A Girls Guide to the Outback was delightfully entertaining. Jessica Kate wrote a tale of hurt, love, heartbreak and hope in the relationship between Kimberly and Sam.

At odds with each other, Kimberly Foster sets out to try to woo Sam Payton back to the Wildfire ministry that he started. Emotions run rapid with each one having insecurities that the other doesn't see. But as the walls break down, they become friends, and try to work as a team. Kimberly working to save the Payton farm and Sam trying to overcome his dyslexia.

An enjoyable book, from beginning to end.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Net Galley and the publisher. All views expressed are my honest opinion

I typically do not read Christian romance novels but this book was so cute! Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book as an e-ARC.

I have never read Christian romance novels before and I'm glad NetGalley provided this to me - it was such an enjoyable rom-com from start to finish!

With great plot development and wonderful characters, this had adorable and hilarious moments in equal measure, as well as lovely heartwarming moments.

Thanks NetGalley and Jessica Kate for a fab book!

I am addicted to Christian romances and I love it when the author is not overly controlling the love story and shows that God has a beautiful purpose for each one of us.


Kimberly and Samuel have been working together for a while and there is a certain animosity between them and when her insistence to expand the youth center where they work, encounters his reluctance to take risks, he decides it's time to go back to Australia and help taking care of the family farm that is in serious financial difficulties.


Although the story focuses well on the insecurities of each protagonist, the writer also gives a certain emphasis to the behavior of Samuel's sister, Jules, and I loved to follow the journey and the evolution of all these characters.

4/5 stars

DELIGHTFUL!

Jessica Kate is quickly becoming one of my favorite new young authors! Her latest release, A GIRL’S GUIDE TO THE OUTBACK, is my kind of book! The two main characters Kimberly Foster & Samuel Payton are easy to grow to love and you’ll quickly want to know more of their story. **Part of their introduction is told in Kate’s first book LOVE AND OTHER MISTAKES.**

Although Sam is Australian, he’s been working with WILDFIRE, an organization that provides opportunities for students to hear the Gospel and then get involved in some type of small group to help them continue to grow. Kim is the behind-the-scenes girl who makes sure everything runs smoothly so all Sam has to do is speak to the people the Message of Life! You’d think it would make for a beautiful relationship, right? Not so much! Why? Well, there’s her secret crush on him, his total insecurities about every single thing about himself, the struggling ministry, the guilt of him feeling needed at home and him always seeming as though Kim is on his last nerve.

Sam heads back to Australia to work on his family’s farm, causing the ministry to nose dive. The governing board decides the best idea is to send Kim over to come up with a Master Money Plan to save the Family Farm in exchange for Sam coming back to the ministry to find and/or train his replacement. What ensues is one of the most entertaining and endearing books I’ve read in a long time! Kim is used to an office, not out mucking a cattle stall or hooking a cow up to a milking machine! Readers will find many moments of pure hilarity but the two characters also come to understand and appreciate each other in all manner of new ways. There are also moments of great inspiration as well.

While going about their chores, Sam and Kim had been asking each other the question, “What would you do if you could do anything?” Sam’s response, “Mine’s what you’d expect. Preaching or talking to the kids one on one. Getting to articulate the ultimate truths of the universe and put them into people’s brains. Nothing better.”

Kim was quick to reinforce his gift set. “I don’t think you realize how good you are at it...Talking to people the way you do. When you listen to someone, it’s like you forget the rest of world and they’re the most fascinating thing in the universe to you. That’s why the kids love you so much.” She continued, “You don’t know how much it means for someone who doesn’t have anyone in their corner to really be listened to. It changes everything.”

That really spoke to me as I have been involved in some type of youth ministry for 44 years. I could relate to so much of the lives of these characters and the entire storyline.

This is a fun rom-com from Jessica Kate, and follows two of the characters from her earlier novel 'Love and Other Mistakes'.

Samuel Payton, the talented youth worker from Wildfire Ministries, has returned to the family farm in Australia to help his sister Jules who is struggling to keep things running on her own since their father's death. If things don't improve, they could lose the farm. Jules convinces Sam to enlist the help of Kimberley, his American work colleague from Wildfire Ministries. Although Kim and Sam often clashed, Sam can't deny that she is brilliant at business. Meanwhile, things haven't been going well for Wildfire Ministries since Sam left. Kim agrees to come to Australia for four weeks and help Sam, if he agrees to at least come back and help train a suitable replacement so that Wildfire Ministries doesn't close. Though Kim's greater desire is that she'll be able to convince Sam to come back full-time.

There is the inevitable clash at first, but this is a rom-com so you know it won't be long before he's noticing how attractive she is and she's noticing those muscles sticking out from behind his blue singlet. However, there are also some deeper issues, as both have to confront their past, their fears, and issues of Christian faith. There's also a nice secondary plotline with Jules and her ex-boyfriend Mick. That man is a saint!

The writing is really good, with lots of great lines and fun metaphors and imagery. I also loved the Aussie flavour, but it's written in such a way that those in other countries get the meaning (as seen through American Kim's eyes). It's also a clean romance, though pulses do get racing at various points!

Although this is a sequel to 'Love and Other Mistakes', there's enough backstory that it can be read as a stand-alone. It's often tricky for a new author to follow up a debut novel, but Jessica had done a great job. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first.

If you like rom-coms with an Aussie twist and some deeper issues of faith, there's a lot to enjoy in this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get into this book. The writing style was different and nothing got me hooked. I tried several times but wasn't a fan.

I struggled to connect with the story and the readers. Not really my taste. I do appreciate you giving me the opportunity to read it.

The writing style was strange ... Not bad but not super either ...
I was really confused while reading this story ...
Had a long time until I got used to the style , But unfortunately I couldn't connect with the story or the characters

I love when a book takes me on an adventure outside of the USA. I was drawn to this book because of the cover and that rarely happens.
I dream of going to Australia someday and this book gives me a Great description of what to expect.
I love this funny romantic comedy. It made me laugh more than once and a lot of books don’t do that. The characters were so great. I want to read of them again.
I haven’t read anything by this author before but this won’t be my last one.
Loved it!
Thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy. This is my own Opinion

When I received this novel, I didn't know that it was a sequel. It isn't listed as so, therefore, I had no clue. I read this book really with no problem, but after reading the first book, Love and Other Mistakes, I really understand the characters more than I did before and can give a true review on A Girl's Guide to the Outback.

The first thing I really enjoyed about this novel was the humor. Even through this is classified as a "Christian romance", I thought there were a lot of good moments that I didn't expect. There are some parts that are genuinely funny, but others that are so awkward that you can't help but giggle at the weirdness of it.

The characters were straight up damaged. I loved learning about Sam and Kimberly. I read their stories and I found it really interesting. They developed so well through this novel that by the end, I was really rooting for whatever outcome I was bound to get. 

Learning about Australia was such an amazing part of this story. I've never traveled outside of the United States and I feel like I had been to Australia after reading this book. It was very detailed and I got to really see how Australians act and talk. I didn't think it was too over-the-top like some books with a foreign setting.

Overall, I think that Jessica Kate did a fantastic job with this one. I loved learning about the characters and how they work, by themselves and together. I am definitely giving her other novels a try!

Crickey, this was a good read! Not only did I love that it was set in my part of the world, but the characters in this story were somehow irresistibly vibrant and wonderfully down-to-earth at the same time. The air around Kimberly and Sam positively crackled, at first from the genuine discord between them, but then transforming—along with their growing understanding of each other—into a delicious current of attraction and affection. And Sam’s sister Jules (whose story is an integral part of the plot) provided some sparks of her own. Loved seeing a female character with her grit and determination.

The transformation of Kimberly and Sam’s relationship was one of my favourite aspects of this story, partly because it felt so organic (I LOVED the scene where Sam realised how completely he had misjudged Kimberly) but also because the transformation didn’t change the underlying tension between them. Kimberly’s business savvy and her desire to excel and prove herself were fundamentally at odds with Sam’s poor view of his own intelligence (he’s had a life-long struggle with dyslexia) and his fear of repeating previous mistakes. If anything, their growing attraction actually heightened the tension precisely because it was clear that these insecurities would eventually bring them into opposition again.

As for the rest of the story, there’s the same combination of wit, sass, and occasional situational humour that I loved in her first book, although I feel as though Kate is carving a niche that sits a little to the side of conventional rom-com in the way she integrates a more serious element in her stories. And anyone who wants to get a bit of a feel for the Aussie landscape and culture will revel like a wombat in a dust bath. It’s there in the setting, in the descriptions, and, of course, in the dialogue, along with handy and well-integrated (for the most part*) translations for non-US readers.

Definitely a top pick for contemporary romance lovers!

*(I occasionally felt as though the context provided enough meaning for the reader without asides like “or X, as Kimberly would call it” being required. We are living in the age of Google, after all! And yes, that may seem easy for me to say as an Australian reader, but I can assure you I’ve done the same thing many a time as I read US-based fiction!)

I LOVED Jessica’s first book, it was by far one of my favorite reads of 2019 so I was very excited to see this book come out based off characters in the first book.

This book can definitely be read without reading the first one.

I was nice to get to know Kim and Sam. We get a good introduction to Sam in the first book but now we get to learn more about him. In the previous book I wasn’t a big Kim fan so this read was good in that it made her more likeable.

Traveling to Australia was also a lot of fun and this is where we see Sam and Kim’s true colors and they begin to fall for each other. The tension Jessica developed between these two characters was well crafted.

I also enjoyed getting to know Jules, Sam’s sister. She is a spitfire.

Another great book by Jessica.


A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my

I loved this book! Contemporary romance with humor is my absolute favorite and this book had it in spades! From the very first sentence I was grinning like a fool and it didn’t stop the whole time I was reading! Often it actually made me laugh out loud! But it wasn’t all humor, this book has a lot of heart to it as well and I really resonated with some of the lesson the characters had to learn!
At first glance Kimberly and Sam are too opposite to work together (and believe me it’s hilarious) but I loved watching them discover how well the actually complimented each other and balanced one another out! Kimberly had the vision and plans and Sam had the heart and they really just made a perfect team. It was so fun to see them move from constantly frustrating each other to cautiously working together, to realizing that they were made for each other!
I also absolutely loved the secondary story between Jules and Mick! Their story was sweet and I really enjoyed seeing them find their way back to each other!
It was really fun to have the story set in rural Australia and I loved all the Aussie stuff and lingo that was in it! And the farm life was really well-written giving the reader an extremely clear picture of how it was run without ever leaving me feeling bogged down by the details!
In short this book was amazing and it may have been my first Jessica Kate but it for sure won’t be my last!

Welcome to the Land Down Under. Books are a fun way to travel the world and this one will take you on an adventure of a lifetime to the Australian Outback, home of kangaroos, koalas, deadly brown snakes… wait, what!!
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is a rom com, but that doesn’t mean that it lacks depth. While humorous, the novel still delves into some personal struggles that will break your heart and make you pull for that characters as they strive to make their dreams come true. You get two romances for the price of one!
The most enjoyable part of this book for me was learning the Aussie vernacular. It’s so interesting to see the differences between American English and Australian English. We supposedly speak the same language, but in reality, we don’t! Honestly, I’m still laughing about “trakkie daks.” If you want to know the American translation, you’ll have to look it up or better yet, read the book!
In the beginning of the story there are a few times when Kimberly, an American, uses a word or phrase that felt more Australian. I’ve never heard an American use the word, “backflipping,” to mean “changing one’s mind or opinion.” The author is an Australian, so I say she did a fantastic job otherwise in creating an American character.
I was frustrated by the character of Sam. He’s supposed to be a youth pastor and yet, we see him swear several times through-out the book. I expected better from a preacher. However, I loved how the character’s disability plays into the story and gives depth to Sam’s personal struggles. When his dyslexia caused a very expensive mistake, my heart broke for him. I cried!
Words like “sexy” and “hot” are used, and there is one case where Sam is trying not to think about whether Kimberly has clothes on under her robe. There is some focus on their physical bodies and how that makes them feel towards each other.
Overall, it was a fun book and I recommend it for anyone who likes contemporary romances. Readers of Bethany Turner and Denise Hunter will find this book right up their alley. I don’t recommend this book for anyone under 16.

A Girl’s Guide to the Outback is a humorous “armchair adventure” romance that simultaneously initiates the reader (and heroine Kimberly) in Aussie culture AND shares a story of belonging and purpose. Sam and Kimberly also have All. The. Sparks. and chemistry in their love/hate-romantic relationship. It was just so FUN to see their banter and friendship transforming.

Jessica Kate’s sense of humor shines through in her writing. (If you follow her on any of her social media platforms or podcast, you will find this to be true!) The witty humor and all the pop culture things are interspersed with a serious message of courage and faith. Courage to take risks in many ways, like whether to be vulnerable to heartache or love or to trust God to carry you through your failures. These lessons come along naturally with the story as Kim, Sam, and Jules work (and play) together, argue once or twenty times, and find out what happiness looks like on the other side of trials.

As a reader, I can see Kate’s passion for her culture clearly shining through. Jessica Kate has infused this story with her own personal farm upbringing and Aussie terminology. The charm of rural life — and dedication — it takes to run a farm, are an important part of this story. Australia becomes a setting-as-a-character by the end, making me feel like I’ve visited the outback myself (minus the poisonous snakes and drought conditions, of course).

While Jessica Kate is busy writing her next story for me to devour, I’ll be over here trying to find ways to work the term “fair dinkhum” into my everyday vocabulary!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this novel. This is my honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to think about this novel as I got into it. The book didn’t seem like a Christian book for a while even though the main characters worked for a church and ministry. Some of the words didn’t seem like ones that church leaders would use. However, as I stuck with the story and watched Sam, an Australian, and Kimberly, an American, overcome their hurts from the past and change and grow and face uncertainties and setbacks and come to depend on God more, I came to care more for them and empathized with them in their misfortunes. The story contains humor and wit, along with lots of Australian lingo and scenes and plenty of surprises. The characters all seem quite real, along with their quirks and foibles, and the plot is compelling. It should certainly hold the readers’ interest. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book very much. Its set mostly in Australia which is really neat. I don't know a lot about the culture there so that was fun to learn about. I felt like I got a good feel for how it was to farm there. They have a different way of speaking and that was neat. Since I am not familiar with Australian speak, a glossary in the back for the various Australian words would be good. As the story went on, I was able to figure out quite a few of them. Sam and Kimberly had such an interesting relationship. Being able to watch them interact and grow was fun. I could visual the story well. Each character was developed well and felt very real to me. The story flowed really well. I think that Jessica Kate does a wonderful job weaving the Lord's truth throughout the story.

I recommend this book to my family and friends

I voluntarily reviewed this book. All thoughts are my own.

You may remember Kimberly, the annoyingly perfect woman who competed with Natalie for the internship in Love and Other Mistakes. And you will, of course, remember Sam, the handsome, dynamic Australian youth pastor. Who could forget him?! Well, they're back. . .

Kim and Sam's three-and-a-half-year working relationship was full of misunderstandings. Both had read into the other's words and reactions and had pictures of the other that were completely wrong. Kim's aura of strength and confidence was born out of a desire to just once, please her mother and be good enough. Sam was insecure about his dyslexia and thought everyone considered him to be dumb.

I loved the way Sam and Kim began to see each other in a new light when they were no longer in the office environment. And as they saw the truth about each other, they were able to move past a world of hurts.

I appreciated that despite the fact kangaroos and koalas did make an appearance in the story, their presence wasn't overblown, nor were other Australianisms. When expressions unique to that continent were used, they were explained in a manner that blended with the story instead of feeling stuck in there.

As a bonus, there were two romances here, not just one. Julia, Sam's sister, and Mick, their neighbor-turned-vet had some very rough times. Yet Mick was so sweet to her. I loved the way he swept her away when she was dealing with her grief and knew just how to care for her.

I recommend this story for anyone who enjoys romance and changed lives.

I've not read anything from Jessica Kate before. But when I saw the cover and read the blurb for this book I was like "This sounds right up my street".

I wasn't wrong... I loved this book. It was sweet, funny and amazing.

Samuel Payton & Kimberly Foster I absolutely love them. These two together were freaking fantastic.

This won't be the first and last book I read from Jessica Kate xx