Moving to this small town might just be a huge mistake.City girl Emma Johnson moves to Kurrajong Crossing determined to escape her troubled past and forge a bright future filled with new friendships, experiences, and even a pet cow. When the town starts a bet to see which of the many eligible bachelors around town will take her out first, she plays along. They’ll figure out soon enough that she … enough that she isn’t interested in romance or relationships. Not now, not ever.
Country vet and cattleman Gabe Jameson knows the gossip surrounding pretty newcomer Emma will taper off eventually. In the meantime, he’s willing to lend a hand and help with emergency repairs to her rickety old house. It’s not as if it’s a date, or that he wants it to turn into something more. Pretty women are trouble, and Emma is stunning. Besides, he’s sworn off love forever.
It seems they might have something in common after all…
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A short sweet rural romance.
City girl Emma Johnson has moved out to rural Kurrajong Crossing to find a simpler life from the craziness she has left behind in the city. Bad romance? Done and over. Hectic crazy life? Not an option any longer since simple life is what is needed to heal the body and soul. Living in a place with land around it and no one nearby? Check. Lifelong fear of cows? Working on that issue.
Dr. Gabe Jameson is the local vet and also a cattleman, plus a gentleman. He is willing to help out Emma with repairs on her older in need of love house and help her get over her fear of cows. A baby calf sometimes needs some special feeding and care and who better to help the calf than Emma?
Emma and Gabe are aware of the local betting pool on which local bachelor will get the first date with the beautiful new woman in the small town. New people in a small rural town, especially single women, are always the topic du jour for a bit. And the men in the local pub have set up a betting pool as too which of them will get the first date with Emma. The betters include the town flirt and one of the older bachelors in town. Gabe though is not a part of the betting pool. Emma hears about the betting pool and decides to help set the “boys” on their bums. She accepts a date from one of the older men in the pub who threw in his name just because. She definitely puts everyone on their bum with this move, including Gabe.
The relationship between Emma and Gabe builds from friendship to trust and love. It is a sweet story set in a rural Australian town and the characters in the town are a part of the story. It is the perfect escape from a hectic day at work or to relax into on a quiet lazy afternoon.
I have found myself liking each of the novels I read written by Dakota Harrison so I look forward to reading more of her writing in the future.
I did receive a copy of this novel in advance from Tule Publishing in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Emma has moved to Kurrajong Crossing for a new start in her life, finding a man is last on her list. With an abundance of single men in this town, that will be hard to do. Gabe, the town veterinarian is not interested in dating either. Both come into this relationship with baggage from previous relationships, but they can’t deny the sizzling chemistry between them.
This is a story full of family, friends and small town romance. Loved the dialogue between Emma and Gabe. Ralph the calf, added many chuckles. I’m so hoping Darby and Ryan will get their story. This is the second story in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
3.5
I enjoyed revisiting Kurrajong Crossing.
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book in the With Love From Kurrajong Crossing. I noticed there wasn’t much crossover from the first book so if you hadn’t read it you wouldn’t be lost. I found this to be a very entertaining read. The characters in this story were quite likable. Emma is a city girl who left her previous life to find a new place to live and new friends. Gabe has a veterinarian practice and he also works around his ranch. He was asked to help Emma with her house as it needed lots of repairs. His sister Darby comes to meet Emma and welcome her with a cake. They hit it off and she invites her to go with her and her sister in law Amy to another brother’s bar and restaurant. She doesn’t tell Emma that the brothers will be there too. Darby sees how Emma and Gabe act and plans to try and get them together.
Gabe is not interested in a relationship and neither is Emma. They both have a traumatic event with someone in their past that has made them think this way. The author doesn’t immediately reveal to us what has happened to either of them but let hit the tidbits slip. As this is a small town, the men are interested in a new lady who has moved to town. They put together a list with bets as to who will get a date with Emma first. Gabe, due to past issues with his ex, elected not to join the list. However, his best friends, both big flirts are on the list.
Darby and Emma become good friends and she includes her in lots of family gatherings. Her dad and Gabe keep helping Emma with projects at her home. Emma and Gabe decide to proceed with a friendship. Both realize they are interested in the other as more than friends but initially don’t pursue anything romantic. One of the women in town has had a crush on Gabe for years and doesn’t like that Emma has moved there. She tries to make her feel unwelcome at multiple times. Emma doesn’t realize just how pretty she is or that people like her. She does have some awkward and embarrassing moments as she gets to know her new town and it’s people.
I recommend this book as a nice romance with a happy ending. Some of what has happened to Emma and Gabe is tragic and is handled well by the author.
