10/28/2022

Du In Meiner Nähe by Lilian Kaliner

The next volume in the Firefly Creek series. This time, we see Erin fighting for her dream, her love, and the farm she inherited from her father. Life in a rough country dominated by men isn´t easy. The author shows again, what it means to be a strong woman. What determination and courage can do to make a difference. This novel is written in the same style and manner, as the others and yet different. But in a good way. And John will surprise you – literally.

Du In Meiner Nähe*

by Lilian Kaliner
Firefly Creek Series #3
Publisher Fischer TB on August 31, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 352
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
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Erin is a passionate farmer, so there is little time to go out in Firefly Creek, the picturesque town in South Australia. But then she meets the smart banker Will. She enjoys the attention he gives her. When her father suddenly dies, the future of the farm is at stake. Luckily, Erin finds support from John, from the Bennetts' neighboring farm. Is he just her best friend? And what are Will's intentions? When everything falls apart, Erin must listen to her heart and see what really matters.

Story

Erin knows John forever. He is her best friend, her rock. And when her father dies suddenly, and she is left alone with a mourning mother and a reality that is far from what she thought she would inherit, she knows John is there for her. But is that all that she will ever get from him? Only friendship?

Style

The novel is wonderfully entertaining. The author shows the life of a family that, despite all the adversities, knows what is important in life. Love, loyalty, and family support. The tone ranges from light and humorous to cruel. Even in the most painful moments, a touch of humor can still be felt. I was just a little sorry that Kat is different in this third installment in the Firefly Creek series. She looks softened. Completely changed. I had to laugh heartily when she rode the mare (sorry, but I won't reveal more here), but her transformation generally didn't convince me. She literally stole the show from the main character, which I think is a shame. On the other hand, I would have liked to have seen more of the "old Kat".

Characters

Lilian Kaliner's female figures have one thing above all: strength and quick-wittedness. This may not be immediately apparent in some women, but these attributes are clearly there.

Erin is a woman who knows what she wants. How she gets it and what she wants to achieve with it. She has her future clearly in mind. She wants to make her breeding program a success, finally be financially independent and lead a self-determined life. When her father dies unexpectedly, however, Erin is presented with a very different reality. For me as a reader, it was nice to see how she masters her fate. Tackles things in her own unique way and never loses sight of her goal. In my eyes, she is the perfect woman for John.

Conclusion

A wonderfully entertaining novel that scores with the reader with great dialogues and scenes. The author takes you to great scenery, uses fantastic humor, and in one scene shows a creep where the hammer hangs in Firefly Creek. Splendid. Just read!

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review. The novel was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Roman ist wunderbar unterhaltsam. Die Autorin zeigt das Leben einer Familie, die trotz aller Widrigkeiten weiß, worauf es im Leben ankommt. Liebe, Loyalität und familiärer Rückhalt. Der Tonfall reicht von leicht und humorvoll zu grausam. Selbst in den schmerzhaftesten Momenten ist noch ein Hauch von Humor zu spüren. Es tat mir nur ein bisschen leid, dass Kat in diesem dritten Teil der Firefly Creek-Serie anders ist. Sie wirkt wie weichgespült. Völlig verändert. Ich musste zwar herzlich lachen, als sie auf der Stute ritt (sorry, aber mehr verrate ich hier nicht), aber ihre Verwandlung überzeugte mich generell nicht. Sie stahl damit der Hauptfigur sprichwörtlich die Show, was ich schade finde. Auf der anderen Seite hätte ich aber auch gerne grundsätzlich mehr von der „alten Kat“ gesehen.

Charaktere

Lilian Kaliners weibliche Figuren haben vor allem eines: Kraft und Schlagfertigkeit. Das zeigt sich bei der einen oder anderen Frau vielleicht nicht sofort, aber diese Attribute sind klar vorhanden.

Erin ist eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will. Wie sie es bekommt und was sie damit erreichen möchte. Ihre Zukunft hat sie klar vor Augen. Sie will ihr Zuchtprogramm zum Erfolg machen, endlich finanziell unabhängig sein und ein selbstbestimmtes Leben. Als ihr Vater unerwartet stirbt, bekommt Erin jedoch eine ganz andere Realität präsentiert. Für mich als Leserin war es schön zu beobachten, wie sie ihr Schicksal meistert. Die Dinge auf ihre ganz eigene Art anpackt und ihr Ziel dabei nie aus den Augen verliert. Sie ist in meinen Augen die perfekte Frau für John.

Resultat

Ein herrlich unterhaltsamer Roman, der mit großartigen Dialogen und Szenen beim Leser punktet. Die Autorin entführt einen in eine großartige Landschaft, zeigt einen fantastischen Humor und in einer Szene wird einem Widerling gezeigt, wo in Firefly Creek der Hammer tatsächlich hängt. Herrlich. Einfach Lesen!

Lilian Kaliner

Lilian Kaliner, born in 1984, lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and lots of chicken in a small town near Freiburg. With her current husband, she traveled through Australia in an ancient camper van. They picked cherries at just under forty degrees to finance the trip, stayed on lonely beaches, were surprised by the cold in Tasmania – and got married shortly afterwards. When she got the idea for a series of novels with a turbulent extended family, it was clear that she would be set in Australia.

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