Broken Bay Blues - Cast of Characters

(A discussion thread. How did you feel about this colorful group of people in Zack & Kiama’s life? I’d love your opinions and views. Thank you! )

Sunset on the Hawkesbury River in NSW, Australia

·       Kiama Nowra Bradley – was born and raised in Chicago, IL by loving parents along with her older brother, James. Her dad Joe, met her mother Marilyn, when he was on an R&R in 1970 while serving in the Army during the Viet Nam War. After he was discharged, Joe Bradley arranged for the lovely Marilyn O’Malley to come to the United States where they were married. *Kiama *Nowra was named after her mother’s and grandmother’s birthplaces respectively. After graduating from Northwestern University and working alongside her father in his advertising firm in Chicago, Kiama moved the West Coast to manage the Los Angeles office of Bradley Advertising Inc. She had become disillusioned with her career and a rapidly deteriorating personal life with a demanding high powered attorney who is slowly taking over her life. Kiama knew there was something better out there for her and she will never find it stuck behind a desk in the middle of a city. She also comes to the realization that the only way out of her dire situation with Ivan, was to disappear. Her deceased uncle has left her some property in NSW, Australia. She quietly leaves L.A. like a thief in the night, with the blessing of her parents and escapes the watchful eye of her controlling and diabolical former lover.

  

·       Zack Stair (Zachariah) – is our lovable, good natured and completely unpretentious hero who has lived and worked on the river for the last decade. Jasper O’Malley had taken the delinquent, runaway orphan under his wing. He gave him a job and along with Marigo and Bowie, provided Zack the family connection he needed so desperately in his life. Jaspo always believed in Zack and Zack tried to never let Jaspo down. Zack’s initial disdain for being tricked into traveling to Sydney to pick up Jaspo’s Tour Guides’ new owner and Jasper’s long lost heir, quickly turns into delight once he realizes that the very beautiful blonde roaming around the airport in search of her ride, is the very person he’s supposed to bring home. He takes his job of getting his ward back to the Hawkesbury River in one piece very seriously. He tries to put her at ease during the sometimes harrowing trip, without much success. He patiently smiles through every single temper tantrum and breakdown this scrappy city girl throws. Kiama admits to him that she may have made a big mistake by coming to the outback to find a home. She’s makes no secret of her contempt about being hauled around like a piece of cargo. If she thought she was going to be treated like royalty, she quickly learned that she was going to be treated as Zack would treat any other human being, with respect but this is the outback. There are no formalities in the bush. No matter what Kiama did to deter him, Zack kept falling deeper in love with her after every crisis he helps her get through. Like any typical Aussie man, he keeps his feelings to himself. By the time their journey is over, it’s obvious that these two were destined to be together. It was pure magic and we get to see it happen before our very eyes.      

·       Jasper O’Malley – is the deceased uncle. He never makes an appearance through the entire book but his presence is felt from the very beginning to the end. It was his final gift of an inheritance that brought two these young lovers together. Perhaps it wasn’t fate? Jaspo, is the very glue that holds this story together.  

·       Cyrus Daltrey – the hapless intruder that you want to hate but your conscience just won’t let you in the end. You can feel his pain. You can understand his desperation and everything he does is for the love of his daughter. You can rejoice in his redemption. He turns out to be perhaps the most complex character and the interaction between Kiama and him is compelling. They both learn something important about themselves from this unfortunate encounter. He struggles between doing the right thing and wrong thing throughout his stay.

·       Ivan Marx – Kiama’s scorned ex-lover. Everyone needs a villain and Ivan certainly fits the bill, perfectly. He’s a powerful, famous Los Angeles attorney who thrives on having control of everything in his life. He was determined not to let go of Kiama at any cost, not because of his love for her but he simply hates to lose. Kiama rejected him and she knows far too much about his shady business deals just to let her go. You will feel nothing but contempt for this man and you will question what Kiama saw in him in the first place. Youth and naivety has caused more than one of us to make some very poor decisions. Kiama was not above that fault. She paid for it dearly, now we can only hope that Ivan pays for all of his heartless greed and depravity. You’ll wish for just deserve throughout the story and you’ll be surprised in the end how he meets it.  

      

·       Marilyn O’Malley Bradley – Kiama’s mother is a true Australian daughter who left her homeland for the love of a Yankee soldier. She’s the typical loving mother and she accepts Kiama’s need to find herself in her native country. Her brother was Jasper and somehow she believes that Jasper will be looking out for Kiama, even after his death.

·       Joseph Charles Bradley – Kiama’s father is a kind and loving father but not as understanding at first about his daughter’s need to go find herself in the wilds of Australia. He wouldn’t be a protective dad if he didn’t at least protest her decisions. Neither Joe nor Marilyn knew about Kiama problems with Ivan but Joe was neither fond of the attorney nor trusting of his intentions toward his only daughter. Kiama finally was able to tell him about her reason for staying in Australia. She has fallen in love with an Aussie bushman named Zack Stair.

·       Maizie Ayles – Zack’s old girlfriend is probably one of the most colorful of all the river characters. She’s not afraid to wear outlandish clothes, wild make-up or dye her hair every color in the rainbow if the mood strikes. She’s got a reputation of being very “friendly” with the working class men who live on the river. Kiama and Zack have some comical and heated discussions as to exactly what Maizie is. She was the first person to befriend Zack when he came to the river looking for refuge. They quickly turned into lovers but ended up becoming good friends in the end. Maizie will always have a soft spot for Zack because he wasn’t like any of the other working class men but Maizie’s goal was an express ticket off the river and clearly Zack had no plans on leaving. She doesn’t realize how much Zack meant to her until Kiama showed up. This could prove to ignite some real fireworks when Zack’s past meets his future.

 

·       Bowie Finnigan – Zack’s oldest friend, workmate and father figure, offering bits of wisdom and experience. He’s the fun loving Irish immigrant who lives behind Zack’s place in little tin hut. Bowie was Jaspo’s best mate and is Marigo’s present day boyfriend/partner. He was the first one to meet Kiama, in a very comical and memorable way. When they get past their initial face to face encounter, Bowie and Kiama become very good friends.

   

·       Mary Margaret McGregor – aka/Marigo is the office manager of Jasper’s Outback Tours and Zack’s champion/mother figure. She’s fiercely protective of Zack and made a promise to Jaspo that she’d keep an eye out for him. She takes an immediate liking to Kiama and knows that Zack and Kiama are perfectly suited for each other. Marigo is a feisty redheaded Scottish spitfire who’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind. She can read Zack like a book. She and Jasper were an item when he was alive. Jaspo, Bowie and Marigo had an interesting arrangement.

·       Dalton De Beers – is Zack’s co worker and best mate. Dalton is an expert tracker and rumor has it, he’s a shirttail relative of the famous De Beers diamond family from South Africa. He’s not admitting to it and neither are they. Dalton is a true bushie in every sense of the word. He knows the land and the waters around the Hawkesbury better than anyone else. His skills will come in handy when Zack needs him the most.

·       Brookie’s - Pub/Grill is the place they all go to swap stories, learn the latest gossip, have some “tucker” and a few “stubbies”. The pub is a character in itself. This is where Zack takes Kiama to introduce her to her new, if somewhat reluctant neighbors. They all gather at Brookie’s when it comes time to help their newest Hawkesbury River resident.     

Here are a few more of the characters you will run into. You will laugh and cry along with them. Each of them, no matter how small their role, had a part in Zack and Kiama’s life. Kiama is touched by how close knit this community of working class residents are. She falls in love with all of them and so will you.  

• Blake Stair – Zack’s older brother
  Arianne Stair Pauly – Zack’s younger sister
  John Henry Stair – Zack’s deceased father
  Kate O’Hara Stair – Zack’s deceased mother
  Alexander Hayden – The pilot
  Ned Taylor – co-pilot
  Grace Burke – flight attendant
  Mr. Johnson – the pharmy
  Lizzie Johnson – the pharmacist mother
  James Bradley – Kiama’s brother 

Who is your favorite character? Who is the character you find the most influential in Zack and Kiama’s life. The funniest, the most touching? I would love to hear your thoughts! Your comments are most appreciated.

