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Paycheque
Promising Aussie author Fiona McCallum takes a leaf out of Rachael Treasure’s book with this Australian outback drama.
Claire had almost forgotten her country roots. She is a city girl with an adoring husband, a chic townhouse and a high-flying corporate career. But when the police knock on her door one night with tragic news, her world is thrown into turmoil and she heads back to her family's farm.
There, in the rugged beauty of the Adelaide Hills, Claire starts to rebuild her life with her friends, her father and his beloved racehorses, including a promising colt called Paycheque. But just as she starts to find happiness, and perhaps even love, she is faced with a life-changing decision …
Claire had almost forgotten her country roots. She is a city girl with an adoring husband, a chic townhouse and a high-flying corporate career. But when the police knock on her door one night with tragic news, her world is thrown into turmoil and she heads back to her family's farm.
There, in the rugged beauty of the Adelaide Hills, Claire starts to rebuild her life with her friends, her father and his beloved racehorses, including a promising colt called Paycheque. But just as she starts to find happiness, and perhaps even love, she is faced with a life-changing decision …
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
About the author
Fiona McCallum
22 books275 followers** Please be aware Fiona is not active on this site. She can be best found on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fionamccallu... **
Fiona McCallum spent her childhood years on the family cereal and wool farm outside the small town of Cleve on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.
Fiona now lives in Adelaide and works full-time as a novelist. She writes "heart-warming journey of self-discovery stories" - often with a rural setting, sometimes with a romantic thread and sometimes without. Her tales tie together her love of animals and fascination with the journey people go on to find what really makes their heart sing and then follow their true passions to find happiness, even if it means taking risks and facing seemingly impossible obstacles. It's a storyline very close to Fiona's heart because it reflects her own life.
Fiona now has nine Australian bestsellers to her name: 'Paycheque', 'Nowhere Else', 'Wattle Creek', 'Saving Grace' (Book one of The Button Jar series), 'Time Will Tell' (Book two of The Button Jar series) and 'Meant To Be' (Book three (and at this stage final) in The Button Jar series), 'Leap of Faith', 'Standing Strong' (a sequel to Wattle Creek), and 'Finding Hannah'. Her tenth book, 'Making Peace' has just been released (late March 2018).
Fiona is proof dreams can come true...
Please note, Fiona isn't active here. She only signed up to try and get books by authors of the same name removed from her listing. (Note, this Fiona McCallum is not the clairvoyant and author of "Dear Fiona". Nor is she the Scottish academic who writes about Christianity in the Middle East.) She's too busy writing to be on multiple social media platforms and only does Facebook. She can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/fionamccallu...
Fiona McCallum spent her childhood years on the family cereal and wool farm outside the small town of Cleve on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.
Fiona now lives in Adelaide and works full-time as a novelist. She writes "heart-warming journey of self-discovery stories" - often with a rural setting, sometimes with a romantic thread and sometimes without. Her tales tie together her love of animals and fascination with the journey people go on to find what really makes their heart sing and then follow their true passions to find happiness, even if it means taking risks and facing seemingly impossible obstacles. It's a storyline very close to Fiona's heart because it reflects her own life.
Fiona now has nine Australian bestsellers to her name: 'Paycheque', 'Nowhere Else', 'Wattle Creek', 'Saving Grace' (Book one of The Button Jar series), 'Time Will Tell' (Book two of The Button Jar series) and 'Meant To Be' (Book three (and at this stage final) in The Button Jar series), 'Leap of Faith', 'Standing Strong' (a sequel to Wattle Creek), and 'Finding Hannah'. Her tenth book, 'Making Peace' has just been released (late March 2018).
Fiona is proof dreams can come true...
Please note, Fiona isn't active here. She only signed up to try and get books by authors of the same name removed from her listing. (Note, this Fiona McCallum is not the clairvoyant and author of "Dear Fiona". Nor is she the Scottish academic who writes about Christianity in the Middle East.) She's too busy writing to be on multiple social media platforms and only does Facebook. She can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/fionamccallu...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 5, 2017
This book is mostly listed as romance but that's quite misleading because it's really about relationships in general. Claire's husband dies in a car accident at the beginning of the book and her father is in a coma. At the time that her father went in to a coma he was working on his lifelong passion of training horses for racing. Claire sells all of his horses because she feels that she can't care for them, but when her father wakes from a coma asking for his favorite horse, PayCheque, Claire moves mountains to get the horse back for him. She moves back in with him and begins helping him train the horses.
