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Fly In Fly Out
Originally published as Unforgettable You
After months working on an oil rig in the Atlantic Ocean, engineer Jo Blaine can't wait to get home. Her job is tough, and she is desperate for some long-overdue girl time. When she walks through her front door to find an unexpected man in her house, she's tempted to head straight back out to sea.
Stephen Hardy has always felt guilty for the part he played in ruining Jo's leaving home years earlier and jumps at the chance to make amends. It takes some fast talking, but he finally convinces Jo to let him look after her apartment and her giant cranky cat while she's away on the rig. And by the time she leaves for her next shift, they're both eagerly anticipating her return.
But balancing family and friends with a new relationship when you're never around is tricky, and Jo is also keeping secrets about her past. After a lifetime of taking care of herself, Jo isn't used to sharing her problems – especially when they involve her messy family history. Picking up the pieces every time she comes home is getting harder, and Jo begins to wonder if a fly-in fly-out lifestyle is really worth it . . .
After months working on an oil rig in the Atlantic Ocean, engineer Jo Blaine can't wait to get home. Her job is tough, and she is desperate for some long-overdue girl time. When she walks through her front door to find an unexpected man in her house, she's tempted to head straight back out to sea.
Stephen Hardy has always felt guilty for the part he played in ruining Jo's leaving home years earlier and jumps at the chance to make amends. It takes some fast talking, but he finally convinces Jo to let him look after her apartment and her giant cranky cat while she's away on the rig. And by the time she leaves for her next shift, they're both eagerly anticipating her return.
But balancing family and friends with a new relationship when you're never around is tricky, and Jo is also keeping secrets about her past. After a lifetime of taking care of herself, Jo isn't used to sharing her problems – especially when they involve her messy family history. Picking up the pieces every time she comes home is getting harder, and Jo begins to wonder if a fly-in fly-out lifestyle is really worth it . . .
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2014
3 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
Georgina Penney
9 books83 followersHello There,
So wonderful of you to drop by!
I am no longer writing novels under the name Georgina Penney but you can find all future releases published under the name Evie Snow. All Evie Snow books will be set in the same 'world' with characters you've already met in my Georgina Penney books.
Why the change in name? It's largely because I want to acknowledge how much my lovely husband Tony (AKA The Kraken) helps me in the writing process. We thought a pen name that we'd both come up with would be a much better choice.
Check out www.eviesnow.net for all the info.
But if you want to learn a little more about me, here goes:
Georgina Penney first discovered romance novels when she was eleven and has been a fan of the genre ever since. It took her another eighteen years to finally sit in front of a keyboard and get something down on the page but that's alright, she was busy doing other things until then.
Some of those things included living in a ridiculous number of towns and cities in Australia before relocating overseas to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and presently, Scotland.
In between all these travels, Georgina managed to learn to paint, get herself a Communication and Cultural Studies degree, study Psychotherapy and learn all about Hypnotherapy. In the early days she even managed to get on the IT roller coaster during the early noughties boom, inexplicably ending the ride by becoming the registrar of a massage and naturopathy college. There was also a PhD in the mix there somewhere but moving to Saudi Arabia and rediscovering the bodice ripper fixed all that.
Today she lives with her wonderful husband, Tony in the Scottish wilds surrounded by hairy coos and far too many procreating rabbits.
So wonderful of you to drop by!
I am no longer writing novels under the name Georgina Penney but you can find all future releases published under the name Evie Snow. All Evie Snow books will be set in the same 'world' with characters you've already met in my Georgina Penney books.
Why the change in name? It's largely because I want to acknowledge how much my lovely husband Tony (AKA The Kraken) helps me in the writing process. We thought a pen name that we'd both come up with would be a much better choice.
Check out www.eviesnow.net for all the info.
But if you want to learn a little more about me, here goes:
Georgina Penney first discovered romance novels when she was eleven and has been a fan of the genre ever since. It took her another eighteen years to finally sit in front of a keyboard and get something down on the page but that's alright, she was busy doing other things until then.
Some of those things included living in a ridiculous number of towns and cities in Australia before relocating overseas to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and presently, Scotland.
In between all these travels, Georgina managed to learn to paint, get herself a Communication and Cultural Studies degree, study Psychotherapy and learn all about Hypnotherapy. In the early days she even managed to get on the IT roller coaster during the early noughties boom, inexplicably ending the ride by becoming the registrar of a massage and naturopathy college. There was also a PhD in the mix there somewhere but moving to Saudi Arabia and rediscovering the bodice ripper fixed all that.
Today she lives with her wonderful husband, Tony in the Scottish wilds surrounded by hairy coos and far too many procreating rabbits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 16, 2015
Returning home after a long flight from work the last thing Jo Blaine expected to see was a naked man fast asleep in her bed. Knowing only too well this had something to do with her best friend Scott. Scott had been looking after her apartment as well as her cat whilst she'd been away.
The day Jo and her sister Amy run away from home when they were teenagers was the last time Jo saw Stephen Hardy. Jo maybe shocked to see Stephen after all these years, but it seems Stephen still carries the guilt from all those years ago. Jo and Amy have a deep secret of their own, but will Jo be able to confide in Stephen, or are some secrets best left in the past?
I really enjoyed this book. Although this was an easy, light and fun read, it also delivered a bit of mystery which kept you intrigued and turning the pages. Recommended.
The day Jo and her sister Amy run away from home when they were teenagers was the last time Jo saw Stephen Hardy. Jo maybe shocked to see Stephen after all these years, but it seems Stephen still carries the guilt from all those years ago. Jo and Amy have a deep secret of their own, but will Jo be able to confide in Stephen, or are some secrets best left in the past?
I really enjoyed this book. Although this was an easy, light and fun read, it also delivered a bit of mystery which kept you intrigued and turning the pages. Recommended.
February 5, 2015
Completely exhausted after a long flight home from her job out on the rig, Jo Blaine was looking forward to collapsing into bed after a long hot shower. She certainly didn’t expect to walk in to her usually pristine home with it looking like a bomb had hit it. Then to top it off, there was a naked man sprawled out asleep in her bed. She was furious – and she knew who was at fault. Phoning her best friend Scott; the friend who was supposed to be looking after her apartment and cat – she let him have it with both barrels…
Stephen Hardy had figured in her life back home when she was a child. Jo hadn’t seen him since she and her sister Amy had run away from home at ages sixteen and twelve. But the shock she felt when she saw his handsome but slightly nervous face looking at her had her speechless. Stephen was still feeling guilty about his part in Jo’s past – he wondered if she would ever forgive him.
As Jo and Stephen got to know each other a little, Jo realized there was no way she would talk to him about the past. The secrets were too deep; too devastating to tell. Plus there was the job that she was away at for so long – nothing would work with Stephen, she was sure of it. So why was leaving to return to the rig so hard? And what was happening with her past? Would the secrets she had kept for so long come to the surface, shattering the tentative happiness she was starting to feel?
This is my first book by Aussie author Georgina Penney, and I very much enjoyed it. A light, easy read, I found the mystery and balancing acts by the characters intriguing. Jo and Amy are portrayed as tough women who’ve had to fend for themselves for a long time; the uncertainty and bull-headedness worked well together. I have no hesitation in recommending Fly In, Fly Out to all lovers of contemporary fiction.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
Stephen Hardy had figured in her life back home when she was a child. Jo hadn’t seen him since she and her sister Amy had run away from home at ages sixteen and twelve. But the shock she felt when she saw his handsome but slightly nervous face looking at her had her speechless. Stephen was still feeling guilty about his part in Jo’s past – he wondered if she would ever forgive him.
As Jo and Stephen got to know each other a little, Jo realized there was no way she would talk to him about the past. The secrets were too deep; too devastating to tell. Plus there was the job that she was away at for so long – nothing would work with Stephen, she was sure of it. So why was leaving to return to the rig so hard? And what was happening with her past? Would the secrets she had kept for so long come to the surface, shattering the tentative happiness she was starting to feel?
This is my first book by Aussie author Georgina Penney, and I very much enjoyed it. A light, easy read, I found the mystery and balancing acts by the characters intriguing. Jo and Amy are portrayed as tough women who’ve had to fend for themselves for a long time; the uncertainty and bull-headedness worked well together. I have no hesitation in recommending Fly In, Fly Out to all lovers of contemporary fiction.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
January 20, 2023
Despite the heavy subject matter, this book was fun to read. Sweet, great one-liners, beaut characters, romantic, touching and gripping.
This book contains some steamy sex scenes.
This book contains some steamy sex scenes.
May 18, 2014
I was uber lucky to score myself an ARC of Unforgettable You.
I absolutely loved Amy's story (this author's debut) in Irrepressible You, and this book is about Jo, Amy's older sister. Interestingly, this book predates Irrepressible You, so technically, it's the first of a series of three books, with the third to be released later this year. I think I know who Book 3 is going to be about. ;)
Georgina Penney has a style of writing that is full of warmth and wit and sass. I am a huge fan of her language and her characters and her all-round author awesome-ness.
Amy and Jo Blaine are inseparable sisters, yet they're about as far apart in personalities as you could find. Amy in Irrepressible You is a gorgeous retro 50s-dressing hairdresser/barber; and her sister Jo is a soccer-loving tom-boy engineer, working fly-in, fly-out in the male domain of an oil rig in Mauritiana.
This story is about Stephen Hardy (from the Evangeline's Rest winery that gets a mention in Irrepressible You), and Jo. As you might expect, these two have history and it's this that creates the early conflict... which is then built through the book as issues relating to Jo and Amy's treatment at the hands of their parents as young girls, surfaces. Amy thinks Stephen will be disgusted at her 'psycho' family history, and concocts lies to shield him from the truth.
Of course, a Georgina Penney hero is always going to be bigger and better than that!
That's all I'll say on plot. I'm not much of a plot reviewer. What I love is when a book grabs me in that spot just behind my belly button and pulls and tugs and prods me, so that I can't put the book down.
I love this book. I loved the first (technically second) one too. I am a huge fan for life.
One more word. Man, does Ms Penney know how to write brilliant *fans self* sex. What these two get up to in a park watching Shakespeare is just mind-blowing.
I absolutely loved Amy's story (this author's debut) in Irrepressible You, and this book is about Jo, Amy's older sister. Interestingly, this book predates Irrepressible You, so technically, it's the first of a series of three books, with the third to be released later this year. I think I know who Book 3 is going to be about. ;)
Georgina Penney has a style of writing that is full of warmth and wit and sass. I am a huge fan of her language and her characters and her all-round author awesome-ness.
Amy and Jo Blaine are inseparable sisters, yet they're about as far apart in personalities as you could find. Amy in Irrepressible You is a gorgeous retro 50s-dressing hairdresser/barber; and her sister Jo is a soccer-loving tom-boy engineer, working fly-in, fly-out in the male domain of an oil rig in Mauritiana.
