"The Rural Diaries" recounts how an actress re-imagined her life to become a mother and also to manage and live on a small farm along with her actor husband. The author takes readers on a roller coaster ride of advice, memoir, and life changes. She writes with humor and honesty, and the book contains some laugh out loud sections. Readers should be aware of the use of profanity throughout.

I received this book from NetGalley and from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I didn’t know what to expect from this memoir. I’d watched One Tree Hill back in the day and vaguely knew Burton had married Morgan, but I had no idea they had escaped into farm life. They’re basically living out my dream and getting to read about their experiences was truly wonderful. Not the typical celebrity memoir, but certainly a good one.

If you're doing the Read Harder Challenge for 2020 this will qualify for the entry about a rural setting. I used it as my entry for that task.

So, the cover and the name caught my eye and I found the memoir aspect interesting. I didn't know who she was - I wasn't watching MTV when she was hosting Total Request Live. But at the mention of an incident of unwanted sexual contact on the set of the show, I recalled seeing her tweet about it. I am aware of her husband's existence but I never think of him by his name. It's his character's name on The Walking Dead that makes me cringe and wonder how people can be awful to one another. 

Hilarie Burton Morgan's book feels very authentic. It's not a tell-all and she goes just enough into each story that you get the details of what happened without going so deep that the woman, her family, and her neighbors don't have any privacy. 

She's about to move to Paris, France when she meets a man 16 years her senior who she jokes is a midlife crisis. She ends up charmed and a new plan develops which involves a future Christmas tree farm. Stories about rural life, infertility, gender bias, coupledom, and being a good community member is what you'll find in this book.

It was really very sweet and it's obvious how much she cares for the animals that she's been entrusted with to care for.

**Thanks to HarperOne Books/HarperCollins Publisher and NetGalley for granting me access to an ARC of this book.***

I have read quite a few memoirs over the years but nothing has been as immediately enjoyable to me as this one. I have, of course, been a fan of Hilarie Burton Morgan's since her days as Peyton on OTH and more recently on the Lethal Weapon series. I saw she had written a book about her life on with her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan and since I love them both I had to read the book. I was blown away.

The best thing about it is the conversational style of writing. It feels just like Hilarie herself invited you in for a cup of tea and some chit chat. The book covers everything from her MTV VJ days to One Tree Hill to all the acting roles she's done since but it's so much more than that. She has personal stories from her childhood sprinkled throughout just like she does with some of her favorite recipes. She talks about how she met her now husband and the difficulties of having children. Her family bought a farm in the Hudson River Valley and just like that her life on Mischief Farm begins.
The loving way she talks about her new hometown and all the friends she's made along the way is a testament to all small towns in America, especially the farming communities. I just loved every moment of this book.

The only thing left to say is that I will be ordering a hard copy of this book to keep in a special place on my shelf because it's simply that beautiful inside an out.

#NetGalley #TheRuralDiaries

The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan

This book is Outstanding! 5/5 stars! I was so pleasantly surprised to hear about this book as a long time Hilarie fan, I absolutely loved getting a peek into her life off the screen and it seems that is even more interesting than on tv. She was so open and honest, so raw, there are many things I have in common with her that I would have never known if not for this book. I would recommend this to anyone, you don’t have to be a fan of hers to begin with. I read through this so fast and was honestly sad it was over. I will absolutely recommend this book and will look for her work in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

🌻 I DEVOURED this book!!! I loved reading about her transition to small town/farming life, the searing honesty about marriage, Motherhood, and being a woman in a world where it’s sometimes a disadvantage- but she’s a tough cookie and I have so much respect! This is one of the most honest memoirs I’ve ever read, and I forgot for 99% of the book that she was a celebrity because she is so down-to-earth, genuine, and “normal”.
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As a perpetually tired Mama of 3 little people, it’s a RARE book that keeps me up and reading through the night, but I stayed up until 3am to finish this because I was so into it I just couldn’t stop. I also picked up some excellent gardening and DIY tips along the way and am now ready to ditch my life to go live off the land- ok maybe not yet, but one can dream! One day!
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Highly, highly recommend this one!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5.
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Huge thanks to @Netgalley @hilarieburton and @harperonebooks for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Can’t express how much I loved this one!

