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Friday, September 26, 2014

Lisa Ireland: Love Against The Odds

When I was a little girl I loved to listen to my Mum and Dad talk about how they met. Mum grew up in Geelong, a large regional town, and Dad came from a farming hamlet six hours drive away.  One Saturday night Dad happened to be visiting Geelong and he decided to accompany a friend to a local dance. As he walked into the ballroom Mum danced past him.  He turned to his friend and announced, “See that girl? I’m going to marry her.”

It didn’t turn out to be as simple as Dad might have hoped. That first night, Mum’s dance card was full and despite his best efforts she couldn’t be persuaded to make room for him. But he wasn’t deterred. He kept coming back, driving hundreds of miles every weekend, just on the off chance she’d dance with him.  Eventually he won her heart.

There were a few (rather large) obstacles to overcome before they could marry. Essentially they were from two different worlds. He was a poor Catholic boy and she was middle-class Protestant girl.  They lived 400 kilometres apart. It was the 1950s and these things mattered here in Australia, but my parents were determined to make it work. In the end their love for each other won out and they remained married “until death do us part.”

I’m a sucker for a love against the odds story. I guess that’s why I wrote Breaking The Drought. Jenna and Luke are from two very different worlds and despite their strong feelings for each other it seems their love is an impossible one. She’s a city slicker through and through and he’s a farmer bound to his family property by love, loyalty and guilt. At times even wondered if they would get their Happily Ever After ending! 

When a smooth-talking, sophisticated city girl comes striding into town on her stiletto heels, he's the last person who wants to notice...
When Jenna McLean gets roped into attending a matchmaking ball in a small country town, she holds no illusions of meeting the man of her dreams.  A no-nonsense magazine editor, Jenna doesn’t believe in leaving love to chance, which is why she’s developed Marriage Material – a fool-proof framework for husband hunting. Shearers and farmhands need not apply.
Sheep grazier Luke Tanner has met women like Jenna before, and knows not to waste his time. With the drought dragging on and bushfire season around the corner, the last thing he needs is a spoiled city girl like Jenna adding to his problems. He'll help out with the ball because it's good for the community, but he won't dance, he won't flirt, and he definitely won't be matched.
It's been a long dry season, but everyone knows when it rains, it pours. 
Have you got an interesting story to tell about how you met your partner? I’d love to hear it!  All commenters will go into the draw for a chance to win a copy of Breaking the Drought. 

Breaking the Drought is available from Escape Publishing
If you'd like to know more about me and my corner of the world, I'd love you to come visit me at http://lisairelandbooks.com 
You can also find me on Facebook Or Twitter


***Lisa's winner is Amanda!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing details!***



10 comments:

erin said...

LOL... no meet cute... no guy :) The last guy was a meet up from an online dating service. It was a usual date. We lasted about 4 years before I came to my senses. Now, I'm reading about romance and enjoying singlehood! Thanks for sharing!

Laney4 said...

He was a friend of our neighbours so I saw him from afar but our families knew one another. One day after a recent split from my BF of 1.5 years, I was in my hometown and walked to the pharmacy to get my ... ahem ... birth control pills. I saw my now-husband's car, so I window-shopped until he came out of the nearby restaurant. He saw me, offered me a ride to my mom's, came in to visit with my mom, and invited me to the show that night. Dated ten months until wed - now just over 33 years ago. Not all the years were wedded bliss (whose are?), but we're in a really good place these days - the best ever. (Tomorrow we are attending a friend's retirement party four hours away, so we reserved a hotel room - the first time without kids in over 20 years. What to do, what to do, hehe....)

Lisa Ireland said...

Thanks for dropping by, Erin! Glad you are enjoying singledom!

Lisa Ireland said...

That's a great story, Laney. Thanks for sharing.

Amanda said...

Oh how wonderful - more 'against the odds' stories! Fabulous post Lisa, and I absolutely love your parent's story... Fabulous blog ladies!

Lisa Ireland said...

Thanks for dropping by, Amanda!

Mary Preston said...

It's not a terribly interesting story. He was dragged to a party. I was dragged to the same party. We met, commiserated & left to take a drive. Good thing he didn't turn out to be an axe murderer.

Lisa Ireland said...

LOL, Mary. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your story :)

girlygirlhoosier52 said...

Small rural farming community and we both had paper routes.

Lisa Ireland said...

Aw, that's so sweet!