing so you would be doing yourself a slight disfavour by not enjoying the first novel but its not essential to your understanding of this one.
Thank you to Random House Australia for the advanced copy of this novel I received.
This review was originally posted on my blog - The Never Ending Bookshelf - and can be found here: http://theneverendingbookshelf.blog.c...
January 10, 2013
In Loretta Hill's debut novel, The Girl in Steel Capped Boots, love for Lena and Dan was discovered in the most unlikely of places, amongst the red dust of a mining camp in the Pilbara. In The Girl in the Hard Hat, Loretta Hill returns to the iron ore operation on the coast of Western Australia as Wendy Hopkins arrives for her first day as a Saftey Officer at TCN.
After a two year sabbatical Wendy is eager to return to work but on arrival finds there is no job for her, despite the promises made by her Uncle Mike. Wendy is crushed, she needs to stay in the area to search for the biological father she has only just learnt exists, so when she is instead offered an assistant's position at Barnes Inc she is grateful for the arrangement. Wendy's first mistake is turning up at the camp wearing TCN's uniform, starting a rumour that she is a spy for the client. Her second is annoying the camp clerk who assigns her a donga with a broken air conditioner unit and damaged furniture. Her third is informing Carl that the company's Safety Officer is an alcoholic resulting in the man being unceremoniously fired ad she being promoted to his position. They aren't the only mistakes Wendy makes but perhaps falling for the camp womaniser, Gavin Jones, will be her fourth and final one.
I was happy to return to Cape Lambert and re discover the characters I had grown familiar with in The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots. Lena, Dan, Carl and Sharon all have a role in the story, as do Fish, Leg and Radar. But it is Gavin, the charming, cheeky, womaniser, and Mike, the misogynst bully, who have the most significant roles in The Girl in The Hard Hat.
Gavin Jones turns out to be an alias, for he hides a secret that prevents him from revealing his real identity. Keeping in character he makes a move on Wendy and is rebuffed but that suits Gavin just fine, he isn't interested in getting involved and Wendy doesn't strike him as the casual type. Yet he can't seem to get that single impulsive kiss out of his head, or ignore the sizzle of attraction between himself and the hot blonde.
Mike is also hiding a secret from Wendy, one that will shock her to her core when he finally confesses.
I found it took me a little while to warm to Wendy, she seemed a little cold and officious initially. Eventually we learn that her guarded behaviour disguises her obsession with finding her father and Wendy's concerns about the safety of the company stem from her failure to prevent a tragic accident at her last job. As she begins to settle into Barnes Inc she recovers some of her equilibrium, befriending her office mate, Chub, as well as Lena and Sharon and daring to admit her attraction to to Gavin, if only to herself.
The romance that develops between Wendy and Gavin burns slowly building sexual tension with smouldering glances and casual touches. There is a little more drama and suspense in The Girl in The Hard Hat- an accident on the wharf, a surprise inspection and a killer stalking the town as a category five cyclone hits the camp head on.
You don't need to have read The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots to enjoy this novel but I recommend that you do. Well written, witty and entertaining, The Girl in The Hard Hat is an engaging contemporary romance in an unique Australian setting that I can't wait to visit again.
After a two year sabbatical Wendy is eager to return to work but on arrival finds there is no job for her, despite the promises made by her Uncle Mike. Wendy is crushed, she needs to stay in the area to search for the biological father she has only just learnt exists, so when she is instead offered an assistant's position at Barnes Inc she is grateful for the arrangement. Wendy's first mistake is turning up at the camp wearing TCN's uniform, starting a rumour that she is a spy for the client. Her second is annoying the camp clerk who assigns her a donga with a broken air conditioner unit and damaged furniture. Her third is informing Carl that the company's Safety Officer is an alcoholic resulting in the man being unceremoniously fired ad she being promoted to his position. They aren't the only mistakes Wendy makes but perhaps falling for the camp womaniser, Gavin Jones, will be her fourth and final one.
I was happy to return to Cape Lambert and re discover the characters I had grown familiar with in The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots. Lena, Dan, Carl and Sharon all have a role in the story, as do Fish, Leg and Radar. But it is Gavin, the charming, cheeky, womaniser, and Mike, the misogynst bully, who have the most significant roles in The Girl in The Hard Hat.
Gavin Jones turns out to be an alias, for he hides a secret that prevents him from revealing his real identity. Keeping in character he makes a move on Wendy and is rebuffed but that suits Gavin just fine, he isn't interested in getting involved and Wendy doesn't strike him as the casual type. Yet he can't seem to get that single impulsive kiss out of his head, or ignore the sizzle of attraction between himself and the hot blonde.
Mike is also hiding a secret from Wendy, one that will shock her to her core when he finally confesses.
I found it took me a little while to warm to Wendy, she seemed a little cold and officious initially. Eventually we learn that her guarded behaviour disguises her obsession with finding her father and Wendy's concerns about the safety of the company stem from her failure to prevent a tragic accident at her last job. As she begins to settle into Barnes Inc she recovers some of her equilibrium, befriending her office mate, Chub, as well as Lena and Sharon and daring to admit her attraction to to Gavin, if only to herself.
The romance that develops between Wendy and Gavin burns slowly building sexual tension with smouldering glances and casual touches. There is a little more drama and suspense in The Girl in The Hard Hat- an accident on the wharf, a surprise inspection and a killer stalking the town as a category five cyclone hits the camp head on.
You don't need to have read The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots to enjoy this novel but I recommend that you do. Well written, witty and entertaining, The Girl in The Hard Hat is an engaging contemporary romance in an unique Australian setting that I can't wait to visit again.
February 3, 2025
This was a story about life, love and what happens when the going gets tough.
You will find friends and family in the most unusual places. All the same fun characters as in Book 1.
You will find friends and family in the most unusual places. All the same fun characters as in Book 1.
January 2, 2013
Wendy Hopkins hasn’t worked in two years. Her first year of leave she was backpacking around Europe, trying to forget an accident that cost a man his life and would have ended her career. The second year she discovered that her life was a lie, her father was not her father and her entire family had kept the secret from her all this time.
Wendy has been searching for the mystery man that is her father, but her family have closed ranks and insist they don’t want her stirring up old history. For one year she has obsessed over finding this man, but now she has to admit to herself that she may have reached the final dead-end and now she needs to start making money again, get her life back on track.
