Jack and Eva by Frances Dall’Alba is a heartwarming story of romance, with family trauma and the resilience to move forward. It is set in the amazing scenery of the Atherton Table Lands in far North Queensland.
Eva Stamford volunteers for Dr Karen who owns and runs the Tree Roo Rescue Park for a rare kangaroo species only found in the rainforests of the Atherton Table Lands. If the community doesn’t do something to protect their rainforest habitat, they are in danger of becoming a threatened species.
Eva was asked to rescue a roo that has become trapped in the local hardware store. Eva calls for a volunteer from the many customers filming her capture efforts. She needs someone to hold the cage, and Jack volunteers.
Eva has lived in Malanda for five years, living every day as if it is her last. She has never seen this good looking guy before. She suddenly realises she actually might know who he is – and why he is in town.
Jack Walker has been away for thirteen years. The rainforest around the stunning 100 year old Queenslander his grandfather built has become denser. Jack has no happy memories of his childhood home, left to him by his mother. He has no plans to visit his father.
The quicker he sells it to a developer, the quicker he can get back to his life in Brisbane.
Jack watches with amazement as Eva pulls up in his driveway, shouts, “Won’t be long, I’m just checking my babies” and disappears into the rainforest on his land. He follows her to tell her she is trespassing and has no right to release the roo onto his land. He had lived here for seventeen years and had never seen a tree roo before.
How can Jack make Eva understand how important it is to him to destroy this house to remove his troubled childhood memories?
How can Eva make Jack understand how important the roos are to her and how important his land is to the roos?
Jack and Eva, brought together by fate, both have secrets and had troubled childhoods. If they could open up to each other maybe their friendship could develop further.
It is a lovely story, easy to read with very likable characters. Complicated family relationships and an emotional journey to heal the past keep you engaged.
Dr Karen’s character is based on the real Dr Karen Coombes. She and her husband have converted their property to a Tree Roo Rescue and Conservation Centre for the Lumholtz tree kangaroo.
I love how Frances Dall’Alba’s descriptive writing brings the countryside to life. It makes you want to book your next holiday there and visit the Tree Roo Rescue Centre!
Another excellent story, I so enjoy reading her books.
Thank you to Poinsettia Publishing and to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read this great book.
A selection of our members are reading Jack and Eva by Frances Dall’Alba. You can read their reviews in the comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, any book on any topic. I now love ebooks as they are easier to store, I was running out of bookshelves! My other interests are family, gardening and our beautiful King Charles spaniel dog who is my reading companion.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace for for allowing me to review a second book by Frances Dall’Alba this month.
I have really enjoyed Frances’ work.
Jack and Eva was a great read because it pulled me in and had some great story telling of our native flora and fauna which made me feel like I was actually seeing it right in front of my eyes.
Jack and Eva had a beautiful albeit complicated relationship which left me wanting to keep reading to see what happens.
I would have liked the ending to be less rushed but I liked it all the same.