Review: A Choice of Fate by Jezz de Silva / @jezzdesilva

Series & Title: Outback Hearts, Book 2: A Choice of Fate
Author: Jezz de Silva
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
Publisher: Entangled Publishing: Amara
Release Date: January 29, 2018
Genre: Contemporary, Multicultural, Romance
ARC Provided By: Entangled Publishing via NetGalley
ARC Reviewed For: Jezz de Silva

Los Angeles based Doctor Olivia Williams has everything she’s ever dreamed of—a healthy sister, the job of a lifetime, and more freedom than she knows what to do with. And she’s kicking off her new life with a month-long adventure Down Under to celebrate her sister’s wedding and meet the in-laws. But when the groom’s brother shows up to retrieve her from her hotel, the drop-dead gorgeous lawyer is everything and nothing she expected, and she'll have to make a choice she never anticipated.

Australian Jarrah Harper has an Aston Martin parked beneath his penthouse, an overflowing little black book, and an obscenely lucrative legal practice that ensures he’ll never have to wrangle cattle or wipe sweat from his forehead ever again. But he still feels empty. When he sees his family’s home through the eyes of the entrancing Olivia, suddenly he’s rethinking everything. Including the fact that the alluring Olivia spells nothing but trouble.

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Other books in this series

The attraction between Jarrah and Olivia developed between emails and Skype sessions, but it was in that first moment of meeting when it combusted and disarmed them in unexpected ways. The lives they lived, or will live as is Olivia's case, are brought into question the more time they spend together.

Olivia's career is everything to her. Years of caring for her sister, scraping by, have paid off. The job she wants is hers. The life she's never had is hers. But this thing with Jarrah... It's throwing a wrench in her plans because what she's feeling is more than just attraction.

Jarrah's practice is his life. The wealth and prestige he's acquired over the years are a testament to his drive and determination. But appearing to have it all doesn't mean actually having it all. Seeing his family through Olivia's eyes is an eyeopener. They're never far from his heart but going home, reconnecting with his roots, with the people that helped him become who he is today, breathed life into his weary soul. Exploring the attraction he feels for Olivia is a plus, but he knows her time in Australia is short. Well, his head knows that. His heart, not so much.

Jarrah and Olivia's story is slow. Their attraction is off the charts but moving past coy looks and flirtations is slow and steady. When they do engage, they burn like propane fed fire. And it brings up the question of where do they go from here? Their hearts long for each other but their plans didn't account for this turn of events. Do they chalk it up as a fling and move on? Is it possible to move on from something this consuming without feeling like you're losing a piece of your heart and soul?

One steady factor between the two books in this series is the Harper family. They're an eclectic bunch, connected because they're family but unique in their own ways. Their love of life, tradition, and each other is all encompassing. That sense of home, that feeling of belonging, that knowledge of always being welcomed, made me cry. In a good way. *smiles* After suffering such a huge loss in my family last year, I really needed this reminder.

This story felt different from Against All Odds. That reminder of how important family is, is one reason why. The second is the reminder that change is okay and can, sometimes, be the best thing to happen. The third is the future doesn't have to be set in stone. There are, is, will be, times when something too wonderful comes along to ignore. In that moment, do you let it pass you by or do you experience it? For Jarrah and Olivia, their story is an experience of these three things. The choice they made to experience each other was enough for their future to be sealed by fate.

I enjoyed this story, more than the first. It spoke to my heart and was a reminder to enjoy what I sometimes take for granted. It's a story I got lost in, a story I can read again. It's a terrific addition to this series, and, in my opinion, a hard one to top for Mr. Silva. But I can't wait for what he writes next.

Please don’t freak out. I’m just your average Aussie romance writer! :) My long suffering First Reader and I live in a tiny one wombat town in the hills outside Melbourne, Australia. And when I say one wombat town I really mean it. I see the little girl when walking Bear and Max, my plot and character consultants. Our little patch of heaven is overrun by a zoo of geriatric rescued animals who eat us out of house and home when not sleeping or guilting us into walks. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. When not tapping my fingers or banging my head on a keyboard creating happily ever afters, I love spending time with family and friends, cooking, EATING, gardening, renovating our castle, and teaching personal protection. ;)