Jeannie Ralston

This book was selected by my book club and, if that hadn't been the case, I'm not sure I would have finished it. Ralston spends 3/4 of the book whining and complaining about how awful it is to be separated from NYC, then from Austin, TX, when she moves to marry the man she loves. She bemoans the construction of her "barn" home in Blanco and seems to resent every task or inconvenience which is foisted on her by her privileged life. Complaining about the rigors of childrearing, when she had a full-time nanny who came to the home, really rubbed me the wrong way, and I don't have kids! The narrative doesn't turn positive until the very end when she learns to love her new home (and ironically fights to stay there) and embraces what she and her husband built.

As I was reading, I really wished there were photos of her lavender farm, their home, the pool, the thinking tree, but no such luck. Thanks to Google, I found her website and the page for this book includes a nice assortment of photos. When you see the astonishingly gorgeous and upscale barn she and her husband renovated, you may feel irritated all over again (as I was) that she spent so much time complaining about it. Get over yourself!… (meer)

Many have expressed this sentiment, which I agree with, that The Unlikely Lavender Queen is an inspiration for many women, particularly those who have ever relocated to unfamiliar territory, with a spouse (namely a husband who is from that territory!). I certainly appreciated the story, and on too many levels.

All the way through I kept anticipating Jeannie's breaking point, when she would give in, especially when she had taken the trip to Tennessee. But the unlikely happened and blossomed from there. Perfect matches might be made in heaven, but on earth I tend to believe, as Jeannie depicted, relationships rivet around commitment, and sacrifice, and tears, and sometimes breaking points too. I absolutely loved the part where Robb interrupted his work and met Jeannie and the boys at the airport on that "vacation" to Tennessee.

I wanted to write more but because I don't like spoilers, and because it is "likely" many have touched on the other points I'd like to add, I'll just wrap up by saying this story is especially a good one to curl up to on a rainy night, or during a snowed-in day. A humbling read it is.… (meer)