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A House Called Kangaroo
Australia to Susan meant the Outback, so when she emigrated she went to great lengths to find herself a job right in the centre of the vast, lonely Interior. But it was not, she discovered, the best place in which to get involved in the private feuds of the McQuarrie family!
- GenresHarlequin Romance
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 24, 2019
The racism in this book was EPIC, even by vintage Harlequin standards. I have read plenty of old books set in the Outback with kindly condescending descriptions of the "abos" but usually, outright rejection based on skin color is the domain of villains. Plus, just because you are an old timey author doesn't mean you have to express racist views. Just read Aaron Fletcher's wonderful series on the Outback, for one.
Anyhoo, this so-called romance takes a back seat to the family feud that ignited over the Australian rancher's younger son having an affair with a half-Aborigine employee at the station. When the girl's brother, quite rightly, told the family off for letting their no-good, entitled asshole of a son try to make his sister his "plaything," there was a nuclear explosion from the very racist parents.
The author has the heroine try to mend fences between the family members. After all, not only is the half-Aborigine girl light-skinned and gorgeous, she has overcome the odds to become a well-educated and accomplished nurse. The family, including the nematode son, now are all happy to accept her and the heroine can have her HEA with the older son.
To add insult to injury, the book was very poorly written, with bland characters and lots of info dumps over the flora and fauna of Australia. Margaret Way loves to drone on and on about the Outback too but at least, she does it in a highly visual and poetic way. This was just a lot of boring monologues on this or that aspect of life on an Australian cattle station.
It's enough to stick your head into an oven to erase the memory of this sordid tale :(((
Anyhoo, this so-called romance takes a back seat to the family feud that ignited over the Australian rancher's younger son having an affair with a half-Aborigine employee at the station. When the girl's brother, quite rightly, told the family off for letting their no-good, entitled asshole of a son try to make his sister his "plaything," there was a nuclear explosion from the very racist parents.
The author has the heroine try to mend fences between the family members. After all, not only is the half-Aborigine girl light-skinned and gorgeous, she has overcome the odds to become a well-educated and accomplished nurse. The family, including the nematode son, now are all happy to accept her and the heroine can have her HEA with the older son.
To add insult to injury, the book was very poorly written, with bland characters and lots of info dumps over the flora and fauna of Australia. Margaret Way loves to drone on and on about the Outback too but at least, she does it in a highly visual and poetic way. This was just a lot of boring monologues on this or that aspect of life on an Australian cattle station.
It's enough to stick your head into an oven to erase the memory of this sordid tale :(((
February 5, 2022
If you read vintage romances you can almost always be sure that if a title is quirky and unique to the modern ear, the book will not be. Unless, of course, the title is quirky because of an unusually-named town or station in Australia, in which case it could go either way.
Sadly, this book does not buck that trend. Instead, the book focuses on the frankly boring family drama of the h's employers. The H is pleasant, but hardly red-blooded, and the h lands him by lassoing him and wrestling him to the ground (effectively.)
There is no indication that the H would have ever asked for clarification or pursued the H if she hadn't pursued him and demanded answers. She makes the love declaration and gushes about her love; he comments that his parents will be glad he is settling down. Be still my beating heart!
Two and a half stars rounded down because the book drags quite a bit.
Sadly, this book does not buck that trend. Instead, the book focuses on the frankly boring family drama of the h's employers. The H is pleasant, but hardly red-blooded, and the h lands him by lassoing him and wrestling him to the ground (effectively.)
There is no indication that the H would have ever asked for clarification or pursued the H if she hadn't pursued him and demanded answers. She makes the love declaration and gushes about her love; he comments that his parents will be glad he is settling down. Be still my beating heart!
Two and a half stars rounded down because the book drags quite a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2022
Australia to Susan meant the Outback, so when she emigrated she went to great lengths to find herself a job right in the centre of the vast, lonely Interior. But it was not, she discovered, the best place in which to get involved in the private feuds of the McQuarrie family!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews