The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots

by Loretta Hill

'Let me burst your city bubble for you. This is the Pilbara. And it’s the Pilbara that makes the rules’

Lena Todd is a city girl who thrives on cocktails and cappuccinos. So when her boss announces he’s sending her to the outback to join a construction team, her world is turned upside down.

Lena’s new accommodation will be an aluminium box called a dongar.

Her new social network: three hundred and fifty men.

Her daily foot attire: steel-capped boots.

Unfortunately, Lena can’t refuse. Mistakes of the past are choking her confidence. She needs to do something to right those wrongs and prove herself. Going into a remote community might just be the place to do that, if only tall, dark and obnoxious Dan didn’t seem so determined to stand in her way ...

Genres: Romance, Australia, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook

341 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2012

About the author

For her bestselling novels The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, The Girl in the Hard Hat and The Girl in the Yellow Vest, Loretta Hill drew upon her own outback engineering experiences of larrikins, red dust and steel-capped boots. She is also the author of The Maxwell Sisters, The Grass is Greener and The Secret Vineyard, and the ebook novellas Operation Valentine and One Little White Lie, which was a no.1 bestseller on iTunes.

Loretta always wanted to be a writer. As a kid she filled pages of exercise books with stories to amuse her friends. Her father, who never wasted his time on fiction, didn't see much worth in this past time and pushed her to pursue a 'sensible' career. Fortunately, she had inherited some of his talent for numbers and decided to give it a go. She graduated from the University of Western Australia as structural engineer and took her first job with a major West Australian engineering company.

Despite her career in engineering and her journey into motherhood, Loretta continued to write. Not because she had a lot of time but because it was an addiction she couldn't ignore.

Reviews

[Michelle_Mck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our main character Lena is a recent Engineering graduate in Perth Western Australia, she is uber feminine, loves to organise fun nigh out and adores shopping. She is trying to prove herself as an engineer and wants to make a good go of it. Her boss Ivan calls her into the office to let her know that as part of her Graduate Program requirements she needs to head to regional WA to the Pilbara to work on a project out there. Lena is less than excited about working out there but she knows her future as an engineer there depends on it. Some choices in her past are playing on her and she needs to prove to herself and those around her that can do this job.

Being on site for Lena is a massive learning curve, she thought she would have lovely living conditions instead she has to live in a "Donga" (small mobile home type thing) in a work camp near the site. She has brought half her wardrobe with her and she has to wear a uniform and she is covered in red dust.

After a few bumps Lena starts to find her way on site, she has some resistance for being a young woman on site but slowly though proving herself gets more people on side, she meets a certain amount of resistance from old-school types but she keeps working hard. One of the biggest hurdles is the client, Bulldog as he is called on site, Dan Hullog is safety conscious and a perfectionist and nothing is good enough for him.

The book is filled with great Aussie characters, the supporting characters on the job are very funny, there are some great cameos by some Kangaroos and the descriptions of the landscape are breathtaking.

The book covers some important topics, sexism, the pressure and difficulty of those working in fly-in-fly-out projects, mental health and workplace safety. I have worked in this kind of industry for the last 10 years and it all really rang true for me. Loretta's style is readable and enjoyable and I can't wait to read more of her work.

4.25 Stars

More reviews at my blog https://mhmreadsandthings.wordpress.c...

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl in The Steel Capped Boots is a light contemporary novel that has a distinct Australian feel. It makes the most of it's unique setting, I love that it is set in the Pilbara in Western Australia. A sparsely populated and isolated area of the country, the Pilbara's stunning landscape has unique physical and emotional challenges for those that live and work in it.

I enjoyed the story and the characters. Lena Todd isn't exactly looking forward to spending months in the isolated Pilbara region building a massive wharf but she is determined to prove herself as a skilled engineer. As one of only five women amongst 350 men, Lena's designer label outfits and good looks don't make the good first impression she hoped for and being mistaken for a cleaner on her first day in the office shakes her confidence. Overcoming the sexist attitudes of the crew, and her own doubts about her abilities is a challenge but Lena surprises everyone, especially the client, when she proves she is capable of not only doing her job, but much more.

I was impressed with the way in which the author revealed the depth of Lena's character as the story progresses. My initial impression of Lena as a flaky party girl was repeatedly challenged as Lena demonstrated intelligence, courage and determination. It is wonderful that Lena not only survives but flourishes in the harsh and difficult conditions. Lena faces realistic situations in her new role, adjusting to living in a field of converted shipping containers (dongars), facing daily sexual harassment and the challenges of working on a massive building project.

While much of of the story explores Lena's adjustment to her unique environment, her relationship with Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog adds another layer to the plot. Dan is the demanding client, determined to keep the project on time and on budget, he is not a popular man amongst the crew and Lena is both intimidated by and wary of him. Their relationship is fraught with tension that slowly blossoms into heated attraction, especially when Lena learns of the tragic secret he is hiding.

In a place like the Barnes Inc camp it is not surprising that it has its share of characters. Lena's boss, Carl uses profanity as a noun, verb and adjective but for all his bluster he is a fair man with a soft heart. Gavin, young and cocksure, is a determined suitor who needs taking down a peg or two. Lena's wharf crew which includes men named Leg, Fish and Radar become her champions. Most importantly for Lena she befriends Sharon, one of the few women in the camp, who is the bus driver ferrying the men to the site and back. Lena also has her enemies, Mike is not going to listen to some girl and delights in sabotaging her where possible and she is the continued target of unwelcome harassment. Then there are the kangaroo's that seem determined to get in her way.

I was born in Western Australia and though it has been more than twenty years since I had no choice but to move to the other side of Australia, I still get pangs of homesickness when I read about my home state. Well written, funny and fascinating The Girl in the Steel Capped Boots is a wonderfully entertaining novel.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lena Todd learned from her boss Ivan, that she was to be sent to the site on the Pilbara as the engineer for the construction team, she was bereft. She was a city girl through and through and the thought of no restaurants, no shops, no hair salons – she almost had a panic attack. But she knew she had no choice but to go – her future as an engineer depended on it. With her uni degree creating turmoil in her mind, she gritted her teeth and packed her suitcase.

Arriving on the site was an eye-opener in itself – the animosity coming from Mike as he drove her from the airport to the offices was hard to take, but seeing what she would be living in – things called dongars; little boxes with room for a bit of furniture and not much else – what had she done! Then meeting her project manager Carl, whose vocabulary was different, to say the least! At least Sharon, who drove the bus from the offices to the wharf end and back every hour, seemed friendly. But 350 men and only one friendly woman? Her battle was uphill before she started.

As Lena began to introduce her ideas for improving production on the site, she was met with resistance at every turn. The client, Dan Hullog, or Bulldog as he was known by everyone, was an obnoxious, surly and hard to please man – so why did her pulse accelerate each time she saw him? The men harassed and tormented her – half the time she wasn’t sure if they were having a go or serious. Suddenly she decided enough was enough. She was about to take a stand! The red dust, the lonely men, the outback, even the kangaroos – all seemed out to get Lena! Would Lena head back to Perth with her tail between her legs, or would she succeed in her venture?

This is Loretta Hill’s debut novel, and as I’d read books two and three, I decided this one had to be read next. I thoroughly enjoyed it, Loretta’s writing is great – she took me through the outback of Australia, the scenes of the whales and dolphins frolicking in the ocean and the streets of Perth with ease; an absolute entertainment delight. A book I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

[ALPHAreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena Todd has landed her dream job, as a graduate engineer for a major firm. After years of struggling through her Uni degree, she has come out the other side with a strong work ethic and a thirst for knowledge. But Lena has a lot to prove, to herself, a certain awful ex-boyfriend and her new company. So when she’s given the option of continuing desk work in the big city, or tackling a hard, on-location job in the outback of Pilbara, Lena decides to take the road less travelled …

Pilbara is unlike anything Lena has ever experienced. Red dust coats everything, kangaroos are hopping kamikaze and the residential accommodations are converted shipping-containers called ‘dongars’ (which barely house Lena’s three suitcases of clothing!).

But worse of all is the female-t0-male ratio. For the 350 male workers, there are only five females on site. And Lena is the only engineer (at first mistakenly thought to be the new cleaning lady by some of the men).

Sexual harassment if rife and varied – from gentle ribbing about being ‘Madame Engineer’, to wolf-whistles and leery old men.

But Lena will take it all on the chin for a chance to contribute to the Pilbara project – a massive wharf that cuts into the ocean and is a construction marvel.

But if the sexual harassment and on-site gossip isn’t bad enough, there’s also a bitter rivalry between the construction crew and the project’s commissioner – Daniel ‘Bulldog’ Hullog. Lena understands the crew’s wariness of Bulldog … sure, he’s handsome and rugged, with an interesting secret under his hard-hat … but he’s also a perfectionist, rude and keeping Lena up at night.

‘The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots’ is the new contemporary fiction novel from Australian author, Loretta Hill.

I loved this book! ‘The Girl in Steep-Capped Boots’ introduces us to Lena Todd – a woman full of contradictions. She’s young, in her early-twenties, but already with a chip on her shoulder and a point to prove. Admittedly she was a party girl at University, and nearly whittled away her degree until she decided to curb her wild ways. Lena owes a good deal of her final year success to her ex-boyfriend, also a professor at her university. But his parting words upon break-up have shaken Lena’s career confidence, and when she arrives in Pilbara she has a point to prove to herself, and her ex. I loved that Hill has written Lena as a bit of an enigma, to the point that even readers will be making assumptions about her that they find themselves backtracking on as the story progresses. Lena is a beautiful woman; which works against her at Pilbara where the men see her as a pretty face and not much else. Everyone is skeptical of her engineering abilities (even Lena herself!). But as the story progresses we read Lena’s guts and determination, her fight-fire-with-fire attitude and determination. It was as much fun to have my initial opinion of Lena turned around, as it was to read the men change their ways and treatment of her.

‘You’ve been a disaster zone since you got here.’
It was true on all fronts, including her engineering.
She tapped a pencil on her notepad. What she needed was some firm goals – a road map she could use to avoid the personal traps laid for her by Mike and Gavin … and Dan. Something that would prove her worth, not by getting Dan’s approval or even Carl’s but something tangible that she could hold up and say, ‘That’s what I did and that’s why I’m good.’

Hill’s novel is peppered with some wonderful secondary characters. There’s Sharon, the shy female bus-driver who becomes Lena’s friend and ally on the male-dominated site. Sharon is crushing on a ridge worker, while blinded to unrequited love from an unlikely source. Carl is Lena’s boss, a burly man who drops the f-bomb as much as he blinks, but has a heart of gold underneath his caveman exterior. Gavin is the young gun eager to impress, and there are any number of lovable nicknamed wharf workers like Leg, Fish and Radar who come to form a tight friendship unit for Lena.

And then there’s Dan ‘Bulldog’ Hullog – the site’s commissioner in charge of bossing everyone about and demanding that work be sped up. Dan is handsome and prickly. He insists on living on-site with the men (despite how much they all hate him) and refuses to take his R&R week-off for unknown reasons. I loved Dan! He’s a typical man’s man, but hiding a heartbreaking secret that explains some of his boorishness. He and Lena butt heads, repeatedly and hilariously, throughout the book. But when their opposites-attract heat turns into something more, they become gossip fodder for the site.

The real star of Loretta Hill’s novel is Pilbara. Hill is writing about a very unusual setting that fosters camaraderie and temporary family in a harsh environment and claustrophobic working conditions. The Pilbara site will be home to the 350 men for the better part of a year (if not longer) and they form tight bonds of friendship with one another. They’re away from home and far from family – living and working in the outback with its harsh terrain and red landscape. At first readers will be like Lena, mortified and horrified at the schoolboy antics of the workers and unimpressed by the remote location that is the antithesis to urban city life. But as the novel progresses something strange and wonderful happens, for Lena and readers alike … Pilbara becomes home.

Sharon grinned. ‘You’ve got the Pilbara under your skin.’

As the story progresses Pilbara becomes an interesting microcosm of home, friendship and family. Lena forms bonds with her teammates and work crew, and you read how this remote work location changes the people who live there. What’s really amazing though, is to think that after living and working there for six months everyone will eventually just leave. Disband and never see each other again – after living in one another’s pockets they’ll just walk away, probably onto another site where they’ll start all over again. Loretta Hill is definitely tapping into an interesting location that has fascinating ramifications on our protagonist’s state of mind and interactions.

‘The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots’ is a fabulous Aussie read. Loretta Hill has set her love story in an unconventional and barren location that is wholly original for its hilarious social effects. Lena is a surprising protagonist with a lot to prove, and her romance with Dan ‘Bulldog’ is fiery and forbidden. The secondary characters make this novel unforgettable (including aforementioned kamikaze kanga’s). This is summer reading du-jour and a guaranteed home-grown pleaser.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5★ I did like elements of this story - the descriptions of the Pilbara were great.

But I didn’t fully believe in the main character, Lena. She is portrayed as a very girly-girl who colour-coordinates her nail polish with her clothes, and seems to be quite a ditzy person in many respects, and yet we are expected to believe that she likes working with steel on construction sites and has the common sense and skills required to be an engineer - the two parts just didn’t seem to gel, for me at least. I could be wrong - I've never worked in this industry or had anything to do with it, but I feel like anyone who acted like Lena in this situation would be given very short shrift - as she was - but I didn't believe in her ability to earn the respect of the men she worked with.

It was also over-sentimental on many occasions and had me rolling my eyes numerous times.

Despite this, it was readable, but I’m not sure whether I’d attempt another Loretta Hill down the track…. I see several of my GR friends have really enjoyed this one - along with others by her, but I don’t think her writing style is quite my cup of tea! Although some of her others do sound a bit more promising.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots - Loretta Hill - January 2012
Wow , where to begin but to say I LOVED this book, it's funny I never used to be too much of an Australian Outback type writer but after reading North Star by Karly Lane, I became hooked -so I blame it on Karly, but then if it wasn't for Karly and all the wonderful Australian novels that she promotes on her site , I wouldn't have met Loretta and heard about her new novel "The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots". The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots introduces us to Lena Todd , a newly graduate with an Engineering degree. When Lena - a city girl at heart is offered a job working in the outback - Pilbara , she is in the ride of a lifetime as it opens her eyes to a whole new life , one she never imagined . Lena , though is hiding a secret - she is unsure that she actually earned her Engineering Degree fair and sqaure as she happened to also be sleeping with the Professor Kevin. Now Lena has been given the opportunity to earn her way in the Engineering world but it won't be easy as in Pilbara - the ratio of women turns out to be 3 including her to 350+men. A fun tale which reads as Lena tosses her job back and forth , romantic and some non-romantic gestures spark back and forth , intimidated men , foul-mouthed bosses and dark, broody ones and of course a run in her red undies is sure to keep readers entertained from the very first page right to the very end.
I look forward to reading more of Loretta's future novels as she produces them.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I confess. The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots is the first novel I have ever read where the lead character is an engineer. In fact, it is the first time that I've ever been attracted to a novel which is about the lives of engineers. The novel is essentially a romance set in remote Australia (a popular genre of late,) but I found that as well as the romantic element, I really enjoyed the setting, the technical detail (Loretta Hill is an engineer who did indeed work on the Pilbara in 2001,) and the concept of a lone female surrounded by men. (Maybe its the fact that I am the only female in my own workplace that helps me to identify with this last part.)

The novel tells the story of a young engineering graduate who is sent to a remote part of Western Australia. While making progress with her career (and, she hopes, making up for mistakes of the past,) she meets a number of colourful characters and slowly reaches out and falls in love with a man who is haunted by his own past. All in all, this is fun, romantic and intelligent light reading.

This review previously appeared on my blog, Kathryn's Inbox

[Helene Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous and wry look at life in the Pilbara through the eyes of a city girl. I enjoyed it enormously!

[Bree T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lena Todd is a city girl from the top of her head down to her toes. Fresh out of university armed with an engineering degree, she is thrown into panic when her boss tells her that she’s green so they’re sending her up north to get some experience on one of their sites. The Pilbarra, in fact. She’ll be trading her lattes, shopping dates and city apartment for khakis, safety hats and a dongar – basically nothing more than a demountable building a couple metres long by a couple metres wide.

She’s utterly horrified but she’s also paranoid. An ill-advised decision in university has made her doubt the legitimacy of her degree and she’s desperate for some experience and to prove herself as worthy of her job and her career choice. But she’s totally unprepared for what she finds when she lands on site – she’s one of 4 women in a camp of about 400 men and they’re condescending, dismissive and often downright rude. They come onto her, they laugh at her, they make life difficult for her whether by accident or design. But Lena is determined not to go home with her tail between her legs – she will crack this job.

