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Iron Junction
Desperate to get away from her family's expectations of success in love and in work, Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney behind and takes a locum job at Iron Junction – a mining town in the distant Pilbara. With the mine growing at a rapid pace, the town full of contractors and tensions running high, Beth is convinced she’s made a huge mistake until she meets Will, a man who shares her dreams and could make the difference between going home and staying on.
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2014
9 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Nash
30 books155 followersCharlotte Nash was born in England and grew up in the sunny Redland Shire of Brisbane. Before becoming a writer, she spent time building rockets and working as an industrial accident investigator (she swears the two were not related). Somewhere in that time, she acquired a penchant for motorbikes.
She now writes women's fiction, romance, science fiction and fantasy, teaches in some semesters, and works in technical writing with fascinating people. She has degrees in engineering and medicine, and a PhD in creative writing from The University of Queensland. She swears she is still fun at parties.
She now writes women's fiction, romance, science fiction and fantasy, teaches in some semesters, and works in technical writing with fascinating people. She has degrees in engineering and medicine, and a PhD in creative writing from The University of Queensland. She swears she is still fun at parties.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 11, 2016
Dr Beth Harding has been under a great deal of pressure lately from her family, especially her mother, so she's decided it's time to escape and get as far away from Sydney as she can. She takes a job as a locum at Iron Junction a mining town in the Pilbara.
With the mine growing at a fast pace the workers in the community are put under a great deal of pressure. Beth has her work cut out for her as she continues to care for injured workers, but she knows most of these injuries could've been avoided. And when she goes to voice her opinion on her concerns about this issue, she seems to find herself in a bit of trouble.
Will Walker may have born and raised on a cattle farm, but this was never the life he wanted. Instead, he works in the mines as an engineer. Will and Beth's paths cross the day Will stops to help Beth out with a flat battery. This begins a great friendship which could turn into something else, but with Beth's recent breakup and Will's hidden secret this would be most unlikely. Can the couple put their past behind them and have a future together?
This was very entertaining and enjoyable read. If you enjoy reading rural romances, then you'll love this one. Recommended.
With the mine growing at a fast pace the workers in the community are put under a great deal of pressure. Beth has her work cut out for her as she continues to care for injured workers, but she knows most of these injuries could've been avoided. And when she goes to voice her opinion on her concerns about this issue, she seems to find herself in a bit of trouble.
Will Walker may have born and raised on a cattle farm, but this was never the life he wanted. Instead, he works in the mines as an engineer. Will and Beth's paths cross the day Will stops to help Beth out with a flat battery. This begins a great friendship which could turn into something else, but with Beth's recent breakup and Will's hidden secret this would be most unlikely. Can the couple put their past behind them and have a future together?
This was very entertaining and enjoyable read. If you enjoy reading rural romances, then you'll love this one. Recommended.
June 3, 2015
“To take that second chance, we need to notice where we are and be open to the possibility of growing.”
---- Holly Elissa Bruno
Charlotte Nash, an English-Australian writer, has penned an incredibly touching and heart-warming love story called, Iron Junction which is actually the name of a town in the Pilbara region in the north-western part of Australia, where a young doctor from Brisbane takes up a job as a locum doctor in the hopes of finding herself one more time and to move on from a bad break-up, little did she knew that she could see a ray of hope in the middle of nowhere.
Synopsis:
Desperate to get away from her family's expectations of success in love and in work, Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney behind and takes a locum job at Iron Junction – a mining town in the distant Pilbara. With the mine growing at a rapid pace, the town full of contractors and tensions running high, Beth is convinced she’s made a huge mistake until she meets Will, a man who shares her dreams and could make the difference between going home and staying on.
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
Beth has just broken up with her fiance, Richard, and thus she is suffering from heart-ache, and to move on from Richard, Beth takes up a position as a locum doctor in a small town called Iron Junction which is coined because of a mine plant. In this middle of nowhere, Beth finds her zeal for medicine and also a second chance at love when she meets a new mine engineer, Will. Beth's passion for photography helps her make a new friend, Caitlin who is suffering from bronchitis due to lack of treatment in her childhood. But it was really difficult for both Will and Beth to traverse the path from being-friends to being-more-than-friends, since they both carry a lot of baggage and amidst of the red earth, heat, hurricane, they learn to find themselves before finding each other.
Firstly, I'd like to thank the author for capturing the red landscape and the extreme climate of Pilbara so vividly through her eloquent words. Not only the landscape the author have even managed to bring out all the tiniest details of this town with intricate layering, thus letting us see the town through our very own eyes. From the streets to the bar to the lifestyle to the mine plant to the smell of earth lurking in the air, everything have been strikingly portrayed through this novel. The negative and the positive aspects of this are also very strongly featured in this book.
The writing is very fine and her evocative narrative style only made me glued to the very core of the story. The plot is multi-layered and it is not only a love story, in fact it is so much about this small town, Pilbara, moreover, so much about every other characters present in this book. There is family drama, medical drama, political drama, environmental drama, heartache and heartbreak layered tightly and wonderfully into the plot, thus making it an engrossing read for it's readers.
The characters are all kept close to reality, especially Beth and Will, who goes through a lot in their life, thus affecting their conscience and confidence level. Moreover, the rest of the supporting cast suffers a lot because of the town and had their own personal issues and agenda which too the author have very skillfully brought out through this story. Moreover, the problems and the issues addressed in the book are very real and are relatable. Overall, this is a captivating and moving tale of love, finding oneself, kindness, medical practice in a small town, redemption and loss.
