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What is a Buddy Read?

This is an "Informal Buddy Read"
An “Informal Buddy Read�� doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.


Synopsis:
What if you finally took the lead, but life refused to follow?

Thirty-year-old introvert, Macie Harman, has finally found a career she is passionate about, and after months of training, she’s begun her new job in the Royal Australian Air Force. Leaving behind her family, friends, and the life she knew, Macie has travelled to the other side of the country where the only person she knows is Rachael, the extroverted girl she went through basic training with. Everywhere Macie goes, Rachael is there too.

While looking for a way to widen her circle of friends in her new town, Macie discovers a local swing dancing class. The jazz music captures her heart, and Matt, the sexy swing dancer, sweeps her off her feet. Matt has claimed the tropical Northern Territory as home and has no plans to leave. He loves his teaching career with its predictable routine and has a great bunch of friends. All he wants now is the right girl to make his house a home.

Military life is tougher than Macie expected, and not everyone can deal with the inevitable separations and last minute changes. Is this exciting but unpredictable life something Macie wants to fight for, or could she give it up and put down roots with Matt?

Bookless Ways - Special Event ~ Tourmaline Coin

How to Earn:
1 Tourmaline coin for participating in buddy read
1 Tourmaline Coin for participating in author Q&A
Example of other ways to Earn Tourmaline Coins: (view spoiler)[
Receive 1 coins for: Welcoming 10 new members (posted as joined after April 1, 2016). May redeem once quarterly (up to 4 times a year)
Receive 1 coins for: Submitting an idea for a new Reading Challenge. Receive bonus of 2 coins when/if your challenge is used
Receive 1 coins for: Every 25 Gem Coins earned (any color), request any color to receive. May redeem once quarterly (up to 4 times a year)
Receive coins (amounts to vary) for: participating in special events, book talk events and more!
(hide spoiler)]

Learn about Gem coins here

I can't wait!!!

Exciting!!
And I (half jokingly) asked Renee for a character starting with X in her book somewhere to help with some reading challenges. I wonder if we will find one? ;)

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Exciting!!
And I (half jokingly) asked Renee for a character starting with X in her book somewhere to help with some reading challenges. I wonder if we will find one? ;)"

hahaha that was a great idea. :-)

Downloading my copy now... Do we all start to read together, on December 7?

That's the idea Anna, but if you want to read ahead that is ok, just save your thoughts until Dec 7 and then come back here and share with the group:)

I just got mine but didn't download it yet since I'm on my phone and want to eat until they home to download it to my tablet

Downloaded it ;) My semester ends on the 5th so I will definitely be joining the buddy read on the 7th :D

Got it! Looking forward to reading and chatting ;D

Looking forward to read this book!

I'm all downloaded and ready to read but I think I'm going to wait for Thanksgiving week to start :)

Tourmaline coins are now available for this special Buddy Read! Details above

I'm downloaded and ready! Very excited too!

Downloaded my copy and ready to start!

I started last night and read chapter 1 before going to sleep and it was so lovely. I felt like I was in a really comfy, cozy place with Renee's writing ; plus I don't have any connections with the military so I'm really interested in that part of the storyline.
(and to be honest I always have a soft spot for books written in Australia by Australian authors.!)

I'm starting now. On my way to work let's see how far I get in 30 minutes.

Is there a schedule to go by for this buddy read? :D

I've read chapters 1-4 today and I really like this book. I feel I can connect with Macie. The choice she made to really start living her life and what she is doing to meet new people are things I am familiar with. Not that I have joined the military, but I decided to do what I want and not to sit at home on the sofa watching tv but going out and meet people (I joined an online community where people organize activities and you can sign up and join them).

Trinia wrote: "Is there a schedule to go by for this buddy read? :D"

Nope, read what you like every day.

I realised only now I won the book and almost missed the deadline because it went into the spam folder - good thing I was looking for an email and found the notification as well :-)))))))))

I hope to download it tomorrow onto my iPad and start reading sometime this week :-)

I started this today but didn't get far but I have to say him really enjoying how funny she can be. Trying to make a change for herself but when she first got to the base and didn't want to be near Rachel but of course she did. LOL I don't know anything about the service but it does sound interesting. Now if I can get home to read some more it would be great. :)

Imke wrote: "I've read chapters 1-4 today and I really like this book. I feel I can connect with Macie. The choice she made to really start living her life and what she is doing to meet new people are things I ..."

I agree, Macie is really easy to connect with. I want to be friends with her :)

☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ wrote: "I started this today but didn't get far but I have to say him really enjoying how funny she can be. Trying to make a change for herself but when she first got to the base and didn't want to be near..."

lol
Yes, there is a nice bit of humour through the book so far :)

I started reading it yesterday but I am a bit slow. Up to chapter 2 now lol. But I have to say I really like Macie so far :) I laughed out loud when she fumbled with her shirt and the button just came off

Will there be questions posted for this discussion, or do we just share our thoughts?

I'm starting Chapter 4.
So far this book makes me want to take a dance class! It sounds like so much fun, the action, the clothes and even the hairstyles. Cute so far !

We're just doing it informally Ashley, so feel free to post as you read :)

I just read the first five chapters and I love the book. I like Macie, Matt and Emily. I don't like at all Nadiene and Adam and not sure yet about Rachel.

I'm struggling a little bit with the Australian English but all in all it's quite easy to understand for non-native speakers.

I just started reading. So far so good, but I have cultural questions. Are there any Australians here? In Europe acidentally seeing someone naked would be no big deal (sort of Rachel's reaction), in the US I would expect Macie's grossing out. What is the cultural norm in Australia?

Anna wrote: "I just started reading. So far so good, but I have cultural questions. Are there any Australians here? In Europe acidentally seeing someone naked would be no big deal (sort of Rachel's reaction), i..."

Hi Anna,

We are a bit prudish in this regard compared to Europeans.

I try to explain it to others as we are kind of more like the Brits than we are the Americans.

So although seeing someone naked wouldn't be gross, it would be embarrassing (usually) for both parties. Rachel not being embarrassed goes to her character which is obviously a bit more flamboyant and outgoing than Macie :)

Agnieszka wrote: "I just read the first five chapters and I love the book. I like Macie, Matt and Emily. I don't like at all Nadiene and Adam and not sure yet about Rachel.

I'm struggling a little bit with the Aust..."

I did wonder how non-Australians would find some of the language as there is a lot of slang used. (Which is to be expected for people living in Darwin)
Whereas, for example, if you read a Liane Moriarty book, she always bases them in Sydney so there are not as many cultural references and Aussie slang

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Hi Anna,
We are a bit prudish in this regard compared to Europeans.
I try to explain it to others as we are kind of more like the Brits than..."
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the explanation! Will be looking for your perspective on this discussion thread :)

Can anyone explain what braces are? Macie notes that she is turned on by Matt's pinstriped suite and his braces. In the US braces are on kids teeth to straighten them, or a person with a disability might wear them on their legs. I'm sure they mean something else ;)

They are those things to us also Trinia. I'm not sure what other word is used to describe braces in this context. Here's a link :)

Ha! Thanks Karen, I call them suspenders :)

Oh! For us suspenders are lingerie like this


So that would be VERY weird if Matt was wearing them in that scene
LOL!!

I am on chapter 6 now I just like Macie more and more! She is independent and I really like that she had been thinking about what to do with her own life and tried to pursue her dream life. Plus she's a book nerd x)

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "They are those things to us also Trinia. I'm not sure what other word is used to describe braces in this context. Here's a link :)

..."

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Oh! For us suspenders are lingerie like this


So that would be VERY weird if Matt was wearing them in that scene
LOL!!"

LOL, there are some really sexy between those but I really don't think they are Matt's style ;-)

BTW: I fnished chapter 17 and still think the same about all the characters. I thought yesterday I should mention Jeremy in the not sure yet category but even if he's really charming I like him less with almost each scene. (view spoiler)[Hitting on Macie even if he knows she has a boyfriend is really no way - but still I'm not able to dislike him :-( (hide spoiler)]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Oh! For us suspenders are lingerie like this


So that would be VERY weird if Matt was wearing them in that scene
LOL!!"

Oh MY!!! Yes, that is quite the image ;D LMAO!!!!

I'm late with starting this book. I want to finish the book I'm reading before I start this. I hope I'll be able to catch up soon

Agnieszka wrote: "I thought yesterday I should mention Jeremy in the not sure yet category but even if he's really charming I like him less with almost each scene..."

I understand. I actually ended up liking him more as the books goes on. I finished today so I won't say more yet until others have finished :)

So I'm late for the party and only started it today....

I also giggled out loud with the "It was not that kind of swinging" line.

I'm loving Renee's writing style.

I'm also feeling a bit lost with some unusual words.

I finished the book last night and unfortunatelly didn't like the last quarter of the book as much as the rest but I hope these were just my issues. I post more of my thoughts in a few days when more of you finished it.

Well my brain kinda stopped at shirtless Jeremy reading a book.... That is my definition of hot, if I ever read one.

After it defrost.... I managed to read the rest in one swing :)

I loved all the dirty dancing references... It's a very enjoyable reading

Sonia wrote: "Well my brain kinda stopped at shirtless Jeremy reading a book.... That is my definition of hot, if I ever read one..."

LOL

WOW you were really fast!

Sonia wrote: "Well my brain kinda stopped at shirtless Jeremy reading a book.... That is my definition of hot, if I ever read one.

After it defrost.... I managed to read the rest in one swing :)

I loved all ..."

Lol!
Wow, well done reading so fast :)

Agnieszka wrote: "I finished the book last night and unfortunatelly didn't like the last quarter of the book as much as the rest but I hope these were just my issues. I post more of my thoughts in a few days when mo..."

Oh? What didn't you like? (You can put it in spoiler tags) :)

Okay, so I just got started with the book. A little late. My family is moving, and packing all of my books has been back breaking. I'm starting to regret some days my love of reading. Those suckers are heavy after awhile.
Anyways, I have a feeling I'll be laughing a lot during this book. I can also hear them and their accents. My grandma on my dad's side was An Aussie. I loved the fumbling with the button to the point that Ma'am told her to get it fixed and Jeremy said he should have noticed it and told her about it, I think. I love her nickname too. Nanna. She sounds like she should be an old hag with a nickname like that.
Some of the Aussie terms are familiar, but some will be new to me, and maybe a challenge to figure out what they are talking about. No matter what, I'm in for a good read.

I started this book today, and Macie is very likable. There are some good characters in this book! I love the dancing! Makes you wish there was a dancing class like that here too. I'm loving the writing style. The book is interesting starting from page 1.

The Aussie slang doesn't bother me. Maybe because I recently have read several books set in Australia? Not sure if it is that, because of the other books I have read the Aussie terms didn't bother me either.