In Her Boots by KJ Dell’Antonia will be a book I recommend to my fellow #wanderlustfriends! I loved this book! I read part and listened to the rest on #audiobook courtesy of @prhaudio. I couldn’t put it down. I previously read The Chicken Sisters and enjoyed it for its culinary competition. However, this book delves so much deeper into the plights of the #wanderlustseeker who is always planning their next jaunt. So what happens when you’re forced to stay?

Quick Synopsis:
Rhett goes from living her best adventurer life to feeling trapped in a sinking hole. Her relationship has combusted and she’s just arrived at the doorstep of 40. As if that wasn’t enough to wreck Rhett, her world truly crumbles when she gets news of her grandma’s passing. Rhett comes home to care for the family farm. Rhett’s always dreamed of taking the farm over, but from the moment she arrives, it feels like it’s her versus the world. What she does have going for her is her extremely successful novel, Modern Pioneer Girl. However, no one knows she’s written it. When she’s asked to appear on a show, Rhett feels like she’s finally ready to reveal her identity, but then she hears her mother. What a nightmare. The two have never seen eye to eye. Panicked and paralyzed, Rhett can bring herself to go on, but lucky for her, her bestie Jasmine is willing to step in. It’s all going well, until Jasmine goes toe to toe with Rhett’s mom on national tv, making the MPG go viral! The two escape to the farm, where Rhett tries to salvage her family’s legacy while Jasmine tries to sort her own love life out. This case of mistaken identity creates quite a lot of turmoil for these two women.

I loved the setting for this book! It made me want to book a getaway just to be away from city life. I enjoyed the way Rhett takes a different pathway to success than the traditional college route. Her perspective is refreshing. It’s another option that may be fitting for some, but she does poo poo higher education. She merely offers a different experience and narrative. Other things that made me smile in this book were the dynamics between the characters. Even my least favorite character (mom) was someone I could empathize with. Lastly, the book made mention to Alchemist Brewing and Heady Topper so I was clearly sold. I went with friends on a trip to Vermont several years ago. The reference brought back all the good memories! I’m personally a fan of their Cheddy Topper!

What I wanted more of was insight into Rhett’s travels prior to the book starting. KJDA will you write more for us about Rhett? I loved her story! I loved the references to prominent women today and in history. This year, I read The Moment I Met You by Debbie Johnson and I feel like Rhett’s worldly travels would take me back to this book!

@KJDA, thank you so much for sending me a copy of this book and for always being so kind in our interactions. I love when an author feels authentic and accessible like you are!

Rhett thought she would have it all figured out by 40 but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At almost 40 she is still running from her life but when her grandmother passes and she returns home she knows it’s time to face the music.
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This book has a lot of moving parts. Rhett is a bestselling author of The Modern Pioneer Girl’s Guide to Life but no one knows she wrote it. As she is about to go live on The Today show she freaks out and throws her best friend in her spot, pretending to be the author. She writes under a pen name anyway, what’s the harm?
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Then there’s the matter of her grandma’s farm that she thought was hers, but turns out she only partially owns and then there’s her mother. They have little to no relationship, but this story becomes so much more. It’s a story about healing, finding your strength and figuring out who you truly are.
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Thank you #gpputnamsons and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I started and stopped this book too many times. I had to DNF it. Just because this book wasn’t a good fit for me, doesn’t mean it’s not for you. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

This was a light read and I enjoyed the humor. It was a great escape read.
Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I could not get into this one. I found that it dragged to get into and ultimately was forgettable. 2nd round purchase for most libraries

Rhett has just turned 40 when her relationship ends, her grandmother dies and she has to return to her family farm. Luckily, her book has become like a bible for women everywhere. "The Modern Pioneer Girl's Guide to Life" is written under a pseudonym so when Rhett is asked to make a publicity appearance, she convinced her best friend to take her place and pretend to be the author.

What can happen, right? This sweet book is really about finding yourself and healing old wounds. I really enjoyed this book. The story was refreshing and new.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

This is a fun and touching story. However, the main character, Rhett, got on my nerves. It took everything I had in me to finish the book. The writing style was fine. I loved Rhett’s best friend, Jasmine. She was truly a saint. And you do get an idea of why Rhett’s mother is the way she is. A story of friendships, family relationships, self reflection, and small town life. I will consider reading another book by this author and hope that I connect with it better than this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Fun and not too serious fiction with complex female characters. It won't pass the Bechdel test, but very few books do.

ARC from publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

In Her Boots by by KJ Dell'Antonia was not what I was expecting it to be. This novel follows Rhett as she comes to terms for her grandmothers death and what her true legacy is. Rhett had hidden behind her “alter ego” as the Modern Pioneer Girl and has found notoriety through her unique take on her path in life as well as her travels around the world. The one catch is no one actually knows what she looks like. Cue her signing up to do a talk show which ends up pitting her against her estranged mother, forcing her Bestie to pretend to be her and all of the fallout you could expect from such a switcheroo.

The most endearing part of this novel though was how it focused on female relationships of all kinds and the traditional romance took a backseat. I thought this was incredibly refreshing and also really enjoyed seeing Rhett and her mother come to terms with who each other is and forming their own path forward.

While this was a bit of a slower read I rated this 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

In Her Boots by K.J. Dell’Antonia. Pub Date: July 5, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟. If you want a feel good sweet story about family, truth, self discovery and full of farm vibes then this book is for you. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really enjoyed this novel. Rhett is a single 40 something female who is at a crossroads. Her estranged mother plans to sell the family farm, but Rhett wants to save it from being sold. Gaining success as a writer under a pseudonym, she finds herself at a crossroads of how to pursue this change of events due to her mother connecting more with her book than with her. The reader is taken on a journey with Rhett of family, love and finding what she really wants in life. Thanks to #netgalley and #putnam for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #inherboots #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #igreads

3.5 out of 5. A sweet take on friendship and female empowerment but with some glaring plotholes. What I mean is I loved the relationship between Rhett and Jasmine, and so many of the messages of the Modern Pioneer Girl, yet it defies logic how their plot did not unravel earlier, and that annoyed my rational self. IN any case it is still a really cute story of growth.

When Rhett returns home to the farm she grew up on and loved after her grandmother's death she plans to whip it into shape and make it profitable and stay permanently, but no sooner does she land in New York and make it to her first stop at her friend Jasmine's when she's approached by the Today Show requesting her to make an appearance as her alter ego, Maggie Strong, to talk about her book, The Modern Pioneer Girl. When she gets there she hears her mother's voice and panics and convinces Jaz to go on in her place because she is NOT ready to deal with her mother.

When she makes it to the farm, the first person she sees is, of course, her mother and her ex, Mike. It turns out the farm belongs equally to both her and her mother. Mike is now an architect and is there with the plans for what her mother wants to do with the farm. Rhett blows them off and informs them she is going to live and run the farm, it's not for sale.

Jasmine ends up coming to help, but also decides to leave her husband because she wants kids and he doesn't. She and Rhett come up with a plan to save the farm.

I really enjoyed The Chicken Sisters, also written by this author so I looked forward to this one. It did not disappoint. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions as Rhett navigated feeling inadequate to her mother and turning from all the things she had come to know about herself while she'd been traveling the world because of that feeling. As the cast of characters grows in her effort to save the farm and she and her mother attempt to make their ways back to each other I felt the tiny spark of hope grow. I can't wait for more from this author!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

From the author of The Chicken Sisters comes another story about families and finding yourself!

In K.J. Dell’Antonia’s latest novel we meet Rhett Gallagher and her alter ego on social media - The Modern Pioneer Girl. Rhett has built her social presence telling other young women that it’s okay to stray from the known path and to seek adventure at every turn. But in reality, Rhett has spent the last 20 years running as far away from her polar opposite mother as possible.

When Rhett finds herself back in her hometown in the face of family tragedy, she quickly finds herself facing a whole new type of challenge than what she’s used to. Featuring a lovable cast of characters, In Her Boots is a heartwarming story about what happens when we stop running and face our fears head on.

I really enjoyed In Her Boots - while similar to The Chicken Sisters, the story held its own and was very enjoyable to read. It was quick, but engaging and perfect for anyone who is a fan of Dell’Antonia.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

When it all hits the fan and life isn’t at all what you wanted or expected, you pack up and go home. Its a place of safety, comfort and love. Until it isn’t… Rhett goes home after the death of her beloved grandmother after only to find things aren’t as expected and she has to deal with a lot of emotional upheaval, confusion, her estranged mother and so much more. She’s smart, adventurous and trying to figure it all out dealing with some emotional land mines along the way. Its a lovely read.

Rhett has never done what her college president mother wanted her to do. She dropped out and took a series of “adventure” jobs. She also penned a book about the Modern Pioneer Girl under a pseudonym. When her Grandma Bee dies, Rhett comes home to take over the farm. Rhett’s best friend, Jas, convinces her to take a last-minute invitation to appear on the Today Show as the Modern Pioneer Woman. When Rhett and Jas arrive at the studio, Rhett discovers that her mother will also be on during the segment. Rhett hasn’t seen or spoken to her mother in many, many years. She persuades a reluctant Jas to appear on the show as Maggie Smith, the book’s author. Things go down hill from there.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. The characters were fun and the story interesting – perhaps more so because we farm. Anyway, the book has the usual happily ever after finish but it was to be expected. A solid 4 stars.

From the Reese Witherspoon recommended and New York Times bestselling author of THE CHICKEN SISTERS comes her newest novel about a 40ish woman who returns home to the farm to start over only to find that it may not be her home any longer. Our book club read and enjoyed THE CHICKEN SISTERS, but I actually enjoyed IN HER BOOTS even more.

Rhett has led a life of adventure and her book The Modern Pioneer Girl has become a huge success. But, when news of her beloved Grandma’s death causes her to return to the farm she grew up on, she finds that not everything is the same. Her sudden popularity and stint on The Today Show also cause her to rethink everything. When Rhett and her best friend Jasmine plan a prank, they realize keeping up the falsehood isn’t easy. Rhett may just lose everything she has worked so hard to achieve and the people she holds the dearest.

When Rhett returns to her grandma’s farm, she realizes that she didn’t appreciate it like she should have while she was traveling around the world. I also grew up on a farm and can say I wasn’t much of a “farm girl” growing up. But, I did what was asked of me and enjoyed taking care of the lambs and gathering the eggs. Now that I’m much older, I often wish I could go back in time and do things differently. Rhett felt the same in this novel. She regretted her relationship with her mom, how she handled her parents’ divorce, and the grief after her father’s death. She regretted being away for so many of her grandma’s final years and that she wasn’t available to help when her grandma really needed her.

"You stay in your comfort zone, you get stuck. It happens to everybody. And then we shake it off and do the thing. It’s your turn to do the thing."

A lot of this novel centers around regret and being true to the person we are and not hiding or pretending. Saying what we mean and meaning what we say can be quite difficult, especially around people that challenge us or intimidate us. Rhett learns from some of her closest relationships that she needs to focus on her own expectations and not what others expect her to do.

"But no matter how hard you tried to convince yourself that it was better for everyone if you just pretended to fit their expectations, all it really did was turn the roles we were playing into walls that became harder and harder to tear down."

Rhett’s relationship with her best friend, Jasmine, her relationship with her estranged mother, and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend all factor heavily in the novel. But, I appreciated that her friendship with Jasmine was the central focus and not the romance that may have been brewing.

“That’s how we know it’s good advice,” said Jasmine. “Good advice always sucks to follow. Bad advice is so much better. It’s way easier to do dumb things than hard ones.”

If you have dreams of running your own farm stand or raising mini ponies and sheep, you just might want to pull on some cowboy boots and check out this story of friendship, finding your true self, and working hard to fulfill your dreams.

This was a fun read!

I like the the MC was complicated and bot glamorous. I loved the setting.

It felt really long. Drawn out in some areas.

KJ Del'Antonia displays her writing chops and skills as a story teller with In Her Boots. A fun and uplifting rom com that was a delight to read. . A angsty homecoming and a prank gone wrong, a captivating story of identity and having a second chance at finding love. Funny, uplifting, heart warming and romantic. Overall a solid read.

Cute premise. Not really a page-turner until the later part of the book. Some nice lessons and a different setting. Enjoyed it.