She forms a friendship with one of the few other women on site – Sharon, a bus driver who drives the loop bus from the site offices to the project and back. The ‘project’ is a massive wharf that extends kilometres out into the sea and takes the iron ore mined in the state out the ships for exportation around the world. Lena’s job is to oversee the widening of the wharf and also to speed up productivity, which as the client keeps reminding them, is behind on just about everything.

The client. Dan Hullog, tall, dark, very ruggedly handsome, referred to as ‘Bulldog’ behind his back by the site workers. He’s a stickler for safety and the rules and regulations and isn’t afraid to let anyone know it. And he and Lena can’t seem to see eye to eye on much, or anything at all, actually. Rumour has it he never takes his R&R, he spends hours glued to his phone (mystery girlfriend, proclaims the camp) and he’s rude, not to mention not particularly well liked by the site crew. There’s a bit of a rivalry between the site crew and the client organisation and Lena knows that life is tough enough for her on site as it is. If everyone were to find out that she was harbouring a crush on ‘Bulldog’ – then things would get even worse than unbearable. Dan also has his own secrets and when Lena finds out what they are, she wants to help… To be his friend. Only Dan won’t stop pushing her away.

The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots first came to my attention via Danielle over at the ALPHA Reader’s excellent review and I knew there and then I immediately wanted to read it. It’s since also been reviewed favourably by Shelleyrae at Book’d Out and by the time I finally grabbed it from the library, I couldn’t wait to start it. And this is one of those books that makes you so glad to be excited, so happy to be finally reading it, because it’s worth it. I absolutely loved this book.

Lena is responsible for a lot of my enjoyment of this book. I really liked her and admired her the way she dug in and dealt with the obstacles in her way when she arrived in The Pilbarra. She’s young, fresh out of university but doubting herself due to something that happened while she was still a student, so she’s doubly determined not to fail at this job. She has to deal with men up there thinking she’s the new cleaner, ignoring her, leering at her, asking her out, borderline molesting her, talking about her, following her, gossiping about her, being condescending to her, the works. And somehow she always finds ways to deal with them, to put them in their place or earn their grudging respect in ways that are just awesome. She thinks about things, she doesn’t lose her temper and scream to give them even more of an excuse to judge her or look down on her.

This book excels in many areas but one of my favourites was the cast of supporting characters. From Sharon, the bus driver Lena enters into a friendship with, to Carl, her boss who can’t stop swearing, to the likable guys down at the wharf to Dan Hullog, aka Bulldog, there is a host of likable and colourful Australian characters that don’t fail to provoke a reaction with their relationships with Lena, be it frustration when the men are being macho, humour when they’re gently ribbing her or warm and fuzzies when she makes friends. The chemistry between Lena and Dan is also sizzling – I so enjoyed their journey! Their very reluctant mutual attraction, Lena’s stumbling attempts at friendship and not wanting to repeat past mistakes, Dan desperately attempting to resist his feelings and keep his stand-offish manner in tact makes for a rollercoaster read and an awesome one at that.

I mention often that I have an awesome library and I read quite frequently from there and I know books are there if I need to re-read them as I’m an avid re-reader! But every now and then something comes along that I enjoy so much that I have to run out and buy it (or stay in and click a button) and add it to my personal collection so that I know it’s right there whenever I feel the urge to pick it up and read a favourite section. And The Girl In The Steel-Capped Boots is one of these books.

[Jet Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! My favourite read of the year so far. I'm so glad for the Australian Women Writers Challenge, because I never would have found this book otherwise. It's not my type of book at all, except that it really, really was. I ripped through it in a day.

The sense of place was just wonderful, and I fell a little in love with the Pilbara along with Lena. The characters are memorable and engaging, and the romance was full of tension and spark. I say that as someone who is decidedly not a romance reader.

Loretta Hill has done a skillful job in the slow reveal of Lena's character, her secret, Bulldog's secret, and the progress of the Pilbara project. All of the storylines in the book are engaging and tied up in a satisfying way.

I loved Hill's use of Australian slang and dialect to give her characters their own distinct voices, and I really enjoyed Lena's solutions to her engineering problems - social and structural.

This is a smart book, with likable characters, great pacing and all kinds of spark.

[Nicola Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. Based largely in the Pilbara in far north Western Australia it gives an insiders view of an industry many of us only hear about.
It follows the story of Lena, a graduate Engineer on her first 'fly-in-fly-out' job in the Pilbara. The Pilbara with it's striking red landscapes is a place dominated by men, and Lena soon discovers that not everyone is happy about the arrival of a young, fresh from university, female engineer. With a large cast of interesting and funny characters, Lena finds it difficult to fit in. No one seems to take her seriously and worst of all, she's terrified someone will discover her secret - a secret she feels could ruin her career.
This story is a thoroughly engaging read, it's funny too. I highly recommend it.

[maryanne]

I was very disappointed in this book, I expected a light and fun read and I got neither. None of the characters were likeable and I found myself just unable to care about their “problems”. I thought a book set in a rural camp of 350 men with a female main character would do more to tackle sexism but instead the book was tinged with moment after moment of internalised misogyny. And the way this book treated mental illness was frankly appalling. All in all I found myself rolling my eyes and putting this book down more times than I can count, would not recommend.

[Bettina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, LOVED this book! Couldn't put it down, and I didn't want it to end. My brother is studying to be an engineer, so it gave me a bit more of an insight into what he does. Can't wait to read more books by this author!

Just read this book for a second time and loved it even more if that's possible!! Wanted to refresh my mind before reading the sequel. Can't wait to see what happens with Lena and Dan. Never get tired of reading this book, and would give it 10 stars if I could!

[Seena Seena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid read! Loved the pace of it all! Loved the characters & there were a lot of LOL moments!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots is about put yourself outside your comfort zone to find love. One morning Lena was told by her boss that he is sending her up to Cape Lambert in the Pilbara to work on the isolated construction site. Lena is a city girl, and the thought of working in Pilbara was a nightmare. However, Lena knows that she needs to take the job, and three days after the announcement, Lena was on her way. The readers of The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots will continue to follow Lena to find out what happens.

The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots is another excellent book by Loretta Hill. I engaged with the plot of the text from the first page. I love Loretta Hill's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine with each other throughout this book. The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots was well written and researched by Loretta Hill. I like Loretta Hill description of The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots settings that allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

The readers of The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots will learn about working in the Pilbara. The readers of The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots will also understand a graduate engineer's role on an isolated construction site.

I recommend this book.

[Erikai · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is (i think) my first book that's set in Australia. It was so specific with the locations, the characters, the job, etc. It actually has a good world building and great writing style. I love how sexism and discrimination was heavily tackled, although that topic doesn't seem to be resolved. It was so plot heavy that for the first half of the story the connection between the main characters were almost non-existent. The chemistry was there, the possibility, but it just didn't make the cut to be on a 'smiling-like-a-fool' level. The last few chapters were a bit disappointing for lack of context. I mean, sure, they like each other but somehow the things they do for it is almost unjustifiable.

[Bec Pink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't usually read fiction but this was recomended to me so thought I'd give it a crack. Definitely resonated with many of the main characters challenging situations in a male dominated work place. The story wasn't as predictable as I originally thought, but still had a pretty mooshy ending. All in all I definitely enjoyed this book.

[Alicia Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an enjoyable read.
Although I found the main character overly ditzy at times, and the romance element a bit too 'Mills and Boon' for my taste, the authenticity of the engineering elements combined with the setting and the clever story pacing kept me reading to the end.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, maybe it’s because I am a woman in construction who wears steel capped boots, maybe it’s cause I’m a sucker for a good will they won’t they. But all I know is I’m glad I picked it up from a second hand bookstore on a whim and let it jump the queue.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read the author notes at the end of this and was intrigued to discover that the author was an engineer on the site of a wharf in 2001. And the Cape Lambert wharf really was widened. To me, this makes the book even cooler.

I enjoyed this story. I think we've all been there--men and women both. Fresh out of school, eager to prove yourself, inexperienced and not taken seriously, nervous that you'll f*ck up, as Carl in this book would say. (Trust me, once you read this book, you'll get that little goof of mine up there. What a character!)

Anyway, Lena is in the above-mentioned situation, only she's not only green and a new graduate, but she's a woman in the manly world of construction. She's got to prove herself and then some...as well as learn how to handle all the sexual harassment, discrimination, jokes, rumors, come ons. She must learn to be one of the guys while at the same time not lose sight of who she is.

My favorite bits were when she put the men in their place--either through words or by playing jokes on them. I enjoyed all the ribbing and reading about her making friends. Her character really grows in this story too. At first I thought her kind of a spoiled diva, but she proved her worth. I also really admired how important it was to her that she prove she was worthy of her degree. (There's a backstory there that I don't want to spoil.)

There's a romance with the client...and he has an interesting story too. It takes us to court, where a case is presented that really makes the reader think about a unique situation. I wish there'd been more of this, honestly. I LOVE Law & Order-type things.

The author states in the notes that she simplified a lot of engineering things like jargon and functions of the port and stuff. Here's where my quibble comes in. I didn't know what a jetty was. Had to look it up. I could have used more jargon/detail. I also would have liked it, because I consider engineers some of the smartest and coolest people ever. I wish I was one! I find their work fascinating. I imagine readers who pick up books for the romance, however, may not feel the same.

Full review and final two cents: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book - I liked the storyline and I liked the characters, however I finished the book and I found myself wanting more.

I wanted more of a story when Lena and Dan finally get together. I felt the story just ended when it was only just beginning! I really wanted more of a description of what life was like to live in a remote mine camp and how hard a "city girl" would find it. I felt like I was just skimming over the surface of everything and wanted a deeper exploration but it just never came. I found the only thing that the author really took the time to explain was the engineering of the Jetty and quite frankly, I wasn't interested. I just felt everything else was a little too rushed.

Probably I just expect too much from a romance but the storyline had so much potential!!

I do recommend it as a light/easy read and I would read another book by this author.

[Preet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I enjoyed reading about Lena, an engineer who is stationed in the outback. She's a city girl and doesn't expect to be met with the hostility she is. Not to mention, she's already doubting her capabilities to begin with.

Ms.Hill has worked in the construction industry and therefore knowledgeable about how it can be for women to work in that field. While I found the sexism to be offensive, I know it's a reality, and I loved how Lena dealt with it. There were some really funny moments and some that were emotionally wrenching. I enjoyed the sneak peak at the next book and look forward to reading it soon.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved loved this book. It was a real page turner, with fantastic characters, and great story line. I can't wait to read Loretta's next book, and the one after that, and the one after that!!! awesome!!!

[Kellie Schache · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, looking forward to the next book by Loretta Hill

[Eden High · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved most about this story is the author's knowledge of what was being written about.
In her previous life she was an engineer who worked on mine sites.
Even though this was a light, easy read, it highlighted sexism against females, life on the mines and the struggles of those working away from their families.

Employment numbers on mine sites are huge in Australia, and I found this an interesting look at what actually does occur for those employed on them and how the workers live.

Thank you also Loretta for bringing in mental health issues.

Loretta's writing technique is straightforward, light and easy to read and follow. I found this a perfect read while travelling.

[Irene Sauman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this for an alphabetical reading challenge. It was disappointing. I know it rated high with a lot of readers and the subject matter no doubt accounted for that. Young female engineer out to prove her worth among the macho men of the Pilbara. I can understand the attraction of that idea. But Lena was not a believable character. It seemed those men couldn't imagine her as an engineer. Unfortunately neither could I.

[Juanita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Loretta Hill. Great characters easy to fall in love with. I enjoyed this book the only thing that took away from it was that I read the third in this series first and it bothered me a bit that the main male character in this book is VERY similar to the main male character in the third book.
Clearly if I read this first I would have been bothered while reading the third book. Am definitely going to be reading more of her books though.

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. Having worked in an industry that is mostly male dominated, I felt like I was there with the characters in the book.

Lena Todd was an inspiring character out to prove herself against all the obstacles that were put in her way, and what she hated to do at the start ended up being her dream come true.

This was a well thought out story line that was page turning from start to finish.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light read, that is fairly realistic in the description of the town in which it is set. Lena Todd is a young engineer set to make name for herself in the construction industry on a major port project in the territory. Of course there is a love interest, The boss of the company that they are subcontracting for, and he of course is tortured by a past event. No spoilers here you will have to read to find out the conclusion. :)

[Chris Avalon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Yes, it was predictable . Yes it's a romance novel. Yes all the main characters are portrayed as exceptionally good looking. Still, it had a story line I hadn't read before and portrayed the difficulties of a female being taken seriously in a male dominated world. Great relaxing read.