Friday, February 4, 2011

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

Let me first say, I love Ree. I read her food blog everyday and I was giddy when Marta gave me this book (Thanks to her job at large e-tailer I got it a few weeks ago). And I feel horrible saying this but I did not love her book.
Black Heels to Tractor Wheels is the story of how Ree met her husband, Marlboro Man. The book is about their courtship, their engagement, their wedding, their honeymoon and the beginning of their marriage. Black Heels started as blog posts Ree wrote to tell her fans about her relationship with Marlboro Man (MM). And if I was reading them in installments (say weekly), I would think how cute. But 200 straight pages of how she melted every time MM spoke, I wanted to gag. They do have a sweet love story, a whirlwind romance. But I felt that a lot of the details weren't necessary-what they wore, how strong his biceps were, the sound of his laugh-described over and over again. If I'd read it a series of blog posts I would have thought it cute. Plus she talks very little besides her relationship with MM. Other stuff was happening at the same time but she focuses on MM. If they'd been more about what else was going on in her life (her parents, her grandma, her brother), I might have not felt those details as obnoxious. Although once they got married there was plenty of other stuff going on and I enjoyed the last 100 pages or so.
Ree is incredibly honest and funny. If you read her blog she writes this book in much the same fashion. There are sixteen recipes at the end. She does talk about cooking especially those early dates with MM. I look forward to the book after this one. The one that talks about how she started her blog (I've only been reading her for about a year or so now) and how she became the Pioneer Woman and its success.

7 comments:

  1. This might come off as sounding bitchy, but I don't get all the hubbub around her. The last 2 years when I went to BlogHer, I saw tons of people freak out whenever she walked into a room, like she was a movie star or something. It's weird. I get that she posts some really good recipes, and (from what I hear) she's probably a very nice person, but I don't understand why people make such a HUGE deal about her.

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  2. ...yup no idea who this woman is..nope not a clue. Must have a look at that blog

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  3. I've been reading her blog for a while now too. Mainly for the gorgeous photos and great looking food. I did buy her cookbook and hit a home run with the men of the house when I made MM's fave sandwiches!!

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  4. I saw her at the Library of Congress' National Book Festival, and she seemed very personable. I think I did read some of her blog posts about meeting Marlboro Man, while I was link-hopping one day. I didn't end up finishing the story, which sounds like it was just as well, as they were archived posts and I'd have been reading them in one go, as you did with the book.

    - Christy

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  5. I enjoy Ree's website very much. In doses. Her photography is lovely, her recipes are great, and she's got a fun and friendly blogging voice. But when I heard she was writing a love story book about how she met her husband, fell in love, got married, etc... I admit I rolled my eyes. LOL. I think it's great that she started her blog for fun, connected with SO many people and was able to publish a cookbook, but the idea behind this book is a big 'Huh?' for me.

    Thanks for taking the time to read and review it!

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  6. I read some of the story when she was writing and publishing it on the blog. I've got to say that I am not a regular reader or fan of her blog, but bloggy-speaking I do think she is really talented. I won't be forking over the cash to read it though. Glad to hear I'm not missing anything.

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