I’m probably in the minority on this one as far as why I chose to read this. Yes I’ve watched One Tree Hill (& have seen her in the cute Christmas movies-which I loved) but I’m not going to read a memoir/autobiography on someone just based off of their fictional character. Typically I read a memoir based off of something that is relatable (maybe an addiction, or an eating disorder, things every day people deal with on a daily basis) or a story based off a historical event/time period or things that are worldly (slavery, the diamond/drug trade, Holocaust...you get the point). I have zero desire to read celebrity news or about the luxuries of being in their position-not saying I thing all celebrities have it easy by any means or that they don’t endure their own personal struggles.

Anyways-off topic here :) The title grabbed me..Hilarie Burton...farming..say what?! I can’t say I really knew what to expect from this but I sure was going to find out. Reading this I felt it, I felt her emotions, it was like I was hanging out with my friend & establishing a bond (through a book!) she was so genuine & raw. I loved the way this was written, it was like a perfect mixture of salty & sweet. She’s got the cuss words & the heart. I really enjoyed hearing her tell her story of her transition from celebrity life of being an actress, to meeting the future love of her life, to becoming a mommy & eventually a farmer & a store owner. Listening to her talk about her relationship, the good & the bad, her experiences with motherhood & trying to get pregnant-it was refreshing to know that yes celebrities have struggles too but especially just being able to relate to her as a woman. Learning about all her endeavors in remodels, being a handyman & being all crafty, that she can cook garden, make the time to volunteer her time & also maintain friendships & being involved in the community. I love her heart & how much she gives her all into everyone and everything. Quite frankly she impresses the shit out of me, she makes me want more, to do more & to be a better person/mother/wife :) Reading about how she added to her farm as time went on was icing on the cake & made for a fun read. I also enjoyed her little additions of recipes (not gonna lie I saved a couple haha) & gardening tidbits (I mean how many books, especially by a celeb give pointers on which poo is best for fertilizer?😜). Also ‘the brand’ that made me laugh, very creative!

Nicely done Hilarie this was a perfect composition of life, humor, starting & adding to your little farm, motherhood & womanhood. I don’t reread many books but I could see myself reading this again. I’d recommend this to any of my friends family & ladies looking for an inspirational down to earth read 😊


Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishers for the uncorrected proof of The Rural Diaries in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic read. I have been a fan of Hilarie Burton's for many years, ever since I binged 4 seasons of One Tree Hill over the course of a summer in high school. She has always seemed very down to earth, strong, and really like someone I would get along with. Her memoir just cements that idea even more.

I'm often hesitant to read memoirs, especially celebrity memoirs, because I'm never sure how much of the truth is actually being revealed in them; I'm usually convinced that the author is holding back some important detail. I absolutely did not feel that way reading The Rural Diaries. It felt like Hilarie was just talking about everything that she's experienced over the last decade or so, and I finished the book feeling like I'd just caught up with an old friend. Her writing style is very conversational and flows easily. I absolutely devoured this book (seriously, finished it in less than 24 hours) and will be recommending it to all of my friends and family!

As a side note, I also really liked that Hilarie included some of her own recipes within the text, though this wasn't necessarily a cookbook. I look forward to trying them in the future (especially the zucchini benedict)!

This is a great book for those who follow Hollywood lives and how they live when they aren't on set.

The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton-Morgan

Release Date: May 05, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I requested this one impulsively on Netgalley and I absolutely loved it. It might be my favorite celebrity "memoir" of all time. It reads like a Hallmark movie, our protagonist's seemingly perfect life falls apart, then she meets a great guy and falls in love instantly, they buy a farm in a quaint town with a Christmas festival and live happily ever after. And yet it is refreshingly real and relatable. She is honest about their relationship issues, her difficulties getting pregnant, the babies they lost and the depression that followed but also about their quiet triumphs, a garden planted, a home remodeled, friendships made and a life well lived.

Hilarie summed the book up perfectly when she wrote "Folks, this is a love letter. To a town. To a farm. To a man."

