Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I wanted so badly to like this book since I needed a good light read, but I just could not stand it and had to put it down when I hit the 100-page mark. Ree Drummond is a funny blogger, but her work does not translate well to storytelling. You can tell right away this novel was patch worked together from her blog posts describing her life with Marlboro Man. While her story is humorous, I was left with so many questions: What do her parents think of her living at home? Did she have a job lined up Chicago? Was it an issue living at home and suddenly running off with the cowboy every moment?
In short, this book was in dire need of an editor and the lack of any character development other than on Ree herself left me frustrated and disinterested in the reading the tale further.
In short, this book was in dire need of an editor and the lack of any character development other than on Ree herself left me frustrated and disinterested in the reading the tale further.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
This was not the worst book I've read by a blogger. Honestly reading this with the thought that these were originally written as blog entries is a good thing to remember. This book was actually pretty funny, young Ree is a disaster, and this doesn't have anything to do with the fact she's a city girl who ends up living on a ranch. If something can happen to her it will happen.
I've seen a lot of reviews that I think are more about the reader disliking her as a person. And honestly yes, she is a privileged, very immature 27 year old who does not have her priorities straight and is so self centered at times you would think she was an only child. But I have to commend Ree Drummond, who I assume was much more mature when writing this, for being so honest about herself. She could have easily made herself look better and left some parts out that were frankly extremely embarrassing. But instead she portrayed herself in an honest way, which wasn't always flattering.
Anyway, if you want a serious romance this is not it. It is fluffy, extremely fluffy and silly and really all in good fun. Is it "The best romance since Gone with the Wind" as a blurb on the back claims? Absolutely not. Did it make make "believe in love again"? Not really but nice try.
I've seen a lot of reviews that I think are more about the reader disliking her as a person. And honestly yes, she is a privileged, very immature 27 year old who does not have her priorities straight and is so self centered at times you would think she was an only child. But I have to commend Ree Drummond, who I assume was much more mature when writing this, for being so honest about herself. She could have easily made herself look better and left some parts out that were frankly extremely embarrassing. But instead she portrayed herself in an honest way, which wasn't always flattering.
Anyway, if you want a serious romance this is not it. It is fluffy, extremely fluffy and silly and really all in good fun. Is it "The best romance since Gone with the Wind" as a blurb on the back claims? Absolutely not. Did it make make "believe in love again"? Not really but nice try.
The first part of this book was cute and endearing. The 2nd half... not so much. She really plays up and over dramatizes the city girl vs. cowboy thing. She's from Oklahoma too! It's not like she was born and bred in NYC. She's impressed by things her now husband does- helping get her car out of a ditch and calling her everyday. Um any decent guy would help get his gf's car out of a ditch. The things she complains about- getting sick on her honeymoon, morning sickness, living in a small house- just sound whiny. Those are normal things that happen to most people.
I thought this would be a fun, fluffy read. It is definitely fluffy, but I just can't stand it anymore. I read about 140 pages and she keeps writing the same thing over and over. She seems like an interesting woman, but she gave her husband no personality. All you know is that he's muscular, looks good in wranglers, has a sexy voice, and calls her all the time. And 50 pages could have been cut out just from removing all the kissing/make-out talk. Easily.
I was going to keep reading just to see how she ended it, but her character was driving me crazy (doing so many things I couldn't relate to or believe) and the writing was not good enough to keep reading. I tried reading a couple pages of the other book on my bedside table and the writing was so amazingly better that I'm going to scratch this one.
I was going to keep reading just to see how she ended it, but her character was driving me crazy (doing so many things I couldn't relate to or believe) and the writing was not good enough to keep reading. I tried reading a couple pages of the other book on my bedside table and the writing was so amazingly better that I'm going to scratch this one.
funny
sad
slow-paced
This was a good book to read after I finished the slightly psyche-scarring "Uprising." Light and easy to read, fun and humorous. But I had some issues with it.
First, it reads like a blog, which is kind of like "duh," since Drummond is a blogger. I remember reading about the first 1/4th of the book when she was doing weekly updates on it. But somehow I thought the finished product would be less bloggy and more... booky? It seemed choppy in places, a little "too good to be true" in MANY places, and I admit I got pretty tired of hearing about how great Marlboro Man looks in "charcoal," and his beautiful strong tan arms, and how he is her drug, etc etc etc. It kind of reminds me of Twilight with a rancher instead of a vampire.
I think that's my second issue with it - Drummond whacks you over the head with stuff to make sure she's really driven it home. Her parents' marriage troubles and the doom-doom-doom there, how hot Marlboro Man is, can she live as a rancher? etc. etc. I got pretty tired of the "Oh I want you but we are practicing restraint!" make-out sessions.
I'm not sorry I read it, but it's not really worth a whole lot of hype. There are some recipes in the back, but those you can easily get off her website.
Good if you need some fluff.
First, it reads like a blog, which is kind of like "duh," since Drummond is a blogger. I remember reading about the first 1/4th of the book when she was doing weekly updates on it. But somehow I thought the finished product would be less bloggy and more... booky? It seemed choppy in places, a little "too good to be true" in MANY places, and I admit I got pretty tired of hearing about how great Marlboro Man looks in "charcoal," and his beautiful strong tan arms, and how he is her drug, etc etc etc. It kind of reminds me of Twilight with a rancher instead of a vampire.
I think that's my second issue with it - Drummond whacks you over the head with stuff to make sure she's really driven it home. Her parents' marriage troubles and the doom-doom-doom there, how hot Marlboro Man is, can she live as a rancher? etc. etc. I got pretty tired of the "Oh I want you but we are practicing restraint!" make-out sessions.
I'm not sorry I read it, but it's not really worth a whole lot of hype. There are some recipes in the back, but those you can easily get off her website.
Good if you need some fluff.
Loved it! I loved the Pioneer Woman before reading it and am a bigger fan after reading it. If you don't like her show on the Food Network, you won't enjoy the book.
It was cute! I’m a fan of her cooking and I like reading biographies to learn about different perspectives. :) I will admit that her writing is not *the* best, but overall I still enjoyed it.
Not amazing literature or anything, but a very funny and entertaining read.