Interesting tale of WW2 era sheep station in rural NSW. Impact of interned Italians as labour on the farm and attitudes to those and to aborigines and women in that era. ( )

You could be forgiven for thinking that The Woolgrower's Companion would be what I call a 'Mammy's book' from looking at the cover but it has so much depth and emotion that it is far from the family saga I was initially expecting. Each chapter starts with an extract from a sheep farmer's manual published in 1906: The Woolgrower's Companion; this is so authentic that I thought it was a real book and I was astonished to find that it was Joy Rhoades' very own creation.

The story revolves around Kate: a woman in a man's world. As her father becomes more and more incapable of running the farm, the responsibility falls to Kate but a lot of the men aren't willing to work for a sheila. Some men don't have any choice, as they are Italian prisoners of war and have been shipped to Australia to work on the land until the war is over.

Unbeknown to Kate, her father has been running up debts with local traders and more importantly with the bank. Now the bank are knocking at the door and demanding their money back. Kate sells what little items of value that she has but she still falls short; there's only one thing of value left, a rare yellow sapphire, but Kate's father doesn't know where he has hidden it. With time running out, Kate is set to lose more than the farm as she finds herself getting closer to Luca, one of the POWs. With a husband she barely knows away at war, Kate could easily lose her heart to Luca if she's not careful.

This book is so beautifully written that it creeps into your heart so slowly at first but it very quickly takes root, culminating in an emotional explosion as events around Kate unfold. I found the plight of the aborigines very moving and it's something I haven't thought about before but the way they were treated is shocking, after all, Australia was their country first. I absolutely love learning something whilst I am reading fiction books and I found it fascinating that so many Italian prisoners of war were sent to Australia. I suppose returning home after the war must have been daunting for the Italian soldiers, with many having no families left, so some Australians sponsored the Italians to return; it's so lovely to think that those who were once enemies became friends.

What an exceptional debut from Joy Rhoades and an absolute joy to read. The Woolgrower's Companion is a beautiful, authentic and multi-faceted historical novel that has more depth than the Pacific Ocean. I am delighted that this is only the beginning of Kate's story and I am already looking forward to the sequel.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

In 1945, Kate Dowd is living a sheltered life on her father's sheep property in New South Wales, behaving like a lady and waiting for her husband to come home when the war ends. But change is coming. Firstly, in the form of two Italian POWs, Vittorio and the handsome Luca, who are sent to work on the property, and secondly in Kate herself, who fears for her father's sanity and the dark secrets he holds.

The story grew with Kate for me - with every trial and shocking discovery, she grew out of her timid, passive shell and became a strong woman - and I loved every small triumph, from finding the missing treasure to keeping Daisy at home. The romance with Luca was a bit predictable, and her future with Jack was left hanging, but I loved all of the characters on the property, from Daisy to old soul Harry. Also, I'm only starting to learn how Aboriginal Australians were treated by white settlers historically - and by historically, I mean well into the twentieth century and possibly beyond - and I can't believe what I'm reading. Biracial, or Aboriginal babies who passed for white, were taken off their mothers and adopted out, for instance. Incredible.

A pleasant, slightly romantic story set in the outback, where everything turns out right in the end - with bonus recipes (I copied the Anzac bikkies)! ( )