Book Review - Daintree by Annie Seaton
If, like me, you romanticise about life away from the hustle and bustle then Daintree by Annie Seaton is a must read!
To Jem and Em. The couple most likely,
An advance reading copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher.
Have you ever thought about a sea change? Throwing it all in for a slower pace, quieter and more serine lifestyle? Do you ever wonder what life in a small country town in rural Australia would be like and what would you do to keep your self occupied?
If, like me, you romanticise about life away from the hustle and bustle then Daintree by Annie Seaton [F|W] is a must read!
Daintree is the stand alone second book in The Porter Sisters series, the first book Kakadu Sunset was published in 2015.
Daintree is about Doctor Emma Porter the middle Porter sister. She has been living a relatively quiet life in the tight-knit community of Dalrymple. Emma is a strong independent woman, who has had to make some hard choices in her life in oder to help her family and her mum following her fathers tragic death.
One of those sacrifices was when her life is suddenly turned upside down when she hears the news of her fathers passing she is forced to quit her study of Medicine in Sydney and abandon her then boyfriend without so much as a goodby.
Emma's quite life is turned on it's head when that same boyfriend (ex-boyfriend) takes a job at the local hospital where she works. Jeremy is desperate to escape his city life and the demons that haunt him in Sydney. He is hoping that he will find purpose in life once again, far away from all he knows.
Annie Seatons Daintree is full of heart, feelings and passion. Her vivid description of the Daintree rainforest has left me mesmerised and wanting to go north to experience the beauty in person.
The life's and dramas described in her story have only further fuelled my longing to pack it all up and move somewhere far way from the busy city. Although my choice of perfect country town will absolutely need to include a good coffee shop or perhaps I may move an open one - with an adjoining book shop, but I digress.
Before I get into the talk of love and romance, I want to congratulate Annie on writing a well rounded story. I was pleasantly surprised at how she weaved some very important and current topics so smoothly into the plot. Topics such as Aboriginal affairs and their connection with the land, native wild life and cultural beliefs. Then we dive into the all so dark reality of wild life exploitation and smuggling, the impact this is having on our flora and fauna. Finally I absolutely love the way rural medicine is covered, the lack of it and the harsh reality of a deficit in skills in these areas.
I mean they were setting up a clinic in a local pub! Most people attended the clinic to have a talk with the Doctor, this got me thinking about mental health issues of people who live in remote areas of Australia.
And now finally to the juicy love story, so let me start by telling you I LOVE Dr Jeremy Langford!
Jeremy. Jem. The first, and if she was truly honest, only love of her life
Jeremy was really well rounded as far as male fictional character go. He was a strong, companionate, wound-able and most importantly emotionally mature.
I loved the fact that he knew what he wanted and just went for it. He knew he wanted Emma back, he knew her character and he was determined to get her.
Most romance novels write about alpha male behaviour which in turn means they want the power in the relationship but they are all very emotionally immature. Well Jeremy has restored my faith in fictional men!
Emma was my kind of girl. If she were real I'd be on a plain to Dalrymple today asking her to be my best friend!
Independent, go -getter, perfectionist and ready to handle what ever life throws her way. Ok she was a little bit naive when it comes to men and relationships, but I forgive her! We aren't all perfect after all ;)
The relationship building between the two main characters was great, with just enough secrets, lust, intrigue and angst. After all, who said that the only angst between two characters had to come from the back and forward between their immature relationship assumptions?
The Daintree is one of the oldest rainforests in the world and places of exquisite beauty. It is home to some amazing natural phenomena like Hope's cycled, a relic from the age of the dinosaurs and probably the first plant on the planet to incorporate an animal into its reproduction process.
Published by: Pan Macmillan Australia
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