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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I read the first half of this love story on Ree Drummond's website a few years ago. I liked the intense (chaste) passion of Ree and Marlboro Man but was put off by the incessant reminders of how rich and well-bred she was. The story reads like a romantic comedy screenplay; two unlikely lovers meet and have whirlwind romance with several embarrassing episodes for comedic effect. I wish she'd delved deeper into the failing of her parents' marriage---I felt like the story missed some deeper meaning.
Knowing the origin of this book - Ree's real life romance as chronicled through blog posts - I was initially inclined to be forgiving. The plot's not going to be amazing, because real life almost never is. The writing will be choppy and unpolished. But the book was extremely repetitive and name-droppy - I can't tell you the number of times she referenced her husband's white crew cab diesel Ford F-250 - as well as shallow. You got no real sense of who these people were or what their lives were like. She lives with her parents for months before she even mentions them once. By the time she reveals that her break up with the boyfriend she left behind in California wasn't made super clear to him (as she's been dating others), I began to have doubts about the author's character.
After awhile it also became clear that to take the place of any real plot, Ree's approach at memoir writing was to string together a series of embarrassing and somewhat humorous episodes and hype them up to 11. As connective tissue between these episodes, she picked a topic (roughly one per section of the book) and expounded upon it ad nauseum - her planned but ever-delayed move to Chicago, not knowing the direction of her whirlwind romance, then her parents' divorce. The focus on her parents' divorce is what really started to grate on me. She seemed way more focused on how it affected her life as a grown adult crashing at her parents' house rent-free (and without any discernible employment) than about how it affected them or why it was happening.
This last touches on another theme that irked me as well - Ree's completely unexamined privilege. She repeatedly throws around mentions of her family's wealth, and the reader can assume from her lengthly unemployment that she had no student loans, likely because her parents paid for the entirety of her (very expensive) education. And even though she protests throughout the middle of the book that she has no idea where her romance is headed, once she decides not to move to Chicago she makes no attempts to find a job. It seems that, despite her protestations of feminism, she takes for granted that her parents will care for her until she she has a husband who will.
The one saving grace of this book - and the reason why I didn't give it one star - was the descriptions of cattle ranching. These were by far the most vibrant and interesting parts of the book, and the only sections where much seems to happen. The prairie fire is one of the few instances of any conflict between her and Marlboro Man. Ree has a lot of passion for her new life.
The non-ranching parts of the book were likely hindered by attempts at glossy romance novel fodder - which is uncharitable to romance novels, which have far much more character development and substance. However, it is possible that any solid writing in that department was hindered by a wish to protect the privacy of loved ones and to make everyone appear in a good light. And Ree's character likely comes off unfavorably due to the shortcomings of her own writing. Throughout it appears she's trying to be self-deprecating about the foolishness of her younger self, but her attempts are somewhat unsuccessful.
After awhile it also became clear that to take the place of any real plot, Ree's approach at memoir writing was to string together a series of embarrassing and somewhat humorous episodes and hype them up to 11. As connective tissue between these episodes, she picked a topic (roughly one per section of the book) and expounded upon it ad nauseum - her planned but ever-delayed move to Chicago, not knowing the direction of her whirlwind romance, then her parents' divorce. The focus on her parents' divorce is what really started to grate on me. She seemed way more focused on how it affected her life as a grown adult crashing at her parents' house rent-free (and without any discernible employment) than about how it affected them or why it was happening.
This last touches on another theme that irked me as well - Ree's completely unexamined privilege. She repeatedly throws around mentions of her family's wealth, and the reader can assume from her lengthly unemployment that she had no student loans, likely because her parents paid for the entirety of her (very expensive) education. And even though she protests throughout the middle of the book that she has no idea where her romance is headed, once she decides not to move to Chicago she makes no attempts to find a job. It seems that, despite her protestations of feminism, she takes for granted that her parents will care for her until she she has a husband who will.
The one saving grace of this book - and the reason why I didn't give it one star - was the descriptions of cattle ranching. These were by far the most vibrant and interesting parts of the book, and the only sections where much seems to happen. The prairie fire is one of the few instances of any conflict between her and Marlboro Man. Ree has a lot of passion for her new life.
The non-ranching parts of the book were likely hindered by attempts at glossy romance novel fodder - which is uncharitable to romance novels, which have far much more character development and substance. However, it is possible that any solid writing in that department was hindered by a wish to protect the privacy of loved ones and to make everyone appear in a good light. And Ree's character likely comes off unfavorably due to the shortcomings of her own writing. Throughout it appears she's trying to be self-deprecating about the foolishness of her younger self, but her attempts are somewhat unsuccessful.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Despite growing up in Oklahoma, Ree Drummond was a big-city girl. She liked her sushi, her high heels, the hopping night life and the fast pace of LA. In her mid-twenties, she decided to give it all up and go home to Oklahoma to think. She met a real cowboy, fell madly in love and gave up her vegetarian, high-society life to become a rancher's wife, mother of four, and country girl. A few years ago, she started a blog, which apparently is quite popular. Her fans particularly enjoy her stories of falling in love with her cowboy husband. This book tells that story plus the first year of marriage story. It's all a bit hokey but there are some laugh-out-loud moments. She has way more estrogen than I do (cares a lot about fashion, hair, make-up) but she does know how to make fun of herself and you gotta love that. Good escape.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Ree, for the love of God, put down the adjectives and walk away. Does everything need at least two descriptors? No. Does anyone need to refer to their "gestating body" three times in the space of a page and a half? NO. The seventy five plus times Marlboro Man was referred to as rugged and muscular was a little confusing too. I don't understand, is he rugged and muscular or not?
While we're at it, referring to him as Marlboro Man on the blog is one thing, but it seriously does not work in the book. I'm sorry, how do you recount your own wedding and never use the man's actual name?
There's a whole pile of other issues involving her nameless Marlboro Man "savior" coming in and sweeping her off her feet and saving her from a life of urban vegetarian-sushi-eating, so she can go cook him steak in the middle of the prairie and pop out babies (he wants six, she thinks she might want one, but he's "working on her." Eww.) but I'm not even going to go there.
While we're at it, referring to him as Marlboro Man on the blog is one thing, but it seriously does not work in the book. I'm sorry, how do you recount your own wedding and never use the man's actual name?
There's a whole pile of other issues involving her nameless Marlboro Man "savior" coming in and sweeping her off her feet and saving her from a life of urban vegetarian-sushi-eating, so she can go cook him steak in the middle of the prairie and pop out babies (he wants six, she thinks she might want one, but he's "working on her." Eww.) but I'm not even going to go there.
I absolutely loved this mini-biography by The Pioneer Woman/Ree Drummond. Within the first few chapters, I was laughing out loud and giggling like a little girl. She truly paints a picture of a new romance, hilarious life out-takes, and struggling to through life's decisions and twists.
A perfect read for anyone who has found love, is getting married, pregnant, or really just wants a good laugh and great recipes.
A perfect read for anyone who has found love, is getting married, pregnant, or really just wants a good laugh and great recipes.
Ree is a wonderful person, and this book brings you closer to her, her ranch, her husband, and her family. I am glad that she has opened to her audience more than just her kitchen, this is a great story even if you've never cooked along with her.
It was silly, funny and real. I'd say if you like her blog, books and/ or tv show, you'd like this... A few details are missing , bit overall it's a fun read. No one said she would write great literature, just grew from her blog. Take it at that...
This was not really my cup of tea. It's not super-strong as a memoir, and although it claims to be a "real-life" romance novel, it doesn't have the sparkle and wit of well-written romance novels that I like. I'm guessing it would help one's enjoyment of this book if one was already a fan of the Pioneer Woman's blog/personality. It wasn't terrible or anything, and I do think the last 1/3 about her first year of marriage was much better than the rest. Maybe 2.5 stars, actually?