Aussie Book Review: The Road Home by Fiona Palmer
Fiona Palmer- The Road Home Format- ebook Source- Review copy/ netgalley Publisher- Penguin AU Publication date- 28th March, 2012 Synopsis- Lara Turner has a boyfriend, a nice house in the city and a chance at a big promotion. So when her brother calls asking her to come home, she hesitates. Can she face the memories that inhabit the beloved place of her childhood? And how does she feel with the news it’s to be sold? Is she the answer to saving the family farm?Jack Morgan has memories of his own to contend with. A falling-out with his family and a bitter end to a past relationship have left a big chip on his shoulder. When his best mate’s beautiful sister arrives on the scene, he finds himself deeply conflicted.Lara and Jack have a powerful attraction but are constantly at odds. Will their love of the same land keep them apart, or grow into a love of a different kind?From the bestselling author of The Family Farm and Heart of Gold comes a heartwarming novel about finding your true place in the world, and the healing power of the land.Review- Lara Turner is a country girl at heart and after leaving behind the city where she’s lived most of her life, she takes the road home to Erindale, her family farm. Leaving behind a lying boyfriend and a corporate promotion, Lara takes up the challenge of running Erindale to keep the farm in the family. Until then, her brother Noah has been working the land, but now he is getting married he will be moving into his fiancé’s home to follow his dream of working with cattle.Lara is hesitant to take on the huge responsibility of running a farm, but determined to keep her family’s legacy and to succeed she gets stuck into the daily grind of rural living.Noah’s best mate Jack throws a spanner into the works, at first there’s an obvious attraction between the two of them but once Lara officially takes over the farm his attitude towards her cools and she’s confused by his change of heart. Lara doesn’t want to be distracted by men, but there’s something about the handsome brooding kiwi that makes her heart race. The feeling is mutual, but Jack has his own issues that keep him at a distance from Lara. Lara is a fantastic Aussie heroine- she’s smart, hard-working and has an upfront manner which makes her fun and likeable. Jack’s mood changes were underlined by some series issues in his past that he hadn’t come to terms with.There’s a lot happening in The Road Home from farming dilemmas to family conflict and then the personal struggles of each of the characters in the story and this makes for compelling reading. Despite all the plot twists and turns, the characters are well developed and as the story progresses I could understand each of their conflicts as well as see their growth.The Road Home is a great addition to your rural lit shelf if you love strong characters and beautiful Aussie landscapes.
4/5 rating
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About the author:
Fiona Palmer lives in the tiny rural town of Pingaring in Western Australia, three-and-a-half hours south-west of Perth. She has extensive farming experience, does the local mail run, and was a speedway-racing driver for seven years. She is the author of three novels, The Family Farm, Heart of Gold and The Road Home.
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This book was read as part of the these two 2012 challenges:
