Books I’m reading: Man Drought, Rachael Johns

Man Drought is the first Rachael Johns book that I’ve read and I have to be honest – I won it in a reader blog giveaway promotion.

That said, Rachael has a great name in Australian rural romance writing and I was very keen to see how she plots a book and pulls it all together from a craft perspective, as much as from that of a reader.

I enjoyed Man Drought. I particularly liked the concept and the start, about a woman’s change of direction after the death of her husband, to purchase a classic old Aussie pub in a remote rural town that is slowly dying as people move away for more opportunities in the city. This is a common problem right across Australia as drought (as in lack of rain, not men), jobs, education and services all pull younger people away from the country.

Imogen is a likeable heroine. Gibson isn’t so likeable (he’s so stubborn I wanted to slap him around a bit) but he’s hot and that works for me. There are some classic scenes that made me laugh, (usually to do with a vibrator), and it’s all good fun.

There was one line in particular that really resonated with me in this book, the first time Imogen and Gibson do the deed.

“Steady there,” he said into her ear before starting things
that didn’t steady her at all.

I thought this was a beautiful way of summing a mood in a love scene without getting into gory details…

Thanks Rachael, for choosing my entry to win your book!