*Nowra is a town on the banks of the Shoalhaven River in NSW Australia

*Kiama is an eastern coastal resort town on the Pacific Ocean in NSW Australia

Broken Bay Blues by Cindy Roland 

now available at:

Amazon Kindle Store

Kiama Nowra Bradley’s seemingly charmed life was anything but that. The glamour of Hollywood had turned into a dark and ugly place, where she no longer felt safe.

Kia harbors secrets. Secrets so reprehensible, they could prove to be fatal. She fled an opulent lifestyle to liberate herself from a spurned lover. A man so powerful and diabolical, he could destroy her and ruin her family’s business.

A twist of fate comes in the form of an unexpected inheritance. It allows her to find refuge and a new beginning in a small isolated community nestled alongside the tranquil waters of the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. Kiama soon realizes that this charming haven offers her something she’s been searching for all her life, a place to call home.

Against this beautiful backdrop inside the mouth of Broken Bay, she struggles to build a new life for herself among a motley group of social misfits, who hold an underlying mistrust for all strangers.

Kiama’s initial fear of moving so far away from everything familiar to her is quickly replaced by the antics of these colorful characters that reside along the river. One resident in particular manages to tug at her heartstrings.

Zack Stair, a handsome and unpretentious tour guide draws the short straw to retrieve her from the airport for the long, insufferable trip to her new home. Their journey to Jaspo’s Cove ranges from hilarious to harrowing.

Kiama and Zack become hopelessly drawn to one another as he attempts to help her adjust to the harsh realities of living in the Australian outback. The sexual tension between them is immediate and undeniable. Together, these two free spirits discover that their challenges, strength and struggles have made them inseparable.

Kiama’s new life had only begun when she receives a letter that threatens her future. She lives with the fear that her past will catch up to her and destroy her newfound happiness.

Will she find rejection or redemption from the one man who has offered her unconditional love and acceptance? What will happen when Zack learns her shameful secret? Could he also be harboring his own dark past?

Your heart will soar as this working class community join forces and fight to save the life of their newest resident just when she needs them the most. This is a story of acceptance, unity and redemption. The essence of unconditional love laced with laughter, despair, triumph and tears. It will lift your spirits and remind us all that there is always hope no matter how dire our circumstances.

What is strine?

Strine Dictionary
Are you confused yet? No worries… you’re in good company mate. Strine is simply a shortcut for Australian. It’s the language these plucky good natured citizens from "down undah" proudly call their own. If there’s a way to shorten a word, rhyme a phrase, find another humorous word for sex, body parts or bodily functions, leave it to an Aussie. They will deliver every time.

Australia may be an English speaking country but there’s nothing quite as unique as their very own Aussie (pronounced Ozzie) slang. It dates back to the settlers who first came to the continent in the 18th century but the term strine wasn’t tagged until the 20th Century.

To make my colorful river folk characters come to life I chose to write their authentic voices into my story with the encouragement and blessing of my many Aussie friends.

My objective was to write a better story but my passion was to learn as much strine as I could to become more intimate with my characters. I’m proud to say that I’ve become pretty well versed since I first began to comb through the thousands of websites, books, Google and the expertise of my Aussie mates. I’m sure all of them were sick of my emails beginning with "What do you call a…"

Since my family’s ancestry comes straight from the hills of Kentucky, I had a running start on comprehending slang. Every country has various strains of dialect depending upon the region. I had an easier time than most picking it up because so many of their phrases share a similarity to the United States’ Southern slang.

Interestingly, both Australia and mountainous regions of the South were largely settled by Scot/Irish/English. Their phrasing is similar as well as their folk music. I found that to be quite interesting.
Here is a handy little strine dictionary I put together. Almost every word listed was mentioned someplace in my book. The actual language itself is practically limitless. If there’s a word out there, an Aussie will find a way to make it uniquely his own. Fair dinkum!

Keep this handy, you might just need it. G’day!

 ace - good, excellent

 alfs- backwards Aussie men

 all up in yourself – snooty, uptight

 altogether - naked

 angry ferret - erection

 ANZAC Day - Australian holiday similar to Memorial day

 apples - just fine, great

 argo - argument, disagreement

 arse - ass, behind

 arse over tits aka/tits over arse - to fall over, flip, take a tumble

 arvo - afternoon

 away with the pixies - day dreaming

 aye/oi - am I right?, yes, exclamation

 baby batter - sperm

 balls to the wall - full force, giving it all you have

 bang/banging - have sex

 bangers – sausages

 bathers - swim suit

 battler - a laborer, working man

 biccies/bikkies – money, cookies

 big note - encouragement, vote of confidence
 big smoke – Sydney, any big city

 billabong - watering hole, inland body of water

 bloke - a regular guy

 blood oath – promise, vow

 bloody - common and popular expletive.

 blow in- drifter, traveler

 blue - mistake, blunder, fight or argument (can also apply to a redhead)

 boardies - swim trunks

 Bobby Dazzler - a finely dressed woman

 bob's yer uncle - you're welcome, very well, there you have it

 bonzer – terrific, fantastic

 boof/boofhead - goofy, idiot, fool

 boss cocky - boss, the one in charge

 bottler - a winner, a good thing

 breezer - someone just passing through, fart

 brekkie - breakfast

 Brizzie - a resident of Brisbane

 brown eyed mullet – a floating turd

 buck up - straighten up, face it

 bugger - a pest, an annoyance, a problem

 buggerlugs - a pet name given to children and loved ones - like sweetheart, sweetie, darling, sometimes used to tease

 bum - ass, behind

 bush – outback, wilderness

 bushfire blonde - a redhead

 bushie - an Australian outdoorsman, outback resident
 cackleberries - eggs

 cacklers - hens, old women

 cakehole - mouth

 chat up - have a conversation with

 cheeky – good natured, prank filled

 choof - scoot off, leave

 chook - a chicken, a woman

 chuck - pitch, toss, move, turn

 chuck a wobbly - have a tantrum, get very angry

 chuffed - very glad, pleased, proud of

 clear the cobwebs - masturbate, climax

 clock - punch or hit

 cooie - long distance

 craking a fat - erection

 crawlies - bugs, lizards, snakes etc

 cuppa - hot coffee or tea

 dag - likable nerd, goof, loser

 daks – pants, trousers

 date - ass, behind, butt

 deadset - absolute, certain, for sure

 digger - a soldier

 dill - idiot

 donger - penis

 drain the lizard - urinate

 duds - clothes

 dunny - toilet, outhouse
 every bastard and his dog - everyone, the general public

 fair dinkum - alright, understood, I see, you bet!, honest

 fanny - vagina

 fatty - erection

 figjam - a stuck up person, someone who thinks highly of themselves

 five fingered date - masturbate

 flat chat - quickly

 footy – football (Aussie rules football)

 frangers - condoms

 freckle - anus

 full on - holding nothing back

 Funnel web – a very poisonous spider that is native to NSW

 g'day - hello

 get up in - get worked up, frustrated

 give it a go - try it

 go at it - attempt, try

 goggs - eggs

 good on ya - well done, good job

 googs - eggs

 greenhorn – beginner

 hoons - hoodlums, slackers

 jamberoo - tied one on, wild time, got really pissed (drunk)

 Jimmy Woodser - a man who drinks alone

 juice - booze

 kid-stake - silly, insignificant things, small items

 larrikin - a good natured man who likes to have a good time, a kidder
 like a case of backyard trots - very fast, quick to act

 lollie – money, candy

 loo - toilet, water closet, bathroom

 luv – a common nickname for females

 mate - a common name for friend, buddy

 Mick - Irish Catholic

 mobile - cell phone

 mozzies - mosquitoes

 muckin - messing or fooling around

 nakie - naked

 nasty (do the) - have sex

 naughty (do the) - have sex

 New Aussies - new citizens from other countries

 nick or nick off - get away, take leave

 ning nong - a dummy, silly person

 no worries - everything's fine, you're welcome, the typical attitude that Aussie's take about life, don't sweat it

 nong - dummy

 nuddy - naked

 ocker - a backwards Aussie man, hick

 off my nut - crazy about

 off the mark - taken by surprise

 on the wake - aware of, pay attention to

 one out of the box - a keeper, something special

 Oz - Australia

 pearler/pearl - a winner, a special thing

 peepers - eyes
 pharmy - drug store, pharmacist

 pissed - drunk or wasting time

 pisser - a drunk, a morning erection, a sticky situation

 Pitt Street Farmers - well heeled citizens from Sydney

 pixie dust - dreams

 plucky – brave, enterprising

 Pom or Pomm - Brits, Englishmen

 poofter - girlie man, gay man

 posty - mailman, mail service

 pozzie – short for positive

 prozzie - prostitute

 Queenie - a resident of Queensland

 ratbags - goons, slackers

 ratbastard - a jerk, asshole

 ring up - call by phone

 roo - short for kangaroo

 root - a very naughty word for having sex

 rort - party, a rowdy time, ruckus

 rough end o’ the pineapple – a bad time, a bad experience

 rough go - hard time, difficult chore

 roughie - a punk, delinquent, tough guy

 sammies - sandwiches

 scones - biscuits

 scrappy – snippy, argumentative

 scrubs - away from cities, outback, wilderness

 seppos - Americans (rhyming strine short for Septic tanks/ Yanks)
 shat off – mad, angry with (pissed off)

 sheila - a pretty young woman (obsolete word)

 she'll be apples - everything will be fine

 shit - multi uses - noun, adverb and adjective

 shit kickers - unskilled laborers

 shower of shit - very quickly

 slicker - raincoat

 slog - hard work, tiresome labor

 snags - sausage

 sook – cry baby, complainer

 sparrow's fart - very early in the morning

 spill the shit - confess, admit

 spitting chips – very angry

 spunky – cute, pretty

 squib - a stupid person, a jerk

 squizz - peek

 starkers - naked

 stoush - a riot, big fight

 straight away - immediately, right away, quickly

 struth - it's the truth, honest

 stubbie - beer

 suck of the sav - incredulous amount, that takes balls

 sunnies - sun glasses

 swag – backpack, duffle bag

 Sydneysider - a resident of Sydney

 tall poppy - important person
 tallywacker - penis

 Tazzie - resident of Tasmania

 tin-arse - undeserving lucky but useless person, wealthy

 tinhorn – someone who pretends to have money

 tinny - a simple galvanized metal motor boat

 tits over arse - to fall down, pratfall, take a tumble

 torch - flashlight

 town bike - a woman who sleeps around

 underdaks - underpants, panties, underwear

 up the spout - in a panic, in a bad spot, pregnant

 ute - work truck (short for utility), pick-up

 wacker - a goof off

 walkabout - taking a hike on foot in the outback

 Westie - someone from Perth or the west side of Australia

 whinge - whine or complain

 white-ant – invades, encroach on someone else’s territory

 whoop whoop - long distance

 willy willy - a big storm, similar to a tornado

 wog - flu, virus

 Yank – American

Broken Bay Blues Prologue

Prologue

In the air:
Kiama's mood lifted considerably as the unmistakable curved sails of the Sydney Opera House came into view through her window on the plane. From her vantage point it looked like a graceful prehistoric bird. She'd been cooped up in this big metal fuselage with hundreds of strangers for over fourteen hours now and it was a welcome sight for sore eyes. In her case, bleary sore ones. She was exhausted and it was only the beginning of her day.

She'd covertly and meticulously planned this trip to Australia for weeks now and still found it hard to believe that she was actually here.

Her stomach was tied up in knots. She should be used to feeling like she was going to throw up at any given moment. After all… it had become a daily part of her life for the past few months. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she gazed at the sparkling azure water of Sydney Harbor beneath her.

The pilot's pleasant Aussie accent came over the intercom. "G'day mates! As you can see we're approaching Sydney International Airport. If you look over to your left…" He continued to give the standard cheerful landing speech but Kiama was already lost in her thoughts as she struggled to calm her nerves.

She had no idea what was going to happen when this plane landed. No idea whatsoever. There was only one thing that kept going through her mind. Nothing, absolutely nothing could be as bad as the situation she was leaving behind in Los Angeles. She had to keep telling herself that. If she didn't… she'd be right back in L.A. living that freak show of a life she'd managed to carve out for herself.

