Isabel Paperback – Import, 31 January 2017

I enjoyed this book. It's an historical love story set in Queensland, Oz between 1895-1910. Living in the UK - as I do - this describes such a tough world personally & environmentally as the men struggle to grow sugar cane, staples and then have to deal with one huge storm. Isabel's love scenes may be sentimental, but they're essential to the plot. Clearly mixed race relationships weren't tolerated (much) back then but this novel brings home just how much a white woman might have to give up - and take on - following her heart even in the outback (which seems to be a far less romantic place than I'd imagined & often filled with judgmental people). Isabel is definitely an agent of political change, but way ahead of her time. In fact there's a lot of trouble caused thanks to the time it takes to communicate when the postal services are so limited - invariably it seems that you need to find a traveller to carry your messages, so very different to being able to pry into every corner of the world via you tube drone footgage, instagram etc. You'll enjoy this if you like coming of age romances, learning about Australian history, have any interest in female suffrage or would like to learn a great deal more about Blackbirded Solomon Islander mindsets. Now I've finished the book I'm going to pass it to my 19yo daughter who i think will like it as much for its politics as its plot.