How many more shocks were around the corner? She couldn't relax. All she wanted now was the truth, so that her world could never again be ripped out from under her like it had that day on the phone.
So she put her whole life on hold.
For six months she’d searched for the drifter who was her father – driving from town to town in northern Australia. She was no more at home on the road than she was anywhere else. But dark-haired Hector, the welder, with two toes missing on his right foot, a taste for red dust on his boots, and a bag on his back, seemed more like an Aussie myth than a miner with a daughter he’d never met.
When she bumps into her uncle, Mike, in Karratha and he (reluctantly) says he can get her a job working on the Pilbara – one of the longest jetty open-sea wharves in the world – she happily takes him up on the offer. Before getting waylaid by a guilty conscience and then the hunt for her father, Wendy was a qualified Safety Manager, and she looks forward to working again on this colossal project.
Except uncle Mike failed to mention he was using blackmail to get Wendy her job, and the man he was blackmailing, Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog doesn’t have a job for her . . . but he does have an assistant position opened up at Barnes Inc, where there are 350 men and five women currently stationed in the Donga town.
The Pilbara job is unlike anything Wendy has ever seen. Set on a majestic landscape where the red-dust outback meets the sea, there are massive pile-drivers constantly at work, and cranes dot the horizon. But this is also a project that is woefully behind on health and safety – partly because the current Safety Manager is a bumbling alcoholic. Within 48 hours of being on site, Wendy gets the old manager fired and slots into the position herself – something which does not endear her to the rest of the crew.
But one man who doesn’t mind this feisty blonde who has come to shake things up is Gavin Jones. Resident Pilbara Lothario, Gavin’s last attempted flirtation ended disastrously, but once he lays eyes on Wendy he immediately wants her – so much so that he steals a kiss and receives a punch for his efforts.
Wendy can see right through Gavin’s love em’ and leave em’ mentality, but that doesn’t stop her from lusting after the heartbreaker. But Gavin runs hot and cold – wanting her one minute and then convincing her to stay away from him. Because Gavin is bad news with a history that’s plaguing him, and he doesn’t want Wendy getting caught up in his nightmare.
A storm is brewing in the Pilbara – it’s cyclone season and the weather is as unpredictable as love.
‘The Girl in the Hard Hat’ is the second contemporary Australian romance from Loretta Hill, a follow-up to her 2012 book ‘The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots’ (which made my favourites list!).
The second I heard that Loretta Hill had a second book in store; I couldn’t wait to return to the Pilbara. I loved Hill’s first book, which threw ‘Madame Engineer’, Lena Todd, into the male-dominated construction site and had her falling for the client, Dan Hullog. I loved that Hill was writing a romance in which the women stuck out like sore thumbs – where they were outnumbered 350:1 and had to show their mettle against misogyny and sexism. Certainly, a sea wharf construction site is not your typical romance setting – and Hill excels as much in throwing readers into the deep-end of this setting as she does her female characters.
But I was particularly eager to get back to Pilbara because of the characters Hill introduced in ‘Steel-Capped Boots’. She wrote a cast of infectiously delightful characters who I really came to know and love while reading, so I couldn’t wait to catch up with them again; workers Fish and Radar, profanity-happy manager Carl who had a crush on bus-driver Sharon. Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog, the despised client with a heart of gold. Even grumpy man Mike, out to make everyone miserable. And, of course, flirtatious pretty-boy Gavin Jones, who pursued Lena Todd so hard in her book. I’m thrilled that Gavin is the hero of Wendy’s story – because even through his heavy-handed flirting with Lena, you could tell there was more to this guy than a quick smile and easy promise, and Hill picks him apart beautifully in ‘The Girl in the Hard Hat’. If I had any complaints about this second book, it’s probably that I thought Gavin’s back-story was a wee bit over-the-top and nearly strayed into soap-opera territory, but I loved him regardless.
The secondary characters really are given starring roles in this sequel – something I thoroughly appreciated. They’re not merely side-lined; they’re actually given fairly meaty minor stories that continue their development. For new couple Lena and Dan, there’s a wrench thrown into their relationship when Dan’s ex-fiancée, Annabelle, comes flouncing into town hoping to reconcile with her ex, much to Lena’s worry and chagrin. Carl and Sharon, likewise rocking along in a comfortable new romance, are more in love than ever and taking baby-steps in their relationship. There’s also a new character introduced, HR man ‘Chub’ – who calls Wendy ‘little mate’ and she replies in kind with ‘cobber’. I loved Chub; he’s a funny, food-loving sweetheart and one of Wendy’s first allies on the male-dominated site.
Wendy is another great heroine, who perseveres and proves her tenacity in the face of on-site pranks and her own crumbling world. She certainly has a lot on her plate – between preparing the Pilbara site for cyclone season, searching for her missing father and keeping her lust for Gavin Jones under control. There is a lot happening in Wendy’s world, and while she does have (totally justified!) mini-breakdowns trying to cope with everything, I loved how hard-headed she was and determined to get on with the job and her life.
The romance in this second novel is scrumptious; and another great aspect to Hill’s series, that on this construction site covered in red dust, where everyone wears reflector vests and have only their container-like Dongas for privacy, that some characters can get so hot n' heavy and turn this decidedly un-romantic setting into a sensuous delight. Gavin and Wendy are a great odd-couple, and I loved their push-and-pull.
Loretta Hill’s follow-up is as fantastic as her first contemporary Aussie romance. I once again revelled in the unusual, male-dominated outback setting and the fascinating, insular life of the Pilbara construction site. The romance is another winner, when both Wendy and Gavin have complicated pasts and haunting secrets. I really, really, really hope this isn’t the last time we visit the Pilbara. I loved catching up with the likes of Carl, Sharon, Lena and Dan – and now I'd like to return again and read how Wendy and Gavin are getting on, and maybe meet some new Pilbara crew. In the meantime, I’m also keen to read Hill’s upcoming novella ‘One Little White Lie’, coming this February.
Wendy has been searching for the mystery man that is her father, but her family have closed ranks and insist they don’t want her stirring up old history. For one year she has obsessed over finding this man, but now she has to admit to herself that she may have reached the final dead-end and now she needs to start making money again, get her life back on track.
How many more shocks were around the corner? She couldn't relax. All she wanted now was the truth, so that her world could never again be ripped out from under her like it had that day on the phone.
So she put her whole life on hold.
For six months she’d searched for the drifter who was her father – driving from town to town in northern Australia. She was no more at home on the road than she was anywhere else. But dark-haired Hector, the welder, with two toes missing on his right foot, a taste for red dust on his boots, and a bag on his back, seemed more like an Aussie myth than a miner with a daughter he’d never met.
When she bumps into her uncle, Mike, in Karratha and he (reluctantly) says he can get her a job working on the Pilbara – one of the longest jetty open-sea wharves in the world – she happily takes him up on the offer. Before getting waylaid by a guilty conscience and then the hunt for her father, Wendy was a qualified Safety Manager, and she looks forward to working again on this colossal project.
Except uncle Mike failed to mention he was using blackmail to get Wendy her job, and the man he was blackmailing, Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog doesn’t have a job for her . . . but he does have an assistant position opened up at Barnes Inc, where there are 350 men and five women currently stationed in the Donga town.
The Pilbara job is unlike anything Wendy has ever seen. Set on a majestic landscape where the red-dust outback meets the sea, there are massive pile-drivers constantly at work, and cranes dot the horizon. But this is also a project that is woefully behind on health and safety – partly because the current Safety Manager is a bumbling alcoholic. Within 48 hours of being on site, Wendy gets the old manager fired and slots into the position herself – something which does not endear her to the rest of the crew.
But one man who doesn’t mind this feisty blonde who has come to shake things up is Gavin Jones. Resident Pilbara Lothario, Gavin’s last attempted flirtation ended disastrously, but once he lays eyes on Wendy he immediately wants her – so much so that he steals a kiss and receives a punch for his efforts.
Wendy can see right through Gavin’s love em’ and leave em’ mentality, but that doesn’t stop her from lusting after the heartbreaker. But Gavin runs hot and cold – wanting her one minute and then convincing her to stay away from him. Because Gavin is bad news with a history that’s plaguing him, and he doesn’t want Wendy getting caught up in his nightmare.
A storm is brewing in the Pilbara – it’s cyclone season and the weather is as unpredictable as love.
‘The Girl in the Hard Hat’ is the second contemporary Australian romance from Loretta Hill, a follow-up to her 2012 book ‘The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots’ (which made my favourites list!).
The second I heard that Loretta Hill had a second book in store; I couldn’t wait to return to the Pilbara. I loved Hill’s first book, which threw ‘Madame Engineer’, Lena Todd, into the male-dominated construction site and had her falling for the client, Dan Hullog. I loved that Hill was writing a romance in which the women stuck out like sore thumbs – where they were outnumbered 350:1 and had to show their mettle against misogyny and sexism. Certainly, a sea wharf construction site is not your typical romance setting – and Hill excels as much in throwing readers into the deep-end of this setting as she does her female characters.
But I was particularly eager to get back to Pilbara because of the characters Hill introduced in ‘Steel-Capped Boots’. She wrote a cast of infectiously delightful characters who I really came to know and love while reading, so I couldn’t wait to catch up with them again; workers Fish and Radar, profanity-happy manager Carl who had a crush on bus-driver Sharon. Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog, the despised client with a heart of gold. Even grumpy man Mike, out to make everyone miserable. And, of course, flirtatious pretty-boy Gavin Jones, who pursued Lena Todd so hard in her book. I’m thrilled that Gavin is the hero of Wendy’s story – because even through his heavy-handed flirting with Lena, you could tell there was more to this guy than a quick smile and easy promise, and Hill picks him apart beautifully in ‘The Girl in the Hard Hat’. If I had any complaints about this second book, it’s probably that I thought Gavin’s back-story was a wee bit over-the-top and nearly strayed into soap-opera territory, but I loved him regardless.
The secondary characters really are given starring roles in this sequel – something I thoroughly appreciated. They’re not merely side-lined; they’re actually given fairly meaty minor stories that continue their development. For new couple Lena and Dan, there’s a wrench thrown into their relationship when Dan’s ex-fiancée, Annabelle, comes flouncing into town hoping to reconcile with her ex, much to Lena’s worry and chagrin. Carl and Sharon, likewise rocking along in a comfortable new romance, are more in love than ever and taking baby-steps in their relationship. There’s also a new character introduced, HR man ‘Chub’ – who calls Wendy ‘little mate’ and she replies in kind with ‘cobber’. I loved Chub; he’s a funny, food-loving sweetheart and one of Wendy’s first allies on the male-dominated site.
Wendy is another great heroine, who perseveres and proves her tenacity in the face of on-site pranks and her own crumbling world. She certainly has a lot on her plate – between preparing the Pilbara site for cyclone season, searching for her missing father and keeping her lust for Gavin Jones under control. There is a lot happening in Wendy’s world, and while she does have (totally justified!) mini-breakdowns trying to cope with everything, I loved how hard-headed she was and determined to get on with the job and her life.
The romance in this second novel is scrumptious; and another great aspect to Hill’s series, that on this construction site covered in red dust, where everyone wears reflector vests and have only their container-like Dongas for privacy, that some characters can get so hot n' heavy and turn this decidedly un-romantic setting into a sensuous delight. Gavin and Wendy are a great odd-couple, and I loved their push-and-pull.
Loretta Hill’s follow-up is as fantastic as her first contemporary Aussie romance. I once again revelled in the unusual, male-dominated outback setting and the fascinating, insular life of the Pilbara construction site. The romance is another winner, when both Wendy and Gavin have complicated pasts and haunting secrets. I really, really, really hope this isn’t the last time we visit the Pilbara. I loved catching up with the likes of Carl, Sharon, Lena and Dan – and now I'd like to return again and read how Wendy and Gavin are getting on, and maybe meet some new Pilbara crew. In the meantime, I’m also keen to read Hill’s upcoming novella ‘One Little White Lie’, coming this February.
January 21, 2013
One of five women among 350 men. That’s intimidating. Taking on the role as the Safety Manager at the Iron Ore wharf, that’s the quickest way on to the s**tlist of every man at the construction site where Wendy Hopkins has just scored a job. But Wendy Hopkins, the protagonist in Loretta Hill’s second novel, The Girl in the Hard Hat, is not going to let that get in her way. She’s in Cape Lambert, a port facility in north of Western Australia, to find her father and she’s not giving up until she finds him.
For those who’ve read Hill’s debut novel, The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, this next book is a return to a familiar environment and characters. The hot and dusty Pilbara region hardly seems an ideal location for romance and yet Hill has shown that’s there’s plenty of sizzle up there; readers have welcomed her books and her unusual setting (she was a 2012 finalist in the Australian Romance Readers awards and was recently voted into Booktopia’s Top 75 Australia’s Favourite Authors).
So, is this a sequel? Yes and no. It’s a sequel in the sense that it’s set at the same camp and features many of the characters from The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots. But it’s not a continuation of Lena and Dan’s story (although readers do get a “where are they now” update); this is Wendy’s story, and that of Gavin Jones, a womanising man who sets his sights on most women who come to the camp.
Wendy has been lied to her whole life. When she finds out that her father is not the man who brought her up, she sets out to find the man who fathered her and disappeared. Her mother has reluctantly given her a name and so she makes her way to the north-west to track down this mysterious man. Her uncle Mike has fixed her up with a job, which turns out to be non-existent, but she is offered another job on the spot – to get everything in order safety-wise. It’s quickly apparent that no one wants her there; she’s viewed with suspicion at first, and then becomes the butt of everyone’s jokes as the men do their darndest to undermine her.
Meeting Gavin throws Wendy off-kilter initially. Who does he think he is, kissing her out of the blue? Try as she might, Wendy finds it increasingly hard to ignore Gavin’s magnetic charm; she uses her trademark efficiency to deal with him only to find that somehow, he manages to get underneath all her defence mechanisms. And Gavin is struggling with the same thing - he has good reason for avoiding commitment and he’s always managed to do that before. But there’s something different about Wendy that lets him throw caution to the wind.
Adding to the sexual tension is the looming threat of a destructive cyclone. Is the camp safe enough for the workers? Or do they need to find an alternative location to wait out the storm? It’s all hands on deck as Wendy and her co-workers prepare for the storm, completely unaware that another threat is about to blow into town – and this one wants Gavin.
Romantic suspense, drama and comedy team up to make a delightful read full of engaging characters. The storyline was well-executed and I think, even better than the first book; I liked the extra suspense thrown in and the side-story involving Gavin that added depth to his character.
From a romantic perspective, I enjoyed the banter and bickering that characterised Wendy and Gavin’s initial relationship, knowing all the while that the build-up of sexual tension had to lead somewhere. I liked Wendy’s feisty temperament and persistence – she showed that she could hold her own, and I think that for Gavin, that was important. I also liked seeing Gavin’s character develop from the skirt-chaser he appeared in The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots; it was a front, a coping mechanism he resorted to in order to protect himself.
Peopled with a cast of likeable rogues and no-nonsense women, The Girl in the Hard Hat is an easy, entertaining read that will appeal to lovers of romantic suspense. Hill’s writing just gets better.
Available from good bookstores and Random House Australia. This copy was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley.
For those who’ve read Hill’s debut novel, The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, this next book is a return to a familiar environment and characters. The hot and dusty Pilbara region hardly seems an ideal location for romance and yet Hill has shown that’s there’s plenty of sizzle up there; readers have welcomed her books and her unusual setting (she was a 2012 finalist in the Australian Romance Readers awards and was recently voted into Booktopia’s Top 75 Australia’s Favourite Authors).
So, is this a sequel? Yes and no. It’s a sequel in the sense that it’s set at the same camp and features many of the characters from The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots. But it’s not a continuation of Lena and Dan’s story (although readers do get a “where are they now” update); this is Wendy’s story, and that of Gavin Jones, a womanising man who sets his sights on most women who come to the camp.
Wendy has been lied to her whole life. When she finds out that her father is not the man who brought her up, she sets out to find the man who fathered her and disappeared. Her mother has reluctantly given her a name and so she makes her way to the north-west to track down this mysterious man. Her uncle Mike has fixed her up with a job, which turns out to be non-existent, but she is offered another job on the spot – to get everything in order safety-wise. It’s quickly apparent that no one wants her there; she’s viewed with suspicion at first, and then becomes the butt of everyone’s jokes as the men do their darndest to undermine her.
Meeting Gavin throws Wendy off-kilter initially. Who does he think he is, kissing her out of the blue? Try as she might, Wendy finds it increasingly hard to ignore Gavin’s magnetic charm; she uses her trademark efficiency to deal with him only to find that somehow, he manages to get underneath all her defence mechanisms. And Gavin is struggling with the same thing - he has good reason for avoiding commitment and he’s always managed to do that before. But there’s something different about Wendy that lets him throw caution to the wind.
Adding to the sexual tension is the looming threat of a destructive cyclone. Is the camp safe enough for the workers? Or do they need to find an alternative location to wait out the storm? It’s all hands on deck as Wendy and her co-workers prepare for the storm, completely unaware that another threat is about to blow into town – and this one wants Gavin.
Romantic suspense, drama and comedy team up to make a delightful read full of engaging characters. The storyline was well-executed and I think, even better than the first book; I liked the extra suspense thrown in and the side-story involving Gavin that added depth to his character.
From a romantic perspective, I enjoyed the banter and bickering that characterised Wendy and Gavin’s initial relationship, knowing all the while that the build-up of sexual tension had to lead somewhere. I liked Wendy’s feisty temperament and persistence – she showed that she could hold her own, and I think that for Gavin, that was important. I also liked seeing Gavin’s character develop from the skirt-chaser he appeared in The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots; it was a front, a coping mechanism he resorted to in order to protect himself.
Peopled with a cast of likeable rogues and no-nonsense women, The Girl in the Hard Hat is an easy, entertaining read that will appeal to lovers of romantic suspense. Hill’s writing just gets better.
Available from good bookstores and Random House Australia. This copy was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley.
December 29, 2012
Wendy Hopkins’ first day on the job didn’t go too well! She arrived at the TCN site, only to find there was no position available. With a sinking heart, she started to leave, but was told by the boss, Dan Hullog (known as Bulldog behind his back) that she could head over to a nearby site, Barnes Inc, where he knew there was an opening as an assistant. And so began her life as Safety Manager of the tallest, longest and deepest open-sea wharf in the world, based in Wickham, on the Pilbara, in WA. The difficulties she faced were made worse because it was a man’s world…there were only four women on site, but approximately 300 men. Their safety standards were not up to par, but they didn’t want to take orders from a woman, and when she discovered her direct supervisor was not doing his job properly, she had him fired. THAT made her popular!
