What do you think?
Rate this book
A Summer Down Under
From the best-selling young-adult author of The Custodian novels, Alison Pensy releases her debut romance under the pen name Adrianna Blakeley. Please note - this is not a young-adult novel.
Sam, a clumsy, self-conscious young woman, sets off on a journey backpacking around Australia. Some would say she was "running away". Sam would tell you she wanted to "find" herself. Whatever the reason for her travels, the very last thing she wants to "find" is love, especially after her only other disastrous experience with it.
When money runs low, Sam finds a job working as a Jillaroo (Aussie cowgirl) on a sheep station in the Australian outback. Little does she know that the station owner's son just happens to be the gorgeous guy she sat next to on the plane over from England. The very same guy who tried to sweep her off her feet during her stopover in Bali.
If that wasn't enough to deal with, she has her suspicions that the sheep have launched a secret vendetta against her. Not to mention the spiders, the snakes, and the shearers.... Oh my!
A heart-warming romantic comedy that will have you wondering if this is what would have happened if Bridget Jones had met The Man from Snowy River instead.
Sam, a clumsy, self-conscious young woman, sets off on a journey backpacking around Australia. Some would say she was "running away". Sam would tell you she wanted to "find" herself. Whatever the reason for her travels, the very last thing she wants to "find" is love, especially after her only other disastrous experience with it.
When money runs low, Sam finds a job working as a Jillaroo (Aussie cowgirl) on a sheep station in the Australian outback. Little does she know that the station owner's son just happens to be the gorgeous guy she sat next to on the plane over from England. The very same guy who tried to sweep her off her feet during her stopover in Bali.
If that wasn't enough to deal with, she has her suspicions that the sheep have launched a secret vendetta against her. Not to mention the spiders, the snakes, and the shearers.... Oh my!
A heart-warming romantic comedy that will have you wondering if this is what would have happened if Bridget Jones had met The Man from Snowy River instead.
Audible Audio
First published August 27, 2012
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 30, 2014
This was a well written, well plotted novel that kept my attention throughout. Blakely combined the adventure of travelling with the darkness of a haunted past in a truly remarkable way. She makes coming of age and stepping out on your own both approachable and exciting. The descriptions paint this world in a beautifully realistic manner. I really felt like I’d been on this adventure alongside the characters. And I never felt rushed. Lots of time passes during this novel. The author does a very good job with it. She doesn’t gloss over things and you also don’t feel like you’re being bogged down by irrelevant, minute details.
Blakely has developed some enjoyable characters that I truly enjoyed getting to know. I really enjoyed the strength of character portrayed by the heroine in this novel. I couldn`t stop laughing at some of the situations Sam found herself in. If it could go wrong, it did go wrong for her. She was such a loveably clumsy individual that I couldn’t help but enjoy getting to know her. There were a few times where her reactions to certain events would have been easier to understand if we`d found out her entire history sometime in the 1st ¾ of the story. I understand why the characters didn’t find out until then, but a hint to the reader in the narrative would have been helpful. Once we find out the full story, a great deal of things make much more sense. Blakely has surrounded her heroine with some truly amazing & understanding individuals to create a one of a kind, culturally diverse cast. I loved the fact that ‘the Canadian’ that Sam encounters in your journey is the sweetest, most helpful travel buddy. This made me laugh every time it came up.
This was an unbelievable adventure. It was an emotional story about learning to trust (and love) again that I’d recommend to NA fans of all ages.
Blakely has developed some enjoyable characters that I truly enjoyed getting to know. I really enjoyed the strength of character portrayed by the heroine in this novel. I couldn`t stop laughing at some of the situations Sam found herself in. If it could go wrong, it did go wrong for her. She was such a loveably clumsy individual that I couldn’t help but enjoy getting to know her. There were a few times where her reactions to certain events would have been easier to understand if we`d found out her entire history sometime in the 1st ¾ of the story. I understand why the characters didn’t find out until then, but a hint to the reader in the narrative would have been helpful. Once we find out the full story, a great deal of things make much more sense. Blakely has surrounded her heroine with some truly amazing & understanding individuals to create a one of a kind, culturally diverse cast. I loved the fact that ‘the Canadian’ that Sam encounters in your journey is the sweetest, most helpful travel buddy. This made me laugh every time it came up.
This was an unbelievable adventure. It was an emotional story about learning to trust (and love) again that I’d recommend to NA fans of all ages.
Read
November 5, 2023Kindle
August 25, 2015
I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down. The story was great, the characters were well developed and likeable and, as always, the writing was great. The only thing I noticed was that Sam examined her feelings a bit too much in the first few chapters for my liking but I can see why that was included in the book. After the first few chapters it was not obvious and it didn't distract me from the story. One of the things I loved about the book was that it had me laughing out loud in places, something that does not happen very often! A great romance book from one of my favourite authors.
Note - I received a free promotional copy of this book but the views above are entirely my own and I was not asked to write a review - I did so because I enjoyed the book so much.
Note - I received a free promotional copy of this book but the views above are entirely my own and I was not asked to write a review - I did so because I enjoyed the book so much.
December 6, 2013
Such a sweet and enjoyable read! Loved how this author explores a setting unfamiliar to me (a sheep station in Australia) as she plops her young and inexperienced heroine in the thick of it. Her character, Sam (short for Samantha) is a mixture of clumsiness and fire as she bumbles about in unfamiliar territory but isn't afraid to fight for the right causes. The romance that blossoms between her and our hero is sweet, sensual, and completely realistic. I was so shocked by but relieved with the ending! The book kept me guessing until the very end!
August 30, 2014
Nothing exceptional. The ending was kind of abrupt, like the author had a deadline and just had to get it done. Daniel was patient and kind to Sam but was almost too good to be true. Sam didn't do much for me at all. There was nothing specific about her; maybe she was too blah. The story was mostly about day to day living in the Outback.
Sam's painful past was revealed too late in the story. Too much alluding to her problem with men made her more annoying than anything else until you hear her story. I liked reading about the Outback and the ins and outs of sheep ranching.
Sam's painful past was revealed too late in the story. Too much alluding to her problem with men made her more annoying than anything else until you hear her story. I liked reading about the Outback and the ins and outs of sheep ranching.
August 16, 2013
loved the scenery and the description of the life in a sheep farm. I also really loved Sam, the heroine - the evolves during the book (except it took too long). Daniel is the perfect guy, any girl dream - that the author noted is a blue eyed Mr. Darcy.
I didn't like the ending. It was too forced, and not that romantic. I loved the twist, but the proposal was not that romantic - and didn't did that shiver I get when I'm finished a good romantic story.
I didn't like the ending. It was too forced, and not that romantic. I loved the twist, but the proposal was not that romantic - and didn't did that shiver I get when I'm finished a good romantic story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews