Fifty Acres and a Poodle

Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas is a fun read. Don't expect any serious advice on moving to the country--but do expect some charming and fun stories about a couple who did. Laskas and her boyfriend treat their Sunday "go out and look at farms" as any other weekend-escape-from-the-city (Pittsburgh in their case) excursion. They're not expecting to seriously buy anything until the day they stumble upon their future home.

They have many adjustment to make. Although they've been dating a while, they don't live together when they find the farm they eventually buy. And neither of them know much about living in a rural area, let alone being responsible for 50 acres of it!

The neighbors and resident animals come to life in the book. It was a fun read. The only thing I found disturbing about it was the continued use of present tense, but maybe that's just me. And the continued inner conversations with Bob the cat got a bit tiring. Still, it's a fun read and a worthy tale. I'd read a sequel to see how they're all faring a few years later!