Verdict: The location and setting of this book makes it a worthwhile contemporary romance fiction and I believe, if you want to taste a bit of red earth and love, then do read this book.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Charlotte Nash and her publicist from Hachette Australia, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
---- Holly Elissa Bruno
Charlotte Nash, an English-Australian writer, has penned an incredibly touching and heart-warming love story called, Iron Junction which is actually the name of a town in the Pilbara region in the north-western part of Australia, where a young doctor from Brisbane takes up a job as a locum doctor in the hopes of finding herself one more time and to move on from a bad break-up, little did she knew that she could see a ray of hope in the middle of nowhere.
Synopsis:
Desperate to get away from her family's expectations of success in love and in work, Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney behind and takes a locum job at Iron Junction – a mining town in the distant Pilbara. With the mine growing at a rapid pace, the town full of contractors and tensions running high, Beth is convinced she’s made a huge mistake until she meets Will, a man who shares her dreams and could make the difference between going home and staying on.
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
Beth has just broken up with her fiance, Richard, and thus she is suffering from heart-ache, and to move on from Richard, Beth takes up a position as a locum doctor in a small town called Iron Junction which is coined because of a mine plant. In this middle of nowhere, Beth finds her zeal for medicine and also a second chance at love when she meets a new mine engineer, Will. Beth's passion for photography helps her make a new friend, Caitlin who is suffering from bronchitis due to lack of treatment in her childhood. But it was really difficult for both Will and Beth to traverse the path from being-friends to being-more-than-friends, since they both carry a lot of baggage and amidst of the red earth, heat, hurricane, they learn to find themselves before finding each other.
Firstly, I'd like to thank the author for capturing the red landscape and the extreme climate of Pilbara so vividly through her eloquent words. Not only the landscape the author have even managed to bring out all the tiniest details of this town with intricate layering, thus letting us see the town through our very own eyes. From the streets to the bar to the lifestyle to the mine plant to the smell of earth lurking in the air, everything have been strikingly portrayed through this novel. The negative and the positive aspects of this are also very strongly featured in this book.
The writing is very fine and her evocative narrative style only made me glued to the very core of the story. The plot is multi-layered and it is not only a love story, in fact it is so much about this small town, Pilbara, moreover, so much about every other characters present in this book. There is family drama, medical drama, political drama, environmental drama, heartache and heartbreak layered tightly and wonderfully into the plot, thus making it an engrossing read for it's readers.
The characters are all kept close to reality, especially Beth and Will, who goes through a lot in their life, thus affecting their conscience and confidence level. Moreover, the rest of the supporting cast suffers a lot because of the town and had their own personal issues and agenda which too the author have very skillfully brought out through this story. Moreover, the problems and the issues addressed in the book are very real and are relatable. Overall, this is a captivating and moving tale of love, finding oneself, kindness, medical practice in a small town, redemption and loss.
Verdict: The location and setting of this book makes it a worthwhile contemporary romance fiction and I believe, if you want to taste a bit of red earth and love, then do read this book.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Charlotte Nash and her publicist from Hachette Australia, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
March 20, 2014
A contemporary rural fiction novel, Iron Junction is Charlotte Nash's engaging second book, loosely linked to her 2013 debut, Ryders Ridge.
Fleeing a failed engagement and the censure of her family, Doctor Beth Harding accepts a locum position in a small mining town thousands of kilometers from her home in suburban Sydney. Her first week in the clinic, serving the local community and mine workers, runs smoothly but after Beth foolishly gets stuck in the middle of nowhere exploring the surrounding desert, and the mine boss starts interfering in her clinical decisions, she begins to second guess her decision to spend six weeks in Western Australia's remote Pilbara region. Perhaps she had made the wrong choice to escape Sydney, and Richard? But leaving would mean admitting defeat... and giving up on the chance of something new with engineer, Will Walker.
Romance is a significant element of the plot but the individual emotional development of Beth and Will receives equal emphasis. Both protagonists struggle with self doubt stemming from strained family relations as well as external pressures related to their work at Iron Junction. Their budding relationship is additionally hampered by Beth having just escaped a relationship where she traded her autonomy for acceptance and Will is haunted by a tragedy in his past that has made him believe he is not a worthy of a committed relationship. It is a lot for the pair to negotiate and Nash does well to bring them together in a realistic manner.
Rural and medical romance are regarded as two sub genres of contemporary romance yet Nash successfully blends the two in Iron Junction. The reader is privy to Beth's consultations with her patients, revealing the types of injuries common to mine workers but the most important subplot explores the limitations of regional medicine by introducing an Aboriginal woman suffering from a serious lung disease as a result of untreated childhood pneumonia. A liaison officer with a talent for photography, Caitlin Murray's health crisis results in one of the book's most dramatic moments.
Combining romance and drama in a vivid Australian landscape, I found Iron Junction to be an enjoyable read and I look forward to her next novel.
December 4, 2024
This was my first time reading a book by Charlotte Nash and I must say I did enjoy it. I am always on the lookout for something in the medical romance line so that is what attracted me to read this book.
It is set in a mining community in Western Australia, and the way Charlotte Nash describes the environment made me feel like I was there. At times I was almost brushing the red dust off myself! Taking a look at how a mining operation works was interesting, and the idea of management perhaps cutting corners is not far fetched, as we have sometimes seen with mining disasters around the world.
Beth is at a crossroads in her life, she has shed the shackles of a man who just doesn't feel right for her, and she is wanting to do something meaningful in medicine but is not sure just what. She has escaped the clutches of a weird mother and taken on a temporary locum job at Iron Junction. I liked the way she cared for her patients, went the extra mile for them, and was willing to speak up when she thought things were unfair.
