Rose River

by Margareta Osborn

Adapted from Margareta Osborn's bestselling ebook novella A Bush Christmas, Rose River is a gloriously funny romantic comedy set in the beautiful Australian outback.

Take one city girl - and drop her into the back of beyond...

Housesitting in rural Burdekin's Gap, high up in the East Gippsland Mountains, is not an obvious career move for a PR executive like Jaime Hanrahan. But, hey, retrenchment is a kicker. Plus she's determined not to spend Christmas in Melbourne with her friends, who still have company cars and six-figure salaries, or with her mother, Blanche, who has remarried too soon after her father's death.

However, it turns out that Burdekin's Gap is a little more remote than Jaime had anticipated, the house is in the middle of a cattle station, and the handsome manager, Stirling McEvoy, doesn't appreciate a new farmhand in Jimmy Choos and Sass & Bide cut-offs.

Soon Jaime is fending off stampeding cows, town ladies wielding clipboards, sheep that think they are goats, nude sportsmen and one very neurotic cat. So why does she feel like she's falling in love . . . with the life, with the breathtaking landscape, and with one infuriating cowboy?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Australia

400 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2015

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the chance came up to house sit in the country, Jamie Hanrahan thought it was a good chance for her to get away. Having recently been retrenched from her job in Melbourne the timing for this housesitting couldn't have come at a better time, especially with the Christmas season just around the corner.

The manager of the house Jamie was house sitting for Stirling McEvoy was good looking, but as far as Jamie was concerned that's about all he had going for him. Jamie found him to be rather irritating and trying at times. All Jamie wanted was to get some peace and quiet and do the task she was meant to do, but as the days passed, she was finding it hard to achieve the peace and quiet especially when some of her family arrives. It seems having a quiet Christmas was now getting to be out of the question.

Rose River by Aussie author Margareta Osborn was a really enjoyable read. If you like reading rural romance then you'll enjoy this book. Recommended.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jaime Hanrahan had arrived in rural Burdekin's Gap for a stint of housesitting over the Christmas period. She had recently been retrenched from her executive position in Melbourne; her mother had remarried and she didn’t want to celebrate Christmas with her friends in the city. So the opportunity to housesit in the country appealed to her – no one she knew around her, and all on her own in the house; she was sure she would enjoy her time there much more than in Melbourne which would be filled with heartbreaking memories…

Stirling McEvoy was the manager of the house she was looking after - he was a handsome man, young and quite delicious to look at - but Jaime found his temper and manner frustrating. After all, she was here to help – why was he so annoyed with her? And though her attraction to the taciturn stranger annoyed her, she was determined to accomplish what she had come for – peace and quiet over the festive season.

But life wasn’t meant to be easy, and it certainly proved that way for Jaime. With the arrival of her mother, step-father and cousin (so she wouldn’t be alone at Christmas) and the friendly curiosity of the folks of Burdekin’s Gap, she found herself the centre of attention – not what she wanted at all! Would Jaime have the quiet time she so desperately wanted over Christmas? Would she be able to grieve her father as she wanted? The magnificent views over Rose River and the inhabitants of Burdekin’s Gap seemed to be getting under her skin…

I was aware the author had adapted Rose River from the novella, A Bush Christmas, but I assumed it would pretty much follow on from where A Bush Christmas finished. I was disappointed to find the first third of this book is an almost exact duplication of the novella. Consequently I skimmed until I found where A Bush Christmas had ended, then continued reading. But having said that, I DID enjoy the rest of Jaime’s story; as well as the beauty of the Australian bush and the friendliness of the country people, which of course is very Australian. Recommended to lovers of rural romance.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Margareta's first book on audio so I was keen to have a listen. I found the whole book very entertaining - a rural romantic comedy! Jamie is retrenched from her city job and escapes to the country to take up a house-sitting position in a country town. The characters she meets are very warm and downright hilarious at times. Her "landlord" is a guy called Stirling McEvoy and although they do not see eye to eye in the beginning they eventually become friends and he helps Jamie adjust to country life. She is estranged from her mother who has remarried after the death of her husband too, but eventually Blanche and her new husband Dave visit and help Jamie around the house. The scene with the goat, kid and sheep is almost slapstick hilarious - and I was laughing out loud at times. Margareta obviously writes with much experience of country life, and I was enamored by the descriptions of the town coming together to celebrate Christmas and a country fair, the whole town pitching in to help, something that is sadly lacking today in city life. The narrator was also good and her change of voice for the characters was very cleverly done. I look forward to catching up on Margareta's other books in due course.

