Jamie and Gemma meet in the Outback of Australia in the midst of mining for opals and hunting for natural treasures. Enjoyed the Australian setting and the interaction with between these characters.
Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

DNF’d at 18%

I leaped into this story with great anticipation. I loved the idea of a paleontologist and an opal miner on a treasure hunt and getting a second chance romance. And I have mixed feelings right now as I set the story aside.

First of all, I am not stopping do to writing style or poor writing. I am stopping because a story element emerged right away that is one that hits a hot button for me. We all have tropes and elements that do not work for us. One of mine is secret baby. I saw that there was a child when I read the blurb, but didn’t realize it was the hero’s child until I started reading so I didn’t intentionally grab a book I knew was not for me.

I read on long enough to find out if the heroine in question had a good reason for hiding a child from his father and grandfather. At first, I thought, yes, here it is, she didn’t know how to find him. But then no, she plans to fight him for the treasure and keep hidden that he has a son all the while playing ice queen hypocrite over whose motives are best for the treasure (she spouts it’s best for the world and the museum, but all the long it’s about her using the find to establish her credentials and get the job she wants) and blaming him entirely for the past which it is obvious in the first few pages that her own actions and choices were half to blame for the original break up and estrangement.

So, no, this one is not for me. It may very well be a fantastic read for those who do not have trouble with that particular trope, but for me I can’t get past hiding a child from his father and hiding the father (and grandfather in this case) from the child all because you’re still irked about a break up in the past that you are partly to blame for.

I rec’d this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of second chance love, a story that is set in the opal fields in outback Australia, where it is hot dusty and emotions can go either way when Palaeontologist Gemma Stephens and the handsome adventurer Jamie Coltrane meet again after seven years apart there is a lot of water under the bridge and secrets that have been kept, this one is a very up and hill journey to a well-deserved HEA.

Gemma has arrived in the small town of Rainbow Cliffs chasing a very rare opalized fossil that she desperately wants for the museum she works for this should get her the grant that she wants and set her up in her job so as she can care for her son Drew the little boy means so much to her. Gemma is now free of her cruel husband Roger (or is she) and is shocked when she runs into Jamie Coltrane the ex-love of her life who walked out on her years before oh but that spark is still there but Gemma has so much to come to terms with her life has changed over the years and so has she.

Jamie has a tendency to run when things get tough and he walked out on Gem years before to be with his father they now run the only motel in Rainbow cliffs and mine for opals and Jamie has hit the jackpot with his find and what he wants to do with the fossil is totally opposite to what Gemma wants and this is going to cause a few problems but that sensual pull that is still there they were so right together before can they be again?

Fate has bought them together but Jamie still has a temper and Gemma has lost a lot of her confidence over the years but can they overcome these issues with help from each other? It takes them both a bit to realize that neither of them had stopped loving each other and opening up about secrets is what they needed and they need each other and finding true love is so beautiful. This one is an adventure in true love a fabulous setting and a story that I recommend.

Sorry, the summary sounded interesting, but I just couldn't get into this book. DNF, I managed to get about halfway through before I gave up.

I really enjoyed this. First book for me by Marilyn Forsyth. I've been in outback Australia where they mine for opals and the description was spot on. Love the characters and the second chance at love after an abusive failed relationship. I really felt Gemmas emotions and feelings of lack of trust, self doubt and basically being scared to take another chance. I didn't want this to end.

a good read, I enjoyed this book

Falling in Love Again, Marilyn Forsyth

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, 

Well, I love a second chance romance and was really looking forward to this. sadly though it was an OK read, its wasn't the Gem I'd hoped for.....

Jamie, fiercely devoted to his dad, he feels he owes him so much. Its just been the two of them struggling through life for so long, and his dad's adorable but a bit of an adventurer, and Jamie's grown up moving from one scheme to the next.
He's at Uni/College when he meets and falls in love with Gem. then his dad comes up with a new moneymaking scheme and he's off again. Gem was devastated when he left, thought they were in for a happy ever after. 
I really liked Jamie, so loyal to his dad, hard working, loving and it was hard to see why he just left Gem, it seemed so out of character after the way they were together.
He's such a happy man, so close to his dad, respected by the others in his community, and he just seems to have a streak of fun and lighthearted-ness running through him - except when he doesn't, when he's challenged and then I found his readiness to settle everything with a fight a bit unnerving.
That's not a good move and happens more than once, made me feel that perhaps he could be a dangerous man, not the sunny guy he seems, and as a woman I'd be wary of someone so ready to use his fists. There are times here when its simply not necessary, unwarranted, he knows Gem doesn't like it but does it anyway.
#Redflag Its a big flaw but the only one I see in him and not one that's irredeemable, just a proceed with caution warning. 

Gem, well....I just didn't like her and that coloured the whole book for me.
She was pregnant when Jamie left, but he didn't know, and she didn't tell him. To be fair she was probably shocked having only just found out, but she soon took other roads, didn't attempt to find him and let him know, and that was unfair and manipulative of her I felt.
She continues in that streak when she meets Jamie. She's shocked to see him, but soon is being (IMO) very judgmental of him for wanting to make the most of his find. She has other plans for it, she calls him mercenary and yet she wants it so that she can secure a better position at work, so a little two faced of her. She takes - or at least thinks of and starts - other positions that add to that manipulative feeling I get from her.

The romance is OK, the setting a fun one, and some of the secondary characters interesting, but overall it was just an OK read for me, mainly as I didn't take to Gem, and found the hate to love part of the story too easily resolved.  

 Stars: 2.5 to 3. Its an OK read but not liking Gem really made it hard for me to root for the romance..

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers