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The Unexpected Husband
Lydia has been thrilled by her temporary assignment on an Australian cattle station - until she came face to face with Joe Jordan on the first day! Tough, sexy Joe wanted to do more that work with her; he wanted to marry her! But did he just want a convenient wife?
285 pages, Hardcover
First published December 6, 2000
About the author
Lindsay Armstrong
320 books92 followersGillian Smith (alias Lindsay Armstrong) was born in South Africa. She grew up with three ambitions: to become a writer, to travel the world, and to be a game ranger. She didn't achieve the last one, but her fascination for wildlife and that special something about Africa and its big game still remains with her. When she went to work it was in travel, at an agency and an airline, and this started her on the road to seeing the world.
Lindsey met her New Zealand-born husband, who had been working in West Africa, when he was on his way home through Johannesburg. He did go home but in a matter of weeks he was back in South Africa, and six months later they were married. Three of their five children were born in South Africa. Then one in London and one in Australia, after they made the decision to emigrate from South Africa.
It wasn't until her youngest child started school that Lindsay sat down at the kitchen table determined to tackle her other ambition to stop dreaming about writing and do it! She hasn't stopped since. She's not happy unless she has a book under way, and she's discovered she can write through just about anything.
Lindsay and her husband have moved around a lot. They've trained racehorses,farmed, and lived on their boat for six months while they sailed it from the Gold Coast to the Torres Strait and back, an epic voyage! They currently live in Queensland, overlooking the water; they sold their farm, and they're looking around for another boat. She and her husband love to travel and have been back to Africa twice in the past few years. The highlight of one of their trips was a visit to the Serengeti, in Tanzania, where Lindsay did the one thing she swore she would never do: take a ride in a hot-air balloon. She was a nervous wreck as the balloon tottered upright, but will remember it as a unique experience to see the game spreading out on the Serengeti plain beneath her as the sun rose.
"They say you can take someone who was born in Africa out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of someone born there..."
Despite this passion for wildlife and Africa, Lindsay considers Australia her home now and loves the country. She travelled to Sydney to witness the closing weekend of the Olympic Games in September 2000; it made her proud to be an adopted Aussie!
Lindsey met her New Zealand-born husband, who had been working in West Africa, when he was on his way home through Johannesburg. He did go home but in a matter of weeks he was back in South Africa, and six months later they were married. Three of their five children were born in South Africa. Then one in London and one in Australia, after they made the decision to emigrate from South Africa.
It wasn't until her youngest child started school that Lindsay sat down at the kitchen table determined to tackle her other ambition to stop dreaming about writing and do it! She hasn't stopped since. She's not happy unless she has a book under way, and she's discovered she can write through just about anything.
Lindsay and her husband have moved around a lot. They've trained racehorses,farmed, and lived on their boat for six months while they sailed it from the Gold Coast to the Torres Strait and back, an epic voyage! They currently live in Queensland, overlooking the water; they sold their farm, and they're looking around for another boat. She and her husband love to travel and have been back to Africa twice in the past few years. The highlight of one of their trips was a visit to the Serengeti, in Tanzania, where Lindsay did the one thing she swore she would never do: take a ride in a hot-air balloon. She was a nervous wreck as the balloon tottered upright, but will remember it as a unique experience to see the game spreading out on the Serengeti plain beneath her as the sun rose.
"They say you can take someone who was born in Africa out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of someone born there..."
Despite this passion for wildlife and Africa, Lindsay considers Australia her home now and loves the country. She travelled to Sydney to witness the closing weekend of the Olympic Games in September 2000; it made her proud to be an adopted Aussie!
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 1, 2017
'Go to hell, Joe Jordan,' she whispered. 'And don't expect me to do the dishes!'
This had even more of a dated feel than its published 2000 date, more of a '80s feel. The setting of the Outback was fun and the dog Meg was cute but overall, was pretty slow plodding. The hero and heroine had a tendency to call each other by their first and last names, supposed to be sassy communication between each other, that didn't really work for me. With the set-up of heroine's sister wanting a baby with hero and thinking they had a sexual relationship for more than half the book, it was hard for me to connect, especially with heroine trying her hardest to be standoffish. Meh feeling except for different outback location.
This had even more of a dated feel than its published 2000 date, more of a '80s feel. The setting of the Outback was fun and the dog Meg was cute but overall, was pretty slow plodding. The hero and heroine had a tendency to call each other by their first and last names, supposed to be sassy communication between each other, that didn't really work for me. With the set-up of heroine's sister wanting a baby with hero and thinking they had a sexual relationship for more than half the book, it was hard for me to connect, especially with heroine trying her hardest to be standoffish. Meh feeling except for different outback location.
August 20, 2019
I loved the h in this story she is strong, feisty, had being in a healthy relationship which her dead husband who was a decent guy, she was independent, had a great job that she was good at and she was loyal as hell to those she loved.
The H was less heroic, he was potentially about to start lurving it up with her sister and only when he met the h did he change his mind, although later he denies this and reckons the hot sister was never in the running. He is also not very nice about the h as she doesn't bother with her looks or dress well. Shes a vet so I don't think heels and haute couture are the best clothes for sticking your hand up a cows butt.
H had to do a lot of chasing to catch the h and then when he did he buggered it all up so he deserved to suffer.
The H was less heroic, he was potentially about to start lurving it up with her sister and only when he met the h did he change his mind, although later he denies this and reckons the hot sister was never in the running. He is also not very nice about the h as she doesn't bother with her looks or dress well. Shes a vet so I don't think heels and haute couture are the best clothes for sticking your hand up a cows butt.
H had to do a lot of chasing to catch the h and then when he did he buggered it all up so he deserved to suffer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2022
I liked the book. The sister was conveniently mature about the situation and backed off without any protest. The heroine was interesting. The H seemed shallow in the beginning but improved as the story went.
I was waiting very long for the shoe to drop and even then it felt a bit forced.
SOME SPOILERS: The heroine was a twenty six years old widow. Her husband was her first true love and college sweetheart. He died young. The heroine met the H as a man her sister was interested in. Luckily without much success. They met again in the outback. The heroine was a veterinarian and jumped in for a colleague. The H was intrigued and gradually won her over despite her reservations. She felt in love but was unsure of his feelings. She couldn’t read him as well as he did her. She felt he was a bit of an enigma.
I was waiting very long for the shoe to drop and even then it felt a bit forced.
SOME SPOILERS: The heroine was a twenty six years old widow. Her husband was her first true love and college sweetheart. He died young. The heroine met the H as a man her sister was interested in. Luckily without much success. They met again in the outback. The heroine was a veterinarian and jumped in for a colleague. The H was intrigued and gradually won her over despite her reservations. She felt in love but was unsure of his feelings. She couldn’t read him as well as he did her. She felt he was a bit of an enigma.
January 26, 2018
Skimmed through most of it.
December 11, 2018
Quite different from run-of-the-mill romances. Not a typical harlequin.
October 20, 2021
Lovely :)
May 7, 2024
Reread 3 years later - we were no longer packing/moving sale-ing and I could appreciate a much slower paced story. This is pretty good although the romance springs to life in full flower, we don't see the love build, only see h and H slowly recognizing and admitting love. Original: Very slow. The Australian outback is the best part. Romance not built
July 15, 2014
An entertaining read; a little slow paced but well written. The wonderful descriptions of the Australian outback made the scenes come alive. Loved how the cute dog was used in their romance.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews