How far will a girl go to win back a guy she can’t stand? This funny, sweet, and romantic story proves that opposites do attract–and that God has a sense of humor. Samuel Payton is a passionate youth pastor in Virginia, but below the surface, he’s still recovering from the blow of a failed business and insecurities he can’t shake. His coworker, start-up expert Kimberly Foster, is brilliant, … is brilliant, fearless, and capable, but years of personal rejection have left her defensive and longing for a family. Two people have never been more at odds–or more attracted to one another. And every day at work, the sparks sure do fly.
When Kimberly’s ambitious plans for Sam’s ministry butt up against his risk-averse nature, Sam decides that obligations to family trump his work for the church. He quits the ministry and heads home to Australia to help his sister, Jules, save her struggling farm. As Kimberly’s grand plans flounder, she is forced to face the truth: that no one can replace Sam. Together they strike up a deal: If Kimberly comes to work on Jules’s dairy farm and lends her business brains to their endeavor, then maybe–just maybe–Sam will reconsider his future with the church.
As Kimberly tries her hand at Australian farm life, she learns more about herself than she could’ve ever expected. Meanwhile Sam is forced to re-evaluate this spunky woman he thought he already knew. As foes slowly morph into friends, they wonder if they might be something even more. But when disaster strikes the farm, will Sam find it within himself to take a risk that could lead to love? And will Kimberly trust God with her future?
“Original, heartwarming, full of lovable characters amid a fast-paced plot. Romance readers will love the bicontinental adventure of a sassy, strong-willed woman going across the ocean to win back the Aussie man who holds the key to her career dreams–but also, as it turns out, so much more.” –Melissa Ferguson, author of The Dating Charade
“Combining breathtaking realness, natural humor, and scorching romantic chemistry that leaps off the page, author Jessica Kate has given us a thoroughly modern tale about risk, acceptance, and the true meaning of home. Crackling with electricity and overflowing with heart, A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is one you won’t want to miss. Fair dinkum!” –Bethany Turner, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey
“A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is as charming as it is hilarious! Jessica Kate’s fresh and unique voice is both humorous and endearing, leaving you no choice but to abandon all personal responsibilities so you can devour every page. This is one of those stories that leaves you looking around for the characters after you’ve finished reading, because they just had to be real.” –Betsy St. Amant, author of The Key to Love, coming October 2020
- Contemporary inspirational romance novel
- Includes characters featured in Jessica Kate’s debut Love and Other Mistakes but can be read as a standalone
- Book length: 90,000 words
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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I had the great pleasure of reading Jessica Kate’s sophomore novel, A Girl’s Guide to the Outback, for endorsement, and let me just say…I loved it! Kate’s first novel, Love and Other Mistakes, was a different sort of read for me. I still found myself recommending it because, as a storyteller, Jessica Kate has so many skills that come through on the page, even if the story wasn’t exactly for me. But A Girl’s Guide to the Outback gave me exactly what I wanted. It is a rom-com with depth, but with the focus firmly planted on the two most important components of romantic comedy: romance and comedy. I loved every minute of my time with Kimberly Foster and Samuel Payton, and highly recommend their story!
Original, heartwarming, full of lovable characters amid a fast-paced plot. Romance readers will love the bicontinental adventure.
I enjoyed reading A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate. Between the vivid descriptions and the authentic Australian words, it felt like I was in Australia — the absolutely charming setting for this enemies-to-friends novel!
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback entertained and held my attention throughout. This well-written novel satisfied my romance expectations while diving deep into the hearts of Sam and Kimberly as they worked through the hard issues holding them back in life. True-to-life, the characters struggle as they deal with their insecurities, fears, and unhealthy patterns. Their struggles felt authentic and I was rooting for both of them to overcome.
I recommend A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate to readers who enjoy inspirational contemporary romances. I would not consider it a romcom (romantic comedy), though it did make me laugh occasionally and has a super-cute cover. As a bonus, there are two love stories happening in this novel and I enjoyed them both.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
A wonderful, emotional trip Down Under:
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and entertained and delighted to the very end. There was beautifully descriptive, poetic writing and a perfect mix of drama, brevity and inspiration. I liked how it incorporated Aussie terminology and slang without it being over-the-top or confusing and it was fun experiencing farm life in the Australian outback.
Kimberly is feisty and determined but also desperate to belong. Meanwhile Sam is affable and laid-back yet cautious and dealing with his own past regrets. I loved watching these two spar and then eventually come together to overcome the obstacles before them. Furthermore the side characters were great and they added depth and humour to the story.
Overall a fabulous read and I can’t wait to read more by this talented author!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Thomas Nelson/TNZ Fiction, as well as Prism Book Tours for providing a complimentary copy to review. A positive review was NOT required, and all words are my own.
This is Jessica Kate’s follow up to “Love and Other Mistakes”, her debut book. While I had an “eBook” of it, I wasn’t able to read it. I have since ordered a physical copy on Amazon.
While some have called this a sequel to the first one, for me it was more of a standalone read. So the first book isn’t really required as the leads in this have enough introduction in the first chapter to move the story along.
Both covers are a “cutesy” and whimsical “cartoonish” drawing with the two leads.
But, while this starts off as a hate/love, romantic comedy, there is so much heart and depth to it.
With Kimberly heading to Australia to woo Sam back and exchanging her knowledge for the trade – she discovers what holds him back.
Despite this being an Australian writer, you won’t find a lot of “Aussie Slang” used.
There was a Crocodile Dundee reference. Though I am curious as to what some Australians think of him.
Anyway …
The characters did get on my nerves, but it was easy to see where they were BOTH coming from. Kim’s lack of family connection drove her to want to give back and provide some sense of family or belonging to wayward children. Sam’s past failures, along with a learning disability, kept him safe and grounded in not wanting to disappoint people or make mistakes. Their heart-wrenching honesty was an endearing part of this.
And, with seeing that – it was a bit frustrating to see the two characters butt heads, and egos. But, I appreciated the honesty with the deeply flawed characters. But, it wasn’t just Kim and Sam. I loved the side-story romance with Jules and Mick.
This is an absolutely adorable, heart-warming, and light-hearted read with serious messages throughout. The writer’s style was easy to follow and she moved the story along more and more. So much so that I found it hard to put this book down. It was just **THAT** good! Even when the writer threw in a realistic, heart-stopping, and shocking tragedy – I had to keep reading.
It is “light” on the “faith content”. By chapter 14, the only references were “youth pastor” and “light prayers” with messages of “having faith”.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Sci-Fi TV references. I watched Babylon 5 when I was in my late teens, but as a toddler I LOVED the 1978 edition of Battlestar Galactica.
While this has a happy ending, don’t look for saccharine sweet romance. This is a realistic approach that even though we try, bad things do happen on the way to “happily ever after”.
I am looking forward to the next book – hoping that it will be the Jules and Mick storyline.
I will be reviewing the previous book “Love and Other Mistakes” sometime down the road as my schedule allow.
This was a very fun read! I really enjoyed it! I don’t usually read rom-com, but this one was great! I loved the Australian setting and Australian slang. The characters were very real and relatable. I definitely look forward to reading more of Jessica Kate’s books!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
It is amazing to me how just a few words can make you smile or tug at your heartstrings. Jessica Kate really took me on a marvelous ride in this book. I loved the fun cover, the textured feel to it and all the quotable moments in this book.
When I started reading this book, I immediately noticed how easy it was to relate to the characters. I personally think that it is because deep inside most of us associate with either Sam or Kimberly on some level. They had fun together, teased each other, and they did hurt each other (unintentionally). The making of a quintessentially fun couple. Any great relationship or story is based on how people handle themselves when they are faced with obstacles and Jessica Kate made these characters shine in the way that they handled the obstacles that came up.
In the Girl’s Guide to the Outback, we see some really great examples of overcoming obstacles, building friendships, compassion, and patience. There are two main characters Sam and Kimberly who made me smile more in the space of an hour than I usually do all day, and whom I feel will go down as some of my top favorite characters of all time. I would argue that Julie and Mick could be considered somewhat main characters as well, they were great and put smiles on my face as well .
The overall plot was very engaging and was fun to read through. Jessica Kate really made me feel like I had traveled to Australia (Dream Destination!) in the way she described the climate, culture and fun lingo of the area. There were a couple of things that came up that I was not expecting which made this fun read even better.
I cannot more highly recommend reading this book. I give it 5 out of 5 stars for making me feel as though I was in Australia with the well-explained lingo, the great plot twists, and fantastic sets of characters. This was my first book by Jessica Kate and it will definitely not be my last.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest opinion. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback was certainly that for me! The American heroine, Kimberly, found herself on an Australian dairy farm, and I learned loads about the countryside of Australia, right along with her. The hero, Samuel, was totally swoon-worthy. I loved his heart for God and his struggles with his learning disability.
I was thrilled to read new to me author Jessica Kate’s recent release A Girl’s Guide To The Outback. The intriguing title and cover of A Girl’s Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate drew me in. The story follows American, Kimberly Foster, and Australian, Samuel Payton, on a dairy farm in the Australian Outback. It was such a unique setting that I felt more informed about the world after reading this story. I love thinking I may have picked up some great Aussie slang along the way.
I am a big fan of romantic comedies, and I was hoping that I would be laughing and sighing as I read A Girl’s Guide to the Outback. The good news for me is that I was able to do both. I laughed out loud and there were many sigh worthy scenes throughout the book.
I feel like the author Jessica Kate is an author to watch. She is witty, her characters are interesting, and her story is fun to read. I highly recommend A Girl’s Guide to the Outback.
I was given a copy through NetGalley and not required to write a review.
Jessica Kate has managed to create a romance of witty banter, misunderstandings, poignant revelations, and a perfect homey feel. While Australia is a new setting to me, her descriptions immersed me in the country. I appreciated the way Kate interspersed Australian slang with little sidenotes for us American readers. She executed this in such a way that it didn’t take away from the overall story but rather added to the characters’ musings.
The insecurities of both main characters are so relatable, you can’t help but root even more for them. Not just that they’ll overcome their differences and fall in love, but also that they’ll recognize who they are in Christ. And with this comes some amazing quotes that stick with you long after you close the book.
Overall, this is an incredible read that you cannot miss! Jessica Kate is forever on my TBR list.
This is the second time that I have been privileged to read a Jessica Kate book on #netgalley. While I enjoyed her first book at times, it was a bit too personal. That rarely happened in her second book. The storyline is excellent and complicated. While parts of the story have a happy ending, parts do not. I feel like this is true to real life. Because the author is from Australia, the setting is definitely true to life. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters. Several main themes include unconditional love, forgiveness, acceptance of ourselves and second chances. Although those ideas are emphasized, the book does not seem preachy. With this book, I moved the author up to me, “I can’t wait until she releases her next book” list. Romance is an element, but so are struggles and setbacks that we all face. My strong recommendation is my own opinion!
I enjoyed this book. It was a lot milder than what I normally read. It kept my attention. Though some parts dragged ion I felt. You get two stories in one. With the other being the side characters.
A fun read for any romance lover.
*I was provided a free advanced copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.*
Such a fun story and a quick read. Story was engaging and the characters lovable. I so enjoyed learning the Aussie lingo. Highly recommend for an easy going story to make you smile.
I loved this trip to Australia! I already like Sam from the previous novel, but I loved getting to see a different side of him on the farm. I enjoyed the interactions between Sam and his sister. While I love the relationship between Sam and Kimberly, I enjoyed the subplot with Mik and Jules even more. My one critique, I wish not all the Australian terms were explained so clearly. It seemed like Ms. Kate felt the need to explain every word that Australians use that might be different from other cultures which was a little distracting from the story.
4.5 stars
“She has more faith in me that I have in myself.”
Kimberly Foster and Samuel Payton endured (or enjoyed . . . depending on who you asked or what day of the week it was) a love/hate, fire/ice relationship for three wonderful years. . . if you cared to define butting heads twenty-four-seven as a “relationship”. It ended badly. Sam resolutely returned to Australia to help his sister stabilize their fledgling family farm business and Kimberly unsuccessfully led the once vibrant Wildfire youth ministry through two failed successors.
So, what possible reason could Kim have for getting on a jet plane and traveling half-way around the world to Australia in order to convince Samuel Payton that he was burying his God-given talents on a dairy farm? Miraculously, she didn’t have to. Sam’s sister Jules came up with the idea. Jules was under the delusion that Kim’s business savvy was just what they needed to reorganize their assets. Kimberly, on the other hand, had a sneaking suspicion that the experience was going to end up being a pitiful crash-and-burn notation on her resume. But my oh my, if she secretly crushed on Samuel Payton in Virginia, when he stood in front of hundreds of adoring teenagers, how would she ever manage to control her infatuation when the man rode a tractor across the fields of Australia?
This book is amazing. It has zip, it has character, it sizzles, it tingles, it laughs, it cries, it peels back the layers of its soulmates with the precision of a surgeon . . . .with no intention to destroy, but in order to heal, . . . . in order to face its fears, and to move forward with freedom, and grace, and certainty . . . that God’s ways are always higher than ours. I loved it, and so will you! Plus . . . Sam and Kim together? . . . they are worth reading thousands of pages! ( and Jules and Mick aren’t so bad, either
I enjoyed this story of an American girl, Kimberly, finding herself traveling to the Australian Outback to attempt to lure Sam back to his position as a youth pastor. This was a fun romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud. I don’t know if I could handle life in the Australian Outback, but it was fun seeing Kimberly doing her best. This would make a great movie. I look forward to reading future books by this talented author.
Although I picked this beauty up as soon as it came out, I only just got to its spot on my TBR stack – and boy! I can’t say I normally read a lot of Rom Com, but A Girl’s Guide totally sucked me in. So, so good! Exactly what I needed this week. Five stars!
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback transports readers to a rustic and lively Australian farm to be surrounded by natural beauty, rugged famers, and diverse creatures…some friendly and some not so much. For Kimberly Foster, Samuel Payton, founder of Wildfire Youth Ministries, falls into the unfriendly creatures category. But when her career and the organization she’s put several years of energy and passion into are on the line, she’ll fight to convert Sam from a nemesis to an ally, even if it means immersing herself in his rough Outback world and risking snake bite and heartbreak in the process.
Although this story’s setting is fun and enthralling, the character development is just as compelling. Kimberly’s struggle to mask her deep loneliness and low self-worth with ambition is heartrending and relatable, as is Sam’s battle with guilt and inadequacy. Their path to understanding one another and discovering the depth of God’s love and healing is beautiful and authentic. In addition, the side characters are well drawn, particularly Jules, Sam’s lovably tough and independent sister.
Watching all three of them find their way through faith, friendship, and love is often amusing, sometimes moving, and constantly entertaining. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys funny, uplifting romance with a healthy side of the great outdoors.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was not obliged to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I so enjoyed returning to the Wildfire world. In this book, we get to focus on Kimberly and Sam, who we met in Love and Other Mistakes, and it’s clear that the constant clash of wills is because they care so deeply. But somehow it takes months and a trip halfway around the world for them to catch on, so we also get to meet Sam’s sister Jules and her once upon a time beau Mick. I feel in some ways that I would have liked to have seen them in another book to get a more substantial snapshot of Kimberly & Sam, but I loved their concurrent happily ever afters. There was so much to inspire—love, acceptance, fighting for what you want, surrender, believing in yourself—and frankly I’m crazy about the hilarious moments especially because they happened Down Under. Hanging out on the farm with the animals what is the perfect please to watch love bloom, and I loved every chapter. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, and was under no obligation to write a review.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback takes Kimberly and Sam from Jessica Kate’s debut, Love and Other Mistakes, and transplants them to Sam’s family farm in the Australian Outback. Sam is convinced he’s a failure, so quits Wildfire, the youth mission he founded. When he gets home, he finds his sister Jules with a broken leg, and the farm under threat of bankruptcy.
Wildfire doesn’t go well without him either. Kimberly is packed off to Australia to convince Sam to return to the program. Sam won’t return until he knows the farm will be okay, so Kimberly is bribed to stay and help even though she and Sam go together like oil and water. She offers her financial and management smarts to help in the hope she can get Sam back to Wildfire.
I grew up in a farming community, but Kimberly’s research showed me there is a lot more to farming than I knew (especially Aussie farming. New Zealand doesn’t have the same fire and flood risks as Queensland).
As a Kiwi, I found several giggles and groans in the Aussie cultural references as Kimberly settles in to life in ‘Straya. Mick drinks kombucha, which shows he’s a better person than me—I’ve only tried it once, and it was nasty. Sam wears Stubbies, a fashion staple of rural Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s.
Kimberly packs a picnic basket and includes:
“Canadian bacon—known in Australia simply as ‘bacon,’ plus Vegemite and Weetbix cereal for a traditional Australian touch.”
So if I call it “bacon” and Americans call it “Canadian bacon”, what’s the stuff on the American fast-food menus that they call bacon? Or don’t I want to know?
Also, while I do know some people who eat Weetbix with butter and Marmite (the Kiwi version of Vegemite, and we won’t get into any arguments about which tastes better, thank you very much), I don’t know anyone who’d eat Weetbix, Vegemite, and bacon at the same time. Well, I hope I don’t.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback has all the wit and sass of Love and Other Mistakes, plus a healthy dose of ‘Straya. The Australian setting means it also has ample opportunity to showcase the highs and lows, from brown snakes and early-morning avian wake-up calls to the beauty of the Outback and the Gold Coast beaches.
But there are some serious life lessons hidden in the banter. Both Sam and Kim have mistakes from their past they need to overcome, both for their own sakes and to draw them together as a couple. Jules (Sam’s sister) has her own issues with Mike, the guy she broke up with years ago because she wanted to stay on the farm and he wanted to move to the coast. It’s fun watching both couples fall apart, get together, and work through their issues. It’s also a reminder of the power of God … when we get out of His way.
Recommended for anyone looking for a fun romantic comedy in a unique setting.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.