Loved this story, set in the outback of Australia; a single widowed father of 3 needs help with his children and a leg up on his family farm and a former high fashion model returns home to her family farm to live her dream- becoming a primary school teacher.
Jemima is sick of being a model. Starting right out of high school, she invested wisely and was also going to school at the same time knowing at some point she quit and follow her real dream, to become a school teacher back home in her tiny town in the outback. When the call comes from her Gran that she and all her siblings are to come home, she's only too happy. Gran has a plan, She and Grandpa want to retire and travel and want the kids home to live on the farm to see if they could live the farm life and keep it going. Her brother Liam came home too, a journalist in London and found not only farm life agreed with him, but reunited with his past love Angie a Vet in town. Cousin Lucy came back to stay, married a local boy and proud mom of an infant boy. They're a close knit bunch. Jemmy's dream is to teach and when she gets a letter to interview she's over the top happy.
Ned is a widowed father of three moving back to the farm with his young brood hoping to make a go of farming and raising his young children in the town he grew up in. His wife died a couple years previous, he doesn't talk about it much and we see Ned take the kids to school on the first day of class the youngest not yet school age. That's where he runs into Jemmy who is there for her interview. He recognizes her because he was best friends with her brother Liam. Ned can hardly believe his eyes, Jemmy is a gorgeous creature.

Jemmy is worried, the week before her interview an article is run in the local paper about her being some high society model, traveling here and there and she's afraid it would ruin her chances at the job. When she gets the call from the school principle that she was passed over, she's heartbroken.
She wants to work with children, so at the library she sticks up a card with a job wanted as a Nanny when Ned's middle child sneaks in with her own card, she's looking for a Mummy. When she reads Jemmy's card she gets an idea. Meanwhile Ned can't get a loan at the bank because of some rural clause until the bank loan officer thinks Jemmy is with Ned and Wow, since they're getting married Ned could certainly have his loan! Wait WHAT?

That gets Ned's wheels turning, Jem has the savings to back up his loan, Jem has a better chance at a job proving she's in town to stay and Ned desperately needs help with the kids and the farm.
So Ned strikes up a contract and a business plan. They get married. Ned gets his loan, the children who she adores get a Mum and we get to watch poor Jem struggle in the kitchen. She has many assets but never inherited the cooking gene. She and Ned sleep together with a long row of pillows in between them. The story after their marriage spirals up and down little bit like a dirt devil that touches down they lifts back up into the air only to come back down again. That's Ned. He broke my heart. Thanks to Annie's wonderful writing I wanted to face palm the guy. Jemmy was so sweet and kind. Her confidence faltered so many times thanks to Ned and his whiplash like behavior. When Ned makes a life changing decision with his little pea brain, the result gave me heartburn. Too little too late Ned... or was it? Could you possibly fix this Ned? Can you admit how you feel Ned? Ned.

This is another great read from Annie, but I really liked this one. The plot may sound familiar but set in the outback and with these two characters along with the family, it's a great story and not like everything else you've read. Not by a long short. So do we give Ned the benefit of the doubt or has he sunk himself for the last time? read the book and find out, I promise you won't be disappointed!!


*I voluntarily reviewed this advanced copy and the above honest review and opinions are mine alone*

**arc from NetGalley and Entangled**

I appreciated the Glossary of Aussie Terms at the end of the book. Just wish it had been at the beginning so I could have read it before getting confused by some of the terms. So if you're not fluent in Aussie, take a peek at the end of the book before reading.

I received a copy of His Outback Nanny by Annie Seaton from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued by the summary and really wanted to like this novel, but the storyline could have been pulled together better and the characters developed better.