The Rural Diaries is proof that everyone has a story to tell. I’m not really concerned that it was written by Hilarie Burton from One Tree Hill fame – although my teenage daughter thinks that’s pretty cool. Personally, I love that the author seems like the girl next door, a woman that I would easily embrace as a friend. She tells personal stories about falling in love, having a child, problems with fertility, family dynamics, friendships, and death. But the stories that enthrall me involve making a home in a cabin and then eventually developing Mischief Farm.

Remodeling rooms, planting gardens, birthing animals – I loved it all. The little things like saving spent marigolds and giving away the seeds, planting Creeping Jenny because you loved it growing up, and finally giving in to planting Forsythia because your husband insists. Burton works hard to cultivate her home, and can thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the fruits of her labor. I love those character traits. She is also enamored with the little things and she brings you into the magic of those moments. Like I mentioned, I can really see being her friend – helping her with her garden and having her help with mine, sipping tea and exploring the wonder of homesteading, friendship, life. It would be fun!

This homage to the simple life caught my attention in a NetGalley email. Then I read chapter 1 and realized that Hilarie's mother and I both grew up in Pella, Iowa. Like Hilarie I have a great fondness for that little corner of Iowa and have beloved relatives who still reside there. It was fascinating to read about the transformation of Hilarie & Jeff's family from LA dwellers to farmers. As with all of our lives, there are times of triumph, times of laughter, and times for tears. I was drawn in and engaged for most of the book --just felt like there were a few times when there was just too much detail on one particular piece (like when they took over the sweet shop). I also don't know if they ever did officially tie the knot? Anyway, I would heartily recommend this on audio -- especially if you are a fan of Hilarie from One Tree Hill, Lethal Weapon, or one of her many other acting gigs.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I really had second thoughts about this book. What could an actress tell me - a rural, farm living, country life loving Librarian - about living on a rural farm.

Well apparently lots! Loved this book - loved the people of Rhinebeck - but mostly love the way the author lives and loves every minute of every day! Great feel good book - I think I may read it again!!

But maybe this isn't a good thing - everybody may want to come live on a farm in the country!!

I absolutely adore this woman. I stole my daughter’s name from a character she played that I connected to so deeply. When I heard she was writing a book I knew I had to read it. This is a book of raw truths. No glossy I’m famous bullshit. A struggling relationship, owning a candy store, being a mom, assault & abuse, farming, death, small town charm, charity work, recipes (!), miscarriages and depression. Seeing a glimpse into her and Jeffrey’s life and time together was a rollercoaster. I read this in two short days because I could not get enough!! I can now easily say that I’m sure I love her. The bravery and heart in this story are breathtaking.

“I want to move to the countryside and have a farm w chickens and cows and live off the land but also with some technology.”

This was my first thoughts upon finishing The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan. I initially picked up the book while browsing NetGalley and requesting an ARC. I don’t keep up with the actress who was made famous from One Tree Hill (and that one video of Ben Affleck groping her on TRL that went live a couple years ago).

I watched One Tree Hill in high school, as it was a soapy high school drama, complete with marriage and pregnancy under the age of twenty. The actors from the show seem to have disappeared, and not done as highly-rated projects since. However, I’m also a Grey’s Anatomy lover, and I knew that the author had married a recurring guest star from the hit doctor show, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played Denny.

Basically, I didn’t know what to expect when I opened up the book on my Kindle. I wanted something to take me away from the crazy world of COVID-19, and it did just that.

This memoir takes you to a sprawling farm in upstate New York, where the Burton Morgan family now resides. It takes you through her upbringing in a rural household, the meeting of her husband, and her decision to lead a quieter life on a farm.

Never have I wanted chickens and llamas in my backyard so badly. With fun farm recipes interspersed throughout the book, the tone was light, even with a few downturns.

Link to my full goodreads review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3240412945

This was such a delight to read! Hilarie's voice is so genuine, and unlike any other celebrity memoir I've read. In fact, I don't usually like reading celebrity memoirs, because there is always an underlying aspect of ego to them, the idea that "I'm famous so you should want to read my book." That aspect is totally lacking here, It is evident that Hilarie enjoys being a real person, and loves her family, her farm, her animals, and all of those things, make me feel like I know her in real life. I loved the recipes (totally making dandelion wine) and the idea that your dream is yours to lose, or yours to gain, all depending on your perspective.

I breezed through it and was quite sad for it to end. If she ever writes another book, I would totally read it. It was a privilege to journey with Hilarie as she bore her heart and soul for us.

Going in to this book, I had no idea what to expect. I follow Hilario Burton on social media and have read about her Mischief Farm, but was curious what she might actually write about being that she has always been very private about her life. But I am a lover of celebrity memoirs and a HB fan, so I knew I had to read it.

I loved the way she went about writing her life. She opens the book with a clear promise: “ So, folks, this is a love letter. To a town. To a farm. To a man.” Beautiful.

And that’s exactly what this book is.

She doesn’t name drop throughout and she doesn’t try to slander or defame anyone, even though she very clearly could have from her early on acting experiences. Which I respect the heck out of. She starts the book after One Tree Hill and just before she met Jeffrey Dean Morgan. While her writing follows the path of their relationship, she does not attempt to follow the path of their career. In fact at time, she would say where he was working and I would rush over to IMDB just to find out what movie it was because she didn’t drop the name. It was actually refreshing coming from a celebrity.

In fact, their jobs could have been anything, because the book wasn’t at all about their jobs. They came up momentarily of course. But the point of the book was exactly as she stated in the introduction: relationships.

It’s basically one big love story to their falling in love with each other and with small town farm living.

There are garden tips throughout, even some recipes. Some of the moments were hilarious. Some were tearful. So don’t think that just because she is private and doesn’t share all the hot OTH gossip that she doesn’t crack open her heart, because my oh my, she does. Beautifully. Soulfully. But graciously. Even how she handles the Me Too movement toward the end of the book was done with such grace.

Honestly, the book made me enjoy her all the more. They both come across so very down to earth—well aware that they are well off enough to buy a sweet shop on a whim and renovate it to keep its legacy, but also aware enough to do the work themselves and feel like real people in the process.

I enjoyed it and hope Hilarie writes more. All my best to their small town, heartfelt endeavors and to their lovely family!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed this memoir. I love the idea of buying a farm (though I probably never would.) This sucked me in!! Hilarie was honest and refreshing in her opinions. She is a great storyteller and it made for an entertaining, unputdownable read. This is one of those celebrity memoirs I'll be recommending (bonus for the depth and charm!)

I feel like I grew up with Hilarie Burton. From MTV and One Tree Hill to all of the Lifetime and Hallmark movies, seeing Hilarie has always felt like a warm hug from a childhood friend. In the Rural Diaries, Hilarie provides an intimate look at her life as she navigates Los Angeles, meets her husband, and ultimately moves full-time to the Hudson Valley of New York. Her "return to nature" in the form of a log cabin and then ultimately Mischief Farm was inspiring. I loved how she did not stray away from discussing her failures. I think one of the most striking aspects of her story was discovering her resilience and ability to press on even when the road ahead was rocky or completely unknown. Getting a glimpse of her family life and friends, who seemed more like family at times, was a pleasure and reminder that community can be such a magical thing. Overall, I'm left with a renewed love for Hilarie and desire to just try! With that in mind, I will share my favorite quote from the book: "Try. The want-to creates the how-to. And if all else fails, just fake it. But for God's sake, at least try".

The type of celebrity memoir that I want more of! It read a lot like Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle but with a dash of #metoo.

I have been so intrigued by Hilarie Burton's farm life since I started following her on Instagram, so I was very excited to read a book about it. This book was definitely mostly about her relationship and farm life, so people looking for info about One Tree Hill will likely be disappointed. I loved hearing about farm life and all the animals and plants she learned to take care of. I also think her descriptions of heartbreaks and her relationship were very relatable and sweet. I really enjoyed this book.

"The Rural Diaries" was a huge change of pace for me reading wise but I'm so glad I picked up this book. I had never heard of Hilarie Burton (I never watched One Tree Hill or any of her other shows/movies" but was very intrigued by the teaser of this book. It tells the story of Hilarie Burton Morgan and her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, two Hollywood actors who met, fell in love and made their home base in Rhinebeck, Upstate New York.

While visiting Rhinebeck, Hilarie and Jeffrey fell in love with the town and surrounding area. They met several people who helped them find their first home in the area. Later, they decided to put down even more roots by purchasing their own working 70 acre farm in the area full of flowers, livestock and vegetables. She brings to life farm life with one foot in Hollywood while the other is raising alpacas, chickens and other animals on her farm.

This couple had ups and downs, time apart and so much going on during the time period in this biography, The book shows a Hollywood couple as real people who have real lives. It was also fun to read about their friendship with Paul Rudd and his wife as well as how they all integrated into town life in the Rhinebeck. They show a real investment into the town and a philanthropic heart while supporting a local children's home.

I liked how HIlarie isn't afraid to get her hands dirty cleaning a toilet and let her hair go gray as she mentioned in this book. She gets real about her own life and the struggles and joys she has in her relationship with Jeffrey.

I can't say enough on how I couldn't put this book down once I started to read it. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for the chance to read this ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by any outside source.

Very charming! This is a enjoyable look at small town life. When an actress decides to give up her successful career and buy a small farm in Rheinbeck, NY, things get predictably interesting. Having owned a small farm in upstate NY, I found this book charming and original. Jumping in with both feet, she buys chickens, alpacas and a candy store in their small town, This girl is an overachiever! But youth and an optimistic personality come through for her in the end. Charming book, fun read.

"The Rural Diaries" was such a good find during a time of uncertainty and stress. Hilarie Burton's narration of her life and times is warm, funny, and full of vinegar. From discussing her experiences with toxic work environments at MTV and on "One Tree Hill," to her sharing difficulties during pregnancy, to describing the journey to finding a place where she truly belongs, Burton shares her life and life's work with a mischievous twinkle and a sisterly voice that captivates. Personally, I laughed out loud, cringed a few times, and felt empathy for Burton's own heartache and grief, feeling her narrative voice as a kindred spirit. If you need a reminder of how worth it the human search for belonging could someday be, "The Rural Diaries" will motivate you to keep the faith.

Hilarie Burton has written an absolute gem of a read, filled with compelling and witty stories of life on the farm. I always liked her as an actress but she might be an even better storyteller, detailing her life with husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan and her son on a working farm, raising animals and all the richness of small town life and the people she meets along the way.
Even better, she includes some of her favorite recipes, and there are great pictures as well!

I’m probably in the minority on this one as far as why I chose to read this. Yes I’ve watched One Tree Hill (& have seen her in the cute Christmas movies-which I loved) but I’m not going to read a memoir/autobiography on someone just based off of their fictional character. Typically I read a memoir based off of something that is relatable (maybe an addiction, or an eating disorder, things every day people deal with on a daily basis) or a story based off a historical event/time period or things that are worldly (slavery, the diamond/drug trade, Holocaust...you get the point). I have zero desire to read celebrity news or about the luxuries of being in their position-not saying I thing all celebrities have it easy by any means or that they don’t endure their own personal struggles.

Anyways-off topic here :) The title grabbed me..Hilarie Burton...farming..say what?! I can’t say I really knew what to expect from this but I sure was going to find out. Reading this I felt it, I felt her emotions, it was like I was hanging out with my friend & establishing a bond (through a book!) she was so genuine & raw. I loved the way this was written, it was like a perfect mixture of salty & sweet. She’s got the cuss words & the heart. I really enjoyed hearing her tell her story of her transition from celebrity life of being an actress, to meeting the future love of her life, to becoming a mommy & eventually a farmer & a store owner. Listening to her talk about her relationship, the good & the bad, her experiences with motherhood & trying to get pregnant-it was refreshing to know that yes celebrities have struggles too but especially just being able to relate to her as a woman. Learning about all her endeavors in remodels, being a handyman & being all crafty, that she can cook garden, make the time to volunteer her time & also maintain friendships & being involved in the community. I love her heart & how much she gives her all into everyone and everything. Quite frankly she impresses the shit out of me, she makes me want more, to do more & to be a better person/mother/wife :) Reading about how she added to her farm as time went on was icing on the cake & made for a fun read. I also enjoyed her little additions of recipes (not gonna lie I saved a couple haha) & gardening tidbits (I mean how many books, especially by a celeb give pointers on which poo is best for fertilizer?😜). Also ‘the brand’ that made me laugh, very creative!

