Caked In Dust (Elsie Creek Series, #3)

This is my first time reading something by Ms. Rowe and I very much enjoyed it. If you’ve never been to Australia and have an urge to go, this book will certainly take you there. Ms. Rowe’s vivid descriptions bring you right into the heart of Elsie Creek. Once you’re there, you won’t ever want to leave. This is a beautifully written story with a small town feel that will make you feel as if you are among friends. Jax and Lucy are a wonderful couple and you can tell they were made for each other. Well-developed characters, engaging storyline, make for the perfect “get-away” book from all the craziness going on these days. This was such a nice break from the every day chaos! I now have a new author to add to my favorites list. I will definitely be going back to find more books by Ms. Rowe to read. Thank you, Ms. Rowe, for such a delightful story!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Another Wonderful Trip to Elsie Creek

I think I read every book in the series, and I have to say that I enjoy every trip to Elsie Creek. Even the first line of the book made me smile because I remembered that water buffalo! What I like about this author and the series is that she makes it feel so real. I’ve never been to Australia, never been to the Outback, but I feel like she puts me there. I can see the sparseness of nature; I can sense its impact on the people of the story. She’s made secondary characters real as well, giving them personality and their own unique motivations. This book struck me as almost having a lackadaisical, easy quality, as if the author herself is very comfortable with this complex word she has created: the setting, the quirky townsfolk (and other town oddities, like the water buffalo and his little friend), and the new characters she’s going to spotlight. It makes for a perfect quarantine escape; just sit back and enjoy watching a delightful story unfold. Our hero and heroine do not get off on the best foot, but they ultimately decide to help each other with some very specific goals. But that time spent together, of course, has more of an effect than either would have imagined that first day. They have ups and downs, of course, but nothing harsh or out of character. Like the other books in the series, I found this to be a delightful read.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Lucy works in the pub, and also the tea house. She has a reputation for burning food. Jax comes to Elsie Creek to escape the city, and his demons there. They’re enemies, after Jax points out all that’s unsafe about the Tea House kitchen and she loses her job there. But she can’t stay mad forever. Before long, they’re frenemies. She’s the daughter of a station manager, and she’s going to help him learn what he needs to know about his property, and about running a farm. In return, he’ll film her YouTube cooking videos, promote her on social media, make sure she’s ready for the Billabong Barbie Bake-off, and teach her to drive so she can get her full license. She thinks he might be a good match for her best friend, Monet. Until he kisses her in the rain. Now they’re frenemies with benefits.

This is the fourth book I’ve read from this author, and the third in this series, and I do believe that I’m addicted to her writing. There are so many good things about this story, so many people to love, so many heart-warming events, so many beautiful back-stories. Of course, it just wouldn’t be Elsie Creek without Cecil and his hen, although the chook has taken quite a liking to both Jax and his washing machine. I fell in love with Jax. He’s quiet and brooding, tatted and sexy. He doesn’t give much personal information about his past, and there are hilarious stories in the rumor mill, most notably that he’s in the witness protection system, previously a hired killer for a drug dealer. The townspeople aren’t sure about his fancy truck, which they call a space ute, but Lucy nicknames Tonka Truck. I love the “question for question” game that Jax and Lucy play, learning about each other a little at a time. Lucy is so much more than she believes she is. She’s the eternal optimist, seeing the good in people, helping out when someone needs it, putting herself last. Her story about her attachment to all of her snow globes is endearing, as is his purchase of one of them. Samantha – omg – that was some schooling that she gave to the men about the history of Elsie Creek and the Tea House. I’m hoping that this is not the end of the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I loved this lengthy novel. The characters and storyline were great and well thought out and executed. I loved learning all of the slang and the lifestyle of the outback Australia. There were good life lessons in this book too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Yes thank you so much Mel A Rowe for writing this amazing series surrounding the township of Elsies Creek and all the inhabitants and newcomers.
It is a very special township with a rich history from when the township was build through the Second World War to now. The railway station and the Tea House right next to it plays a very big part in this story “Caked in dust”.
And let us not forget The water buffalo Cecil, the red chook who travels on his shoulder(who ends up falling in love with Jax our hero(but who wouldn’t) and follows him around like a dog) and the latest animal is introduced in this story( and that is all folks).

I truly loved this book and now I want to visit the outback and Elsies Creek and experience the atmosphere and history and fall in love hi hi. But alas it doesn’t exist in real life.

Lucy and Jax’s lovestory is epic.
Lucy is a very shy kitchenhand who dreams of becoming a cook and her own boss. But she first has to overcome her shyness and stage fright and gain a lot more self confidence so she can enter a cooking competition and win over her nemesis and prove to the townspeople that she can cook and not just burn everything.
Jax is a former firefighter, who moves to town to become a farmer without knowing anything about farming. He is very lonely and that is why he makes a deal with Lucy. If she helps him with introducing him to his land and help him get started then he will help her get over her shyness and stage fright, give her fire instruction lessons and help her win the competition.
Through all this they get to know a lot about each other, their childhoods and former lives and they connect in such an epic way.
There is also a very emotional subplot to the story about the homeless town drunk Hank who lives in one of the Billabongs on Jax’s land without him knowing about it.

You can read this book as a stand-alone but I will definitely recommend you read the whole series. You can’t help falling in love the township and all the people surrounding it. It is very emotional, funny, sweet and I most admit that I let a couple of tears slip a couple of times. I can definitely recommend this book and series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Do you fancy a trip to the Northern Territory of Australia, with no one being able to travel at the moment then this is the best way to go, a trip back to one of my favourite places Elsie Creek, and what a wonderful trip it was I didn’t want to leave and now I want to know how long before I can go back. I loved getting to know Lucy and Jax as they find love and happiness in this small town, but not before there are a few ups and downs along with the fun and laughter.

Lucy is shy and caring she goes out of her way to help anybody, she really wants to cook and be her own boss to run her place and that is what she is aiming for, working at the Tea Room in Elsie Creek, doing what she can for the stockman on train days, alas Lucy is known to burn a lot of what she cooks which gives her a reputation in the town. When the most handsome of men walks into The Tea Room and upends Lucy’s life and leaves her jobless.

Jax has arrived on the train to Elsie Creek fulfilling a promise he made with his brother, he is going to start a new life in this town, but first he must meet a person named Lucy and pick up the keys to his new property, and he walks into a disaster and a fire in the small kitchen of The Tea Room, there is a lot of yelling but Jax is drawn to this beautiful woman Lucy, he cannot help but be drawn to her, but they did not get off on the right foot.

It is not long before Lucy is helping Jax with his farm and Jax steps in to help Lucy with her cooking and her aim to win the annual Billabong Barbie Bake-Off is full steam ahead, they are sensually drawn together and Jax brings Lucy out of her shell as they open up to each other, but a big mishap draws them apart and Lucy continues on with her quest with the Billabong Barbie Bake-Off, and this had me laughing out loud, what a town event, the best.

This book is just awesome, beautiful, it is fun, witty, emotional there are so many laugh out loud moments, as shy beautiful Lucy and the gorgeous newcomer and ex-fireman Jax find their HEA it the best town, truly Jax and Lucy are made for each other I loved them both. I loved catching up with Cecil again I do love him and his chicken who makes life fun in this story and then there are the characters that we have made friends with from the previous books. Thank you MS Rowe for another fabulous book I do highly recommend this one, I was left one very happy reader, there were lots of happy tears, bring on the next one I say. #Escape2HEA

Loved the book, the story was well written and the characters were intriguing. Once I started I could not get enough, from the start till the end I was engrossed I was even on the edge of my seat with twists and turns, lust and raw passion, strength, happiness with a happily ever after. Do yourself a favor and buy the book you want be disappointed.
Thank you for allowing me to review your book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Caked in Dust was once again a fabulous read.
Mel A. Rowe’s writing style was captivating. I felt like I was right there in the billabong along with Lucy practicing her recepies. Or in the Tea House on a hot train day with the ladies sipping tea. Even on the sidelines during this crazy car race, throwing flour bombs on crazier-than-crazy racecars. Her writing is really authentic, her heart and roots are in the outback and her deep knowledge of the place and people shines through beautifully.

I liked Lucy’s quiet but strong character, her will to do everything she can to make others’ lives easier. The disrespectful manner she’s been treated by some irked me very much. I loved the way her parents proudly supported her and, as Lucy was thinking less of herself, how this proudness was a complete surprise. Through the challanges in this book she learned a lot about her self worth and used it to fulfill her dreams. All the way Lucy had her backbone and achieved her goals without ever trampling on other people, even though some of them really would have deserved it.
Upon arrival Jax stood out like a sore thumb with his shiny new car and mistery clung around him. He and Lucy became enemies at first sight. Later they made truce and became frenemies and then, the rest is history. I liked Jax too but Lucy was the real star of this show. Without her he couldn’t have survived a week in the outback.
Speaking of stars I shouldn’t be forgetting about Cecil the water buffalo and his crazy companion, the chook. I loved them!
There were some interesting secondary characters and historical/cultural references I also loved.
I can only recommend this read.

The third book in the Elsie Creek series a well written story with a great storyline, the story flowed smoothly across the pages. A story of a small town called Elsie Creek in Australia and the family and quirky friends there. Lucy and Jax’s story is one that kept me turning pages as these two find a way to be together. I enjoyed seeing more of Cecil, the water buffalo. I hope there is more to come in this series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Oodles of details of life in a lively Outback town

3.5-4stars
Following on from her two previous novels and novella about folks in fictional Elsie Creek, the author continues with this latest to build out a very lively, supportive and friendly small rural community and her descriptions of nature in the rural Northern Territory of Australia are really lovely. It’s very apparent that author Mel Rowe has a great affection for this rural way of life and its perks while not shying away from the dangers (especially of one rotten mango in the proverbial crate – in this case, Tea House Nancy).

The story started out a bit slow and picked up in the last third when Lucy hits her big crisis point after suffering some smaller ones along the way after buff, tatted, city firefighter Jax comes to town. Lucy’s big heart and her love for the local residents, human and animal alike, are evident from the first chapter. The romance builds gradually as frenemies Lucy and Jax get to know and support one another; newbie Jax learns the ropes of small-town life and homestead living and helps Lucy work through her fears to attain her dream. Actually, Lucy showing Jax the nitty gritty of using solar panels, generators, bores, etc. was TMI for this city girl reader! But it did give the couple a connection with Lucy in the competent, self-assured position she experienced so seldom elsewhere.

To me, as the author created more books in this series the side stories and ever-growing ranks of secondary characters have somewhat swamped the lead characters and their romance. There’s a heap of camaraderie and exploration of the town’s quirkiness, right down to the local water buffalo billboard and his aggressive chook (chicken) sidekick. They ARE a humorous pair and, with sad sculptor Hank, add some fun, some pathos to the plot. Still, I would have preferred a shorter story that was focused on fewer characters.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review and opinions expressed are completely my own.