Pioneer settlers of wilderness areas generally have a common goal - to find and claim their own piece of paradise.Tom Rourke was no different in this regard. In 1827 his paradise was on a secluded waterway only thirty miles from the growing port of Sydney Town in the British penal colony of New South Wales. The pristine bushland on which his one hundred acres had been allotted had been protected from the land-hungry eyes of the colonists by the inaccessible terrain which surrounded it. Tom had many plans of how he would turn his land into his own paradise. But one man's paradise can be another's hell and the local natives, assigned convicts and Mother Nature didn't always comply with Tom's plans.Our plans for life's journey are seldom without compromise. Tom finds that some of his plans are not achievable. He needs to accept deviations. Deviations on his road to paradise.
Deviations From Paradise will draw you in. It is with great regret that I can only give this a 5 out of 5. I'm absolutely blown away by the imagery and emotion conveyed within these pages. You'll find yourself wrapped up in this family saga from yesteryear. A must-read for anyone looking for a little adventure, some perseverance, and a lot of love. - The Faerie Review, May 23, 2020.