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

This was good and just the light read I wanted. As someone who wants to escape to the country and have some land myself, this was like reading my dream. However, the whole jealousy part of the novel really let down the story line. The last 100 pages should have focused on the love, tension, romance and moments Stirling and Jamie spent together rather than seperate! I wanted some more spicy romance scenes🥲

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose River is a lighthearted contemporary rural romance from Margareta Osborn, expanded from her 2012 novella, A Bush Christmas.

Jamie Hanrahan can't see any reason to celebrate Christmas, a year ago her beloved father suddenly passed away and now she has been unceremoniously retrenched from her high-paying executive PR job. Eager to escape the festive season in Melbourne, Jamie impulsively accepts an offer to housesit in Burdekin's Gap, high up in the East Gippsland Mountains. Jamie is looking forward to peace and quiet, but then Polly Plains House manager, Stirling McEvoy roars into her life on his gleaming Yamaha and suddenly Jamie may be able to find a few reasons to celebrate the season after all.

It took me a little while to warm up to Jamie but she surprised me when she willingly helped Stirling draft cattle, despite being clueless, and quickly, if a touch reluctantly, involved herself in the Burdekin's Gap community. Emotionally Jamie is a bit of a mess, still grieving for her father and angry at her mother for her quick remarriage, but Burdekin's Gap, and the friends she makes, reveals a strength she never knew she had.

Stirling isn't terribly happy to make Jamie's acquaintance, he had been expecting a housesitter who could help around the station, not a Sass and Bide, Jimmy Choo wearing city slicker 'Princess'. I liked Stirling, whom Jamie nicknames 'Marble Man' due in part to his impressive physique, though I felt there were some inconsistencies in what I expected of his character in the second half of the novel, after his ex girlfriend shows up.

Complications between Stirling and Jamie arise in the form of Stirling's bitchy ex-girlfriend, Tiffany, who is reluctant to let go, and Jamie's stepfather's nephew, Marty, who seems determined to win Jamie's affection despite her oft repeated disinterest. With their relationship so new and undefined, neither Stirling nor Jamie are willing to declare themselves and misunderstandings abound.

I really enjoyed Osborn's portrayal of the Burdekin's Gap community, from Stirling's immediate family to pub owners Bluey and Jean, and the fundraising events, including Buck (naked) Cricket, and Cow (poo) Lotto, that unites the residents. The setting is also wonderfully drawn from the town itself, to the surrounding country landscape.

Those that read A Bush Christmas should enjoy the continuation of Jamie and Stirling's romance, though it should be noted that novella is reproduced almost verbatim within the story. I found Rose River to be a straight forward, high spirited romance, that should appeal to fans of the genre.

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Take one city girl - and drop her into the back of beyond ...Housesitting in rural Burdekin's Gap, high up in the East Gippsland mountains, is not an obvious career move for a PR executive like Jaime Hanrahan. But, hey, retrenchment is a kicker. Plus she's determined not to spend Christmas in Melbourne with her friends, who still have company cars and six-figure salaries, or with her mother, Blanche, who has remarried too soon after her father's death.However, it turns out that Burdekin's Gap is a little more remote than Jaime had anticipated, the house is in the middle of a cattle station, and the handsome manager, Stirling McEvoy, doesn't appreciate a new farmhand in Jimmy Choos and Sass & Bide cut-offs. Soon Jaime is fending off stampeding cows, town ladies wielding clipboards, sheep who think they are goats, nude sportsmen and one very neurotic cat. So why does she feel like she's falling in love . . . with the life, with the breathtaking landscape, and with one infuriating cowboy...