They lived on site, in dongas, which had just the bare essentials, everything was portable, with the dongas in a large group, the main one being the mess, where they all met for their meals. The project manager, Carl Curtis, was a fair, likeable but volatile man, and one of his off-siders, Gavin Jones, was eye-catching…dangerous, a ladies man! Wendy was determined to keep away from him…she had no time to get involved with anyone, let alone a man of his reputation….she was searching for her father. She hadn’t known she was adopted until a year prior, and it devastated her…she felt she HAD to find him to find out why he’d deserted her at birth, but the search was going nowhere. With her latest clue being the Pilbara, she had decided to head there to continue her quest.
Wendy was nicknamed ‘Sergeant’, and was the butt of many pranks, but she gritted her teeth and kept working. Feeling alone, and lonely, she wondered if she would ever make any friends.. would she ever earn the respect of the men she was determined to protect? But the danger of a terrible storm, as well as danger of the human kind, changed everything. Would their training be enough…could she save them from potential disaster?
I really enjoyed my first Loretta Hill novel. The suspense was gripping, the humour was wonderful…I will be reading more of this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy:)
They lived on site, in dongas, which had just the bare essentials, everything was portable, with the dongas in a large group, the main one being the mess, where they all met for their meals. The project manager, Carl Curtis, was a fair, likeable but volatile man, and one of his off-siders, Gavin Jones, was eye-catching…dangerous, a ladies man! Wendy was determined to keep away from him…she had no time to get involved with anyone, let alone a man of his reputation….she was searching for her father. She hadn’t known she was adopted until a year prior, and it devastated her…she felt she HAD to find him to find out why he’d deserted her at birth, but the search was going nowhere. With her latest clue being the Pilbara, she had decided to head there to continue her quest.
Wendy was nicknamed ‘Sergeant’, and was the butt of many pranks, but she gritted her teeth and kept working. Feeling alone, and lonely, she wondered if she would ever make any friends.. would she ever earn the respect of the men she was determined to protect? But the danger of a terrible storm, as well as danger of the human kind, changed everything. Would their training be enough…could she save them from potential disaster?
I really enjoyed my first Loretta Hill novel. The suspense was gripping, the humour was wonderful…I will be reading more of this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy:)
August 16, 2014
Ever wondered what it's like to be a female working in a man's world ? Are you a fan of the Australian Rural Fiction ? One of my favourite authors is Loretta Hill who writes about your average female who finds themselves planted bang smack into the man's world of jobs. In Book #1 The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots, we met Lena who became an Engineer and now in Book #2 The Girl in the Hard Hat , we meet Wendy who has arrived to the outback with one goal really in mind - to find her true father as she has just discovered that she was adopted. Wendy, needing a job finds herself work in a construction site as the Safety and Health manager and within her first week there, it seems she is getting on the wrong side of people as they are needing to buck up their ideas especially since the previous manager was a drunk who let alot of things slide. With her new job and trying to fit in and on top of that trying to locate a dad she doesn't really know anything about , there isn't much time for Wendy to have a social life and find love but that doesn't mean that love has given up on her as she captures the eye of Gavin - one of the engineers in Lena's department. The thing though is Gavin only tends to have one night stands as he can't let anyone discover his secret, but will he find himself falling hard and fast for Wendy ? Can he protect Wendy and the ones he cares for and has made friends with , when his secret blows wide open and their lives are threatened ? Will Wendy be able to find her biological father and what will her reaction be when she discovers who her father is and the truth about her family ?
Another awesome book and I love how Loretta brought a few of the characters from the first novel into Book #2 and now I am looking forward to reading Book #3 The Girl in the Yellow Vest.
If you are looking for a strong female character to read about , one older than Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior , then check out Loretta Hill's Series "The Girl In The" as you will not be disappointed.
Another awesome book and I love how Loretta brought a few of the characters from the first novel into Book #2 and now I am looking forward to reading Book #3 The Girl in the Yellow Vest.
If you are looking for a strong female character to read about , one older than Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior , then check out Loretta Hill's Series "The Girl In The" as you will not be disappointed.
February 8, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed it (as I did the Girl in Steel-capped boots). Beautifully written depicting life in the Pilbara mining industry and a glimpse into the monstrous projects and working conditions of the men and women there - definitely a male dominated industry.
I loved that this was a sequel and that I was able to revisit old "friends" from the previous novel and expand even more on their characters and relationships, whilst at the same time getting to know the new character (or girl on the block) - Wendy.
I loved that this was a sequel and that I was able to revisit old "friends" from the previous novel and expand even more on their characters and relationships, whilst at the same time getting to know the new character (or girl on the block) - Wendy.
February 10, 2013
I sat up very late to finish this book. The story line had me from start to finish.I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It did not surprise me one bit. Loretta, you did it again!!.Well done on a fantastic read.
November 19, 2015
Another delightful read. Well paced, good characters, terrific setting, plenty of challenges and a warm fuzzy wrap up. What more could you ask of a writer and a good story? Keep those stories coming Loretta Hill. ps I am of a mind to visit the Pilbara after this.
June 2, 2016
Good book in the series
September 12, 2023
This is a delightful little Aussie romance, that goes down so easy you can read it in a day. This is the follow up from "The Girl in the Steel Capped Boots" and like that one, this one focuses on an Iron Ore operation in the Pilbara. You get quite a lot of detail about the characters from the first book in this sequel, so while it can be read as a stand alone, there will be moments when you ask "why is she going into so much detail about this side character?"
It's been quite a few years since I read the first book, and I have no memory of the Hero Gavin, beside the fact he was there. I have a feeling he was a bit lamer in the first book than the golden retriever cinnamon roll he is here. In this book he is a unproblematic hero with a legitimate reason to put off a relationship with our heroine. You're not looking at any forces enemies to lovers nonsense or miscommunication tropes.
Wendy is a new character and at the start of the novel is reeling from a betrayal from her family and unsure if she can trust anyone. Watching her keep people at arm's length and then slowly warming to them is a really nice element in this book and her friendship with "Chub" is almost as satisfying as the central romance.
This book has it's drama, including a spot of crime, a cyclone and a bus accident, however, despite all this it felt like it meandered a little in the middle and then rushed at the end. A LOT happened in the last 30 pages.
Would still recommend, especially if you want something that will make you feel all light and happy but not give you a book hangover.
It's been quite a few years since I read the first book, and I have no memory of the Hero Gavin, beside the fact he was there. I have a feeling he was a bit lamer in the first book than the golden retriever cinnamon roll he is here. In this book he is a unproblematic hero with a legitimate reason to put off a relationship with our heroine. You're not looking at any forces enemies to lovers nonsense or miscommunication tropes.
Wendy is a new character and at the start of the novel is reeling from a betrayal from her family and unsure if she can trust anyone. Watching her keep people at arm's length and then slowly warming to them is a really nice element in this book and her friendship with "Chub" is almost as satisfying as the central romance.
This book has it's drama, including a spot of crime, a cyclone and a bus accident, however, despite all this it felt like it meandered a little in the middle and then rushed at the end. A LOT happened in the last 30 pages.
Would still recommend, especially if you want something that will make you feel all light and happy but not give you a book hangover.
July 31, 2023
Wendy Hopkins arrives at the Pilbara, takes a job as a Safety Officer at an iron ore wharf, whilst also looking for her father whom she hasn't seen since her birth.Jones
She is hated at work, made the laughing stock of their jokes, is busy fighting off Gavin Jones a serial womaniser, and finding it difficult in the search for her father.
On top of this a cyclone is heading straight for them, causing the work site to be closed resulting in moving them all to a safe location as the cyclone is ramping up from category 4 up to category 5.
Loretta Hill is an extremely good writer and just makes you keep turning those pages!
She is hated at work, made the laughing stock of their jokes, is busy fighting off Gavin Jones a serial womaniser, and finding it difficult in the search for her father.
On top of this a cyclone is heading straight for them, causing the work site to be closed resulting in moving them all to a safe location as the cyclone is ramping up from category 4 up to category 5.
Loretta Hill is an extremely good writer and just makes you keep turning those pages!
April 16, 2020
Love how this book is set in the same area as a The Girl in the Steel Capped Boots but is from another woman's preceptive.
Another great family storyline and great to be able to see what happens to the characters in the first book.
You know when you get to the end of a romance book and you go what happened after they got together, did they marry , did they stay where they were. This book gives you that little bit.
Another great family storyline and great to be able to see what happens to the characters in the first book.
You know when you get to the end of a romance book and you go what happened after they got together, did they marry , did they stay where they were. This book gives you that little bit.
September 16, 2022
The Girl in the Hard Hat was another delightful read by Loretta Hill.
Following on from Girl in the Steel Capped Boots which I enjoyed immensely, I found Girl in the Hard Hat, lacking in comparison.
The story wasn't as strong and at times was so predictable I was bored reading it.
As usual Hill's writing was solid but it's the content that I felt let this story down.
If you are looking for a light easy read (great when travelling or bedridden) this book is ideal.
Following on from Girl in the Steel Capped Boots which I enjoyed immensely, I found Girl in the Hard Hat, lacking in comparison.
The story wasn't as strong and at times was so predictable I was bored reading it.
As usual Hill's writing was solid but it's the content that I felt let this story down.
If you are looking for a light easy read (great when travelling or bedridden) this book is ideal.
January 7, 2013
Wendy Hopkins has arrived in the Pilbarra on a secret mission. She’s searching for her real father after a simple query into obtaining a copy of her birth certificate led her to discover that she possessed two – the first one which listed her father as unknown and the second one after the man she always believed was her father adopted her when she was just a toddler. Wendy has always wondered why her father had looked at her in that broken-hearted way, almost like he couldn’t bear to, from the time she was around six years old. She was shunted off to boarding school not long after and her relationship with both of her parents has never been tight. Her mother was reluctant to give her any information when Wendy confronted her about the birth certificates but finally she admitted several things: her father’s name was Hector, he worked in mining/engineering and had been in the Pilbarra. So Wendy decided that she would track him down. She had to know who she really was.
Things do not get off to a good start when it’s revealed that her Uncle Mike, a bit of the family black sheep, blackmailed Dan Hullog into giving her a job. Dan no longer has the job for her because the person he was protecting doesn’t need it anymore but he has arranged for Wendy to work for Barnes Inc, the company constructing the iron ore wharf. As the new Safety Manager, Wendy isn’t exactly the most popular person in the company, especially as she arrives wearing an enemy uniform. No one is particularly open to her suggestions either, especially the man she’s working with who is clearly not up to coping with the rigorous demands of enforcing safety on such a big site. Wendy, as one of only five women and some 350 men in the camp is subjected to a gentle hazing from most of the men and made the butt of most of their jokes. Notorious womaniser Gavin Jones is one of the main culprits but there are times that Wendy catches a glimpse of a very different Gavin before he slams the door.
Gavin can’t afford to get involved with anyone, tempting as Wendy herself may be. He’s a casual kind of guy, a love them and leave them type. He’s been moving around for far too long now, looking over his shoulder and always wondering. To get close to someone would be to put them in danger so Gavin keeps it casual. Wendy doesn’t do casual though. She wants to know what Gavin is hiding. Danger is coming to the Pilbarra and it’s going to take all of Wendy’s planning and execution of safety plans to keep the entire camp safe. And she might just get the answers she’s been so desperately seeking as well.
The Girl In The Hard Hat is the follow up book to The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots which was probably one of my Top 10 reads of 2012. I was delighted when I found out Loretta Hill was writing another book set around the construction of the Iron Ore wharf in the Pilbarra, focusing on a new couple but still including all of the well-known characters from the first book. They’re all back – Carl, who still cannot stop swearing, Sharon the bus driver, the boys down at the wharf. And if you’re curious about Lena and Dan then be happy because they’re here too and their story continues along with this one in a very satisfactory sort of way. But the spotlight is on Wendy Hopkins and Gavin Jones and it’s quite the ride.
