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McLean-Carstairs #1
Outback Man
Lost and found
When Adrianna Winslow emerged from her plane's tangled wreckage in the middle of the Australian outback, she knew her life had crashed in around her--in more ways than one. Bryce McLean made that doubly clear when he came riding to her rescue like a dashing knight of old. Suddenly civilization seemed very far away.
Adrianna's career, her fiance--her entire life--awaited her back in Sydney. But here in the primitive desert, this rugged rancher tempted her in ways she'd never imagined. Desperate, confused, and lost in an oasis of red-hot passion, she knew their time together was merely borrowed--from a world of dreams
When Adrianna Winslow emerged from her plane's tangled wreckage in the middle of the Australian outback, she knew her life had crashed in around her--in more ways than one. Bryce McLean made that doubly clear when he came riding to her rescue like a dashing knight of old. Suddenly civilization seemed very far away.
Adrianna's career, her fiance--her entire life--awaited her back in Sydney. But here in the primitive desert, this rugged rancher tempted her in ways she'd never imagined. Desperate, confused, and lost in an oasis of red-hot passion, she knew their time together was merely borrowed--from a world of dreams
187 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 13, 1991
1 person is currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
815 books235 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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January 18, 2018
Re Outback Man - Miranda Lee takes us to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in a nice little flyby that includes a side trip to Kata Tjuta (where Mount Olga is), then she crashes us into the Great Sandy Desert. Where we will have exciting desert adventures, along with our h and some camels.
(As a bit of a side note before we start on our journey, Uluru is NOT the biggest monolith (single protruding rock formation) in the world. Australia keeps the championship title tho, cause Mount Augustus in Western Australia is the biggest. But Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu people who lead the walks and tell the stories of the Dreamtime and technically it is an island mountain or inselberg, cause geologists are picky scientists and insist on precision.)
We are more concerned with our h tho. She is 28, a highly successful owner of several high fashion boutiques for her own clothing line and she has a lover of three years who has just proposed. Naturally the h has to take some time out to ponder this proposal, because she has never intended to marry and certainly never wanted children.
The h has had a whole childhood experience of supporting a mother who wore herself out over a cheating, loafing, parasite of man - who also sampled any lady on offer while giving the h's overworked mother seven children. The h spent all her younger years caring for the children and the house, while her father partied and her mother cleaned houses to support them.
The h left home at 18 and embarked on getting the know-how and honing her designing skills to make herself the big business success she is today. She also sends home enough money to support her mum in a nice life. Tho she still has bouts of anger that her brothers have turned out to be just like her now deceased father and she despises them for it. The best thing the h ever did in her life is tell her user father to jump when he demanded that she stick around and work to support his family.
Instead the h made good and along the way, she met her current lover. A man who is also in the rag trade and they have a mutual compatibility and friendship between them that she thinks might actually make a marriage work. The lover doesn't want kids, they are good together in bed and they have very similar interests and ideas.
So the h takes herself on a little Cesna flight to think about things. We get Uluru and Kata Tjuta travelogue and then the h crashes alongside the Olia Chain of the Petermann Ranges when something hits her plane's tail. Since she never radioed in her little detour to check out the Olia Chain, rescue seems to be very unlikely.
Especially when she finally is able to get out of the plane, (she crash landed at night and sensibly stayed put,) and sees that the plane will be hidden from any air searches cause she stopped under a really bushy outcropping.
The h is trying to figure out what to do and puts rocks in piles to make a large SOS, she finds some food and water in the plane and tries to settle in until hopefully searchers find her. Then she hears a noise and all of the sudden a really big guy on a camel, leading another camel, comes trotting up a nearby sand dune.
The h is delighted, rescue has arrived! Then she gets a good look at the man who is approaching and she is hit with the full force of the mighty HP lurve mojo. Which is kinda bad, because she just decided to accept her lover's proposal, she thinks companionship and a nice supportive mutual compatibility is the only way marriage would work for her. She definitely doesn't want to be "In Love".
(That sentiment is akin to traitorism in HPlandia however, so it wasn't surprising the HP gods knocked her plane out of the sky with space junk. This h is going to get a schooling.)
The H introduces himself and asks where the pilot is. The h is haughty when she replies she is the pilot and after some well earned chuffing by the H that she did not radio her flight plan change in and is kinda dumb for not doing so, as no one is looking for her in this area, the h antagonistically agrees to let him give her a camel ride through the desert to the closest cattle station.
The h is highly argumentative with the H, but makes an attempt to be gracious cause she really doesn't know a whole lot about traversing a desert or camels who don't understand the difference between the words stop and go faster, yet she cannot keep her mind off the H's amazing body and really good looks. Nor can she still the tremendous rush of blood to various sensitive areas when she is around the H.
After some really jarring stop and go and go faster camel riding and a traverse across a huge salt plane, the H and h make it to his camp alongside a billabong, or a little pond area that is a riparian sanctuary in arid places. The h is really sore and can hardly move, but the H plops her in some warm water in the billabong and provides a few glasses of wine. ( This H is totally prepared, as we like to see our Outback H's being and he is just adorable.)
There is major heat and tension between them. The h lies and says she is engaged. She wants the H, but she has seen his type before, namely in her father, and she has no intention of derailing her life over a beau-hunk of a manly man who would demand everything and in the end leave her with nothing. Tho when some wild camels charge, the h is really happy the H and his interesting dog, Bully, are there to run them off.
So there is some back and forth snark, especially when the h gives the name of her supposed fiance and the H claims that he is a mechanical machine and a cold hearted snake and did not even go to his own father's funeral. Plus the guy made his poor little secretary work all hours of the day and night when the H knew him ten years ago.
The h defends her lover and tells the H that she has no intention of being unfaithful. However the H's lust overrides his good sense when he pulls the h out of the water and the h's clothes are wetly clinging. Major roofie kisses are happening, when the h comes to her senses and knees the H in the dangly bits. Things go a bit downhill after that.
The h wants to get out of the vicinity of the H as quickly as she can. She is overwhelmingly attracted, but she has decided that the H is just like her father and she isn't going there. Until they spend some very long days trekking across the desert and come to another watering area and the h gets a cramp and can't get out after soaking.
The H does come to help her out, but he warns her that she will be his for the taking and the h holds out her hand instead of swimming five feet to the other side to wade out. Major lurve clubbings ensue and the earth moves and the birds were very embarrassed and the camels had to turn away and the H is prodigiously strong, he was standing up the whole time--as the rock is really uncomfortable.
The H and h now declare that they are in love, but the h won't marry him. She explains her family background and the H doesn't like her refusal. The h has been misjudging him and assuming things the whole time they have been together. In fact he is a bit hurt that she just assumes things and never asks him. However he has got the lurve madness bad, so he will indulge her until they get to the cattle station.
Finally after a day of love in the sun and the development of all over tans, the h and H make it to the cattle station. Where the h gets another shock to her assumptions, the H isn't a station hand on walkabout, he is the station owner. The h also gets all kinds of jealous when she thinks the H might also be cozy with one of the ladies that works in the house on the station. The H doesn't explain the lady's position in his life, he just tells the h that while he is warming her bed, he will not be sleeping in the other's.
The H's mother is there as well and the h gets a little perturbed when she sees a strange look and some grins pass between them. That perturbation doesn't recede as the H takes control of the situation, sending messages that the h is safe and letting the searchers know she is okay. The h gets even angrier when the H doesn't show up for lurve club duty that night. Of course her anger was great even before bed time, she called her lover in the city and he too remembered the H.
The lover remembers him as a young lad who made large inroads upon the local ladies when he visited the bright lights of Sidney. This really alarms the h even more and she compares the H to her father all over again. Then she ends up sleeping alone and she resents that too. Finally the H takes her back to the city and he plans on waiting at her home while she breaks things off with her lover.
The H declares that if she won't marry him, she will only have him in her bed and the h is okay with fidelity, but not the bossiness. She wants the other lady on the station to be dismissed, but the H is adamant in his refusal, as she is equally adamant she won't stop being friends with her ex.
Right before her ex is due to arrive, the H and h have a passionate kissing session that the h breaks off, then she accuses the H of trying to manipulate her with sex. (To be fair, it could have been construed that way, but really I read it as they just couldn't keep their hands off each other.) He storms out to go back to his home and the h gets to cry all over her ex.
We find out that the ex did miss his father's funeral, but it was because he was in meetings with his father's creditors and trying to save his business, he had a private service for his dad later. He did make his secretary stay late a few times, but she always knew in advance and had the option to get a substitute and she got well paid too. His father's company was on the verge of bankruptcy and he had his mother to support as well, so he worked all hours for a long time to save it and then grow it into a huge company.
Then we find out that the ex lover is in lust with his 18 year old ward, he wanted to marry the h as a way to avoid anything with the girl. The h explains that it is probably love, not lust and that her dear friend and ex-lover should give his feelings a chance.
(That book happens about 270 books from now Mistress Of Deception, it is the sequel to this one and a pretty hot mess, just warning readers now.)
Anyways, the h can't continue in the affair and she is going to have to find a way to live without the love of her life. Eventually the h's solitude and heartbreak overwhelm her and she flies back to the H's cattle station. Where she is greeted by his mum. Who happily explains that the other lady is marrying a station hand that she is in love with and that the h has a pilot's license, so while there might be a few sacrifices in living in such a remote area, she can go check on her businesses at any time and the H's mum assures her she is more than willing to come visit and watch grand kids whenever the h needs her too.
The h realizes that once again her assumptions were wrong, most families do pull together and are not like her own and she goes to find the H. She understands that nothing was going on with the other lady. It was just her own jealousy and the H's attempts to get some of his own back after her repeatedly wrong assumptions and little fits.
The H is very reluctant to talk to the h at first. He really loves her and she is just being a witch and she won't even consider marriage or kids, nor has she ever asked him how he envisioned their life together to be. He would give her the world if she asked and he really doesn't plan on forcing her into any type of mold.
We find out that the H did spend some time in Sydney, he dated a lot of ladies -as there aren't many women on a cattle station- but he lurved up very few of them and when his dad was struck by lightning, he came home to work and appreciate his land.
However that doesn't mean that he is a chauvinist, he just has more appreciation for all the varieties of life and just because he dated a lot of girls ten years ago, it doesn't mean he can't be faithful now or adjust his attitude if the h will tell him what she wants. The big problem is that the h is too rigid in her thinking to see him as someone outside the shadow of her father. If she can't change HER attitude and thinking, they can't make a relationship work.
The h finally gets a clue that she is the one with the issue, the H's anger over her ex-lover was the result of his own guilt for not being on the station when his dad died, but he dealt with that. The h is the only woman he has ever brought home, cause he told his mother that the day he brought a girl home is the day he is introducing his mum to the girl he will marry. He brought the h, but she rejected his proposal and he still feels pretty badly that he got dumped when he offered his heart.
The h has to do a tiny amount of well deserved groveling, but then she gets angry again and turns to leave and the H jumps to keep her from walking out the door. We leave them lurving it up and discussing wedding plans, for another HEA on an HPlandia outing.
This one was okay, the h needed to be kicked a few times, she was definitely a no means yes kinda girl and her antics got a little frustrating. She went back and forth like a yo yo and the poor H really deserved better, but what can you do when you are hit with the mighty HPlandia Lurve Mojo Force, except give in and make the best of it for a fairly decent HP day at the office with camels.
(As a bit of a side note before we start on our journey, Uluru is NOT the biggest monolith (single protruding rock formation) in the world. Australia keeps the championship title tho, cause Mount Augustus in Western Australia is the biggest. But Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu people who lead the walks and tell the stories of the Dreamtime and technically it is an island mountain or inselberg, cause geologists are picky scientists and insist on precision.)
We are more concerned with our h tho. She is 28, a highly successful owner of several high fashion boutiques for her own clothing line and she has a lover of three years who has just proposed. Naturally the h has to take some time out to ponder this proposal, because she has never intended to marry and certainly never wanted children.
The h has had a whole childhood experience of supporting a mother who wore herself out over a cheating, loafing, parasite of man - who also sampled any lady on offer while giving the h's overworked mother seven children. The h spent all her younger years caring for the children and the house, while her father partied and her mother cleaned houses to support them.
The h left home at 18 and embarked on getting the know-how and honing her designing skills to make herself the big business success she is today. She also sends home enough money to support her mum in a nice life. Tho she still has bouts of anger that her brothers have turned out to be just like her now deceased father and she despises them for it. The best thing the h ever did in her life is tell her user father to jump when he demanded that she stick around and work to support his family.
Instead the h made good and along the way, she met her current lover. A man who is also in the rag trade and they have a mutual compatibility and friendship between them that she thinks might actually make a marriage work. The lover doesn't want kids, they are good together in bed and they have very similar interests and ideas.
