Customer Reviews

Diamond In The Rough (Zebra Historical Romance)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Matthew "Quinn" Quinlan delivers diamonds, not women, in the Australian bush country. His impeccable honesty and extreme responsibility has earned him just the necessary reputation for lawyer Sidney Faulk to entrust Quinn with Olivia St. John, a governess who has inherited property in Africa. Despite Quin's warnings, Olivia will not be dissuaded from her dream running her uncle's boardinghouse.

Olivia's years spent working as a governess might not have prepared Olivia for dealing with a harsh life in the bush, it did teach her value of independence. In an attempt to discourage Olivia from traveling into the bush, Quinn demands his own personal price: a kiss a day. He assumes a gently reared woman would flee such an arrangement; instead, the joke is on him as their mutual attraction rages out of control. But Quinn comes from a street rat background and cannot imagine himself as part of anyone's happily ever after.

Author Patricia Wadell pens a marvelous historical romance with A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. While Quinn is a typical alpha hero with his strength and control, he conceals a fascinating background and wonderful vulnerabilities. Olivia likewise exhibits remarkable strength and self-control in the face of incredible challenges. Rather than whining about the disrepair of her inheritance, for example, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. Her terrific fortitude earns the respect of those around her, particularly an intriguing secondary character by the name of Echo. Author Wadell's memorable characterizations and fantastic landscape result in her best novel yet! DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

Diamond in the Rough is a wonderful, sexy read with very believable characters in a fast-paced romantic adventure. Quinn and Olivia are well matched, true to life, and just plain charming. I loved the hero in this book - he is so REAL and captures your heart, flaws and faults included. Olivia is a persistent young woman who keeps chipping away at his heart, bit by bit, day by day during their adventure. I laughed out loud at the way she brings this stubborn hero's heart around by the end of the book.

Patricia Waddell's talents shines in this one. Don't miss it.

Set against the backdrop of Cape Town, South Africa in 1883, during the beginning of the diamond industry, Patricia Waddell has written a story full of the excitement and danger that was experienced by those who lived it. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. You will enjoy following the journey of these two stubborn people, Olivia St. John a former governess, and Matthew "Quinn" Quinlan, as they try so hard to do what is right for the other.

Highly recommended.

"Diamond in The Rough brings together a most unlikely pair of lovers. Matthew "Quinn" Quilian, a rough and ready diamond Jackel, receives an unusal request. Quinn is asked to take Olivia, a prim and proper miss, to her inheritance. The twist, the trip will take them through the wild bush of Africa. The fun begins when they meet and agree to disagree.
Patricia Waddell brings together strong feelings of love not wanted to total surrender. Don't miss this wonderful book.

Description from the back of the book:

Olivia St. John is in for the adventure of her life...

News of an inheritance in far off South Africa is a dream come true for a governess who spends her few idle hours imagining exotic locales and exciting people. While a boardinghouse in a mining town won't necessarily bring riches, it most certainly will provide those things Olivia craves new places, new faces, and adventure.

Provided she can actually get there, that is.

Fortunately, the executor of her uncle's will has provided an escort to guide her across the unforgiving terrain. Rough and tumble Matthew Quinlan diamond hunter and bushman extraordinaire is nothing like the polished gentlemen of Olivia's acquaintance, but everything, it seems, she finds dangerously appealing. Before their journey is over, Olivia vows to prove to the maddening Quinn that she is no wilting English flower, but a woman with newly awakened desires and a heart she longs for him to claim...

* I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think I'd be big on the African setting but I have to admit that I absolutely loved it. The adventure was great & Echo was very enjoyable as a secondary character. I highly recommend this book.

The prim and proper Olivia lives behind all she knows to go on a great adventure of a new life. Quinn ends up her nurse maid on the journey through Africa. The rough and ready diamond jackal has more on his mind than taking care of a prim and proper miss. The bush is no place for a woman and that's exactly what he tells her and himself. Olivia defies Quinn as well as falling in love with this maddening man. Can the two of them find true love. Patirica Waddell shows us that yes they can. This is a true rollar coaster ride. I loved it.

Diamond In The Rough is a true romantic adventure in the spirit of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. In fact, if Indy hooked up with Joan Wilder, the sparks could fly any faster or hotter than they did between Olivia and Quinn. The author has clearly done her homework, seamlessly weaving the history, geography and culture of the diamond business in South Africa during the late 1800's around a well-developed and believable romance.

Olivia St. John is prim and determined and Matthew "Quinn" Quinlan is rough and dangerous. Author Pat Waddell sends them on an adventure through the bush country of Africa that is colorful, fun and full of surprises. I genuinely enjoyed watching Olivia tame her beast while taking her own emotional journey. The reader knows where this story is going to end (oh so happily) but the rollercoaster ride to get there is one you don't want to miss!

This Diamond isn't rough - it's a gem!

Diamond in the Rough is a really great book! When Matthew Quinlan (better known as Quinn) meets Olivia St. John, he's sure that he can talk her out of trekking across the South African bush only to find a rundown boarding house waiting for her, but Olivia isn't interested in the glamour of the building, it's the adventure that brings her heart to life. A heart that quickly finds itself falling in love with the rough bushman who is guiding her to Kimberley.

Patricia Waddell tells a deeply emotional story using humor, sensuality and characters that are so real they jump off the page at you. This is a superb book. Don't miss it.

It takes place in South Africa, 1883. Boy likes girl but doesn't think he's good enough and is convinced she'll never stay anyway. Girl likes boy and is determined to show him she'll stay and he deserves love. He's a bushman who transports diamonds, she's a governess fresh out of England, come to claim her inheritance. He is hired to escort her. He doesn't think she'll make it in the wild but she's smarter and tougher than she looks. Spunky heroine, lovable hero. Good book.

This is a wonderful book. Don't let the South African setting turn you away, if you do, you'll miss one of the best romances of the year. Great story, super characters, and a romance that will put a smile on your face.