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A review by mollyreadsandcrafts
The Art of Husbandry by Jay Hogan
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
After a year and a half full of heartbreaking grief, isolation, and anger, Gil shakes up his life and takes a temporary job as a domestic manager on a high country sheep station. Gil is finally able to breathe again and heal with the help of the young sheep station owner Holden. Holden represents happiness, love, and moving forward but Gil has to decide whether he's ready to try for this new future.
Gil comes to the Miller station as a last resort to help him grief and anxiety. What he finds is so much more than he imagined. The peace and solitude forces him to face all the feelings he's been running from. It's not an immediate fix and nothing is perfect, but it gives him the space to acknowledge and grow. It's not only the setting, but the people who rally around him when he needs it most who make him feeling understood, especially Holden. Holden was so patient and understanding with Gil. He knows he can only imagine what Gil has been through and tries to be there as much as he can. While he lets Gil work through his feelings, he also knows when to push him. Holden wasn't looking for a relationship, but Gil reminds him of his love of the mountain. Holden has been struggling with his role at the station, but Gil puts his life and leadership in a whole new perspective. They're an unlikely couple who complement each other in the best of ways.
I appreciated how neither of the exes were made into villainous characters, both just hurting in their own ways but good people at their core (who find their own happy endings if the series blurbs are anything to go by). It was a bit long at times and the writing a little more dense than I'm used to lately, but I really loved the story and the characters. It's an interesting setting, some of the sheep station lingo went over my head but it's a nice change up from the usual small town, country romances. There are a ton of really interesting and endearing side characters, I'm intrigued to see how the rest of their happily ever afters play out.
Read if you like:
• hurt/comfort
• opposites attract
• small town romance
•••••••••••••••••••••
Gil comes to the Miller station as a last resort to help him grief and anxiety. What he finds is so much more than he imagined. The peace and solitude forces him to face all the feelings he's been running from. It's not an immediate fix and nothing is perfect, but it gives him the space to acknowledge and grow. It's not only the setting, but the people who rally around him when he needs it most who make him feeling understood, especially Holden. Holden was so patient and understanding with Gil. He knows he can only imagine what Gil has been through and tries to be there as much as he can. While he lets Gil work through his feelings, he also knows when to push him. Holden wasn't looking for a relationship, but Gil reminds him of his love of the mountain. Holden has been struggling with his role at the station, but Gil puts his life and leadership in a whole new perspective. They're an unlikely couple who complement each other in the best of ways.
I appreciated how neither of the exes were made into villainous characters, both just hurting in their own ways but good people at their core (who find their own happy endings if the series blurbs are anything to go by). It was a bit long at times and the writing a little more dense than I'm used to lately, but I really loved the story and the characters. It's an interesting setting, some of the sheep station lingo went over my head but it's a nice change up from the usual small town, country romances. There are a ton of really interesting and endearing side characters, I'm intrigued to see how the rest of their happily ever afters play out.
Read if you like:
• hurt/comfort
• opposites attract
• small town romance
•••••••••••••••••••••