In Her Boots by Dell’Antonia – a Review

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Description:
Filling these boots is harder than it looks.

Rhett Gallagher’s adventurous life is imploding. Just as she turns the big 4-0, her long-term relationship collapses, and news of a tragedy forces her to return to the family farm. The only silver lining is that Rhett’s inspirational book, The Modern Pioneer Girl—written under a pseudonym—has become a wild success, so much so that in a moment of panic, self-doubting Rhett persuades her best friend Jasmine to step into the limelight as the famed author.

But their prank turns into something more when the controlling mother Rhett hasn’t seen in two decades announces her intent to sell the farm Rhett loves and expected to make her own. To Rhett’s dismay, her mother is far more impressed by the fake author than she’s ever been by Rhett. To save her inheritance—and her identity—Rhett must concoct a scheme that will save the farm, and prove to her mother, and to herself, that she can stand on her own two feet.

Review:

In Her Boots by KJ Dell’Antonia is a standalone romance novel. We meet Rhett Gallagher, our heroine, at the start when she returns from Argentina to go back home, as death of her grandmother, sends her to take control of their farm, and bring it back to its glory days.  When she arrives, Rhett is surprised to learn that her mother, whom she has not seen in 20 years, controls half of the farm; and plans to tear it down and offer it to the local college.  Rhett is determined to fight to keep the farm, despite her mother’s wishes.

Before returning to the farm, Rhett was asked to appear on the Today Show, as she is a well known author with her successful book, Modern Pioneer Girl; which is under the p pseudonym of Maggie Strong.  Rhett arrives at the studio with her bff Jasmine, and overhears a voice from the past; her professor mother; she panics and begs Jas to step in and pretend to be Maggie Strong. Jas does a great job posing as Maggie, humiliating the mother, and becomes the face of the Modern Pioneer Girl, as well as amassing a large internet fan base. 

Besides her mother’s attempt to sell the farm, Rhett runs into her ex-college boyfriend, Mike, who is an architect, working with the mother to sell the farm.  Mike also has a daughter, Louise, from his previous marriage, who loves helping at the farm, a big fan of Maggie Strong (as the whole town thinks Jas is her).  In a short time, Mike and local neighbors will help Rhett out to fix up the farm, and their friendship rekindles.  Though the relationship between Mike and Rhett was very slow build, I did like him, especially as he was willing to help her.  It was not an easy task to run and fix up the farm, but both Rhett and Jas worked hard (she baked all the wonderful pastries, bringing people to buy them); their was horses, Ilama, chickens, etc. 

What follows is Rhett determined to make the farm a success, and find a way to get past the strained relationship with her mother to save her inheritance.  The best part of this story was the wonderful friendship between Rhett and Jas; who was always pushing Rhett to step up and reclaim Maggie Strong identity.

In Her Boots is a light enjoyable story about forgiveness, second chances, friendship, and love.  This was a fast read, and very well written by KJ Dell’Antonia.  I really enjoyed this book, and suggest you read In Her Boots.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher