Tomisena (Tommy) Lindsey and her brothers, David, a former English Officer who was left for dead in Africa while fighting the Zulu’s, and their younger brother Jamie, who is 5, have just arrived in Australia, from England.  They have made the trek as their mother and their father have both passed on and they hoped to arrive and live with their Uncle as they promised their parents.  Unfortunately, their uncle passes during their long sea journey, but he has left the farm to them.  Tommy is determined to keep their family together, and has always been the strong one behind the family so they set out to do that.  But, behind the strong veneer she is still a young woman and has hopes for her own family some day, etc.  She finds that their neighbor Adam is making her feel new things.  Too bad he is also the one who wants them to sell their land, and will do anything possible, including coercing others in town to not extend them credit etc, to keep them from succeeding.

Adam is a large land owner in the area who has enherited his land from his hard working ancestors and thinks that the Lindsey’s are in over their heads and he needs not only the water that is on their land but is also strangely drawn to Tommy.  She is everything that he has told himself he does not need in a wife.  Too bad his hormones won’t listen.  Then during a serious drout he decides to make her an offer to become his wife, or is that brood mare?  He never speaks of love or affection.  Though Tommy does see how he treats Jamie and how he takes the time to answer his questions, etc.

While Adam doesn’t talk of love Tommy knows she loves him.  But, as she refuses to marry without love she turns down his proposal.  Though when things get real desperate during the worst dry spell anyone can remember she will marry him to keep her family together and to keep from having to kill livestock.  Now can she convince Adam to show affection and have it be the marriage that she really wants?

The English Rose was an intriguing look into the cattle ranching of the wild Australian bush.  The terminology will cause some of the American’s to stumble a bit such as a squatter is not some little landowner trying to take a parcel from a large corporation or the government, In Australia it is the huge land owners with thousands of acres.  That being said it won’t hurt us American’s to learn a little about other cultures and settling.  Ms. Tanner did a wonderful job showing how the hardships could force people to move, get married and other desperate things.  It also showed how love and determination can conquer most everything.  I found her writing to be a fresh look at a new area for historical writings.  I enjoyed the discussions about life and death mixed in with the realities of life on a ranch, especially during a drought.  I think Ms. Tanner can go a long way with this genre.  Those who like American West historical romances will enjoy The English Rose.