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Nurse at Noongwalla
Alex had always been fascinated by Australia, and went out there from England to get a job as a nurse — a fascinating job, in a lumber camp not far from Adelaide. And there she met — and crossed swords with — the autocratic boss of the camp,
Grant Mitchell, who told her, ‘There's no padding around in this job, Miss Leighton. Just dust and drought and a twenty-four-hour day.’ She would show him she wasn’t afraid of hard work — or of him! Things looked up considerably, fortunately, when she met the friendly, attractive local doctor, Lloyd Downing, and a growing friendship developed between them. Yet somehow, somewhere, Alex was aware of a curious feeling of emptiness — an unsatisfied feeling. Why should she feel like that?
Grant Mitchell, who told her, ‘There's no padding around in this job, Miss Leighton. Just dust and drought and a twenty-four-hour day.’ She would show him she wasn’t afraid of hard work — or of him! Things looked up considerably, fortunately, when she met the friendly, attractive local doctor, Lloyd Downing, and a growing friendship developed between them. Yet somehow, somewhere, Alex was aware of a curious feeling of emptiness — an unsatisfied feeling. Why should she feel like that?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
About the author
Roumelia Lane
57 books8 followersKay Green
aka Roumelia Lane, Florissa May, Guy Granger, Katie Kent, Harley Davis
Kay Green was born on 31 December 1927 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK. On 1 October 1949, she married Gavin Frederick Green, they had a son and a daughter.
aka Roumelia Lane, Florissa May, Guy Granger, Katie Kent, Harley Davis
Kay Green was born on 31 December 1927 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK. On 1 October 1949, she married Gavin Frederick Green, they had a son and a daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 10, 2024
Roumelia Lane's Nurse at Noongwalla takes us to a logging camp in the wilds of Australia where a sensitive nurse butts head with the chauvinist man-in-command.
We are immersed in this world solely through the point of view of newcomer and outsider, Nurse Alex, who dreamed of wide open spaces while stuck in a lugubrious, claustrophobic London in-home nursing position for four years. It was a true pleasure being inside her mind. After a succession of scatterbrained heroines who think their wild tantrums and idiotic adventures are cute, the strong, smart, dignified, cool under pressure, but no less vulnerable and compassionate protagonist of this tale was a breath of fresh air. The hero was the epitome of the Big, Fat, Jerk who gets his very just comeuppance when he finds himself wildly and hopelessly in love with the heroine but thinks it is too late for him after all the asshat behaviors he has been engaging towards her.
Highly recommended for fans of romantic, chaste, vintage romances
We are immersed in this world solely through the point of view of newcomer and outsider, Nurse Alex, who dreamed of wide open spaces while stuck in a lugubrious, claustrophobic London in-home nursing position for four years. It was a true pleasure being inside her mind. After a succession of scatterbrained heroines who think their wild tantrums and idiotic adventures are cute, the strong, smart, dignified, cool under pressure, but no less vulnerable and compassionate protagonist of this tale was a breath of fresh air. The hero was the epitome of the Big, Fat, Jerk who gets his very just comeuppance when he finds himself wildly and hopelessly in love with the heroine but thinks it is too late for him after all the asshat behaviors he has been engaging towards her.
Highly recommended for fans of romantic, chaste, vintage romances
March 22, 2018
Awww. This was a sweet vintage tale of a nurturing alpha hero and cool, calm collected heroine who fell hard. Neither one knew how to cross the lines drawn at their first meeting and it is that dynamic which is at work for the entire story. In short, the timber boss hero didn't want this English Rose nurse at his logging camp. The heroine didn't throw a tantrum, she just chalked it up to life and was preparing to go when she was called to help with an emergency. Once the hero saw her in action, he realized he should give her a chance.
A competent heroine showing up the hero is one of my favorite tropes. She is capable, thoughtful and not prone to dramatics. She is trying to emulate the battleaxe nurse that came before her, but she is too feminine to not draw the hero's attention. I loved how the author showed this in so many different ways - her enjoyment of examining everything in the village store, the curtains, the print dresses, the way she fixed up her bedroom. The hero is watching her every move, throbbing with desire, but he says nothing. *happy sigh*
He may not say much, but he tries to smooth her way as much as possible - driving her around, having a shower installed in her quarters, rescuing her from rapey lumberjacks, taking care of her when she fell ill. He even brought a baby Kuala for her to watch when she was feeling blue.
Ah, but our poor hero is pitted against the OM, the area doctor. He's a widower, needs the heroine (who likes to be needed) and is an all-around nice guy.
It's no contest who is going to win the heroine's heart. The battleaxe nurse returns. The heroine leaves - and surprise! The hero leaves on the same train since he couldn't bear to see the heroine married to the good doctor. It's all very sweet. There is even an epilogue of sorts.
Outback/Australia checklist:
Seedy hotel
Train that stops in the middle of nowhere
Outsider looking in
Jeep stuck
Wildfire (small)
Weather extremes - heat and rain
Sunstroke
Friendly townspeople
Christmas dance at the hall
Huge steaks and beer
Terrible roads
A competent heroine showing up the hero is one of my favorite tropes. She is capable, thoughtful and not prone to dramatics. She is trying to emulate the battleaxe nurse that came before her, but she is too feminine to not draw the hero's attention. I loved how the author showed this in so many different ways - her enjoyment of examining everything in the village store, the curtains, the print dresses, the way she fixed up her bedroom. The hero is watching her every move, throbbing with desire, but he says nothing. *happy sigh*
He may not say much, but he tries to smooth her way as much as possible - driving her around, having a shower installed in her quarters, rescuing her from rapey lumberjacks, taking care of her when she fell ill. He even brought a baby Kuala for her to watch when she was feeling blue.
