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Daughters of the Outback #2
Outback Kiss. Wohin das Herz sich sehnt
Die Rebellin und der Cop – Band zwei der hinreißenden Outback-Sisters-Serie von Sasha Wasley im wildromantischen Australien!
Die wilde Free, der künstlerisch begabte Freigeist der Paterson-Schwestern, kehrt endlich nach Hause zurück. An der Highschool von Mount Clair hat sie einen Traumjob als Kunstlehrerin ergattert. Als Free den Cop Finn mit dem hinreißenden irischen Akzent kennen lernt, scheint ihr Glück perfekt.
Dann jedoch erfährt sie von einem Bauprojekt, das ihren geliebten Herne River zerstören würde. Und ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn zählen, denn als Polizist steht er zwischen allen Fronten.
Wird ihre Liebe daran zerbrechen?
Bezaubernde Young Romance vor der Kulisse des australischen Outbacks für alle Leserinnen von Marie Force und Sarina Bowen!
Die wilde Free, der künstlerisch begabte Freigeist der Paterson-Schwestern, kehrt endlich nach Hause zurück. An der Highschool von Mount Clair hat sie einen Traumjob als Kunstlehrerin ergattert. Als Free den Cop Finn mit dem hinreißenden irischen Akzent kennen lernt, scheint ihr Glück perfekt.
Dann jedoch erfährt sie von einem Bauprojekt, das ihren geliebten Herne River zerstören würde. Und ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn zählen, denn als Polizist steht er zwischen allen Fronten.
Wird ihre Liebe daran zerbrechen?
Bezaubernde Young Romance vor der Kulisse des australischen Outbacks für alle Leserinnen von Marie Force und Sarina Bowen!
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2018
15 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 12, 2018
When Freya (Free) Paterson was stopped on the way to the hen’s night by the local police, she wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong – as it turned out, it was nothing; but she met Constable Finn Kelly for the first time and she liked what she saw.
Free was an artist and landing a job at the local high school in Mount Clair teaching the year eleven students art was a dream come true. The only unwelcome intrusion at her new workplace was a colleague who gave Free the creeps. Ignoring him was easy. Her students were a wonderful group of dedicated, upcoming artists.
Free and her family had lived on the Paterson property for decades – farming was in her blood. Her two sisters, Beth and Willow, along with her father loved the land and the Herne River which bordered their property. The recent decision to dam the river was something no one wanted – it would cause heartache and havoc for the farms along the river’s edge.
Meanwhile Free couldn’t get the new constable out of her mind. Finn was a kind and gentle Irishman, but the negative vibes he sent toward Free were confusing. Why did he only want to be friends?
Second in the Paterson Sisters trilogy, True Blue by Aussie author Sasha Wasley tells the second sister’s story. The first in the trilogy, Dear Banjo, featured Willow, and the third (when published) will feature Beth. Set in the beautiful Kimberley region of Western Australia, the vast and rugged landscape comes to life under Wasley’s pen. Towards the end of the novel there was a section which made me laugh; made me cry and felt wonderful! I’m not a romance/romance reader – I like some suspense and intrigue mixed in, and True Blue fits the bill, while being an excellent novel; I’m very much looking forward to Beth’s story. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
Free was an artist and landing a job at the local high school in Mount Clair teaching the year eleven students art was a dream come true. The only unwelcome intrusion at her new workplace was a colleague who gave Free the creeps. Ignoring him was easy. Her students were a wonderful group of dedicated, upcoming artists.
Free and her family had lived on the Paterson property for decades – farming was in her blood. Her two sisters, Beth and Willow, along with her father loved the land and the Herne River which bordered their property. The recent decision to dam the river was something no one wanted – it would cause heartache and havoc for the farms along the river’s edge.
Meanwhile Free couldn’t get the new constable out of her mind. Finn was a kind and gentle Irishman, but the negative vibes he sent toward Free were confusing. Why did he only want to be friends?
Second in the Paterson Sisters trilogy, True Blue by Aussie author Sasha Wasley tells the second sister’s story. The first in the trilogy, Dear Banjo, featured Willow, and the third (when published) will feature Beth. Set in the beautiful Kimberley region of Western Australia, the vast and rugged landscape comes to life under Wasley’s pen. Towards the end of the novel there was a section which made me laugh; made me cry and felt wonderful! I’m not a romance/romance reader – I like some suspense and intrigue mixed in, and True Blue fits the bill, while being an excellent novel; I’m very much looking forward to Beth’s story. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
June 11, 2018
* https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
Like a breath of fresh air, Sasha Wasley, a much loved Australian rural romance author returns to the scene with her second book and the next chapter in her Paterson Sisters series, titled True Blue. This time around, Wasley brings us the effervescent character of Free, a young woman who learns that it is just as important to remain loyal to yourself when finding the true love of your life.
In True Blue, free spirit Freya ‘Free’ Paterson makes the triumphant return home to the Kimberley, after living life in the city. A posting involving an ambitious art project at a local school has drawn Free back home. This dream job is all Free could have wished for and life takes another positive turn for this deserving young lady when Finn, a local constable, walks into her life. Free experiences an immediate physical and emotional connection to Finn, he is quite literally her perfect man. The tall and handsome Irishman is on the secretive side and is much more stable than flighty Free. The attraction and tension between the two is undeniable, but Finn is the one holding back, he makes it clear he only wants to be friends, which only serves to confuse Free. Free thinks it is best to distract herself from the deep feelings she has for Finn by delving headfirst into her school based art project. But the project becomes something much more. Free is compelled to play an active role in the protection of the local Herne River, a place that holds much value to Free. Free’s activism soon gets her in trouble, along with her heart, which is full of love for a man who is proving hard to get.
It is hard to believe that this is Sasha Wasley’s second rural romance novel and only a year has passed since her first novel was released. Wasley’s writing is both mature and assured. The experience of reading True Blue reminded me of what an asset Sasha Wasley is to the West Australian writing community and what a great new voice she represents for the rural romance genre. As you can glean from these introductory comments, True Blue is a novel that I rate very highly.
Sasha Wasley changes tack a little in her latest novel. Whilst this novel gave me comfort and a warm embrace through revisiting the Paterson family, the setting is less rural. It is good to see Sasha spread her wings and settle in on a small town approach in her latest novel. It definitely works. Readers still get the city come country girl feel, but True Blue takes this aspect of the story off the beaten track, so to speak. True Blue is more about a young woman reconnecting with her roots and sharing her passion for the country landscape with a man she wants to share her life with.
Free is a character who I grew to love more and more as the book progressed. I admired her optimism, her ability to see the good in others, her wholesome nature and her positivity, which seems to rub off onto those she comes into contact with. At times, I did notice how much younger Free was to myself. She was a little naive, but her heart seemed to always be in the right place. When she is betrayed in the novel, it is interesting to see her reaction. I also thought she was a little forward and brave in approaching Finn to begin with, I sure wouldn’t have the nerve to make the moves Free does! It is hard not to find a little love in your heart for Free.
Wasley pairs Free up against a worthy hero in Finn. Finn and Free have vastly different personalities, but their attraction sizzles off the pages of the novel. I liked Finn as a person, what he stood for and his approach to all facets of his life. I also appreciated how Wasley chose to give Finn a rather secretive side and when we finally learn why Finn acts as he does, it all falls into place, like a love puzzle! Wasley ensures this is no smooth love story, she gives this couple a few roadblocks to contend with, which adds interest to the unfolding narrative.
True Blue should not be cast as a simple rural romance, it offers so much more. There is a an outstanding sub plot on environmental awareness and the protection of land, through the town’s battles to save the local Herne River from construction projects. Wasley puts the spotlight on the use of dams and how this directly impacts rural properties. This segment of the novel allows Wasley to demonstrate her extensive research in environmentalism. This dedication to research and the authenticity of the storyline is also witnessed in the artist craft scenes in her novel. It is obvious that Wasley has taken the time and care to thoroughly learn the art side of her novel. The end result was very pleasing to this reader.
For me, the highlight of True Blue was the core prose and bountiful descriptions of the landscape, as well as people seen through Free’s artistic eyes. If only I could see the world with the creative and artistic mind as Free, her awareness of colour and structure blew me away! What a gift to have such a creative lens!
True Blue is a tender and soulful novel, it epitomizes feel-good fiction. It is a book that would be perfect for those times when you are feeling down and need the warm embrace of infectious characters and a hopeful love story. Put this one to the top of your list if you love Australian rural fiction.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
True Blue is book #60 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
Like a breath of fresh air, Sasha Wasley, a much loved Australian rural romance author returns to the scene with her second book and the next chapter in her Paterson Sisters series, titled True Blue. This time around, Wasley brings us the effervescent character of Free, a young woman who learns that it is just as important to remain loyal to yourself when finding the true love of your life.
In True Blue, free spirit Freya ‘Free’ Paterson makes the triumphant return home to the Kimberley, after living life in the city. A posting involving an ambitious art project at a local school has drawn Free back home. This dream job is all Free could have wished for and life takes another positive turn for this deserving young lady when Finn, a local constable, walks into her life. Free experiences an immediate physical and emotional connection to Finn, he is quite literally her perfect man. The tall and handsome Irishman is on the secretive side and is much more stable than flighty Free. The attraction and tension between the two is undeniable, but Finn is the one holding back, he makes it clear he only wants to be friends, which only serves to confuse Free. Free thinks it is best to distract herself from the deep feelings she has for Finn by delving headfirst into her school based art project. But the project becomes something much more. Free is compelled to play an active role in the protection of the local Herne River, a place that holds much value to Free. Free’s activism soon gets her in trouble, along with her heart, which is full of love for a man who is proving hard to get.
It is hard to believe that this is Sasha Wasley’s second rural romance novel and only a year has passed since her first novel was released. Wasley’s writing is both mature and assured. The experience of reading True Blue reminded me of what an asset Sasha Wasley is to the West Australian writing community and what a great new voice she represents for the rural romance genre. As you can glean from these introductory comments, True Blue is a novel that I rate very highly.
Sasha Wasley changes tack a little in her latest novel. Whilst this novel gave me comfort and a warm embrace through revisiting the Paterson family, the setting is less rural. It is good to see Sasha spread her wings and settle in on a small town approach in her latest novel. It definitely works. Readers still get the city come country girl feel, but True Blue takes this aspect of the story off the beaten track, so to speak. True Blue is more about a young woman reconnecting with her roots and sharing her passion for the country landscape with a man she wants to share her life with.
Free is a character who I grew to love more and more as the book progressed. I admired her optimism, her ability to see the good in others, her wholesome nature and her positivity, which seems to rub off onto those she comes into contact with. At times, I did notice how much younger Free was to myself. She was a little naive, but her heart seemed to always be in the right place. When she is betrayed in the novel, it is interesting to see her reaction. I also thought she was a little forward and brave in approaching Finn to begin with, I sure wouldn’t have the nerve to make the moves Free does! It is hard not to find a little love in your heart for Free.
Wasley pairs Free up against a worthy hero in Finn. Finn and Free have vastly different personalities, but their attraction sizzles off the pages of the novel. I liked Finn as a person, what he stood for and his approach to all facets of his life. I also appreciated how Wasley chose to give Finn a rather secretive side and when we finally learn why Finn acts as he does, it all falls into place, like a love puzzle! Wasley ensures this is no smooth love story, she gives this couple a few roadblocks to contend with, which adds interest to the unfolding narrative.
True Blue should not be cast as a simple rural romance, it offers so much more. There is a an outstanding sub plot on environmental awareness and the protection of land, through the town’s battles to save the local Herne River from construction projects. Wasley puts the spotlight on the use of dams and how this directly impacts rural properties. This segment of the novel allows Wasley to demonstrate her extensive research in environmentalism. This dedication to research and the authenticity of the storyline is also witnessed in the artist craft scenes in her novel. It is obvious that Wasley has taken the time and care to thoroughly learn the art side of her novel. The end result was very pleasing to this reader.
For me, the highlight of True Blue was the core prose and bountiful descriptions of the landscape, as well as people seen through Free’s artistic eyes. If only I could see the world with the creative and artistic mind as Free, her awareness of colour and structure blew me away! What a gift to have such a creative lens!
True Blue is a tender and soulful novel, it epitomizes feel-good fiction. It is a book that would be perfect for those times when you are feeling down and need the warm embrace of infectious characters and a hopeful love story. Put this one to the top of your list if you love Australian rural fiction.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
True Blue is book #60 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
May 18, 2018
Just what the doctor ordered - a book to revive the soul, to fill you with joy.
My View:
I received my copy of True Blue at a time when life was a little traumatic and emotional. For those who know me or follow my blog you will be aware that in February/March we dealt a number of deaths in our family; concentrating on reading my normal diet of crime fiction was not possible. But True Blue came along and gave me a little glimpse of happiness, fun and optimism.
And the anecdote regarding art – the quantity versus quality story – really resonated. You will be pleased to know I have opted for the quantity experience/experiment and I am really enjoying (and learning a lot) my foray into acrylic abstract painting.
Thanks you so much for providing a narrative that sheds light into the sometimes gloomy world; this read is cheerful, inspiring and full of optimism.
My View:
I received my copy of True Blue at a time when life was a little traumatic and emotional. For those who know me or follow my blog you will be aware that in February/March we dealt a number of deaths in our family; concentrating on reading my normal diet of crime fiction was not possible. But True Blue came along and gave me a little glimpse of happiness, fun and optimism.
And the anecdote regarding art – the quantity versus quality story – really resonated. You will be pleased to know I have opted for the quantity experience/experiment and I am really enjoying (and learning a lot) my foray into acrylic abstract painting.
Thanks you so much for providing a narrative that sheds light into the sometimes gloomy world; this read is cheerful, inspiring and full of optimism.
March 28, 2020
Der zweite Teil hat mir viel besser gefallen als der erste. Ich finde Bücher, die in Australien spielen richtig gut. Würde auch gerne hin, hab aber zu viel Angst vor den Tieren, die dort wohnen. Gelungene Fortsetzung.
4 Sterne
4 Sterne
Read
July 12, 2018True Blue is the second book in a trilogy based on the three Paterson sisters by beloved Aussie rural romance writer, Sasha Wasley. The first book, Dear Banjo, is the story of Willow 'Banjo', True Blue is based on Freya 'Free' and the last book, yet to be released, on Beth. While I haven't read Dear Banjo, True Blue works well as a stand alone novel because I didn't feel like I was missing a piece of the puzzle as can be the case in some series. Sasha provided just enough details about Banjo for me to want to go back and get to know her in greater depth. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Free for a few reasons.
The first is that she is a total contrast to myself and as a result, Free is someone I could become friends with. The protagonist is an extrovert who wears her on her sleeve, passionate about her job as an art teacher and the desire to save the environment. Free is am open book when it comes to love, especially when she sets her sights on the local policeman, Irish newcomer Finn Kelly. At times, a combination of these traits showed that at 27 years of age, Free is very naive in some aspects. I couldn't quite believe that Free though Finn wouldn't do his job if it clashed with his own personal morals and ethics. I thought Free was old enough to know that Finn has a job to do that comes with it's positive and negative aspects.
The next reason I loved going along for a ride with Free was that the book is set in a country town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. While I'm not a big fan of rural romance, I enjoyed reading about the city girl who comes back to the country to be an art teacher. Free is not a farm girl which is a nice twist on the usual tale. Most importantly, she still appreciates the beauty of rural life, which really shone through with Sasha's description of the Herne River. Sasha also highlights the negative impacts damming can have on farming life with her facts interspersed through out the novel. As a city chic myself, this was an easy way to enjoy the quieter life!
The last reason is the man himself, Finn Kelly. Finn is a tall, gorgeous man, who clearly has feelings for Free, just as she does for him. Finn isn't like Free as he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. This lead to some great tension between the two characters as they shared some smoldering looks which I was impatiently waiting to get somewhere lol Finn also doesn't reveal a lot about himself either, leading him to be quite a secretive man. I was left wandering just what his back story as Free herself was. When Finn does reveal his past, it is simple and explains the man he is today.
With themes of environmentalism and staying true to yourself, Sasha's trilogy is one to put on the TBR pile if you like your rural romance a little different from the rest!
#AWWC#
The first is that she is a total contrast to myself and as a result, Free is someone I could become friends with. The protagonist is an extrovert who wears her on her sleeve, passionate about her job as an art teacher and the desire to save the environment. Free is am open book when it comes to love, especially when she sets her sights on the local policeman, Irish newcomer Finn Kelly. At times, a combination of these traits showed that at 27 years of age, Free is very naive in some aspects. I couldn't quite believe that Free though Finn wouldn't do his job if it clashed with his own personal morals and ethics. I thought Free was old enough to know that Finn has a job to do that comes with it's positive and negative aspects.
The next reason I loved going along for a ride with Free was that the book is set in a country town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. While I'm not a big fan of rural romance, I enjoyed reading about the city girl who comes back to the country to be an art teacher. Free is not a farm girl which is a nice twist on the usual tale. Most importantly, she still appreciates the beauty of rural life, which really shone through with Sasha's description of the Herne River. Sasha also highlights the negative impacts damming can have on farming life with her facts interspersed through out the novel. As a city chic myself, this was an easy way to enjoy the quieter life!
The last reason is the man himself, Finn Kelly. Finn is a tall, gorgeous man, who clearly has feelings for Free, just as she does for him. Finn isn't like Free as he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. This lead to some great tension between the two characters as they shared some smoldering looks which I was impatiently waiting to get somewhere lol Finn also doesn't reveal a lot about himself either, leading him to be quite a secretive man. I was left wandering just what his back story as Free herself was. When Finn does reveal his past, it is simple and explains the man he is today.
With themes of environmentalism and staying true to yourself, Sasha's trilogy is one to put on the TBR pile if you like your rural romance a little different from the rest!
#AWWC#
June 2, 2018
Sasha Wesley’s love of the land and country living comes shining through in her latest book, True Blue.
Readers were introduced to the Paterson Family, in Dear Banjo, the first book of the Paterson Sister’s series. True Blue is the story of the youngest Paterson sister, Freya. Freya ‘Free’ returns to the Kimberley for a teaching residency. With the chance to be close to her family, and to help local high school students produce a lasting piece of public art for Mount Clair, Free feels as if she has finally landed on her feet.
When she meets a hunky policeman who conveniently lives next door, and she makes a stand to save her beloved Herne River from government-sanctioned corporate sabotage, what could possibly go wrong?
Wasley has given readers a compelling love story with plenty of hiccups along the way. True Blue is a story of discovery. Free discovers she isn’t a flaky, ditzy twenty-something flitting around aimlessly but an artist passionate about life, love, and the land.
Family, home, creativity, and integrity have starring roles in this novel that is filled with heart.
True Blue is a gorgeous love story. It’s tender-hearted and passionate just like Free, and will charm and delight lovers of rural romance. A guaranteed feel-good read.
Readers were introduced to the Paterson Family, in Dear Banjo, the first book of the Paterson Sister’s series. True Blue is the story of the youngest Paterson sister, Freya. Freya ‘Free’ returns to the Kimberley for a teaching residency. With the chance to be close to her family, and to help local high school students produce a lasting piece of public art for Mount Clair, Free feels as if she has finally landed on her feet.
When she meets a hunky policeman who conveniently lives next door, and she makes a stand to save her beloved Herne River from government-sanctioned corporate sabotage, what could possibly go wrong?
Wasley has given readers a compelling love story with plenty of hiccups along the way. True Blue is a story of discovery. Free discovers she isn’t a flaky, ditzy twenty-something flitting around aimlessly but an artist passionate about life, love, and the land.
Family, home, creativity, and integrity have starring roles in this novel that is filled with heart.
True Blue is a gorgeous love story. It’s tender-hearted and passionate just like Free, and will charm and delight lovers of rural romance. A guaranteed feel-good read.
November 11, 2023
Just like her namesake, Freya 'Free' Paterson often follows the wind, seeking a new adventure. This carefree and soulful artist has never found reason to commit to just once place- until now.
Called home after her father's heart attack, Free struggles to adapt back into the farming lifestyle that she grew up with. When the opportunity arises to work on a community project that showcases her beloved Herne River, she grabs it with both hands.
Even though she relishes in her new position as artist in residence at the local high school and kinda adapts to independence, there's still major issues weighing on Free's mind. There's workplace bullying to contend with, the pressure of trying to break free of her older sister's bossiness, and... A certain Irish cop that keeps throwing confusing mixed signals her way.
This was a soulful follow up to Dear Banjo. Although it didn't quite reach the heights as it's predecessor (for me), there were some moments that gave me all the feels. I absolutely adored watching Free and Finn navigate their path to happiness- even if it was bumpy along the way. Thank goodness for a matchmaking cat, hey?
Environmental plights plays a big part in this particular tale- being the discussions of an irrigation system being added to the Herne River. Whilst I did like learning about this particular matter, it kind of went over my head at times. What I did appreciate was the river acting as a beautiful metaphor for Free's journey so far.
Another great addition to the Daughters of the Outback triology by Sasha Wasley. I'm looking forward to reading Beth's story to finish it off.
4.75 🌟
Called home after her father's heart attack, Free struggles to adapt back into the farming lifestyle that she grew up with. When the opportunity arises to work on a community project that showcases her beloved Herne River, she grabs it with both hands.
Even though she relishes in her new position as artist in residence at the local high school and kinda adapts to independence, there's still major issues weighing on Free's mind. There's workplace bullying to contend with, the pressure of trying to break free of her older sister's bossiness, and... A certain Irish cop that keeps throwing confusing mixed signals her way.
This was a soulful follow up to Dear Banjo. Although it didn't quite reach the heights as it's predecessor (for me), there were some moments that gave me all the feels. I absolutely adored watching Free and Finn navigate their path to happiness- even if it was bumpy along the way. Thank goodness for a matchmaking cat, hey?
Environmental plights plays a big part in this particular tale- being the discussions of an irrigation system being added to the Herne River. Whilst I did like learning about this particular matter, it kind of went over my head at times. What I did appreciate was the river acting as a beautiful metaphor for Free's journey so far.
Another great addition to the Daughters of the Outback triology by Sasha Wasley. I'm looking forward to reading Beth's story to finish it off.
4.75 🌟
April 19, 2020
3,5 🌟
Auch Band 2 war wirklich schön geschrieben, kurzweilig, und vom Setting her traumhaft.
Dennoch konnte es mich nicht so sehr begeistern wie Band 1.
Zum einen lag das sicher daran, dass Free - die Protagonistin - nicht Teil des Farmlebens ist, sondern Künstlerin, und der Farmalltag hat mir einfach etwas gefehlt. Trotzdem finde ich es beeindruckend, wie detailreich und hingebungsvoll Frees Künstlerdasein und ihre Arbeit geschildert wurde.
Zum anderen hatte ich so meine Probleme mit Free. Sie ist auf der einen Seite sehr direkt, forsch, weit gereist, ehrlich und freundlich, aber auf der anderen Seite auch sehr naiv, gutgläubig und sehr leicht zu verunsichern. Für mich passte das leider manchmal nicht richtig zusammen. Ab und zu ist sie sogar so verpeilt, dass es kaum zu fassen ist, und man versteht dann schon, warum ihre Schwester ständig das Gefühl hat, auf sie achten zu müssen, obwohl Free das oft zu viel des Guten ist. Trotzdem finde ich es gut, dass die Autorin hier einen Charakter mit Ecken und Kanten geschaffen hat, der eben nicht so gefällig ist, wie man ihn vielleicht gern gehabt hätte.
Ein wichtiges Thema ist hier auch die Frage nach Integrität. Tatsächlich konnte ich Free hier in Bezug auf ihre Sicht auf Finns Job nicht immer ganz verstehen. Aber ich mochte generell ihre Entwicklung sehr. Das Knistern zwischen Free und Finn hat mir zwischendurch leider auch etwas gefehlt.
Insgesamt war es schön wieder nach Mount Clair zurückzukehren und ich freue mich auf jeden Fall auch auf Band 3 und Beths Geschichte ☺️
Auch Band 2 war wirklich schön geschrieben, kurzweilig, und vom Setting her traumhaft.
Dennoch konnte es mich nicht so sehr begeistern wie Band 1.
Zum einen lag das sicher daran, dass Free - die Protagonistin - nicht Teil des Farmlebens ist, sondern Künstlerin, und der Farmalltag hat mir einfach etwas gefehlt. Trotzdem finde ich es beeindruckend, wie detailreich und hingebungsvoll Frees Künstlerdasein und ihre Arbeit geschildert wurde.
Zum anderen hatte ich so meine Probleme mit Free. Sie ist auf der einen Seite sehr direkt, forsch, weit gereist, ehrlich und freundlich, aber auf der anderen Seite auch sehr naiv, gutgläubig und sehr leicht zu verunsichern. Für mich passte das leider manchmal nicht richtig zusammen. Ab und zu ist sie sogar so verpeilt, dass es kaum zu fassen ist, und man versteht dann schon, warum ihre Schwester ständig das Gefühl hat, auf sie achten zu müssen, obwohl Free das oft zu viel des Guten ist. Trotzdem finde ich es gut, dass die Autorin hier einen Charakter mit Ecken und Kanten geschaffen hat, der eben nicht so gefällig ist, wie man ihn vielleicht gern gehabt hätte.
Ein wichtiges Thema ist hier auch die Frage nach Integrität. Tatsächlich konnte ich Free hier in Bezug auf ihre Sicht auf Finns Job nicht immer ganz verstehen. Aber ich mochte generell ihre Entwicklung sehr. Das Knistern zwischen Free und Finn hat mir zwischendurch leider auch etwas gefehlt.
Insgesamt war es schön wieder nach Mount Clair zurückzukehren und ich freue mich auf jeden Fall auch auf Band 3 und Beths Geschichte ☺️
June 3, 2019
German Review: 2,5 Stars
Anmerkung: Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag bekommen. Danke dafür. Die volle Videorezension findet ihr auf meinem YouTube Kanal namens schokigirl.
Meinung:
Es gab einiges an Ideen, die mir gut gefallen haben. Australien als Setting finde ich immer wieder reizvoll, weil es so weit weg ist. Auch die Themen Umweltschutz und Kunst sind gut dargestellt. Besonders mochte ich Frees neuen Job als Lehrerin. Ich mochte wie sie mit den Kindern umgegangen ist und deren Draht zueinander. Gerade hier hätte ich mir mehr gewünscht, da die meisten Schüler dann doch blass geblieben sind.
Grob kann man das Buch in 2 Teile teilen, zumindest was die Liebesgeschichte betrifft. Den ersten Teil fand ich wirklich unnötig, da die Charaktere einfach nur einmal miteinander hätten vernünftig reden müssen, um das Problem zu lösen. Und auch die implizierte Message über die Charaktere, die da mitschwingt, hat mir gar nicht gefallen.
Der 2. Teil war interessanter, da er sich mehr um das Umweltthema gedreht hat, aber hier konnte ich Free so gar nicht verstehen. Sie hat Finn dafür verurteilt, dass er einfach seinen Job gemacht hat. Sie haben sich mindestens 3 mal ausführlich darüber gestritten und ich habe es einfach nicht verstanden, dass Free nicht verstehen kann, dass das halt sein Job ist und er da keine Wahl hat. Das war so gesehen in meinen Augen auch unnötig.
Allgemein habe ich Free des öfteren nicht verstanden. Eine freigeistige Künstlerin wie sie ist einfach so schon sehr weit weg von dem was ich bin. Und dann konnte ich ihre Entscheidungen bzw ihren Charakter auch oft nicht nachvollziehen. Wie kann man denn so absolut gar kein Zeitgefühl haben und alle immer warten lassen? Oder wie kann man denn Abends zu müde sein, um die Garage zu schließen und sich am nächsten Morgen wundern, dass da eingebrochen wurde?
Und sehr unsicher war sie auch, was ja jeder mal ist. Bei ihr war das aber so extrem, dass sie den Leuten geglaubt hat, die sie offensichtlich schlecht reden wollten. Deswegen hat sie sogar ihre Liebsten angegriffen hat, ohne auch nur vorher zu fragen, ob die Anschuldigungen was wahres an sich haben. Das sind alles sicher valide Charakterzüge, aber so weit von mir und dem was ich gerne lese weg, dass ich mich damit einfach nicht identifizieren konnte.
Eine Kleinigkeit, die mich manchmal gestört hat, war noch, dass sie für meinen Geschmack etwas zu oft erwähnt hat, wie toll Finn doch ist. Zeig es mir doch lieber, anstatt es ständig zu wiederholen. So wird es schnell langweilig.
Finn war dagegen eigentlich der liebenswertere Charakter. Er war tatsächlich immer nett und zuvorkommend etc. Allerdings hat er irgendwann etwas gesagt, was ihn mir ganz schnell madig gemacht hat. Zitat:
„Okay, ich fand, dass er weit – weit – über seiner Liga spielt, und ich dachte, vielleicht leidest du an mangelndem Selbstbewusstsein oder so, wenn du mit einem Typen zusammen bist, der so unglaublich weit unter deinem Niveau ist.“ S. 234
Menschen so zu verurteilen finde ich falsch und einfach nur oberflächlich.
Fazit:
Alles in allem hat mir dieser Band leider nicht so gut gefallen, wie der erste Band. Das liegt vor allem an der Protagonistin und das ich mich oft nicht in sie hineinversetzen konnte. Anderen kann das aber natürlich anders gehen und das Buch hat ja auch seine guten Seiten. Ich habe jedoch leider nur 2,5 Sterne vergeben.
Anmerkung: Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag bekommen. Danke dafür. Die volle Videorezension findet ihr auf meinem YouTube Kanal namens schokigirl.
Meinung:
Es gab einiges an Ideen, die mir gut gefallen haben. Australien als Setting finde ich immer wieder reizvoll, weil es so weit weg ist. Auch die Themen Umweltschutz und Kunst sind gut dargestellt. Besonders mochte ich Frees neuen Job als Lehrerin. Ich mochte wie sie mit den Kindern umgegangen ist und deren Draht zueinander. Gerade hier hätte ich mir mehr gewünscht, da die meisten Schüler dann doch blass geblieben sind.
Grob kann man das Buch in 2 Teile teilen, zumindest was die Liebesgeschichte betrifft. Den ersten Teil fand ich wirklich unnötig, da die Charaktere einfach nur einmal miteinander hätten vernünftig reden müssen, um das Problem zu lösen. Und auch die implizierte Message über die Charaktere, die da mitschwingt, hat mir gar nicht gefallen.
Der 2. Teil war interessanter, da er sich mehr um das Umweltthema gedreht hat, aber hier konnte ich Free so gar nicht verstehen. Sie hat Finn dafür verurteilt, dass er einfach seinen Job gemacht hat. Sie haben sich mindestens 3 mal ausführlich darüber gestritten und ich habe es einfach nicht verstanden, dass Free nicht verstehen kann, dass das halt sein Job ist und er da keine Wahl hat. Das war so gesehen in meinen Augen auch unnötig.
Allgemein habe ich Free des öfteren nicht verstanden. Eine freigeistige Künstlerin wie sie ist einfach so schon sehr weit weg von dem was ich bin. Und dann konnte ich ihre Entscheidungen bzw ihren Charakter auch oft nicht nachvollziehen. Wie kann man denn so absolut gar kein Zeitgefühl haben und alle immer warten lassen? Oder wie kann man denn Abends zu müde sein, um die Garage zu schließen und sich am nächsten Morgen wundern, dass da eingebrochen wurde?
Und sehr unsicher war sie auch, was ja jeder mal ist. Bei ihr war das aber so extrem, dass sie den Leuten geglaubt hat, die sie offensichtlich schlecht reden wollten. Deswegen hat sie sogar ihre Liebsten angegriffen hat, ohne auch nur vorher zu fragen, ob die Anschuldigungen was wahres an sich haben. Das sind alles sicher valide Charakterzüge, aber so weit von mir und dem was ich gerne lese weg, dass ich mich damit einfach nicht identifizieren konnte.
Eine Kleinigkeit, die mich manchmal gestört hat, war noch, dass sie für meinen Geschmack etwas zu oft erwähnt hat, wie toll Finn doch ist. Zeig es mir doch lieber, anstatt es ständig zu wiederholen. So wird es schnell langweilig.
Finn war dagegen eigentlich der liebenswertere Charakter. Er war tatsächlich immer nett und zuvorkommend etc. Allerdings hat er irgendwann etwas gesagt, was ihn mir ganz schnell madig gemacht hat. Zitat:
„Okay, ich fand, dass er weit – weit – über seiner Liga spielt, und ich dachte, vielleicht leidest du an mangelndem Selbstbewusstsein oder so, wenn du mit einem Typen zusammen bist, der so unglaublich weit unter deinem Niveau ist.“ S. 234
Menschen so zu verurteilen finde ich falsch und einfach nur oberflächlich.
Fazit:
Alles in allem hat mir dieser Band leider nicht so gut gefallen, wie der erste Band. Das liegt vor allem an der Protagonistin und das ich mich oft nicht in sie hineinversetzen konnte. Anderen kann das aber natürlich anders gehen und das Buch hat ja auch seine guten Seiten. Ich habe jedoch leider nur 2,5 Sterne vergeben.
October 9, 2019
Verlag: Knaur Verlag
Erschienen: 02.05.2019
Seitenzahl: 400
Preis: 9,99€
Genre: New Adult
Teil: 2/3
Klappentext:
Die wilde Free, der künstlerisch begabte Freigeist der Paterson-Schwestern, kehrt endlich nach Hause zurück. An der Highschool von Mount Clair hat sie einen Traumjob als Kunstlehrerin ergattert, und sie genießt ihr Leben in der Natur am Herne River. Als Free den Cop Finn mit dem hinreißenden irischen Akzent kennen lernt, scheint ihr Glück perfekt.
Dann jedoch erfährt sie von einem Bauprojekt, das ihren geliebten Fluss zerstören würde. Sie versucht alles, um das Projekt zu stoppen – aber ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn zählen, denn als Polizist steht er zwischen allen Fronten.
Über die Autorin:
Sasha Wasley wurde im australischen Perth geboren. Sie ist Möchtegern-Farmerin und hegt eine große Leidenschaft für Tiere und die Natur. Zusammen mit ihrem Mann und ihren Töchtern lebt sie in einer Weinregion in der Nähe von Perth.
Quelle: Amazon
Meinung:
Den ersten Teil der Ourback Sisters Reihe hat mir sehr gut gefallen, voll allem, weil ich den Flair der Story so toll fand.
In dieser Geschichte geht es um die wilde Free, die schon immer ein Freigeist war und sich ausgelebt hat. Als sie dann in das Stille Örtchen Mount Clair zurück kehrt und den Polizisten Finn kennenlernt, ist alles perfekt, bis ihr Lieblingsort zerstört werden soll. Aber kann Finn ihr dabei helfen, es aufzuhalten?
Die Charaktere haben mir in diesem Buch sehr gut gefallen und ich hatte viel Spaß mit der Geschichte. Manchmal war Free ein bisschen anstrengend aber trotzdem sehr liebenswert. Finn hat mir sehr gut gefallen, als männlicher Protagonist. Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden war auch sehr authentisch und echt. Trotzdem muss ich sagen, dass der erste Teil mir noch ein Stück besser gefallen hatte. Die Atmosphäre war hier übrigens auch wieder wunderschön und nur zum Träumen.
Ich gebe dem zweiten Teil 4 Sterne und freue mich auf Band 3.
*Vielen Dank an den Knaur Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!*
Erschienen: 02.05.2019
Seitenzahl: 400
Preis: 9,99€
Genre: New Adult
Teil: 2/3
Klappentext:
Die wilde Free, der künstlerisch begabte Freigeist der Paterson-Schwestern, kehrt endlich nach Hause zurück. An der Highschool von Mount Clair hat sie einen Traumjob als Kunstlehrerin ergattert, und sie genießt ihr Leben in der Natur am Herne River. Als Free den Cop Finn mit dem hinreißenden irischen Akzent kennen lernt, scheint ihr Glück perfekt.
Dann jedoch erfährt sie von einem Bauprojekt, das ihren geliebten Fluss zerstören würde. Sie versucht alles, um das Projekt zu stoppen – aber ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn zählen, denn als Polizist steht er zwischen allen Fronten.
Über die Autorin:
Sasha Wasley wurde im australischen Perth geboren. Sie ist Möchtegern-Farmerin und hegt eine große Leidenschaft für Tiere und die Natur. Zusammen mit ihrem Mann und ihren Töchtern lebt sie in einer Weinregion in der Nähe von Perth.
Quelle: Amazon
Meinung:
Den ersten Teil der Ourback Sisters Reihe hat mir sehr gut gefallen, voll allem, weil ich den Flair der Story so toll fand.
In dieser Geschichte geht es um die wilde Free, die schon immer ein Freigeist war und sich ausgelebt hat. Als sie dann in das Stille Örtchen Mount Clair zurück kehrt und den Polizisten Finn kennenlernt, ist alles perfekt, bis ihr Lieblingsort zerstört werden soll. Aber kann Finn ihr dabei helfen, es aufzuhalten?
Die Charaktere haben mir in diesem Buch sehr gut gefallen und ich hatte viel Spaß mit der Geschichte. Manchmal war Free ein bisschen anstrengend aber trotzdem sehr liebenswert. Finn hat mir sehr gut gefallen, als männlicher Protagonist. Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden war auch sehr authentisch und echt. Trotzdem muss ich sagen, dass der erste Teil mir noch ein Stück besser gefallen hatte. Die Atmosphäre war hier übrigens auch wieder wunderschön und nur zum Träumen.
Ich gebe dem zweiten Teil 4 Sterne und freue mich auf Band 3.
*Vielen Dank an den Knaur Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!*
May 27, 2018
When her widowed father suffered a heart attack, artist Freya (Free) Paterson put aside her wanderlust and returned to her family home on a cattle station in the rugged and beautiful Kimberley region of Western Australia. Now that he's on the mend, Free accepts a contract as artist-in-residence at the local High School and moves into town.
As disorganised as she is, Free is nevertheless good at her job, the students love her, and there's even a cute neighbour who seems to be interested in her. Problem is, they're very different, can it work?
The Kimberley region does not play quite as big a role as it did in Dear Banjo, but it still obvious just how much it shapes the lives of those who live there. This book is well researched, and entertaining throughout.
I loved the first book in this series, and I think that True Blue is even better.
As disorganised as she is, Free is nevertheless good at her job, the students love her, and there's even a cute neighbour who seems to be interested in her. Problem is, they're very different, can it work?
The Kimberley region does not play quite as big a role as it did in Dear Banjo, but it still obvious just how much it shapes the lives of those who live there. This book is well researched, and entertaining throughout.
I loved the first book in this series, and I think that True Blue is even better.
August 6, 2019
This is my first Sasha Wasley book i have read of hers and I quite like it. It is about Freya Patterson who returns home to take up teaching year 11 students art at the local high school. Finn Kelly a police officer moved
December 11, 2021
Review to follow.
June 30, 2018
Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse Australia for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
True Blue is the second novel in Sasha Walsey’s Paterson Sisters series is another passionate and riveting rural fiction tale brimming with romance and personal development.
Freya “Free” Paterson is known for her wandering heart and her flighty nature, but after all her travelling she has finally returned to her home town of Mount Clair after landing a job working on an art project for the local high school. Working with the kids is easier than Free thought and as she finds herself inspired by their passion and desire to learn, Free begins flourishing in her new job. It also doesn’t hurt that she seems to have met the man of her dreams in Irish expat Constable Finn Kelly. If only he would give into the desire that simmers between them instead of holding her at arm’s length. As Free throws herself into work and the recent redevelopment plans for the local dam, fighting against her feelings for Finn becomes near impossible. Sometimes love finds you where you least expect and when it’s real, overcoming your differences can have the power to make or break your relationship. Will Free convince Finn to take a chance on them? Or will the level headed but kind policeman decide Free’s spirit too much to handle?
After falling in love with Willow and Paterson Downs in the first novel, Dear Banjo, I was so excited to visit the characters once more. Introducing readers to Free Paterson, the younger sister of previous main character Willow, True Blue is perfect for those wanting to get to know Willow’s sister, but can also be easily read as a stand lone novel. Sasha Wasley once again draws readers into a lush country town and fills it with vibrant personalities full of colour and kindness.
As expected, there’s a lot to love within True Blue. Encompassing so much beauty about the Australian outback and Aussie spirit, True Blue is captivating with its poise and integrity. Through Free, Wasley explores important themes including the effects of land development on agriculture and finding ones own version of happiness and mixes them with romance, friendship and humour against a quintessential Australian backdrop.
Free is very much the passionate individual and her way of seeing the world is unlike many others. Though she has travelled abroad quite a bit, Free is still somewhat naive about the nature of man and tends to see the best in things. Her kindness and inability to understand peoples motives gets her in trouble throughout True Blue as does her flighty and harebrained, often forgetful, nature. There are moments whilst reading you will find yourself shaking your head at Free but she honestly is just a good person and she expects everyone to be the same.
In True Blue Free finds a friend and then lover in the form of Finn. Admittedly Finn was less “Irish” than I expected after reading the books description, but I enjoyed the genuine, down to earth individual he was. Free and Finn’s relationship begins with a series of funny misunderstandings that make for a laugh and I especially enjoyed seeing how they ended up “sharing” Max—that made me laugh.
Fun, light but beautifully written and instilled with just enough Australian heritage and heart, True Blue is another authentic tasting rural fiction story and leaves me highly excited to see what Sasha Wasley has up her sleeve where the final Paterson Sister, Beth, is concerned. I have no doubt it will be as bewitching as its predecessors!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
True Blue is the second novel in Sasha Walsey’s Paterson Sisters series is another passionate and riveting rural fiction tale brimming with romance and personal development.
Freya “Free” Paterson is known for her wandering heart and her flighty nature, but after all her travelling she has finally returned to her home town of Mount Clair after landing a job working on an art project for the local high school. Working with the kids is easier than Free thought and as she finds herself inspired by their passion and desire to learn, Free begins flourishing in her new job. It also doesn’t hurt that she seems to have met the man of her dreams in Irish expat Constable Finn Kelly. If only he would give into the desire that simmers between them instead of holding her at arm’s length. As Free throws herself into work and the recent redevelopment plans for the local dam, fighting against her feelings for Finn becomes near impossible. Sometimes love finds you where you least expect and when it’s real, overcoming your differences can have the power to make or break your relationship. Will Free convince Finn to take a chance on them? Or will the level headed but kind policeman decide Free’s spirit too much to handle?
After falling in love with Willow and Paterson Downs in the first novel, Dear Banjo, I was so excited to visit the characters once more. Introducing readers to Free Paterson, the younger sister of previous main character Willow, True Blue is perfect for those wanting to get to know Willow’s sister, but can also be easily read as a stand lone novel. Sasha Wasley once again draws readers into a lush country town and fills it with vibrant personalities full of colour and kindness.
As expected, there’s a lot to love within True Blue. Encompassing so much beauty about the Australian outback and Aussie spirit, True Blue is captivating with its poise and integrity. Through Free, Wasley explores important themes including the effects of land development on agriculture and finding ones own version of happiness and mixes them with romance, friendship and humour against a quintessential Australian backdrop.
Free is very much the passionate individual and her way of seeing the world is unlike many others. Though she has travelled abroad quite a bit, Free is still somewhat naive about the nature of man and tends to see the best in things. Her kindness and inability to understand peoples motives gets her in trouble throughout True Blue as does her flighty and harebrained, often forgetful, nature. There are moments whilst reading you will find yourself shaking your head at Free but she honestly is just a good person and she expects everyone to be the same.
In True Blue Free finds a friend and then lover in the form of Finn. Admittedly Finn was less “Irish” than I expected after reading the books description, but I enjoyed the genuine, down to earth individual he was. Free and Finn’s relationship begins with a series of funny misunderstandings that make for a laugh and I especially enjoyed seeing how they ended up “sharing” Max—that made me laugh.
Fun, light but beautifully written and instilled with just enough Australian heritage and heart, True Blue is another authentic tasting rural fiction story and leaves me highly excited to see what Sasha Wasley has up her sleeve where the final Paterson Sister, Beth, is concerned. I have no doubt it will be as bewitching as its predecessors!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2018
Sasha Wasley is fast becoming one of my go-to authors for stories that I’ll love. Last year, I loved Dear Banjo, a story of loss, land and ultimately love. True Blue continues on with the same setting, the fictional town of Mount Clair in the Kimberley region (far north) of Western Australia. This time, the main character is the sister of Willow Paterson, Freya (Free).
To be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Free in Dear Banjo. She came across as flighty and superficial in contrast to her sisters, who were a lot more practical and grounded. Sasha Wasley has taken Free and made her into a thoughtful, sensitive heroine who has her own morals and beliefs. If they just happen to be a bit different to the other Paterson girls, so be it. I was really proud as a reader to see Free grow in this novel to someone inspiring who gains more confidence in herself. The story is set as Free gets a job as a resident artist at the local high school to help the students design and build a public artwork in town. Free is nervous and eager to do her best in contrast to the other artist Aidan. He’s cocky and not particularly interested, perhaps due to the rumour that his mother (a business magnate whose company is building a diversion dam on the local river) pulled strings to get him the job. Free is innocent, willing to believe the best in Aidan. But when she rebuffs his advances, he’s out to be as snide as possible. Free is a sensitive soul, and this causes her a lot of grief. But on the plus side, she lives next door to Finn Kelly, a local policeman who she is very interested in. Finn is trying to keep her at a safe friend’s distance and Free is confused as to why. Is it their different ideologies as she tries to save the local river? Or is it something simpler?
The more I read, the more endearing Free became to me. I’m not sure what it is about her but she invites confidence and positivity into all her interactions. It’s not Pollyanna like, but a genuine interest in other people. I found Free’s passion to help her students really lovely to read, especially in encouraging quiet student Tia to come out of her shell. I think this also helped with Free’s self-confidence too. On reading this book, I found that I had misjudged Free previously. She feels inferior to her sisters, as she knows she is different to them and the odd one out in the family. Once I understood that, it was easy to love her as a character. She’s different, sure, but that isn’t a bad thing. Being able to write all the layers of these characters and show them to the reader is a great skill of Sasha Wasley’s. The more I think about her characters, the more impressed I am with their complexity and that they are memorable. Not an easy thing to achieve, especially with rapid (and rabid!) readers like myself.
The other part of Sasha Wasley’s writing that stands out are the feelings. She conveys emotion so well that the reader experiences part of what the character is. I grinned along with Free when she was offered work by Olly and shared in her delight when her home studio was crafted. This kind of writing puts a sparkle in your day. Thank you Sasha! I also liked that Finn was more than eye candy and a policeman. Revealing his interests outside of work and sharing his family situation brought him out as a highly developed character.
I’m eagerly awaiting the story of Beth now – the oldest sister who appears a bit bossy and overbearing. I bet I’ll be eating my words once I read her story!
Thank you to Penguin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
To be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Free in Dear Banjo. She came across as flighty and superficial in contrast to her sisters, who were a lot more practical and grounded. Sasha Wasley has taken Free and made her into a thoughtful, sensitive heroine who has her own morals and beliefs. If they just happen to be a bit different to the other Paterson girls, so be it. I was really proud as a reader to see Free grow in this novel to someone inspiring who gains more confidence in herself. The story is set as Free gets a job as a resident artist at the local high school to help the students design and build a public artwork in town. Free is nervous and eager to do her best in contrast to the other artist Aidan. He’s cocky and not particularly interested, perhaps due to the rumour that his mother (a business magnate whose company is building a diversion dam on the local river) pulled strings to get him the job. Free is innocent, willing to believe the best in Aidan. But when she rebuffs his advances, he’s out to be as snide as possible. Free is a sensitive soul, and this causes her a lot of grief. But on the plus side, she lives next door to Finn Kelly, a local policeman who she is very interested in. Finn is trying to keep her at a safe friend’s distance and Free is confused as to why. Is it their different ideologies as she tries to save the local river? Or is it something simpler?
The more I read, the more endearing Free became to me. I’m not sure what it is about her but she invites confidence and positivity into all her interactions. It’s not Pollyanna like, but a genuine interest in other people. I found Free’s passion to help her students really lovely to read, especially in encouraging quiet student Tia to come out of her shell. I think this also helped with Free’s self-confidence too. On reading this book, I found that I had misjudged Free previously. She feels inferior to her sisters, as she knows she is different to them and the odd one out in the family. Once I understood that, it was easy to love her as a character. She’s different, sure, but that isn’t a bad thing. Being able to write all the layers of these characters and show them to the reader is a great skill of Sasha Wasley’s. The more I think about her characters, the more impressed I am with their complexity and that they are memorable. Not an easy thing to achieve, especially with rapid (and rabid!) readers like myself.
The other part of Sasha Wasley’s writing that stands out are the feelings. She conveys emotion so well that the reader experiences part of what the character is. I grinned along with Free when she was offered work by Olly and shared in her delight when her home studio was crafted. This kind of writing puts a sparkle in your day. Thank you Sasha! I also liked that Finn was more than eye candy and a policeman. Revealing his interests outside of work and sharing his family situation brought him out as a highly developed character.
I’m eagerly awaiting the story of Beth now – the oldest sister who appears a bit bossy and overbearing. I bet I’ll be eating my words once I read her story!
Thank you to Penguin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
December 19, 2019
I absolutely loved this novel and I can't believe I let it sit on my shelf unread for so long. After reading Dear Banjo for the second time the other month, I knew I had to get to books 2 & 3 ASAP. True Blue was another fabulous story in the Daughter's of the Outback series and this time we get to know Free (Freya), the more flighty of the sisters, except she's not as flighty as her sisters have her believing.
I really loved getting to know Free, she's an artist and I love the way she looks at life, always trying to see the best in people and experiences. I loved how she gets totally absorbed in her art; I am the same way, (maybe we are kindred spirits). There was a lot of humour in this story, and a lot of heart.
Free takes up an artists residency teaching position at the local high school and as nervous as she is, I loved the way she taught, maybe if I'd had a teacher like her I'd have pursued art earlier in life. She makes enemies early on, without meaning to, with a truly unlikeable character who is a colleague at the school. What a nasty piece of work he turned out to be, even worse than my first impressions.
We also have the romance (of course), and what a lovely man Constable Finn Kelly is. It is a bit of a bumpy journey for these two to get together, plenty of misunderstandings and worrying about the future. I really enjoyed the chemistry and the interactions between Free and Finn, (I wish I could meet him myself, too bad he's a fictional character).
We get to catch up with Banjo and Tom and see how they are going, we also get to know Beth a little more as it's Beth who Free turns to a lot when she needs someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. Beth could be pretty hard and pessimistic towards Free, but I think this stems from her own issues, (which I'm pretty sure we'll find out more about in the next book Love Song, which is Beth's story), but she's still a supportive and protective big sister.
Running through the story is the issue of mining and the environment and the importance of fighting for our environments protection.
I think Free did a lot of growing in this story and came out much stronger and had way more belief in herself by the end of the story.
I highly recommend this novel and this series.
I really loved getting to know Free, she's an artist and I love the way she looks at life, always trying to see the best in people and experiences. I loved how she gets totally absorbed in her art; I am the same way, (maybe we are kindred spirits). There was a lot of humour in this story, and a lot of heart.
Free takes up an artists residency teaching position at the local high school and as nervous as she is, I loved the way she taught, maybe if I'd had a teacher like her I'd have pursued art earlier in life. She makes enemies early on, without meaning to, with a truly unlikeable character who is a colleague at the school. What a nasty piece of work he turned out to be, even worse than my first impressions.
We also have the romance (of course), and what a lovely man Constable Finn Kelly is. It is a bit of a bumpy journey for these two to get together, plenty of misunderstandings and worrying about the future. I really enjoyed the chemistry and the interactions between Free and Finn, (I wish I could meet him myself, too bad he's a fictional character).
We get to catch up with Banjo and Tom and see how they are going, we also get to know Beth a little more as it's Beth who Free turns to a lot when she needs someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. Beth could be pretty hard and pessimistic towards Free, but I think this stems from her own issues, (which I'm pretty sure we'll find out more about in the next book Love Song, which is Beth's story), but she's still a supportive and protective big sister.
Running through the story is the issue of mining and the environment and the importance of fighting for our environments protection.
I think Free did a lot of growing in this story and came out much stronger and had way more belief in herself by the end of the story.
I highly recommend this novel and this series.
May 20, 2019
>>Du bist genau wie eines deiner Gemälde - nur Licht und Farbe, nichts Gekünsteltes.<<
Free, Jüngste der Paterson-Schwestern und Freigeist der Familie, kehrt nach Jahren des Herumreisens in der Weltgeschichte zurück nach Hause nach Mount Clair, wo sie als Kunstlehrerin an ihrer alten Schule arbeitet. Nebenbei arbeitet sie an einem Instagram-Kunstprojekt über den Herne River, den Fluss, der sie schon ihr ganzes Leben begleitet und fasziniert. Als Free dann auf den heißen, irischen Cop Finn trifft, scheint sie endlich angekommen zu sein. Doch als ein geplanter Staudamm ihre geliebte Natur, das Ökosystem vor ihrer Haustür und vor allem die Existenz der Farm ihrer Familie bedroht, wird ihr Glück getrübt, denn ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn bauen; der Cop muss das Gesetz verteidigen und kann sich nicht auf die Seite der Demonstranten gegen die Zerstörung des Flusses stellen. Wird Free ihm verzeihen können, dass er sie nicht in ihrer Überzeugung unterstützt?
„Outback Kiss – Wohin Das Herz Sich Sehnt“ ist der zweite Roman der Outback-Sisters-Reihe von Sasha Wasley. In diesem Buch dürfen wir nun Free besser kennenlernen. Sie trägt ihr Herz auf der Zunge; bei ihr weiß man immer, woran man ist. Als sie aus Versehen die Straße mit >pimmelförmigen Trinkhalmen< dekoriert, trifft sie das erste Mal auf Finn. Gottseidank findet er sie witzig und hübsch und faszinierend. Je öfter sie sich über den Weg laufen, desto flirrender wird die Hitze zwischen ihnen, die Blicke verlangender und sehnsuchtsvoller. Doch es gibt eine Menge an Missverständnissen, die zwischen ihnen stehen. . .
Der Schreibstil ist sehr schön zu lesen, die Erzählweise ist ziemlich angenehm und wunderbar bildhaft. Und obwohl ich die Geschichte über Free mag, steht sie der ersten über Willow ein kleines bisschen hinterher.
Ich bin schon sehr auf die Geschichte über Ärztin Beth gespannt, die immer als die zickige, spießige, die alle bevormundet, dargestellt wird. Einen kleinen Einblick in ihre Beweggründe durften wir ja schon in diesem Buch erhaschen. . .
Free, Jüngste der Paterson-Schwestern und Freigeist der Familie, kehrt nach Jahren des Herumreisens in der Weltgeschichte zurück nach Hause nach Mount Clair, wo sie als Kunstlehrerin an ihrer alten Schule arbeitet. Nebenbei arbeitet sie an einem Instagram-Kunstprojekt über den Herne River, den Fluss, der sie schon ihr ganzes Leben begleitet und fasziniert. Als Free dann auf den heißen, irischen Cop Finn trifft, scheint sie endlich angekommen zu sein. Doch als ein geplanter Staudamm ihre geliebte Natur, das Ökosystem vor ihrer Haustür und vor allem die Existenz der Farm ihrer Familie bedroht, wird ihr Glück getrübt, denn ausgerechnet jetzt kann sie nicht auf Finn bauen; der Cop muss das Gesetz verteidigen und kann sich nicht auf die Seite der Demonstranten gegen die Zerstörung des Flusses stellen. Wird Free ihm verzeihen können, dass er sie nicht in ihrer Überzeugung unterstützt?
„Outback Kiss – Wohin Das Herz Sich Sehnt“ ist der zweite Roman der Outback-Sisters-Reihe von Sasha Wasley. In diesem Buch dürfen wir nun Free besser kennenlernen. Sie trägt ihr Herz auf der Zunge; bei ihr weiß man immer, woran man ist. Als sie aus Versehen die Straße mit >pimmelförmigen Trinkhalmen< dekoriert, trifft sie das erste Mal auf Finn. Gottseidank findet er sie witzig und hübsch und faszinierend. Je öfter sie sich über den Weg laufen, desto flirrender wird die Hitze zwischen ihnen, die Blicke verlangender und sehnsuchtsvoller. Doch es gibt eine Menge an Missverständnissen, die zwischen ihnen stehen. . .
Der Schreibstil ist sehr schön zu lesen, die Erzählweise ist ziemlich angenehm und wunderbar bildhaft. Und obwohl ich die Geschichte über Free mag, steht sie der ersten über Willow ein kleines bisschen hinterher.
Ich bin schon sehr auf die Geschichte über Ärztin Beth gespannt, die immer als die zickige, spießige, die alle bevormundet, dargestellt wird. Einen kleinen Einblick in ihre Beweggründe durften wir ja schon in diesem Buch erhaschen. . .
August 27, 2023
The second instalment of the Daughters of the Outback series by Sasha Wasley. This story is about the youngest sister Freya, who is an artist. She has had many travels and adventures but is sticking close to home to take up a residency with the local high school to complete an arts project with the students. She is a kind and generous person but also very easily distracted by her art and tends to have a one track mind when it comes to her passion.
Finn Kelly is a relative newcomer to town, and the attraction between Finn and Freya is almost instant.
There are some crossed wires and a cheeky cat that contribute to their relationship getting off to a slow start. But when they finally get past that, they are soon faced with more dramas to test their commitment and communication.
I enjoyed this story and really like the way Freya seemed to mature as the story moved along. The characters are all friendly and down to earth, and the area is described in such a way that you can imagine yourself sitting beside the river or starting across the station to the horizon.
Finn Kelly is a relative newcomer to town, and the attraction between Finn and Freya is almost instant.
There are some crossed wires and a cheeky cat that contribute to their relationship getting off to a slow start. But when they finally get past that, they are soon faced with more dramas to test their commitment and communication.
I enjoyed this story and really like the way Freya seemed to mature as the story moved along. The characters are all friendly and down to earth, and the area is described in such a way that you can imagine yourself sitting beside the river or starting across the station to the horizon.
July 3, 2018
A story about a free spirit who returns home and stumbles into love, it’s another warm-fuzzy read like Dear Banjo, without being sentimental. Yes, it’s a romance at heart, but it highlights big issues like sustainability, workplace politics and education along the way. True Blue has plenty of simmering romantic tension, as well as tension from other sources, and the whole way, readers will hope that the two leads overcome any obstacles and find true blue love.
I really enjoy Sasha’s writing – it has a great balance of description, passion and warmth. She also captures life in rural locations in the manner of someone who understands the life and environment of her setting. She’s also a versatile writer and I see a great future ahead for her.
I really enjoy Sasha’s writing – it has a great balance of description, passion and warmth. She also captures life in rural locations in the manner of someone who understands the life and environment of her setting. She’s also a versatile writer and I see a great future ahead for her.
January 20, 2019
I can’t wait for the third book to come out. In this we fins the story of Freya (Free). She has been chosen to do some time as an artist in residence at the local school. She is living in town, not out on the family station. Her accommodation is a duplex with one of the local policeman in the other side. There is a dam being developed on the river and Free is very much against this. Her feelings about this and for the Policeman next door lead to dramas. Does he feel differently about the local children Free is trying to guide?
May 12, 2019
I liked this book but I found it dragged on a bit at times and I was almost wondering where the story was going to finish up. It took me a while to read because I just couldn't get into it like I do with other books. I believed the character of Free but also found her frustrating at times with her indecision and carefree nature. I also didn't realise this book is the second in a series so I would have preferred to have read the books in order. Nevertheless I will read something else of Sasha's before I judge too soon.
July 11, 2020
Although I enjoyed this book, it did drag occasionally in places. I enjoyed the environmental themes, the art, the kids and the long lost video of the Mum. It was interesting showing how demonstrations can be hijacked. Having read all three books in the series, and liked them, I will now look for more from Sasha. Maybe a cutie for poor Pheobe!
July 7, 2018
Loved True Blue just as much as Dear Banjo. Such a sweet read with likeable characters. Wasley does a fantastic job at 'showing not telling' with great characterisation that made it difficult to put down!
August 5, 2018
Rural romance with environmental themes
April 10, 2019
Such a great story. Free is a great character. This is one of my favorites ;)
September 10, 2019
Poor Phoebe -throw the poor girl a bone.
January 23, 2020
A romance between an artist, her crush, her art, and her river.
April 6, 2021
loved it!!! <3
April 16, 2021
Really enjoyed reading this continuation of the sister's stories.
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