Daring Clare

by Jenny Glazebrook

Mischievous Clare Bateman has accepted one too many of her brother's crazy dares. Now she is being sent away, to the Cairn family farm in the tiny town of Kamira Creek.

Clare vows never to accept a dare again, but discovers there is one dare left... a challenge that will take more courage to accept than the last ten years of dares combined.

What secrets are the Cairn family hiding and why does Rod Green despise her? What is troubling Fleur Lester? And what makes Philip Cairn so different from anyone she's ever met before?

Clare is taken on a journey of faith, hope and love as family secrets are revealed and she learns the sorrow and joy that come with living completely for God in a broken world.





















305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2021

About the author

Jenny lives in the country town of Gundagai with her husband Rob, four children and many pets.
Jenny writes Australian stories which capture what it means to know God and live for him in a broken world.
All Jenny’s stories have themes of hope and redemption. Several of her novels have been finalists in the CALEB awards for faith inspired writing.
She completed a Diploma of Theology at Tahlee Bible College (where she met her husband, Rob) and is a qualified chaplain and experienced inspirational speaker. She loves to encourage others to understand God’s love, see His hand in their lives, and walk closer with Him each day.

Reviews

[Meredith Resce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenny Glazebrook has a keen understanding of human nature, relationships and reactions. I would give this book 3.5 stars, not quite 4 because, though it started strong, engaging plot and characters, the last quarter of the book seemed to drag on with a number of new plot points introduced that didn't add to the main story, and without good development of those new plots, more skimming over more and more characters and situations that were not terribly important to the main narrative. Having said that, I appreciate Jenny's heart for youth, specifically for rural Australian youth. She knows the Australian country town well, and represents it well in this work. She is a thoughtful and caring person as revealed in her characters. It is a blatantly evangelistic Christian story (as opposed to subtle themes). Some would be thrilled with this focus, others might find it a little over the top. I liked it to a degree, but felt it was over done, and detracted from the main plot. I would recommend the story and the author, but be prepared for the longer and slower ending.

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Clare Bateman’s sixteenth birthday and the tenth anniversary of her father’s death in a road accident. She accepts a dare from her brother to back the family car down the driveway. Both the car and the house are wrecked and Clare is sent off to Kamira Creek where her dad grew up—and where he was visiting on the day he was killed.

Clare meets the Cairn family—Dale, her father’s best friend, his wife Maria and their sons: handsome brooding Scott, suave Adam and always smiling Phil. Town gossip says Scott is a murderer. Adam shows his interest in Clare and reveals he’s been employed by Clare’s mother in the transition of her business into the country. But it’s Phil she falls for—Phil with the haunting singing voice and the songs he doesn’t want anyone to hear, Phil who is caring and seems to love everyone. And that’s the problem: how can she tell if Phil has any special feelings for her when he’s so nice to everyone?

[Susan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend it for Christian teens. Beautifully written in easy language with believable characters, it touches on difficult issues like family conflict, grief, drug use and suicide in a way that is both honest and sensitive, revealing the hope faith can bring without being idealistic. I read this alone then with my teenage daughter and enjoyed the journey with Clare even more the second time. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Bring on 'Saving Beth'!

[Erika-Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful Christian YA contemporary that handles heavier topics with grace and sensitivity 🥰

Clare is yet another female protagonist to add to my fictional-friends list. Her journey is heart-wrenching in the best way possible. Between her processing the loss of her dad ten years ago and now suddenly finding herself surrounded by “crazy” Aussie farmers with too much heart and dirt (😂) who knew her dad better than her, it’s impossible not to fall in love with her story. From the Cairn family secrets to the real issues her classmates face to her own struggles with her family and with God, Clare is the kind of girl I’d be honoured to ever be friends with ❤️

I personally don’t enjoy talking about or being confronted with the “darker” side of humanity and life on earth—though it is impossible to avoid, of course. However, Jenny Glazebrook explores themes of grief, family conflict, drug use, and suicide with ✨ care and sincerity ✨. The cast of realistic characters and their heart-aching struggles, both internal and external, are gorgeous.

I adore how this book not only entertains but also encourages reflection on my own life, the lives of those around me, and best of all, on the truth that God is above all that would dare stand against us 😊

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I never wanted to stop reading it, and when I did I always looked forward to reading it again. This is a wonderful story of faith with lovable, relatable characters. I really enjoyed going on the journey with Clare as she learnt how to truly love. I was also challenged in the way I live my life as a teenager and inspired by the characters.
This story was the perfect mix of fun, romance and drama, and it is now one of my favourite books.
I definitely recommend!

[Susan Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

After crashing her mother’s car, sixteen-year-old Clare is sent to Kamira Creek to complete her final years of high school. She boards with close friends of her deceased father and through this relationship, Clare learns more about the early death of her father. Clare has many obstacles to overcome in Kamira Creek as she explores Christian faith and meets the handsome and easy-going Philip Cairn.

Through this story, author Jenny Glazebrook explores what it’s like to be a young Christian at high school with all the highs and lows of living out your faith in this setting. As Clare matures as a person and a Christian, she grows in compassion for her school peers and her own family.

This is a great book for Christian young people as it will help them understand how to live out their faith in a secular world, with all the temptations and challenges that brings.

Overall, a worthwhile read.