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Under the Golden Sun
Jenny Ashcroft's Under the Golden Sun is a captivating World War II historical love story set against the raw beauty of Australia.
Rose Hamilton is in desperate need of a life change when she reads the want ad in the newspaper for a companion needed to escort a young orphaned child to Australia. There are so many reasons she should ignore the advertisement―the war, those treacherous winter seas, her family, her fiance... but she can't help herself. Within weeks she is boarding an enormous convoy, already too attached to five-year-old Walter.
Unfortunately, the cattle station home of Walter's family isn't anything like either of them were told to expect. Rose can't leave this little boy who she's grown to love until he is happy and settled, and she knows the key to this is Walter's wounded fighter pilot uncle. But how will she ever part with Walter? And what if he isn't the only reason she wants to stay?
Rose Hamilton is in desperate need of a life change when she reads the want ad in the newspaper for a companion needed to escort a young orphaned child to Australia. There are so many reasons she should ignore the advertisement―the war, those treacherous winter seas, her family, her fiance... but she can't help herself. Within weeks she is boarding an enormous convoy, already too attached to five-year-old Walter.
Unfortunately, the cattle station home of Walter's family isn't anything like either of them were told to expect. Rose can't leave this little boy who she's grown to love until he is happy and settled, and she knows the key to this is Walter's wounded fighter pilot uncle. But how will she ever part with Walter? And what if he isn't the only reason she wants to stay?
Audiobook
First published November 24, 2020
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About the author
Jenny Ashcroft
12 books397 followersI am an author of both historical fiction under the name of Jenny Ashcroft, and high concept novels under the pseudonym Jennifer Ross. Having spent many years living, working and exploring in Australia and Asia, I now split my time between Australia and the UK. I have a degree from Oxford University in history, and have always been fascinated by the past—in particular the way that extraordinary events can transform the lives of normal people. My newest novel, Every Lifetime After, will publish in January 2026.
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March 14, 2022
Under the Golden Sun was the first book that I have listened to by Jenny Ashcroft. I was impressed with her beautiful writing and meticulous research. Jenny Ashcroft was able to transport me in her detailed descriptions to both World War II London and to the cattle station in Queensland Australia. It was easy to picture the old houses and tea rooms of London and the kangaroos and koalas roaming freely in the fields of the northern Queensland. Her character development was outstanding and were both convincing and complex. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Under the Golden Sun that was narrated very well by Olivia Dowd. I was so invested in the plot and characters that I did not want it to end even though it was 14 hours and 59 minutes long.
Rose Hamilton found herself back in London after suffering a miscarriage and being dismissed from her duties in the war effort. She was on a train headed to meet her uncle, brother and possibly her fiancé for tea. It was Rose’s birthday and they were going to help her celebrate. Absentmindedly, Rose picked up a discarded newspaper on the train to pass the time. An advertisement caught her eye. The ad was seeking a companion for a five year old child to escort him to Australia. There was an address printed in the advertisement and for some reason Rose felt compelled to apply for the position. She abandoned her birthday plans against her uncle’s and brother’s dismay and set out for Belgravia to apply for the position. Rose was granted the impromptu interview where she met fragile, old and dying Vivien. The two women had an instant liking for one another. Vivien was young Walter’s great aunt. Walter, all of five years old, was an orphan. His mother had been struck by a bus and had died. He never knew his father. Rose knew that there were a million reasons why she should not accept this responsibility but young Walter found a way and crept into her heart. Rose agreed to move into Vivien’s home and take charge of Walter and get to know him before they would sail together to Australia. Vivien’s family, and therefore Walter’s, lived on a cattle station in Queensland. Little did Rose realize how her life was about to change.
The voyage to Australia was anything but smooth sailing. From the minute Rose boarded the ship, seasickness consumed her. It was a very long voyage. Thankfully Rose recovered from her bout with seasickness. She and Walter met Kate and her daughter Verity onboard the ship. Verity became Walter’s first real friend. Rose and Kate also developed a friendship and since Kate and her daughter lived in Brisbane they would remain friends and see each other while Rose was in Australia. When the boat finally docked, their arrival was not what Rose had expected. According to Vivien, they were to be met by family members and brought to the cattle station. Instead, Rose and Walter were greeted by a random driver. After Rose and Walter were left in front of the house on the cattle station Rose was greeted with another unexpected surprise. Although it was evident that there was someone in the house, Rose realized that the door was not going to open and welcome her and Walter. It had begun to pour so Rose and Walter were forced to spend their first night in Queensland in the barn. Could Vivien had been wrong? Were these people unhappy that Walter was here?
As time progressed, Rose came to love and adore Walter. She was prepared to stay with him until he felt comfortable and loved. Slowly, Rose came to know, admire and love the family that Walter was meant to live with. Her relationships with Esme and Max were complicated at first but soon blossomed. Even Lauren, Esme’s and Max’s mother came around. Max had been a fighter pilot in the war until he suffered severe burns on his face and body during the war. There was something special that both Max and Rose felt for each other but neither was able to admit to the other how they felt. While in Queensland, Rose received devastating news about her brother Joe. His plane was attacked by Germans and there was no evidence that anyone got out safely. Joe was presumed dead. This devastating news consumed Rose. She also worried about her parents in Shanghai. There was talk that the Japanese would invade shortly. Although, Rose grew to acknowledge that her relationship with her fiancé was over, she worried about his safety and how she would convince him that they were no longer the people they had been. Could her future be in Australia? Would she ever be able to leave Walter? Could she tell Max her feelings?
Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. All of my emotions were touched while listening to this book. It was a poignant love story but so much more. The historical facts were well researched and accurate. Australia’s part in World War II was portrayed as well as other pertinent aspects about the war. I loved the characters in Under the Golden Sun especially Rose, Max and Walter. I wanted their story to go on and on. I really enjoyed Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy of Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Under the Golden Sun is expected to be published on March 15, 2022.
Rose Hamilton found herself back in London after suffering a miscarriage and being dismissed from her duties in the war effort. She was on a train headed to meet her uncle, brother and possibly her fiancé for tea. It was Rose’s birthday and they were going to help her celebrate. Absentmindedly, Rose picked up a discarded newspaper on the train to pass the time. An advertisement caught her eye. The ad was seeking a companion for a five year old child to escort him to Australia. There was an address printed in the advertisement and for some reason Rose felt compelled to apply for the position. She abandoned her birthday plans against her uncle’s and brother’s dismay and set out for Belgravia to apply for the position. Rose was granted the impromptu interview where she met fragile, old and dying Vivien. The two women had an instant liking for one another. Vivien was young Walter’s great aunt. Walter, all of five years old, was an orphan. His mother had been struck by a bus and had died. He never knew his father. Rose knew that there were a million reasons why she should not accept this responsibility but young Walter found a way and crept into her heart. Rose agreed to move into Vivien’s home and take charge of Walter and get to know him before they would sail together to Australia. Vivien’s family, and therefore Walter’s, lived on a cattle station in Queensland. Little did Rose realize how her life was about to change.
The voyage to Australia was anything but smooth sailing. From the minute Rose boarded the ship, seasickness consumed her. It was a very long voyage. Thankfully Rose recovered from her bout with seasickness. She and Walter met Kate and her daughter Verity onboard the ship. Verity became Walter’s first real friend. Rose and Kate also developed a friendship and since Kate and her daughter lived in Brisbane they would remain friends and see each other while Rose was in Australia. When the boat finally docked, their arrival was not what Rose had expected. According to Vivien, they were to be met by family members and brought to the cattle station. Instead, Rose and Walter were greeted by a random driver. After Rose and Walter were left in front of the house on the cattle station Rose was greeted with another unexpected surprise. Although it was evident that there was someone in the house, Rose realized that the door was not going to open and welcome her and Walter. It had begun to pour so Rose and Walter were forced to spend their first night in Queensland in the barn. Could Vivien had been wrong? Were these people unhappy that Walter was here?
As time progressed, Rose came to love and adore Walter. She was prepared to stay with him until he felt comfortable and loved. Slowly, Rose came to know, admire and love the family that Walter was meant to live with. Her relationships with Esme and Max were complicated at first but soon blossomed. Even Lauren, Esme’s and Max’s mother came around. Max had been a fighter pilot in the war until he suffered severe burns on his face and body during the war. There was something special that both Max and Rose felt for each other but neither was able to admit to the other how they felt. While in Queensland, Rose received devastating news about her brother Joe. His plane was attacked by Germans and there was no evidence that anyone got out safely. Joe was presumed dead. This devastating news consumed Rose. She also worried about her parents in Shanghai. There was talk that the Japanese would invade shortly. Although, Rose grew to acknowledge that her relationship with her fiancé was over, she worried about his safety and how she would convince him that they were no longer the people they had been. Could her future be in Australia? Would she ever be able to leave Walter? Could she tell Max her feelings?
Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. All of my emotions were touched while listening to this book. It was a poignant love story but so much more. The historical facts were well researched and accurate. Australia’s part in World War II was portrayed as well as other pertinent aspects about the war. I loved the characters in Under the Golden Sun especially Rose, Max and Walter. I wanted their story to go on and on. I really enjoyed Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy of Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Under the Golden Sun is expected to be published on March 15, 2022.
December 2, 2020
Rose Hamilton was on the train, heading for afternoon tea with her uncle, brother and hopefully her fiancé as it was her birthday. She read a discarded newspaper to pass the time and when she saw the advertisement for a companion to travel with a young, orphaned child to Australia, she immediately made the decision to go to the address in Belgravia to enquire. That decision was to change Rosie’s life in a way she’d never imagined.
Living in the old house, getting to know five-year-old Walter Lucknow, his great aunt Vivien along with Pia and Lester who catered for Vivien and Walter, was a flurry of rushed days. It seemed no time before Rosie and Walter were aboard the ocean liner, leaving England’s shores with her escorts and heading for Australia.
Rosie and Walter’s arrival in rural Queensland didn’t go anything like Rosie had been led to believe. She was shocked, horrified, angry – for Walter’s sake as well as her own. But slowly, gradually, things improved. And Rosie knew, deeply, she wouldn’t be leaving Queensland and this little boy she’d grown to love. The beauty of the Australian outback, the kangaroos and koalas, the people – Kate and her daughter (Walter’s first ever friend) Verity whom they’d met on the ship and lived in Brisbane – Rosie found herself loving Australia. And Max, Walter’s uncle who’d been wounded in the war, his sister Esme – she felt ‘at home’, more so than ever before.
Under the Golden Sun is the latest release by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft and it was exceptional. I loved it, chuckled, cried, felt emotional – the characters are well written, the story wonderful, Walter an absolute delight. I really didn’t want it to end. Set in the period of the second world war, in England as well as northern Queenland, two hours from Brisbane, Under the Golden Sun has put Jenny Ashcroft up there with my favourite authors, and is one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read in a while. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Living in the old house, getting to know five-year-old Walter Lucknow, his great aunt Vivien along with Pia and Lester who catered for Vivien and Walter, was a flurry of rushed days. It seemed no time before Rosie and Walter were aboard the ocean liner, leaving England’s shores with her escorts and heading for Australia.
Rosie and Walter’s arrival in rural Queensland didn’t go anything like Rosie had been led to believe. She was shocked, horrified, angry – for Walter’s sake as well as her own. But slowly, gradually, things improved. And Rosie knew, deeply, she wouldn’t be leaving Queensland and this little boy she’d grown to love. The beauty of the Australian outback, the kangaroos and koalas, the people – Kate and her daughter (Walter’s first ever friend) Verity whom they’d met on the ship and lived in Brisbane – Rosie found herself loving Australia. And Max, Walter’s uncle who’d been wounded in the war, his sister Esme – she felt ‘at home’, more so than ever before.
Under the Golden Sun is the latest release by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft and it was exceptional. I loved it, chuckled, cried, felt emotional – the characters are well written, the story wonderful, Walter an absolute delight. I really didn’t want it to end. Set in the period of the second world war, in England as well as northern Queenland, two hours from Brisbane, Under the Golden Sun has put Jenny Ashcroft up there with my favourite authors, and is one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read in a while. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2022
I remember starting off my 2021 reading year last year with Jenny Ashcroft’s previous novel Meet Me in Bombay , which I had been apprehensive about at first, but ended up truly enjoying. At the time, Ashcroft was a “new-to-me” author writing in a genre (historical romance) that could sometimes be a “hit or miss” category for me. After having enjoyed that novel, I went into her newest release, Under the Golden Sun , with higher expectations and I’m happy to report that this one definitely did not disappoint. In fact, I actually ended up enjoying this one more, perhaps because I found the story more emotionally resonant, for one, and two, I loved all the characters in here — Rose, Walter, Max, Vivian, Esme, Lauren, etc. — to the point that I didn’t want their story to end.
Of course, going into this, I already knew it would be a love story, but unlike Ashcroft’s previous novel, this one definitely felt more well-balanced in terms of the way the historical elements and setting (Australia during WWII period) were incorporated into the story. In other words, the love story didn’t overwhelm the plot, but rather complemented it. Much of this is attributed to the beautiful, atmospheric writing, with its vividly-rendered descriptions of the lush Australian landscape against the backdrop of the historical events of the time period. Even though there were moments of frustration with some of the characters and at times, I felt like yelling out in exasperation during a few scenes, I found myself captivated by the story overall and felt compelled to keep turning the pages in order to find out what happens to these characters that eventually grew on me.
One thing that surprised me about my reading experience with this book is the resonance I felt with the story, especially on an emotional level. I wasn’t expecting this book to both make me laugh and make me cry at various points of the story, but that’s exactly what it did. I appreciate a book that makes me feel as much as one that makes me ponder and reflect and this one definitely fits the bill. With this newest release, Ashcroft adds yet another solid historical novel to her repertoire— I can’t wait to read what she comes out with next!
Received ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley
March 30, 2021
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Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft. (2020).
Wanted: companion to escort a young, orphaned child home to Australia. All expenses as well as passage covered. Interested parties to apply without delay...
Rose is in desperate need of a fresh start. There are many reasons she should ignore the advertisement (the war, the treacherous seas, her family, her fiancé) but she can't help herself. Within weeks she is on her way to Australia with 5 year old Walter. But rural Queensland and the cattle station home is not what they were expecting. Rose can't leave Walter, who she now loves, until he's happy and she knows the key to this is Walter's wounded fighter pilot uncle Max. But how will she ever part from Walter? And what if he isn't the only reason she wants to stay?
Another great historical fiction read to add to your list if you are a fan of that genre! This one starts in England before heading to rural Australia, via a long sea journey (no thanks from me, I felt as sick as poor Rose just imagining it). Rose and Walter arrive in Australia expecting to be greeted by open arms...alas, Rose was deceived (by a woman with good intentions though) and so they have a rocky start. I think at it's core, this novel is about love: the love one can have for someone who is not blood related; romantic love; love leading to forgiveness; love providing happiness. Rose, Walter, Max and Max's sister Esme were great main characters, I particularly enjoyed Esme's sass. A combination of historical wartime fiction, domestic drama, and some light romance, I have no doubt many readers would enjoy this one and would not hesitate to recommend.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft. (2020).
Wanted: companion to escort a young, orphaned child home to Australia. All expenses as well as passage covered. Interested parties to apply without delay...
Rose is in desperate need of a fresh start. There are many reasons she should ignore the advertisement (the war, the treacherous seas, her family, her fiancé) but she can't help herself. Within weeks she is on her way to Australia with 5 year old Walter. But rural Queensland and the cattle station home is not what they were expecting. Rose can't leave Walter, who she now loves, until he's happy and she knows the key to this is Walter's wounded fighter pilot uncle Max. But how will she ever part from Walter? And what if he isn't the only reason she wants to stay?
Another great historical fiction read to add to your list if you are a fan of that genre! This one starts in England before heading to rural Australia, via a long sea journey (no thanks from me, I felt as sick as poor Rose just imagining it). Rose and Walter arrive in Australia expecting to be greeted by open arms...alas, Rose was deceived (by a woman with good intentions though) and so they have a rocky start. I think at it's core, this novel is about love: the love one can have for someone who is not blood related; romantic love; love leading to forgiveness; love providing happiness. Rose, Walter, Max and Max's sister Esme were great main characters, I particularly enjoyed Esme's sass. A combination of historical wartime fiction, domestic drama, and some light romance, I have no doubt many readers would enjoy this one and would not hesitate to recommend.
September 27, 2022
Captivating, memorable, and exceptionally moving!
Under the Golden Sun is a rich, absorbing tale that sweeps you away to WWII London and into the life of Rose Hamilton, a recently engaged, young British woman who, after suffering a miscarriage and being discharged from her position in the air force, answers an ad to chaperone a four-year-old boy to Australia that not only exposes her to a world unlike any she has ever known before but, ultimately, changes her life forever.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are apprehensive, multilayered, and genuine. And the plot is a heartwarming tale of life, love, loneliness, familial relationships, heartbreak, war, loss, grief, guilt, culture, hardships, hope, loyalty, romance, and self-discovery.
Overall, Under the Golden Sun is a beautifully written, exceptionally atmospheric novel by Ashcroft that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the lives, personalities, and feelings of the characters you can’t help but be affected. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite novels of the year, and just like her previous novel, Meet Me in Bombay, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Under the Golden Sun is a rich, absorbing tale that sweeps you away to WWII London and into the life of Rose Hamilton, a recently engaged, young British woman who, after suffering a miscarriage and being discharged from her position in the air force, answers an ad to chaperone a four-year-old boy to Australia that not only exposes her to a world unlike any she has ever known before but, ultimately, changes her life forever.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are apprehensive, multilayered, and genuine. And the plot is a heartwarming tale of life, love, loneliness, familial relationships, heartbreak, war, loss, grief, guilt, culture, hardships, hope, loyalty, romance, and self-discovery.
Overall, Under the Golden Sun is a beautifully written, exceptionally atmospheric novel by Ashcroft that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the lives, personalities, and feelings of the characters you can’t help but be affected. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite novels of the year, and just like her previous novel, Meet Me in Bombay, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2021
**ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I am really intrigued by the historical fiction stories that are happening during WW2 but not in Europe so when I found out this book takes place in Australia I immediately entered the giveaway.
We are meeting Rose Hamilton when she is in a very depressing moment of her life - it's the middle of London bombings, she is not getting along with her fiancee, she feels she is under qualified for her job and recently . So when she sees the advertisement for a companion to escort an orphan to Australia she doesn't think twice and immediately applies for the job. Obviously she starts loving Walter (the aforementioned child) the second she sees him and from the day one she is dreading the moment she will have to go back to England. And so the long and painfully uneventful travel to Australia begins. Once Rose arrives to the cattle station in Queensland and spots Max (wounded pilot and owner of the place), the relationship between her and Walter gets pushed aside and the romance ensues.
It is a solid book (a bit on the slower side) but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Was it because Walter is this parody of a child that has no personality traits outside of being cute and adorable? Was it because you see Rosie's relationship with her fiancee only when it is falling apart so it's hard to believe there was ever any love? Was it because the romance with Max was happening mainly in Rosie's head? Sprinkle it with couple characters that were introduced to the story but have absolutely no reason for being there; Rosie having absolutely no flaws; moments when author decides to break the timeline and narration style to inform you about things happening to other characters when Rosie is not around; scenes that were inserted almost like an afterthought and instead of nice, smooth read you are getting a choppy, unsatisfying story. But I'm in minority here so I guess there is a solid possibility is that I am simply too cold-hearted to appreciate it.
I am really intrigued by the historical fiction stories that are happening during WW2 but not in Europe so when I found out this book takes place in Australia I immediately entered the giveaway.
We are meeting Rose Hamilton when she is in a very depressing moment of her life - it's the middle of London bombings, she is not getting along with her fiancee, she feels she is under qualified for her job and recently . So when she sees the advertisement for a companion to escort an orphan to Australia she doesn't think twice and immediately applies for the job. Obviously she starts loving Walter (the aforementioned child) the second she sees him and from the day one she is dreading the moment she will have to go back to England. And so the long and painfully uneventful travel to Australia begins. Once Rose arrives to the cattle station in Queensland and spots Max (wounded pilot and owner of the place), the relationship between her and Walter gets pushed aside and the romance ensues.
It is a solid book (a bit on the slower side) but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Was it because Walter is this parody of a child that has no personality traits outside of being cute and adorable? Was it because you see Rosie's relationship with her fiancee only when it is falling apart so it's hard to believe there was ever any love? Was it because the romance with Max was happening mainly in Rosie's head? Sprinkle it with couple characters that were introduced to the story but have absolutely no reason for being there; Rosie having absolutely no flaws; moments when author decides to break the timeline and narration style to inform you about things happening to other characters when Rosie is not around; scenes that were inserted almost like an afterthought and instead of nice, smooth read you are getting a choppy, unsatisfying story. But I'm in minority here so I guess there is a solid possibility is that I am simply too cold-hearted to appreciate it.
March 16, 2022
An ad asking for an adult to chaperone a child to Australia sounded interesting to Rose considering her current situation, but how would this work during the war?
Rose answered the ad, visited the home where the sweet child was, and accepted the job.
In the home Rose finds a dying woman, Walter, the child, and information that Walter’s mother was killed by a bus and had family in Australia that were waiting for him.
Rose stays with Walter to get comfortable with him and him with her before they take off on the ocean liner.
The trip was long and arduous as well as having a lot of apprehension for both Rose and Walter. Rose hoped his new family was going to be kind to Walter...how would she leave this sweet boy with someone who may not fully love him?
Her fears were confirmed when they arrived. They actually were not expected nor were they welcome, it was pouring down rain, and they had to sleep in the barn that night because they weren’t let into the house. Vivian must have lied to her, but why? What now?
Well…Rose finds out why Vivian wanted Walter to be with this family in Australia.
Walter had inherited a great deal of money and has a complicated situation with his background and with being in Australia.
We get to share the sorrows of the situation, the joys, and also the beautiful landscape of Australia and its customs.
You will fall in love with Walter and Rose and not want the book to end.
You will also want to visit Australia.
A do not miss read for fans of historical fiction and women’s fiction. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Rose answered the ad, visited the home where the sweet child was, and accepted the job.
In the home Rose finds a dying woman, Walter, the child, and information that Walter’s mother was killed by a bus and had family in Australia that were waiting for him.
Rose stays with Walter to get comfortable with him and him with her before they take off on the ocean liner.
The trip was long and arduous as well as having a lot of apprehension for both Rose and Walter. Rose hoped his new family was going to be kind to Walter...how would she leave this sweet boy with someone who may not fully love him?
Her fears were confirmed when they arrived. They actually were not expected nor were they welcome, it was pouring down rain, and they had to sleep in the barn that night because they weren’t let into the house. Vivian must have lied to her, but why? What now?
Well…Rose finds out why Vivian wanted Walter to be with this family in Australia.
Walter had inherited a great deal of money and has a complicated situation with his background and with being in Australia.
We get to share the sorrows of the situation, the joys, and also the beautiful landscape of Australia and its customs.
You will fall in love with Walter and Rose and not want the book to end.
You will also want to visit Australia.
A do not miss read for fans of historical fiction and women’s fiction. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
June 26, 2022
Historical Fiction lovers, this one's for you!
Under The Golden Sun is such a unique and memorable story. A slow-burn romance at the very heart of it with strong character development. There's a whole lot of love and healing throughout these pages. It really was a beautiful read.
Side note:
I keep coming back to the fact that Rosie and Walter spent a MONTH on a ship during their journey. The writing was so good that I was starting to feel a bit sea sick myself ...
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy!
Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Racism, Burn Victim, Plane Crash.
Under The Golden Sun is such a unique and memorable story. A slow-burn romance at the very heart of it with strong character development. There's a whole lot of love and healing throughout these pages. It really was a beautiful read.
Side note:
I keep coming back to the fact that Rosie and Walter spent a MONTH on a ship during their journey. The writing was so good that I was starting to feel a bit sea sick myself ...
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy!
Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Racism, Burn Victim, Plane Crash.
March 4, 2022
~Live. Do That Well, Do It Joyfully~
This book will sweep you into the life of Rose Hamilton. She is loving, earnest, sincere, and has a beautiful heart. Yet, Rose is deeply lonely. She has just lost a baby girl. She still has her fiance, family, and a job in England, but she begins to rethink her life. She sees an ad to travel to Australia with a young boy, Walter who has just lost his mother. Rose decides she really cares for Walter and will bring him on a dangerous sea bound journey to Australia even though WWII makes this dangerous. She arrives in Australia and is on to Narrawee where Walter’s family lives. Rose starts to envision a life there. Can love of the land, a new family, and love in her heart change her decision and stay in Australia. Sometimes, the answers are simpler then we think.
Thank you NetGalley, Jenny Ashcroft, and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book.
This book will sweep you into the life of Rose Hamilton. She is loving, earnest, sincere, and has a beautiful heart. Yet, Rose is deeply lonely. She has just lost a baby girl. She still has her fiance, family, and a job in England, but she begins to rethink her life. She sees an ad to travel to Australia with a young boy, Walter who has just lost his mother. Rose decides she really cares for Walter and will bring him on a dangerous sea bound journey to Australia even though WWII makes this dangerous. She arrives in Australia and is on to Narrawee where Walter’s family lives. Rose starts to envision a life there. Can love of the land, a new family, and love in her heart change her decision and stay in Australia. Sometimes, the answers are simpler then we think.
Thank you NetGalley, Jenny Ashcroft, and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book.
October 10, 2021
1936 to 1944 England and Australia
Interesting to read a book set primarily in Australia during WWII. The impact of the war was primarily on the country's young men serving in the war with some not returning. There were also soldiers diverted to Australia when they couldn't reach their intended destination.
In this novel by a new to me author, there is a blending of story lines, but it's primarily about Rose Hamilton. She answers a want ad for a companion to accompany a child to Australia. She is only half interested, but is lukewarm about her fiance, unhappy in her job and sad about a personal loss and thus decides to inquire. Rose is quickly enamored by the young child: Walter.
Their journey both emotionally and physically was engaging. The depictions of both England and Australia brought the geography and time period to life. The romance was a little predictable, but satisfying in its slow burn. And the cover...lovely.
My gratitude to publisher St. Martin's Press for a complimentary copy of the novel won in a Goodreads giveaway. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Interesting to read a book set primarily in Australia during WWII. The impact of the war was primarily on the country's young men serving in the war with some not returning. There were also soldiers diverted to Australia when they couldn't reach their intended destination.
In this novel by a new to me author, there is a blending of story lines, but it's primarily about Rose Hamilton. She answers a want ad for a companion to accompany a child to Australia. She is only half interested, but is lukewarm about her fiance, unhappy in her job and sad about a personal loss and thus decides to inquire. Rose is quickly enamored by the young child: Walter.
Their journey both emotionally and physically was engaging. The depictions of both England and Australia brought the geography and time period to life. The romance was a little predictable, but satisfying in its slow burn. And the cover...lovely.
My gratitude to publisher St. Martin's Press for a complimentary copy of the novel won in a Goodreads giveaway. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
March 11, 2022
UNDER THE GOLDEN SUN
by Jenny Ashcroft
St. Martin’s Press
Out Mar 15.
Jenny Ashcroft's latest is a sensitive histfic novel set in England and Australia during WWII. As London is hit by the blitz, Rose Hamilton is let go from the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force after terrible tragedy strikes.
She takes a risk for new life by accepting a position to serve as companion to four-year-old Walter Lucknow, an orphan and heir to a bustling Australian cattle station. Down Under is his home where family live.
But when they arrive, Jenny learns that they've not been told the whole truth. She meet's the boy's Uncle Max, still suffering war injuries and PTSD, and as he grows close to Walter, Rose finds her heart deeply touched too.
Will she return to England to be with her family and fiancé again, or find home now with Walter and Max? A must-read for histfic lovers entranced by Australia and compassionate tales about finding "family" by following your heart.
Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#underthegoldensun #jennyashcroft #stmartinspress #NetGalley
by Jenny Ashcroft
St. Martin’s Press
Out Mar 15.
Jenny Ashcroft's latest is a sensitive histfic novel set in England and Australia during WWII. As London is hit by the blitz, Rose Hamilton is let go from the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force after terrible tragedy strikes.
She takes a risk for new life by accepting a position to serve as companion to four-year-old Walter Lucknow, an orphan and heir to a bustling Australian cattle station. Down Under is his home where family live.
But when they arrive, Jenny learns that they've not been told the whole truth. She meet's the boy's Uncle Max, still suffering war injuries and PTSD, and as he grows close to Walter, Rose finds her heart deeply touched too.
Will she return to England to be with her family and fiancé again, or find home now with Walter and Max? A must-read for histfic lovers entranced by Australia and compassionate tales about finding "family" by following your heart.
Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#underthegoldensun #jennyashcroft #stmartinspress #NetGalley
June 10, 2021
I genuinely loved this book - I found it hard to put down, and yet I also desperately didn’t want it to end as I knew I would be bereft when I finished it. Jenny writes with evocative charm and eloquence, immersing the reader so perfectly, whether that be in the dripping heat of the Australian outback, on-board the cranking Illustrious slugging its way through choppy waters, or on the rain-soaked, grey streets of London. I adored the cast of characters - Rosie, Walter and Max in particular were so brilliantly drawn. This is a story that will grab your heart, squeeze it and won’t let it go until the poignant and emotional end. A truly fabulous novel that I have no doubt readers will utterly fall in love with.
October 3, 2022
I love a sprawling tale that follows a brave & beautiful heroine as she makes her way through the world. Rosie is supported by an uncle (right hand man to Winston Churchill), brother (RAF pilot), & parents (military chaplain & wife in the Pacific Theater) who adore her, when she falls head over heels for a 4-year-old orphan boy who needs to be transported to Australia. She leaves her cad of a fiance behind in England to become Walter's friend & protector. In Australia, she becomes independent, makes friends, experiences heartbreak & falls in love. (The love triangle pits rich American journalist vs. brooding Aussie war hero--I mean, come on!) If this book had been written in the '70s (the Golden Age of the TV Mini-Series), I'm sure it would have ended up on the TV screen & my teenage self would have been there for every hour of it!
April 8, 2022
I have loved Jenny Ashcroft ever since I read Meet Me in Bombay and loved it, so it makes me happy that I had the same feelings for Under the Golden Sun. The majority of the setting is Australia during World War II, although the beginning is set in England, and Ashcroft made it feel very vivid and atmospheric. I am used to reading historical fiction focused on the war, this was really more of a love story which was a nice change. Rose was the perfect female lead and Walter was a completely adorable child. There were a few moments that brought tears to my eyes, and at times this was a pretty emotional story. I could also tell that it was very well researched, and I loved the historical note that the author included at the end. I listened to the audiobook but would recommend having a physical copy as well or finding a way to at least read that note.
The audiobook is narrated by Olivia Dowd, and she really heightened my experience of the book. I loved that she was great to listen to and her narration was smooth and spot-on for the emotion of the story. I will say that even though this is a love story, it is still important to pay attention, or you will completely miss what is going on. I ended up being distracted by work while I was listening and missed a little bit, so I tried to just figure out what was going on by continuing on and that definitely didn't work for me. I ended up going back through what I had missed and highly recommend you give Under the Golden Sun your undivided attention if entirely possible. I could definitely see doing another listen of the audio or even reading the actual book in the future. It was such a beautiful and touching story, and I'm already longing to go back and lose myself in its pages.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The audiobook is narrated by Olivia Dowd, and she really heightened my experience of the book. I loved that she was great to listen to and her narration was smooth and spot-on for the emotion of the story. I will say that even though this is a love story, it is still important to pay attention, or you will completely miss what is going on. I ended up being distracted by work while I was listening and missed a little bit, so I tried to just figure out what was going on by continuing on and that definitely didn't work for me. I ended up going back through what I had missed and highly recommend you give Under the Golden Sun your undivided attention if entirely possible. I could definitely see doing another listen of the audio or even reading the actual book in the future. It was such a beautiful and touching story, and I'm already longing to go back and lose myself in its pages.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 1, 2022
Sometimes a character connects with you on such a raw emotional level that you want to be a shoulder to cry on, you want to share your level of understanding. This would have been a strangely different review if I had read this years ago. [I wrote this review early March after reading the book - I don't think I could've gotten through it in May]
Prior to this novel I had not read about Australia during WWII and rarely encountered characters on the outskirts of the war. But life was still happening and death was still happening. This was a beautiful story that begins after, in December 1940, a young mother is hit by a car, and suddenly her son is orphaned with war as its backdrop. Rosie is hired to escort 5 year old Walter to Australia where his uncle lives. A country his mother left for reasons unknown. Then after agreeing to make the journey from England to Australia, Rosie learns the trip might not end up being the grand homecoming this orphan deserves, due to the color of his skin.
Rosie is one of the best characters I've ever read! I connected with her immediately, empathizing with the weight of loss and tunnel vision forward. All the characters felt real, so much so that when life gives you lemons everyone makes something different! But the path carved by each was a joy to read! The romance was subtle and I desperately wanted the characters to just say how they felt! My heart wanted to give everyone a firm nudge!! This story may be a journey to escort a five year old orphan to the safety of Australia, where his relatives reside, but in truth it's a journey of healing, growth, and finding happiness wherever it may be!
Prior to this novel I had not read about Australia during WWII and rarely encountered characters on the outskirts of the war. But life was still happening and death was still happening. This was a beautiful story that begins after, in December 1940, a young mother is hit by a car, and suddenly her son is orphaned with war as its backdrop. Rosie is hired to escort 5 year old Walter to Australia where his uncle lives. A country his mother left for reasons unknown. Then after agreeing to make the journey from England to Australia, Rosie learns the trip might not end up being the grand homecoming this orphan deserves, due to the color of his skin.
Rosie is one of the best characters I've ever read! I connected with her immediately, empathizing with the weight of loss and tunnel vision forward. All the characters felt real, so much so that when life gives you lemons everyone makes something different! But the path carved by each was a joy to read! The romance was subtle and I desperately wanted the characters to just say how they felt! My heart wanted to give everyone a firm nudge!! This story may be a journey to escort a five year old orphan to the safety of Australia, where his relatives reside, but in truth it's a journey of healing, growth, and finding happiness wherever it may be!
December 2, 2021
I received this copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found the first third of the book to be slow and wondered later why we needed so much set up. For me, once Rose Hamilton decides to escort young, orphaned Walter to Brisbane, Australia, while WWII raged across the world, I was more than hooked.
I found Rose’s growing love for Walter to be heart-felt and unforced. Who wouldn’t love that innocent child? Ashcroft descriptions of rural Australia were wonderful, and the characters all resonate as real and well-developed.
But the plot thickens as all does not goes as promised in Australia. Family members are less than thrilled to have Walter back, and the reasons why are quite varied. Ashcroft has developed an emotional plot that tugs at the heart and had me turning pages to see what would happen.
Rosie has left a fiancé behind in England, but we realize what that relationship is up against one she meets Max, Walter’s uncle who’d been wounded in the war. His sister Esme is warm and inviting and soon Rose wonders if she will ever be able to say goodbye to Walter and the extended family and return to her life in England.
Under the Golden Sun is the latest release by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft and it was very good. Four stars for a slow beginning for me but overall, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author and St. Martin’s Press for this opportunity to read and review.
I found the first third of the book to be slow and wondered later why we needed so much set up. For me, once Rose Hamilton decides to escort young, orphaned Walter to Brisbane, Australia, while WWII raged across the world, I was more than hooked.
I found Rose’s growing love for Walter to be heart-felt and unforced. Who wouldn’t love that innocent child? Ashcroft descriptions of rural Australia were wonderful, and the characters all resonate as real and well-developed.
But the plot thickens as all does not goes as promised in Australia. Family members are less than thrilled to have Walter back, and the reasons why are quite varied. Ashcroft has developed an emotional plot that tugs at the heart and had me turning pages to see what would happen.
Rosie has left a fiancé behind in England, but we realize what that relationship is up against one she meets Max, Walter’s uncle who’d been wounded in the war. His sister Esme is warm and inviting and soon Rose wonders if she will ever be able to say goodbye to Walter and the extended family and return to her life in England.
Under the Golden Sun is the latest release by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft and it was very good. Four stars for a slow beginning for me but overall, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author and St. Martin’s Press for this opportunity to read and review.
January 27, 2022
Thank you @stmartinspress for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
This was a beautiful, emotional, heartfelt and poignant love story. This was a great Historical fiction book that takes place during the second Work War. Set in Europe and Queensland Australia, it really transports you to the time and place. Such a great book to escape into. I really enjoyed these characters and story about finding a happy home!
Rose is on her way to tea for her birthday, she sees an article looking for a companion to escort an orphaned little boy, Walter, to Australia. She feels this is something she'd like to do. During their journey, she bonds with Walter and they become very close.
Once they arrive to the boys home, she feels like she cannot leave this boy yet. She wants to make sure he is happy there. Walters uncle Max is an injured fighter pilot and running the cattle station. Rose develops feelings for Max, but she feels Max is holding back his feelings for her. The longer Rose stays, the more comfortable she feels here. She doesn't want to leave Walter.
This was a beautiful, emotional, heartfelt and poignant love story. This was a great Historical fiction book that takes place during the second Work War. Set in Europe and Queensland Australia, it really transports you to the time and place. Such a great book to escape into. I really enjoyed these characters and story about finding a happy home!
Rose is on her way to tea for her birthday, she sees an article looking for a companion to escort an orphaned little boy, Walter, to Australia. She feels this is something she'd like to do. During their journey, she bonds with Walter and they become very close.
Once they arrive to the boys home, she feels like she cannot leave this boy yet. She wants to make sure he is happy there. Walters uncle Max is an injured fighter pilot and running the cattle station. Rose develops feelings for Max, but she feels Max is holding back his feelings for her. The longer Rose stays, the more comfortable she feels here. She doesn't want to leave Walter.
April 8, 2022
Historical fiction that takes place during WW2. This wasn’t about the war, not really. The majority of the novel takes place in Australia.
There was a slow burn romance and lots of hard ache. Some forgiveness and some regret. It drove me a little crazy because I don’t like for a person to be so undecided. It makes me crazy. But besides that, it was enjoyable.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and I read half of it. The narrator was Olivia Dowd and she was spectacular. I highly recommend listening to it.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
There was a slow burn romance and lots of hard ache. Some forgiveness and some regret. It drove me a little crazy because I don’t like for a person to be so undecided. It makes me crazy. But besides that, it was enjoyable.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and I read half of it. The narrator was Olivia Dowd and she was spectacular. I highly recommend listening to it.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
February 4, 2024
I loved this. Believable characters and storylines and it just all works.
March 15, 2022
I’ve said before that I’m always on the lookout for a unique story. When it comes to historical fiction I want to be swept away to a time and place that I know little to nothing about. This beautifully-written story ticks those boxes, as well as being a heart-tugging novel of love and war, loss and hope. When we meet Rosie, she is living in England in 1941, recovering from a tragic loss, engaged to a man she can’t trust. She’s a bit adrift, searching for something to get her life back on track, when she answers an advertisement to be a companion to a young boy who is suffering as well. From there, we are taken with Rosie and Walter on a journey to Australia, in the midst of a war, to reunite him with a family he’s never known. When they arrive at the cattle station that belongs to Walter’s family, they have no idea what to expect, how they will be welcomed, what secrets will unfold, and what wonders and adventures await them! I was totally immersed in their stories, as well as the vastness and beauty of the cattle station and of Australia itself. Always in the background is the war, as its effects reach the distant shores, as well as the concern and worry for loved ones fighting in Europe and elsewhere. The author also writes about the prejudices against the aboriginal people in Australia, which, shamefully, parallels the bigotry that existed in America at that time in history. But never lost against the splendor of the setting, or the horrors of wartime, is that this is ultimately a book about love, family, and home.
November 30, 2020
Jenny came on my radar with her first novel, ‘Beneath a Burning Sky’ and by her third novel, ‘Meet Me in Bombay’ I was completely under her literary spell. If you are a historical fiction fan and have not come across any of Jenny’s books, then I am here to tell you, you are missing out! I have been to Bombay, Egypt and Singapore. So imagine my delight to discover that her latest offering would be in my very own backyard, Australia.
For an author to consistently provide five star reading over four books is something special - there most certainly is magic within each line with words floating off each page. Every read has been an evocative and sensory experience, filled with characters that speak to you on many levels and stories that draw you in and leave you sitting in reverie long after the last page has been turned. Once more I am in awe of how Jenny masterfully weaves a sense of time and place and heart and soul into her characters concerning the circumstances they find themselves in.
‘I miss who you used to be. God. She pressed her forehead to the window pane, closing her eyes, a tear rolling down her own cheek. She’d missed her too. And she hated, hated, remembering. So impossible, though, to ever, truly, forget.’
On this occasion it is Rose and her strength to brave the unknown, with a little five year old boy's (Walter) hand held ever so tightly in her own, as they traipse across the globe. There is one passage, towards the end (no spoilers) when Rosie and Walter had me reaching for a tissue to wipe away tears and my husband concernedly frowning and asking if I was okay. That is the power of words and stories that Jenny is capable of.
‘But she didn’t want to leave him either. Not tomorrow. Not ever. She didn’t want to leave any of them. She didn’t want to leave Australia. Somewhere along the line, this land, with its lush beauty, its peace and gigantic sky, had come to feel like her home, too. ‘Then just stay,’ said Esme. ‘Stay ... ’ ‘I can’t,’ Rose said.
Jenny’s research and attention to detail is spot on. From life in war torn London, to the frightening journey across the oceans during a war, to station life in outback Queensland - I can feel everything from the ocean swell to the blazing heat of the summer sun in Australia. Each of the characters bring so much to this tale - from fatherly Lionel, to wild yet sad Esme, to the stoicism and solidity of Max ... and don’t even get me started on poor, sweet Walter. Yet it is Rosie - strong, resilient Rosie - who is at the very heart of this tale. You will laugh and you will cry.
‘Esme pulled a face at them both. Bugger me.’
Jenny is an incredible writer of historical fiction and, as I noted way back with her first book, whether or not historical fiction is your thing it doesn’t matter for this is so much more than that. Escape to an often harsh and unforgiving time, to a family that needed to rebuild itself and to a belief in being true to yourself in order to find your one true path. ‘Under the Golden Sun’ will take you on such an unforgettable journey, you simply would not want to miss it.
‘Rosie, we all have a past, it exists within us, and whilst forgetting may be impossible, learning to live with what is gone is so often essential to enjoying whatever is yet to come.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
For an author to consistently provide five star reading over four books is something special - there most certainly is magic within each line with words floating off each page. Every read has been an evocative and sensory experience, filled with characters that speak to you on many levels and stories that draw you in and leave you sitting in reverie long after the last page has been turned. Once more I am in awe of how Jenny masterfully weaves a sense of time and place and heart and soul into her characters concerning the circumstances they find themselves in.
‘I miss who you used to be. God. She pressed her forehead to the window pane, closing her eyes, a tear rolling down her own cheek. She’d missed her too. And she hated, hated, remembering. So impossible, though, to ever, truly, forget.’
On this occasion it is Rose and her strength to brave the unknown, with a little five year old boy's (Walter) hand held ever so tightly in her own, as they traipse across the globe. There is one passage, towards the end (no spoilers) when Rosie and Walter had me reaching for a tissue to wipe away tears and my husband concernedly frowning and asking if I was okay. That is the power of words and stories that Jenny is capable of.
‘But she didn’t want to leave him either. Not tomorrow. Not ever. She didn’t want to leave any of them. She didn’t want to leave Australia. Somewhere along the line, this land, with its lush beauty, its peace and gigantic sky, had come to feel like her home, too. ‘Then just stay,’ said Esme. ‘Stay ... ’ ‘I can’t,’ Rose said.
Jenny’s research and attention to detail is spot on. From life in war torn London, to the frightening journey across the oceans during a war, to station life in outback Queensland - I can feel everything from the ocean swell to the blazing heat of the summer sun in Australia. Each of the characters bring so much to this tale - from fatherly Lionel, to wild yet sad Esme, to the stoicism and solidity of Max ... and don’t even get me started on poor, sweet Walter. Yet it is Rosie - strong, resilient Rosie - who is at the very heart of this tale. You will laugh and you will cry.
‘Esme pulled a face at them both. Bugger me.’
Jenny is an incredible writer of historical fiction and, as I noted way back with her first book, whether or not historical fiction is your thing it doesn’t matter for this is so much more than that. Escape to an often harsh and unforgiving time, to a family that needed to rebuild itself and to a belief in being true to yourself in order to find your one true path. ‘Under the Golden Sun’ will take you on such an unforgettable journey, you simply would not want to miss it.
‘Rosie, we all have a past, it exists within us, and whilst forgetting may be impossible, learning to live with what is gone is so often essential to enjoying whatever is yet to come.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
May 14, 2022
I really loved this story. Rose is engaged to Xander but things are kind of shaky after she experiences a loss and wonders if she can trust him. On a train ride she reads an advertisement in the paper. Vivian is looking for a companion to take a young child to Australia. She tells Rose a bit of Walter's background. This is all in the midst of World War II and travel is dangerous and will takes months. When she gets to Australia nothing is what she expected it to be.
This author is so good at setting a scene. I can almost feel Rose's surprise at how big Australia is and the vastness of the station where she is taking Walter to live. I liked her first Christmas where it was summer and very hot, comparing it to what the weather would be like in London. It was a slow progress as Rose falls into the routine on the farm and grows to love Walter as her own. Sometimes I would find myself tearing up over something as simple as Walter holding a baby koala bear for the first time. Of course this is a love story but who is she in love with. I liked Rose. She was a kind soul just looking for some happiness and found it in an unlikely spot. At first I hated Lauren but she grew on me but Esme was a delight. Even Xander, her fiance, wasn't always present in the book but you learn about him through wires he sends to Rose or when she thinks about him but he still feels fully developed.
Meet Me in Bombay was one of my favorite books last year and Under the Golden Sun did not disappoint and I enjoyed it every bit as much.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book.
This author is so good at setting a scene. I can almost feel Rose's surprise at how big Australia is and the vastness of the station where she is taking Walter to live. I liked her first Christmas where it was summer and very hot, comparing it to what the weather would be like in London. It was a slow progress as Rose falls into the routine on the farm and grows to love Walter as her own. Sometimes I would find myself tearing up over something as simple as Walter holding a baby koala bear for the first time. Of course this is a love story but who is she in love with. I liked Rose. She was a kind soul just looking for some happiness and found it in an unlikely spot. At first I hated Lauren but she grew on me but Esme was a delight. Even Xander, her fiance, wasn't always present in the book but you learn about him through wires he sends to Rose or when she thinks about him but he still feels fully developed.
Meet Me in Bombay was one of my favorite books last year and Under the Golden Sun did not disappoint and I enjoyed it every bit as much.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book.
October 21, 2021
Under the Golden Sun
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rose just had some major disappointments in her personal and professional life and she can’t shake her unhappiness. When she sees an ad to accompany a young child from London to Australia, she applies and gets the job, leaves her fiancée and family behind. The journey is dangerous in 1941 during the war years and bombings on the sea, but she makes the best of it with young Walter who she got to really love. The rest of the story takes place in Australia, where she lives with Walter’s so called family. She and Walter are not welcome at first, but eventually everyone comes around. I found the story dragging, the ending predictable from the moment Rose meets the family, especially Max. It took a long, often boring passage to finally come to the conclusion.
I see all the 5 star glowing reviews, but for me, this book is just worth 3 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rose just had some major disappointments in her personal and professional life and she can’t shake her unhappiness. When she sees an ad to accompany a young child from London to Australia, she applies and gets the job, leaves her fiancée and family behind. The journey is dangerous in 1941 during the war years and bombings on the sea, but she makes the best of it with young Walter who she got to really love. The rest of the story takes place in Australia, where she lives with Walter’s so called family. She and Walter are not welcome at first, but eventually everyone comes around. I found the story dragging, the ending predictable from the moment Rose meets the family, especially Max. It took a long, often boring passage to finally come to the conclusion.
I see all the 5 star glowing reviews, but for me, this book is just worth 3 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.
March 21, 2022
Visit the locations in the novel Under the Golden Sun
What a fascinating and well-told story. I love novels where you iterarlly follow in the footsteps in the characters. In Jenny’s book I started my journey on a ship from Liverpool with Rose and Walter. Rose is accompanying Walter who is a small child being sent to the family he has never met, in Australia. His only guardian in England is now dead and he is an orphan. Kind-hearted Rose applies for the job to go with him but he soon becomes attached. She discovers that his guardian has not exactly been truthful and once they arrive, there is no one there to greet them. They are forced to sleep in a barn close to the house and suspect someone is watching them from the family home. My heart was already breaking for Walter at this point!
The mystery of what is going on and how things will turn out is highly tuned from the start. Walter and Rose are real, living, breathing characters and there’s a whole new cast to get to know in Australia too. Rose and Walter find out about this new family at the same time and as a reader, that really made me feel I was discovering them in the same way as them. I felt like another Rose, concerned for Walter and suspicious of his family.
The family are strange people but each one is set under the spot light at different times, Just what is the truth? Max is the boy’s uncle and works on the ranch. His growing relationship with Rose showed a new layer to him and a higher level of intrigue too. Poor Rose had a lot to sort out and a lot to worry about. On top of this family drama is the fact that war is raging around the world. Australia’s role in WW2 is not one you often read about. Here, it’s the background and the story itself and it was really interesting to see how a small rural community suffered because of it.
The way Walter is treated as he is an Aboriginal child was truly heartbreaking to read about. How can you neglect or disown a child because of their parentage? The author has clearly done some very careful research and it was humbling to learn. Poor Walter! I wanted to give him a hug.
Rose and her budding romance really added an extra layer of interest for me. This was very nicely done and felt very real and a nice addition to the cruelty unravelling outside.
The setting, a remote cnattle ranch in Queensland is felt via every grain of sand, dirt, sunbeam and earthenware pot in the baking sun. The atmosphere and the landscape really is breathtakingly crafted on the page. This author conjures up settings with a pen like no one else and this makes the book highly recommended by me!
April 7, 2022
This book is a whole vibe right?
That gorgeous cover, the WWII historical love story set in the “raw beauty of Australia”, the promised plot that would leave me captivated.
I thought it was going to be a sure thing.
Alas, it was not.
In Under the Golden Sky by Jenny Ashcroft, we have Miss Rose Hamilton eager to leave her life behind and answer an ad to escort an orphaned five-year-old to his family in Australia. The family is not what Rose expects, and she spends the rest of the book fretting over young Walter’s happiness, her faraway fiancé, and the gruff wounded fighter pilot uncle, who just might be the key to ensuring Walter’s happiness…and her own.
I don’t know how to say this nicely, so I’m just going to say it.
This book was a slog.
It was repetitive. More than once I had to read about how Rose may or may not have squatted to pee in front of a certain other grizzly character. That was not the only thing she was constantly muddling over. Her so-called fiancé is a horrible human. I wanted more independence from you Rose. And that five-year-old had the same personality as a cookie- he was sweet. That is all.
Don’t even get me started on the telegraph tease paragraph transitions.
I’m sounding salty, I know.
And I’m still puzzling over the high ratings on GR…..
Did we all read the same book?
Can some please alleviate this itch and recommend me a good historical fiction set in Australia?
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. I’ll admit I often judge a book by its cover, and this one wasn’t a win for me.
That gorgeous cover, the WWII historical love story set in the “raw beauty of Australia”, the promised plot that would leave me captivated.
I thought it was going to be a sure thing.
Alas, it was not.
In Under the Golden Sky by Jenny Ashcroft, we have Miss Rose Hamilton eager to leave her life behind and answer an ad to escort an orphaned five-year-old to his family in Australia. The family is not what Rose expects, and she spends the rest of the book fretting over young Walter’s happiness, her faraway fiancé, and the gruff wounded fighter pilot uncle, who just might be the key to ensuring Walter’s happiness…and her own.
I don’t know how to say this nicely, so I’m just going to say it.
This book was a slog.
It was repetitive. More than once I had to read about how Rose may or may not have squatted to pee in front of a certain other grizzly character. That was not the only thing she was constantly muddling over. Her so-called fiancé is a horrible human. I wanted more independence from you Rose. And that five-year-old had the same personality as a cookie- he was sweet. That is all.
Don’t even get me started on the telegraph tease paragraph transitions.
I’m sounding salty, I know.
And I’m still puzzling over the high ratings on GR…..
Did we all read the same book?
Can some please alleviate this itch and recommend me a good historical fiction set in Australia?
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. I’ll admit I often judge a book by its cover, and this one wasn’t a win for me.
September 25, 2021
I requested Under the Golden Sun because I am a huge fan of WWII historical fiction. However, this one fell short of my expectations for a historical fiction. I enjoy the historical fictions that embed the reader into the war with a focused story of the war, this one had the war in the periphery, with the focus of the story on the romance. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of romances, I will read them, but they are not my favorite.
The story was about a woman who was ostracized, for behavior unbecoming of a woman in that era, who accepts a job accompanying a 5-year-old from England to Australia during the war. The back story of the boy and why he needed to go back to Australia is entertaining and the author did a good job connecting the reader to the characters. However, in the end it was your typical romance novel, where he does not say anything to her, she does not say anything to him and months go by, they leave one another etc. etc. Therefore, if you are a fan of romances, you will enjoy this book more than I did.
The story was about a woman who was ostracized, for behavior unbecoming of a woman in that era, who accepts a job accompanying a 5-year-old from England to Australia during the war. The back story of the boy and why he needed to go back to Australia is entertaining and the author did a good job connecting the reader to the characters. However, in the end it was your typical romance novel, where he does not say anything to her, she does not say anything to him and months go by, they leave one another etc. etc. Therefore, if you are a fan of romances, you will enjoy this book more than I did.
March 6, 2022
I adored this book. Historical fiction set during the second World War in England and then Australia.
The book follows Rose, a young woman who is struggling and a bit lost at the beginning of the book. Her relationship with her fiancé is not where it once was, and she is dealing with a recent loss. She comes across an advertisement in the newspaper - someone looking for a person to escort a child to Australia - and Rose, on an impulse, responds to the ad.
This is one of those historical fiction books in which the war is a backdrop rather than a main character. Certainly we don't forget that it is wartime, but in absence of the war, the core of the story would remain unchanged. I have been reading a lot of WWII historical fiction that focus on the atrocities head on, so this one was a bit of a relief in that sense.
I do recommend this book who enjoy a generally feel good story, with touch of romance and unravelling the past. Thank you to Netgalley for for this ARC.
The book follows Rose, a young woman who is struggling and a bit lost at the beginning of the book. Her relationship with her fiancé is not where it once was, and she is dealing with a recent loss. She comes across an advertisement in the newspaper - someone looking for a person to escort a child to Australia - and Rose, on an impulse, responds to the ad.
This is one of those historical fiction books in which the war is a backdrop rather than a main character. Certainly we don't forget that it is wartime, but in absence of the war, the core of the story would remain unchanged. I have been reading a lot of WWII historical fiction that focus on the atrocities head on, so this one was a bit of a relief in that sense.
I do recommend this book who enjoy a generally feel good story, with touch of romance and unravelling the past. Thank you to Netgalley for for this ARC.
February 27, 2022
3.5 stars.
The first 1/3 of this novel was very slow and I struggled to keep reading it. I thought that that part of the story could have been significantly condensed. As it went on, the novel did become better - the relationships between the characters became more developed, the storyline picked up and the pace became more consistent. I did enjoy the latter part of the novel and it did have a satisfying ending. I thought this novel lacked some of the charm and effectiveness of the author’s 2019 novel, Meet Me In Bombay.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The first 1/3 of this novel was very slow and I struggled to keep reading it. I thought that that part of the story could have been significantly condensed. As it went on, the novel did become better - the relationships between the characters became more developed, the storyline picked up and the pace became more consistent. I did enjoy the latter part of the novel and it did have a satisfying ending. I thought this novel lacked some of the charm and effectiveness of the author’s 2019 novel, Meet Me In Bombay.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2022
Note: I was provided an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review
I absolutely adored this book, I never would have guessed that a story about an orphan during World War 2 would be such a lovely story with such heartwarming moments. Rosie is an incredible protagonist and her connection with Walter is unmatched. Thrilled to be starting off 2022 with a 5 star read!
I absolutely adored this book, I never would have guessed that a story about an orphan during World War 2 would be such a lovely story with such heartwarming moments. Rosie is an incredible protagonist and her connection with Walter is unmatched. Thrilled to be starting off 2022 with a 5 star read!
January 13, 2022
I was first introduced the Jenny Ashcroft’s wonderful writing ability in her novel Meet Me in Bombay last year and I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t read anything by her before. So when I saw she had another historical fiction novel coming out this year I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. It’s now a foregone conclusion, I need all of her books. I love that she writes historical fiction novels that are set in exotic locations—Egypt, Singapore, Bombay and now Australia.
This book is set in WWII (her other books also have a war backdrop) and I think this is such a wonderful pairing because so many historical fiction novels are set in either Paris or London during WWII and the war was a WORLD WAR meaning it impacted many other areas and I love that Ashcroft takes us to some new and exciting places while theres a war on and explore what impact that war has on said area.
If the history and exotic location wasn’t enough to tempt you, then the romance should. Ashcroft write beautiful romances with memorable characters. I can still recall Meet Me in Bombay and the characters even over a year after reading it! If you want a new refreshing historical fiction novel then look no further. This is a wonderful choice!
I think I liked this one better than Meet Me in Bombay and I was surprised by that because Meet Me in Bombay was pretty damn good! I loved how this story started with Rose feeling pretty blah about her life. I think a lot of readers will instantly feel a connection with Rose’s character and fall in love with her. I loved that she decides to randomly answer an ad to travel with a child to Australia and how that one decision drastically impacts her life. I thought that it gave this story a more epic and romantic feel right from the start. The cast of characters and the romance that plays out are genuine, memorable, and stunning. I absolutely loved the characters and this would have been a 5 star book based on characters a lone but the setting stole my heart and sealed the 5 star deal!
I have never been to Australia but I certainly want to now! I felt like I was right there in the outback and I want to visit this place so badly! The last book I read that was set in Australia that really brought the location to life was The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley. This book in many ways brought back that same love and beauty of the country that Riley’s book did. It was exactly what I needed to read right now! It was transporting and warming. I felt like I got to go on an adventure from my couch.
This book was packed full of emotion. There is a lot going on with the characters and as you read the book you can easily sympathize with this situations and struggles. I felt really connected even to the host of secondary characters and their various struggles in this story but ultimately it was Rose I felt the most connected to though I did care for the other characters it was her and her principal story line that I was constantly eager to get back to and discover. I wanted to blow through this one but at the same time didn’t want it to end and have to return to real life. This was a glorious read and if you love exotic locations no doubt you will fall in love with Australia just like I did!
See my full review here
This book is set in WWII (her other books also have a war backdrop) and I think this is such a wonderful pairing because so many historical fiction novels are set in either Paris or London during WWII and the war was a WORLD WAR meaning it impacted many other areas and I love that Ashcroft takes us to some new and exciting places while theres a war on and explore what impact that war has on said area.
If the history and exotic location wasn’t enough to tempt you, then the romance should. Ashcroft write beautiful romances with memorable characters. I can still recall Meet Me in Bombay and the characters even over a year after reading it! If you want a new refreshing historical fiction novel then look no further. This is a wonderful choice!
I think I liked this one better than Meet Me in Bombay and I was surprised by that because Meet Me in Bombay was pretty damn good! I loved how this story started with Rose feeling pretty blah about her life. I think a lot of readers will instantly feel a connection with Rose’s character and fall in love with her. I loved that she decides to randomly answer an ad to travel with a child to Australia and how that one decision drastically impacts her life. I thought that it gave this story a more epic and romantic feel right from the start. The cast of characters and the romance that plays out are genuine, memorable, and stunning. I absolutely loved the characters and this would have been a 5 star book based on characters a lone but the setting stole my heart and sealed the 5 star deal!
I have never been to Australia but I certainly want to now! I felt like I was right there in the outback and I want to visit this place so badly! The last book I read that was set in Australia that really brought the location to life was The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley. This book in many ways brought back that same love and beauty of the country that Riley’s book did. It was exactly what I needed to read right now! It was transporting and warming. I felt like I got to go on an adventure from my couch.
This book was packed full of emotion. There is a lot going on with the characters and as you read the book you can easily sympathize with this situations and struggles. I felt really connected even to the host of secondary characters and their various struggles in this story but ultimately it was Rose I felt the most connected to though I did care for the other characters it was her and her principal story line that I was constantly eager to get back to and discover. I wanted to blow through this one but at the same time didn’t want it to end and have to return to real life. This was a glorious read and if you love exotic locations no doubt you will fall in love with Australia just like I did!
See my full review here
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