A Girl's Guide to the Outback Blog Tour

About the Book

Book:  A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
Author: Jessica Kate
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 28, 2020

How far will a girl go to win back a guy she can’t stand? This funny, sweet, and romantic story proves that opposites do attract—and that God has a sense of humor.

 Samuel Payton is a passionate youth pastor in Virginia, but below the surface, he’s still recovering from the blow of a failed business and insecurities he can’t shake. His coworker, start-up expert Kimberly Foster, is brilliant, fearless, and capable, but years of personal rejection have left her defensive and longing for a family. Two people have never been more at odds—or more attracted to one another. And every day at work, the sparks sure do fly.

 When Kimberly’s ambitious plans for Sam’s ministry butt up against his risk-averse nature, Sam decides that obligations to family trump his work for the church. He quits the ministry and heads home to Australia to help his sister, Jules, save her struggling farm. As Kimberly’s grand plans flounder, she is forced to face the truth: that no one can replace Sam. Together they strike up a deal: If Kimberly comes to work on Jules’s dairy farm and lends her business brains to their endeavor, then maybe—just maybe—Sam will reconsider his future with the church.

 As Kimberly tries her hand at Australian farm life, she learns more about herself than she could’ve ever expected. Meanwhile Sam is forced to re-evaluate this spunky woman he thought he already knew. As foes slowly morph into friends, they wonder if they might be something even more. But when disaster strikes the farm, will Sam find it within himself to take a risk that could lead to love? And will Kimberly trust God with her future?

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My Review

I enjoyed this romance mostly set in Australia. For much of the book I wasn't sure there was going to be a romance. The first half of the book is more character development and stage setting. We get to know a bit about farming in Australia and see the insecurities of the characters. There are certainly obstacles to romance, the four people in the two couples are so different. They have to work out many internal issues for either of the couples to even begin to make a go of it.

I appreciated learning some of the slang and customs of Australia. I would have liked a little more description of the scenery. In that respect I felt the scene structure and settings were lacking. I like it when I feel I am mentally transported to the location and that never happened. I appreciate the farm activity involved but I was puzzled about the financial aspect. That the farm was in dire financial straights yet the mother planned on an expensive cruise just did not make sense to me.

This is a good book for readers who like a Christian romance centered in a distant location and involving deep character struggles and transformation.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Australian author Jessica Kate writes inspirational romances with wit, sass, and grit. Jessica is a screenwriting groupie, cohost of the StoryNerds vlog and podcasts, and her favorite place to be—apart from Mum and Dad’s back deck—is a theme park. She has traveled North America and Australia, and samples her favorite pasta wherever she goes—but the best (so far) is still the place around the corner from her corporate day job as a training developer. She loves watching sitcoms with her housemates and being a leader in a new church plant. Visit her online at jessicakatewriting.com; Instagram: jessicakatewriting; Facebook: jessicakatewriting; Twitter: @JessicaKate05.

Exclusive Excerpt

Click here to read an exclusive excerpt of the book!

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.