The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan

 

I cannot resist reading about women who move to the country and live a farming life. I guess it's because I think they're very brave. And they're so darn handy at creating something out of nothing, or using very little to create that something. Hilarie Burton Morgan joins my list of women I admire, who roll up their sleeves and jump in with a brave heart. 

The Rural Diaries is about Hilarie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (you know, that heartthrob of a guy from Grey's Anatomy, and the nasty Negan from The Walking Dead), and their decision to move to Rhinebeck, New York and live on a farm.  After meeting in L.A. through mutual friends, their connection was pretty quick and deep. Driving through Rhinebeck, they immediately felt at home and wanted to put down roots away from the craziness of Hollywood. And so they did. 

But this story is not all fairy tale and happy ending; at least not for a few years. Hilarie recounts their beginnings, with their young son Gus, in a little cabin by the woods. Their happiness at finding home, and becoming part of the community. Hilarie is a whiz with power tools and gardening; she learned a lot of skills from her parents and had always longed for a special place to call home. Her attitude of just jumping in and doing the hard work, and the satisfaction of making a home are inspiring. 

Hilarie and Jeffrey find a farm with 70 acres nearby and move there after a few years. More hard work, with the addition of chickens, alpacas, donkeys, and dogs. Hilarie recounts her heartbreaking miscarriages, and the strain they put on her relationship with Jeffrey. Healing from that, and finding their way back to each other. Community is also huge in this memoir; the friends and family that surround the couple and their son Gus are amazing, and I'll admit to being a little bit envious of their little piece of heaven!

Hilarie is a breath of fresh air. Her openness at the ups and downs of her relationship with Jeffrey, her obsession with getting pregnant again and the strain it caused; her heartbreak at losing her pregnancies. Her willingness to get on with the work and not be afraid of failure (in gardening, especially), and her big heart make this a charming read. Her brief inside look at Hollywood and her experiences as an actress are certainly interesting, too. 

This read certainly brightened a dismal February for me. My partner's Mom passed away last week after a very long illness. It was crushing to see her slowly getting worse over the past few years, the past six months have been hard; the past few months were profoundly sad. I was blessed to spend the last few weeks with her, helping my partner to care for his Mom and spending the days with her. It was not easy, and boy oh boy I cried so many tears my face hurt and my eyes were a mess. I'm taking some time to just be home, support my partner in his grief, and yes, grieve myself. So this memoir actually reminded me that the sun will shine again, flowers will bloom, and Spring will arrive. Life keeps going, and we will keep moving forward. 

Rating: 4/6 for an utterly open and honest look at the ups and downs of creating a life together, taking a leap and deciding to live that dream. Anyone who loves farm life, homemaking, and the country life will enjoy this memoir. A reminder that family, friends, and home are most important. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

I've been itching to read this novel for a few months.  I'm a sucker for my foodie novels, and this one didn't disappoint.  I was certainly in the mood for a novel that was gentle, full of warm characters, and set in a lovely little town.  Toss in some incredible desserts that made my mouth water, and I was a happy camper this weekend reading Louise Miller's debut novel.  

Olivia is a very talented pastry chef working at an exclusive club in Boston.  She's also having an affair with Jamie, a much older married man who is a big wig at the club.  One night at a huge party, she accidentally drops a flaming Baked Alaska and starts a fire at the club.  Oops.  Seeing this as an excuse to leave a messy situation, she flees to Guthrie, Vermont to visit her best friend Hannah.  At loose ends, Olivia applies for the pastry chef job at the Sugar Maple Inn, owned by the cranky Margaret.  Olivia soon settles into her job, acting non-committal but knowing deep down in her bones that she wants to stay in Guthrie.  Olivia and her dog Salty become involved with the McCracken family, who represent everything Olivia has always yearned for in her life.  Martin McCracken is not the usual type Olivia goes for; he is kind,  kinda cute, and an excellent fiddle player.  But his home is in Seattle, and he doesn't plan on remaining in Guthrie forever. 

Olivia is a bit of a square peg in Guthrie.  She dyes her hair fantastical colors, drinks, and has no problem standing up for herself. You get a sense that Guthrie used to be a very conservative town, but seems to have loosened up.  But the same families have lived there for decades, and past loves, slights, and hurts still simmer under the surface.  Small town life will always be one where everyone knows your business all the time.  Olivia is used to living anonymously in a large city.  It's a bit of an adjustment. 

There is romance, heartbreak, friendship, sadness, and oodles of baking in this novel.  I'm pretty sure I'll have to have some apple pie very soon.  As you'll see, it plays a big part in the life of this town.   There aren't any surprises in this novel, and that's alright with me.  Sometimes a gal just needs a good read that, at the turn of the last page, puts a smile on her face and a bit of sadness in saying goodbye to Olivia and Guthrie, Vermont.  

A huge thank you to Pamela Dorman books/Viking for providing a review copy of this book.  It made my day to receive this book in the mail. 

This novel will be on sale nationwide on August 9th in hardcover, e-book, and audio.  

Rating:  7/10 for a novel about finding home, the small pleasures in life, and families that come in all shapes and sizes.  

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The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

 I've read and enjoyed a few of Bill Bryson's travel adventures, and even recently watched the movie A Walk in the Woods (the book was much better).  So when I had a chance to read an advanced copy of his latest travel adventures, I jumped at the chance.  

Bill Bryson is originally an Iowa boy, born in Des Moines and ending up in England in his early 20's, falling in love, marrying, and settling in his new home.  He's been back to the United States, even lived in New Hampshire for a number of years, but now he's settled back in England, a curmudgeon that at once makes you laugh and ponder how the world changes as we age--or is it the same, and we just see it differently in our mature years? 

The Road to Little Dribbling is a sequel of sorts to his very popular book Notes from a Small Island, written 20 years ago.  He decided, after a bit of prodding, that he needed to revisit some of the places he first visited as a relative newbie living in England.  Now Bill is in his 60's, and that really does color his experiences as he wanders through England from top to bottom.  Visiting Cornwall, Wales, Dover, and many other places both big and small, Bill reminisces over how England has changed and stayed the same in some places; even improved greatly from when he last visited.  He rails against the increasing stupidity of people (don't we all, really?), their horrible grammar, and how England is in danger of losing what makes England such a wonderful place: the vast swaths of forests, parks, and stunning beauty that makes England like no other place in the world. 

Bill is clearly a man in love with his adopted homeland (and he recently became a dual citizen as well).  He is funny, biting, and sometimes just plain crabby and grumpy.  He does make the point that England has so many incredible National Heritage Sites, archeological sites, cathedrals, and oodles of historical "stuff" that it is easy for people to grow complacent, and figure all will always be there.  But, we are reminded that we are merely stewards, and we must take care of our treasures.  I thoroughly enjoyed Bill's snarkiness, bits of forgotten historical tidbits, and mostly his passion and love for Britain, warts and all.  We all sometimes need a reminder of why we love the places we call home, with all the quirkiness and quiet beauty that surrounds us that we often times forget to see.  

You don't need to read Notes from a Small Island to enjoy the "sequel". I didn't and don't feel I missed anything important.  Those who love Bill Bryson won't be disappointed, and those who don't know Bill Bryson should give his travel adventures a try.  

Rating:  7/10 for an enjoyable tromp through England with a man who enjoys a pint, appreciates the quirks of his country, and has just the right touch of humor and history to make his books a treat to read. 

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The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliott

I'm really happy Sourcebooks is publishing British authors for the US.  I was in need of a book that would entertain and not be depressing, and I found it here.  Most people would think a novel that revolves around a woman who thinks her husband is cheating would be a bit depressing, but seriously--this was so full of funny scenes, self-deprecating humor, and that feeling that everything would be ok that it wasn't depressing at all.  It was a well-rounded chick-lit novel ( and I hate saying chick-lit, but there ya go).  

Imogene is married with a 9 year old son (Rufus), living in London with her husband and trying really hard to get back into her passion of painting.  Her next door neighbor Kate lives the good life--surgeon husband, loads of money, brilliant kids, and a full social calendar.  However, Imogene and Kate are good friends and enjoy sharing time together over a glass of wine, gossiping in the kitchen and having great discussions about everything under the sun.

But--Imogene's husband, Alex informs her that they just can't afford to live in London anymore, and they've been offered a small cottage rent free in the countryside.  Slight catch--this cottage is on the grounds of Eleanor's estate--and Eleanor is a gorgeous, rich woman that Alex has known since childhood, and had an affair with Alex while he was married to his first wife.  Uh oh.

Enter Imogene's anxiety, certainty Alex is cheating on her, and being thrown into the country and expected to help feed the chickens and cows that live near her cottage.  She's pretty much hopelessly lost and this provides a lot of funny moments as the townie meets the country.  

But--Imogene's painting takes on a new, fresh life, and she soon finds that living in the country isn't so bad.  If only she could trust Alex.

This is a big part of the novel, but there's so much going on that while it is important, it's kinda hard to dwell on it.  After all, Alex isn't a bad character--he's rather like-able and you can understand Imogene's struggle to trust or not to trust her husband.  Toss in misunderstandings, lack of confidence, and just not listening to people, and there's a comedy of errors all through this novel.  There's also an underlying lesson in this story:  listen to your inner voice; and don't ignore things just because they are unpleasant.  

I certainly liked this novel, and was pleased to discover I have another of her novels sitting on my bookshelf:   A Rural Affair.  You can bet I'll be tucking into that book soon.  

So:  cheating husband?  Maybe.  Frustrated housewife, thrust into the countryside, and afraid of cows?  Yep.  Lots of twists and turns in this novel, but all combine to make a fan out of me.  

Rating:  7/10; Just the kind of read I needed, entertaining characters with plenty of flaws, and lots of chickens.  And Rufus is just a darling little boy.

Available in paperback and as an e-book.

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A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliott