I truly feel like I could write the sister for this book; small town girl moves to the city. Although Lenore and I grew up in opposite, the memoir beautiful explains the horrors and blessings of small towns. The last chapter brought me to tears, as I read about the town Liberty rallying around Lenore’s family in time of intense grief and loss. The best “village” to raise a family truly is a small town, and she so beautifully explains why. The adjustment to farm life and all the challenges with everyone knowing all your business was comedic and relatable. Recommend this book to all who want a clear picture of rural life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Small towns are quirky and unique and Liberty fits the ticket. I enjoyed the funny stories about the wildlife in the farm and how the author built her courage to deal with dead or intrusive animals.

Small-Town Chaos by Lenore Focht is a delightful memoir of small town life in rural Canada. Hint: it’s not glamorous. Lenore had been stuck in a dead end job until she trained to be a teacher. When she’s offered a position at a school in a remote small town with a population of 450, she reluctantly accepts, planning only to stay for a few months and then return to the city. That doesn’t happen. She marries Joe, her longtime boyfriend, and they buy a farmhouse on several acres outside the town. What follows has the makings of a TV home renovation show. There are angry birds, a flood, more angry birds, a beaver attack, bats and more. Lenore learns to rely on her eccentric, caring neighbors for help and companionship.

This portrayal of small town life is charming, thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny. The challenges of small town living, its isolation and loneliness are described here as are its joy and satisfaction. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Girl Friday Productions and Lenore Focht for this ARC.