*3.5 stars*

This novel is based off her novella, A Bush Christmas.

This was a very good story, populated with interesting characters in an interesting location. Jaime finds that life in rural Australia is not quite what she expected - the isolation can be intimidating. Then she meets Stirling and the whole story turns on its head and becomes more of a romance story. Which is fine. But I really did like watching Jaime trying to adapt to her location - stampeding cows are not something that should be tackled in expensive shoes...

What annoyed me somewhat is the fact that the novella this story is based on is pretty much included word for word. About 1/3 of the book I had already read. There was no warning that this was the case. I would have been even more annoyed if I had paid $20 for it to discover this...

A great story that could have come with a warning...


Paul
ARH

[Bree T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Often I like to know something about a book before I dive in but it’s not always the case. Sometimes I don’t need to know because the author is someone I trust to always give me a good story. Sometimes I’m just lazy and don’t read the blurb before reading. I kind of wish I did for this one.

I didn’t realise this was going to be about Jaime Hanrahan and Stirling McEvoy, the couple of Osborn’s novella A Bush Christmas a few years ago until I read the author note at the beginning of the book. Given that was quite short, I figured it might pick up from where that left off, giving us more of a glimpse into their future. But nope, the first 30-ish % of this book is simply the novella, which I have already read. Granted it was a couple years ago so not everything stuck in my mind but I remembered more than enough to make the re-read a bit unnecessary. I really loved the novella though so I persevered to get to the point where the novella had ended and the new part of this story would begin.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love where the story went. It introduced one of my new pet hates: the Clueless or Deliberately Ignorant Man. The Clueless or Deliberately Ignorant Man is generally a nice sort of bloke, perhaps a country boy who has been hurt in the past by a particularly nasty ex. He’s just beginning to move on when all of a sudden, nasty ex rolls back into town and wants him back! Nasty ex is nasty but the Clueless or Deliberately Ignorant Man either cannot or will not see it. He stands around passively unable to hear or act while the nasty ex makes disparaging remarks, acts cattily or pashes him in front of the entire town. He doesn’t do anything when the nasty ex is savage about the girl he has feelings for, leading that girl to believe that yep, he really will be getting back with his ex. The Clueless or Deliberately Ignorant Man has already experienced the nasty ex in all of her nastiness however cannot seem to extricate himself from her clutches or speak up to set the record straight or defend those which the nasty ex is basically being a grade A bitch to. And although Stirling, a character I loved in A Bush Christmas/the beginning of this book is such a decent guy, he really does turn into a bit of a dill in the second half of this story. I feel as though Stirling’s reasoning for spending so much time with his ex-girlfriend is pretty flimsy and also a bit out of character. He seemed a pretty no-nonsense sort of guy and although he is misled about Jaime’s connection to someone else, that sort of retaliatory behaviour seems a bit childish and hurtful. Because he really does hurt Jaime’s feelings and so often they could’ve just sat down and set the record straight but were both too stubborn.

My favourite part of this story was city girl Jaime learning to adapt to life in the bush. She worked in the heart of Melbourne, was connected to her iPad and iPhone, enjoyed eating out and shopping. When she came to house sit at the farm she was pretty much down and out. Stirling thought he was getting a stockhand named Jamie, and Jaime thought she was getting some time out. However she really does throw herself into learning as much about life on the land as she can. She makes mistakes – plenty of them. And she occasionally gets herself into embarrassing situations. But she learns and she soldiers on and she comes to realise how beautiful it is where she is and how much she’s actually enjoying being there, that it’s becoming home for her. It’s a steep curve at times – like the time Stirling takes her to shoot rabbits and she bawls because she thinks he’s doing it for fun. She does totally misjudge him and has to learn that things are much different out in the country. Rabbits are vermin who destroy the land. I do like the way Stirling and Jaime get to know each other and their chemistry was always pretty good. Even after Stirling’s ex rolls into town. Jaime lightens Stirling up – he has a tendency to be a little stern, hence Jaime calling him ‘Marble Man’ behind his back. And he calls her Princess, which I actually thought was kind of cute.

I don’t know how many people are like me and already read the novella two years ago but I think it might’ve been better if this book had picked up after it left off and guided the reader through the challenges Stirling and Jaime faced in a new relationship coming from different backgrounds and lives. The introduction of Stirling’s ex might’ve been a bit more interesting if he and Jaime were already an established couple, not still floundering around with how to move forward and where they both stood with each other.

[Sam Still Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mountain Ash by Margareta Osborn was a standout read for me in 2014, so of course I was eager to pounce on her latest release, Rose River as soon as I could lay my hands on it. For those of you who have read her novella A Bush Christmas, you will be delighted to see familiar faces in this novel as it takes the beginning of that story and turns it into what is a wickedly funny and tender novel. While Mountain Ash was all about the drama, Rose River is more light-hearted and proves that Margareta can nail a fish out of water story.

The story opens with Jaime deciding to do a spot of housesitting in the high country. Having recently lost her job, she can no longer afford the luxuries that were once common place, like a flashy apartment on the river and Jimmy Choo shoes. It’s a wild thing to do, but getting out of the city is a priority for her. This will be a perfect place to escape Christmas, which is a difficult time for Jaime after the death of her father. No way will she be spending it with her mother and her new husband. Everything was going so well until the appearance of Marble Man. (His real name is Stirling, but Marble Man describes this man so well). Jaime never expected to find a man in the back of beyond, but will Stirling help to heal the pain of missing her father? He’s a gruff man originally, but the two turn into friends with the possibility of something more until Jaime’s most ardent fan Marty turns up along with Stirling’s ex, Tiffany. It’s a comedy of errors as the wayward lovers try to explain their feelings but are thwarted at every attempt in the tiny community.

I loved Rose River. The only thing I didn’t was that it took me from Perth to Melbourne to Canberra and back to Melbourne to finish it! It’s the type of story that makes you think, ‘just one more chapter…or two’ but I read this on the way to the Australian Romance Readers Convention and I simply ran out of time and energy in between things to finish it in a big greedy lump! The bonus was that I did get to meet Margareta, and tell her in person how wonderful her stories are. Plus I got my copy of Rose River signed – thanks Margareta! (And thank you for the cattle tag and bookmark).

What really amazed me about Rose River was how funny it was, taking Jaime’s fish out of water status in the country and having her fall into nearly every trap possible. There’s an incredible scene that involves a goat and dogs in a kitchen with a load of groceries that made me laugh and laugh as poor old Jaime had to try and herd the animals outside. It wasn’t funny to Jaime, but it was hilarious for the reader. The community events also accurately represented the larrikin behaviour that can occur (like trying to talk Jaime into a game of cricket while conveniently neglecting to tell her it’s nude cricket). There’s the committee of women who try to endlessly organise everything (leading to a mishap for Jaime with a sponge until Stirling saves the day) and there’s the good hearted folk who welcome newcomer Jaime.

At first I thought Jaime was a little immature, but she really grew on me during the course of the novel. She grew up too, learning to stand up to various people (such as Marty, who just won’t believe that Jaime isn’t his perfect match) and learning to be part of community rather than acting in the best interests of the individual. But I think it was her determination in the end to let Stirling know how she felt that really captivated me. The finale is perfectly wonderful. As for Stirling – well, at first I thought he would be the silent, brooding type but as he opened up to Jaime I could see that there was much more to him. His warmth and generosity shone through as Jaime got to know him and I was determined that Tiffany was not going to walk away with him! I loved Stirling’s family too, as they were quirky but were still a close, loving family. Tiffany, as Jaime’s rival, was hideous enough to make me hope she’d just disappear and Marty was like a really annoying little brother (I did admire his determination to win Jaime, but not the method). You can tell that the characters in Rose River really captured my heart – as we’ve been cross country together, I feel like they’re old friends.

This is a wonderful story, full of warmth and humour that celebrates all that is good about rural communities. I loved it.

Thanks to Random House for the eARC - I ended up buying my own copy of this as a paperback to add to my shelves.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime Hanrahan, high-falutin’ designer label queen and ex-PR executive finds herself in some memorable and laugh-out-loud moments after she decides to take on a house-sitting job in Burdekin’s Gap – rather that than spend Christmas with her gainfully employed friends whilst still trying to come to terms with the death of her father.

Only problem is, she didn’t realise how remote it would turn out to be!

When Stirling McEvoy discovers that Jaime is in fact the new farmhand, he is not impressed. This, of course, all begins to change when Jaime shows persistence and determination, even venturing to participate (sometimes not through any choice of her own) in the community’s activities.

However, as is usual in these stories, nothing is smooth sailing and these two characters soon find themselves having to overcome a number of hurdles before they get their happily ever after, including the re-appearance of Tiffany, Stirling’s awful ex-girlfriend and Marty, Jaime’s step-father’s nephew who just doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer.

This novel was, for me, somewhat of a comedy of errors as Jaime finds herself in some humorous (and embarrassing) situations including being almost over-run when helping Stirling with the cattle, finding herself taking part in some nude cricket, being bucked right off a horse and trying to trick the goats (and the sheep who thinks it’s a goat) as well as the dogs out of the kitchen after they display some “naughty” behavior.

Even though I would have loved Margareta Osborn to included Stirling’s viewpoint, which would have just rounded him off that much more, this is a fresh, upbeat and light-hearted romance from our very own Voice of the Bush which I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose River is a lovely rural romance by Margareta Osborn. After losing her job, Jaime Hanrahan decided to housesit in rural Burdekin's Gap in East Gippsland over the Christmas period. However, Jaime Hanrahan did not anticipate the remoteness of the cattle station and the dislike of the manager Stirling McEvoy. For Jaime Hanrahan, the encounter of Stirling McEvoy will change her life forever. The readers of Rose River will continue to follow Stirling McEvoy and Jaime Hanrahan to find out what happens.

I do enjoy reading books by Margareta Osborn, and Rose River did not disappoint. Rose River is an enjoyable book to read by Margareta Osborn. I had no problem engaging in the story of Rose River. Rose River is well written and researched by Margareta Osborn. I love the way Margareta Osborn portrayed her characters and how they intertwine throughout this book. I like Margareta Osborn description of the settings that allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

The readers of Rose River will learn about the role of PR executives in a company. Also, the readers will understand not necessary to label people in a region we can all change.

I recommend this book.

[Aquilla Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margareta Osborn's 'Rose River' was an absolute delight to read! This love story is loaded with humour and true old country charm!

Jaime is from the city and knows nothing about farm life, but after getting retrenched from her Melbourne city job, she lands up in Burdekin's Gap just in time for Christmas. Jaime lost her father the year before at Christmas and feels his loss terribly. She wants nothing to do with the festive season and it just reminds her of father, yet the town of Burdekin's Gap celebrate in good rural style.

Stirling on his V-max motorbike has to run his cattle station and thinking Jaime is a he, he is quickly reminded that she is definitely no he! And, it becomes quite evidently that the she has no farmhand experience....

Jaime sees through Stirling's Marble Man persona and falls for him just as an old flame of his returns to spoil Jaime's new found love.

A series of events leads to one disaster after another making Jaime doubt herself, but can you ever argue with love when it turns a 'city chick' into a 'country lover'?

[Ebony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read plenty of what I call ‘trash’ these days. What I mean by this is that it’s not highbrow literature, in fact it’s probably what most people would throw back into the bargain bin at the bookstore, but some books like this have a gift – the gift of an escape from reality.

