A compelling and touching story with a strong, likable main character you’ll find yourself rooting for. Ashcroft did a wonderful job with character development, and I enjoyed the unique take on WII fiction by mixing in the Australian countryside and touching on some of Australia’s own struggles during that time period.

During WWII, Rose Hamilton is in need of a fresh start and agrees to escort an orphaned young boy, Walter, from London to Australia, as she’s been told he has family there waiting to take him in. However, when Rose and Walter arrive, they do not receive the warm welcome she’d been expecting and hoping for.

This a story of healing, love, forgiveness, redemption, and hope. I thought the book felt a bit slow leading up to their arrival in Australia, but once they arrived, it picked up rather quickly and stayed that way through the end. Also, WWII fiction can contain really heavy subject matter. While this book touches on events from the time period, I liked that it didn’t get too far into the details of the horrific crimes that were committed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Golden Sun tells the story of Rose Hamilton. An English woman who is looking to do her part in WWII. That is until she reads an advertisement to take 5 year old Walter to Australia after his mother died on Christmas Eve. I felt like Jenny Ashcroft took me on an adventure with this book. From meeting Walter and getting to know him to boarding a ship during a world war and traveling literally across the world to find herself in a foreign country surrounded by strangers. It was such a unique take on an English woman during the 1940's and I loved every page of it. A great read for any historical fiction fans or anyone looking to take an adventure.

Rose answers an ad for someone to travel with a child to Australia. Deciding she needs a change of scenery she along with Walter head to Australia.
I thought this was a lovely book and I couldn’t put it down.
I really enjoyed it!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I have to confess that I absolutely loved Under the Golden Sun. I loved Jenny Ashcroft's plot, how the plot unfolded, and the characters she created. I hated to put the book down to do anything that I was supposed to be doing. Each character was so carefully defined that I could easily picture them as I read. I was able to put myself into the novel, not as a participant but as an active witness to the events as they occurred. I don't often cry when reading a novel, but Ashcroft had me in tears a couple of times. I Would heartily recommend Under the Golden Sun. I appreciate meeting this author's work for the first time and will look for her other novels. St Martin's Press, who provided me with this ARC, has turned me into a Jenny Ashcroft fan. And a big thank you to NetGalley, too.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a WWII historical fiction novel set in Australia. I avoid books about WWII as a rule but since this was set in Australia I gave it a try and am glad I did. What a lovely story! It's not a typical war book but was a great read.

Rose has an unsatisfactory relationship with her boyfriend, Xander. When he lets her down again, rather than sitting and waiting or him, she decides to answer an add for someone to accompany a small motherless boy to Austral where he has family. World War II is in it's beginning stages, which means there are dangers from submarines on their trip from England to Australia. When they arrive, she discovers that little Walter may not be very welcome in Australia since he is of mixed race. Rose stays until Walter is settled, and finds she doesn't want to leave him. She misses her Uncle, her brother who is an RAF pilot, and there is Xander, and Walter's very attractive uncle.

Ramona Thompson

Under the Golden Sun
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rose just had some major disappointments in her personal and professional life and she can’t shake her unhappiness. When she sees an ad to accompany a young child from London to Australia, she applies and gets the job, leaves her fiancée and family behind. The journey is dangerous in 1941 during the war years and bombings on the sea, but she makes the best of it with young Walter who she got to really love. The rest of the story takes place in Australia, where she lives with Walter’s so called family. She and Walter are not welcome at first, but eventually everyone comes around. I found the story dragging, the ending predictable from the moment Rose meets the family, especially Max. It took a long, often boring passage to finally come to the conclusion.
I see all the 5 star glowing reviews, but for me, this book is just worth 3 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a fantastic WWII historical fiction novel set mainly in Australia. I had tears streaming down my face in reading this as the plight of small Walter really pulled at my heart strings. The author did a fantastic job of including historical details. The romance was clean and sweet. Loved this book!!!

This is a lovely and well-written historical novel set in the Australian Outback during WWII. The characters were well-portrayed and the descriptive writing outstanding. I could not put this down. Highly recommended.

I've read very few books set in Australia during WWII so I was very excited to dig into this story. The primary character in the story, Rose Hamilton, responds to an ad for a companion to accompany a child to Australia named Walter. Because she feels stuck in a rut with her fiance and her job, she decides to take the leap and do it. The journey is full of rich details, and it's clear the author put in extensive work to make sure everything is accurate and facts add to the quality of the plot. I have been a fan of the author's prior work and she knocks it out of the park yet again this time. The dialogue is rich and does not detract from the plot, nor is it slow and plodding. Readers will feel many emotions throughout the course of the story.

I give 4.5 stars to this well-written historical fiction that takes place in Australia during the early years of World War II. The author’s extensive research into the War as well as life in Australia was evident throughout the book—from clothing to food to animals, I really got a sense of what it was like to live on an Australian cattle ranch during that time.

As the book begins, the lead character is recovering from a miscarriage and questioning whether to continue in a relationship with a fiancée who constantly lets her down. While holding war-time position located in the English countryside, she answers an ad to escort 4-year old English-Aborigine orphan named Walter to Australia where they both come to discover and become part of a new family.

I was emotionally caught up in the story filled with engaging well-rounded characters and was happy with how the book ended.

In the early days of WWII, Rose Hamilton impulsively answers an advertisement and suddenly finds herself travelling with five-year-old Walter to reunite him with his family following his mother's sudden death in England. But there are reaons his mother left Australia and Rose refuses to leave until Walter feels settled in his new home. Set against the drama of WWII and small-town Outback dynamics, the novel carries the reader through a variety of emotions to several satisfying conlusions.

This historical novel transported me to Ilfracombe and London England, Malaysia and Australia. I will say I enjoyed every bit about this novel from the travel, the character development, the WW II setting and the heartwarming storyline.

The story begins in March of 1941 with our main character Rose headed to London to meet her family for her twenty-fifth birthday. Her parents are in Ceylon but she expects to see her Uncle Lionel and brother Joe. The war time shortages are apparent with descriptions of mock eggs and chocolate cake. The cake had prunes and beetroot but when the nation is rationing you celebrate how you can.

Rose is still experiencing grief from a loss and her American fiance Xander isn't exactly the epitome of loving support. Reading a discarded newspaper on her train to London, Rose, on the spur of the moment, answers an advertisement regarding a young boy who is need of a chaperone to Australia. Walter aged four is a lonely but bright little fellow and you'll fall in love with him. Rose goes to the house in London to meet the child and this dramatically changes her life. Walter's mother was from Australia and was recently killed in an accident.

The ship voyage, the strengthening bond between Rosie and Walter and the new family in Australia had me riveted. I loved this book and actually hope the author will add a second book to follow up. I don't want to see these characters go away! The storyline could be picked up with Rose's life, I'd love to know what happens to Walter and so much more.

Publication date March 15, 2022 by St Martin's Press. Genre: Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

This is my first book by Jenny Ashcroft and I loved it! I enjoy reading historical fiction. This is a beautiful story and beautifully written. It is mostly based in Australia during WWII, that itself is unique as there are not a lot of wartime stories that are from that Continent. A heartwarming story where Rose agrees to escort Walter, a 4 year old boy (orphan) from England to Australia (where his extended family lives). The characters are well developed and very real. As I was reading this book, I felt it could be made into a movie! A bit of family drama, heartache, love, friendship, journey of self discovery, resilience, courage, growth and a happy ending ❤️
**
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advance Reader Copy.
**
70/2021

Is “unputdownable” a word? Under The Golden Sun, by Jenny Ashcroft, is a heart warming historical novel with wonderfully likable and unforgettable characters. The writing is magical. The story is epic. If you’ve ever been really bereft that a book ended, this is one of those reads. The dialogue is captivating. I’m going to miss all the people, I’ve come to know, and loved “being around,” in a visceral way. I’ve not read any of Jenny Ashcroft’s prior books, but I look forward to more. I’m grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for granting me this opportunity to read this ARC. Don't miss it!

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. This story is set in London and Australia during WWII. I loved it! The landscape is incredible and colorful and the characters are heroic and unforgettable. The author has done a fantastic job of weaving together historical battles and events and including racial and social issues of that period. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction researched and written about unusual parts of the world during actual events.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Under the Golden Sun and provide an honest review.

I am a fan of Jenny Ashcroft as I always feel like I have been away on an adventure after finishing one of her books. She is gifted in her ability to develop a large cast of characters and tell a story from a different perspective. Ashcroft transports the reader from the streets of London to Queensland, Australia painting vivid picture of both locations during WWII.

Once this book got to the Australia portion, it stole my heart!

This book has great storytelling and character development. Who knew that taking a little boy to live with family could change everything. I really enjoyed watching Rosie grow to love her new home and Walter loving his new family.

So many parts of this book pulled at my emotions, from making a new home, to new friendships, and getting through the past, and love.

This book at the setting were fantastic. Definitely not your typical WWII story. I hard a hard time putting it down!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Would most certainly buy this book if I was looking for a good read.
This author is new to me and I did not really know if I would like this one, but I am so glad I gave it a try.
I will be looking for more books by this author in the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend.

What was it that made Rose Hamilton respond to the heart-tugging 1941 London advertisement to escort a young orphan to his relatives near Brisbane, Australia? Was it to soothe her heart after her own devastating loss? When Rose delivers Walter to life on a cattle station, little did she dream of the impact it would have o her life or the effect Walter’s Uncle Max, an injured pilot, would have on her heart. In this excellent work of historical fiction, readers are transported to a different time and place, where the love and acceptance of family makes all the difference.