Jeanette's Reviews > Unnoticed

Unnoticed by Amanda Deed is a Cinderella retelling set in New South Wales in the 19th century.

Jane O'Reilly, or plain Jane, as the townsfolk of Hay call her, is convinced she is unlovely and is mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters. She finds happiness in the love and care of her animals, including Moses the cockatoo, and also in the warm concern of her Stepmother's sister, Ruby. Jane's world is turned upside down with the arrival of the handsome and winsome American Price Moreland, the new barber and dentist in town. In fact many of the town's eligible young women swoon over this eligible match, at least at first.

Unnoticed is a delightful romance as Jane and Price navigate the obstacles to finding happiness together. Deed does a masterful job of evoking the setting of rural Australia in the 1860s. The relationship between Jane and Price, and the obstacles that set to derail their budding romance are believable and satisfying. And all the traditional elements of the Cinderella story - from stepmother, stepsisters, fairy godmother (Ruby), to ball and discarded shoe are included in an unforced and original way. The book has a strong faith element which explores deep spiritual issues without been preachy. And the conclusion is satisfying.

I greatly enjoyed reading Amanda Deed's Unnoticed and look forward to reading her next Australian based fairy-tale retelling.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.