Ah, but our poor hero is pitted against the OM, the area doctor. He's a widower, needs the heroine (who likes to be needed) and is an all-around nice guy.
It's no contest who is going to win the heroine's heart. The battleaxe nurse returns. The heroine leaves - and surprise! The hero leaves on the same train since he couldn't bear to see the heroine married to the good doctor. It's all very sweet. There is even an epilogue of sorts.
Outback/Australia checklist:
Seedy hotel
Train that stops in the middle of nowhere
Outsider looking in
Jeep stuck
Wildfire (small)
Weather extremes - heat and rain
Sunstroke
Friendly townspeople
Christmas dance at the hall
Huge steaks and beer
Terrible roads
April 30, 2021
"Nurse at Noongwalla" by Roumelia Lane (aka Roberta Leigh) is a memorable Vintage Romance where we follow the serene and strong heroine Alex Leighton through her jorney in discovery of friendship,adventure and love in the heat and wildness of Australia.She gets a job in a logging camp,and slowly realizes that she is losing the control of her emotions whenever her boss,the steel-minded and mean hero Grant Mitchell are anywhere near her.
This book is another thing entirely!I took great pleasure in reading through Alex point of view meeting the supporting characters,and the way her romance with Grant developed so naturally made me also realize what a master story-teller Roumelia Lane are in the romance genre.I will never understand how this author could make me believe in the main-characters HEA,with no declarations of love.But indeed...the ending was so beautiful that i actually cried.Reading "Nurse at Noongwalla" was like watching a movie,its a keeper i will never forget for sure!
This book is another thing entirely!I took great pleasure in reading through Alex point of view meeting the supporting characters,and the way her romance with Grant developed so naturally made me also realize what a master story-teller Roumelia Lane are in the romance genre.I will never understand how this author could make me believe in the main-characters HEA,with no declarations of love.But indeed...the ending was so beautiful that i actually cried.Reading "Nurse at Noongwalla" was like watching a movie,its a keeper i will never forget for sure!
March 26, 2018
He never stood a chance. I particularly loved the ending. It was straight out of an old movie. (sigh)
This is why I love those older Harleys.
This is why I love those older Harleys.
October 19, 2020
2.5 stars
the setting was amazing.
the setting was amazing.
November 5, 2015
Best book I've read in ages, with a fascinating setting for a workplace, (a logging camp in Australia), a determined and capable heroine, and even an adorable koala bear at one point!
October 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down it was so engrossing. The chemistry between the main characters is very cleverly portrayed. And the contrast between the ultra feminine h and the rugged masculine H is intriguing.
May 5, 2018
This has all the elements you really want -- an admirable h, an H who is drawn to her in spite of himself, an interesting setting, and a happy resolution.
June 3, 2023
Both MCs were so cool that they didn’t realized their feelings at all!
March 4, 2015
3.5 stars because this is the time I moved to Australia and it was a new world to me too.
May 8, 2018
Quite a nice book. I liked the cool competent and unflappable heroine. The Hero was hard pressed to get a rise out of her. Which is probably why he gave up and ran away. (usually it’s the heroine who runs away). Which is exactly what he did, it was pure coincidence they ended up on the same train platform and finally declared their feelings for each other.
That’s why I docked a star, the Hero didn’t even fight for her. He just gave up and would have let the OM win her. Although I suppose he was discouraged, she never did give him even a smidgen of hope that she felt anything for him.
All those silent car rides and silent meals...
That’s why I docked a star, the Hero didn’t even fight for her. He just gave up and would have let the OM win her. Although I suppose he was discouraged, she never did give him even a smidgen of hope that she felt anything for him.
All those silent car rides and silent meals...
February 6, 2023
Although engaging the ending was incredibly off
I was excited for how their confrontation would be dealt with and...nothing happened?
there was no believable conversation, no redemption at all and zero groveling
very frustating
I was excited for how their confrontation would be dealt with and...nothing happened?
there was no believable conversation, no redemption at all and zero groveling
very frustating
November 1, 2022
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️this was low on romance until the last couple of pages. I loved the setting of a logging camp though I wish the H had been more demonstrative!!
March 27, 2024
The epilogue is great....
June 1, 2025
One of my very favourites, a joy to re-read.
Heroine (25) moves to Australia after spending the 4 previous years nursing an aunt in the North of England. The hero (37) is the boss of the lumber setting that she has been sent as a nurse when the original nurse leaves unexpectedly. Initially the hero declines her services as she is too young and ill-suited, but a last minute piece of assistance results in his giving her a chance.
For a few weeks she goes through the motions of settling in and learning the ropes whilst the hero is inconsiderate and really a bit of a d*ck. He does suddenly fall for her though, and because of the status quo is unable to connect with her before she encounters the local doctor, with whom she feels comfortable and happy.
The hero seethes with what he thinks is unrequited love until a beautiful culmination. It's a lovely ending, one I always enjoy.
5 stars
Heroine (25) moves to Australia after spending the 4 previous years nursing an aunt in the North of England. The hero (37) is the boss of the lumber setting that she has been sent as a nurse when the original nurse leaves unexpectedly. Initially the hero declines her services as she is too young and ill-suited, but a last minute piece of assistance results in his giving her a chance.
For a few weeks she goes through the motions of settling in and learning the ropes whilst the hero is inconsiderate and really a bit of a d*ck. He does suddenly fall for her though, and because of the status quo is unable to connect with her before she encounters the local doctor, with whom she feels comfortable and happy.
The hero seethes with what he thinks is unrequited love until a beautiful culmination. It's a lovely ending, one I always enjoy.
5 stars
May 21, 2016
I liked this book better the second time around. I admired her cool calm demeanor even if it was a facade. They both managed to hide their true feelings from each other. I loved reading about life in a logging camp in Australia and I really enjoyed the ending.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews