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    A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
    A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
    A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
    Audiobook8 hours

    A Girl’s Guide to the Outback

    Written by Jessica Kate

    Narrated by Lauren Woodward

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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, 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
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateJan 28, 2020
    ISBN9780785229636
    A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
    Author

    Jessica Kate

    Australian author Jessica Kate writes inspirational romances with wit, sass, and grit. Jessica is a screenwriting groupie, cohost of the StoryNerds vlog and podcasts, and her favorite place to be—apart from Mum and Dad’s back deck—is a theme park. She has traveled North America and Australia, and samples her favorite pasta wherever she goes—but the best (so far) is still the place around the corner from her corporate day job as a training developer. She loves watching sitcoms with her housemates and being a leader in a new church plant. Visit her online at jessicakatewriting.com; Instagram: jessicakatewriting; Facebook: jessicakatewriting; Twitter: @JessicaKate05.      

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    Reviews for A Girl’s Guide to the Outback

    4/5

    38 ratings9 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the story, but the narration was a mess.
    • 5/5
      An exceptional book! I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between the characters, the wild setting, the witty banter and insights as well as the personal growth and struggles the characters experienced. Very well written and a true delight to read, one I definitely recommend!
    • 4/5
      Ms. Kate takes two minor characters from her first novel and moves the action to Australia. Sam has abandoned his youth ministry to help his family at home - but his annoying assistant follows him, hoping to get some help with that same ministry. The story line has some weird plot points - why is Kimberly working the farm? The exploration of why Sam runs from risk is an interesting one and while the ending was happy, it wasn't satisfying.
    • 5/5
      What a delight. With characters from her debut Love and Other Mistakes, Jessica Kate’s A Girl’s Guide to the Outback delivers an entertaining rom-com with plenty of heart and depth.Ministry leader Samuel Payton is passionate, charismatic, and a tad risk-averse. Co-worker Kimberly Foster has great, but expensive plans to expand the ministry, so naturally, she and Sam can’t help butting heads. He figures it is time for him to leave when he gets a call that his family could use his help in Australia—but Kim cannot let him go that easily.The story then follows the (mis)adventures of this pair—and another charming couple, too!—as they work through the predicaments before them (and the baggage holding them back). I enjoyed every word of their experience and definitely look forward to reading more from Jessica Kate. In the meantime, if you need a rom-com pick-me-up read (especially with Valentine’s Day this week), I highly recommend reading this one.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      I thought of this book as a Hallmark movie. Girl is desperate to get guy back to help her with her ministry plans. A sister is in dire need of someone to help save the family farm. Stuck in the middle of the two problems is guy who wants to help his family but is also too stubborn to help girl who wants him back in the states. Well that sums up what the book is about but wait. There is so much more to this little story. For the record, I love Hallmark movies.The author sets the majority of the story in Australia. I would love to go there and explore the land and listen to the accents of the people. We get a glimpse of life in Australia as Samuel goes home to try to help his sister keep the farm. His abrupt departure from the states has left a void in Kimberly’s plan. I loved getting to know the characters and see inside their heart. It was interesting to read the different words that are used by the Australians. They have funny sayings, but I’m sure they think we do as well.There are quite a few funny moments in the book as Kimberly tries to maneuver around the farm and get use to Australia. You can feel the tension between Kimberly and Sam. He didn’t want her to come at all and it will take a lot of work to gain his trust. Sometimes I thought Sam was being stubborn and perhaps he didn’t want to believe that Kimberly really has great ideas. Through trials and errors we see characters change , hearts softened and romance that is swoon worthy. I have not heard of this author before but now that I have; well let’s just say that she can write a story that stirs emotions like never before. I can’t forget to mention the faith element that is nicely scattered throughout the story.If I had to choose a favorite character it would be Sam. I just love his humble heart. He has no idea how passionate he is when he shares Jesus. People listen to him and he is able to reach people in the midst of their struggles. I have nothing but good things to say about a book that fascinated me, drew me into the story with vivid details and characters that I really liked. My advice is to get comfy, forget everything around you and get lost in a story that has all the makings for a good movie. Well done Jessica Tate. You have captured my attention with you charming characters, details of a place I want to visit and faith that fills the pages with hope.I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      A Girl's Guide to the Outback by Jessica Kate is a delightfully charming Christian romance.

      Kimberly Foster and Samuel "Sam" Payton always seem to be at odds. Kimberly is a business expert who is quite passionate about expanding the ministry Sam founded. Just as they clash over her latest business plan, Sam abruptly returns to Australia to work with his sister, Julia "Jules", on their family dairy farm. With their business on the verge of going under, Jules convinces Sam that Kimberly is the only person who can come up with a plan to save their dairy.  The scheme perfectly coincides with the news that the ministry is in danger of closing unless Kimberly can convince Sam to return and help find and train his replacement.  With the holidays approaching, Kimberly knows it is the perfect time to travel to Australia to devise a financial plan for the Payton family farm and ask Sam to return to America to help the ministry.  Will spending so much time in one another's company bring Kimberly and Sam closer?

      Kimberly is a headstrong and confident businesswoman who is completely devoted to the ministry. She is frustrated by Sam's cautious approach to running the business but she can usually persuade him to see things her way. But with an unexpected failure behind them, Kimberly knows Sam will be a tough sell with her newest venture. What she does not expect is for him to completely walk away from the ministry.  Kimberly is emotionally invested in the ministry and determined to not only keep their doors open but to expand in order to aid more people. So when Sam and Jules present their offer to her, Kimberly does not hesitate to travel to Australia.

      Sam does not have a theology background yet he is an immensely gifted pastor. He is genuine and sincere in his beliefs and his need to help others.  But, due to his past, Sam is reluctant to take chances. He is quick to shutdown Kimberly's latest efforts at the ministry and he is skeptical of asking her for  business advice for their family farm. But with the very real possibility of losing their family's legacy, Sam tries to be open-minded about Kimberly's business recommendation.

      Kimberly adjusts surprisingly well to life on the farm and she throws herself into helping Jules and Sam. She is also enjoying her unexpected friendship with Jules, who is struggling not only with the business but her continued feelings for former boyfriend, Mick Carrigan. Kimberly is also happy that her relationship with Sam turns less adversarial but she doubts their truce will hold indefinitely.  As she and Sam get to know each other outside of a business setting, they realize they harbor many misconceptions about one another.  And underneath their newfound friendship, Sam and Kimberly gradually become aware of a simmering attraction. Will their past issues prevent them from exploring their newfound feelings?

      A Girl's Guide to the Outback is an adorable novel with a beautifully developed cast of characters. Kimberly and Sam might come from different backgrounds but they both allow the wounds from their respective pasts guide their choices in the present. The spiritual messages are gently interwoven into the story in a natural, non-preachy manner and provide added depth to an already strong storyline. The Payton family farm is a wonderful setting that is vividly portrayed and easy to visualize. Jessica Kate brings this captivating novel to an emotional and heartwarming conclusion. A heartfelt and tender romance that I absolutely loved and highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      One thing I love about Rom-coms is they are fun and light. That's one of the things that sometimes bothers me too. But The Girl's Guide to the Outback doesn't only include lightness and humor, it also contains a meaningful vein of faith, trust, dealing with fear, and following God's path for our life.Another thing I enjoyed about this story, a huge part, was the Australian setting. It adds so much to the story and gave me a glimpse of a place I rarely visit in my readings. The language jargon was fun and the ambiance is a nice perk to the story.Characters are usually the strongest pull for me in a story. I love when I connect, root for, and sympathize with the main character. That was the case in this story, but it took me a little longer than I prefer to fully 'get' and have more concern than frustration for Kimberly. I was able to connect with Sam much sooner.This slow-burn romance is a mixture of sparring fun and uplifting change and put me through many emotions. I was most pleased with the thread of inspiration it instills.I received a complimentary copy of this book.
    • 4/5
      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.