What follows is a series of relationships among various characters that allows Claire to move on from her husband's death and learn and grow along the way. Among the important relationships in this book we have Claire and her father, Claire and eventually a boyfriend, Claire' boyfriend and his daughter, Claire and her best friend Bernadette, Bernadette and their friend David, Claire's father's relationship with PayCheque, and Claire's relationship with her boyfriend's daughter. Claire also eventually has two demonic kittens, kittens that actually need to be potty-trained which I have never encountered.
My favorite thing about this book was the way that Claire took the things that happened to her, struggled with them, and then learned to learn to take it in and be happier. All throughout the book Claire is struggling with who she thinks she should be compared to finding something that she's passionate about.
As a romance it's a bit lacking because it's a fairly minor part of the story. As a book that explores multiple relationships and how they all interlock and interact it's a first rate story. I'm curious to read more by this author.
What follows is a series of relationships among various characters that allows Claire to move on from her husband's death and learn and grow along the way. Among the important relationships in this book we have Claire and her father, Claire and eventually a boyfriend, Claire' boyfriend and his daughter, Claire and her best friend Bernadette, Bernadette and their friend David, Claire's father's relationship with PayCheque, and Claire's relationship with her boyfriend's daughter. Claire also eventually has two demonic kittens, kittens that actually need to be potty-trained which I have never encountered.
My favorite thing about this book was the way that Claire took the things that happened to her, struggled with them, and then learned to learn to take it in and be happier. All throughout the book Claire is struggling with who she thinks she should be compared to finding something that she's passionate about.
As a romance it's a bit lacking because it's a fairly minor part of the story. As a book that explores multiple relationships and how they all interlock and interact it's a first rate story. I'm curious to read more by this author.
June 14, 2016
I ended up really enjoying this rural story about a woman who moves back to the country to train racehorses. I'm not usually a fan of racing stories or the Melbourne Cup (there, I admitted it), and I also admit I put this one down after a few chapters, however I'm really glad I picked it up again. I did find Claire a little bit annoying, however I did enjoy her story of starting again after an immense loss.
June 29, 2016
A light, predictable, holiday read about the trials and tribulations of horse racing. I quite enjoyed this book except for Claire, the main character. I found her stubborn, pessimistic, self-centred, a control freak and generally annoying. However, the other characters were great - Derek, Will, Maddy, Bernie and Claire's father, and I especially liked the horses, Howie and Paycheque.
November 10, 2015
It is no secret that I have been a fan of Fiona McCallum’s Australian rural romance books for some time, McCallum’s button jar series still holds a strong place in my heart. What I love about McCallum’s writing is her ability to convey the Australian landscape and those who work in the land effortlessly to her readers. Paycheque is definitely another solid piece of Australian fiction, in the ever expanding rural romance genre. Paycheque is McCallum’s first book and is set in the world of Australian horse racing. It follows the life of Claire, a country girl now city slicker, who must return home after two life changing events rock her world. In repairing her life, Claire takes solace in her family home and training a horse, named Paycheque, who is destined for great things. The path to great things is rocky, as Claire soon discovers. Ultimately, Paycheque is a story of finding love after loss, hope and the healing power of animals.
Having read a number of books with horses as the main theme back to back, I was still completely swept away by Paycheque. McCallum’s writing always resonates so well with me. Paycheque is a solid story, especially for a debut novel. I loved the book as a whole, but the last few chapters definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I thought the scenes around the Melbourne Cup were extremely memorable. McCallum has a knack for creating wonderful characters who seep into your heart. I felt a strong connection with Claire and enjoyed witnessing her transformation of character. The scenes Claire shares with the horse Paycheque, allows the reader to experience the bond that can develop between an animal and their carer. The romance in this novel was set at just the right level for me, subtle, in that it adds to the story rather than overpowering the already solid storyline. I cannot finish this review without commenting on the stunningly drawn Adelaide Hills setting, which adds further appeal to this novel.
Although Paycheque will appeal to horse lovers directly, Paycheque can be enjoyed by any reader who appreciates a beautifully woven Australian women’s fiction novel.
Having read a number of books with horses as the main theme back to back, I was still completely swept away by Paycheque. McCallum’s writing always resonates so well with me. Paycheque is a solid story, especially for a debut novel. I loved the book as a whole, but the last few chapters definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I thought the scenes around the Melbourne Cup were extremely memorable. McCallum has a knack for creating wonderful characters who seep into your heart. I felt a strong connection with Claire and enjoyed witnessing her transformation of character. The scenes Claire shares with the horse Paycheque, allows the reader to experience the bond that can develop between an animal and their carer. The romance in this novel was set at just the right level for me, subtle, in that it adds to the story rather than overpowering the already solid storyline. I cannot finish this review without commenting on the stunningly drawn Adelaide Hills setting, which adds further appeal to this novel.
Although Paycheque will appeal to horse lovers directly, Paycheque can be enjoyed by any reader who appreciates a beautifully woven Australian women’s fiction novel.
April 1, 2012
Read this in almost one sitting while laid up with an injury. Just what the doctor ordered. If you love horses you'll love this light but feelgood story.
June 3, 2015
Two stars - one for the book and one for my stupidity in finishing it.
April 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this, Fiona McCullum's first novel. I've read others of hers and enjoyed each. This is an easy to read, well written book with well drawn characters, both human and animal. The animal characters are important and do have their own personalities.
The relationships are believable and the way the story evolves is interesting and satisfying. Even though all the loose ends are tied up neatly by the end of the book it doesn't feel contrived.
Paycheque, the horse, was close to being put down and is consequently suspicious of humans but the way he recovers after loving care and then triumphs is a lovely story. There are stories within stories and very caring people, all making for a really pleasant and enjoyable read.
For horse lovers and those who enjoy well written Australian fiction. A particularly good debut novel.
The relationships are believable and the way the story evolves is interesting and satisfying. Even though all the loose ends are tied up neatly by the end of the book it doesn't feel contrived.
Paycheque, the horse, was close to being put down and is consequently suspicious of humans but the way he recovers after loving care and then triumphs is a lovely story. There are stories within stories and very caring people, all making for a really pleasant and enjoyable read.
For horse lovers and those who enjoy well written Australian fiction. A particularly good debut novel.
February 24, 2019
Beautiful story set in Australia - the Adelaide Hills. If you love horses, you will love this story. Normally I wouldn't read a book that has any romantic genre to it but since I was visiting the Adelaide Hills as I read it, it was perfect. The romance didn't kick in until the last quarter of the book which is when I lost interest in the story. I loved the fact that I was immersed in the location as I was reading it.
September 18, 2017
I listened to one and a half discs of the audiobook and gave in. I couldn't get into the story, I thought the language was cliche and overly descriptive and flowery at times. I tried to imagine it as I was reading it whether it was the audio part I didn't like, but I've been able to look past a bad narrator (and this one was tolerable) and I couldn't get past the story. I never give up on books so I feel bad about this but I couldn't make myself keep going.
January 6, 2020
Not a bad book, but no surprises really. I actually found it hard to like the main character (I only finished this book today and I can't even remember her name, but I remember her friend, Bernadette, as I liked her more). It doesn't usually take me this long to read a 350+ page book, but it didn't grab me like other books have.
June 13, 2020
Lighthearted and heartfelt book. I think it would be a good one to take on a holiday and leave it for someone else to pass the time. Not a riveting story by any means but one of a woman who is luckily surrounded by family and friends who care for her. Her romance story is realistic and written nicely.
Read
March 11, 2021Very good reading, paycheque a horse nearly put down, with training and the love of the owner and maddie the jockey, the horse runs a race and came in 5th, despite being advised by jockeys to put this horse down. A great and moving story of love and commitment by owners and Maddie the jockey who rode and loved this horse.
March 4, 2018
A fabulous book which would appeal to horse lovers as well as anyone who loves reading good old-fashioned country romance. Great storyline with a never give up attitude that good things can happen after bad!
July 10, 2019
I gave this book 3 stars but its really nearly a 4.... just not quite there for me. Loved the story of the horses. A loveable bunch. I found Claire's character a little annoying but she got there in the end and I felt actually happy for her.
May 2, 2020
I liked the storyline of Claire. She had been through so much and found strength and happiness where she least expected it. Her relationship with her bestie Bernadette is a true friendship that I think we all have with someone in our lives. Thanks Fiona for a great read. 🙂
January 21, 2024
Very interesting & enjoyable read. It looks into relationships, friendship, death, horse racing, alternative veterinary practices. Moving on after major loses is worked through & we learn more about the behind the scenes in horse racing.
I score this 4.5 🌟
I score this 4.5 🌟
March 26, 2018
Loved each and every page. Great story Fiona x
April 13, 2018
Nice, easy read. A feel good story about relationships, stepping outside of your comfort zone and pursuing your passions.
June 9, 2019
Loved it! What a refreshing storyline it was too. It just goes to show that "everything happens for a reason" and that great happiness can result from seemingly tragic events.
June 27, 2020
Enjoyed the authors perspective on the racing industry. Ban the whips, but highlights some positives too 🐎
July 16, 2020
So realistic and edge of your seat
October 4, 2020
Great read interesting story
June 21, 2022
Anyone actually interested in racing- avoid. The devil is in the details, cringeworthy.
February 24, 2023
Easy read not a lot of substance. If it's that easy to get a horse to the Melbourne Cup.i don't think so.
May 4, 2023
Okay from this author, bit tedious at times.
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October 11, 2023Kindle
March 1, 2025
I had to skim read the last 1/3 of the book. The character development wasn’t it for me. They went no where and with Claire I was like where is this going? It started out strong and that’s about it.
March 15, 2025
Fabulous!
April 20, 2025
A winning read.
This book was so well written, the excitement of a horse race, the disappointment of an accident, the romance & friendships all rolled into an exceptional read.
This book was so well written, the excitement of a horse race, the disappointment of an accident, the romance & friendships all rolled into an exceptional read.
January 1, 2015
Well, I'm amazed at how many people enjoyed this book. I've fallen victim once again to a Kindle Dailydeal. You'd think I'd learn.
I'm 30% through so far but the main character is unlikeable, and the story has holes all over the place.
Her relationship with her best friend is ALL about her, can't imagine what Bernadette is supposed to be getting out of the friendship.
She mopes about how upset she is her dad is in a coma but resents going to visit and then when he suddenly wakes up she mucks around doing nothing much all morning (before rescuing the horse but only because she drove right past the knackers and spotted him on her way to go shopping, otherwise she wouldn't have bothered). She then goes to her friend's place to drink wine rather than to the hospital, waiting until the next day to actually visit.
Three days after "waking", her dad is up and home and walking around the farm, even though he'd been flat on his back in a coma for several months - apparently no muscle wastage or recuperation required from whatever unlikely mystery event actually caused the coma. She is staying at the farm supposedly to help him, but she lies in bed in the morning and lets him cook her breakfast. "I could get used to this" she thinks to herself as she tucks into her porridge and eggs (actual quote).
Uptight, selfish little princesses don't really garner much sympathy in my book. The only highlight is the unusual occurrence of two main female characters that don't talk endlessly about love interests (I'm sure that'll change soon though).
Woops, yep here we go. Three pages later and here's the love interest. Yawn.
I'm 30% through so far but the main character is unlikeable, and the story has holes all over the place.
Her relationship with her best friend is ALL about her, can't imagine what Bernadette is supposed to be getting out of the friendship.
She mopes about how upset she is her dad is in a coma but resents going to visit and then when he suddenly wakes up she mucks around doing nothing much all morning (before rescuing the horse but only because she drove right past the knackers and spotted him on her way to go shopping, otherwise she wouldn't have bothered). She then goes to her friend's place to drink wine rather than to the hospital, waiting until the next day to actually visit.
Three days after "waking", her dad is up and home and walking around the farm, even though he'd been flat on his back in a coma for several months - apparently no muscle wastage or recuperation required from whatever unlikely mystery event actually caused the coma. She is staying at the farm supposedly to help him, but she lies in bed in the morning and lets him cook her breakfast. "I could get used to this" she thinks to herself as she tucks into her porridge and eggs (actual quote).
Uptight, selfish little princesses don't really garner much sympathy in my book. The only highlight is the unusual occurrence of two main female characters that don't talk endlessly about love interests (I'm sure that'll change soon though).
Woops, yep here we go. Three pages later and here's the love interest. Yawn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews