Publisher Description:
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?
“Original, heartwarming, full of lovable characters amid a fast-paced plot. Romance readers will love the bicontinental adventure of a sassy, strong-willed woman going across the ocean to win back the Aussie man who holds the key to her career dreams—but also, as it turns out, so much more.” —Melissa Ferguson, author of The Dating Charade
“Combining breathtaking realness, natural humor, and scorching romantic chemistry that leaps off the page, author Jessica Kate has given us a thoroughly modern tale about risk, acceptance, and the true meaning of home. Crackling with electricity and overflowing with heart, A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is one you won’t want to miss. Fair dinkum!” —Bethany Turner, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey
“A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is as charming as it is hilarious! Jessica Kate’s fresh and unique voice is both humorous and endearing, leaving you no choice but to abandon all personal responsibilities so you can devour every page. This is one of those stories that leaves you looking around for the characters after you’ve finished reading, because they just had to be real.” —Betsy St. Amant, author of The Key to Love, coming October 2020
- Contemporary inspirational romance novel
- Includes characters featured in Jessica Kate’s debut Love and Other Mistakes but can be read as a standalone
- Book length: 90,000 words
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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My Review:
I liked this story and felt it had a much-needed message to the reader about trusting God with the future and allowing Him to guide even when things seem uncertain. I thought the storyline was intriguing and the setting in Australia added interest to the book.
As I was reading, I had to keep reminding myself of a couple of things. This is very much a Christian version of a “chick lit” book. In that respect, it fits the genre very well. There’s references to physical attraction, but they are mild and I didn’t find them offensive. I also had to keep telling myself that these are young people who are trying to understand life. I couldn’t quite figure out why Sam, especially as a pastor, had not taken the time to get to know Kimberly better, rather than argue so much with her and talk down about her to his family. I did have sympathy for Kimberley, and wanted her to understand how much God loved her and her true value in His sight. All the characters kept me entertained, and even with some of the serious issues in the book, there were lighter moments that made me smile. All in all, especially since this is not my usual genre to read, I thought it was a good story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
About Jessica Kate
Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with witty romances.
She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between–and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast (official podcast of Reading Is My Superpower!) When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.
Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes released July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hit shelves in January 2020.
Receive her sassy shorts The Kiss Dare and The Kiss Thief FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com.