This story is about Stephen Hardy (from the Evangeline's Rest winery that gets a mention in Irrepressible You), and Jo. As you might expect, these two have history and it's this that creates the early conflict... which is then built through the book as issues relating to Jo and Amy's treatment at the hands of their parents as young girls, surfaces. Amy thinks Stephen will be disgusted at her 'psycho' family history, and concocts lies to shield him from the truth.
Of course, a Georgina Penney hero is always going to be bigger and better than that!
That's all I'll say on plot. I'm not much of a plot reviewer. What I love is when a book grabs me in that spot just behind my belly button and pulls and tugs and prods me, so that I can't put the book down.
I love this book. I loved the first (technically second) one too. I am a huge fan for life.
One more word. Man, does Ms Penney know how to write brilliant *fans self* sex. What these two get up to in a park watching Shakespeare is just mind-blowing.
January 8, 2015
Fly In Fly Out by Georgina Penney was first published by Penguin's digital romance imprint, Destiny, as Unforgettable You, as a prequel to Irrepressible You.
Fly In Fly Out features thirty something year old Jo Blaine, an engineer who lives in Perth, Western Australia but works on an oil rig off the coast of North Africa. Her brutal schedule requires she spends a month off shore living on the rig, longing for the few weeks R&R she can enjoy in her Fremantle apartment with her cat before having to return for her next shift. Finally home after a particularly grueling shift, Jo is stunned to find a pair of size 14 shoes in her hallway and a naked man in her bed. In her absence, Jo's best friend, Scott, and sister, Amy, have allowed Stephen Hardy, a man she hasn't seen in fifteen years and who is a reminder of her terrible past, to move in. Though their initial reunion is tense, Jo agrees to let Stephen, whom she once had a crush on, to stay and it's not long before the pair realise their mutual attraction. Yet Jo is wary, terrified Stephen will discover the dark secret she has kept hidden for years.
There is an unexpected dark side to this engaging romance within the secret Jo desperately wants to keep from Stephen. The situation drives the majority of the conflict in the novel, adding a strong element of suspense and tension to the story.
The characters are well drawn, Jo is a bit of a tomboy but not unfeminine, strong minded, but achingly vulnerable when it comes to her family. Stephen is a sweetie, perhaps prone to being a pushover, but only because his heart is in the right place and he steps up beautifully when required. I love them together and the more intimate scenes between them were pretty hot. The supporting characters, including Jo's sister, Amy, best friend, Scott, and Stephen's brother, Mike, are also likeable, as is Boomba the cat.
Penney's writing style is warm, I enjoyed her sense of humour and felt she handled the darker elements of the story well. The setting is an easy winner for me - I miss my hometown of Perth and so I enjoyed being able to visit Fremantle, Kings Park and the south west winery region. I also liked learning a little about life on an oil rig for someone like Jo - it's obviously a challenging job.
Fly In Fly Out is a great read, with a sweet and passionate romance and an engaging storyline, I've added Irrepressible You (which features Amy) to my wishlist.
April 27, 2019
The good: I'm sure there was a good story here, I just didn't relate to it,
Which leads me to the Meh:
The language/dialect differences. Google was my friend reading this book. I don't usually mind looking up words as I read, in fact I feel enlightened. However, I felt the writing pretentious at times and I don't know if that was because of the differences or intentional?.?.
I did not connect with the characters. It was a struggle for me to finish the book. I didn't care what was happening with Jo, or if she was FINALLY going to get her head out of her a$$ and be honest with Stephen...okay, that's not true, I did care, because her evasiveness was driving me crazy! But you get the point.
Part of why I didn't connect with the characters was most of the story was told to me. It wasn't character driven. Even though there was some POV change (without warning I might add), not enough of it was told in 1st person, and there wasn't enough dialogue for me. This might be okay for some readers as other ratings suggest, just not my cup of tea.
Overall, I think there is a good idea for a story here, suspense and romance all packed into one. 2 1/2 - 3 stars
*Author Provided for honest review*
"Negotiations will commence on our way down the stairs."
Which leads me to the Meh:
The language/dialect differences. Google was my friend reading this book. I don't usually mind looking up words as I read, in fact I feel enlightened. However, I felt the writing pretentious at times and I don't know if that was because of the differences or intentional?.?.
I did not connect with the characters. It was a struggle for me to finish the book. I didn't care what was happening with Jo, or if she was FINALLY going to get her head out of her a$$ and be honest with Stephen...okay, that's not true, I did care, because her evasiveness was driving me crazy! But you get the point.
Part of why I didn't connect with the characters was most of the story was told to me. It wasn't character driven. Even though there was some POV change (without warning I might add), not enough of it was told in 1st person, and there wasn't enough dialogue for me. This might be okay for some readers as other ratings suggest, just not my cup of tea.
Overall, I think there is a good idea for a story here, suspense and romance all packed into one. 2 1/2 - 3 stars
*Author Provided for honest review*
April 4, 2025
First of all, I have to say I love the fact that Georgina Penney uses the word "arse". I see ass, I think donkey.
I adored book 1's heroine Amy, and I was super fascinated with Jo, Amy's bolshy, Amazonian sister. Perched on the edge of my seat, awaiting the release of Unforgettable You, I was so keen to see how Georgina would address Jo, seeing as if you've read book 1, Irrepressible You, you will know Jo as she is now. Unforgettable You is Jo's story then. Oh, and if you haven't read book 1, go to your browser, open up your favourite e-tailer and buy it - it's awesome!
Here are my thoughts on Unforgettable You:
To use the opening word from my Goodreads post: ERMAGHERD!!! I freaking love this book. Full of Ms Penney’s signature humour and wit, Unforgettable You was totally worth waiting for.
If you have read book 1 and you are worried about the fact you know Jo and Stephen are together, and maybe the story in Unforgettable You might just not have the same impact, Do…Not…Worry! I loved getting to see how the close relationship, as well as the romantic attachment, between Jo and Stephen – hinted at earlier – developed.
These Blaine women are capital-F Fierce! Jo has been through the wringer and back, as a child and as an adult, and has still carved out a path for herself where she is the master of her own destiny. When you know what Jo and Amy both went through as kids, it is so easy to see why Jo in particular is so intensely private – and why she feels she needs to keep that part of her life from Stephen.
A great deal of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen dealing with the misconceptions of the past, the secrets that continue to lurk under the surface and most importantly, their growing attraction to one another – even when it was the last thing Jo wanted.
While there certainly are some dark moments to overcome, the overwhelming feel of this book, and Jo and Stephen’s relationship, is one of fun. I love couples that make me want to laugh along with them, and these two certainly gave me that.
There be some hot in them there pages, people! The sexytimes are just that – sexy, hot, and oh-so-delicious. Things happen in some very unexpected places (Kings Park, Shakespeare, under a tree…can’t say I was expecting that one).
I thought no beast could rival the loose-jowled Gerald for my affections, but along came Boomba, the magnificent Maine Coon and his penchant for underwear. Ms Penney, you do write the awesome animal.
The secondary characters in Unforgettable You are a big part of what makes this such a joy to have read. I cannot wait to read Scott’s story (pleeeeease let that be soon) – he certainly does appear to be an officeholder in the Captain Sexypants Society! I also loved getting to see the earlier Amy as well.
Unforgettable You made me feel all the feels, and laugh all the laughter. A fabulous sophomore effort from an author you should all get to know.
Note: I know the author through my involvement with the Naughty Ninjas, however this review is entirely my own opinion!
I adored book 1's heroine Amy, and I was super fascinated with Jo, Amy's bolshy, Amazonian sister. Perched on the edge of my seat, awaiting the release of Unforgettable You, I was so keen to see how Georgina would address Jo, seeing as if you've read book 1, Irrepressible You, you will know Jo as she is now. Unforgettable You is Jo's story then. Oh, and if you haven't read book 1, go to your browser, open up your favourite e-tailer and buy it - it's awesome!
Here are my thoughts on Unforgettable You:
To use the opening word from my Goodreads post: ERMAGHERD!!! I freaking love this book. Full of Ms Penney’s signature humour and wit, Unforgettable You was totally worth waiting for.
If you have read book 1 and you are worried about the fact you know Jo and Stephen are together, and maybe the story in Unforgettable You might just not have the same impact, Do…Not…Worry! I loved getting to see how the close relationship, as well as the romantic attachment, between Jo and Stephen – hinted at earlier – developed.
These Blaine women are capital-F Fierce! Jo has been through the wringer and back, as a child and as an adult, and has still carved out a path for herself where she is the master of her own destiny. When you know what Jo and Amy both went through as kids, it is so easy to see why Jo in particular is so intensely private – and why she feels she needs to keep that part of her life from Stephen.
A great deal of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen dealing with the misconceptions of the past, the secrets that continue to lurk under the surface and most importantly, their growing attraction to one another – even when it was the last thing Jo wanted.
While there certainly are some dark moments to overcome, the overwhelming feel of this book, and Jo and Stephen’s relationship, is one of fun. I love couples that make me want to laugh along with them, and these two certainly gave me that.
There be some hot in them there pages, people! The sexytimes are just that – sexy, hot, and oh-so-delicious. Things happen in some very unexpected places (Kings Park, Shakespeare, under a tree…can’t say I was expecting that one).
I thought no beast could rival the loose-jowled Gerald for my affections, but along came Boomba, the magnificent Maine Coon and his penchant for underwear. Ms Penney, you do write the awesome animal.
The secondary characters in Unforgettable You are a big part of what makes this such a joy to have read. I cannot wait to read Scott’s story (pleeeeease let that be soon) – he certainly does appear to be an officeholder in the Captain Sexypants Society! I also loved getting to see the earlier Amy as well.
Unforgettable You made me feel all the feels, and laugh all the laughter. A fabulous sophomore effort from an author you should all get to know.
Note: I know the author through my involvement with the Naughty Ninjas, however this review is entirely my own opinion!
May 18, 2014
Unforgettable You, Georgina Penney
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
I loved Georgina's first book Irrepressible You, so was keen to read this one. Its actually set prior to the first book, Amy is still with the jerk boyfriend – just- and Jo still working as an engineer on the oil rigs. I enjoyed this book, Georgina's writing and plotting is excellent, but it didn't grab me the same way as the first book. I think the magic of that for me was the chemistry and wit between Amy and Ben. Here, though there's sensuality between Stephen and Jo, its not got the same humour and pathos...maybe I just expected a bit too much, being blown away by the other story? Its a great read non the less.
Jo, she's still got that image of the childhood taunted and unwanted girl she was in her head, though its many years later ( I think she's thirty now – around that anyway). She's been working on the rigs for many years, and getting tired of the long times away and the stress of the job. Usually Amy checks on her house and looks after the cat – this time she and Scott ( their friend) arrange for Stephen to house sit. He wants to try to make amends for what he did when she was a teen by looking after the flat and the cat, but Jo comes back a little earlier than planned and finds chaos in her home! Not a great start for him...
Slowly things begin to turn around, and from being in an awkward place where conversation is stilted they get closer. Jo ( and Amy and Scott) are hiding some dark secrets though from the girls childhood, and though Stephen knows something is wrong she can't bring herself to let the story out, and tries to deflect his questions. Then, as secrets do, it all comes to a head at just the wrong moment.
Again there's a beautiful, sensual romance, danger and some deep, emotional drama that had me close to tears, but I didn't get sucked in quite as much as the first book. I think maybe its just that as a Brit I appreciated Ben's snarky, acerbic British humour...That really made that book for me, and this time it's all Australian characters, though there's still bits of humour there.
Stars: Four and a half, its a great novel, book one was exceptional in my eyes so though I didn't feel this was quite as good its still an excellent read.
Arc supplied via Netgalley and publisher
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
I loved Georgina's first book Irrepressible You, so was keen to read this one. Its actually set prior to the first book, Amy is still with the jerk boyfriend – just- and Jo still working as an engineer on the oil rigs. I enjoyed this book, Georgina's writing and plotting is excellent, but it didn't grab me the same way as the first book. I think the magic of that for me was the chemistry and wit between Amy and Ben. Here, though there's sensuality between Stephen and Jo, its not got the same humour and pathos...maybe I just expected a bit too much, being blown away by the other story? Its a great read non the less.
Jo, she's still got that image of the childhood taunted and unwanted girl she was in her head, though its many years later ( I think she's thirty now – around that anyway). She's been working on the rigs for many years, and getting tired of the long times away and the stress of the job. Usually Amy checks on her house and looks after the cat – this time she and Scott ( their friend) arrange for Stephen to house sit. He wants to try to make amends for what he did when she was a teen by looking after the flat and the cat, but Jo comes back a little earlier than planned and finds chaos in her home! Not a great start for him...
Slowly things begin to turn around, and from being in an awkward place where conversation is stilted they get closer. Jo ( and Amy and Scott) are hiding some dark secrets though from the girls childhood, and though Stephen knows something is wrong she can't bring herself to let the story out, and tries to deflect his questions. Then, as secrets do, it all comes to a head at just the wrong moment.
Again there's a beautiful, sensual romance, danger and some deep, emotional drama that had me close to tears, but I didn't get sucked in quite as much as the first book. I think maybe its just that as a Brit I appreciated Ben's snarky, acerbic British humour...That really made that book for me, and this time it's all Australian characters, though there's still bits of humour there.
Stars: Four and a half, its a great novel, book one was exceptional in my eyes so though I didn't feel this was quite as good its still an excellent read.
Arc supplied via Netgalley and publisher
January 3, 2015
This is my first by this author and I was pleased to test the waters with a netgalley arc. The heroine Jo is a FIFO worker on an oil rig, a hard job for anyone, never mind a woman. The fact that Jo is 6 foot tall and appears tough as old boots probably helps along with a reputation as a volcano that can erupt at any time.
Last thing she wants when she gets home is a naked man in her bed, (maybe) and definitely not Mike the brother of her high school crush that went horribly wrong. Next thing she knows, Stephen, the crush is installed in her apartment as a cat sitter courtesy of her old friend Scott, who happens to be the cousin of the two men.
Stephen is still reeling from the end of his ten year relationship with Lauren and is having a friends with benefits rebound fling with an older woman. People who know me will know this would be quite disturbing for me but luckily we got over that hurdle fairly easily.
The romance between Jo and Stephen is inevitable but the secrets she is keeping from him put an edge to the relationship along with the stresses of a long distance romance while she is away on the rig for a couple of months at a time.
The story deals with some hard issues, alcoholism, abuse and neglect of children and readers, like Scott in the book, might find it hard at times to understand the decisions Jo and Amy make about dealing with it.
The book kept me interested right to the end and I'm keen to look out Amy's story which takes place after this. The supporting cast, particularly Amy and Scott were a great addition to the atmosphere of the book.
Last thing she wants when she gets home is a naked man in her bed, (maybe) and definitely not Mike the brother of her high school crush that went horribly wrong. Next thing she knows, Stephen, the crush is installed in her apartment as a cat sitter courtesy of her old friend Scott, who happens to be the cousin of the two men.
Stephen is still reeling from the end of his ten year relationship with Lauren and is having a friends with benefits rebound fling with an older woman. People who know me will know this would be quite disturbing for me but luckily we got over that hurdle fairly easily.
The romance between Jo and Stephen is inevitable but the secrets she is keeping from him put an edge to the relationship along with the stresses of a long distance romance while she is away on the rig for a couple of months at a time.
The story deals with some hard issues, alcoholism, abuse and neglect of children and readers, like Scott in the book, might find it hard at times to understand the decisions Jo and Amy make about dealing with it.
The book kept me interested right to the end and I'm keen to look out Amy's story which takes place after this. The supporting cast, particularly Amy and Scott were a great addition to the atmosphere of the book.
December 9, 2014
First of all, I have to say I love the fact that Georgina Penney uses the word "arse". I see ass, I think donkey.
I adored book 1's heroine Amy, and I was super fascinated with Jo, Amy's bolshy, Amazonian sister. Perched on the edge of my seat, awaiting the release of Unforgettable You, I was so keen to see how Georgina would address Jo, seeing as if you've read book 1, Irrepressible You, you will know Jo as she is now. Unforgettable You is Jo's story then. Oh, and if you haven't read book 1, go to your browser, open up your favourite e-tailer and buy it - it's awesome!
Here are my thoughts on Fly In Fly Out:
I adored book 1's heroine Amy, and I was super fascinated with Jo, Amy's bolshy, Amazonian sister. Perched on the edge of my seat, awaiting the release of Unforgettable You, I was so keen to see how Georgina would address Jo, seeing as if you've read book 1, Irrepressible You, you will know Jo as she is now. Unforgettable You is Jo's story then. Oh, and if you haven't read book 1, go to your browser, open up your favourite e-tailer and buy it - it's awesome!
Here are my thoughts on Fly In Fly Out:
May 15, 2014
Unforgettable You is a second book in the series of three, the first one being Irrepressible You, which sits comfortably on my kindle although I haven't got to read it yet. Which is a shame. Although I must admit right here: when I started reading this book I didn't know it is a part of the series and also, through the whole book I haven't had a feeling that I'm missing something, that there was a story before, so Unforgettable You can be absolutely read and enjoyed as a stand - alone novel.
Our main hero is Jo Blaine, with a very unusual job for a woman. She's namely an engineer working on oil rigs. In fact, she's tired with her job, she seeks some more stability and she wants to quit.
While she's overseas, her sister Amy and friend Scott are house - and cat - sitting for her. So imagine her surprise when one day Jo comes home and finds a strange man in HER own sleeping - room, in her own bed, naked. What's more, this man is a brother of her old nemesis Stephen.
Stephen lives under a false assumption that Jo and Amy left home many years before because he has done something terrible to Jo. He wants to rehabilitate himself now and this is why he offered to take care about Jo's apartment when she's at work. Little does he know that Amy and Scott have actually plotted this in the hope of bringing Stephen and Jo together.
While Stephen thinks that he is the real reason for Jo moving out of her home, that's actually not true. There is something much more serious and only Scott knows about this. He has seen with his own eyes Jo and Amy after their father has hit them and he knows that it was the real reason why the girls moved out.
Jo and Amy's father is a man for whom the appearances are the most important thing. A beast at home, outside he shows his best sides. He works for Stephen's family and will do anything that the true never see the light.
To her own surprise, Jo agrees for Stephen looking after her flat. Of course they are growing closer to each other and Jo doesn't know what to do. Privacy is very important to her, she is ashamed to admit what her father did to them, and there is also her mother, still living with him and still letting him to hit her. She doesn't want anybody to know the truth. She doesn't want Stephen to know about her "psycho" family. Are they going to stay together, with all the secrets and not so rosy past?
Yes, this is long book:) Not possible to summarize it in few sentences:)
Jo was great. Just like this. She's a tough cookie but has a soft side as well. She loves her sister and is over - protective of her. She can't stop thinking about her mum, still living with the alcoholic and abusive father. She's interesting and complex character albeit very stubborn one. Used to being on her own, she doesn't allow people to come too close to her and discover her secrets. She is funny and I really loved her after her having a little too much to drink, she was brilliant then! I really admired how she came to terms with her life and mostly that she wasn't any kind of drama - queen or prima - donna and tried to fight with her past.
The details about her living on the oil rags were rare but I found them very interesting, as I really haven't read about this before in any book, and now I know why Jo must have developed her thick skin and come to terms with the roughness of life there. And well, now I can see where her nick - name Krakatoa comes from...
Jo and Amy, her sister, are very close but they couldn't be farther away from each other in terms of their personalities. While Jo was much more a tomboy type, Amy was a 50s style pin - up girl, hairdresser with her own salon and couldn't be more girly girl if you asked her. But she was warm, nice, likeable person as well, who adored her bigger sister.
Stephen was, wow, I think one of my favourite males' characters. Not only handsome, not only with a good job, not only funny but also honorable and learning from his own mistakes. The past was almost killing him, I can say, and he wanted to do everything for Jo. It was brilliant to see how the feeling between him and Jo developed and it was obvious that he is Mr. Obvious:)
There is also the whole bunch of supporting characters, Scott, Stephen's brothers, sister and actually his family, his ex - girlfriends, who were all were livid and very realistic, they felt very genuine and with them all there was never a dull moment.
It was a sparkly, interesting, engaging story written in a best possible, hooking way. Georgina Penny has a brilliant way with the words and is a great story - teller, and I was totally sold with this book's warmth and humour. She is writing about very difficult and hard issues, such as domestic violence and alcoholism, but actually the whole story resolves much more around Jo and Stephen and the bad things / good things in the book are very reasonably proportioned. We see that it is a big problem, a problem that darkened biggest part of Jo and Amy's lives but the author wonderfully counterbalance those issues with her dry sense of humour. And. Last but not least. I think that those were the best sex scenes that I have read. They were not only hot, baby, hot, but also witty.
Georgina can fantastically portray the characters, her writing style is very engaging and with a lot of action, fast - paced storyline there was not a single one dull moment. Everything in this book makes sense, everything goes together, there are some really unexpected twists and turns and situations (especially with the girls' mother) and the way she is solving the puzzles is not the easiest one.
The book ticks really almost all boxes. It's funny, witty and sassy read. I wouldn't say it was amazing read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly and would say, give Georgina a go, it can be your very next favourite author.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
Our main hero is Jo Blaine, with a very unusual job for a woman. She's namely an engineer working on oil rigs. In fact, she's tired with her job, she seeks some more stability and she wants to quit.
While she's overseas, her sister Amy and friend Scott are house - and cat - sitting for her. So imagine her surprise when one day Jo comes home and finds a strange man in HER own sleeping - room, in her own bed, naked. What's more, this man is a brother of her old nemesis Stephen.
Stephen lives under a false assumption that Jo and Amy left home many years before because he has done something terrible to Jo. He wants to rehabilitate himself now and this is why he offered to take care about Jo's apartment when she's at work. Little does he know that Amy and Scott have actually plotted this in the hope of bringing Stephen and Jo together.
While Stephen thinks that he is the real reason for Jo moving out of her home, that's actually not true. There is something much more serious and only Scott knows about this. He has seen with his own eyes Jo and Amy after their father has hit them and he knows that it was the real reason why the girls moved out.
Jo and Amy's father is a man for whom the appearances are the most important thing. A beast at home, outside he shows his best sides. He works for Stephen's family and will do anything that the true never see the light.
To her own surprise, Jo agrees for Stephen looking after her flat. Of course they are growing closer to each other and Jo doesn't know what to do. Privacy is very important to her, she is ashamed to admit what her father did to them, and there is also her mother, still living with him and still letting him to hit her. She doesn't want anybody to know the truth. She doesn't want Stephen to know about her "psycho" family. Are they going to stay together, with all the secrets and not so rosy past?
Yes, this is long book:) Not possible to summarize it in few sentences:)
Jo was great. Just like this. She's a tough cookie but has a soft side as well. She loves her sister and is over - protective of her. She can't stop thinking about her mum, still living with the alcoholic and abusive father. She's interesting and complex character albeit very stubborn one. Used to being on her own, she doesn't allow people to come too close to her and discover her secrets. She is funny and I really loved her after her having a little too much to drink, she was brilliant then! I really admired how she came to terms with her life and mostly that she wasn't any kind of drama - queen or prima - donna and tried to fight with her past.
The details about her living on the oil rags were rare but I found them very interesting, as I really haven't read about this before in any book, and now I know why Jo must have developed her thick skin and come to terms with the roughness of life there. And well, now I can see where her nick - name Krakatoa comes from...
Jo and Amy, her sister, are very close but they couldn't be farther away from each other in terms of their personalities. While Jo was much more a tomboy type, Amy was a 50s style pin - up girl, hairdresser with her own salon and couldn't be more girly girl if you asked her. But she was warm, nice, likeable person as well, who adored her bigger sister.
Stephen was, wow, I think one of my favourite males' characters. Not only handsome, not only with a good job, not only funny but also honorable and learning from his own mistakes. The past was almost killing him, I can say, and he wanted to do everything for Jo. It was brilliant to see how the feeling between him and Jo developed and it was obvious that he is Mr. Obvious:)
There is also the whole bunch of supporting characters, Scott, Stephen's brothers, sister and actually his family, his ex - girlfriends, who were all were livid and very realistic, they felt very genuine and with them all there was never a dull moment.
It was a sparkly, interesting, engaging story written in a best possible, hooking way. Georgina Penny has a brilliant way with the words and is a great story - teller, and I was totally sold with this book's warmth and humour. She is writing about very difficult and hard issues, such as domestic violence and alcoholism, but actually the whole story resolves much more around Jo and Stephen and the bad things / good things in the book are very reasonably proportioned. We see that it is a big problem, a problem that darkened biggest part of Jo and Amy's lives but the author wonderfully counterbalance those issues with her dry sense of humour. And. Last but not least. I think that those were the best sex scenes that I have read. They were not only hot, baby, hot, but also witty.
Georgina can fantastically portray the characters, her writing style is very engaging and with a lot of action, fast - paced storyline there was not a single one dull moment. Everything in this book makes sense, everything goes together, there are some really unexpected twists and turns and situations (especially with the girls' mother) and the way she is solving the puzzles is not the easiest one.
The book ticks really almost all boxes. It's funny, witty and sassy read. I wouldn't say it was amazing read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly and would say, give Georgina a go, it can be your very next favourite author.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
June 26, 2014
*A copy of this book was received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Written as a prequel, ‘Unforgettable You’ goes back in time to tell the story of Jo Blaine, sister of 1950s time-warp, Amy Blaine, who featured brilliantly in Ms Penney’s debut novel, ‘Irrepressible You’. I loved ‘Irrepressible You’ and was looking forward to this author’s second contemporary romance/chick lit novel. I was especially keen to see how a feisty oil-rig engineer tom-boy would be wooed by a mild mannered, marketing rain-man of a Margaret River vineyard. Once again I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s difficult to outline the plot of ‘Unforgettable You’ without giving away too much about both novels. It’s enough to say that both stories explore the lives of two sisters who experienced a childhood marred by domestic violence and yet whose life-responses couldn’t be more different from one another’s. In Amy we find an ultra-feminine kitten with nerves of steel who’s on an unconscious mission to avoid emotional intimacy. In Jo we find a volcanic wonder-woman on a mission to hide her inner softness and her conscious hankering to find just that. It takes the patient persistence of beta-hero good guy, Stephen Hardy, to finally break through Jo’s brittle front.
This is another great story from Ms Penney. The writing is incredibly detailed, to the point where you can imagine everything going on in the scene, and yet the story telling never sags. The characters are so vivid they leap off the page. Their stories aren’t just told from the point of view of two protagonists looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, it’s told from within the dynamic network of the interwoven friendships surrounding the Blaine sisters. In some ways these books remind me of Richard Curtis’ screen plays (Love Actually, Notting Hill etc) with the focus on a ‘family’ of friends – all successful, talented, Gen-Ys of the business and artistic worlds, and yet all of them a bit lost in their own ways, searching for something more meaningful beyond material success.
‘Unforgettable You’ tackles some very tough issues. Domestic violence and the way it affects the children involved, preventing them from realising their full potential in a myriad of ways, is not for the faint hearted amongst writers. I loved that ‘Unforgettable You’ sensitively explored another dimension of this issue through a quite different sibling within an affected family. And I loved, of course, that the decent, deserving Stephen Hardy was the man to see through the protective smoke-screens to the real Jo Blaine. I highly recommend ‘Unforgettable You’.
Written as a prequel, ‘Unforgettable You’ goes back in time to tell the story of Jo Blaine, sister of 1950s time-warp, Amy Blaine, who featured brilliantly in Ms Penney’s debut novel, ‘Irrepressible You’. I loved ‘Irrepressible You’ and was looking forward to this author’s second contemporary romance/chick lit novel. I was especially keen to see how a feisty oil-rig engineer tom-boy would be wooed by a mild mannered, marketing rain-man of a Margaret River vineyard. Once again I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s difficult to outline the plot of ‘Unforgettable You’ without giving away too much about both novels. It’s enough to say that both stories explore the lives of two sisters who experienced a childhood marred by domestic violence and yet whose life-responses couldn’t be more different from one another’s. In Amy we find an ultra-feminine kitten with nerves of steel who’s on an unconscious mission to avoid emotional intimacy. In Jo we find a volcanic wonder-woman on a mission to hide her inner softness and her conscious hankering to find just that. It takes the patient persistence of beta-hero good guy, Stephen Hardy, to finally break through Jo’s brittle front.
This is another great story from Ms Penney. The writing is incredibly detailed, to the point where you can imagine everything going on in the scene, and yet the story telling never sags. The characters are so vivid they leap off the page. Their stories aren’t just told from the point of view of two protagonists looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, it’s told from within the dynamic network of the interwoven friendships surrounding the Blaine sisters. In some ways these books remind me of Richard Curtis’ screen plays (Love Actually, Notting Hill etc) with the focus on a ‘family’ of friends – all successful, talented, Gen-Ys of the business and artistic worlds, and yet all of them a bit lost in their own ways, searching for something more meaningful beyond material success.
‘Unforgettable You’ tackles some very tough issues. Domestic violence and the way it affects the children involved, preventing them from realising their full potential in a myriad of ways, is not for the faint hearted amongst writers. I loved that ‘Unforgettable You’ sensitively explored another dimension of this issue through a quite different sibling within an affected family. And I loved, of course, that the decent, deserving Stephen Hardy was the man to see through the protective smoke-screens to the real Jo Blaine. I highly recommend ‘Unforgettable You’.
April 26, 2014
There were so many things I liked about this earthy, energetic little number. I found it a fabulous, totally fabulous read.
The book is set mostly in Australia and in the time before Amy's story (in Irrepressible You) which makes it a prequel. The story centers around Jo, Amy's older sister. Jo is an interesting character who works on an oil rig as an engineer. Her speciality is lubrication. (No sniggering or jokes, please.) I found the detail about life on the oil rigs fascinating, along with the rig humour and terms roughnecks use, and can see how Jo would have to develop a thick skin in such a cramped, blokey environment.
She’s one tough bunny, but she has a softer side despite being wildly protective of her little sister, her underwear-eating kitty, and her privacy. Privacy is important to Jo because she doesn’t want anyone knowing the truth about her dad. He’s a violent alcoholic who has managed to maintain his reputation as a ‘good bloke’ in the small country town while making his family’s life a misery. Jo and Amy escaped the house when young but constantly worry about how he’s treating their mother. The author captures the two-faced deception of the father very well.
Jo’s father works for Stephen’s farming family and Jo and Stephen have known each other since childhood, although without Stephen or his family realizing what was going on in Jo’s family.
While Jo has a dark past, her friendship with Scott and sister Amy keep the tone of the book mostly light, as do the problems of Stephen (the hero of the story) and his family.
Much of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen overcoming their past, revealing their secrets and changing for the better before they can come together as a couple, and the story is told with great warmth and much laugh-out-loud dialogue. Some of my favourite dialogue included the term "bare-knuckle bitching" and the following when talking to her cat:
“I’d love to know what Amy feeds you, but I suspect it’s her pansy ex-boyfriends, and we wouldn’t want to knowingly be accessories to murder, now would we?”
Readers will love the characters and the dialogue, and the funny scenes sprinkled throughout the story. At the same time, the characters and their core conflicts are very believable.
And the sex scenes? Oh, my, smokin' hot.
(Disclaimer, I received an advance copy of the book for review purposes, and am a fellow Naughty Ninja. But I still know a good book when I read one.)
The book is set mostly in Australia and in the time before Amy's story (in Irrepressible You) which makes it a prequel. The story centers around Jo, Amy's older sister. Jo is an interesting character who works on an oil rig as an engineer. Her speciality is lubrication. (No sniggering or jokes, please.) I found the detail about life on the oil rigs fascinating, along with the rig humour and terms roughnecks use, and can see how Jo would have to develop a thick skin in such a cramped, blokey environment.
She’s one tough bunny, but she has a softer side despite being wildly protective of her little sister, her underwear-eating kitty, and her privacy. Privacy is important to Jo because she doesn’t want anyone knowing the truth about her dad. He’s a violent alcoholic who has managed to maintain his reputation as a ‘good bloke’ in the small country town while making his family’s life a misery. Jo and Amy escaped the house when young but constantly worry about how he’s treating their mother. The author captures the two-faced deception of the father very well.
Jo’s father works for Stephen’s farming family and Jo and Stephen have known each other since childhood, although without Stephen or his family realizing what was going on in Jo’s family.
While Jo has a dark past, her friendship with Scott and sister Amy keep the tone of the book mostly light, as do the problems of Stephen (the hero of the story) and his family.
Much of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen overcoming their past, revealing their secrets and changing for the better before they can come together as a couple, and the story is told with great warmth and much laugh-out-loud dialogue. Some of my favourite dialogue included the term "bare-knuckle bitching" and the following when talking to her cat:
“I’d love to know what Amy feeds you, but I suspect it’s her pansy ex-boyfriends, and we wouldn’t want to knowingly be accessories to murder, now would we?”
Readers will love the characters and the dialogue, and the funny scenes sprinkled throughout the story. At the same time, the characters and their core conflicts are very believable.
And the sex scenes? Oh, my, smokin' hot.
(Disclaimer, I received an advance copy of the book for review purposes, and am a fellow Naughty Ninja. But I still know a good book when I read one.)
December 9, 2014
I was uber lucky to score myself an ARC of Fly In Fly Out.
I absolutely loved Amy's story (this author's debut) in Irrepressible You, and this book is about Jo, Amy's older sister. Interestingly, this book predates Irrepressible You, so technically, it's the first of a series of three books.
Georgina Penney has a style of writing that is full of warmth and wit and sass. I am a huge fan of her language and her characters and her all-round author awesome-ness.
Amy and Jo Blaine are inseparable sisters, yet they're about as far apart in personalities as you could find. Amy in Irrepressible You is a gorgeous retro 50s-dressing hairdresser/barber; and her sister Jo is a soccer-loving tom-boy engineer, working fly-in, fly-out in the male domain of an oil rig in Mauritiana.
This story is about Stephen Hardy (from the Evangeline's Rest winery that gets a mention in Irrepressible You), and Jo. As you might expect, these two have history and it's this that creates the early conflict... which is then built through the book as issues relating to Jo and Amy's treatment at the hands of their parents as young girls, surfaces. Amy thinks Stephen will be disgusted at her 'psycho' family history, and concocts lies to shield him from the truth.
Of course, a Georgina Penney hero is always going to be bigger and better than that!
That's all I'll say on plot. I'm not much of a plot reviewer. What I love is when a book grabs me in that spot just behind my belly button and pulls and tugs and prods me, so that I can't put the book down.
I love this book. I loved the first (technically second) one too. I am a huge fan for life.
One more word. Man, does Ms Penney know how to write brilliant *fans self* sex. What these two get up to in a park watching Shakespeare is just mind-blowing.
I absolutely loved Amy's story (this author's debut) in Irrepressible You, and this book is about Jo, Amy's older sister. Interestingly, this book predates Irrepressible You, so technically, it's the first of a series of three books.
Georgina Penney has a style of writing that is full of warmth and wit and sass. I am a huge fan of her language and her characters and her all-round author awesome-ness.
Amy and Jo Blaine are inseparable sisters, yet they're about as far apart in personalities as you could find. Amy in Irrepressible You is a gorgeous retro 50s-dressing hairdresser/barber; and her sister Jo is a soccer-loving tom-boy engineer, working fly-in, fly-out in the male domain of an oil rig in Mauritiana.
This story is about Stephen Hardy (from the Evangeline's Rest winery that gets a mention in Irrepressible You), and Jo. As you might expect, these two have history and it's this that creates the early conflict... which is then built through the book as issues relating to Jo and Amy's treatment at the hands of their parents as young girls, surfaces. Amy thinks Stephen will be disgusted at her 'psycho' family history, and concocts lies to shield him from the truth.
Of course, a Georgina Penney hero is always going to be bigger and better than that!
That's all I'll say on plot. I'm not much of a plot reviewer. What I love is when a book grabs me in that spot just behind my belly button and pulls and tugs and prods me, so that I can't put the book down.
I love this book. I loved the first (technically second) one too. I am a huge fan for life.
One more word. Man, does Ms Penney know how to write brilliant *fans self* sex. What these two get up to in a park watching Shakespeare is just mind-blowing.
May 11, 2014
Georgina Penney does it again with this book. She is truly a spectacular author with a talent of bringing you a great story with amazing characters. I will admit I was a little worried about this being Jo’s and Stephen’s story seeing that they were shown in Irrepressible You, which is Amy’s story, as being together. I should have known not to let that worry me because even though you knew they were together in the future finally reading and picturing how their love story unfolded makes it all worthwhile. It shows you why in Amy’s story does Jo act the way she does, it shows how certain things in the past help build the future stories. It also shows you what type of bond Jo and Stephen had, it was hinted at in the first book but this one truly shows you how they became to be the people they are. It’s exciting to be able to step back in time to see how and when a character developed into who they are shown at the end. I will say that the author made Jo into such a strong character that it makes you look up to her even though she is a fictional character. To be able to survive what she did and make a better life for Amy when she was just a kid is truly remarkable. I like how even though she seems tough she has a heart and once she lets someone in she lets them in forever. She is one of those people that you want in your corner. The author did such a fantastic job bringing Jo’s and Stephen’s story to light that it makes you feel like your a part of their family.
Full review at http://allnightbooks.com/?p=165
Full review at http://allnightbooks.com/?p=165
December 11, 2014
I loved 'Irrepressible You' and grew very attached to Amy Blaine and her sister, Jo, so was super excited to see Jo have her own story.
Ms Penney's quick wit and fresh take on writing results in an easy, engaging read. Her characters, including the cat, Boomba, are real, and that makes me bond with them. I don't want to read about millionaires and supermodels, I love the authenticity of Penney's writing.
I'd love to see each character get their own book because I know them all now and want to read more about them, especially Scott (pretty please?)
If you're after an entertaining read that will catch you from start to finish, one that moves along a steady pace, then I can highly recommend this novel. I would also recommend reading 'Fly In, Fly Out' prior to reading 'Irrepressible You' for continuity.
Well done, Ms Penney! I can't wait to read more.
Ms Penney's quick wit and fresh take on writing results in an easy, engaging read. Her characters, including the cat, Boomba, are real, and that makes me bond with them. I don't want to read about millionaires and supermodels, I love the authenticity of Penney's writing.
I'd love to see each character get their own book because I know them all now and want to read more about them, especially Scott (pretty please?)
If you're after an entertaining read that will catch you from start to finish, one that moves along a steady pace, then I can highly recommend this novel. I would also recommend reading 'Fly In, Fly Out' prior to reading 'Irrepressible You' for continuity.
Well done, Ms Penney! I can't wait to read more.
August 31, 2015
Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific read, August 30, 2015
This review is from: Fly In, Fly Out (Paperback)
I have to admit I don't read a lot of chic lit, and picked this book up at a book stall on a whim. That said, gee I enjoyed this book. What I thought would be a light read had unexpected layers. The heroine Jo reminded me so much of a tomboy relative of mine. The hero Stephen was the guy all guys wish their guy would be. The descriptions of life on the oil rigs in the Indian Ocean had me imagining how hard it would be for a woman engineer. Having flown into Perth airport a few times and seen the planes ready to head up to the northwest shelf of australia, I could relate to much of the scenery of this book. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific read, August 30, 2015
This review is from: Fly In, Fly Out (Paperback)
I have to admit I don't read a lot of chic lit, and picked this book up at a book stall on a whim. That said, gee I enjoyed this book. What I thought would be a light read had unexpected layers. The heroine Jo reminded me so much of a tomboy relative of mine. The hero Stephen was the guy all guys wish their guy would be. The descriptions of life on the oil rigs in the Indian Ocean had me imagining how hard it would be for a woman engineer. Having flown into Perth airport a few times and seen the planes ready to head up to the northwest shelf of australia, I could relate to much of the scenery of this book. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
July 26, 2014
Full review to come... Georgina doesn't fail to impress with her wit, insight and a delicious amount of spice!!!
May 15, 2015
Loved it! Hooked as soon as things started to heat up between Jo (not your typical heroine) and Stephen (#whatahunk). Beautiful ending.
January 4, 2015
Living in Western Australia, you can’t help but be absorbed in the FIFO (fly in, fly out) lifestyle whether you work in the industry or not. You get used to the sight of hi-vis shirts everywhere, the Qantas Club continuously expanding to meet demand for flights to mine sites and sadly, a cup of coffee being a minimum of $4 (expect to pay around $5 for the good stuff). The mining boom has sent Perth into overdrive and it’s impossible not to reap the benefits (hello Topshop) but it’s only recently that there has been coverage of the negative side of FIFO-ing on relationships, mental health and stress levels.
Jo Blaine is an engineer with a longer commute than most. She’s an engineer on an oil rig off Mauritania and it’s not an easy swing (that’s how long your time lasts at work – Jo is on for so long, that it’s counted in weeks, not days). It’s a number of flights and a helicopter ride to get there from Perth, her assistant is incompetent and she gets the blame, there’s one phone and internet is patchy at best. Plus she shares a room with a snoring guy. It’s not fun. That’s why Jo looks forward to her off swing (time off) – chilling at her beautiful Fremantle apartment accompanied by her cat Boomba (best cat name ever). The last thing she expected after arriving home dirty and tired is a naked man in her bed…especially the brother of her house sitter, Stephen Hardy.
Stephen and Jo go way back. In fact, Stephen is dead set certain that he’s the reason why Jo and her sister Amy had to leave their small town. Even though that was years ago, he still feels terrible about it and aims to make it up to Jo. It takes a couple of swings, but Stephen and Jo get a thing going. But Jo and Amy are hiding a dark family secret that will put all of them in danger – will Jo open up to Stephen? Will she feel that she’s worthy of a relationship (as she’s formerly known as Rabies Blaine)?
I really enjoyed this story – I was expecting something quite light, but Jo and Amy’s secret is dark and the suspenseful elements had me racing through the pages. I wanted to see if and when Jo would confide in Stephen and what the fall out would be. Jo is a very strong character despite her belief that she’s unlovable and far too tough for romance. I like the switching of traditional gender roles and Stephen is much softer. He’s almost continually worried about offending Jo and making up for his slight years ago. Occasionally, I found him to be too eager and too considerate, but he did play hardball when circumstances called for it so he’s redeemed in my eyes.