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the uncorrected proof of The Rural Diaries in exchange for an honest review.
When I was a freshman in college, my roommate introduced me to One Tree Hill.
One Tree Hill was beginning its fourth season in 2006, so I was thrown into the world of Tree Hill, North Carolina without much of a background. Prior to this, I had only accidentally seen the episode from season three about a school shooting. After a few episodes (where multiple girls from our hall would crowd around our tiny TV and demand silence for one hour once a week), I knew I wanted to see more. So, I borrowed the other seasons on DVD from a friend, and dove in. Quickly, Peyton Sawyer became my favorite character. The character was moody, quick-witted, into music and art, and seemed like she could be a real person. I connected to her.
Beyond the world of One Tree Hill, I did not know much about Hilarie Burton. After joining the world of Instagram, I started following her, and discovered that she too was a mother. I loved seeing her posts about her son (and later, her daughter), and all the things that her family got up to on their farm. In 2017, when she and multiple women from the set and cast of One Tree Hill came out as assault survivors at the hands of the show’s creator, I felt even more linked to her, as I too am a sexual assault survivor. I started following her Instagram posts more closely. Soon I realized that she was more than just a fellow mom and one of my favorite actresses; she is a fantastic human being with a huge heart for people and community. Truly someone you would want to be friends with,
When I started requesting books to review from NetGalley, I was pleasantly surprised to see a memoir from Hilarie Burton Morgan. Based on the title, I figured it would be about her life with her husband and kids on their farm, and I knew I was interested, so I requested a copy.
This memoir is a must-read for anyone who is a fan of Hilarie. She speaks vaguely about her acting career, but only in a way in which to frame her life as a mom, wife, philanthropist, farmer, friend, daughter, etc. Acting was a lifelong dream for her, but it is not the only thing (not even the most important thing) to define her. She goes into detail about her struggles to conceive her second child, is incredibly honest about her relationship with Jefferey Dean Morgan, and peppers her story—correctly self-defined as a love letter to her husband, town and home—with recipes for treats from homemade dandelion wine to sweet hot corn cake.
I truly recommend this book to everyone. I believe there is something in this memoir for almost anybody, whether you’re a fan of Hilarie’s acting, or you’re looking for a portrait of small town life, or the power of community to help save small businesses. 5 stars!
Hilarie Burton Morgan’s memoir, The Rural Diaries, will be published on May 5. 2020. You can pre-order the book now.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I was really excited for this book, but was sadly let down. I was imagining a beautifully illustrated guide or touching story with lots of pictures. (Think Magnolia Table or Whiskey in a Tea Cup). I still love Hilarie Burton and respect what she was trying to do, but I was a little bored.

The Rural Diaries was an amazing book of inspiration, love, hope, and confidence. I grew up with Hilarie on my tv screen and I was such a fan of her! I think this book was written and put together so nicely chronicling her move from city life to farm life and her journey through life intertwined throughout. It was fun seeing the beginnings of her relationship with Jeffrey and how it's evolved until now. I just loved reading her story of chasing her dreams and being a risk taker and seeing how it paid off. I'm a country fan and I love the idea of a farm life and I felt her love for that life and her time on Mischief Farm with the animals, plants and the overall atmosphere. She also includes some recipes that sound amazing! Overall, I'm in love with her even more than I always have been from her time on One Tree Hill. Highly recommend!

The year was 2006, and my new college roommate and I basically had nothing in common EXCEPT for the fact that we'd watch One Tree Hill on our tiny TV. Fast forward after college and I was visiting a friend who moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. "This place feels *so* familiar!" "Did you ever watch OTH? It was filmed here!" Fast forward again to a handful of made for TV Christmas movies and there she was again, Hillarie Burton. When I saw this book pop up on NetGalley, it was like a blast from the past, and an awesome premise: two Hollywood stars take up life in rural New York? Sign me up! Hilarie's writing style is flowing and conversational - enough details to paint a picture, but nothing super flowery or Dickensian. I loved her stories of taking on farming, home renovation, raising her son, becoming a small business owner, and her relationship with now-husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan and the work she put in to their family. I enjoyed coming back to this book over a few days and it was especially nice to read about the outdoors while being stuck inside along with the rest of the country for COVID-19 Quarantine. I'm also eager to try some of the recipes!

As a pre-teen/teen of the early aughts, Hilarie Burton Morgan has long been a part of my pop culture consciousness, first as a host on MTV and then as Peyton Sawyer on teen drama. One Tree Hill. Here, Burton Morgan mostly shares stories from her life post-OTH, her relationship with her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and their small town farm life in Rhinebeck, NY. A lot of these stories, from her pregnancies to her running of Rhinebeck's local candy store, and her post-OTH part in the #MeToo movement, have been shared in the news before. But Burton Morgan gives unprecedented access into the private side of these stories, unflinchingly sharing the often complex and complicated nature of her life with her husband, the birth of their two children and her struggle with miscarriages, and their choice to leave Los Angeles in favor of life on the farm. Burton Morgan is charming as she shares her daily life in a tightknit community and people who love stories of small town life will find a kindred spirit in Burton Morgan and the meaningful life she and her family have created for themselves.

I've been a fan of Hilarie Burton since One Tree Hill premiered in 2003. When I saw her book was available from her publisher on NetGalley I knew I had to read it. The Rural Diaries is the story of Hilarie's relationship and life with her husband, Jeffery Dean Morgan, and how they built their community and farm in Rhinebeck, NY.

This book is honest, beautiful, and raw. Hilarie talks about her highs and lows and doesn't shy away from the moments her life was difficult or the moments she worked to bring herself joy.

Throughout the book, there are family anecdotes, advice, and recipes for bringing a little bit of farm life into the everyday. She talks about the difficulties she had working as an actress and a mother, and the rise of the #metoo movement and the role she played. Her words are powerful and it was a joy reading someone's story who was so articulate, brave and confident.

I’ve been a fan of Hilarie since OTH so I was so excited for her book!
I loved getting to look inside her life and see how truly down to earth she really is and what she cares about.
There’s so much growth and knowledge that comes in her story.

If you’re a fan you won’t be disappointed and if you’ve never heard of her before then you’ll fall in love with her after this.

I really enjoyed this story! I felt by the end that I knew Jeff and Hilarie and if I ever ran into them, I could say hi and have a conversation with them. I have no dreams of living on a farm, but I love how they had a dream and made it happen and their farm has expanded rapidly. Reading about their miscarriage struggles was hard. I’ve been there, and it never gets easier to talk about. But it was so great to read that they got that little baby they so desperately needed to complete their family. Great read! They seem like very down to earth people.

When I first came across Hilarie Burton Morgan’s book I knew I needed to get my hands on it ASAP! I have been a fan of Hilarie since her MTV days and I was thrilled to be able to get a little snippet of her day to day life. I think the thing I loved most about this book is being able to “see,” how down to earth Hilarie is. You can tell she loves those in her life fiercely and gives her all in whatever she does.

I would 10/10 recommend this book!

Hilarie is an amazing storyteller. I remember her becoming a VJ and then watching One Tree Hill. I always wondered why she left the show early and why we didn’t see her anymore.... well, if that is you, too then this book is for you.

Also if you live small town living and learning how to live simply in a smaller community this book is for you.

Her story and journey reminded me a little of my own. I think there is more than meets the eye with everyone especially Hilarie Burton Morgan.

As a reader who went through junior high while One Tree Hill was in it's prime, many of my friendships centered around this show. I've been a fan of Hilarie and the characters she's played for the past thirteen years, so when I saw on twitter that she had written a book, I was excited, but still skeptical. She isn't an actor known for writing like Mindy Kaling or Lena Dunham. I was blown away by The Rural Diaries; it was truly remarkable. In the preface, she calls this book "a love letter" and that's the most authentic way to describe it. She does a marvelous job sharing the genuine, heartwarming places and people that make her life and the community in Rhinebeck so special. It's clear that she's thriving, and it's inspiring to the rest of us to see how we can live our best lives too!

I am going all the way to five stars with this one! What a fun ride!
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hilarieburton brings the ✨MAGIC✨ people! Do not hesitate one second from picking this book up the first chance you get (it also looks like she narrated the #audiobook so that will be fantastic, no doubt).

This book will make you happy, it will make you dream, it will make you feel understood, it will make you brave, it will just bring joy and hope and so many delightful vibes. Hilarie brings us along in such a warm, inviting way as she reflects on her journey building the life she loves. She is open about the high and lows. It's relatable, kind, fun, and imaginative. And, you may come away with a cozy recipe or two.

Beautifully written. I have been a fan of Hilarie since OTH. I loved reading her story of the beautiful life she has. It made me laugh and cry. I mean she is married to Negan. #thewalkingdead

An interesting look into a celebrity life that doesn’t make you roll your eyes 900 times. I found this to be heartfelt and honest. I greatly enjoyed a peak into Hilarie’s life and her family.

Hilarie Burton gives us an exclusive look into her life with Jeffery, Gus, George, and Mischief Farm. From meeting the love of her life, giving birth to a curious baby boy, moving to a reclusive small town to get away from the noise of the cities to becoming a mother of 2, farmer, sweet shoppe owner, board member and still pursuing her love of acting. Full of recipes, stories of loss, and even agriculture advise, you get a feeling of being one of Hilarie's best friends as she lets you in on what she has been up to during her time off. This was a book that I read until the very last page and closed with it with a smile but also a feeling of it not wanting to be over. The overall feeling of the book was wholesome and raw. I am so grateful that I was able to read this book before it hit stands. I will definitely be buying a physical copy when I can.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

First let me say that I've admired Hilarie since her days on TRL, and through One Tree Hill. She's a badass, powerhouse of a woman, and I admire and respect her. I just wanted to get that out of the way before my review.

I read this all in one sitting. I absolutely couldn't put it down. It was a like a warm chat with your best friend, over tea or coffee or wine. Her voice is so clear and true as she writes of her relationships with herself, her family, her husband, and her community. It's a book of discovery, and I loved it from the first words.

This is a book of honesty and strength. Hilarie writes of loss, gain, life, death, and other topics in a smooth, perceptive voice that I found so refreshing. If I liked her before, I am a serious Hilarie Burton Morgan fangirl now!