It’s hard not to feel for Wendy right away as she recounts her relatively lonely childhood, discovery that the man she thought was her father isn’t and her mother’s reluctance to even give her the answers she needs. Armed with what little information she did have, she trekked all the way to the Pilbarra only to be told that the job wasn’t actually a real one but Dan had set her up in another one. She faces hostility and ribbing that ranges from the gentle, good-natured type to the more serious. Her accommodations are less than satisfactory but Wendy doesn’t let this get her down. She has a goal and it seems like nothing the Pilbarra can throw at her will dissuade her from that goal. Even Gavin Jones. Gavin is handsome, charming, flirtatious and with the reputation of being quite the womaniser. Wendy knows she should stay away from him but she can’t help but be drawn to the deeper side of Gavin
This book is rife with the same humour and charm that made me fall in love with the first one and it easily leapfrogs sophomore book syndrome. Despite the fact that Lena and Wendy might seem similar at first glance, Hill keeps them starkly very different and the same with the two male love interests. Gavin Jones is very different and the way in which the attraction between him and Wendy unfolds is different as well. The chemistry between them was electric but it was also a bit of a slow burn – there were so many obstacles getting in the way of them, especially Gavin’s reluctance to attach himself to anyone and potentially put them in danger. His protectiveness of Wendy was sweet, at odds with most of the way he behaved. His life had been spent looking over his shoulder for a few years and it had taken a bit of a toll on him. He hated seeing people waste their lives and opportunities.
This is the sort of book that I would recommend to everyone I know, especially if they liked The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots. And if you haven’t read that one then… you definitely need to!
Things do not get off to a good start when it’s revealed that her Uncle Mike, a bit of the family black sheep, blackmailed Dan Hullog into giving her a job. Dan no longer has the job for her because the person he was protecting doesn’t need it anymore but he has arranged for Wendy to work for Barnes Inc, the company constructing the iron ore wharf. As the new Safety Manager, Wendy isn’t exactly the most popular person in the company, especially as she arrives wearing an enemy uniform. No one is particularly open to her suggestions either, especially the man she’s working with who is clearly not up to coping with the rigorous demands of enforcing safety on such a big site. Wendy, as one of only five women and some 350 men in the camp is subjected to a gentle hazing from most of the men and made the butt of most of their jokes. Notorious womaniser Gavin Jones is one of the main culprits but there are times that Wendy catches a glimpse of a very different Gavin before he slams the door.
Gavin can’t afford to get involved with anyone, tempting as Wendy herself may be. He’s a casual kind of guy, a love them and leave them type. He’s been moving around for far too long now, looking over his shoulder and always wondering. To get close to someone would be to put them in danger so Gavin keeps it casual. Wendy doesn’t do casual though. She wants to know what Gavin is hiding. Danger is coming to the Pilbarra and it’s going to take all of Wendy’s planning and execution of safety plans to keep the entire camp safe. And she might just get the answers she’s been so desperately seeking as well.
The Girl In The Hard Hat is the follow up book to The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots which was probably one of my Top 10 reads of 2012. I was delighted when I found out Loretta Hill was writing another book set around the construction of the Iron Ore wharf in the Pilbarra, focusing on a new couple but still including all of the well-known characters from the first book. They’re all back – Carl, who still cannot stop swearing, Sharon the bus driver, the boys down at the wharf. And if you’re curious about Lena and Dan then be happy because they’re here too and their story continues along with this one in a very satisfactory sort of way. But the spotlight is on Wendy Hopkins and Gavin Jones and it’s quite the ride.
It’s hard not to feel for Wendy right away as she recounts her relatively lonely childhood, discovery that the man she thought was her father isn’t and her mother’s reluctance to even give her the answers she needs. Armed with what little information she did have, she trekked all the way to the Pilbarra only to be told that the job wasn’t actually a real one but Dan had set her up in another one. She faces hostility and ribbing that ranges from the gentle, good-natured type to the more serious. Her accommodations are less than satisfactory but Wendy doesn’t let this get her down. She has a goal and it seems like nothing the Pilbarra can throw at her will dissuade her from that goal. Even Gavin Jones. Gavin is handsome, charming, flirtatious and with the reputation of being quite the womaniser. Wendy knows she should stay away from him but she can’t help but be drawn to the deeper side of Gavin
This book is rife with the same humour and charm that made me fall in love with the first one and it easily leapfrogs sophomore book syndrome. Despite the fact that Lena and Wendy might seem similar at first glance, Hill keeps them starkly very different and the same with the two male love interests. Gavin Jones is very different and the way in which the attraction between him and Wendy unfolds is different as well. The chemistry between them was electric but it was also a bit of a slow burn – there were so many obstacles getting in the way of them, especially Gavin’s reluctance to attach himself to anyone and potentially put them in danger. His protectiveness of Wendy was sweet, at odds with most of the way he behaved. His life had been spent looking over his shoulder for a few years and it had taken a bit of a toll on him. He hated seeing people waste their lives and opportunities.
This is the sort of book that I would recommend to everyone I know, especially if they liked The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots. And if you haven’t read that one then… you definitely need to!
May 20, 2017
Sequel to The Girl with Steel Capped Boots. Another excellent read from Loretta Hill. Gives you a taste of how women survive life on the mines of remote australia without ever having to go for yourself. Loved the developing relationship between Sarge and Gavin and both their private stories of hardship. Looking forward to reading the next novel
September 19, 2023
A similar setting to the first novel in this trilogy but the story is much duller. It's the classic romantic novel ploy of ambiguous messages, always assuming the worst, supposedly smart people doing dumb things etc. The best part of this one is the drama of an approaching cyclone. What nearly sank it was the consummation of the romance to the accompaniment of the cyclonic destruction.
August 30, 2018
Loved it! I was thinking about the characters for a while afterwards!! Will be back for more soon!! Thanks 😘
September 9, 2019
Was ok but not one of her best
December 11, 2019
Enjoyed this book
November 7, 2021
Another great book by Loretta Hill. Her characters are always so relatable. I did not want it to end. Great book to pack for your next holiday.
January 30, 2022
Love resding this book, so much so i read it yearly (at least) its an easy read, easy to follow, happy ending!
November 8, 2024
Started a bit slow, but read most of the second half in one sitting. Ramped up well toward the end.
December 26, 2024
A super cute fun read. Didn't realize it was the second of a duo but couldnt tell when reading it.
January 10, 2017
One of the best book i have read in a long long time.
Luv you Loretta Hill
Luv you Loretta Hill
September 20, 2017
Easy read.