On the trash/escape scale, this one was probably an 8.5 out of 10. A good romantic escape with an evil ex girlfriend searching to reclaim the main character’s prospective lover. A city girl thrust into a country setting with dogs and a farm, a family drama, some sadly deceased rabbits and a random talent show. Nothing like my real life, and thus perfect for escapism purposes.

It took me a couple of hours to read, from cover to cover with the only time away from it spent making a cup of tea, and it made me forget everything but what was on the pages. It might be 'trash', but it’s pretty good trash.

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime Hanrahan is retrenched from her city job with a PR firm so she decides to do house-sitting in the rural country town of Burdekin's Gap in East Gippsland.

Stirling Mc Evoy is the manager of the farm that Jaime is house-sitting and requires for her to help him out with some of the choirs.

Jaime feels like she is falling in love with the lifestyle, the surrounding landscape, and her handsome manager, but how will things pan out when Stirling's ex-girlfriend lands back in town?

A great read with an excellent story line and very solid country characters.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars,
Very sweet and an enjoyable light easy read.
Predictable but wouldn’t want it any other way.
Likeable characters.

[Kay Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice light read just what I needed. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters.

[Kerri]

What a great book. Finished it in a week.

[Lorraine Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. Enjoyed the storyline between Sterling and Jaime. Great ending.

[Susan Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio during my road trips over Xmas. Margareta Osborn's 'Rose River' was an absolute delight. This love story is loaded with humour and true Australian country!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light but really enjoyable read that was hard to put down for most of it! Loved it. Definitely recommend

[Jessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime moves from the city to Rural Australia, Burdekin's Gap in the high east of Gippsland mountains . Leaving her career as PR executive she moves to the country side for house sitting a house and property.

Jamie finds Burdekin's gap very remote . The house is in the middle of a Cattle station and the handsome manager, Sterling Mc Envoy is not very keen nor happy with a female farmhand.Jamie does what she hasn't done in her life like fending off stampeding cows, sheep who think they are goats and taking care of a neurotic cat.

From the beginning you can feel the intense attraction and heat between Jamie and Stirling. The Author has done a fantastic job. A very funny , romantic and engaging read. Was hooked to this story from the beginning.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have heard a lot of fabulous things about this wonderful Aussie author, Margaret Osborn and was excited to read Rose River. I lived in Melbourne for a few years and Rose River was set not far from there. Ms Osborn has such an extraordinary writing style that I was addicted from the get go. The characters were fun and the overall story was so entertaining that everybody needs to read this book.

Jaime Hanrahan is twenty-six and currently unemployed. She was retrenched as a marketing executive and with Christmas approaching, she is looking for somewhere to escape the festive season. Her manicurist mentioned something about house-sitting in the country while the owner travelled.

There are three things Jaime can’t stand:
1. her name
2. public transport, and
3. muscle bound men riding Harley Davidsons.

With no six figure salary, no South Bank flat, no car, no iPad, no iPhone, Jaime was without technology and without independence.

Travelling to Polly’s Plains House, Jaime is in a bit of a pickle. Her bus doesn’t go up the mountain and unless she wants to wait until Wednesday for the next truck, Jaime has to get behind the muscle bound man on his motorbike. She calls him Marbleman for his icy exterior.

Marbleman gave her two minutes to pack some things to fit on the bike while the rest of her belongings would be delivered Wednesday. It appears Marbleman has a history with posh city chics and he seems to be taking his intolerance out on her.

Once inside the mansion in the country, Jaime was greeted with a note from the stockman, who obviously thought Jaime was a bloke. He was expecting Jaime to help with the cattle the next morning bright and early.

Well the next morning she wanted to prove her worth and went to the cattle yards to help, but what she found was Marbleman. Stirling McEvoy was just as shocked as she was. With determination and stubbornness, Jaime quickly learned to get up close and personal with the Steers.

When her belongings arrived at the General Store, Jaime heads off to collect them. The owner of the store, Ryan, asks Jaime on a date, but with a shadow coming over her and a deep voice speaking before she could respond, she found Marbleman dressed in all his leather glory. She was stunned by how exquisite he looked, frozen in place Jaime was busted for ogling, she came up with some excuse for checking him out. Making up a story about his boots, she wiggles her pretty sparkly toes at the men and they freeze mesmerised by her legs and sparkles. Marbleman tells Ryan that she has to help him with the rabbits, since she is supposed to be his hired help, so no date.

Jaime was falling in love with the countryside, Polly’s Plains was breathtaking. She was finding herself drawn to Marbleman, they have electricity that cannot be denied. He calls her Princess, which she hates and Jaime gets pressured into the Christmas festivities for the community.

Laugh along with Jaime as she fuddles her way through her weeks of housesitting a mansion in the country, falling in love with the community as well as the countryside and her interactions with Marbleman. See what antics come about when Stirling’s past catches up with him and a stepbrother who thinks Jaime belongs to him. Rose River was such a laugh out loud read, but had intense emotion from Jaime that I was crying with heartache too. This is definitely a must read for all romance readers after humour and fun.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.I loved it . Jamie is a big city girl trying to escape Christmas as her Dad is no longer alive. She really loved him and misses him. So she decides to home sit little does she know that it is the middle of nowhere and that she would meet a bike riding cowboy called Stirling. There is a little misunderstanding as he didn't know that she is the Jamie that would be helping him around the farm. Jamie is not scared of hard work and she gets stuck in. The funniest part was when she told him that he could not kill the Easter Bunny. Jamie really trying but she always seems to make things worse like putting the incorrect fuel into the Ute. Jamie fitting into the town really well and she really likes Stirling but there is a small problem someone else thinks that he is theirs.I love how Jamie goes for after man. You have to read this book it is awesome some many LOL moments. It a well written story that any age will enjoy

[Cookie1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very tender, but not mushy. It was hilarious at times. I couldn't contain my laughter when reading about Jaime chasing the goat, sheep and dogs in the kitchen. I could so easily picture this happening. One door left open and mayhem happens.
The country towns of Lake Grace and Burdekin's Gap are so realistic. Country towns certainly do pitch in when help is required.
Thanks to Margareta Osborn for a lovely, pleasurable read.

[Talking Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous read - never a dull moment, with both wretched and easy to like, laugh-out-loud, wholesome characters. Margareta Osborn manages to tie the reader up in knots one minute, melt us in another and have us in howls of laughter the next. A read that you can easily immerse yourself in from start to finish.
5 stars
*Copy received via the publisher for an honest review

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, although I would have preferred not to have the entire novella "A Bush Christmas" repeated in it's entirety prior to the continuing story of Jamie & Stirling continuing.

Great depiction of a small town's tight knit community and how much these small towns rely on fundraising for the things most take for granted.

[Kez Mckenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sexy country man, a city girl in the country and some very cheeky animals make this a funny read. Great side characters (I would love Margareta write another book set in the same town with Ryan as it's hero) you get to know, love and hate. I really enjoyed reading this book and it's now my favourite Of Margareta's books.

[Michelle Sellings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous book love marble man & Jamie a beautifully written book love how it has followed on from the bush Christmas e-novella you get to see what happens to them just couldn't put it down a must read!!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I read this book in one night and I just couldn't put it down. I loved Jaime, I thought she was someone I could relate too. Stirling was a great leading man This book has moments where I lol. Do yourself a favour and read this book.

[Joann Diwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started it yesterday and finished it today. I loved it. It was so funny i just loved your characters, i didn't want it to end. No pressure but I can't wait for the next book. Keep up the great writing.

[Deb Bodinnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Rose River. Fast paced, funny, romantic, interesting and great insight to small country town living. I know this was a follow up on a novella but I would love to see a sequel to RR telling Stirling and Jaimes future adventures on Polly Plains.