Straight spoken Tess O'Malley was surprised to hear that good-looking bad boy and family arch enemy, Jack McCready, was back in town. His family and hers had been at loggerheads for years, providing the town with gossip and entertainment, but she had always thought he was wonderful--until a local girl got pregnant and he moved away.

Jack--big, masculine, and even more good-looking than when he left--appeared on her doorstep and announced that he was moving home to Copper Creek Junction, his family's farm, and wanted to end the family feud. But when he kissed her, his world was shaken. Despite his fiancee's arrival, and Tess's determination to hate him, neither of them could deny that what they felt for each other was love. When she confronted him before the whole town about fathering that baby, she learned that the only thing holding her back was all in her mind.

As a South Australian girl, I really enjoyed reading about my home state, even though I live in Adelaide and this is set in the outback. There aren't a lot of South Australian novels out there, and I'm happy to say that this is a good one. It also encapsulates small town life, particularly the way that everyone knows you--and knows your business.

Tess is a strong woman and a realistic character to read because she doesn't really know her feelings. Every person has, at some time, experienced emotional turmoil. As a reader, I felt pulled back and forth along with Tess, and felt her confusion over the true identity of the man that she hates to love.

As for the man she loves, Jack is the perfect hero. Sexy, charming, and slightly naughty, he is also torn by his feelings, even more so because he's engaged to someone else. A character that breaks off his engagement for love of another person has the potential to appear unfaithful and insensitive, but Jack deals with it with aplomb.

What makes this story truly accessible is the minimal amount of colloquial language. Some Australian writers feel obliged to throw in piles of slang, especially when dealing with an outback setting, just to emphasize the Australian nature of the story. I am delighted to report that non-Australian readers will be able to read it with comfort, because Kathryn Kearney has abstained from filling it with incomprehensible and outdated terms. The only regularly used term is "bloke" (man), and the context makes the meaning clear.

WHEN JACK CAME BACK is a turbulent tale of misconceptions, misunderstandings and, ultimately, a satisfyingly happy ending. If you love to see true love win despite the passing of years, then this is the book for you.

Reviewed By: Melinda Stanners
© November 2004