Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bajgoodson's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for the chance to read an ARC of this book. This was such a cute story! I pretty much always enjoy reads from this publisher, and this book was no exception. I'd read it again, and definitely recommend to other readers of clean romance.
Ratings: Scores rank from 0-10. For craft, 0 is "I can't get those hours of my life back", 10 is best of the best. For wholesome ratings, the scores are backward: 10 is atomic bomb, 0 is non-existent.
Craft ratings:
-> Writing: 8/10
I got such a kick out of the narrative voice in this! It had me smiling and even outright laughing multiple times, and drew a few tears out of me, too.
-> Plot: 6/10
The plot is fairly simple, but it works. I was kept engaged with little to no lulling. It's Christian fiction, but this aspect was surprisingly remote for the majority of the story.
-> Characterization: 9/10
This was probably my favorite part. Jessica Kate has a great way with organic dialogue and believable characterization that really packs a punch. I felt like I knew these characters by the end of the story, and it was hard to let them go! I was sooo attached to them! And the dynamics between everyone were so fun, and occasionally enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Prudie™ Wholesome ratings:
-> Language: 0/10
No profanity to speak of.
-> Steaminess: 3/10
Kissing is as "steamy" as it gets. And I know this is a controversial topic, and the opinions on it run the gamut. But I appreciated that this book managed to be clean while not completely ignoring the fact that people can be attracted to each other physically. I feel like so many clean romances out there involve an unprecedented lack of articulation concerning physical attraction, like couples aren't allowed to think about or express that they think the other is sexually appealing just because the story is a wholesome one. This book doesn't shy away from that--though it's certainly not all that the chemistry of the romance is founded upon.
-> Positive theme(s): 9/10
I don't want to give any spoilers away, so I'll keep it vague and say there's some of hard-hitting stuff, though relatively simple. (Nothing dark, though.)
-> Political correctness: 2/10
The women are strong forces to be reckoned with, and there is a mixed-race couple. Other than that, this is suuuper light on the politics and PC-ness.
-> Violence: 0/10
Overall score for enjoyment/appreciation: 7/10 for 4 out of 5 stars.
I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and completely truthful.
Ratings: Scores rank from 0-10. For craft, 0 is "I can't get those hours of my life back", 10 is best of the best. For wholesome ratings, the scores are backward: 10 is atomic bomb, 0 is non-existent.
Craft ratings:
-> Writing: 8/10
I got such a kick out of the narrative voice in this! It had me smiling and even outright laughing multiple times, and drew a few tears out of me, too.
-> Plot: 6/10
The plot is fairly simple, but it works. I was kept engaged with little to no lulling. It's Christian fiction, but this aspect was surprisingly remote for the majority of the story.
-> Characterization: 9/10
This was probably my favorite part. Jessica Kate has a great way with organic dialogue and believable characterization that really packs a punch. I felt like I knew these characters by the end of the story, and it was hard to let them go! I was sooo attached to them! And the dynamics between everyone were so fun, and occasionally enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Prudie™ Wholesome ratings:
-> Language: 0/10
No profanity to speak of.
-> Steaminess: 3/10
Kissing is as "steamy" as it gets. And I know this is a controversial topic, and the opinions on it run the gamut. But I appreciated that this book managed to be clean while not completely ignoring the fact that people can be attracted to each other physically. I feel like so many clean romances out there involve an unprecedented lack of articulation concerning physical attraction, like couples aren't allowed to think about or express that they think the other is sexually appealing just because the story is a wholesome one. This book doesn't shy away from that--though it's certainly not all that the chemistry of the romance is founded upon.
-> Positive theme(s): 9/10
I don't want to give any spoilers away, so I'll keep it vague and say there's some of hard-hitting stuff, though relatively simple. (Nothing dark, though.)
-> Political correctness: 2/10
The women are strong forces to be reckoned with, and there is a mixed-race couple. Other than that, this is suuuper light on the politics and PC-ness.
-> Violence: 0/10
Overall score for enjoyment/appreciation: 7/10 for 4 out of 5 stars.
I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and completely truthful.
kpud's review against another edition
2.0
My takeaway is that Australia is full of dirt, heat, and splinters.
hungrybookworm_reads01's review against another edition
4.0
Devoured in one sitting. Honestly I was wondering why Jules' POV was included, but I ended up rooting for their story til the end.
bookswithnopictures's review against another edition
5.0
"Don't let fear stop you."
I loved how funny this was. It was a perfect contemporary rom-com and cleverly written. The antics between Sam and Kimberly made me smile and laugh multiple times.
