Boom Town Snap by Australian author Jay Martin is a compelling, engaging, and drama-packed fiction novel that will occupy your every thought while you read.
Thirty-eight-year-old Georgia finds herself in an existential crisis. She is separated from her husband Josh, has no home, or anyone to live with. She’s working hard as a director in her consultancy role to pay off debts. And, to add to her chaos, her boss Nico is her lover.
When Nico pulls strings to get Georgia a pivotal gig in Canada that could help her situation, she is hesitant to accept. Alberta wants to be more like Western Australia in the mining industry, and the Canadians have asked Australia to help bid for Government contracts in the oil industry.
Nico informs Georgia that it will be her chance to prove herself to the head of the firm’s global oil and gas division.
Spanning across dual locations and dual timelines, we see Georgia’s life as it unfolds, leaving behind her loved ones, and working in a male-dominated workplace while addressing corporate politics, male dominance, and control. As Georgia tries to align her career goals with personal values, she questions what price she will pay to get ahead.
The writing is intelligent, warm, and witty, which Martin uses well to balance the heavier problems that arise. The dramatic twists keep us on the edge of our seats in anticipation of the outcome, with a few steamy scenes that keep the action moving forward.
The characters are exceptionally well fleshed out, and as a woman, I connected with Georgie. Her strength as a character is in her constant desire to move forward with her dreams, no matter what others think and no matter the pain it causes her. The supporting characters are full of personality with their backstories and relatable, in everyday life and work, there will be those you will be rooting for and others you will take an instant dislike to their behaviour and attitudes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting, from outback Karratha, Western Australia, to the Canadian oil sands that extend beyond a simple backdrop into almost a character itself. The reader will be able to picture themselves in both settings.
This book surprised me because I thought it would be filled with a lot of politics and mining jargon, but it is captivating, easy to follow, and understand. It will provoke your thoughts and make you reflect on where we are going as a society if we continue yielding to the corruption of greedy corporations.
I appreciate the author taking a practical approach to the empowerment of women, so that we as a gender can develop the qualities needed to rise above the ludicrous conditions that the world sets upon us in the workforce. The enthusiasm to step out of your comfort zone, fight for what you believe, and find your path to happiness, fulfillment, and success is infectious.
I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy a fast-paced contemporary read. I look forward to more tales by Jay Martin in the future.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading Boom Town Snap by Jay Martin. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
My love of books started at a very young age. My mum has always been a reader and encouraged me to read, buying me endless book from classic fairy tales advancing to the world of Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene, Francine Pascal. In my adult years the list of authors is endless and every room in my house is filled with books.
One of my favourite novels is Narnia which has always has a special place in my heart. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1978 and when I was given this book to read it let me escape to another world where I felt like I was in the book with all the characters, it wasfun and exciting to escape from reality and eased the ups and downs of the disease at such a young age.
In books nothing is impossible and there is endless potential and hundreds of places to explore or being taken to places that are only made up from the authors’ great minds, the past and future to navigate, characters lives you step into taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride or being scared out of your wits. I can experience things that I can’t in real life because they’re not possible or real. It challenges my perspective and mindset expanding my worldview.
I find joy, comfort and peace with books, many people may not get it, but I know bookworms like me truly understand. Reading makes my heart happy.