by Ree Drummond
HarperCollins, $25.99, 342 pages
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story by Ree Drummond is a real life love story of how she met and fell in love with her “Marlboro Man”. I’m not sure “pioneer woman” is the right title to this book unless you consider a city girl marrying a cowboy and living on a cow ranch as a pioneering experience.
After meeting her Marlboro Man, Ree waits four painful months for him to call her for a date. From there it is a whirlwind romance. Marlboro Man is the perfect suitor, with humor, compassion, honesty and is a perfect gentleman. Ree, being a city girl with well-to-do parents isn’t a natural on a cow ranch. She is used to high-rise apartments, parties, cappuccinos and bookstores. But blinding love makes it impossible for her to care about her city life anymore.
This tale takes us from courtship and marriage to living the ranch life with children. Ree’s story of her life is a glimpse of what life should be and yet they also had experiences we wouldn’t want in real life. Comedy, joys and sorrow are all a part of her story. It has more class than Green Acres but they definitely share the same theme song!
Reviewed by Mary Church