A look at Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe...

Matilda Geoffrey left Australia for small town Wisconsin looking for the adventure of a lifetime and Barry, her internet love interest. Decked out in her Nanna’s bridal gown and towing a liquor laced wedding cake, things aren’t quite going to plan. First up, Barry doesn’t seem to exist. Nor does the business he encouraged her to invest in for their future together. Penniless and stranded on the other side of the world in a vintage wedding dress, Matilda has well and truly landed in it.

Marc Olsen is an uptight, well to do type making his fleeting yearly visit back home to hicksville. When he spies Matilda resplendent in her gown on a mostly empty Main Street he knows he shouldn’t get involved. But curiosity being what it is and this being a romance, well, our heroine needs a hero and he’s it.

They’re an unlikely couple with the sassy, upbeat and very Australian Matilda telling it like it is. Don’t you love a strong outspoken heroine who deals with whatever life throws at her? Marc is a handsome sports car driving designer dud wearing dude in need of more in his life than a platinum credit card and a flashy flat back in New York. And while we’ve seen his type many a time before Ms Lowe gives us real substance in our hero. He’s a man who had to make sacrifices early on and this gives him layers. There’s nothing 2D about this character. His fears of being once more irreparably tied to his family and the poky small town are more than legitimate. Plus, he has a sense of humour. God love a man with a sense of humour and a woman who knows what to do with him when the time comes. Our hero’s intensity and RAWR’ness (yes, it is a word, the dictionary is wrong) are a real treat, along with the more lighthearted moments.

But you know what’s awesome about this book apart from the fact that it’s wonderfully well written by an Australian Woman Writer? Even beside the fact that it just won the 2012 RITA for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance? The secondary characters and their own stories, in particularly Mark’s sister Lori. I’m not going to go into it more than that except to say, bravo, Ms Lowe. Actually, I’ll throw in fantastic and exceptionally well handled as well. And also, it really gave me pause and made me think. I hope every woman reads Boomerang Bride for this very reason. The reason I’m not going into Lori’s story is because I’m a teasy thing. But do read it and let me know you think.

Boomerang Bride can be bought here…http://www.fionalowe.com/

This has been another Australian Women Writers 2012 Challenge Review. Please bang on the button to your right to learn more about this most excellent endeavour.