In turn-of-the-century Australia, Cole Sloan is using money he salvaged from a disaster at his sugar plantation to begin what he hopes will be a lucrative brokerage venture. Linnet Connolly, seeking both work and education, hopes to study music at the University of Adelaide. Linnet's sister, Samantha, finds much-needed employment using her clerical skills and remarkably good sense in Taste of Victory by author Sandy Dengler.

After reading this third book in the Australian Destiny series, I'll admit that even as I've enjoyed these historical ChristFic novels, I didn't have the best sense of "why" after I read the first two. They were two threads of events happening to two sets of loosely related characters, but I didn't have a firm overall takeaway after reading the books.

Interesting stories without memorable plots for me.

But as I read this third novel, I got more of an overarching sense of the series, more of a "why" coming together within the trail of events. Also, the diversity in this book includes not only Aborigines but a few Chinese immigrant characters, which I liked. Although the delivery of evangelistic/salvational content and Gospel-talk in this series hasn't been my thing, this novel was a 4-star read for me…until I saw what was coming toward the end.

*Spoiler-ish: I'm leaving out names and other specifics, but skip the next paragraph if you wish.*

While conversion may happen quickly, character is something you have to work on over time. In my view, you can't spend almost three whole novels' worth of years showing that you're such an outwardly good-looking but inwardly unscrupulous, untrustworthy, murderous rogue who'll selfishly do anyone dirty—anyone, even someone you claim to love—and then after a spiritual conversion toward the end of the third book, you're suddenly suitable marriage material for your upright love interest. The initial, glowing wonder of newfound faith doesn't complete or replace the nitty-gritty work to develop one's character for lasting change. It's far more compelling to me when one or both romantic parties get on-page time to grow away from their old selves, rather than rushing to nuptials within a chapter or two of a "come to Jesus" moment.

*End of spoiler-ish part.*

Even so, this author is a skilled writer, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she'll tie it all up in Book Four, the last of the series. ( )