The Last McAdam

by Holly Ford

This romantic, irresistibly entertaining novel tells the story of Tess Drummond, who's been sent to turn around the fortunes of a remote sheep and cattle station her employer has taken over. What Tess hasn't counted on is coming up against the station's handsome and charismatic head stockman, Nate McAdam, whose family owned the property for generations...

Passed down through the same family for over a century, the remote sheep and cattle station of Broken Creek has recently been taken over by global agribusiness company Carnarvon Holdings. Now Carnarvon has sent its best troubleshooting manager, Tess Drummond, to turn the property's failing fortunes around - fast.

When Tess arrives to take the reins of Broken Creek she's faced with a couple of nasty surprises. For starters, her head stockman, Nate McAdam, happens to be the same gorgeous stranger she hooked up with - and ran out on - a few weeks before.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Nate was supposed to inherit Broken Creek until his stepfather ran it into the ground. Now the last McAdam on the station leads a team of men whose bonds have been forged through hell and high water and whose mission is to see off Carnarvon and Tess so he can take his rightful place.

A genius with farm work - and women - but a disaster in the office, Nate is everything Tess believes a farmer shouldn't be. Determined not to give in to her growing attraction to him, Tess sets out to do her job, but she soon finds herself caught up in the battle of her career.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

304 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2017

About the author

Holly Ford was raised in southern sheep country, spending her childhood and early adult years among hill properties of varying sizes. Like most New Zealanders, she has always loved the South Island's high country, and admired the women and men who work it.

Reviews

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t make any attempt to hide my love for the genre that is rural fiction or rural romance, in any shape or form. So, when the opportunity arose to read a novel from this genre set in a rural location I have not read anything about before, I jumped at the chance. This is how I came across Holly Ford, the author of The Last McAdam.

The Last McAdam opens at a wedding. Our leading lady of the novel, Tess Drummond, is attending the wedding of a friend, who is actually the groom and she finds herself in the awkward situation of knowing no-one else at the wedding. This all changes when Tess crosses paths with another wedding guest named Nate and the two seem to hit it off. Before things really get off the ground, Tess makes a swift exit and the two never really get the chance to cement their connection. Some weeks after the wedding, Tess is sent to a locale named Broken Creek as part of her role as a troubleshooting manager, working directly for a global agribusiness company, Carnarvon Holdings. The property of Broken Creek is an isolated sheep and cattle station and Tess is sent to assist in a takeover, which has seen the family owned property fall into the hands of Carnarvon Holdings. At Broken Creek, Tess gets more than she bargained for, not only does she cross paths again with Nate, but she also faces stiff opposition from a bevy of workers. These workers have rallied around Nate and Broken Creek, refusing to see Broken Hill fall into the hands of Carnarvon Holdings. Complicating matters further, is the fact that Nate was meant to inherit Broken Creek but was unable to due to his stepfather’s mismanagement. Nate is the very last of the McAdam family left and after 160 years, it looks like Broken Hill will no longer be in the hands of the McAdam’s. As Tess fights off her growing attraction to Nate, she also finds her job will test her very limits both professionally and personally.

It was a lovely and warm long weekend here in Perth and there is nothing better than sitting down to enjoy a good book by the pool. I did just that and The Last McAdam was my book of choice. I only intended on reading a few pages of this novel, but a few pages turned into a lot of pages and before I knew it, I had whizzed through the novel in record time. Perhaps this is a good indication of how engaging this novel turned out to be - for this reader anyway! I did enjoy the author, Holly Ford’s style of writing, it was open, down to earth and seemed to be structured in a way that the pages just melted away with no huge effort. The Last McAdam reeled me into its developing story instantly and the remainder of the story came with ease. I did find the first half of the novel seems to focus more on setting up of the events to come and on character development, which was fine by me. The latter part of the novel included a fair amount of action based around the farm and contained a line of suspense, which worked well.

The overwhelming appeal of The Last McAdam came from the alternative setting. I had the comfort of knowing this was a rural fiction novel, a genre I am most at home with, but it was delivered with a slight twist. I relished the location descriptions of life on a typical sheep and cattle station, in the mountain region of New Zealand’s south island. It is a part of the world I would dearly love the opportunity to visit at some point in the future and Ford’s depiction of this stunning setting just added to my desire to go. The Last McAdam also provides a realistic portrayal of life on a struggling farming property. Ford has clearly researched this area well, as I was introduced to areas in farming I was not aware of until reading this book, which is always enlightening.

Romance fans will not be disappointed in Ford’s novel. There are plenty of sparks that fly between the leading man and lady, offering lots of simmering tension, missed opportunities and tender moments. This is a gentler romance compared to some I have read of late from the rural fiction genre, but it hit the right note for me.

Along with a rolling storyline packed full of romance, spectacular setting descriptions and an authentic look at farming life in New Zealand, are the characters that drive this novel. Starting with Tess, she has a strong but likeable personality and it was great to see her in the position of a farming consultant, leading the way. Nate is a worthy match for Tess, he is stoic but has a softer side that is gradually revealed through the course of the novel. Supporting Tess and Nate are a cast of secondary characters that should not be overlooked, as they add colour and variety to this engaging novel.

Holly Ford stakes her claim on the popular rural fiction genre with her entertaining offering, The Last McAdam. This lovely novel combines a stunning rural location, an authentic take on farming life, a touch of romance and a set of endearing characters. It is a book to watch out for and comes highly recommended.
* I wish to thank Beauty & Lace for providing me with a copy of this novel for review.

[Jill Mccaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable visit to a high country farm.

I'm really enjoying this series. I've come to it backwards, reading High Country Hero first and falling in love with Mitch. It was great to see him a little earlier in his PTSD recovery and even though he wasn't the lead in this story he still got good airtime and the author didn't go easy on him.
She didn't go easy on any of the boys in this one. The lovely Nate, the hero got his close call too.
As well as the lovely angsty high country cowboys, I love Ford's gutsy heroines. In High Country Hero the heroine was a vet, in this story we have Tess, a farm manager for a company that acquires bankrupt farms and makes them profitable. And she's really good. That's not your typical romance heroine and I love her.
I also love the loving depiction of the South Island's high country. It's a character in its own right.
I loved this and as soon as I've finished this review I'll be downloading the next in the series.

[Talking Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last McAdam by author Holly Ford was breathtaking reading. I loved the story from the first chapter. So many noteable scenes that stirred many sentiments. Hilarity, awkwardness, heartfelt and tense moments that were entertaining from one page to the next. Tess from the start was a firecracker - likeable and endearing. Nate - cheeky and likeable also. Stan's character was beautifully portrayed and often pulled at the heartstrings. Even the secondary characters of Mitch and Harry were equally as entertaining as the main characters of Tess and Nate. As the pages turned and the story unfolded, it just kept getting better and better. Simply stunning reading.
Review copy received from Allen & Unwin Australia

[Stacey Houllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Holly Ford Tess Drummond arrives Broken Creek a farm in New Zealand the company Tessa works for has sent her there as trouble shooting manager to see if she can turn the property around.
Nate McAdam met her at Ash's wedding hooking up with her and she left abruptly and then meeting her again at Broken Creek.
This is a story of two people finding love with each but also learning where they need to be. I enjoyed reading this book as i read it in one sitting.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was what I would class as a very easy reading book. It was interesting and had a good storyline but was a bit predictable. I liked the characters as it gave the story some interest and it was nice to have numerous different personalities in this story.
I didn't enjoy the very few sex scenes as didn't feel they were really required or enhancing to the story. Overall it was a good read.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, the issues that young people face in farming communities. The hardships involved in managing the family farm and the difficulty in staying out of the red. I especially loved the New Zealand landscapes in this novel, described so well I am thinking of booking a trip there to see the snow capped mountains myself.

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had fabulous characters with interesting stories and an ending that left you guessing until the end of the book.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of this author, easy read entertaining, will read the rest of this authprs books

[Bree T · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last McAdam is a rural novel set in southern New Zealand focusing on Tess Drummond, who works travelling around the properties owned by Carnarvon Holdings and coming up with plans to make them profitable. Tess operates under the motto of ‘Don’t Get Attached’. She comes in, she develops the changes needed in order to see profits increase and then she’s onto the next property.

Broken Creek was picked up by Carnarvon Holdings for a song after a devastating incident that they then became liable for. There are three workers left on the farm (and one extra who takes care of the homestead) which is more than it really requires and as Carnarvon is likely to want to bring in its own team, it’ll just be a matter of settling redundancy offers. She is horrified to discover that one of the workers, Nate McAdam, who also happens to be the stepson of the last owner, is the handsome stranger that Tess almost hooked up with at a wedding a couple of weeks ago. Before she knows it, Broken Creek (and its workers) are doing the one thing that no where else has been able to do since she was a child – get under her skin. Make her want different things.

There was quite a bit about this I enjoyed. I’ve read lots of rural romance novels but they are mostly Australian with a few American ranch-style ones sprinkled in. I haven’t really read much of anything set in New Zealand, let alone a rural and I found that very interesting. The terrain is quite different to here, it being high country and the associating weather issues were not something I would’ve been aware of before this. I loved the farm stuff – I’ve always had an idealistic idea about living on a farm. I know I’m not actually suited to it in reality but the idea of it appeals to me, which is why I think I read so many rurals!

The workers at Broken Creek are all amazing supporting characters that I felt added so much to the story. Especially the character of Stan, an elderly blind man who has lived on the property for decades. He was so lovely and really contributed so much to the story – some moments with him made me genuinely teary! The two younger workers, Mitch and Harry are also fantastic. Each has their own issues, emotional ‘baggage’ in a way and at first there’s an attempt to hide this from Tess so that she can hopefully see what they bring to the property in terms of work and care. Tess has carefully crafted a plan for Broken Creek but the longer she spends there, the more she sees that perhaps it’s not what is best for it after all – it might be best for Carnarvon Holdings but Tess is able to see the potential in Broken Creek and what Nate wants to do. He might be useless with the books but he does know the land.

So I did really like everything centred around Broken Creek and the struggle that Tess faced as well, whether to finally choose to stay somewhere but I do have to admit that I didn’t connect with the romance aspect of this story at all. I didn’t really buy into the…well, anything between Nate and Tess. The hook up at the wedding felt very random, it was quite jarring as it was in the first few pages and they don’t even ask each other their names. And some of their interactions after Tess arrives at Broken Creek to “fix” it are a bit odd – some are almost childish. Nate seems to be a bit of a tormentor, one of those guys who always has a quip and a smirk and there were times I didn’t really see his appeal. There seems to be a lot of denial and avoiding things and pretending and I was just waiting for things to hurry up and actually happen. I’d like to see a book about Mitch in the future though, he was definitely more my sort of guy.

[Sam Still Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say that I’ve read quite a bit of rural fiction/rural romance, but I can’t say that I’ve read any set in New Zealand. That all changed when I read Holly Ford’s The Last McAdam, which is set in the high country in New Zealand’s south island. It opens with the hero and heroine meeting and getting close at a wedding until Tess thinks better of it and speeds away in her Hilux. Things then turn back to normal, with Tess moving on to her next farm to turn around. Tess’s job is for a big multinational farming corporation that buys up struggling farms and turns them into profitable properties. She’s used to making the hard choices but when she arrives at Broken Creek, everything turns upside down.

For starters, the head stockman (and stepson of the former property owner, i.e. the last McAdam) is Nate, who she hooked up with at the wedding. The staff are all broken in their own way, but Nate is determined to show Tess their redeeming qualities. He is certain that this won’t be a slash and burn job, as he’s still invested in the land and its people. Tess is normally sure footed, but in Nate she’s found her match. The more she explores Broken Creek, the more positive aspects she can see for both the land and its occupants. How can she fix this without egg on her face?

The Last McAdam fits solidly within the rural fiction genre for me, as it’s contained the most realistic farming scenes and events that I’ve read in a novel. The only downfall is my farming knowledge is based on flat land and wheat/sheep rather than high country cattle so I didn’t understand all the terms initially. As the story continued, I began appreciate the harmony of life on the farm and the gradual growth in the relationship between Tess and Nate. I liked the slowness of the romance with its bumps and twists, as the reader got to see the beginning of trust in the relationship. (I really enjoyed the dancing scene between Tess and Nate in the homestead. The follow-up, between Tess and her boss, who she’s been lusting after for some time, was a great contrast).

In the second half of the book, the action really dominates. (Who knew that farms could have so many epic events?) I found I enjoyed this much more as it brought some of the supporting characters to the fore, so we could find out about their backstory. (I think there would even be potential for a series here, starring Mitch the pilot with a past, followed by young Harry). Holly Ford writes the action scenes brilliantly, conjuring up urgency and vivid scenes.

If you’re after rural fiction in a different setting with a healthy dose of action accompanied by a gentle romance, you’ll like The Last McAdam.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating closer to a 2.5.

This was a really nice, quick read! I really liked the plot, however, I just wish there had been more character development. While the secondary characters have good backstories, our main characters are pretty lacking. We don't really know much about them, their pasts and who they are as people.

There also wasn't much chemistry between the main two characters, while I wanted them to get together, I really wasn't that invested in them as a couple.

All in all, a good quick read better than other romances I've read but not one of the greatest.

[Urszula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very slow and at the same time the story was jumping from place to place very fast. The main characters were interesting and likeable, the description of country side and country life very nice and inviting. But it was not enough to hold my interest and I found myself debating if I should change to another book.

But since I was not sure if it was due to the actor reading this book with no much enthusiasm and feeling, or the story line itself and the big jumps in time

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story reminded me of the series McLeods Daughters a bit. The first scene where the protagonist met the love interest made me wonder what kind of book I was reading. It was starting to get too graphic. It turned out to be a romance afterall. If it weren't for that scene the book was good. Makes me think books should have ratings like the movies so you know what you are going to encounter before you open it.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Last McAdam' by Holly Ford was a typical romance involving hurdles to be overcome before the couple can be together. It was a nice change that this was set in New Zealand, rather than the usual Australian outback I usually read. The supporting characters were interesting and helped the story along. But what's with the cover? It has nothing to do with the story.

[Felicity Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance suspense is my genre too, so I was intrigued to read this tale by a New Zealand author. It's a good page turner with an evocative country setting and compelling characters

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A great entertaining read. A rural romance set in the South Island of NZ

[Sandra Prosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend left this for me to read. Australian and Kiwi. An easy summer 'farming' read.

[Jo Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

REREAD 😍 easy read!

[Annie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Rural romance.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice little Kiwi romance.

[Heather Robb]

Kindle

[Codee · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book

[Meagan Kerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up only planning to read a couple of chapters, and next thing I know I have finished the whole thing. A great easy read that will have you not wanting to put the book down

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad, connecting to other books written by author

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was very easy to read and an all round great story.
The author's descriptions of both the environment & characters allow the reader to easily visualise both. The story flows along at a good pace, there are some dramatic moments & a bit of romantic tension at times. The author also tackles misconceptions about people with disabilities.
The only negative thing about this book was the cover. The blurb on the back overly dramatises the story and the front cover has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Tess would never wear a dress like that & Broken Creek is a sheep & cattle property with no cropping or hay making.

[Josie]

The writing style and the MC were not engaging and I found the pacing quite slow. This was a DNF for me.