This book was reminiscent of Hilarie Burton's book The Rural Diaries, but with a nice twist. Jake is unflinchingly honest about all the ups and downs of her life. Her independence and courage to forge a new path are inspiring. I'm glad I read this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

I love the premise of this book but something about the writing felt uninviting. I couldn’t get into it.

Such an easy and inspiring read! Add to that the website, blog, and Facebook pictures... the story truly comes alive!

“I was on my own journey. And I was finally okay knowing that not everyone would be coming with me. I know that to open other people’s eyes, I had to keep opening mine.”

At the start, it seems like Jake has it all: a high-powered job in the city, a full social calendar and the latest designer clothes…but her dream of leaving it all and enjoying rural life keeps calling, and she eventually answers.

Daffodil Hill is full of hard-earned lessons about caring for animals, a farm and yourself. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments as she got acquainted with life in the country and bonded with her merry band of animals from roosters to goats to dogs.

For years, Jake balanced two realities with one foot in her former corporate life and the other immersed in farm life. Once she lets her farm flag fully fly, she is able to process past traumas and determine what can provide the most meaningful life for her.

As an animal lover, novice gardener and someone who would love to someday leave “the hustle” behind, Daffodil Hill spoke to me. Thank you @netgalley and @thedialpress for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. Be sure to grab a copy of @jake_keiser_author ‘s heartwarming book when it is published on June 7.

I received an ARC of, Daffodil Hill by Jake Keiser. This was a pretty good book about raising animals. It kept me interested.

I read this book cover to cover. Jake is a driven PR professional who is burned out in her early 40's. She has survived a series of traumas and on impulse buys a wonderful farm in rural Mississippi. The exploits of caring for animals and the farm are where she eventually finds her joy and reclaims herself. This is delight to read as her confidence builds after being torn apart by men and career. Jake finds herself with a rare enjoyment and satisfaction in life. I love that she took charge and changed her life as well as found her happiness.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

I was interested in this book because of the sheer courage and impulsivity it took for Jake to pull up stakes and move from her PR job in Florida to become owner and operator of a farm In Mississippi. I recently moved from 50 years of life on the west coast to a quiet town in the south, so I was invested in this story from the start. Jake is funny, and she writes with equal parts humor and warmth. There are many life lessons contained in this memoir, most of all that we are the only ones with the power to save ourselves and make our lives what we want them to be. Beautifully written.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book grew on me as I read it, just like the author grew as a person during the events of the book. At the start of this memoir, Jake is living unhappily in Tampa, FL. She soon moves to a farm in rural Mississippi. I didn't really like Jake at the start of her memoir, she seemed shallow and even after she'd moved to her farm, she told people she wanted to have cute animals and only grow cute vegetables. Over time, as Jake grew into her role as a single woman farmer, and her passion for her animals and farm won me over. Jake open writes about the traumas she'd faced in the past, molestation, miscarriages, and an abusive husband. She knew that in someway, moving to a farm from the city was an attempt to get distance from her trauma and heartbreak, but it isn't until later in the memoir, when she begins to confront these issues that she becomes a strong, authentic person. There are a lot of lighthearted and funny moments in the book, but there is also a real message of strength through coming to terms with heartache. I think this book would interest anyone who's ever daydreamed of starting over in a totally different life. I also think women who've suffered a miscarriage may find comfort in reading Jake's story of heartbreak and eventual healing. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Everything transforms. The choice is to transform through growth or rot.”

“City life isn’t the real world.”

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for this engaging ARC!

I devoured this book. I related personally to Jake Keizer as she jumped into farm life after a series of personal disappointments and heartbreaks in her seemingly flashy Tampa PR life, in perhaps a bit of an existential mid-life crisis.

I find nature healing and often fantasize about escaping superficial modern life to a rural natural existence. I enjoyed Jake’s evolution from city girl to country girl as well as her attempts to navigate and account for her dueling needs for a less superficial and soul-sucking existence that she comes to view as her former life. She also accounts for her love of the freedom of farming life and caring for animals yet viscerally desiring a human family until realizing that she alone is enough [and on her farm, she is never alone!].

I enjoyed learning about the different personalities and behaviors of the varied farm animals. Jake shows, through her depictions of observing animals living a natural life, that they are all possessive of innate instinct, personality, and sentience.

This is a well-written book and exemplary of why I love published farm memoirs. I enjoy reading intelligent, humorous accounts of simpler ways of life from former citified folk.

Jake is a sympathetic character as she depicts her experiences with honesty, wise witticisms, and self-awareness without too much ‘navel-gazing’ and philosophizing. She is as straightforward of an observant about her emotions as she is about her animals’ behaviors.

Five stars.

Another farm memoir but this one about a PR person buying a farm from her stop mom in Mississippi. This one was a little different because being on the farm somehow forced her to face her past and what got her to the point that she wanted to throw away her life and start over on a farm.

I loved this book.

I am a big fan of people changing their lives by "going for it" and this book and author felt kind of inspirational to me.

Funny as well, some of these situations are hilarious. Written as though the author was talking directly to you.

Nice pace. and not too many useless details.

This is a memoir of a divorced woman in her late 30’s living in Tampa and working for herself as a public relations consultant. Ms. Keiser has what appears to be an enviable life. Money, friends, lots of shopping, lots of stuff, and a glamorous job. Unfortunately, she’s miserable. So one day she impulse buys a farm in Mississippi. She tells virtually no one in her life that she’s leaving Tampa and begins a new life on a farm. As the months go by and she adjusts to country living she is much more content with herself. As she decompresses all her old trauma comes to the surface and she decides to finally deal with it.

I liked this book. Other than how totally unrelatable impulse buying a farm is the author’s journey to building a life that is meaningful to her and not what society dictates is relatable. Also, there are a lot of animal stories. So if you are an animal lover you’ll be entertained.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an advanced copy of this book. It will be released on 6/7/22.

Nicely done. I bet a lot of readers of this live vicariously thru this tale. The author writes well and honestly, and this kept me engaged. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

Daffodil Hill is a wonderful memoir about self-discovery and finding your purpose. Jake Keiser 's writing is vulnerable and honest.

Jake appeared to have it all. The perfect career, the perfect marriage, and overall perfect life. But she knew that her appearance wasn't as it seemed. She was lost and unhappy. She details her dream of living on a farm with animals and she boldly made the decision to turn her dream into reality.

Living on a farm seemed to be what she needed. Sure it would be hard to start over and learn the life of a farmer, but this would help her find meaning. That was her hope. Although it is half-true, Jake had to really face her anxieties and fears head-on. The farm was good for her to see a new perspective and even delve into her past traumas. On the outside looking in, it is just a farm but to Jake, it was something much more powerful.

I give Daffodil Hill 4 stars. It's a refreshing memoir that pushes readers to reflect on their lives and ask if they are truly happy with where they are. Jake proves that sometimes it isn't all about a job or living up to others' expectations but having the bravery to live the life we were meant to live.

Sometimes, during these turbulent times, you just want to read a feel good book about a woman who quits the rat race and goes to have a farm. This is that book. I love farm memoirs and this one delivered! It made me smile, chuckle, and feel warm and cozy. I highly recommend pouring yourself a cup of tea and reading this book next to a crackling fireplace with your cat in your lap!

On the surface, it would have seemed that Jake Keiser had the perfect life. Running a successful and high-powered PR firm in Tampa, Florida, Keiser spent her days and nights responding to the whims of her often successful clients with an attentive, incredibly responsive approach to PR that had earned her vast kudos in the business.

However, by the time Keiser arrived at the age of 38 the life that had always seemed so normal to her was leading her down a road toward extreme anxiety and a remarkable dissatisfaction with this fast-paced lifestyle she'd always known.

On the heels of a broken marriage and a particularly traumatic miscarriage, Keiser began immersing herself in a fantasy world of a simpler life. While it concerned some of her closest friends, none considered the actual likelihood that Keiser would give into this internet-fueled fantasy of a simpler life on the farm.

They were wrong.

When her mother made her aware of a farm for sale, Keiser's impulsive visit to Oxford, Mississippi led her down a road to buying the farm and relocating herself to Oxford, Mississippi - population 25,461 and home to the University of Mississippi.

"Daffodil Hill" is not only the story of Keiser's transition from a city girl to life on the farm with 75+ animals, but it's also the story of how that life on the farm did force Keiser to deal with the multiple traumas from her past that did follow her to Oxford and did plop themselves directly in front of her in the form of animal emergencies, continuing unhealthy patterns in relationships, and a "one foot in, one foot out" approach to her PR firm that saw her spend a considerable period of time trying to still run her PR firm without ever revealing her "secret" life.

Keiser does a somewhat slow reveal of her various traumas, somewhat discreetly revealing issues from childhood while more openly bringing to the forefront a lingering relationship from Tampa with Paul. In some ways, Paul represents throughout "Daffodil Hill" the potential for a mutually satisfying, healthy relationship even if it's apparent to nearly anyone reading that Paul himself is just another variation of the same old patterns.

"Daffodil Hill" is at its most satisfying when we follow Keiser through her various farm lessons and the rather endearing ways that she bonds with the animals who are given homes on the farms. It's clear that Keiser learns hard-earned lessons along the way, though one can't help but observe she fares about as well with roosters as she does with men.

To her credit, Keiser doesn't front-load the traumas. When they are revealed, they are devastating and we learn essentially what Keiser learns over time - that her work life had become yet another variation of her unhealthy patterns and trauma responses. As she healed, she craved a healthier life that she simply could not create in Tampa and slowly, through time and hard work and animals and friends, began to build through life on the farm.

"Daffodil Hill" is truly a book about learning to bloom, filled with farm stories but far less about life on the farm than about Keiser's own journey toward becoming the women she wants to be and believes she's meant to be. It at times feels like a guarded book, as if Keiser's trauma response now is a sort of tiptoeing toward self-revelation and a book where key secondary characters are given only surface attention much like an indie flick where you think to yourself "I want to know more about that character." At times, I really wanted a lot less Paul and a lot more 'Gurl!!!" next door. Of course, I also think that's part of the point - Keiser spent most of her life more worried about the Pauls of her life and not concerned enough with the people in her life who really encouraged her to bloom.

"Daffodil Hill" will most resonate with those who click with Keiser's search for a different way of living and a search for something more. "Daffodil Hill" will be most meaningful for those who understand it's not just some cute book about a woman moving from the city to a farm - it's about a woman learning how to honor herself even when the path itself is unconventional and everyone around her says it doesn't make sense except for those precious few who stick with her all the way.

Both emotionally honest and refreshing in spirit, "Daffodil Hill" is for the people who are learning how to love and learning how to bloom.

An enjoyable, light hearted and easy read about the author’s transition from the hustle and bustle of city life to the slower and more meditative farm life, finding joy in her relationship with the animals and her new neighbours and her slower pace of life. It’s a heartwarming piece.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

We follow Jake as she lives in Florida, working in PR and overall she just isn't happy with where she is in her life. She is in her early forties, single, post divorce, post miscarriages. She has always dreamt of having a farm, she even has a secret spreadsheet of all the animal she is interested in. When one day her stepmother calls to say she saw a small farm up for sale if Jake wanted it. Jake visited, and surprisingly placed and offer and moved pretty quickly and quietly. She did not share her move with her clients or others in Florida, she wanted to try it out first. It was a lot harder than she expected, so much to learn about farm life, from a water well, winter pipes freezing, how animals interact and the friendliness of neighbors and locals. We watch Jake go out of her comfort zone and embrace the farm life, she began to slowly add to her farm, often times not by choice but my friendly locals bringing new animals. I appreciated the honesty Jake shared. By the end of this read I was so proud of all that she has accomplished :)

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group-Random House and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A delightful memoir sprinkled with delightful stories to amuse.

Daffodil Hill tells the story of a journey of self discovery and what a journey it is! Burned out by her 24/7 career running her own public relations firm ( parties every night? Check. Calls at 3 a.m.? Check), Jake Keiser spends her spare time looking at chicken web sites. She fantasizes about her own farm, her goats, sheep and chickens. There will be a vegetable garden, a porch..you get the idea. So when she discovers a farm for sale in rural Mississippi, she buys it, leaves city life in Tampa and orders her baby chicks. What follows are laugh out loud descriptions of learning experiences for the beginning farmer. What also follows are introspection and self care as Jake finds happiness from within.

Jake Keiser knows how to write a memoir! I loved that she names all her animals: Serafina, the narcoleptic chicken, baby chicks Prada and Chanel, François the rooster, Valentina the goat and more. Chapters describe farm experiences, her past career and the sadness experienced in her life. Daffodil Hill is a book that makes you just want to.sink into it and leaves you wanting more. 5 stars,

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Jane Keiser for this ARC.