Fool Me Once

by Karly Lane

Embargo 28th April

Karly Lane has a wonderful way of creating a sense of place - These are books I know I can fall into and be transported.' - Noveltea Corner on Return to Stringybark Creek

Farmer, Georgie Henderson manages a cattle farm in the New England region of NSW, but her dream has always been to buy back her family property, Tamban. Her every waking hour for years, has revolved around planning to make this dream become a reality.

When an unlikely meeting with Michael Delacourt at a rowdy B&S Ball sends them on a whirlwind romance, Georgie can't believe it's possible for life to be this good and her dream of buying back Tamban has, for the first time, taken a backseat to happiness.

But her world shatters when she discovers the shocking secret Michael has been trying to keep from her.

Can Michael convince her they still have a future? And after having her heart so thoroughly broken, can Georgie ever trust anyone again?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Australia, Audiobook

318 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2020

About the author

Karly Lane lives on the beautiful Mid North Coast of NSW in Australia. A certified small town girl, she is most happy in a little town where everyone knows who your grand parents were. She writes women’s fiction – everything from romantic suspense to family sagas and life in rural Australia. She has romantic suspense titles published under Karlene Blakemore-Mowle and her latest release, Third Time Lucky is available now.

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buying back the family property, Tamban has always been Georgie Henderson’s dream, but for now she will just have to be happy with managing a cattle farm in the New England region of NSW. Working on the cattle farm gives Georgie the opportunity to continue planning for her future and hopefully one day her dream she is working so hard towards will be a reality.

Attending a B&S ball is the last thing Georgie wanted to do, but she didn’t want to disappoint her best friend, Shannon. Georgie does her best to look interested, but she actually doesn’t want to be there and it seems she’s not the only one. Looking across the room, she spots a man who looks out of place. Georgie soon finds out that Michael Delacourt had been coaxed into attending the ball with Georgie’s brother, Brett. After a short time Georgie takes Michael back to where he is staying.

After spending a bit of time with one another, Georgie and Michael hit it off and it seems Georgie is the happiest she’s been for a long time. She starts to get a clearer picture who Michael is and why he is visiting. Their feelings begin to grow stronger for one another and Georgie is enjoying the time she spends with Michael that is until she finds out he has been lying to her. How could he deceive her the way he has, especially when he knew what she had been working so hard for. Georgie is hurt, angry and so upset that she wants nothing more to do with, Michael. Will Georgie change her mind and let Michael explain or has he lost her trust and love forever?

Another brilliantly written story by Aussie author, Karly Lane. It wouldn’t matter what Karly Lane wrote I would read it as I just love her books. The rural setting and the strong characters all make for a terrifically entertaining read in my opinion and I have no hesitation in highly recommending this book to anyone who is searching for their next book to read.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
Any book by Karly Lane is a must read for me. I was in a bit of a reading slump and I was sure Karly’s latest offering would get me out of it. I wasn’t wrong! I devoured this book in two days!

Georgie is strong, independent woman. She is currently the manager of Stoney Creek, a cattle property, but her goal is to buy back her family’s property that had been sold to a large corporation.

Georgie meets Michael at a B & S ball. They both feel totally out of place there and they hit it off immediately.
It was love at first sight and a whirlwind romance but it is not all plain sailing for Georgie and Michael.

The storyline is predicable. Boy meets girl, they fall in love then some insurmountable problem tears them apart and we read on broken heartedly hoping they will reunite. I would have been terribly disappointed if it didn’t pan out that way. It’s what rural romance readers want!

However Karly Lane’s stories aren’t simple angsty romance. They have great depth when it comes to issues faced by a rural community and in this case farmers inparticular.
This is a story that reflects on the effects of a drought, rising debts, suicide, women in farming and the need for diversification.

Karly Lane’s affinity for the land shines through in her stories.
Georgie is easy to warm to. A character full of sass and determination. Fool Me Once is a feel-good story not to be missed.
*I received a copy from the publisher

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling like a fish out of water, Georgie Henderson once again wondered why she’d let her best friend Shannon persuade her to go to the B&S ball. And the guy she spotted across the hall looked as out of place as she felt. Michael Delacourt had been persuaded by his brother, Brett, to go to the ball so when Shannon and Brett were reluctant to leave, Georgie took Michael back to his accommodation. Spending some time with Michael over the weekend, Georgie found herself happy for the first time in a long time.

Georgie was manager of the cattle property, Stoney Creek and since its owner, Harry had had a stroke and moved to his family in Melbourne, Georgie and her farmhand Matt had run the farm themselves. It was a big job, but one she loved. Her life had consisted of living and working on first her family’s farm, Tamban, and when her father had sold it, Stoney Creek took its place. She was at home with her work and farm life…

But her life was set to be filled with heartbreak as her romance with Michael was shattered when she discovered something about him that shocked her to the core. She couldn’t be with him – wouldn’t be with a person who lied to get what he wanted. Would Georgie ever know happiness again?

Aussie author Karly Lane has set her latest rural romance in the New England region of NSW which makes it easy to visualize the land and beautiful sunsets, not too far from Tamworth. Fool Me Once is a story of love and trust, of heartache and happiness, and although predictable, it was a quick, enjoyable read. Recommended.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

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

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

Karly Lane first penned a version of Fool Me Once when she began writing books, some ten years ago now. Fool Me Once was put to one side and it has now been revived, thanks to some reworking and editing. A story of love, loss, endurance, determination and land entitlement, Fool Me Once is a relayed with plenty of intuition, along with compassionate understanding.

Fool Me Once introduces hardworking farmer Georgie Henderson. Georgie manages a cattle property, which is located in the New England area of New South Wales. While Georgie toils on the land for her employer, she longs to reclaim her family’s farming property. This is only a dream for Georgie. Things change for Georgie when she attends a local B & S ball. There she meets Michael Delacourt. It is love at first sight for these two and a passionate affair ensues, followed by a swift marriage proposal. Georgie’s new love helps her to forget the plans she made to buy back her family home. However, Georgie’s life is shattered when she discovers that her new love is carrying a dark secret that strikes at the very heart of the pain she feels about losing her family home. What follows is an emotional road, where Lane’s leads must to learn to trust again and accept mistakes from the past, in order to rebuild their lives.

Fool Me Once is a story born from the author’s treasured memories of the dearly loved farm owned by her family. Karly Lane recently came to the tough realisation that although she wanted to buy back the farm inhabited by her grandparents, the lingering memories of her grandparents that she desperately wanted to recapture were no longer there. Lane’s return visit to this special location allowed her to see that the farm had changed, it wasn’t the same and she now needed to set this dream free. Memories can be so affecting and powerful, but often we need to summon the courage to say goodbye and move on with our lives. I think this is a heartfelt approach to a novel and I admired Lane’s ability to channel her own personal feelings into the creation of her latest novel.

Fool Me Once is a held together by the strength of Georgie Henderson, Lane’s chosen heroine of her new novel. Georgie immediately struck me as durable, determined, resilient and enterprising. Although I would say Georgie is a strong character, she still lets her guard down and at times Lane allows us to see her vulnerabilities. Georgie’s plans and dreams of reclaiming her family farm remain firm throughout the novel, despite some distractions. I admired Georgie’s resolve. When the male love interest of the story enters things begin to look up for Georgie and some changes take place in her life. However, in true rural romance style the honeymoon moments do not last long, the peace is shattered and there are problems to overcome.

In the front of Karly Lane’s mind in her approach to her novels is the rich focus on farming life. Lane knows of the strains placed on farmers to support our country. She also knows of the pressures and conditions they must deal with day in day out, especially with the impact of drought. Bushfires earlier this year have also brought to the forefront additional stresses placed on the rural farming community. These are incredibly trying times, which Lane addresses very well within Fool Me Once. The opportunity to see this through the eyes of a female farm manager was also enlightening. My heart goes out to all the farmers like Georgie out there, who so deserve our thanks. Lane presents issues of unrelenting drought, economic pressures, shortages in the industry and the influence of big corporations encroaching on local farming properties in their fight to stay afloat. It is both eye opening and devastating.

An additional focus on finding love in the country, the past, family memories, legacies, personal crisis, financial pressure, suicide, gender inequality in farming and forward thinking farming practices also play a part in Fool Me Once. Lane touches on these issues with first hand credibility. Lane’s passion for helping her readers to better understand the everyday predicaments faced by our rural community is very clear. It definitely kept me fully engaged in this story.

Fool Me Once sits firmly in the rural romance category and I enjoyed surrendering myself to the New England community for a couple of evenings. A pleasing end is reached by the close of Fool Me Once that will be sure to warm the hearts of fans of Lane’s books and readers who love the rural romance genre.

*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

Fool Me Once is book #60 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge

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

When cattle farm manager Georgie Henderson meets businessman Michael Delacourt at a B&S ball, she throws caution to the wind and accepts his invitation to spend the night. Barely a month later they are married during a holiday in Hawaii, but Georgie’s trust in her new husband is shattered just days later when she learns of his connection to the loss of her family’s farm, and her father’s subsequent suicide.

A story about loss, love, trust, and forgiveness, the tumultuous relationship between Georgie and Michael takes centre stage in Fool Me Once. Love-at-first-sight sours when Georgie believes Michael has lied to her, and refuses to let him to explain. Michael isn’t willing to give up on their marriage though, and waits patiently for his chance to convince her that what they feel for each other is true. I liked the whirlwind romance between the couple, and though a dramatic separation is predictable, their eventual reunion is satisfying.

Set in the New England region of NSW, I’m always impressed by the way Lane integrates the realities of farming life into her stories. In Fool Me Once she raises the issues of ‘corporate farming’ -where large company’s buy family farms, sometimes using underhand tactics in order to pressure a reluctant farmer to sell; and the increasing need for farmer’s to embrace technology and diversify in order to increase their operational incomes.

With a strong setting, appealing characters, and easy pace, I found Fool Me Once to be another engaging and satisfying rural romance novel from bestselling author Karly Lane.

[Stef (Noveltea Corner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.)

By now, everyone knows how much I adore Karly Lane’s books – they’re easy-to-read and enjoy books that always signal a wonderful time curled up on the couch with a cup of tea.

As with all her books, Fool Me Once is set in rural Australia (in this case, rural NSW) and follows the relationship between a farmer – Georgie Henderson – and a her love interest, Michael Delacourt. The story opens at a B&S ball that Georgie’s been dragged along to by her best friend, and is where she meets Michael for the first time. He’s out of place amongst the familiar crowd and the two have an instant connection that blooms into the beginnings of a long-distance relationship.

Except Michael’s got a secret that he’s hesitant to share, afraid of Georgie’s reaction. This causes a rift that may never be healed.

Before I dive into the characters, I did want to mention, briefly, how Lane sets up place as character. Georgie’s a farmer, and manages a cattle property, and she grew up on her family’s farm, not far from where she currently lives and works, so it’s in her blood. She’s always known what she wants to do, and the sale of her family property before she could take it is something that’s a on-going wound in her life. The places she’s lived and worked are additional characters to this narrative because they are so much part of her life. As a reader, we get a true sense of what these two properties look and sound like, and a peek at what needs to happen on a daily basis to keep a cattle farm running – not just the manual labor side, but also the business side.

Georgie is a strong woman, who’s known her whole life what she wants to do and the loss of her family’s property to a large corporation shattered a lot of her dreams. She’s found a great job, and an employer she loves and trusts and who feels the same for her in return, but it’s still not enough to shake the feeling of loss for her property and a distrust for the businesses that come through and buy up struggling farms. In many ways, she’s content to continue living her life and saving for the time when she can try and buy back her family farm, and that future is tested when she meets Michael. He’s someone she never thought she’d fall for, and he challenges her to step outside her comfort zone and live in the moment. But he’s also someone who can potentially hurt her and she’s guarded herself for so long that when his secret is revealed it shatters her trust completely. Then it takes her a long time to resolve her broken trust and her feelings for the man – beyond his secret.

Michael is someone who’s worked hard to get where he is in life, and it hasn’t been without its ups and downs. Born and raised on a farm until the death of his father, Michael and his mother then moved to the city when his mother remarries, and Michael is introduced to the world of business. He has a tumultuous relationship with his step-father, and walked away from working from him in order to start his own business. When he meets Georgie he’s smitten, and as he learns more about her, he realises that they’re linked together in more than a romantic way – and it’s not going to bode well for their relationship if she finds out. In his effort to stay with Georgie, Michael makes decisions to keep things from her and suffers the consequences of the actions. The fact that he makes these mistakes makes him a more relatable character – he genuinely thinks he’s protecting her, without realising that keeping things from her would hurt her worse – and instead of making me feel frustrated about his character, in a way, it’s kind of endearing.

Georgie and Michael’s relationship feels harder fought in Fool Me Once, compared to some of Lane’s more recent books. The story itself is built around the miscommunication trope (which can be hit or miss for me), and it pulls it off. As a reader I was pulled into the whirlwind romance quickly enough that by the time the secret drops I was waiting for it to happen and to find out if and how it can be resolved. Lane writes compelling characters and relationship realities, and I’m all here for it.

[Jill Stephens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. The torture that Georgie put Michael through was ridiculous

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karly Lane has long been one of my favourite Australian authors with her signature style of steam, stock and snark with a huge helping of heart and humour.
Fool Me Once takes us into the farming regions of New South Wales where Georgie Henderson is managing a property, a role that she loves but is using to gain experience and save madly to try and buy back her beloved childhood farm.
Lane explores women in farming and gives us a close up look at some of the struggles facing Georgie simply because she’s a woman. The chauvinistic attitudes of those believing a man could do it better, and the assumptions made about why she does what she does. Lane has written a strong, capable and intelligent farmer in Georgie and she certainly evokes admiration.
Georgie is very much career focused and doesn’t take much time off but her childhood best friend can be quite persuasive, and so she finds herself at a B&S Ball; feeling over dressed, under intoxicated and way too old. A feeling that I could completely relate to, I think we all get to an age where we head out to something and wonder how we got so much older than the rest of the crowd.
Shannon is much more of a party girl and she is having a great time, especially since being asked to dance by a handsome stranger. Georgie is on the sidelines surveying the scene and trying to work out when she will be able to make her escape when she spots a tall, dark and handsome of her own. There is a lot that makes him stand out, not least of all being the much better cut of his suit than those worn by the rest of the crowd.
There was much that I found predictable in Fool Me Once, events I could see coming from a mile away and that is often the case with this genre. Lane writes in a way that ensures that there are little surprises along the way even when you can pick the events. She creates characters that draw me in so fully that I’m engrossed in their struggles and the predictability takes a backseat.
Georgie approaches the standout stranger, noticing that he is also sober and probably her best chance of conversation. It seems that Michael was also dragged along by his more extroverted brother Brent, who happens to be the one dancing with Shannon.
It wouldn’t be a B&S Ball without testosterone getting in the way and a fight breaking out over a women; though Georgie never would have thought she’d be the woman, and she wouldn’t have picked Michael to be the type to get in a fight.
Georgie leaves the ball and Michael claims a lift so that he can leave the car with Brent. So begins a whirlwind romance that neither of these two ever would have seen coming, totally out of character for both of them.
Georgie finds herself sharing information that she usually wouldn’t and tells Michael about the pain and anger she is still suffering over the loss of her family farm at the hands of a corporation and her dream to one day buy it back.
On the surface Georgie and Michael are from very different worlds, they both work in the same field but their jobs have little in common. Georgie finds it difficult to see any similarities between them but can’t deny the chemistry that sets her insides on fire.
Fool Me Once tackles the very real struggles of farmers on the land trying to keep family properties viable and the pressure they sometimes face from corporations accruing land for profit, haranguing landholders until they feel forced to sell. Lane has employed her insight and knowledge of the farming community to explore this issue from a variety of directions, we see the issue from both the victim and the corporate perspective but Lane also looks at two very different corporate business models.
Once again Lane played with my heartstrings and I found myself reading the last few chapters through a sheen of moisture, no tears fell but they were certainly sitting in the wings waiting for me to let my guard down.
Fool Me Once is a story of farming, family legacies, love and letting go. It was filled with characters who challenge one another to be better, to look deeper and to see to the heart of their pain and work out how to move past it.
I love Fool Me Once and I think it’s going to be a hit for long time fans of Lane, and any one who is just being introduced to her work now.
Fool Me Once is book #11 for the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge 2020.

[Maya Linnell]

I love a good escape to the country, and Karly's story was exactly that. Starts off at a B&S ball and ticks all the boxes for an absorbing, funny, authentic rural romance. Loved the conflicts between the two lead characters, Georgie and Michael, as well as the juxtaposition of his family and hers. Deals with deep farming issues, such as drought, big corporations and succession planning and there is a great vein of humour running through the story.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have devoured in one sitting for a long time.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fool Me Once is about love, trust and family. In the beautiful New England region of New South Wales farmer, Georgie Henderson always wants to buy back the family Tamban. At the local B&S ball, Georgie Henderson met Michael Delacourt. After a short courtship, they married. However, Michael had a secret and when Georgie found it changed their relationship. The readers of Fool Me Once will continue to follow Georgie and Michael to find out what happens.

Fool Me Once is another fantastic book by Karly Lane. I engaged with Fool Me Once from the first page, and I could not put the book down until the last page. I love Karly Lane's portrayal of Fool Me Once's characters and how they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Fool Me Once is well written and researched by Karly Lane. I like Karly Lane's description of Fool Me Once's settings that allow me to imagine being part of this book's plot.

The readers of Fool Me Once will learn about managing a cattle property in rural Australia. Also, the readers of Fool Me Once will understand the importance of telling the truth.

I recommend this book.

[Robyn Peterie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of repetition of thoughts. Unrealistic. Poor grammar. Lighthearted.

[Jessica Maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://jessjustreads.com

Karly Lane’s Fool Me Once is rural romance fiction, set in remote New South Wales and exploring one woman’s journey to buy back her family farm.

At its core, Fool Me Once explores the concept of family and how that can be different for every person. Family is the father Georgie has lost, and who she desperately misses. Family is also her best friend Shannon, and her close bond with Harry and Matt, who she trusts and respects greatly.

Fool Me Once also showcases the importance of women in management roles (particularly within farming). Georgie is strong-willed and determined, and working to carve a career for herself in a male-dominated industry.

Rural romance has the ability to immerse you in another world, where communities rally together, loyalty within friendship and family are key, and the prospect of building a life on the land with someone else is exciting and enthralling.

“Georgie let out a long breath. How did he shake her carefully erected defences and common sense with just a look? She’d had her share of romances, but nothing serious and few that ever went anywhere other than the occasional movie or dinner.”

The setting will transport readers to the dusty, hot outback where lives are vastly different to our own. This is one of the biggest strengths in the novel, capturing the isolated and secluded Australian bush, but also illustrating that close bond that farmers share with their land and their select family & friends.

Georgie is relatable and readers will find sympathy in Georgie’s plight, and her determination to run a farm by herself and one day buy back her family farm.

Because its fiction, many romance fans will adore the methods that Michael goes to in order to win Georgie back, although personally I found him arrogant. He’s forceful at times, a little over-the-top with his emotions, and in real life I’m not sure how his actions would actually be received by a woman.

“He’d pondered what to do with the information for the past two days. The right thing would be to tell Georgie and get it out in the open. That’s what he’d decided to do, face to face, which was why he hadn’t waited until the weekend to come out.”

Stylistically, the book is written in third person but switches perspective between Georgie and Michael.

The intimate third person perspective allows us to see all sides of the story, and gain a deeper understanding for each character. We come to understand Georgie’s driven nature, her passion for the land, her vulnerability, and her gentle soul. We also witness Michael’s inner turmoil, his intense love for Georgie, and his determination to fix his past mistakes.

Fool Me Once demonstrates an appropriate balance between prose and dialogue, not bogging us down too much with exposition or description. Karly moves through some scenes at lightning speed, and it always felt appropriate for the story. The novel itself spans quite a long time period, and Karly manages the transition through time effortlessly.

“She smiled a sad smile and Georgie thought about the photos of the woman Harry used to have on the fireplace mantle. She hadn’t known Vera — she’d died more than thirty years ago — but she felt as though she had.”

Admittedly, as a first-time reader of Karly’s work, I found the story a little slow to start — the tension and pacing picked up as soon as Michael’s secret was out in the open, and since his secret is mentioned in the blurb I thought it could’ve been revealed a little earlier in the book to really propel us into the story sooner.

Additionally, the secret wedding in Hawaii felt a little unrealistic and unnecessary. Did it need to happen? If you take it out, the story could still function as the same. Michael still could’ve desperately tried to reunite with Georgie.

Seductive and satisfying, Fool Me Once is recommended for romance readers. There’s a lot of sex mentioned in the book — and deliberately corny pick-up lines — but I think young readers will also enjoy this. 16+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karly Lane is a must read author for me. Her rural romance novels always well and truly capture the feel of country Australia.

Fool Me Once is the story of Georgie. Her eyes meet those of Michael across the room at a B&S ball. It's love at first sight for the pair, who embark on a whirlwind romance, before the revelations of who Michael is, and his job, that brings things crashing down.

It's a little different to what I prefer in romance novels - the slow burn of the romance over the pages. In this instance it just jumps straight in, and unfortunately I didn't love it like I have previous books by this author.

Georgie is apparently this story, independent woman. She dreams of buying back her family farm and running it her way. Because of the romance being the overwhelming story in the beginning pages though, we don't get to see strong, awesome Georgie. We see her lounging around with Michael, maybe a few chores here and there, but nothing of the strong farmer she claims to be. Apparently she's not spontaneous and fun, yet she willingly puts her life on hold to jump on a plane for a holiday because Michael suggested it. I know the idea is that their love is so special and unique and true that she's willing to put her other desires apart to be with him....but for me, it was more tell than show. It's not really until the second half of the book that we get to see who she is. I guess I just would have liked to see more Georgie being Georgie, rather than her being one half of Georgie-and-Michael. I wanted to see her going about her life without him on the page, yet I just didn't get that.

Fool Me Once was a fun, quick and easy read which is exactly what I was looking for right now (too much other shit going on in life, sometimes you just need light and fun, you know?).

[Beccabeccabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgie Henderson is quite used to being in charge. Currently, she's quite content at managing Stoney Creek, but she has dreams of buying back her family's farm of Tamban. Georgie also loves to play it safe- so when she's dragged to a B&S ball by her bestie Shannon, she was quite shocked to meet the man of her dreams there.

Michael Delacourt is sophisticated, rich, and handsome. He also lives in Brisbane, which is a fair distance and vastly different from Georgie's life in rural New South Wales. But he's not going to let any of those things get in his way- the moment he laid eyes on Georgie, he fell in love.

But Michael is withholding a massive secret from Georgie. A secret that will ruin any chance he has for a future with the love of his life.

There's certainly a lot of chemistry between our two lead characters, but a lack of trust and understanding! (Which is mainly on Georgie's part). Michael's dedication to win back Georgie over and over again is so fun and tooth rottening sweet to witness. On the flip side, Georgie's reluctance to listen is so frustrating! Girl, don't let the gorgeous Michael go without a fight! That man freaking ADORES you!

𝔽𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝕄𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 is yet another delightful book from Karly Lane!

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5

[kepz_lovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful drag you in right away book from Karly Lane. This is astand alone story after the last few have been set in Stringybark Creek and it doesn't disappoint.
Fool Me Once is about young farm manager Georgie who one day meets a young businessman at a B&S ball. Like Georgie, Michael is instantly captivated by the beautiful women across the dance floor. From there, their romance is a whirlwind of weekends together on her farm and a spontaneous trip to Hawaii ends up with them secretly married. Problem is that they are unknowingly linked by their past and when it comes to light Georgie can't get past it. Michael gives her space but eventually a family wedding brings them together and Michael fights hard to win her back.
Like all of Karly Lanes stories they are full of the hardships and realities of living on the land and what's its like to be a farmer. Always combined with some kind of family secret or drama that puts a wedge between the lovers.
Loved it and can't wait till the next one 😊

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karly Lane is a well established Australian writer of Rural Fiction and her latest offering Fool me Once shows that she does her research and knows what she is writing about.

Georgie is the manager of a small farm who works really hard and never has any time off. Her bestie Shannon convinces her to go to the local B & S ball and have a night off. There she meets Michael across a crowded room and what follows is a whirlwind relationship. Georgie's dream is to save money to buy back her family farm which was swept up and sold from under her feet by greedy developers after which her father committed suicide.

Imagine her shock when she discovers that Michael is linked to the company that 'stole' her family farm from under her. Will their relationship survive? You will have to read to find out!

I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly as I was keen to find out what happened in the end and whether there was a HEA! Many thanks to Allen & Unwin for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gemma Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an easy classic country love story type read.

A fairytale beginning, boy meets girl, who fall in love and get married until unspoken news is found out which breaks it off. One is determined to win back the other and goes above and beyond to not give up.

One of the main characters, Georgie, is a little frustrating to read about, which is why I have given it 3 stars. She is relentless when it comes to standing her ground and is extremely stubborn. Maybe she frustrated me because she reminds me of myself... stubborn 😂

She has the perfect man in front of her but is too caught up about cynical facts, to admit it. We can definitely take a lesson from her actions, dont take what is right in front of you for granted and to let certain things go for the greater good and happiness! Another important life lesson from this book is communication from the beginning.

Easy read for a lazy Sunday afternoon by the fire

[Stacey Houllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few of Karly Lane books and was happy to finally get to read this book. I started this book on Friday and Finished it this morning. I love reading it so much that I could not put it down towards the end. Georgie Henderson a farmer manger is New South Wales in the New England area at Stoney Creek trying save money to buy back her family farm and Michael Delacourt a wealthy businessman who buys farms. Georgie can't believe that she could fall in love so quickly at chance meeting with Michael at a B&S Ball she went with her best friend Shannon and Michael with his brother Brent.
They both have to find a way to hold on to their love as she has strong feelings about corporations buying farms out from under people and he is closely related to the buyer of her family farm.
It shows their deep connection neither willing to let go of their lives.
A great read loved it.

[Nikki Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never fail to feel at home when I pick up another of Karly’s books ❤️

In Fool Me Once, we are following the whirlwind romance of Georgie and Michael. Both are looking for happiness, Georgie has a dream of buying back her family property of Tamban, but Michael’s has secrets that could tear everything apart.

It’s a story that had me wanting to bang the heads together of both our main characters, due to their miscommunication, stubbornness and slightly immature way, but the resolution and the way in which both characters grew, faced their individual issues and took ownership of their faults - all was forgiven and I couldn’t have been left happier.

Like always, Karly adds an important issue, in regard to farming to her stories and here we see her tackle and educate us on the misconceptions around the agriculture industry, specifically when it comes to corporations buying land.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this. I was fortunate enough to win Karly's book through AusRoom but that in no way affects my reviewing. I laughed at the first sentence, I gave a very contented sigh reading the last sentence and I loved it right through.
A beautiful love story, parts with predictable endings but the way they got there was anything but predictable. Two very strong characters, one female the other male, both affected by their past but wanting to make their future meaningful, wonderful insights into the difficulties of farming, beautifully and sensitively written.
A really lovely book that Karly Lane fans will just love and a book I'd recommend to anyone who loves an excellent Australian based novel with a romantic touch. Very much enjoyed.