Will arrives at Iron Junction, somewhat reluctantly. He has been sent to help out and finds himself attracted to Beth. Yet he hangs back, there is something in his past that needs honesty and reconciliation. If he can face that perhaps he can find his way back to his family, to himself and to reach out to Beth.
If you like books set in Australia, with a little medical context, then I recommend this book. It is interesting and well written.
It is set in a mining community in Western Australia, and the way Charlotte Nash describes the environment made me feel like I was there. At times I was almost brushing the red dust off myself! Taking a look at how a mining operation works was interesting, and the idea of management perhaps cutting corners is not far fetched, as we have sometimes seen with mining disasters around the world.
Beth is at a crossroads in her life, she has shed the shackles of a man who just doesn't feel right for her, and she is wanting to do something meaningful in medicine but is not sure just what. She has escaped the clutches of a weird mother and taken on a temporary locum job at Iron Junction. I liked the way she cared for her patients, went the extra mile for them, and was willing to speak up when she thought things were unfair.
Will arrives at Iron Junction, somewhat reluctantly. He has been sent to help out and finds himself attracted to Beth. Yet he hangs back, there is something in his past that needs honesty and reconciliation. If he can face that perhaps he can find his way back to his family, to himself and to reach out to Beth.
If you like books set in Australia, with a little medical context, then I recommend this book. It is interesting and well written.
May 14, 2017
Another enjoyable read from an author who's become one of my favourites. While the story kept me eagerly turning pages - I particularly enjoyed the mining town settings in Western Australia - I felt the ending was a little rushed and less satisfying than those of her other books. That's just my opinion of course! And it certainly won't stop me from reading more from this great Aussie author. :)
April 9, 2014
Dr Beth Harding has made yet another decision that sets her apart from her family, one that she knows they’ll question, especially her mother. She feels the need to get away from it all, go somewhere where all of the pressure to fit in and expectations on her behaviour are gone. So she accepts a job as a locum at Iron Junction, a mining community in the Pilbara. It’s a long way from Manly in Sydney and that’s exactly what she wants.
The mine is growing rapidly and it seems that the added pressures on the workers to meet targets is leading to some injuries, some of which are worsening unnecessarily because the injured patients aren’t taking the time off required to rest and recuperate. Beth is concerned about what’s going on and the fact that she’s expected to just ignore these injuries and tell the workers that they are fine to return to duty. When she starts making noises and expressing her concerns about what’s happening, she finds herself shut down with threats of negative reports back to the agency that got her the job.
Will Walker was born and raised on a cattle farm but that wasn’t the life for him – he’s left that to his father and his brother and instead works on the mines as an engineer. Sent to Iron Junction, Will finds himself rescuing Beth when she gets a flat battery and from there the two fall into an easy friendship that Will would like to be more but Beth’s recent break up keeps him firmly in the friends camp…for now. The two spend plenty of time together and share some of their concerns about what is going on. For Will, Beth is an unexpected bonus in the FIFO life, someone who is much more than just a catch up fitted in between shifts. But Will is still haunted by something in his past, believing himself not worthy of a relationship with someone like Beth and the decisions he makes have far-reaching consequences as they separate and come together again in a dangerous storm. Can Will ever put the past behind him and move on? And will Beth accept him and everything that he has in his past and give happiness another chance?
Iron Junction is Charlotte Nash’s second novel and I didn’t realise until I began reading it that it was linked somewhat to her first novel, Ryder’s Ridge which I haven’t read. Our hero in this novel is the brother of the hero in Ryder’s Ridge and the characters get a mention occasionally and appear towards the end. However I think that this novel works well if you haven’t read Ryder’s Ridge although I will be tracking it down soon because I enjoyed this and think that I’ll like Ryder’s Ridge equally as much.
I’ve read a few books set in the Pilbara in the last couple of years and I find the setting fascinating. I was born on the east coast and I’ve never been to Perth, much less some of the more remote areas of WA and I find them so interesting to read about, especially the fabulous descriptions. This one is rife with depiction of the local area, seen through the eyes of both Beth, who is a budding photographer and Caitlin, a young Aboriginal girl who is also a photographer. Caitlin takes wonderful photos and Beth is learning to do so as well, using an old SLR camera that belonged to her father. I love taking photos myself (although am very much an amateur) so I enjoyed what extra that added to the story and Beth’s character.
I really appreciated the way Nash developed the romance between Will and Beth. Both characters have some issues stemming from their past – Beth from her upbringing, where she’s never quite fitted in and always been made to feel self-conscious and Will from an incident many years ago that may be coming back to haunt him here in the present. Because of her recent break-up, Beth wants to maintain a friendship with Will and so they are first, friends. And then when Beth decides to take the plunge and go to the next level, Will gets cold feet, still troubled by his past. It sets them back in a very realistic fashion and loved the natural progression of their relationship from beginning to end. I also loved Will’s ability to see Beth’s mother very clearly and the fact that he had her back 100%. I would’ve loved to see some action from Beth about her father after what she discovered late in the book but I do understand that making a decision like that would take some time. I’d also love to see a book about Daniella’s brother Captain Bell in the future. He’s only a very minor character in this one but I liked him and think he’d make a great focus for a future book.
Iron Junction is a very enjoyable rural romance with lots of other elements as well. The story revolving around the mine and the meeting and exceeding of productivity felt very relevant. I haven’t worked on mines obviously but I can imagine that at times, there is pressure to get things done, to keep productivity as high as possible, perhaps not to the level that is in this story but it made for a very good discussion point. I found the inclusion of Caitlin’s story a really interesting touch – actually I’d like to hope she might get her own story one day too!
The mine is growing rapidly and it seems that the added pressures on the workers to meet targets is leading to some injuries, some of which are worsening unnecessarily because the injured patients aren’t taking the time off required to rest and recuperate. Beth is concerned about what’s going on and the fact that she’s expected to just ignore these injuries and tell the workers that they are fine to return to duty. When she starts making noises and expressing her concerns about what’s happening, she finds herself shut down with threats of negative reports back to the agency that got her the job.
Will Walker was born and raised on a cattle farm but that wasn’t the life for him – he’s left that to his father and his brother and instead works on the mines as an engineer. Sent to Iron Junction, Will finds himself rescuing Beth when she gets a flat battery and from there the two fall into an easy friendship that Will would like to be more but Beth’s recent break up keeps him firmly in the friends camp…for now. The two spend plenty of time together and share some of their concerns about what is going on. For Will, Beth is an unexpected bonus in the FIFO life, someone who is much more than just a catch up fitted in between shifts. But Will is still haunted by something in his past, believing himself not worthy of a relationship with someone like Beth and the decisions he makes have far-reaching consequences as they separate and come together again in a dangerous storm. Can Will ever put the past behind him and move on? And will Beth accept him and everything that he has in his past and give happiness another chance?
Iron Junction is Charlotte Nash’s second novel and I didn’t realise until I began reading it that it was linked somewhat to her first novel, Ryder’s Ridge which I haven’t read. Our hero in this novel is the brother of the hero in Ryder’s Ridge and the characters get a mention occasionally and appear towards the end. However I think that this novel works well if you haven’t read Ryder’s Ridge although I will be tracking it down soon because I enjoyed this and think that I’ll like Ryder’s Ridge equally as much.
I’ve read a few books set in the Pilbara in the last couple of years and I find the setting fascinating. I was born on the east coast and I’ve never been to Perth, much less some of the more remote areas of WA and I find them so interesting to read about, especially the fabulous descriptions. This one is rife with depiction of the local area, seen through the eyes of both Beth, who is a budding photographer and Caitlin, a young Aboriginal girl who is also a photographer. Caitlin takes wonderful photos and Beth is learning to do so as well, using an old SLR camera that belonged to her father. I love taking photos myself (although am very much an amateur) so I enjoyed what extra that added to the story and Beth’s character.
I really appreciated the way Nash developed the romance between Will and Beth. Both characters have some issues stemming from their past – Beth from her upbringing, where she’s never quite fitted in and always been made to feel self-conscious and Will from an incident many years ago that may be coming back to haunt him here in the present. Because of her recent break-up, Beth wants to maintain a friendship with Will and so they are first, friends. And then when Beth decides to take the plunge and go to the next level, Will gets cold feet, still troubled by his past. It sets them back in a very realistic fashion and loved the natural progression of their relationship from beginning to end. I also loved Will’s ability to see Beth’s mother very clearly and the fact that he had her back 100%. I would’ve loved to see some action from Beth about her father after what she discovered late in the book but I do understand that making a decision like that would take some time. I’d also love to see a book about Daniella’s brother Captain Bell in the future. He’s only a very minor character in this one but I liked him and think he’d make a great focus for a future book.
Iron Junction is a very enjoyable rural romance with lots of other elements as well. The story revolving around the mine and the meeting and exceeding of productivity felt very relevant. I haven’t worked on mines obviously but I can imagine that at times, there is pressure to get things done, to keep productivity as high as possible, perhaps not to the level that is in this story but it made for a very good discussion point. I found the inclusion of Caitlin’s story a really interesting touch – actually I’d like to hope she might get her own story one day too!
March 23, 2014
Thank you to Hachette Australia for the eARC of this book.
Browsing on Net Galley one day, I was instantly captivated by the beauty of Iron Junction’s cover – the magnificence of the landscape meant it had to be Western Australia’s Pilbara region, right? So I clicked on the image, hoping that it would be a W.A. based story…and I was correct! (Being my home state, I am firmly of the [biased] opinion that we need more books set here). I was worried at first that this would be in a similar vein to other novels set around the mining industry (the Pilbara is home to many mines, predominantly iron ore) but my concerns were in vain. Iron Junction combines the beautiful W.A. setting with medicine, drama and intrigue – just the kind of thing I love to read.
The book opens as Beth reluctantly attends a party. She doesn’t want to be there – she’s split with her dependable-but-boring fiancé and is not looking forward to telling her family. She’s quit her job as a resident medical officer at a Sydney hospital to try Australia wide locums. Essentially, her life is in a state of flux created by herself to find some meaning. Beth’s first locum position takes her to Iron Junction, a mine town in the Pilbara. She’s there to look after the medical needs of the workers and the town’s residents. Plus, Beth’s a keen photographer, so she can capture some of the rugged beauty of the Pilbara on real film (none of this digital business for her). As she settles into life in Iron Junction, Beth starts to notice several injuries at the mine and a reluctance of the workers to stop working. The mine manager is unsettling. But Beth pushes this aside as she becomes friends with Caitlin, a fellow photographer with life threatening bronchiectasis and Will, a new mine worker. Things start to become heated in Iron Junction and action and drama abound in a race against time…
I enjoyed this book, not only because of the familiar setting, but because of the multi-layered plot. The romance doesn’t take centre stage, but complements the other parts of Beth’s life. The medical focus was interesting with the rotation of patients and affliction that Beth treats and I liked the inclusion of Caitlin and her respiratory problems as an ongoing plot thread. (There were a few liberties taken with Caitlin’s medical condition compared to what happens in real life, but they make for a much more entertaining and intense story, so I don’t mind!) Nash also captures the beauty of the Pilbara region in some detail, from Millstream and Karijini national parks to the coast during the wet (monsoonal) season. This book made me feel proud of the region and all it has to offer (even if some of it is a bit scary). The action is also fast, but not blindingly so.
I found Beth to be an easy character to relate to. She lacks confidence (she takes her medical textbooks away for Christmas to study!) and it’s pleasing to see her belief in herself growing as she becomes independent, away from her family. This is particularly evident during the dramatic finale, where Beth really comes into her own, orchestrating a life-saving operation. The fact that she’s not as confident in her love life with Will, taking one step forward and two steps back was sweet but not annoying. This is partially because Will is such a patient character with a heart of gold. (Those who have read Nash’s previous book, Ryders Ridge, will be interested to know that Will is the brother of Mark and there are some references to him and Daniella). He’s a sweet young man who shares a strong belief in ethical behaviour with Beth, which is one of the reasons why they make such a great team.
Iron Junction is a lovely novel, capturing the essence of the Pilbara and those working there under varied conditions. Well worth a read!
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Browsing on Net Galley one day, I was instantly captivated by the beauty of Iron Junction’s cover – the magnificence of the landscape meant it had to be Western Australia’s Pilbara region, right? So I clicked on the image, hoping that it would be a W.A. based story…and I was correct! (Being my home state, I am firmly of the [biased] opinion that we need more books set here). I was worried at first that this would be in a similar vein to other novels set around the mining industry (the Pilbara is home to many mines, predominantly iron ore) but my concerns were in vain. Iron Junction combines the beautiful W.A. setting with medicine, drama and intrigue – just the kind of thing I love to read.
The book opens as Beth reluctantly attends a party. She doesn’t want to be there – she’s split with her dependable-but-boring fiancé and is not looking forward to telling her family. She’s quit her job as a resident medical officer at a Sydney hospital to try Australia wide locums. Essentially, her life is in a state of flux created by herself to find some meaning. Beth’s first locum position takes her to Iron Junction, a mine town in the Pilbara. She’s there to look after the medical needs of the workers and the town’s residents. Plus, Beth’s a keen photographer, so she can capture some of the rugged beauty of the Pilbara on real film (none of this digital business for her). As she settles into life in Iron Junction, Beth starts to notice several injuries at the mine and a reluctance of the workers to stop working. The mine manager is unsettling. But Beth pushes this aside as she becomes friends with Caitlin, a fellow photographer with life threatening bronchiectasis and Will, a new mine worker. Things start to become heated in Iron Junction and action and drama abound in a race against time…
I enjoyed this book, not only because of the familiar setting, but because of the multi-layered plot. The romance doesn’t take centre stage, but complements the other parts of Beth’s life. The medical focus was interesting with the rotation of patients and affliction that Beth treats and I liked the inclusion of Caitlin and her respiratory problems as an ongoing plot thread. (There were a few liberties taken with Caitlin’s medical condition compared to what happens in real life, but they make for a much more entertaining and intense story, so I don’t mind!) Nash also captures the beauty of the Pilbara region in some detail, from Millstream and Karijini national parks to the coast during the wet (monsoonal) season. This book made me feel proud of the region and all it has to offer (even if some of it is a bit scary). The action is also fast, but not blindingly so.
I found Beth to be an easy character to relate to. She lacks confidence (she takes her medical textbooks away for Christmas to study!) and it’s pleasing to see her belief in herself growing as she becomes independent, away from her family. This is particularly evident during the dramatic finale, where Beth really comes into her own, orchestrating a life-saving operation. The fact that she’s not as confident in her love life with Will, taking one step forward and two steps back was sweet but not annoying. This is partially because Will is such a patient character with a heart of gold. (Those who have read Nash’s previous book, Ryders Ridge, will be interested to know that Will is the brother of Mark and there are some references to him and Daniella). He’s a sweet young man who shares a strong belief in ethical behaviour with Beth, which is one of the reasons why they make such a great team.
Iron Junction is a lovely novel, capturing the essence of the Pilbara and those working there under varied conditions. Well worth a read!
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
August 3, 2014
Title: Iron Junction
Author: Charlotte Nash
I received a copy of this book via Net Galley and have agreed to review this book in exchange for a free ARC.
Iron Junction is a rural romance novel by Charlotte Nash.
Doctor Beth Harding escapes from Sydney; away from her demanding family; away from a failed relationship; away from everything that has made a mess of her life. She escapes to Iron Junction, a small mining town in the Pilbara of Western Australia as a locum at the town's medical centre. After a few incidents involving miners and contractors, Beth begins to wonder whether she has made the right choice. That is, until she meets Will Walker.
Will is a FIFO (Fly In, Fly Out) engineer who sees Iron Junction as yet another stop in a long line of stops that is his working life. He is attracted to Beth but the budding romance is tempered by a past that has started to haunted his current life.
Beth and Will have to confront their pasts (and futures) if their relationship is to get past its first tentative steps...
A compelling story - along with some interesting sub-plots (primarily the young Aboriginal girl who Beth befriends) and stunning landscapes - that will satisfy those who love Australian stories with heart.
Paul
ARH
Author: Charlotte Nash
I received a copy of this book via Net Galley and have agreed to review this book in exchange for a free ARC.
Iron Junction is a rural romance novel by Charlotte Nash.
