What a delightful read! I thoroughly enjoyed Her Outback Home. It is a story that captures your attention from the first page and keeps reeling you in—squeezing your heart to the very end.
I had great difficulty putting this book down once entering the world of Hannah Wallace. I admired her for many reasons. She is devoted to her family and is a single-focused passionate woman determined to preserve the environment for generations to come. Not to mention, she loves her Boondaburra Bush Resort home at Carnarvon Gorge. And it is easy to see why. Besides its natural beauty, the location is peaceful and has always offered some stability in her challenging life—especially after the mysterious departure of her mother. This abandonment has affected her deeply and she seeks answers. The novel explores the tattered threads and what she discovers is quite jarring. The real reason for her mother’s departure is not as simple as thought and it leads to some heavy discussions. In her mother’s absence, Hannah has had to take on additional roles to keep the family together. She is not only a sister to her little brother but she also helps raise him. Added to this responsibility, is her partnership with her father in their business. Together they work, struggle and survive but the return is ebbing. They are in financial distress which is also adding to her father’s aging. What will they do now? For Hannah, she will keep trying to find a viable solution because giving in to despair is never a consideration. She will weave together the things she loves and hold on to the people she cares about while a creating a strong cord of hope and strength.
Then enters Jackson Kelly, a property developer determined to snatch away Boonadaburra Bush. He also has a single purpose. Get the deal, get the promotion. But there is more behind this man’s determination. His family plays a big part, too. His encounter with Hannah is an awkward one. He realises he has a massive fight on his hands for she is not swayed by his approaches. Hannah opposes his initial business proposal. Conflict arises and the gap of division widens. The war between her and the imposing developer is a fiery one. She will not stop at anything to keep Jackson from sealing the deal with her father, who has become tired and ready for a change and does not want his daughter tied to a failing business. With the business suffering financially, it appears this new developer has much to offer him/them in a perfect escape.
During their battles, we are often reminded through Hanna that Jackson is not immune to beauty and is human after all! But he harbours a secret that softens Hannah when she knows. It also explains his single mom’s reaction – why she has been overly protective of him. Hannah sees this love between mother and son and this makes Hannah think a lot about his true character. There is quite a backstory to Jackson and one that is well worth getting to know.
With everything up in the air, a political figure steps in and makes a suggestion to try and help Hannah and Jackson resolve the property dilemma. They must visit an Eco-Retreat. Maybe it will give them both ideas of a way forward? But a lot is at risk for Hannah and Jackson. Will the parting of the pieces cause regeneration or more disaster? It's a lot like nature: some things will die while others will spring forth in their place. Out of decay comes new life. So as the shattered pieces fall, they begin to rearrange in a way not expected or imagined. This is one of the great beauties of the story.
The setting is breathtaking and Leanne truly takes us there through her exceptional descriptions. The research is impeccable as she presents fascinating ideas of how to create or recreate a business into an eco-friendly, environmentally sustaining one. This sort of make-over intrigues and interests me. And Leanne has done it so well through her story telling.
As in all of Leanne’s stories-- the dialogue, settings, characters and plot are exceptional. The story is told from both Hannah’s and Jackson’s point of view which gives us quite a well-rounded vision of their intentions, fears and desires. I enjoyed Hannah and Jackson’s journey. Their continual sparks: their differences, similarities, passions and devotion to family. This story flows like a sparkling river branching off into various rivulets but always carrying a consistent theme: of family, love, home - a place where one feels safe and whole. Even with the friction between members sometimes, love is always at the core. Hannah and Jackson are steadfast in their purposes, always focused on a specific goal.
In short, I was captivated by Her Outback Home and loved it immensely. It was such an uplifting story where conflicts get resolved to such positive ends. I look forward to more of Leanne Lovegrove’s stories for they always surprise me with the weave of new elements. This may be classified as a modern romance novel but I think it transcends genre. It is often hard to classify stories and this one paves its own way in originality and inspiration. As for the location—I have not been to Carnarvon Gorge but I certainly want to visit it now! 5 Eco-Friendly Stars!
Thanks to the author for my review copy.
