Fleur McDonald- Red Dust (2009) 
I was unsure whether I would enjoy an outback romance novel but since I am a huge fan of ‘Farmer wants a wife’ on television I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and engaging Australian read and I think I may just take up the outback romance genre now that I’ve got a taste for it. Gemma Sinclair, a young widow takes on the huge job of managing her 100,000 hectare farming station, Billbinya. Despite the locals lack of confidence in her ability to keep it going, for the first six months Gemma shows them that she is capable of such a huge job. However, when sheep start to go missing in town and reappear in her paddocks, Gemma becomes caught up in a huge stock stealing ring and has no idea how. Gemma starts to uncover secrets that her former husband had tried to keep from her for several years before his death and now she is paying the price for his mistakes. As Gemma comes to terms with her husbands betrayal Gemma develops a friendship with the new stock agent in town and questions whether she is ready to fall in love again.Red Dust is an intriguing novel about a young woman who shows courage and determination against all odds. A strong female character that you will fall in love with. This Australian outback story is a wholesome read that is truly authentic. Author Fleur McDonald who lives the outback lifestyle has created an engaging first novel. I recommend to anyone who wants to escape from the city without leaving their lounge.