I loved reading about sites familiar to me – Fremantle, Kings Park and Western Australia’s South West. They were all described lovingly and as a West Aussie, I’m proud that my city and state are portrayed so beautifully in a book. (Though I shan’t be looking at theatre in Kings Park in quite the same way again after a steamy Jo/Stephen session!) Fly In Fly Out is also incredibly funny on numerous occasions – Jo’s nickname of Krakatoa is well deserved with some of the strings of insults/profanities she comes out with!
I look forward to reading the story of Amy, Jo’s sister in Unforgettable You. Amy’s the complete opposite to Jo – keen on 1950s fashion and always beautifully presented. I’m also hoping to read more about photographer Scott, a good friend to both women, whom I’m sure has some good tales to tell.
Thank you to Penguin Australia for the eARC. My review is my honest opinion.
Jo Blaine is an engineer with a longer commute than most. She’s an engineer on an oil rig off Mauritania and it’s not an easy swing (that’s how long your time lasts at work – Jo is on for so long, that it’s counted in weeks, not days). It’s a number of flights and a helicopter ride to get there from Perth, her assistant is incompetent and she gets the blame, there’s one phone and internet is patchy at best. Plus she shares a room with a snoring guy. It’s not fun. That’s why Jo looks forward to her off swing (time off) – chilling at her beautiful Fremantle apartment accompanied by her cat Boomba (best cat name ever). The last thing she expected after arriving home dirty and tired is a naked man in her bed…especially the brother of her house sitter, Stephen Hardy.
Stephen and Jo go way back. In fact, Stephen is dead set certain that he’s the reason why Jo and her sister Amy had to leave their small town. Even though that was years ago, he still feels terrible about it and aims to make it up to Jo. It takes a couple of swings, but Stephen and Jo get a thing going. But Jo and Amy are hiding a dark family secret that will put all of them in danger – will Jo open up to Stephen? Will she feel that she’s worthy of a relationship (as she’s formerly known as Rabies Blaine)?
I really enjoyed this story – I was expecting something quite light, but Jo and Amy’s secret is dark and the suspenseful elements had me racing through the pages. I wanted to see if and when Jo would confide in Stephen and what the fall out would be. Jo is a very strong character despite her belief that she’s unlovable and far too tough for romance. I like the switching of traditional gender roles and Stephen is much softer. He’s almost continually worried about offending Jo and making up for his slight years ago. Occasionally, I found him to be too eager and too considerate, but he did play hardball when circumstances called for it so he’s redeemed in my eyes.
I loved reading about sites familiar to me – Fremantle, Kings Park and Western Australia’s South West. They were all described lovingly and as a West Aussie, I’m proud that my city and state are portrayed so beautifully in a book. (Though I shan’t be looking at theatre in Kings Park in quite the same way again after a steamy Jo/Stephen session!) Fly In Fly Out is also incredibly funny on numerous occasions – Jo’s nickname of Krakatoa is well deserved with some of the strings of insults/profanities she comes out with!
I look forward to reading the story of Amy, Jo’s sister in Unforgettable You. Amy’s the complete opposite to Jo – keen on 1950s fashion and always beautifully presented. I’m also hoping to read more about photographer Scott, a good friend to both women, whom I’m sure has some good tales to tell.
Thank you to Penguin Australia for the eARC. My review is my honest opinion.
August 17, 2016
At First Sight: Jo Blaine just wanted to sleep in her own bed after working in an off-shore oil rig for months and then traveling for 24 hrs straight to get home in Perth, Australia; but when she got to her apartment, she found a man was in residence and had, in fact, taken over her home.
The man was none other than Stephen Hardy, whose family owns the big vineyard where Jo and her sister Amy had grown up and who once started a rumor about Jo that ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and wants to make it up to her somehow, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away.
After a few blow ups, Jo eventually decides to let Stephen stay and they start developing a friendship and then a bit more, even if Jo's job keeps taking her away for months at a time. However, as they grow closer, Stephen realizes that it's something very wrong in Jo's life, something in her past that neither her nor her Amy are willing to talk about and which is coming back to cause her trouble.
Second Glance: Unforgettable You is the companion novel/prequel to Irrepressible You and it tells the story of how Jo and Stephen (who are an item on Irrepressible You) got together, shedding more light into things that Amy's story just hinted at.
I enjoyed reading Unforgettable You, once I started and settled into the story, I couldn't stop reading it and Georgina Penney has a prose that flows very nicely, you kind of read it fast and progress quickly without even noticing (which is always a plus in my book). Now, I didn't love Jo as much as I loved Amy, and I didn't always agree with her or with how she handled things, but Jo made sense to me. Her actions were congruent with who she was and what she had been through.
On the other hand, I really liked Stephen, he was a really decent guy trying to atone for past mistakes and to move on after a long-term relationship that had gone south, sometimes he was even too nice but I couldn't even get mad at him about it. Like I said, decent fellow.
Their story went back and forth and bit, but I totally give props to the author because, even though they were away from each other for long-stretches of time, I totally believed in their relationship.
Plus, I'm even more intrigued about the other members of the Hardy clan - like Scott, Rachel and Mike - and I would love, love, love to hear their stories.
Bottom Line: Unforgettable You was fun to read, it grabbed me from the start and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with these people, they felt like old friends to me and I always love when that happens.
The man was none other than Stephen Hardy, whose family owns the big vineyard where Jo and her sister Amy had grown up and who once started a rumor about Jo that ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and wants to make it up to her somehow, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away.
After a few blow ups, Jo eventually decides to let Stephen stay and they start developing a friendship and then a bit more, even if Jo's job keeps taking her away for months at a time. However, as they grow closer, Stephen realizes that it's something very wrong in Jo's life, something in her past that neither her nor her Amy are willing to talk about and which is coming back to cause her trouble.
Second Glance: Unforgettable You is the companion novel/prequel to Irrepressible You and it tells the story of how Jo and Stephen (who are an item on Irrepressible You) got together, shedding more light into things that Amy's story just hinted at.
I enjoyed reading Unforgettable You, once I started and settled into the story, I couldn't stop reading it and Georgina Penney has a prose that flows very nicely, you kind of read it fast and progress quickly without even noticing (which is always a plus in my book). Now, I didn't love Jo as much as I loved Amy, and I didn't always agree with her or with how she handled things, but Jo made sense to me. Her actions were congruent with who she was and what she had been through.
On the other hand, I really liked Stephen, he was a really decent guy trying to atone for past mistakes and to move on after a long-term relationship that had gone south, sometimes he was even too nice but I couldn't even get mad at him about it. Like I said, decent fellow.
Their story went back and forth and bit, but I totally give props to the author because, even though they were away from each other for long-stretches of time, I totally believed in their relationship.
Plus, I'm even more intrigued about the other members of the Hardy clan - like Scott, Rachel and Mike - and I would love, love, love to hear their stories.
Bottom Line: Unforgettable You was fun to read, it grabbed me from the start and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with these people, they felt like old friends to me and I always love when that happens.
December 22, 2014
I'm not a massive fan of Romance novels. I used to be when I was a little girl and would read books like Sweet Dreams Romances. I could soak those up in a few hours. I was in love with the genre. Now I'm a bit more widely spread.
But when I was asked if I would read it as a review book I said yes, because I haven't read a romance novel in years and I looking for a little extra spice to add to my life for a change. Well, I got the spice alright!!
Although the writing style isn't what I was used to: which is more description, a slower lead up, a bit more information, etc, I did thoroughly enjoy it - so much so I finished it in a few days while tackling the art of being a mother to two children full-time. It was a "quick fix", although a slightly frustrating one at times because of Jo's background and not knowing 100% how I would react in a situation like that. I'd like to think I wouldn't have reacted the same way Jo did with certain people she was scared of. But I just don't know. I've never been in a situation like Jo's so I guess I was a little frustrated in the way Jo handled things at times.
But the way Georgina Penney wrote Jo into her story, she came across as strong, reliable but terribly lonely. She'd had a hard life and you could see that. Her past had shaped her future, how she became apart of a male dominated career just to prove she could stand up to men, how she shut herself off from being emotional, how she always had a tough outlook on everything. She was very well written and I praise that. She was a character I admired for her strength.
The story over all was quick. It got straight to the point in the romance section, and left you wondering what was so bad in Jo's past that she was so scared of sharing. That made it all the more interesting and helped with the whole story because Jo had a chance to be vulnerable, to prove she could be more than just a hard-ass.
I really enjoyed this book for what it was - a romance story with a bit of a story behind it. It might not be for most readers that aren't a fan of the genre, but it certainly is a good quick fix when you need a pick me up. I think I'll go and read her first book too "Irresistible You" just so I can see the Amy's side of things. She seems like an interesting character!!
Don't discount this book just because it's "romance" as long as you like a bit of romance the rest of the mystery of this book is very very enticing! And if you love romance novels then I don't need to say anymore except - dig in and enjoy :-)
But when I was asked if I would read it as a review book I said yes, because I haven't read a romance novel in years and I looking for a little extra spice to add to my life for a change. Well, I got the spice alright!!
Although the writing style isn't what I was used to: which is more description, a slower lead up, a bit more information, etc, I did thoroughly enjoy it - so much so I finished it in a few days while tackling the art of being a mother to two children full-time. It was a "quick fix", although a slightly frustrating one at times because of Jo's background and not knowing 100% how I would react in a situation like that. I'd like to think I wouldn't have reacted the same way Jo did with certain people she was scared of. But I just don't know. I've never been in a situation like Jo's so I guess I was a little frustrated in the way Jo handled things at times.
But the way Georgina Penney wrote Jo into her story, she came across as strong, reliable but terribly lonely. She'd had a hard life and you could see that. Her past had shaped her future, how she became apart of a male dominated career just to prove she could stand up to men, how she shut herself off from being emotional, how she always had a tough outlook on everything. She was very well written and I praise that. She was a character I admired for her strength.
The story over all was quick. It got straight to the point in the romance section, and left you wondering what was so bad in Jo's past that she was so scared of sharing. That made it all the more interesting and helped with the whole story because Jo had a chance to be vulnerable, to prove she could be more than just a hard-ass.
I really enjoyed this book for what it was - a romance story with a bit of a story behind it. It might not be for most readers that aren't a fan of the genre, but it certainly is a good quick fix when you need a pick me up. I think I'll go and read her first book too "Irresistible You" just so I can see the Amy's side of things. She seems like an interesting character!!
Don't discount this book just because it's "romance" as long as you like a bit of romance the rest of the mystery of this book is very very enticing! And if you love romance novels then I don't need to say anymore except - dig in and enjoy :-)
December 9, 2014
There were so many things I liked about this earthy, energetic little number. I found it a fabulous, totally fabulous read.
The book is set mostly in Australia and in the time before Amy's story (in Irrepressible You) which makes it a prequel. The story centers around Jo, Amy's older sister. Jo is an interesting character who works on an oil rig as an engineer. Her speciality is lubrication. (Snigger if you must.) I found the detail about life on the oil rigs fascinating, along with the rig humour and terms roughnecks use, and can see how Jo would have to develop a thick skin in such a cramped, blokey environment.
She’s one tough bunny, but she has a softer side despite being wildly protective of her little sister, her underwear-eating kitty, and her privacy. Privacy is important to Jo because she doesn’t want anyone knowing the truth about her dad. He’s a violent alcoholic who has managed to maintain his reputation as a ‘good bloke’ in the small country town while making his family’s life a misery. Jo and Amy escaped the house when young but constantly worry about how he’s treating their mother. The author captures the two-faced deception of the father very well.
Jo’s father works for Stephen’s farming family and Jo and Stephen have known each other since childhood, although without Stephen or his family realizing what was going on in Jo’s family. While Jo has a dark past, her friendship with Scott and sister Amy keep the tone of the book mostly light, as do the problems of Stephen (the hero of the story) and his family.
Much of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen overcoming their past, revealing their secrets and changing for the better before they can come together as a couple, and the story is told with great warmth and much laugh-out-loud dialogue. Some of my favourite dialogue included the term "bare-knuckle bitching" and the following when talking to her cat:
“I’d love to know what Amy feeds you, but I suspect it’s her pansy ex-boyfriends, and we wouldn’t want to knowingly be accessories to murder, now would we?”
Readers will love the characters and the dialogue, and the funny scenes sprinkled throughout the story. At the same time, the characters and their core conflicts are very believable.
And the sex scenes? Oh, my, smokin' hot.
(Disclaimer, I received an advance copy of the book for review purposes, and am a fellow Naughty Ninja. But I still know a good book when I read one.)
The book is set mostly in Australia and in the time before Amy's story (in Irrepressible You) which makes it a prequel. The story centers around Jo, Amy's older sister. Jo is an interesting character who works on an oil rig as an engineer. Her speciality is lubrication. (Snigger if you must.) I found the detail about life on the oil rigs fascinating, along with the rig humour and terms roughnecks use, and can see how Jo would have to develop a thick skin in such a cramped, blokey environment.
She’s one tough bunny, but she has a softer side despite being wildly protective of her little sister, her underwear-eating kitty, and her privacy. Privacy is important to Jo because she doesn’t want anyone knowing the truth about her dad. He’s a violent alcoholic who has managed to maintain his reputation as a ‘good bloke’ in the small country town while making his family’s life a misery. Jo and Amy escaped the house when young but constantly worry about how he’s treating their mother. The author captures the two-faced deception of the father very well.
Jo’s father works for Stephen’s farming family and Jo and Stephen have known each other since childhood, although without Stephen or his family realizing what was going on in Jo’s family. While Jo has a dark past, her friendship with Scott and sister Amy keep the tone of the book mostly light, as do the problems of Stephen (the hero of the story) and his family.
Much of the story revolves around Jo and Stephen overcoming their past, revealing their secrets and changing for the better before they can come together as a couple, and the story is told with great warmth and much laugh-out-loud dialogue. Some of my favourite dialogue included the term "bare-knuckle bitching" and the following when talking to her cat:
“I’d love to know what Amy feeds you, but I suspect it’s her pansy ex-boyfriends, and we wouldn’t want to knowingly be accessories to murder, now would we?”
Readers will love the characters and the dialogue, and the funny scenes sprinkled throughout the story. At the same time, the characters and their core conflicts are very believable.
And the sex scenes? Oh, my, smokin' hot.
(Disclaimer, I received an advance copy of the book for review purposes, and am a fellow Naughty Ninja. But I still know a good book when I read one.)
January 22, 2015
Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics
Fly In Fly Out is quirky contemporary romance from Australian Georgia Penney about a woman name Jo Blaine who is an engineer working in the fly in fly out sector of the mining industry. She lives in Perth but works in oil rig off the cost of North Africa and works on a shift schedule where she fly in for a month and flies out to gets a few weeks of R&R back home. Those weeks are precious to her and her apartment is her castle, her place that she relax from the world.
However this time, returning home after her latest shift hoping to have quiet night, she discovers a pair of males shoe by the door which definitely not her’s and thinks it is Scott, her best friend. Scott and her sister Amy have some explaining to do though because a naked man in her bed is totally not what she expecting and it no one she knows. Talk about a awkward situation to be in .
Well it turns out , those two have offered her place to Stephen Hardy , a man she rather forget about and he has let his brother spent the night. Chaos occurs until Scott comes and saves the day mediating a temporary agreement between those two despite the memories of fifteen years ago that she rather forget. The tension is thick between those two and slowly they get over that and realise that there is connection between them and they both had crushes on each other they were younger and carefree.
However Jo is wary of the past that Stephen brings with him as it forces her to address a secret that she been keeping for 15 years that is dark and heartbreaking. Jo desperately wants to tell him and it drives most of this book in the background. It like a bad smell that won’t go away and Jo is at lost what to do with past as it collides with the present.
This is a beautiful story about second chances and forgiveness of the past. It started off as a sweet romance but there is a hidden depth to this novel that makes this story appealing to me . The characters are exactly how you expect considering the roles and all are likeable and sweet. It makes a perfect contrast to the darkness that comes as in later and creates a bit of a bombshell. I enjoyed this story and therefore I give it 4 couples.
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
Fly In Fly Out is quirky contemporary romance from Australian Georgia Penney about a woman name Jo Blaine who is an engineer working in the fly in fly out sector of the mining industry. She lives in Perth but works in oil rig off the cost of North Africa and works on a shift schedule where she fly in for a month and flies out to gets a few weeks of R&R back home. Those weeks are precious to her and her apartment is her castle, her place that she relax from the world.
However this time, returning home after her latest shift hoping to have quiet night, she discovers a pair of males shoe by the door which definitely not her’s and thinks it is Scott, her best friend. Scott and her sister Amy have some explaining to do though because a naked man in her bed is totally not what she expecting and it no one she knows. Talk about a awkward situation to be in .
Well it turns out , those two have offered her place to Stephen Hardy , a man she rather forget about and he has let his brother spent the night. Chaos occurs until Scott comes and saves the day mediating a temporary agreement between those two despite the memories of fifteen years ago that she rather forget. The tension is thick between those two and slowly they get over that and realise that there is connection between them and they both had crushes on each other they were younger and carefree.
However Jo is wary of the past that Stephen brings with him as it forces her to address a secret that she been keeping for 15 years that is dark and heartbreaking. Jo desperately wants to tell him and it drives most of this book in the background. It like a bad smell that won’t go away and Jo is at lost what to do with past as it collides with the present.
This is a beautiful story about second chances and forgiveness of the past. It started off as a sweet romance but there is a hidden depth to this novel that makes this story appealing to me . The characters are exactly how you expect considering the roles and all are likeable and sweet. It makes a perfect contrast to the darkness that comes as in later and creates a bit of a bombshell. I enjoyed this story and therefore I give it 4 couples.
For more of my reviews, visit Confessions From Romaholics.And drop by the blog's Facebook page
May 13, 2014
What a beautiful story, the title says it all, Unforgettable You, is simply unforgettable, your leading lady Jo blaine works on an oil rig in the middle of nowhere with a background she hides fiercely! She is a tomboy, tall and beautiful in her own way but when she is finally off her rotation she comes home to chaos, her past is back and its tall blonde sexy and irresistible and his name is Stephen Hardy! Stephen destroyed Jo's life and wants to make it up to her, by house sitting and cat sitting her giant cat Boomba which by the way is an awesome name for a cat! Stephen is wrong though, because the real reason Jo and Amy, (Jo's younger sister) up and left their home was nothing to do with what Stephen did, oh no the truth is much more darker, the secret is life changing, it affects the sister's deeply. The story is magnificent, a really solid premise that had me shocked when a massive revelation is made. But what do you do when you're falling for a man who you can't tell the truth, what happens when the game is up and the only thing you have left to have hold of is him, and hope he doesn't run for the hills!
The supporting characters are just as complex and satisfying, with Stephen's cousins and brothers in the loop there is never a dull moment. Amy, Jo's little sister is a little fire cracker, owning her own salon she has everything she wants, she is blonde and beautiful and full of life with a serious amount of spunk. What I enjoyed most about Unforgettable You, was the amount of background you got as you turned/swiped the page you got more and more. Full of amazing words that created such a wonderful story full of love loss and betrayal. I loved it, watching Jo find out the truth, finding out that the truth really will set you free, was what made me fall in love with this book from chapter one. As for Stephen I thought he was a fabulous man, Mr nice guy, damaged by his past mistakes learning that he can't let his past run his future, he learns that what he did all those years ago was not what it seemed, and being nice doesn't always get you what you want.
A story that proves that you can't choose your family but you can choose love and love can protect and satisfy you no matter the scars you hide!
Can Jo let go? Can she find a way to let people in? Can she find a way to protect what she has, and still have what she wants?
The supporting characters are just as complex and satisfying, with Stephen's cousins and brothers in the loop there is never a dull moment. Amy, Jo's little sister is a little fire cracker, owning her own salon she has everything she wants, she is blonde and beautiful and full of life with a serious amount of spunk. What I enjoyed most about Unforgettable You, was the amount of background you got as you turned/swiped the page you got more and more. Full of amazing words that created such a wonderful story full of love loss and betrayal. I loved it, watching Jo find out the truth, finding out that the truth really will set you free, was what made me fall in love with this book from chapter one. As for Stephen I thought he was a fabulous man, Mr nice guy, damaged by his past mistakes learning that he can't let his past run his future, he learns that what he did all those years ago was not what it seemed, and being nice doesn't always get you what you want.
A story that proves that you can't choose your family but you can choose love and love can protect and satisfy you no matter the scars you hide!
Can Jo let go? Can she find a way to let people in? Can she find a way to protect what she has, and still have what she wants?
May 18, 2014
Unforgettable You is the prequel to Irrepressible You, which deals with Amy's romance with Ben. In Unforgettable you we go back a couple of years to Amy's sister, Jo Blaine.
Jo couldn't be more Amy's opposite. Tall, strong, not especially femme, a fly-in-fly-out mud engineer living in Perth and working on a rig off the Mauritanian coast. This character is a little reminiscent of Loretta Hill's engineer books, which can only be a plus for me!
Stephen is Jo's accidental housemate and Maine Coon cat-minder. But Stephen's also a person from the gruelling past that Jo has tried to put behind her. As they find out how to share space, this past becomes their present, as Jo and Amy try to rescue their mother from their violent father in George Creek.
I liked that the way that violence is dealt with is messy in this book, with people freaking out and screwing up. I like that there's nothing simple or straightforward about it, that their mother isn't simply a 'victim', that there were repercussions through the community of the past abuse. All of this rang very true.
I did not at all like
I liked the non-cookie-cutter sex scenes, with a woman taking the initiative, instead of a standard male-initiated rapacious kiss followed by a few fumbles and missionary sex simultaneous orgasm blah blah blah. I didn't like the fat hate in the book. And I loved that Boomba the cat was a character in himself. Overall, an improvement on the last book for me, which means the next one should be really amazing, right? Will it be about Scott Watanabe? I hope so!
An interview with real mud engineer who inspired this character can be found here at Lily Malone's blog
Jo couldn't be more Amy's opposite. Tall, strong, not especially femme, a fly-in-fly-out mud engineer living in Perth and working on a rig off the Mauritanian coast. This character is a little reminiscent of Loretta Hill's engineer books, which can only be a plus for me!
Stephen is Jo's accidental housemate and Maine Coon cat-minder. But Stephen's also a person from the gruelling past that Jo has tried to put behind her. As they find out how to share space, this past becomes their present, as Jo and Amy try to rescue their mother from their violent father in George Creek.
I liked that the way that violence is dealt with is messy in this book, with people freaking out and screwing up. I like that there's nothing simple or straightforward about it, that their mother isn't simply a 'victim', that there were repercussions through the community of the past abuse. All of this rang very true.
I did not at all like
I liked the non-cookie-cutter sex scenes, with a woman taking the initiative, instead of a standard male-initiated rapacious kiss followed by a few fumbles and missionary sex simultaneous orgasm blah blah blah. I didn't like the fat hate in the book. And I loved that Boomba the cat was a character in himself. Overall, an improvement on the last book for me, which means the next one should be really amazing, right? Will it be about Scott Watanabe? I hope so!
An interview with real mud engineer who inspired this character can be found here at Lily Malone's blog
April 25, 2015
I was attracted to this book after seeing an item about it on morning TV, and being a FIFO wife of sorts, as well as a Romance fan, decided to give it a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it refreshingly different from most modern romance novels available these days.
For starters, our romantic heroine is 6ft tall, but is just a normal girl (like me). I find that in most romances the heroine is always cute and petite and the tall girls are the bad guys, because as we all know every woman over 5' 10" looks like a supermodel and has no romantic worries at all, right? It was nice to feel like the good guy for once even though our author does describe her as an "Amazon", which never feels like much of a compliment when you're the one on the receiving end. Anyway, enough of my height hangups, and back to our story.
The nice change about this romance is that our star couple actually get together in the first third of the book. The rest of it is about how they work their relationship out, taking into account how their current personalities are shaped by their history, families and circumstances. Jo's 8-on/2-off rotation causes problems because of the long periods of separation, and the unreliable communication facilities mean that problems can be allowed to fester. Her natural reticence and desire not to have people take pity on her means she keeps a lot of her feelings to herself, even from people she should trust.
As well as the romance element of the novel there's a really good thriller storyline as well. It wasn't silly, predictable or over the top and forms an important part of Jo and Stephen's journey.
I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading the author's first novel which is actually set after this one.
For starters, our romantic heroine is 6ft tall, but is just a normal girl (like me). I find that in most romances the heroine is always cute and petite and the tall girls are the bad guys, because as we all know every woman over 5' 10" looks like a supermodel and has no romantic worries at all, right? It was nice to feel like the good guy for once even though our author does describe her as an "Amazon", which never feels like much of a compliment when you're the one on the receiving end. Anyway, enough of my height hangups, and back to our story.
The nice change about this romance is that our star couple actually get together in the first third of the book. The rest of it is about how they work their relationship out, taking into account how their current personalities are shaped by their history, families and circumstances. Jo's 8-on/2-off rotation causes problems because of the long periods of separation, and the unreliable communication facilities mean that problems can be allowed to fester. Her natural reticence and desire not to have people take pity on her means she keeps a lot of her feelings to herself, even from people she should trust.
As well as the romance element of the novel there's a really good thriller storyline as well. It wasn't silly, predictable or over the top and forms an important part of Jo and Stephen's journey.
I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading the author's first novel which is actually set after this one.
July 23, 2016
Unforgettable You
By Georgina Penney
Rated 4 out of 5
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is Georgina’s second book and is about Jo Blaine and her fiancé Stephen Hardy who appeared in the prequel, Irrepressible You.
Jo is a tom-boy engineer, working on a male dominated oil rig in Mauritania. She has developed a thick skin working in this environment. Jo returns home after months on the rig wanting nothing more than to collapse into her bed and sleep. What she finds however, is that she has a house sitter, none other than Stephen Hardy. Stephen’s family runs the farm that Jo’s father works on which Jo and her sister Amy left when Jo was 16. Stephen needed a place to stay after ending his long term relationship and his cousin Scott, also Jo’s best friend, offered Jo’s home.
Stephen has some guilt about a rumor he started about Jo which ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and thinks he can make it up to her, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away. Stephen knows there is something dark in Jo’s past and thinks it is to do with this rumour.
There is a lot of plot revolving around Jo and her parents and the reason Jo and Amy left home that I don’t want to delve into and spoil for the reader. Just to say that this is a superb read about how Jo and Stephen overcome their pasts.
Just like Irrepressible You there are funny scenes throughout the story
It is a fun read that grabbed me from the beginning.
By Georgina Penney
Rated 4 out of 5
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is Georgina’s second book and is about Jo Blaine and her fiancé Stephen Hardy who appeared in the prequel, Irrepressible You.
Jo is a tom-boy engineer, working on a male dominated oil rig in Mauritania. She has developed a thick skin working in this environment. Jo returns home after months on the rig wanting nothing more than to collapse into her bed and sleep. What she finds however, is that she has a house sitter, none other than Stephen Hardy. Stephen’s family runs the farm that Jo’s father works on which Jo and her sister Amy left when Jo was 16. Stephen needed a place to stay after ending his long term relationship and his cousin Scott, also Jo’s best friend, offered Jo’s home.
Stephen has some guilt about a rumor he started about Jo which ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and thinks he can make it up to her, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away. Stephen knows there is something dark in Jo’s past and thinks it is to do with this rumour.
There is a lot of plot revolving around Jo and her parents and the reason Jo and Amy left home that I don’t want to delve into and spoil for the reader. Just to say that this is a superb read about how Jo and Stephen overcome their pasts.
Just like Irrepressible You there are funny scenes throughout the story
It is a fun read that grabbed me from the beginning.
January 5, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5
I was provided with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is Georgina’s second book and is about Jo Blaine and her fiancé Stephen Hardy who appeared in the prequel, Irrepressible You.
Jo is a tom-boy engineer, working on a male dominated oil rig in Mauritania. She has developed a thick skin working in this environment. Jo returns home after months on the rig wanting nothing more than to collapse into her bed and sleep. What she finds however, is that she has a house sitter, none other than Stephen Hardy. Stephen’s family runs the farm that Jo’s father works on which Jo and her sister Amy left when Jo was 16. Stephen needed a place to stay after ending his long term relationship and his cousin Scott, also Jo’s best friend, offered Jo’s home.
Stephen has some guilt about a rumour he started about Jo which ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and thinks he can make it up to her, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away. Stephen knows there is something dark in Jo’s past and thinks it is to do with this rumour.
There is a lot of plot revolving around Jo and her parents and the reason Jo and Amy left home that I don’t want to delve into and spoil for the reader. Just to say that this is a superb read about how Jo and Stephen overcome their pasts.
Just like Irrepressible You there are funny scenes throughout the story
It is a fun read that grabbed me from the beginning.
I was provided with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is Georgina’s second book and is about Jo Blaine and her fiancé Stephen Hardy who appeared in the prequel, Irrepressible You.
Jo is a tom-boy engineer, working on a male dominated oil rig in Mauritania. She has developed a thick skin working in this environment. Jo returns home after months on the rig wanting nothing more than to collapse into her bed and sleep. What she finds however, is that she has a house sitter, none other than Stephen Hardy. Stephen’s family runs the farm that Jo’s father works on which Jo and her sister Amy left when Jo was 16. Stephen needed a place to stay after ending his long term relationship and his cousin Scott, also Jo’s best friend, offered Jo’s home.
Stephen has some guilt about a rumour he started about Jo which ruined her life. Stephen has always felt very guilty about it and thinks he can make it up to her, even if that means looking after her place and her cat while she's away. Stephen knows there is something dark in Jo’s past and thinks it is to do with this rumour.
There is a lot of plot revolving around Jo and her parents and the reason Jo and Amy left home that I don’t want to delve into and spoil for the reader. Just to say that this is a superb read about how Jo and Stephen overcome their pasts.
Just like Irrepressible You there are funny scenes throughout the story
It is a fun read that grabbed me from the beginning.
May 15, 2014
“Unforgettable you” is the prequel to “Irrepressible you”, where we were first introduced to the sisters, Amy and Jo. Amy is the wild child with her 1950′s pin-up flare and Jo is the sensible, oil rig worker with stoic charm and sensible shoes.
In “Unforgettable you”, it explores Jo’s vulnerable side. She is much more sensitive than her tomboy appearance lets on. Jo meets Stephen when she returns home on leave from her oil rig and runs into to Stephen after many years and a lot of water under the bridge.
Their romance heats up and blossoms into true love. Stephen brings out all those hidden emotions that Jo has spent most of her adult life suppressing. There are some unsettling family issues but Georgina Penney tackles them with realism and tact.
Jo and Stephen were a corner-stone couple in “Irrepressible you”. It is wonderful to hear their story, and see how they got from an awkward start to the rock solid couple they became. You don’t have to read “Irrepressible you” to enjoy “Unforgettable you”- it is a stand alone novel in many way. It is recommended that you do read Irrepressible you because it is very enjoyable.
As always, Georgina Penney infuses her outrageous humour and style to create the most unforgettable characters. The only problem I found with these books is, which one I loved more!
In “Unforgettable you”, it explores Jo’s vulnerable side. She is much more sensitive than her tomboy appearance lets on. Jo meets Stephen when she returns home on leave from her oil rig and runs into to Stephen after many years and a lot of water under the bridge.
Their romance heats up and blossoms into true love. Stephen brings out all those hidden emotions that Jo has spent most of her adult life suppressing. There are some unsettling family issues but Georgina Penney tackles them with realism and tact.
Jo and Stephen were a corner-stone couple in “Irrepressible you”. It is wonderful to hear their story, and see how they got from an awkward start to the rock solid couple they became. You don’t have to read “Irrepressible you” to enjoy “Unforgettable you”- it is a stand alone novel in many way. It is recommended that you do read Irrepressible you because it is very enjoyable.
As always, Georgina Penney infuses her outrageous humour and style to create the most unforgettable characters. The only problem I found with these books is, which one I loved more!
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