First let me say it is so great to get a wonderful series set in Australia so many authors even Australian authors only set their books in the USA and this is a wonderful series with many of the quirks that make Australia what it is. This is a free flowing fun romance that will have you engaged until you turn that last page
Emma has moved to Kurrajong Crossing to leave her past behind her She may be stunning physically but she is a sweet girl at heart When she hears the rumours of bets been placed on which local bachelor will snag her she just smiles to herself after all she is the one that knows she has no interest in romance. Gabe is the local part time vet and cattle farmer he forms a strong friendship with Emma but he knows it will never develop into more after all he has had his heart broken and doesn’t trust beautiful women he has sworn of romance But with a town playing matchmaker can they stay as just friends or will it become more between them You will have to read to see how this romance unfolds
The Talk Around Townis the second book in the With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing by Dakota Harrison. However, there is no need to fear if you haven’t read the first book. This story has very little dealings with that book except for a one-time sighting of those characters. It does seem as if this series is now going to focus on the Jameson family with Gabe being the first one to receive his story.
Emma Johnson has moved from Perth to the small town. She has a tragic mysterious past that is hinted at through out the story but is not revealed until the very end. Gabe has been burned by love so is wary of any woman. Together they have a push/pull relationship going on with family meddling as families will do.
The story is easy reading and held my interest for the most part. I will admit that the first book in the series was a more captivating read. I like the small town but thought that the bet was silly. I did have hope for the mean girl now woman who lives there stirring up unhappiness, perhaps to cover up her own unhappiness. Maybe she will by the end of the series.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed coming back to Karrajong Crossing to meet Emma & Gabe,love the outback. Loved how Gabe came and helped her fix up her place.I can’t for more books from this author,love her writing style.
‘The Talk Around Town‘ is the second title in the ‘With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing‘ series, and I’ll tell you quite frankly that it is for stories like this one that I am a committed Romance reader. Although I am a reader who “needs” to read series in order if that is not possible for you then there’s no need to worry about feeling lost at all for while being part of a series Emma and Gabe can stand on their own quite well.
Emma is the new city girl in town who is determined to give herself a fresh start with a new home, hopefully, new friends, and to leave the past behind and start anew. She is unassuming, kind, a woman who is real and has no true understanding or acceptance of just how truly stunning she is, physically. She’s not looking for romance, ever. Yet she’ll get wind of the bets going on in town, and smile with no intention of getting involved with their silliness.
Gabe also intends to remain single and has no desire to be added to that bet list. Yet, he’s often at Emma’s helping around the house as it really does need repairs and forming a solid friendship. It won’t take long before he begins to see Emma as the true gem that she is, risking his heart again is something he’s reluctant to do… but one small town full of matchmakers and one loving woman will eventually become too much to resist – even for this stubborn soul.
Without going into any real details, I can say that ‘The Talk Around Town‘ represents the type of stories that draw me in, and linger long after the last page is closed. The past for both Gabe and Emma is heartbreaking. I completely understood why neither ever wanted love to play a part in their lives. But sometimes love heals as well, and as friendship slowly turns to something more this couple will begin to think about taking risks again. We do not learn what has happened to them in the past quickly or in one information dump. No, hints, little bits, and pieces of the puzzle are slowly dropped over the course of their story. It’s more real, perhaps even more intense learning of things this way – it certainly broke my heart for them. The joy comes when they’ll allow love to find a way back in to their lives. I adored Gabe and Emma, their romance is one that I will be re-reading again.
This title releases on August 20, 2020.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Heartfelt and emotional
All Emma wanted to do was restart her life where no one knew her. The last thing she wanted was to date again. She didn’t want or need a man in her life. Men caused emotions that Emma wasn’t sure she ever wanted to deal with again.
Gabe is a beloved veterinarian in the small town of Kurrajong Crossing, where Emma has decided to relocate. Gabe also has a painful past that keeps him from dating. But when Gabe meets Emma, he can’t seem to get her out of his mind. When Emma and Gabe finally decide to date, the odds seem to be against them. But with a little trust and patience, they find happiness again.
This is a sweet story about starting over and learning to trust in love again. Gabe and Emma’s stories deeply touched me. With the situations they went through, I can see why they were afraid to fall in love again. I enjoyed the family and friendship aspects in the story along with a cute little calf that seemed to steal a few scenes and make me laugh.
Entertaining and delightful is the best way to describe this book. Sure there are tough underlying currents but also so much subtle humor to make the book so engaging.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is book two of the With Love From Kurrajong Crossing (don’t miss book one) I was given an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my review.
When Emma comes to her new town she lucks out and makes a new best friend Darby and Darby is the kind of friend every new girl in town should have. This book has the friendship, family, small town feel I love in a book it also has some OH NO moments, some sass some sizzle and the end left me wanting the next book, tantalized to see if Darby can turn womanizer Ryan into a one woman man and hopefully that will be in book three, oh ya I’m hooked on Dakota’s writing!