Nicely done Hilarie this was a perfect composition of life, humor, starting & adding to your little farm, motherhood & womanhood. I don’t reread many books but I could see myself reading this again. I’d recommend this to any of my friends family & ladies looking for an inspirational down to earth read 😊


Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishers for the uncorrected proof of The Rural Diaries in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic read. I have been a fan of Hilarie Burton's for many years, ever since I binged 4 seasons of One Tree Hill over the course of a summer in high school. She has always seemed very down to earth, strong, and really like someone I would get along with. Her memoir just cements that idea even more.

I'm often hesitant to read memoirs, especially celebrity memoirs, because I'm never sure how much of the truth is actually being revealed in them; I'm usually convinced that the author is holding back some important detail. I absolutely did not feel that way reading The Rural Diaries. It felt like Hilarie was just talking about everything that she's experienced over the last decade or so, and I finished the book feeling like I'd just caught up with an old friend. Her writing style is very conversational and flows easily. I absolutely devoured this book (seriously, finished it in less than 24 hours) and will be recommending it to all of my friends and family!

As a side note, I also really liked that Hilarie included some of her own recipes within the text, though this wasn't necessarily a cookbook. I look forward to trying them in the future (especially the zucchini benedict)!

This is a great book for those who follow Hollywood lives and how they live when they aren't on set.

The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton-Morgan

Release Date: May 05, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I requested this one impulsively on Netgalley and I absolutely loved it. It might be my favorite celebrity "memoir" of all time. It reads like a Hallmark movie, our protagonist's seemingly perfect life falls apart, then she meets a great guy and falls in love instantly, they buy a farm in a quaint town with a Christmas festival and live happily ever after. And yet it is refreshingly real and relatable. She is honest about their relationship issues, her difficulties getting pregnant, the babies they lost and the depression that followed but also about their quiet triumphs, a garden planted, a home remodeled, friendships made and a life well lived.

Hilarie summed the book up perfectly when she wrote "Folks, this is a love letter. To a town. To a farm. To a man."

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the uncorrected proof of The Rural Diaries in exchange for an honest review.
When I was a freshman in college, my roommate introduced me to One Tree Hill.
One Tree Hill was beginning its fourth season in 2006, so I was thrown into the world of Tree Hill, North Carolina without much of a background. Prior to this, I had only accidentally seen the episode from season three about a school shooting. After a few episodes (where multiple girls from our hall would crowd around our tiny TV and demand silence for one hour once a week), I knew I wanted to see more. So, I borrowed the other seasons on DVD from a friend, and dove in. Quickly, Peyton Sawyer became my favorite character. The character was moody, quick-witted, into music and art, and seemed like she could be a real person. I connected to her.
Beyond the world of One Tree Hill, I did not know much about Hilarie Burton. After joining the world of Instagram, I started following her, and discovered that she too was a mother. I loved seeing her posts about her son (and later, her daughter), and all the things that her family got up to on their farm. In 2017, when she and multiple women from the set and cast of One Tree Hill came out as assault survivors at the hands of the show’s creator, I felt even more linked to her, as I too am a sexual assault survivor. I started following her Instagram posts more closely. Soon I realized that she was more than just a fellow mom and one of my favorite actresses; she is a fantastic human being with a huge heart for people and community. Truly someone you would want to be friends with,
When I started requesting books to review from NetGalley, I was pleasantly surprised to see a memoir from Hilarie Burton Morgan. Based on the title, I figured it would be about her life with her husband and kids on their farm, and I knew I was interested, so I requested a copy.
This memoir is a must-read for anyone who is a fan of Hilarie. She speaks vaguely about her acting career, but only in a way in which to frame her life as a mom, wife, philanthropist, farmer, friend, daughter, etc. Acting was a lifelong dream for her, but it is not the only thing (not even the most important thing) to define her. She goes into detail about her struggles to conceive her second child, is incredibly honest about her relationship with Jefferey Dean Morgan, and peppers her story—correctly self-defined as a love letter to her husband, town and home—with recipes for treats from homemade dandelion wine to sweet hot corn cake.
I truly recommend this book to everyone. I believe there is something in this memoir for almost anybody, whether you’re a fan of Hilarie’s acting, or you’re looking for a portrait of small town life, or the power of community to help save small businesses. 5 stars!
Hilarie Burton Morgan’s memoir, The Rural Diaries, will be published on May 5. 2020. You can pre-order the book now.