[Freddy Iryss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light-hearted, easy-going and with the predictability that romance bestsellers usually promise, this book delivers. Set in regional Australia, the problems that farming the land brings to a story like this are both modern and yet age-old but don't detract from the feel-good intent. I don't pick up romance stories that often because I'm more often than not bored with the contrived situations, these stories are set in and the the run-of-the-mill, cut-out heroine — beautiful, sexy, but head-strong, indomitable, independent, clever, and stubborn women falls in love with rich, rogue but sensitive guy. This one follows the same recipe, but with less exaggeration of the above heroine-qualities. A quick read.

[Vicki Basham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farmer, Georgie Henderson manages a cattle farm in the New England region of NSW, but her dream has always been to buy back her family property, Tamban. Her every waking hour for years, has revolved around planning to make this dream become a reality.

When an unlikely meeting with Michael Delacourt at a rowdy B&S Ball sends them on a whirlwind romance, Georgie can't believe it's possible for life to be this good and her dream of buying back Tamban has, for the first time, taken a backseat to happiness.

But her world shatters when she discovers the shocking secret Michael has been trying to keep from her.

Can Michael convince her they still have a future? And after having her heart so thoroughly broken, can Georgie ever trust anyone again?

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgie Henderson is currently managing a cattle property, saving money to buy back her family farm Tamban, which was sold just before her father died.

She and her long time friend Shannon go to a B&S ball which changes the direction of their lives. The girls meet half-brothers, Michael Delaware and Brent Matthew. Michael and Georgie start a very intense romance until Georgie makes a discovery which makes her doubt Michael.

Can she get her trust back? Events will happen where she has to make some important decisions about her future and happiness.

Well worth the read for those who enjoy country romance.

[Kate Beattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karly Lane's love of the land shone throughout her story. I love a rural Aussie setting. I liked the determination and independence of Georgia, in her quest to purchase and run her own farm. I liked the 'no games' romance at the beginning of the story.

What I didn't like:
The break up was too early in the story, leaving the character's apart and angry for the whole middle of the story. I had a problem with how persistent Michael was in fighting for a relationship Georgia 'didn't' want. For me, it teetered into stalker territory.

Not for me, but I Enjoyed the voice and writing style, so would definitely read Karly Lane again.

[Jodie- Readthewriteact · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to Allen and Unwin for my review copy.

Karly Lane sure know hiwntonright some great rural fiction with some steamy romance! This book was exactly what I needed to read to break up my YA binge. The characters were relatable, flawed, likeable and the plot was had brilliant twists that really can only exists in a romance novel. Even if you feel that you can pick the ending, the author makes the journey to get there the best part. Its simply a nice light read, perfect for fans of rural romance like me!

[Dianne Sidebottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgie and Michael story.
It was good to read an Aussie author and setting.
The non communication in families is really hard (not sure is it a family culture as I can relate to Georgie and her dad). Legacy and inheritance when living out a different decision made...sell and not keep. Memories is all we have at the end of the day and they maybe a different version with the others that were there also. Land and landmarks hold special places in our heart to go revisit.

[Seadaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, read this in a few hours as I couldn’t put it down.
Georgie Henderson runs a cattle station.
Michael owns his own successful corporation.
Georgie and Michael meet at a B&S ball and quickly hook up.
Michael’s brother and Georgie’s best friends also become a couple.
Georgie and Michael fall hard and quick for each other but Georgie discovers Michael is keeping secrets from her, secrets that have disastrous repercussions.

[Barb Kimpton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to finish this book at the end. It started off so well too. But Chapter 29 I skipped, in fact I feel I could have skipped a lot of chapters midway sadly. It got so annoying that the two main characters wouldn’t move on with constant bickering and stupidity. Can’t say I truly enjoyed this book. It could have ended so so so much earlier

I listened to the audiobook version so the added annoyance was the persons melodic irritating voice but that could be just me

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frustrating at times, I really enjoyed the stubbornness of both lead characters in this story. When a book makes you feel an array of emotions all at once you know it's done its job. Well worth a read, especially if you are already a Karly Lane fan. If you have yet to read one of her novels, now is as good a time as any to start.