I really loved this book. The idea of it, the process of rebuilding, the lessons learned…they made this book come alive for me. AND it made me even more excited than I already usually am to get outside to feel more alive.

Aimless dude experiencing a "quarter-life crisis" (ok, 28) buys a cheap rundown cabin in the Cascades and spends several years of weekends with friends "fixing it up" (i.e. - playing with powertools and cobbling together half-assed repairs.) His carpentry skills improve with YouTube and practice and eventually he sells the place and decides he wants to be a carpenter who builds cabins in the woods. And specifically mentions that he doesn't want to apprentice or get a job on a carpentry crews. Yikes.

The setting sounded lovely except for mudslides, but generally it was pretty meh. Photos of the cabin and surroundings would have gone a long way to drawing readers in. Perhaps they will be included in the final edition and were simply not included in the ARC.

I'd give this book ten stars if I could, and have already pre-ordered two copies from my local indy bookstore. This memoir will touch the heart of anyone who, as a child, tilted a few stick together in the back yard, threw a blanket over it, and called it a fort; anyone who has longed for the adventure of being closer to wilderness and further from the incessant bombardment of the electronic age.
One of the most engaging aspects of the book was Hutchison's ability to laugh at himself, acknowledging that he didn't always know what the heck he was doing. Haven't we all been there at one time or another? As a single, female homeowner, I know I certainly have.
The soul of the book, though, is how meaningful it is to have a place where friends feel free to gather, share meals, good whiskey, a warm fire, and stories that are held safe within the plywood walls. As long as you don't mind the occasional spider.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. The author has a great sense of humor and his lack of skills makes for a laugh out loud story. His writing makes you feel like you're there with him and his friends, having fun and not taking things too seriously.
He really hits home when writing about the pull of the mountains and the many benefits of the great outdoors. I can relate to his cabin, from personal experience, which really hooked me into the book.

I expected this book to be more about the cabin itself, but I find that the author focuses a lot on the people too. This is not a complaint. I love that Hutchison talks a lot about the friends and acquaintances that helped make the cabin great. It makes the book feel so much more positive and heartwarming.

I also really enjoyed the humorous way the story is told. The author doesn’t take themself too seriously and overall, this gives the book a very lighthearted and overall cozy feeling.

It’s a love letter to a perfectly imperfect cabin. The perfect book for reading in your own cabin or while daydreaming about your own cabin.