Fiona Palmer

The Sunburnt Country is Fiona Palmer’s fourth engaging novel set in the regional area of her home state, Western Australia. In a small country town where the residents are struggling to survive the drought, bankers are the enemy.

Jonelle Baxter dreads having to meet with the new Bundara bank manager, her mechanical repair business is not in good financial shape despite keeping her as busy as ever and she is risking bankruptcy by falling behind in her loan repayments. She doesn’t expect to show more be attracted to the suited city boy who threatens everything she loves.
Daniel Tyler is in town to do a job, he has two months to tie up loose ends before the permanent bank manager will arrive and then he can return to his comfortable city life and a significant promotion. He doesn’t expect to find a home in Bundara… or love with the town’s only mechanic.

I found Jonelle aka “Jonny” a very likable character (though not her name so much). As a mechanic with a love of dirt car racing and a Torana her most prized, she is a little different to most romantic heroines, though definitely a tomboy she is still feminine. Her loyalty to her family, friends and community is her best trait. She risks her own business, accepting barter and delayed payment, in order to support those doing it tough and serves as an volunteer rescue crew member. She is close with her family which includes brother Zach and best friend Nae (Renee,) who provide a secondary romantic subplot and when childhood friend Ryan falls apart, she doesn’t hesitate to do all she can to help him get back on his feet.

Jonny’s close family and friendships contrast with Daniel’s lack of genuine relationships. His relationship with his father is complicated by the man’s narrow focus on work and his estrangement from his mother and younger brother after his parent’s divorce. Daniel is still very much in his father’s shadow but his time in Bundara gives him a fresh perspective. I liked the way in which Palmer developed Daniel’s character, though as a hero he was perhaps a little too passive for my tastes.

The romance between Jonelle and Daniel is fairly low key, developing naturally and pleasingly not beset by simple misunderstandings. There are good reasons for their wariness with each other – Jonelle will never leave Bundara while Daniel has a life in the city to return to. Though the romance is a feature of the novel, I really like that the author doesn’t rely on their relationship to promote personal growth for each of her characters. The decisions both Jonelle and Daniel make are about their individual needs, not the romance between them.

Fiona Palmer authentically captures the spirit of a community doing it tough, waiting for the rain, and I really liked the way in which she showed how the effects of the drought affect not only the farmers, but the town as a whole. She also touches on the issues of depression and suicide as Ryan struggles to deal with the end of his marriage and his failing farm.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sunburnt Country, just as in The Road Home, Palmer’s own passion for the land bleeds into the story, her scenes are vivid and genuine, just as her characters are. This is another Australian rural fiction title I am happy recommend. show less

Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ has been the subject of numerous retellings, especially of late, and to be honest, I was a little hesitant about selecting this for review. As it happens, my doubts were unfounded, Matters of the Heart by Fiona Palmer is a charming, delightful and thoroughly enjoyable adaption of the classic romance novel.

The story of Matters of the Heart doesn’t stray far from the original plot of ‘Pride and Prejudice, but it is effectively translated into a show more modern tale, exploring the themes of love, family, class prejudice, gender and of course, pride, in an Australian rural setting.

Palmer deftly reimagines the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice, with the story focusing on Lizzy, the second oldest daughter of the Bennet family. Spirited, smart and passionate about working on the land, she is determined to ensure the success of their sheep farm, Longbourn.

The author introduces Will Darcy as the best friend of new neighbouring property owner, Charles Bingley. While Charlie and Lizzy’s older sister, Jane, hit it off immediately, Lizzy is less impressed with the wealthy Will, especially when she inadvertently overhears him make unflattering remarks about Longbourn’s viability under a woman’s (her) management.

Their relationship is beset by obstacles, not the least their poor first impressions of one another. Lizzy pegs Will as a snob, and he fails to give her the respect she is due.

Present also in the story are versions of Charlotte, as Lizzy’s best friend, Lizzy’s awkward suitor (Ken) Collins, and (Luke) Wickham, a charming rodeo rider who stirs up trouble, among others, including all of the Bennet sisters.

Crafted with wit, warmth and heart, even if you have never read, or watched, Pride and Prejudice, Matters of the Heart is an entertaining rural romance novel in its own right. I loved it. show less

I would have written this review as soon as I finished reading, but it was near midnight when I finished this lovely story of three women on the land! I don’t think my thoughts would have been coherent at this stage, so hopefully my ‘morning after’ thoughts will encourage you to read this novel by Fiona Palmer, which takes a forgotten part of Western Australia history and weaves it into a spellbinding narrative.

The story is already close to my heart because of its setting – a farm, show more Sunnyvale, near Pingaring, a tiny town in country Western Australia. It’s not far from where my godmother grew up and where my grandparents lived many years ago. Being a proud West Aussie, I’m always on the lookout for great W.A. stories – how could I have missed Fiona Palmer’s books before? Sunnyvale is home to three generations of Stewart women – the matriarch Maggie, her daughter Toni and granddaughter Flick. All work hard on the farm, from feeding the shearers (this brought back stories of my mum talking about how my Nan made cakes/biscuits/slices for smoko) to organising the sheep for shearing. It’s a busy life that doesn’t really allow for interruptions. Flick is content to work on the farm forever, but Toni wants her to see some of the world. When Flick finds letters in the old homestead addressed to Maggie, Toni gets her wish – but not as she thought it would happen. The letters are from Rocco, a former Italian prisoner of war who was based at Sunnyvale during World War II, to Maggie. The letters are unopened, but their finding reveals a secret buried deep in Maggie’s fast. Suddenly life at Sunnyvale is turned upside down, and Flick and Toni make the journey to Italy to search for Rocco. Will the Sunnyvale women be able to make sense of the new revelations in their lives and open themselves to love?

I really enjoyed this book to the point where I was disappointed that an appointment I had didn’t run later (hence the reading late into the night). Fiona Palmer writes the West Australian farming setting perfectly, which set off my own set of reminisces about my childhood holidays on the farm. You can see the crops growing, hear the sheep baa-ing and feel the heat coming up through the red dust as you read. When the action moves to Italy, it’s as if another world had opened up to me – I could picture the gorgeous vistas, taste the fresh pasta with truffle and see the handsome young men walking around towns bathed in history. This brings me to the character of Stefano, who Toni and Flick meet in Italy. He’s gorgeous, both inside and out. He’s a worthy hero to feisty, independent Flick and calms down her eagerness to do everything right here, right now. When Stefano entered the narrative, I fell in love. The Italian section of the novel was very well done and the icing on the cake was when Fiona told the tale of her own research into Italy for this book. Truly enchanting!

Another thing I enjoyed about The Sunnyvale Girls was the chapters that went back in time to Maggie’s youth while Rocco and Giulio were working on the farm. It was a great insight into the past and not one that is often talked about generally. It was interesting that people had stories to tell about the Italian POWs at the talk I went to, which was fascinating. We need to talk about this more before it’s too late! The reaction of Maggie’s mother to the POWs was jarring in contrast with the more tolerant attitude to different nationalities today and what she did to Maggie? Unspeakable. I’m surprised that Maggie wasn’t angrier. However, Maggie does get her happy ending. Toni does too – it’s lovely to see women of all ages represented equally in this book, making it appealing to all generations of women in your family.

In summary, The Sunnyvale Girls is a wonderfully authentic read that celebrates family, love and history in an exceptionally well-rendered setting.

Thank you to Penguin Australia and The Reading Room for the ARC. Thank you to Fiona Palmer for sharing with a number of readers about the research that went into this book.

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The Saddler Boys is another delightfully engaging rural romance from Australian author Fiona Palmer.

Natalie Wright is excited about taking up her first teaching position in the remote farming community of Lake Biddy, and is determined to make the most of a years freedom from her parent's expectations. Welcomed by the locals despite her city ways Nat quickly falls in love with Lake Biddy and her adorable young charges, particularly shy and sweet Billy Saddler.

The development of the show more relationship between Natalie and single dad Drew Saddler is charming. It begins as a friendship sparked by Billy's admiration for Nat, and her interest in understanding what farming entails but the attraction between the two is quickly evident, even as they both try to deny it. The relationship is of course complicated by Natalie's engagement to Gary, whose character contrasts sharply with Drew's.

Additional drama develops as the government announces its intention to shut down Lake Biddy primary school, Billy's mother, who abandoned him as a newborn reappears demanding contact with her son, and Gary grows increasingly impatient with Natalie's desire for independence. These subplots all add a frisson of tension to the story, and depth by touching on topical issues such as regional school closures, drug abuse, and domestic violence.

While I really liked the wonderful characterisations of Natalie, Drew and Billy, I also loved the authentic feeling of community Palmer evokes in The Saddler Boys as the residents rally against the school closure and attend the raucous P&C fundraisers. She captures the generosity of country neighbours as Doris drops off Tupperware containers full of food, and friends trade babysitting duties during harvest and seeding.

Written with warmth, humour and spirit, The Saddler Boys is an lovely read about belonging, family, and love. show less