Sam and Kimberly were polar opposites in a lot of ways. Sam was the epitome of caution and worked within his comfort zone. Kimberly wanted to push and stretch to reach a larger audience through Wildfire, the youth drop-in center they both worked for. When unforseen circumstances take them both to Australia, they each experience personal growth and learn that the other just might be what they need in order to succeed in dreams for their future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I loved how funny this was. It was a perfect contemporary rom-com and cleverly written. The antics between Sam and Kimberly made me smile and laugh multiple times.
Sam and Kimberly were polar opposites in a lot of ways. Sam was the epitome of caution and worked within his comfort zone. Kimberly wanted to push and stretch to reach a larger audience through Wildfire, the youth drop-in center they both worked for. When unforseen circumstances take them both to Australia, they each experience personal growth and learn that the other just might be what they need in order to succeed in dreams for their future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
inspiretruthblog's review against another edition
3.0
I want to begin by first thanking NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for providing me with an early edition of A Girl’s Guide to the Outback. This book was my first introduction to Jessica Kate, and while I was happy to find a novel without profanity or explicit scenes, this review will be one of mixed emotions.
Summary: A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is a story about a youth pastor, Sam, who is afraid to take risks, and a start-up expert, Kimberly, who has a passion for looking at the big picture. Together, these two could not be more different and are continually going head-to-head when it comes to making decisions for the youth ministry they work with called Wildfire. However, when Sam gets a call from his sister, Jules, saying that their family’s dairy farm in Australia is in danger of foreclosing, Sam leaves his responsibilities at Wildfire to return home and help his sister.
Free from Sam, Kimberly feels like she can finally accomplish her work with no more fighting, but she soon realizes that Wildfire is nothing without Sam. Willing to do anything to get the youth pastor back, Kimberly negotiates a compromise when Sam calls asking for her help. Will flying to the country Down Under be the perfect opportunity to encourage Sam to return full-time to Wildfire, or will their conflicting personalities be too different to form an alliance?
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback takes on the classic story of enemies to lovers; however, while this novel is an endearing love story where loyalty runs high and Australian slang is plenty, many things were lacking in this novel.
When writing a Contemporary Christian book with a protagonist as a youth pastor, you’d think God would be a lead in the storyline and that the Bible and prayer would play a role in the character's decision making; but, this was not the case in this narrative. I was more than half-way through the book when one of the characters talked about God’s guidance for the first time! There was maybe one Bible verse reference, and the characters were so wrapped up in their feelings and own fleshy desires that there was no space for God to move!
I was also really disappointed at how obsessed the characters were about kissing one another; I could have understood it if this were a secular novel, but it was not. While the protagonists were passionate about one another, when it came to their relationship with God, it was on the surface and only seemed to become important when life was throwing fireballs at them. As I read, I became upset at how little Kimberly, Sam, and Jules seemed to trust in God and how much they relied on their feelings. It makes me sad to think that this is how many Christians are living their lives and that teens/young adults will read this book and get affirmation that it’s okay to be obsessed with the physical side of relationships and only talk to God when we need His help and guidance.
I hope that by writing this review, people will not see it as hateful or spiteful. Instead, I pray that it will open people’s eyes and get writers to start creating books where God is a central character and not just a small pin on a storyboard. A Girl’s Guide to the Outback had lots of potential with essential life lessons sewn within the storyline, but for me, it was missing too much for me to give a rating above three stars.
Summary: A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is a story about a youth pastor, Sam, who is afraid to take risks, and a start-up expert, Kimberly, who has a passion for looking at the big picture. Together, these two could not be more different and are continually going head-to-head when it comes to making decisions for the youth ministry they work with called Wildfire. However, when Sam gets a call from his sister, Jules, saying that their family’s dairy farm in Australia is in danger of foreclosing, Sam leaves his responsibilities at Wildfire to return home and help his sister.
Free from Sam, Kimberly feels like she can finally accomplish her work with no more fighting, but she soon realizes that Wildfire is nothing without Sam. Willing to do anything to get the youth pastor back, Kimberly negotiates a compromise when Sam calls asking for her help. Will flying to the country Down Under be the perfect opportunity to encourage Sam to return full-time to Wildfire, or will their conflicting personalities be too different to form an alliance?
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback takes on the classic story of enemies to lovers; however, while this novel is an endearing love story where loyalty runs high and Australian slang is plenty, many things were lacking in this novel.
When writing a Contemporary Christian book with a protagonist as a youth pastor, you’d think God would be a lead in the storyline and that the Bible and prayer would play a role in the character's decision making; but, this was not the case in this narrative. I was more than half-way through the book when one of the characters talked about God’s guidance for the first time! There was maybe one Bible verse reference, and the characters were so wrapped up in their feelings and own fleshy desires that there was no space for God to move!
I was also really disappointed at how obsessed the characters were about kissing one another; I could have understood it if this were a secular novel, but it was not. While the protagonists were passionate about one another, when it came to their relationship with God, it was on the surface and only seemed to become important when life was throwing fireballs at them. As I read, I became upset at how little Kimberly, Sam, and Jules seemed to trust in God and how much they relied on their feelings. It makes me sad to think that this is how many Christians are living their lives and that teens/young adults will read this book and get affirmation that it’s okay to be obsessed with the physical side of relationships and only talk to God when we need His help and guidance.
I hope that by writing this review, people will not see it as hateful or spiteful. Instead, I pray that it will open people’s eyes and get writers to start creating books where God is a central character and not just a small pin on a storyboard. A Girl’s Guide to the Outback had lots of potential with essential life lessons sewn within the storyline, but for me, it was missing too much for me to give a rating above three stars.
groundedwanderlust's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions belong to me.
After the first chapter, I honestly didn't think I was going to like this book. I was so wrong. Sam, Kim, Jules, and Mick grew on me with every chapter. The pacing of the story is amazing. The characters are the most lovable and relatable I have read in a long time. Kim literally had me in tears several times over the course of the book.
After the first chapter, I honestly didn't think I was going to like this book. I was so wrong. Sam, Kim, Jules, and Mick grew on me with every chapter. The pacing of the story is amazing. The characters are the most lovable and relatable I have read in a long time. Kim literally had me in tears several times over the course of the book.
maggiecarr's review against another edition
4.0
Dual continent love story featuring characters from another of Jessica Kate's title Love & Other Mistakes, though it could be read as a stand-alone. I absolutely loved the banter between Sam and Kimberly, and coud relate to it alot considering it reflected my own love story. This is Christian fiction, but not very preachy which can sometimes be a turn-off. I did find it odd that nobody seemed to bat an eye that Kim stayed in Sam (and Jules') childhood home/farm for her entire month stay. Granted nothing sexual happened, they worked through healing their friendship and fell in love but still the temptation was clearly there considering she was always worried her clothes were too tight or see through and he was often shirtless due to farm work chores. Regardless, a sweet romance with an ending that foreshadows a possible new title following Jule's and her romance story.
katie_herzing's review
4.0
What I read: A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate
Why I picked it up: I’d favorited it on Hoopla and needed a listen for this trip so I tried it.
How I read it: On audio at 1.5, accents are hard to understand any faster.
What it’s about: Kimberly has ambitious plans for her ministry and now that Sam has gone back to Australia everything is failing. She agrees to come to the farm to try to help them if he agrees to come help her find his replacement (or just come back!).
What I liked: I loved the setting and hearing the different Australian slang peppered throughout.
What I disliked: I would have liked a narrator change when the perspectives changed throughout. It was hard to follow who was telling their story when with a single narrator.
Genre: Christian romance.
Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and maybe better reading than listening.
Why I picked it up: I’d favorited it on Hoopla and needed a listen for this trip so I tried it.
How I read it: On audio at 1.5, accents are hard to understand any faster.
What it’s about: Kimberly has ambitious plans for her ministry and now that Sam has gone back to Australia everything is failing. She agrees to come to the farm to try to help them if he agrees to come help her find his replacement (or just come back!).
What I liked: I loved the setting and hearing the different Australian slang peppered throughout.
What I disliked: I would have liked a narrator change when the perspectives changed throughout. It was hard to follow who was telling their story when with a single narrator.
Genre: Christian romance.
Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and maybe better reading than listening.
theblueskye's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rwbrock's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this sweet Christian romance because it wasn’t just “fluff” but featured 3D characters who were flawed and afraid but grew and learned to trust as the story progressed. I also loved the imagery (from an Australian author) of the workings of a dairy farm in the Outback.
This is really TWO love stories, both fleshed out nicely...Kim and Sam and Jules (Sam’s sister) and Mick...and I loved both of them equally. Loved the humor as well.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me with an ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
This is really TWO love stories, both fleshed out nicely...Kim and Sam and Jules (Sam’s sister) and Mick...and I loved both of them equally. Loved the humor as well.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me with an ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.