Kiama vowed that she was going to leave her past behind and focus on the future. New South Wales, Australia was a place for a new beginning. God knows she needed a brand new start and this might be her last chance.

She could blame it all on Ivan… but in reality it was just as much her fault. A harsh pill to swallow but if she was ever going to get on with her life, she had to face it.

She'd somehow lost the strength to put an end to her miserable existence… until now. It took everything she had left inside her to carry out this plan and she was determined to make it work. Her very life depended upon it.

The plane hit the runway and Kiama could hear the rubber tires scoot across the pavement. She'd always hated landings. She looked down and noticed her knuckles had turned white from gripping the armrests.

Besides, this landing might be one of the best things that ever happened to her. She closed her eyes and waited for the plane to come to a complete stop before she took her next breath.


On the ground:

After cursing a blue streak and driving around in circles, Zack finally found a place to park. He hated coming to the airport, he hated crowds and at the moment, he hated his best mates. Zack was going to find a way to pay those good for nothing drongos back, if it was the last thing he ever did.

Sydney brought back unpleasant memories and he didn't miss the bloody big smoke one bit. Nobody on the river wanted to make this trip today but somehow they managed to pull a fast one on him. He just wanted to get this day over with as quickly as possible.

He knew from the minute he walked into the office yesterday, those bloody bushies had set him up. He could just picture them sitting around having a good belly laugh at his expense right now. Zack muttered under his breath as he cleared the turnstiles. "Bloody fuckin no account bastards!"

He checked the borrowed mobile that Marigo sent along with him in case he needed to call her. He had no desire to have one of his own but it did come in handy to check the time since he never bothered to wear a watch. Despite everything, he was right on the money. The plane was probably landing just as he entered the main lobby of the airport.

He was bloody lucky he made it at all. That rat trap of a ute they sent him down here with was on its last legs. A piece of shit work truck was probably the best ride this tin-arse heir deserved. Every man and his dog was shat off with having to meet this miserable fuck.

This so-called long lost relative sure took his bloody time showing up to stake his claim. He couldn't have been too upset about Jaspo's untimely death. Zack took Jaspo's death hard, real hard. The man had been like a father to him.

Jasper O'Malley had been gone a few months shy of three years. Zack had dreaded when this day might finally arrive. He'd hoped that his heirs would have sold the place sight unseen and be done with it.

Zack started putting money away in a special account the day the attorney made the announcement that Jaspo's Outback Tours had been turned over to a trustee until the rightful owner came forward and claimed it.

He was taking no chances. He wanted to have enough socked away to cover his arse in case the tinhorn relative did show up and decide to fire everyone.

If things didn't work out, he could easily start up his own tour business. His mates would follow him and Jaspo's business would go right down the dunny like a brown eyed mullet. Zack kind of hated to see that happen because Jaspo was the man who gave him a chance and taught him just about everything he knew. If it wasn't for Jaspo, he didn't know where he'd be today.

Not to anyone's recollection did Jasper O'Malley ever have one solitary kinfolk visit him on the river. He rarely mentioned his life before he came to the Hawkesbury. Some of the folks that knew him since the day he moved there decades ago were surprised to find out he even had heirs. The only reason Zack knew was because Marigo had clued him in that there were a few in the woodpile.

Well, the lucky bastard was finally showing up today and they'd all get a chance to size him up. Hopefully he'd feel so intimidated by the folks who lived deep inside the mouth of Broken Bay, he'd hightail it back to wherever he came from.

With any luck maybe this dag would get bit by a deadly funnel-web on his first walk-about and decide the bush was no place for a poofter. He'd call it a day and sell out to the battlers that had kept this bloody business going ever since Jasper O'Malley died.

Zack always had dreams of buying the business himself. He'd lined this bloody blow-in's pockets with a lot of cash over the last three years. It's about time he met the lucky bastard face to face.

He almost felt bad about his attitude. The bloke might be a decent kind of chap. Zack chuckled to himself. He was starting to think like one of the Hawkesbury dills. He'd already started to sound and act like them. Zack looked down at his faded denims and sweat drenched tee-shirt. Bloody hell, he looked like one of them too!

