Thanks to She Writes Press and NetGalley for the ebook ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Memoirs are personal books and recollections and when you get one, you're not quite sure if it's going to be to your liking. That is not the case, however, with elk love, as Author Lynn Spriggs O'Connor paints a dazzling portrait of her life in Montana over a portion of a decade. Lynne work for museums on the East Coast and eventually decided to move to Great Falls, Montana. She had previously been in the state working as an intern with the Blackfeet Indian Nation. It was a very gutsy move on her part because while one can be an intern, it's not like living full-time in Great Falls, Montana. There the author worked at a small museum and was in charge of a few major exhibitions, including one with the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, as well as especially curated exhibition on Bison. that in itself would be fodder for a book, but Lynn had some amazing experiences that began on her trip out to see a gentleman by the name of Harrison, who hope to convince to be a donor for one of the exhibits at the museum. She lost control of her car, had an accident and eventually Harrison had to come and help her. It's from there that a beautiful relationship began between the two of them as well as the blossoming of Lynne's love of the wildlife and nature that was present on Harrison's ranch. The two of them had a testy relationship for a number of years, but at the same time they both need each other. And during that time. The author grew to understand Harrison and his love of the outdoors, hunting, nature, and all the animals that he found on his vast ranch. It is a beautifully written book that conveys us to Montana, and we are with the Author as she discovers so many different facets of life in the great outdoors. From being present at the birth of calves, to their branding, to pulling porcupine quills from their noses an saving them when they are stranded in winter. Along the way, she develops a true fondness for horses, elk, and all the birds that migrate and live on the ranch. There are pitfalls and yet there are more highs than lows. Every time you think the couple is going to get together, Harrison mentions his deceased first wife, which helps put a barrier between the couple, but fortunately love blossoms in its fullest. We are treated to stories of the great outdoors, the frustrations of being in charge of museum exhibitions, the authors illnesses, and a trip to Scotland, where the couple travel to learn about Angus cattle. For all of us who wish we could pick up and go somewhere like this, to start our life, anew, in aland that has always attracted us, the author is an inspiration since she had the guts to do it, and has lived a remarkable life out in Montana.
I had only wished the book was brought up-to-date, but instead it ends in the year 2009. It's my hope that the Author will soon write a second volume of her memoirs, because there's so much more to her life that can be told, and I for one can't wait to read about all her experiences since that time. 4.5****

A very well written Memoir of the authors journey to Montana as a museum curator, and besides her work she falls in love with a man very different from herself, a rancher who is still grieving his wife.
With her job, her love of art, and her interest in the native American cultures Lynne has an interesting and fulfilling job.
Once she meets Harrison, she develops as well, a very different life with him, visiting his ranch on weekends, and getting to know what the life of a rancher is really like. She sees the routine of caring for the animals, hunting, a thing Harrison love but not so much Lynne. She loves the wildlife and terrain around them, and she describes beautifully what they see as they walk around the property.
There are also some wonderful people living around them and I loved hearing their stories and feelings for Montana.
A beautiful story.
I would like to thank NetGalley and She WritesPress for a copy of this book.

I didn’t enjoy this book. It just wasn’t for me. Nothing in particular I just couldn’t seem to get in to it. Maybe the subject?

Absolutely beautiful. I finished just in time for the release day!! Ready to tell all of my friends!:

This was an interesting personal tale. Sadly, the writing style did not hook me in. Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy for my honest thoughts.

A beautiful memoir! Elk Love is a well-written testament to finding healing in nature and listening to the world around you.

On the surface Lynne and Harrison seem to have nothing in common. However, the memoir reveals they shared a love of art, nature, and profound feelings.
Elk Love is O’Connor’s story of her move to Montana as a museum curator and her relationship with local rancher Harrison.
Their relationship is a very slow burn and gives credence to love comes softly as Harrison continues to deeply grieve for his first wife.
The parts of the book that stand out are the author’s loving descriptions of the landscape, the wildlife, the livestock, and the dogs. Those are the strengths of her book.
Her backstory is somewhat shrouded in the mist, on purpose. I give her kudos for sticking it out with Harrison and with her patience because u would have not had the endurance.
The beauty of the Montana backdrop is what I found most appealing about the book.

I read this title right after returning from a road trip the encompassed parts of Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana so already had a picture in my head of the landscape and to a certain extent the folks living in these areas. I had not done any research into the content of the book other than the location so was more than pleasantly surprised at the author's occupation of Museum Curator as well as the compelling descriptions of how she thought about and subsequently constructed the Bison exhibit that brought her to Great Falls as well as her experiences on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The interweaving of her background and experiences with the unvarnished culture shock she experienced and the subsequent friendship to love story and her descriptions of the natural world she kind of feared and then totally embraced had me reading this book from beginning to end in a little more than a day. It was enlightening, heart warming, very funny in places, poignant in the descriptions of both her fears and emotional growth as well as that of her initial nemesis and subsequent soul mate Harrison and thoroughly enjoyable on so many levels. I would heartily recommend it for any library memoir collection as well as for collections that exemplify the natural environment and how city dwellers who often castigate the culture of hunters and ranchers can actually learn to appreciate if not always agree with those cultural mores.

Not at all what I was hoping for. This was not for me.....Harrison is one of the worst ever. Yuck. Couldn't get into this at all....

I thought this book was for me when I saw the cover and read the description. But I found that neither lived up to the book. My apologies to the author. Instead I found something more like a romance novel, between the author and a man she meets after deciding to move to Montana. I found very little where Montana and the natural world became a beloved main character. I thank NetGalley and She Writes Press for the advance read.

Oh my goodness! What an incredibly beautiful, well written and emotional read this is. I was almost in tears at some points, but in a good way! The descriptions of Montana are breathtakingly beautiful and I could imagine myself right there in the mountains. This is a beautiful love story as well as being a story of nature. I absolutely loved it. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.