So the h takes herself on a little Cesna flight to think about things. We get Uluru and Kata Tjuta travelogue and then the h crashes alongside the Olia Chain of the Petermann Ranges when something hits her plane's tail. Since she never radioed in her little detour to check out the Olia Chain, rescue seems to be very unlikely.
Especially when she finally is able to get out of the plane, (she crash landed at night and sensibly stayed put,) and sees that the plane will be hidden from any air searches cause she stopped under a really bushy outcropping.
The h is trying to figure out what to do and puts rocks in piles to make a large SOS, she finds some food and water in the plane and tries to settle in until hopefully searchers find her. Then she hears a noise and all of the sudden a really big guy on a camel, leading another camel, comes trotting up a nearby sand dune.
The h is delighted, rescue has arrived! Then she gets a good look at the man who is approaching and she is hit with the full force of the mighty HP lurve mojo. Which is kinda bad, because she just decided to accept her lover's proposal, she thinks companionship and a nice supportive mutual compatibility is the only way marriage would work for her. She definitely doesn't want to be "In Love".
(That sentiment is akin to traitorism in HPlandia however, so it wasn't surprising the HP gods knocked her plane out of the sky with space junk. This h is going to get a schooling.)
The H introduces himself and asks where the pilot is. The h is haughty when she replies she is the pilot and after some well earned chuffing by the H that she did not radio her flight plan change in and is kinda dumb for not doing so, as no one is looking for her in this area, the h antagonistically agrees to let him give her a camel ride through the desert to the closest cattle station.
The h is highly argumentative with the H, but makes an attempt to be gracious cause she really doesn't know a whole lot about traversing a desert or camels who don't understand the difference between the words stop and go faster, yet she cannot keep her mind off the H's amazing body and really good looks. Nor can she still the tremendous rush of blood to various sensitive areas when she is around the H.
After some really jarring stop and go and go faster camel riding and a traverse across a huge salt plane, the H and h make it to his camp alongside a billabong, or a little pond area that is a riparian sanctuary in arid places. The h is really sore and can hardly move, but the H plops her in some warm water in the billabong and provides a few glasses of wine. ( This H is totally prepared, as we like to see our Outback H's being and he is just adorable.)
There is major heat and tension between them. The h lies and says she is engaged. She wants the H, but she has seen his type before, namely in her father, and she has no intention of derailing her life over a beau-hunk of a manly man who would demand everything and in the end leave her with nothing. Tho when some wild camels charge, the h is really happy the H and his interesting dog, Bully, are there to run them off.
So there is some back and forth snark, especially when the h gives the name of her supposed fiance and the H claims that he is a mechanical machine and a cold hearted snake and did not even go to his own father's funeral. Plus the guy made his poor little secretary work all hours of the day and night when the H knew him ten years ago.
The h defends her lover and tells the H that she has no intention of being unfaithful. However the H's lust overrides his good sense when he pulls the h out of the water and the h's clothes are wetly clinging. Major roofie kisses are happening, when the h comes to her senses and knees the H in the dangly bits. Things go a bit downhill after that.
The h wants to get out of the vicinity of the H as quickly as she can. She is overwhelmingly attracted, but she has decided that the H is just like her father and she isn't going there. Until they spend some very long days trekking across the desert and come to another watering area and the h gets a cramp and can't get out after soaking.
The H does come to help her out, but he warns her that she will be his for the taking and the h holds out her hand instead of swimming five feet to the other side to wade out. Major lurve clubbings ensue and the earth moves and the birds were very embarrassed and the camels had to turn away and the H is prodigiously strong, he was standing up the whole time--as the rock is really uncomfortable.
The H and h now declare that they are in love, but the h won't marry him. She explains her family background and the H doesn't like her refusal. The h has been misjudging him and assuming things the whole time they have been together. In fact he is a bit hurt that she just assumes things and never asks him. However he has got the lurve madness bad, so he will indulge her until they get to the cattle station.
Finally after a day of love in the sun and the development of all over tans, the h and H make it to the cattle station. Where the h gets another shock to her assumptions, the H isn't a station hand on walkabout, he is the station owner. The h also gets all kinds of jealous when she thinks the H might also be cozy with one of the ladies that works in the house on the station. The H doesn't explain the lady's position in his life, he just tells the h that while he is warming her bed, he will not be sleeping in the other's.
The H's mother is there as well and the h gets a little perturbed when she sees a strange look and some grins pass between them. That perturbation doesn't recede as the H takes control of the situation, sending messages that the h is safe and letting the searchers know she is okay. The h gets even angrier when the H doesn't show up for lurve club duty that night. Of course her anger was great even before bed time, she called her lover in the city and he too remembered the H.
The lover remembers him as a young lad who made large inroads upon the local ladies when he visited the bright lights of Sidney. This really alarms the h even more and she compares the H to her father all over again. Then she ends up sleeping alone and she resents that too. Finally the H takes her back to the city and he plans on waiting at her home while she breaks things off with her lover.
The H declares that if she won't marry him, she will only have him in her bed and the h is okay with fidelity, but not the bossiness. She wants the other lady on the station to be dismissed, but the H is adamant in his refusal, as she is equally adamant she won't stop being friends with her ex.
Right before her ex is due to arrive, the H and h have a passionate kissing session that the h breaks off, then she accuses the H of trying to manipulate her with sex. (To be fair, it could have been construed that way, but really I read it as they just couldn't keep their hands off each other.) He storms out to go back to his home and the h gets to cry all over her ex.
We find out that the ex did miss his father's funeral, but it was because he was in meetings with his father's creditors and trying to save his business, he had a private service for his dad later. He did make his secretary stay late a few times, but she always knew in advance and had the option to get a substitute and she got well paid too. His father's company was on the verge of bankruptcy and he had his mother to support as well, so he worked all hours for a long time to save it and then grow it into a huge company.
Then we find out that the ex lover is in lust with his 18 year old ward, he wanted to marry the h as a way to avoid anything with the girl. The h explains that it is probably love, not lust and that her dear friend and ex-lover should give his feelings a chance.
(That book happens about 270 books from now Mistress Of Deception, it is the sequel to this one and a pretty hot mess, just warning readers now.)
Anyways, the h can't continue in the affair and she is going to have to find a way to live without the love of her life. Eventually the h's solitude and heartbreak overwhelm her and she flies back to the H's cattle station. Where she is greeted by his mum. Who happily explains that the other lady is marrying a station hand that she is in love with and that the h has a pilot's license, so while there might be a few sacrifices in living in such a remote area, she can go check on her businesses at any time and the H's mum assures her she is more than willing to come visit and watch grand kids whenever the h needs her too.
The h realizes that once again her assumptions were wrong, most families do pull together and are not like her own and she goes to find the H. She understands that nothing was going on with the other lady. It was just her own jealousy and the H's attempts to get some of his own back after her repeatedly wrong assumptions and little fits.
The H is very reluctant to talk to the h at first. He really loves her and she is just being a witch and she won't even consider marriage or kids, nor has she ever asked him how he envisioned their life together to be. He would give her the world if she asked and he really doesn't plan on forcing her into any type of mold.
We find out that the H did spend some time in Sydney, he dated a lot of ladies -as there aren't many women on a cattle station- but he lurved up very few of them and when his dad was struck by lightning, he came home to work and appreciate his land.
However that doesn't mean that he is a chauvinist, he just has more appreciation for all the varieties of life and just because he dated a lot of girls ten years ago, it doesn't mean he can't be faithful now or adjust his attitude if the h will tell him what she wants. The big problem is that the h is too rigid in her thinking to see him as someone outside the shadow of her father. If she can't change HER attitude and thinking, they can't make a relationship work.
The h finally gets a clue that she is the one with the issue, the H's anger over her ex-lover was the result of his own guilt for not being on the station when his dad died, but he dealt with that. The h is the only woman he has ever brought home, cause he told his mother that the day he brought a girl home is the day he is introducing his mum to the girl he will marry. He brought the h, but she rejected his proposal and he still feels pretty badly that he got dumped when he offered his heart.
The h has to do a tiny amount of well deserved groveling, but then she gets angry again and turns to leave and the H jumps to keep her from walking out the door. We leave them lurving it up and discussing wedding plans, for another HEA on an HPlandia outing.