Zack had hurriedly scribbled a sign on a torn lid of a cardboard box before he entered the airport. He pulled it out of the back of his waistband and read the name "K.N. Bradley".

Maybe the K.N. stood for Kangaroo Nuts? He chuckled at his kid stake attitude. He was just being a squib now. Zack quickly found his way to the roped off waiting area. He managed to inch his way to the front of the crowd and held up his sign, hoping to catch the attention of his bloody pain in the arse visitor.

He had a right to be spitting chips. This bastard was responsible for Zack missing out on his only day off in weeks. He could be home watching a riotous game of footy. There was nothing he liked better than lying around in his underdaks, drinking beer and farting instead of standing here like a whinging bloody sook.

As Zack stood there feeling sorry for himself he spotted her. His eyes were riveted on her as she scanned the crowd for whoever the lucky bastard was that got to pick her up.

This woman had to be the most beautiful thing Zack had ever laid eyes on. She looked a little out of place wearing a sweater on a warm November arvo. Zack would lay money on her being a Yank. As far as he was concerned, she might as well have been starkers… he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Her blonde hair was pulled up into a thick ponytail that tickled the back of her neck. The snug fitting blue jeans accented her long legs and that impractical sweater showed off the finest set of knockers he ever had the pleasure of ogling. She had the face of an angel. Large eyes and kissable lips highlighted her delicate features. This looker could have every bloke in this airport on his knees begging for her favors.

Some drongo was going to get to take her sweet date home while Zack waited around for a no-account tin-arse. He kept his head facing the crowd of arrivals but his eyes followed her continuously. If he watched her much longer he was going to crack a fat right here in the middle of Sydney International Airport.

She seemed lost and he sensed a bit of sadness in the way she moved aimlessly around with the rest of the passengers searching for her ride. The swag she carried on her back was weighing her slender frame down. He had the urge to run over and take the burden off her beautiful shoulders.

Her eyes scanned the crowd behind the barricade and it might be Zack's wishful thinking but she seemed to focus directly on him. He had to look away. He pretended to look over her head as she stood directly in front of him. As much as he wished it were true, she sure the bloody hell wasn't looking for him.

It was an effort for him to stay calm and collected when she tapped his arm to gain his attention. Zack swallowed his heart that was lingering in his throat before he looked down at her.

At that moment - Zack and Kiama's eyes met for the very first time.

Broken Bay Blues Synopsis

Kiama Nowra Bradley’s seemingly charmed life is anything but that.

Kia harbors dark secrets that could get her killed. She’s left an opulent lifestyle to save herself from a spurned lover who could destroy her and ruin her family’s good name.

A twist of fate allows her to disappear half a world away to the tranquil waters of The Hawkesbury River in New South Wales Australia. This enchanting region brings her the essence of peace and fulfillment. It turns out to be what she's been searching for all her life.

Against this beautiful backdrop, inside the mouth of Broken Bay, she finds herself evading her past while living amongst a town of colorful social misfits who hold an underlying mistrust for strangers. Kiama is enchanted with the eccentricities of these intriguing characters. One resident in particular, Zack Stair, manages to pull at her heartstrings.

Zack is a handsome and unpretentious tour guide. He draws the short straw to retrieve Kiama for the long, insufferable trip to her new home. Their journey ranges from hilarious to harrowing.

Kiama and Zack are hopelessly drawn to one another as he attempts to acclimate her to the harsh realities of living in the outback. The sexual tension is undeniable and soon their shared strength, spirit and struggles make them inseparable.

Her new life has only begun when she receives a letter that threatens her future. Her greatest fear -- that her past will catch up to her and destroy her newfound happiness, becomes a reality.

What will happen when Zack finds out about her shameful secret? Will she find rejection or redemption from the man who has offered her unconditional love and acceptance? Could Zack also be hiding his own dark past?

The pugnacious bohemians opened their hearts and homes to Kiama. Will they come together and fight to save the life of their newest resident when she needs them the most?

This is a story of redemption and the essence of unconditional love laced with laughter, despair, triumph and tears. It will lift your spirits and remind us all there is always hope no matter how dire our circumstances.