Aussie Rules [Paperback]

Jill Shalvis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

It's bad enough that gutsy pilot Mel Anderson has to clean up after her lovable but completely disorganized best friend and business partner, Dimi, while her certifiable employees make more work than they do. Now, the one man she hoped she'd never see is back and looking for trouble. Scratch that, he is trouble. Amazing, holy cow, more please trouble...Bo Black wants his family's airport back, and he's determined to get it. This laid-back Aussie is nobody's fool. Thing is, neither is Mel. She's intense. Uptight. Sexy. And very, very tempting. Suddenly, Bo's thinking less about revenge and more about kissing and touching and falling into a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-underpants kind of forever love...

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Mel and Dimi were only 16 when their world fell apart, and for the past 10 years, the young women have been pretending to themselves and everyone else that their mentor and role model, Sally, will be back any time now to resume control of the airport where they've been covering for her all this time. But when Bo Black unexpectedly arrives from Australia looking for Sally to exact vengeance for her theft of his father's hard-earned money and prized antique plane, the deception becomes more than the girls can handle. Especially when threatening notes and e-mails reveal that the deed to the airport is now in Bo's name, so that everything Mel and Dimi have worked so hard for is now in jeopardy. Shalvis allows the reader ample opportunity to get to know both girls through their interactions with each other and with the quirky supporting characters they have gathered around themselves, and the airport itself assumes an important role in her latest unusual contemporary romance. Lynne Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A deliciously sensual writer, full of compassion, humor and a deep, deep love of romance." --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1ST edition (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758211392
• ISBN-13: 978-0758211392
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #836,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Jill Shalvis wrote THE SWEETEST THING and over three dozen other romance novels including her acclaimed Lucky Harbor series. The 6-time Rita nominee and 3-time National Readers Choice winner makes her home near Lake Tahoe. Visit her website at http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog, and http://www.facebook.com/jillshalvis for other news.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun summer reading!, June 7, 2006

By 

Laurie (OH - USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Aussie Rules (Paperback)

AUSSIE RULES by Jill Shalvis is the endearing tale of a high-flying, independent woman and the Aussie who broke her young heart years before. Surprisingly, he might just be what she now needs to stay grounded. ***** Melanie Anderson's entire life has always revolved around flying, even if it is on occasion flying by the seat of her pants. At 26, she is the owner of Anderson Air, her very own charter service. Unfortunately, her business and the other businesses in the airport she manages are barely scraping by. Mel works extra hard to keep things running, because the handful of employees she has are like family to her. The woman who practically raised Mel and owner of the airport, Sally, has gone missing leaving Mel with huge responsibilities. Just when Mel doesn't think the situation could get worse, it does. Bo Black returns to town. He was the object of Mel's affection years earlier and then he broke her tender heart and left. As if Bo's return isn't bad enough, he brought with him the deed to the airport. He claims that Sally lost the airport to his late father in a bet making him the current owner.***** Bo doesn't waste time trying to track Sally down, he believes she may be in possession of some extremely valuable property of his father's. He is also quick in attempting to rekindle a relationship with Mel as the cute sixteen-year old girl he left ten years ago has grown into a beautiful, sensuous woman.***** Mel's nature is to protect her heart since it has been broken so many times by those she cared for she is very slow to trust and even slower to love. Bo is a determined man and eventually Mel's resolve begins to soften. Will Bo be able to convince her that he truly wants her and not just the secrets that are hidden at the airport?***** Jill Shalvis has the incredible talent of creating characters who are intelligent, quick-witted, and gorgeously sexy while giving them just the right amount of weakness to keep them from being unrealistically perfect. The secondary characters in AUSSIE RULES are strong enough to be requisite to the story, but they do not overpower Mel and Bo or the feelings that they are discovering for each other. Readers witness Mel's painfully damaged emotions soften and grow for Bo and will admire Bo's sweet sensitivity to Mel's feelings.***** AUSSIE RULES is a book that I will be rereading in the future it has all of the characteristics that earn Jill Shalvis her very own row on my keeper shelves.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story, June 7, 2006

By 

Judy "book reader" (Cincinnati, ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aussie Rules (Paperback)

Aussie Rules by Jill Shalvis is a witty, fun and sexy book.

Melanie Anderson lived to fly, nothing gave her the rush, the control and the freedom that flying did. Flying gave her the security that she has lacked all of her life. Her coworkers are her family and she will do anything to protect them. Suddenly her neat and orderly world is turned upside down by the return of her youthful crush, Bo Black.

Bo Black, pilot and plane restorer has come back to North Beach to claim his inheritance and clear his late fathers name. Bo is convinced the former owner Sally Wells stole from them and smeared his dad's good name. Only problem is convincing fiercely independent Mel of the truth and keeping his hands off the all grown up woman.

Mel and Bo both want answers, each feels that they are in the right. As they search for the truth someone wants them to leave well enough alone.

Aussie Rules, I feel is Jill Shalvis's best work to date. The characters are well written, flaws and all. Bo is a delightful Alpha male, he knows what he wants and goes for it. But he is willing to show his tender side to protect those he loves. Mel is a strong willed woman, her past has made her who she is today. She is so leery of Bo can he be for real? Once she lets go her whole world opens up.

Jill Shalvis writes keepers. The chemistry between the characters burns up every page. The secondary characters add such depth to an already knock out book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Shalvis' best, August 31, 2011

By 

SavvyChris (Draper, UT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aussie Rules (Brava Contemporary Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

I had really mixed feelings about this. I usually really like Shalvis, but so many of her characters in this book are just not likable: Charlene, Al, Ernest, Dimi.

For the first half of the book I really disliked Bo (the main male character). He was so arrogant and cocky. But, when you realized (about halfway thru the book) that he was the only character telling the truth, all of a sudden, I liked him and not Melanie (the female lead).

Bo & Mel have some fun scenes, but overall, it just wasn't that great a book.