Doctor Beth Harding escapes from Sydney; away from her demanding family; away from a failed relationship; away from everything that has made a mess of her life. She escapes to Iron Junction, a small mining town in the Pilbara of Western Australia as a locum at the town's medical centre. After a few incidents involving miners and contractors, Beth begins to wonder whether she has made the right choice. That is, until she meets Will Walker.
Will is a FIFO (Fly In, Fly Out) engineer who sees Iron Junction as yet another stop in a long line of stops that is his working life. He is attracted to Beth but the budding romance is tempered by a past that has started to haunted his current life.
Beth and Will have to confront their pasts (and futures) if their relationship is to get past its first tentative steps...
A compelling story - along with some interesting sub-plots (primarily the young Aboriginal girl who Beth befriends) and stunning landscapes - that will satisfy those who love Australian stories with heart.
Paul
ARH
October 1, 2024
Desperate to get away from her family's expectations of success in love and in work, Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney behind and takes a locum job at Iron Junction – a mining town in the distant Pilbara. With the mine growing at a rapid pace, the town full of contractors and tensions running high, Beth is convinced she’s made a huge mistake until she meets Will, a man who shares her dreams and could make the difference between going home and staying on.
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
For Will Walker, being born into cattle farming was never the life he wanted. He’s traded a broad-brim for a hard hat and headed down the mines. Iron Junction seems like just another gig in the long road that’s taking him even further from home. But in the lonely fly-in, fly-out life, he never counted on meeting Beth ...
But when Beth and Will discover that the choices they make will have far-reaching consequences neither could ever have imagined, they have a decision to make. Will they be brave enough to risk loving each other despite everything that stands in their way?
December 21, 2017
A lovely story with an even better ending. A bit slow to start off, around half way through I was leaning towards 3*, however the book picks up momentum and has some really interesting things happen.
A lovely read for when you're home on holidays.
A lovely read for when you're home on holidays.
December 16, 2019
This is a really lovely and complex story with a bit of Christmas, a bit of personal/corporate irresponsibility and of course some romance. Obvious Beth gets the boy, but she gets herself as well. Plus there are cameos from other books (though technically this one came before them).
August 20, 2021
Lockdown reading purchased for surgery.
Life in the rugged mining town, living a FIFO lifestyle and finding love when you least expect it.
You can clearly visualise the remoteness and vast red spread.
Life in the rugged mining town, living a FIFO lifestyle and finding love when you least expect it.
You can clearly visualise the remoteness and vast red spread.
August 14, 2017
Western Australian base mining story. Karajini tourist place to visit. Strong characters with diverse circumstances n catching up with previous friends.
July 28, 2020
I loved this book. I could not put it down.
December 7, 2024
This book wasn't drawing me in. It was abit drawn out. I didn't read the whole thing.
May 2, 2014
Iron Junction is rural fiction author Charlotte Nash’s second novel, one that’s release was much anticipated by me. I loved Ryders Ridge and was happy to see the loose link to some of its characters in Iron Junction.
Again, the protagonist is a doctor, but the challenges are much different! Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney in a hurry to take up a temporary job in a Western Australian mining town called Iron Junction. She’s uncertain about her decision to leave her fiancé and break away from her family’s expectations but the chance to get away and try something new was too enticing. The position she takes on presents many challenges but is also quite rewarding for Beth who tries to find her feet in a town populated by contract miners.
When Will Walker saves the day after a car breakdown, Beth discovers that there’s even more to love about Iron Junction than just her job. They develop an easy, open and trusting friendship that occasionally crosses into new territory. However, Beth is pretty clear that she only wants to be friends as she’s still trying to sort through the mess she left behind in Sydney. Will develops strong feelings for Beth but he too is happy to not get into anything serious because he has some troubles from his past hanging over his head that he does want her getting caught up in.
Will and Beth are very likeable characters and I was completely engrossed in any scene they were together as Nash really has a way of creating a strong thread of intimacy between her characters without rushing the romance. I loved this aspect of the story as it made their connection so much more realistic and the resolution of the story was believable. I really loved the pace of Iron Junction, the slow build-up of Beth and Will’s friendship until a whirlwind of challenges and decisions to be made near the end of the novel. I devoured this novel in a couple of sittings and I continued to think about these characters when I wasn’t reading their story.
What I also liked about this story was how Nash resolved the problems between Beth and her family. Some dysfunctional families just don’t have that happily-ever-after where everyone gets along and has a close bond. For Beth, she discovered that she couldn’t change anyone else, but she could make a choice about whether she allowed others’ negativity to impact on her and whether she continued contact with people who didn’t really take the time to get to know the real her. Good on her for making a brave choice to break free and choose something different for herself.
The only reason I didn’t rate this novel a 5/5 was because I felt that Will’s big secret was a bit of a letdown and was resolved rather quickly. This meant that the conflict he experienced about his relationship with Beth wasn’t quite as believable as it could’ve been. I highly recommend both of Nash’s novels for anyone who enjoys rural fiction.
Again, the protagonist is a doctor, but the challenges are much different! Dr Beth Harding leaves Sydney in a hurry to take up a temporary job in a Western Australian mining town called Iron Junction. She’s uncertain about her decision to leave her fiancé and break away from her family’s expectations but the chance to get away and try something new was too enticing. The position she takes on presents many challenges but is also quite rewarding for Beth who tries to find her feet in a town populated by contract miners.
When Will Walker saves the day after a car breakdown, Beth discovers that there’s even more to love about Iron Junction than just her job. They develop an easy, open and trusting friendship that occasionally crosses into new territory. However, Beth is pretty clear that she only wants to be friends as she’s still trying to sort through the mess she left behind in Sydney. Will develops strong feelings for Beth but he too is happy to not get into anything serious because he has some troubles from his past hanging over his head that he does want her getting caught up in.
Will and Beth are very likeable characters and I was completely engrossed in any scene they were together as Nash really has a way of creating a strong thread of intimacy between her characters without rushing the romance. I loved this aspect of the story as it made their connection so much more realistic and the resolution of the story was believable. I really loved the pace of Iron Junction, the slow build-up of Beth and Will’s friendship until a whirlwind of challenges and decisions to be made near the end of the novel. I devoured this novel in a couple of sittings and I continued to think about these characters when I wasn’t reading their story.
What I also liked about this story was how Nash resolved the problems between Beth and her family. Some dysfunctional families just don’t have that happily-ever-after where everyone gets along and has a close bond. For Beth, she discovered that she couldn’t change anyone else, but she could make a choice about whether she allowed others’ negativity to impact on her and whether she continued contact with people who didn’t really take the time to get to know the real her. Good on her for making a brave choice to break free and choose something different for herself.
The only reason I didn’t rate this novel a 5/5 was because I felt that Will’s big secret was a bit of a letdown and was resolved rather quickly. This meant that the conflict he experienced about his relationship with Beth wasn’t quite as believable as it could’ve been. I highly recommend both of Nash’s novels for anyone who enjoys rural fiction.
May 17, 2014
I had the pleasure of attending a book signing showcasing Charlotte Nash and I have to say, what a beautifully down to earth amazing woman. Ms Nash is extremely talented and is such a busy lady, but still has time to visit with book lovers and share her stories. After meeting Ms Nash, I understood her book even more and realise how much knowledge this woman has; how she manages to use personal experiences to add heart and soul into her books. And of course I loved Iron Junction even without reading Ryders Ridge.
Dr Elizabeth Harding is on the run. Not telling her family that she left her fiancé and moved across the country, Beth is trying to discover what she truly wants in life. Beth has never really fit in with her younger sisters and with a Mother that doesn’t treat her with respect, she want be a disappointment.
Beth is a locum doctor out in the mining country of Western Australia. It is certainly a different environment for her, but she does love a challenge. Being a lover of photography, she headed out to find the picturesque outback. Too excited to realise what she did, Beth ended up with a flat battery in her vehicle and darkness creeping in. With the heat and the walking, Beth is quickly becoming dehydrated and heads for the highway.
Enter Will Walker, also a runaway, Will works around the mines as an engineer. Will is hiding a deep dark secret and cannot face his family either. He’s been transferred to Iron Junction and isn’t really that happy the change. Driving down the highway, he sees something moving along the side of the road in the dark. Will pulls over and finds it’s a woman.
Beth and Will are instantly attracted to each other, but reckon they are not good for each other. They fight their attraction, but without knowing anybody else in town tend to drift towards each other.
Something seems to be going on at the mine, there are more casualties than usual and the morale isn’t great either. Will keeps getting his questions knocked back, can he discover what is going on?
The more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows, but with their own secrets, it’s hard to give in to temptation. Beth’s contract is coming to a close, will she find another locum position or is it time to face her family and tell the truth?
What will happen with Will? Will he discover what is going on at the mine? What are their secrets that’s holding them back? Can they ever get it together and start a relationship?
With emergencies, natural disasters and secrets, Iron Junction has everything for a breath-taking romance. Intrigue, mystery, betrayal, following your heart and dreams and enjoying life is contained within this fantastic Australian outback rural romance. I highly recommend this fabulous author and cannot wait to read Ryders Ridge and find out what’s next.
Dr Elizabeth Harding is on the run. Not telling her family that she left her fiancé and moved across the country, Beth is trying to discover what she truly wants in life. Beth has never really fit in with her younger sisters and with a Mother that doesn’t treat her with respect, she want be a disappointment.
Beth is a locum doctor out in the mining country of Western Australia. It is certainly a different environment for her, but she does love a challenge. Being a lover of photography, she headed out to find the picturesque outback. Too excited to realise what she did, Beth ended up with a flat battery in her vehicle and darkness creeping in. With the heat and the walking, Beth is quickly becoming dehydrated and heads for the highway.
Enter Will Walker, also a runaway, Will works around the mines as an engineer. Will is hiding a deep dark secret and cannot face his family either. He’s been transferred to Iron Junction and isn’t really that happy the change. Driving down the highway, he sees something moving along the side of the road in the dark. Will pulls over and finds it’s a woman.
Beth and Will are instantly attracted to each other, but reckon they are not good for each other. They fight their attraction, but without knowing anybody else in town tend to drift towards each other.
Something seems to be going on at the mine, there are more casualties than usual and the morale isn’t great either. Will keeps getting his questions knocked back, can he discover what is going on?
The more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows, but with their own secrets, it’s hard to give in to temptation. Beth’s contract is coming to a close, will she find another locum position or is it time to face her family and tell the truth?
What will happen with Will? Will he discover what is going on at the mine? What are their secrets that’s holding them back? Can they ever get it together and start a relationship?
With emergencies, natural disasters and secrets, Iron Junction has everything for a breath-taking romance. Intrigue, mystery, betrayal, following your heart and dreams and enjoying life is contained within this fantastic Australian outback rural romance. I highly recommend this fabulous author and cannot wait to read Ryders Ridge and find out what’s next.
September 27, 2014
Iron Junction is a place of escape for Doctor Beth Harding, fleeing the hustle and bustle of city life in Sydney to the remote small mining town in the Pilbara. Beth agrees to take on a locum position as a Doctor in the town of Iron Junction. While escaping both family drama and a failed engagement in Sydney, in Iron Junction, Beth finds her job challenging and satisfying. Beth’s life changes again when a farmer turned mining engineer Will Walker steps into her life, saving her when her car breaks down. However, both have secrets and pasts that they need to resolve before fully committing to one another. Their relationship develops under the subplots of tensions arising at the fast growing mine site, medical emergencies and a natural disaster.
Iron Junction is the second book I have read by contemporary Australian rural fiction Author Charlotte Nash. This book loosely follows on from Nash’s debut book Ryder’s Ridge, which is also focussed on a female Doctor in rural Australia as the main protagonist. What I enjoyed from reading Iron Junction was the great blend of rural romance, medical and mining storylines. Equally engaging was the spectacular backdrop of the Pilbara and the inclusions of the ‘swing’ down times the characters spend in Perth, my home town. The romance element in this book was slow building but had enough intrigue to keep the reader invested in the book. The plot was paced well and most readable was the sections about the tensions at the mine between the workers, contactors and managers which Beth, the main character, manages to get herself involved in. There is also a medical storyline involving Caitlyn, an Aboriginal worker who has lung disease, which I found heartening. Iron Junction is a novel that is a great addition to the bookshelves for those who enjoy a rural romance with a good blend of drama set against the landscape of the Pilbara region.
Iron Junction is the second book I have read by contemporary Australian rural fiction Author Charlotte Nash. This book loosely follows on from Nash’s debut book Ryder’s Ridge, which is also focussed on a female Doctor in rural Australia as the main protagonist. What I enjoyed from reading Iron Junction was the great blend of rural romance, medical and mining storylines. Equally engaging was the spectacular backdrop of the Pilbara and the inclusions of the ‘swing’ down times the characters spend in Perth, my home town. The romance element in this book was slow building but had enough intrigue to keep the reader invested in the book. The plot was paced well and most readable was the sections about the tensions at the mine between the workers, contactors and managers which Beth, the main character, manages to get herself involved in. There is also a medical storyline involving Caitlyn, an Aboriginal worker who has lung disease, which I found heartening. Iron Junction is a novel that is a great addition to the bookshelves for those who enjoy a rural romance with a good blend of drama set against the landscape of the Pilbara region.
September 12, 2016
This was an enjoyable book. I liked the insight into the mining community in Western Australia, and the challenges the communities face.
September 5, 2014
DISCLOSURE: A friend of mine who knows the author recommended this novel and was looking for people to help review the novel honestly.
My Review
This story belongs to the romance genre but has a contemporary twist to it. The narrative has more depth than a lot of rural romances because it deals with the individual emotional development of key characters. The subplot - an exploration of the limitations of regional medicine - also adds an interesting dimension to the story telling. The setting is vividly created with deft description. The characters are interesting although conforming to the romance genre and the language is what you'd expect from this genre.
While romance is not my preferred genre, I can appreciate the merits in this novel.
My Review
This story belongs to the romance genre but has a contemporary twist to it. The narrative has more depth than a lot of rural romances because it deals with the individual emotional development of key characters. The subplot - an exploration of the limitations of regional medicine - also adds an interesting dimension to the story telling. The setting is vividly created with deft description. The characters are interesting although conforming to the romance genre and the language is what you'd expect from this genre.
While romance is not my preferred genre, I can appreciate the merits in this novel.
November 11, 2014
Really enjoyed this book and learning more about why Will was estranged from his father and returning back home. Loved the building friendship between him and Beth, and learning what it's like to work as a doctor and a miner and engineer in the mining area of the Pilbara. It was nice to see how the community could work together. How much of a cow was Beth's mum though...and her sister wasn't much better either. I would like to have seen Beth stand up to her family more and maybe even find her father. It was also nice to see Mark and Daniella's characters mentioned in this book too.
April 7, 2014
Really enjoying the story though I have a feeling I have been here before! Maybe it is because I have read stories relating to the mining industry before...or maybe it is because I have lived and /or worked pretty close to mine sites and all that goes with them. Whatever, it is all very familiar! Will and Beth are interesting people and I look forward to seeing how it all works out for them.
I have given this story a 4 because it lost me a little bit in the characters. Enjoyable though.
I have given this story a 4 because it lost me a little bit in the characters. Enjoyable though.
September 5, 2014
Having read a few disturbing novels, I turned to 'Iron Junction' for the safe assurance that comes when you pick a rural romance set in the Australian outback. While the novel conforms to the genre with predictability, I did like the subplot about life in the Pilbara and landscape in which the story is set.
I enjoyed the novel but overall it lacked substance for me. More a dessert than a meal. I gave it 4 stars in reaction to other reads and because I like good deserts at times.
I enjoyed the novel but overall it lacked substance for me. More a dessert than a meal. I gave it 4 stars in reaction to other reads and because I like good deserts at times.
May 19, 2014
Rural romance? Chick Lit? not sure what you call it when it has a mining background, but it provides a really interesting background to a romantic story of two people putting their pasts behind them and starting afresh. Enjoyable reading.
March 18, 2016
It was a great read. It is the first Charlotte Nash book I have read and have enjoyed it. It had great story line good strong characters in it and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading rural romances. ☺
June 7, 2016
361 pages Beth a doctor finding herself, she is unhappy with her life. So she goes on a journey to find herself before she marries Richard and settles - that's what she doesn't want - to just settle. Great story about a mining town and the community.
February 15, 2016
A nice story.
May 25, 2014
FIFO language is a bit wrong, we call the breaks between swings RNR. Liked the book.
August 17, 2015
another great story...
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