I must say I really hardly ever read a memoir by an actor, but this one seemed like it would be different, and it was.
Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, both working actors, met through some good friends, and once they discovered their like minded goals for life, became inseparable.
Both had a family background in some type of farming and it was always a goal to make that dream come true. They were both looking for a place and town where they could feel a part of a community, something they hadn't found in Los Angeles or New York City where their job required them to live.
Their dream was a farm, to grow vegetables, have animals and a place where a future family would thrive.
This story took them to Rhinebeck, NY and the surrounding area where they first bought a small cabin with some land and immersed themselves into the community, later they found a bigger piece of property nearby, where they were really able to realize their dreams, and named it, Mischief Farm.
It was fun to see how how every minute outside of their work schedules, they invested in their place, not always an easy task, especially after they had their son.
The book takes us through all of their ups and downs, and shows us how resilient they could be, as both were very handy.
I loved, their love of the community and how the community welcomed them, together making things happen.
Great read, highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of this book.

When I saw Hilarie Burton’s memoir pop up on NetGalley, I immediately requested it because I love her and her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I follow them on Instagram and knew they lived on a farm in upstate New York with their two children and wanted to learn how they ended up there. I thought that this was just going to be about their life on the farm, but it follows Burton’s life from meeting her now-husband to present day. Her writing style was really funny and relatable. It felt like I was getting to know her as we chatted over coffee. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to talk about her own relationship with her mental health, her career ups and downs, her difficulties getting pregnant and coping with miscarriages, and her experiences with facing sexual harassment while being an actress. A great deal of the book is about Burton’s life in Rhinebeck, NY and the people of the community that have become family, which was really beautiful and heartwarming. Burton also shares family recipes and that added another fun layer to the stories of her life. If you’re a fan of her or her husband’s work, you would adore this book. Even if you aren’t familiar with them, I think any reader can connect with her journey and will find this memoir to be very touching.

I would give this a 4 1/2 star rating. I loved Hiilary Burton in One Tree Hill. She was always the tough as nails chick and in real life shes the same. You will laugh and cry reading this book. I can’t wait to tell all our library patrons to read yhis book! Definitely a book I would re-read.

Being a fan of OTH, and missing Hilarie’s character Peyton after she left the show I wanted to dive right into this book and get all the juicy details. What I found and became even more fond of is a kick ass, strong willed woman with a huge heart. I don’t care to know the juicy details of her Hollywood life. Hilarie’s life on Mischief Farm is much more fulfilling not only to her but for the reader as well. Her tips and recipes in the book are a bonus.

Typically, I steer clear of anything that resembles a biography. I feel like we are on overload as a nation with the ins and outs of celebrity life. Hilarie Burton has always held a soft spot in my heart. Was it because of my love for One Tree Hill? Nope…..this book landed on my radar because I knew that Hilarie was a fellow Virginian. Regardless of the fame and fortune, Hilarie was a southern girl at heart.

What about this would draw me to a book about farming and dandelion wine? Well….that’s easy. If you have ever seen any of Hilarie’s social media posts, you know that she believes in promoting small business and seems to enjoy the farm life. That is the connection for me. A commonality that always makes me look twice when Hilarie shares a little glimpse of life on the farm, smiles from Jefferey Dean Morgan, or the sweet smiles of raising your children away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

First let me say – I dove into the Rural Diaries like someone starving for water. This wasn’t your typical celebrity tale. Hilarie shares the way that she felt unfulfilled in the life that she had planned out for herself. It is raw, honest, and I recognized a kindred spirit that was easy to connect with. How many of us really struggle to find fulfillment in life? My own life has been a parallel of wanting ‘more’ but not sure where to seek that fulfillment.

The honesty of this book is also refreshing. Burton lays out the trials and tribulations of raising children, feeling disconnected, and the strains of marriage. Life isn’t easy, and Burton managed to put that ‘realness’ in her story in a way that kept me glued to the pages. Readers follow Burton’s journey to find life in rural America while filling the empty place in her soul. The vulnerability, truthfulness, and love that is written on the pages was inspiring and easy to connect to. Mischief Farm played a huge part in the Burton-Morgan family’s life, and it was inspiring to be a part of the journey on the road to happiness.

Rural Diaries earned 5 stars easily. It is by far the most inspiring and uplifting book that I have read in 2020!! A truly remarkable journey through motherhood, friendships, farm life, and searching for the life that feeds your soul. Simply put……I loved everything that transpired on the journey to Mischief Farm!!

I loved this. I was not familiar with her before I read it and that didn't matter.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review

THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ!

After watching growing up on One Tree Hill and in some of my favorite Hallmark movies I was curious to know Hillarie's story. Plus y'all that cover and title draws you in. Like a warm sunny day.

I was sucked in from the very first page. Hillarie is full of insight, humor, and love. She writes in a way that has you feeling like you are sitting next to her with a coffee in hand. The stories of her every day life has you truly seeing her as a person and not another celebrity. There were many times I was stopping to share with my fiance something I had read in the book like I was talking about a dear friend. Or sharing with him a recipe that I though we should try.

My respect for who she is as a person grew with each page. The way she opened up in her book talking about falling in love the struggle that can come in any relationship. The struggle of conceiving and the knowing you are meant for more in life. That dreams can be fulfilled if you just keep a open heart and mind.

I recommend grabbing some coffee and snuggling up in your favorite chair and binge reading.

Advance copy provided by netgalley. My review is my honest thoughts on the book.

I loved this book! It was darling and informative and sweet and inspiring. I have always loved Hilarie from her One Tree Hill days. And her husband isn't too shabby either.

Thank You to Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with a copy of Hilarie Burton Morgan’s memoir, The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm, in exchange for an honest review.

Shortly after deciding to leave One Tree Hill, actress Hilarie Burton Morgan was introduced to her would-be husband, actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan. They began a whirlwind romance and a year later, they had a son named Gus.

Although they had zero farming experience, both Hilarie and Jeff dreamed of living a rural life. They found a small cabin in the Hudson Valley town of Rhinebeck, New York. Although they still maintained a house in Los Angeles, they found themselves spending more and more time in their little cabin. Eventually, they decided to make the transition and purchased a farm in the same community. They christened it “Mischief Farm,” after discovering a pair of graves on the property, for two cats: Mischief One and Mischief Two.

Hilarie recounts the highs and lows of the following decade, where they experienced relationship difficulties, multiple miscarriages, plenty of new experiences on the farm and the joy of belonging to a tight-knit community. They even became co-owners of a local candy shop, when the owner, their friend and believed member of the community, passed away. Actor Paul Rudd is also one of the owners.

I loved this memoir! I’m a Jeffrey Dean Burton fan, but I had never heard of Hilarie. I had no clue about their relationship or life on Mischief Farm. The city folk to farm, Green Acres aspect is appealing. Their love has many moments that feel ripped from a romance novel. Hilarie is fabulous. She has a strong spirit and a zest for life. She is very brave to share sensitive aspects of her life, such as her miscarriages and how they impacted her both personally and her relationship with Jeff.

She speaks about the sexual harassment that she experienced as an actress, including being groped by Ben Affleck while working as a host on MTV. She left One Tree Hill due to a toxic work environment. Although she continued to work as an actress, she made her choice to walk away from a popular television show because of harassment. No one should have to make that choice and unfortunately, it wasn’t until the “Me Too'“ movement that her story and the stories of so many other women got traction. In a fateful twist, her daughter was born right as the news was breaking, giving Hilarie even more strength to speak out.

Hilarie has the pioneering spirit. She is unafraid to get her hands dirty and to attempt new challenges relating to homesteading, farming, and home renovations. I wish I could say that I have the same amount of pluck. We just bought a new house and doing a small amount of yard work seems really adventurous for this Los Angeles girl! The Rural Diaries might have just been released at the right time. With the virus and many people stuck at home, there has been a boom in DIY projects. Hilarie provides ample inspiration to those who want to tackle projects and she even includes several recipes that look delicious.

As a personal bonus, I got a kick out of the location. I attended Bard College in the mid-90’s, which is located right in the area where the Morgan’s live. I recognized so many of the landmarks and even though I have not been to the area in decades, it was a trip down memory lane.

I can’t say enough positive things about The Rural Diaries. It is uplifting, honest, and inspiring. There is a fair bit of glamour and famous friends in the mix, but Hilarie never puts them above the people in her community or the experiences she has on the farm. This may sound like a cliche, but she is very down to earth. She’s relatable. I highly recommend The Rural Diaries as the perfect dose of reality that we need during this tough 2020.

