For a young man fresh out of the military in post-World War II Australia, life is hard and uncertain. Seumas, an unworldly young man, does what he can to survive and struggles to find hope for the future. When he meets Narelle, a young, embittered prostitute, he finds himself strangely and powerfully attracted to her-and his interest is enthusiastically returned. Set against a gritty background in Sydney in the 1950s and beyond, their romance is a poignant one, as the two struggle to find a way to make their dreams come true amid the proliferation of widespread and illegal gambling. But when their fantasy is ruptured by the many difficulties they face, Seumas finds that he can't handle it. He runs away to Australia's tropical north and finds work as a stockman on a large cattle run. His new life forces him to grow up quickly, but even his budding maturity and perspective can't erase Narelle from his dreams. The long, lonesome hours on the range inspire his imagination, and he finds himself wondering what might happen if he returned to Sydney-and her arms. Far away in the city, Narelle faces a similar challenge. Try as she might, she can't get on with her life without Seumas, and her grief forces her to grow up a bit too quickly as well. Theirs is an uplifting, unforgettable, and very poignant romance set in a stunningly beautiful, wild, and unforgiving land and in a time long past. | A Very Different Girl by Jim Nicolson, Paperback | Indigo Chapters