Review: Northern Heat by Helene Young

Title:  Northern Heat

Author: Helene Young

Publisher: 27^th May 2015 by Penguin Books Australia

Pages: 368 pages

How I Read It: ARC ebook

Genre: romantic suspense

My Rating:  four cups

Synopsis:

In steamy northern Queensland, Conor is living under an assumed name and rebuilding his shattered life. Working at Cooktown's youth centre has given him the chance to make a difference again, and a chance to flirt with Dr Kristy Dark.

After tragedy tore her family apart, Kristy fled to Cooktown with her feisty teenage daughter, Abby. She hoped being part of the small community would help them both heal, but Abby's sports coach is turning out to be a compelling distraction.

When a severe cyclone menaces the coast, threatening to destroy everything in its path, tensions come to a head – and the weather is not the only danger in Cooktown. Cut off from the world and with her life on the line, Kristy will have to summon her courage and place her trust in Conor, or they'll both lose someone they love.

My thoughts:

From the very first pages you are drawn in and I could tell I was going to be in for a treat:

“The street was eerily quiet, as though holding its breath.”

Helene Young has produced an enthralling romantic suspense in ‘Northern Heat’, which will be released the end of May. This is the first time I have read one of her books, but I can tell you, it will not be the last.

The two lead characters, Conor and Kristy have a past - both have faced tragedy and bear the scars. That is what makes it so real - two mature individuals who have dealt with so much, that you cannot help but cheer them on, fingers and toes crossed for that happy ending. This story is contemporary, intelligent, and yet easy to read. It is this authenticity in women’s fiction that is both appealing and refreshing.

“He felt as though a door had been cracked wide open inside him, releasing a flood of memories he wanted to capture one last time before they flew away”.

Romantic suspense – perfectly sums it up. This is not straight chick lit, there is real drama here – both natural and man made – that add intrigue and most definitely suspense. It’s fast paced and you will find it hard to put down, providing the perfect balance between: strong likeable characters, an engaging romance set against the backdrop of quality drama. Overall there is a great cast of characters with even the supporting ones demonstrating such depth, you feel compassion for them also. 

“Life’s not always going to play by our rules…..you can wait for things to get better or you can go looking”.

I found myself reading this in a short period of time, eager to discover the stories behind Conor, Kristy and so many more. My only disappointment was some issues were not followed through on, especially in relation to the daughter’s health. But these were minor and did not detract from my overall satisfaction.

I also need to make mention of the exceptional descriptions – outback life in remote Cooktown (northern Australia) and what living through a cyclone might be like. Once again, real writing that made me feel as if I was in the eye of the storm.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it has a bit of everything - suspense, action, drama, romance. Be sure to put this on your pre-order list - you will not be disappointed. Helene Young has gone to one of my fave Aussie authors.

“Find the joy in life again, live in the moment, not the future”

To pre order your copy ready for 27 May, please click on the links below:

Northern Heat at Bookworld

Northern Heat at Booktopia

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.