Beneath Outback Skies

Sam Still Reading4 stars

17 February 2013 at 2:30pm

Alissa Callen’s debut novel brings both the good and bad about the Australian bush to the fore. The story started off a little bit slowly for me. Once Tait was established at Banora Downs, I found the story grow more enjoyable as more characters were brought in. Callen creates a rich history for the once grand property with a beautiful Victorian homestead to match that you can feel Paige’s pain at it crumbling away. I also liked that the plot had multiple threads and simply didn’t stop and end with the romance. The romance in this book is just that – it’s romance, focusing on the build-up, the tiffs and talking rather than the sex. If you’re after detailed sex scenes, you won’t find them here. I feel it’s important to bring to attention the stress that continued drought brings (farm foreclosures, bankruptcy and suicides in addition to large companies buying up several farms, losing the community aspect of small country towns) and Callen has done that splendidly. Tait’s mystery was well hidden – I didn’t actually see it coming and it kept me interested as it was revealed in small parts. The supporting characters, such as Anne and Connor, were sensitively portrayed and I felt I got to know them as well as Paige and Tait. The more I read of this book, the more I enjoyed it and realised that I quite enjoy Aussie bush romance. I’d definitely read more by Alissa Callen and more in this genre.

MrsMichelleS4 stars

17 February 2013 at 10:04am

This is a sweet romance. I really identified with the central characters. Paige Quinn runs Banora Downs, a homestead in Outback Australia hit hard by the ongoing drought. Throughout the book I felt the Paige's despair as she wills it to rain. To allow her to keep her farm. To allow her to survive. How a minor accident can have major consequences when its just one person trying to do it all. This is a romance with a twist. It has an excellent mystery that weaves it way through the whole novel. The plot was great and realistic and kept me intrigued until the end, and it resolved very satisfactorily. Again, another great romance but being a little longer you might need the whole bottle of wine to drink while you read this! Highly Recommended.

Shelley4 stars

13 February 2013 at 11:19am

While I would have preferred a little more external conflict to enliven the plot, I enjoyed the storyline of Beneath Outback Skies. Though primarily a traditional romance, there is a touch of mystery surrounding Tait and I was intrigued by Connor’s motivation to pair Paige with Tait, beyond his attempts at matchmaking. I liked Paige who is practical, independent and willful and I admired her determination to keep Banora Downs viable. I grew quite fond of Tait as well who proved to be kind and considerate, willing to help out and quietly adding small luxuries to the lives of Paige and Connor without needing recognition. I though the pace of the romance between the Paige and Tait was well thought out, the physical attraction is obviously there to start with but the author gives the pair time to get to know each other, which i appreciate. The setting of Beneath Outback Skies is well developed. I was able to imagine Banora Downs as both the thriving property it once was and the dustbowl it has become. I especially liked the way the author explored the ravages of drought, not only on Paige’s property, but also amongst the townspeople, touching on the high rate of depression and suicide in rural communities. I thought Beneath Outback Skies was an engaging and satisfying contemporary rural romance.

ConfessionsFR5 stars

7 February 2013 at 10:28am

Warning – There is a teensy little spoiler about who Tait really is … Paige Quinn has only one thing on her mind … keeping the farm running, making sure that Banora Downs earns enough to keep them in the black and not to let her father know as she promised her mother before she died. Her father Connor is disabled and she is the only surviving child and is determined to keep the place in her family as it has been for generations on her mother’s side and she’s determined the family farm is not going to become one of the stats of the worst drought in years. Needless to say, her father does know what is going on but he has his own plan as he is worried that his daughter is spreading herself thin and will lose the place to the bank. Connor goes behind her back and hires Tait. Tait is on a mission. He will pose as a guest, as the place used to take guests as a way to make money but gave up after one particular disaster. In reality, he owns a successful agriculture consulting firm and has been employed by Connor to form a plan to save the family home. However he has reservations as Paige is running the place and he questions her motives. She is livid when she finds out and soon ups the prices of his stay. Read my full review :http://confessionsfromromaholics.com/exclusive-interview-with-alissa-callen-and-review/

Emma1103 stars

5 February 2013 at 5:52pm

Beneath Outback Skies is a romance set amongst a backdrop of rural Australia. Paige Quinn is single-handedly after her family's property "Banora Downs" amidst crippling draught. Along comes the highly secretive city-slicker, Tait Cavanaugh and sparks are set to fly. Unfortunately, for me the sparks didn't fly early enough. It wasn't until half-way through that I got any sense of chemistry between Paige and Tait, and I couldn't understand the need for Tait to be so secretive. On the positive side, I enjoyed the rural setting and thought Callen did well to convey the struggle of life on the land during drought. The characters were strong even if they didn't click together always. Perhaps this would have worked better, and been a tighter story, as a novella. 6.5/10