September 18, 2014
Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics
To see review at Confessions
From the first page, I was a captive by the storytelling in this book. Wendy is out of money and needs a job fast and she takes up her Uncle Mike’s offer of a job, but little does she know that he blackmailed the manager and there isn’t actually a job at TCN. She should have listened to her mother; Uncle Mike is the black sheep of the family for that very reason. However, not all is lost, there is another job as a safety officer but it is with the main contractor, Barnes Inc. There is trouble, there is already one safety officer there, who is over their heads and safety is something that workers don’t seem to care about. Cyclone season is approaching so she is hired but has no idea what she is getting herself into and sticks herself right into the thick of things by living there at the camp and stirring up things. This is the first chapter and Hill is just getting started introducing her characters and outlining the troubles facing this community.
Hills knows how to keep us on our toes. She knows when to introduce something juicy into the story and in the second chapter we learn another secret that will shape the book. Her father isn’t her biological father and it’s a secret that had been kept for years and nearly everyone in her family knew but didn’t tell her. So she is on a mission and goes armed with the only clues about her father, that he has toes missing and it happened in an accident in Karratha where the Wharf is located .
She soon finds the crowd tough at Barnes, has only a few allies and she’s getting things done and earning a reputation of being a hard nose. She has not learned anything worthwhile and she’s becoming desperate with the only other clue to her father’s identity and turns to Gareth. Gareth is known as the local womanizer and has tried to chat up the other girls in the camp with disastrous results but he moved past and Wendy is his new target. Wendy is not going to play easy for him. His first move is a disaster and she gets an earful about him. But she is also seeing a different side to him that the others don’t see and she’s falling for him. Meanwhile, Gavin is coming to realise that he has to change for this woman, she’s not casual fling material. He sees that she has emotional issues and knows the three rules he lives by:
Women who were damaged often ignored the rules of engagement, which numbered three:
1. No commitment.
2. No regrets.
3. No emotional intimacy.
However, Wendy is getting under his skin and when I thought I knew everything there was to know about the main characters, Bam! there is another surprise and this time it concerns Gareth and explains the reason why he acts like he does. However, it takes a backseat as they seem to get into arguments or something happens that keeps their attention on the job. The secret is big and soon this story has another dimension as there is another story in this story to tell. I’m still grasping the talent that has written this book and I’m only halfway in at this point. Hill has written a piece of literature that resonates with the new image Australia is trying to convey for the bush and women in male stereotypical jobs.
If you’re looking for an Aussie book that doesn’t hold back the punches and gives a story that will leave you laughing at some points and other times ponder what Wendy is thinking, this is the book for you. Loretta Hill has a new fan after my reading this and I must go and buy the first book in this series. Strong female characters in unusual jobs— I‘m there. Wendy is not only a delightful Alpha woman in this book, there is also Lena and Sharon. I’m hoping Sharon or Annabel get their own story so we can follow this Wharf and the workers who live out in the bush. Alpha Woman, yes, I loved the word Hill used to describe the women in the camp who take no fuss when it comes to the workers and date the men in charge. Wendy fitted right in and was the perfect foil for Gavin, her love interest who loved to stir Wendy up yet had another side to him that I came to love.
5 couples
To see review at Confessions
From the first page, I was a captive by the storytelling in this book. Wendy is out of money and needs a job fast and she takes up her Uncle Mike’s offer of a job, but little does she know that he blackmailed the manager and there isn’t actually a job at TCN. She should have listened to her mother; Uncle Mike is the black sheep of the family for that very reason. However, not all is lost, there is another job as a safety officer but it is with the main contractor, Barnes Inc. There is trouble, there is already one safety officer there, who is over their heads and safety is something that workers don’t seem to care about. Cyclone season is approaching so she is hired but has no idea what she is getting herself into and sticks herself right into the thick of things by living there at the camp and stirring up things. This is the first chapter and Hill is just getting started introducing her characters and outlining the troubles facing this community.
Hills knows how to keep us on our toes. She knows when to introduce something juicy into the story and in the second chapter we learn another secret that will shape the book. Her father isn’t her biological father and it’s a secret that had been kept for years and nearly everyone in her family knew but didn’t tell her. So she is on a mission and goes armed with the only clues about her father, that he has toes missing and it happened in an accident in Karratha where the Wharf is located .
She soon finds the crowd tough at Barnes, has only a few allies and she’s getting things done and earning a reputation of being a hard nose. She has not learned anything worthwhile and she’s becoming desperate with the only other clue to her father’s identity and turns to Gareth. Gareth is known as the local womanizer and has tried to chat up the other girls in the camp with disastrous results but he moved past and Wendy is his new target. Wendy is not going to play easy for him. His first move is a disaster and she gets an earful about him. But she is also seeing a different side to him that the others don’t see and she’s falling for him. Meanwhile, Gavin is coming to realise that he has to change for this woman, she’s not casual fling material. He sees that she has emotional issues and knows the three rules he lives by:
Women who were damaged often ignored the rules of engagement, which numbered three:
1. No commitment.
2. No regrets.
3. No emotional intimacy.
However, Wendy is getting under his skin and when I thought I knew everything there was to know about the main characters, Bam! there is another surprise and this time it concerns Gareth and explains the reason why he acts like he does. However, it takes a backseat as they seem to get into arguments or something happens that keeps their attention on the job. The secret is big and soon this story has another dimension as there is another story in this story to tell. I’m still grasping the talent that has written this book and I’m only halfway in at this point. Hill has written a piece of literature that resonates with the new image Australia is trying to convey for the bush and women in male stereotypical jobs.
If you’re looking for an Aussie book that doesn’t hold back the punches and gives a story that will leave you laughing at some points and other times ponder what Wendy is thinking, this is the book for you. Loretta Hill has a new fan after my reading this and I must go and buy the first book in this series. Strong female characters in unusual jobs— I‘m there. Wendy is not only a delightful Alpha woman in this book, there is also Lena and Sharon. I’m hoping Sharon or Annabel get their own story so we can follow this Wharf and the workers who live out in the bush. Alpha Woman, yes, I loved the word Hill used to describe the women in the camp who take no fuss when it comes to the workers and date the men in charge. Wendy fitted right in and was the perfect foil for Gavin, her love interest who loved to stir Wendy up yet had another side to him that I came to love.
5 couples
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