Love is a Journey

Love is a Journey (formerly Love's Quest) is a sequel to the Australian rural novel Kaleidoscope of Life, by Deslee Campbell. Many of the same well-loved characters met in the prequel reappear, although here the central character is twenty-two year old Karen Evans, not the child Sally Evans. This historical novel begins at the very end of 1945. World War II has concluded and Karen has to find new employment, being demobilised from the Australian Women's Land Army after Christmas. Karen started nursing training at Dubbo Base Hospital and immediately met Father Simon Anderson who was attracted to her romantically. Karen's cousin's army buddy, Peter Dillon, was similarly interested. Karen persisted in her intention to qualify as a nursing sister and avoided making any commitment to either man but she became engaged to Simon Anderson in December 1947, on the eve of his departure for the Solomon Islands, the place of his childhood. With her precious wedding gown in her hand luggage, Karen arrived in the Islands early in 1949 and continued love's journey, with its many tribulations and dangers. Note that all Australian characters are fictional, as are those on Norfolk Island. Some missionaries and clergy in Papua-New Guinea and the Solomon Islands were historical characters but all dialogue and events are fictionalised, while set within the accurate historical background.