Review: Romance and Mystery in the Australian Outback
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 14, 2014
“Under the Burning Sky” is a novella set in the Australian outback; its protagonist, a Marine named Ethan, has recently come back from Vietnam and has traveled to the Stoney Creek cattle station serve as a teacher the children living there. His attention is instantly captured by the beautiful Amarin, who is fiercely guarded by her mother and just as fiercely coveted by Ryder, who works at the cattle station. As Ethan and Amarin find themselves drawn to one another both on a physical and emotional level, it seems like one wants them to be together—and at the same time, a murder rocks the town.This novella is the first in a series, and it does an excellent job of developing characters so that you are invested in them, and building suspense so that you want to find out what happens next. Ethan’s character is set up immediately when, still in Chicago, he goes out of his way to stop a purse snatcher—as a hero, he’s strong and intelligent, attractive yet vulnerable in a new place all alone. Amarin is just as appealing; she’s headstrong and beautiful, and ready to grow up. Celia, her mother, lends a warm presence to the novel while Ryder is a menacing rival. The plot is well-paced, with the exotic (at least to me, since I’ve never been to Australia) location lending extra excitement to story.I would recommend “Under the Burning Sky” to readers who enjoy romance and mystery stories, especially when those stories are set in another era.