This one was okay, the h needed to be kicked a few times, she was definitely a no means yes kinda girl and her antics got a little frustrating. She went back and forth like a yo yo and the poor H really deserved better, but what can you do when you are hit with the mighty HPlandia Lurve Mojo Force, except give in and make the best of it for a fairly decent HP day at the office with camels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2011
Adrianna, the heroine, is 28, single, and a successful business owner. She has no intention of ever falling in love, marrying or having children. Based on unhappy growing up experiences she sees love/marriage as a trap for women. She has a lover and is content with their friendship and appreciates the respect they have for each other. Now her lover has proposed and she is considering marriage for the first time. While thinking about the proposal she decides to take a sightseeing flight (she has a pilots license), just as she decides that she will marry Alan her plane is hit by random falling space debris (this is probably a hint to rethink that decision) and her plane crashes in the Australian outback desert. She is rescued by Bryce the hero, on a camel no less, and immediately falls in LUST and apparently so does he. Adrianna fights the attraction because she's as good as engaged to Alan and because she basically distrusts men, especially tall, good looking males who don't appear to take life too seriously.
There are misunderstandings, there are obstacles, and there are some hot sex scenes on the way to HEA. But how could things not turn out well when you get rescued by a hot guy on a camel?
There are misunderstandings, there are obstacles, and there are some hot sex scenes on the way to HEA. But how could things not turn out well when you get rescued by a hot guy on a camel?
September 28, 2022
I found the heroine way too wishy-washy for my liking, and the bickering and drama between Adrianna and Bryce could've been avoided, but then we wouldn't have a storyline, would we??
May 8, 2017
Adrianna is a woman with fears of marriage, commitment and giving up her life to her husband. So why is she contemplating marrying Alan Carstairs? To get away from it all, Adrianna pilots a plane into the Outback, where she crashes and is rescued by Bryce McLean. He's gruff and sexy and Adrianna knows that he has the power to turn her will to mush and make her forget everything she's trying to avoid. And he exercises this power with relish. So Adrianna does everything possible to push him away. But as hard as she tries, she ultimately gives into their attraction, after which Bryce reveals his love for her and his firm intention to marry her and build a life with her. Adrianna suddenly sees the realization of all her fears as Bryce seems intent on overtaking her independence and controlling her life.
This was a terrific read with a heroine who would give you whiplash and a hero who takes some serious abuse, right up to the point where they consummate the relationship. With Adrianna's hot and cold behavior, I totally sympathized with Bryce (despite a lot of his chauvinistic behavior) and his frustrations. Even just trying to be nice, Adrianna was defensive and prickly and sometimes quite violent. Still, their adventure out in the bush was highly entertaining. But then they make love (which was a really well-written and sexy scene) and all my sympathy for Bryce disappears. He turns into a bit of a smug asshole after that. He really does seem intent on taking over her life and forcing her to sacrifice for the sake of their relationship...and she really does have some valid concerns. And sorry, but I certainly thought he was using sex to get his way (and manipulate) but he got super pissed that the heroine thought so. Sadly, she never gets up the courage to really sit down and discuss them with him (which was a desperately needed conversation in this book) and he never even gives the illusion of sacrifice for her. Though his high emotions regarding their minor separation were pretty entertaining...
This was a terrific read with a heroine who would give you whiplash and a hero who takes some serious abuse, right up to the point where they consummate the relationship. With Adrianna's hot and cold behavior, I totally sympathized with Bryce (despite a lot of his chauvinistic behavior) and his frustrations. Even just trying to be nice, Adrianna was defensive and prickly and sometimes quite violent. Still, their adventure out in the bush was highly entertaining. But then they make love (which was a really well-written and sexy scene) and all my sympathy for Bryce disappears. He turns into a bit of a smug asshole after that. He really does seem intent on taking over her life and forcing her to sacrifice for the sake of their relationship...and she really does have some valid concerns. And sorry, but I certainly thought he was using sex to get his way (and manipulate) but he got super pissed that the heroine thought so. Sadly, she never gets up the courage to really sit down and discuss them with him (which was a desperately needed conversation in this book) and he never even gives the illusion of sacrifice for her. Though his high emotions regarding their minor separation were pretty entertaining...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2024
If this were real life, this relationship would never work out because the h had too many daddy issues way too long. She was also a user and a cheater. She slept with the H while engaged to the OM and even though she knew at the time it was over between them, it was still wrong, because didn't know it yet! While he still thinks they're getting married, she's getting naked with the H!
Not that the OM was a prize: he had feelings for someone else (the story for another book, which I'll check out soon) and wasn't dealing with them.
The H annoyed me, acting tough alpha one minute, then sensitive beta the next.
Also, the h's declaration that, despite wanting a future with the H, she intended to still be friends with the OM was pretty crummy, not to, mention entitled. Would she want the H to remain friends with a woman he used to have orgasms with??? I think NOT!
The book had its good points, but not enough of them.
Not that the OM was a prize: he had feelings for someone else (the story for another book, which I'll check out soon) and wasn't dealing with them.
The H annoyed me, acting tough alpha one minute, then sensitive beta the next.
Also, the h's declaration that, despite wanting a future with the H, she intended to still be friends with the OM was pretty crummy, not to, mention entitled. Would she want the H to remain friends with a woman he used to have orgasms with??? I think NOT!
The book had its good points, but not enough of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2021
Great book with a great well rounded ending, tied up the book nicely.we developed characters as well.
February 15, 2017
I liked this book, the heroine was feisty and could give as good as she got. I particularly liked that the hero and heroine shared the same sense of humor and when they weren't arguing the author did a good job of showing that they were compatible in many ways aside from just sexual. I think this is a vital aspect of the story since the h is a city girl and the H is an outback man. It gives us hope that their relationship will work out in the end.
I had actually read "Mistress of Deception" first which is the 2nd story and it is much darker than this one. I wish i had read this first and seen Alan's feelings for Ebony, it would have given me a different mind set going in to that story.
I had actually read "Mistress of Deception" first which is the 2nd story and it is much darker than this one. I wish i had read this first and seen Alan's feelings for Ebony, it would have given me a different mind set going in to that story.
July 14, 2024
Miranda Lee's 'The Outback Man' transport her reader into an exhilarating experience through the Australian outback with somewhat insufferable and indecisive protagonist Adriana Winslow and her rescuer Bryce McLean.
The novel is anticlimactic as the characters are isolated from any outside drama or interference, however, Lee ensures the reader is kept intrigued every step of the way with Bryce and Adriana's need for conflict as they fight their feelings and desires for one another. Lee's decision to create characters that clash in every way possible is a repetitive technique used to create frustration throughout many of her novels.
This novel highlighted misogynistic undertones occurring throughout the 1990's. Similarly to Lee's novel 'Mistress of Deception' which I am currently enjoying, she displays brute-like men with control issues and small, submissive women who fight for a voice.
Miranda Lee is an impeccable writer and I have been pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed 'The Outback man'. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a short, sweet and sexy novel.
The novel is anticlimactic as the characters are isolated from any outside drama or interference, however, Lee ensures the reader is kept intrigued every step of the way with Bryce and Adriana's need for conflict as they fight their feelings and desires for one another. Lee's decision to create characters that clash in every way possible is a repetitive technique used to create frustration throughout many of her novels.
This novel highlighted misogynistic undertones occurring throughout the 1990's. Similarly to Lee's novel 'Mistress of Deception' which I am currently enjoying, she displays brute-like men with control issues and small, submissive women who fight for a voice.
Miranda Lee is an impeccable writer and I have been pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed 'The Outback man'. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a short, sweet and sexy novel.
August 17, 2009
Absolutely cheesy...what more can I say? A very quick read...with a storyline that would rarely ever happen...Not to mention her choice in men is lacking
August 13, 2016
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April 9, 2018Lost and found
When Adrianna Winslow emerged from her plane's tangled wreckage in the middle of the Australian outback, she knew her life had crashed in around her--in more ways than one. Bryce McLean made that doubly clear when he came riding to her rescue like a dashing knight of old. Suddenly civilization seemed very far away.
Adrianna's career, her fiance--her entire life--awaited her back in Sydney. But here in the primitive desert, this rugged rancher tempted her in ways she'd never imagined. Desperate, confused, and lost in an oasis of red-hot passion, she knew their time together was merely borrowed--from a world of dreams.
When Adrianna Winslow emerged from her plane's tangled wreckage in the middle of the Australian outback, she knew her life had crashed in around her--in more ways than one. Bryce McLean made that doubly clear when he came riding to her rescue like a dashing knight of old. Suddenly civilization seemed very far away.
Adrianna's career, her fiance--her entire life--awaited her back in Sydney. But here in the primitive desert, this rugged rancher tempted her in ways she'd never imagined. Desperate, confused, and lost in an oasis of red-hot passion, she knew their time together was merely borrowed--from a world of dreams.
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