The Rural Diaries is an emotional and heart-felt autobiography by actress Hilarie Burton Morgan. Having loved her acting on One Tree Hill and White Collar, I was excited to get a chance to review this book.

The beauty of this book lies in the fact that, although it is a memoir, it never feels like the typical autobiography.

The author delves into a whole lot of personal issues, that had me compelled and emotional drained throughout. She discusses the sexual abuse problems in Hollywood, and far too many issues she and her husband, actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, experienced with struggling to become pregnant, miscarriages, and more. She had me shedding many tears on her behalf. I cried about the abuse. I cried about the pregnancy problems. I cried about the effects her fertility issues had on her relationship. And I cried about her ability to overcome all her hardships.

Hilarie brilliantly brings the atmosphere of small town America to the reader. I personally love the way that she found herself, as well as love and peace, by being in a small town and one with the land. Being personally familiar with small towns in Upstate NY, she perfectly brings all the beauty, isolation, and sense of community that exist in such places to light.

If you are a fan of Hilarie or her husband Jeff, this book is a must read. If you're a fan of memoirs, this is a must read. And if you are a fan of raw and real memoirs, this is a must read.

The Rural Diaries is an open and honest look at life in a small town. Hilarie shows her bravery in opening up about her flaws, her struggles, and how life as an actress, and life as the wife of an actor, comes with many downfalls. It is both a wonderful story that is well written and absolutely compelling.

I've always loved reading celeb memoirs and tell alls. This book was so much more than that. This book was a journey, and I enjoyed every single moment of it. I actually read this book in about a whole day. From the very beginning I could feel the compassion of Hilarie's worcs coming off the page - it was a way to tell her story, but to also share her trials and struggles with her fans and friends, as well as how she overcame them, and grew as a human and learned how to cope with tragedy. It was a beautiful, emotional story. I laughed, I cried, and I will always admire her strength and ability to give of herself for those she loves. This book just made me more of a fan than I already. was.

While this was obviously a vanity project for the actress I found her story to be very honest and heart warming. Payton Sawyer was never my favorite character on OTH, but this was unlike any other celebrity memoir I’ve read. It’s not scandalous and it really reflects the values and life style of small town living. The recipes seemed weird as they often were randomly placed, but over all I found this to be a really enjoyable read.

ARC provided by #NetGalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

I have loved One Tree Hill from the very beginning and Hilarie Burton for longer. This book was a love letter to her town, her farm and her man and it was just that. It was everything I wanted and more and will continue to read this book. It was incredible. Thank you Hilarie for writing such an incredible love letter.

I was pleasantly delighted by how much I enjoyed The Rural Diaries. Hilarie Burton Morgan, of One Tree Hill fame, takes us inside her life living on a farm in Rhinebeck, NY. The book spans from about the time Hilarie meets Jeffrey Dean Morgan until shortly after the birth of her daughter, George, with some snippets from her earlier years dispersed throughout. The majority of the book focuses on Hilarie and her family's life living in a small town. You get to know Hilarie (who, from reading her book, appears to be charming, hard-working, and generous), her son, Gus, her husband, Jeffrey, her close friends, many of whom she makes after moving to the farm, and later on, her daughter, George. You hear about her home renovation and other projects (and the struggles, and laughs, as a result of them). One of the major stories focuses on when Hilarie and a few friends buy and revitalize Samuel's Sweets Shop, a local town treasure. You also get taken along as Hilarie works with a group of volunteers to renovate Astor, a historic building that provides services to families and children, many of them with abusive pasts and mental, emotional, and/or developmental issues. You also get a glimpse of Hilarie's experiences as an actress, including her involvement in the #MeToo movement.

An overarching theme of the book is Hilarie's fertility struggles when trying to have a second baby, and her relationship with Jeffrey. Hilarie is honest about the effect that her fertility issues had on her relationship with Jeffrey, and how they overcame those issues together.

The one criticism I have of the book is the inclusion of a handful of homemade recipes dispersed throughout. I understand the rationale for including them, but for me they actually took me out of the narrative in which I was so engrossed.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's ever thought about living on a farm (or in a small town), or even anyone who's curious about what it's like to live on a farm or in a small town, and any woman who's struggled with fertility issues.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!