The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story [Hardcover]

Ree Drummond (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

"That's when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room."

I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.

Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected.

This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.

It's the story of a cowboy. And Wranglers. And chaps.

And the girl who fell in love with them.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Popular blogger and cookbook author Drummond shares the story of her courtship and marriage to her husband, whom she refers to as Marlboro Man. Though Drummond grew up in Oklahoma, she never imagined she�d end up there for good. After four years of college in Los Angeles, Drummond was only making a pit stop home before moving to Chicago. A chance encounter with a devastatingly masculine cowboy in a local bar changes everything. Though several months elapse before Marlboro Man calls her, the spark between them ignites as soon as they start dating. A rancher with deep roots in the land he works, Marlboro Man isn�t going anywhere, which means Drummond has to decide whether, to be with him, she�s willing to give up her dream of moving to Chicago. By the time Marlboro Man proposes, the decision is made, and Drummond prepares to marry the love of her life and discover what being a rancher�s wife will entail. Charming and bright, Drummond�s story will be an inspiration to those who despair of finding old-fashioned, lasting love. --Kristine Huntley

Review

“The Pioneer Woman is perfect reading for Valentine’s Day, whether you’re celebrating a lasting love or still looking for The One. Even the most cynical of readers will be charmed by Drummond’s hilarious story of being won over by a cowboy.” (BookPage )

“Fans of Drummond’s blog and cookbook will eat up this breathless blow-by-blow chronicle of falling in love with Marlboro Man, a.k.a. her husband, and adapting to life on his ranch. . . . Generous dollops of self-deprecating humor contribute a welcome tang.” (People )

“An affecting new memoir . . . charming and romantic. Riotously funny . . . Drummond is . . . sure to have readers in tears and in stitches. In a word: delightful.” (Publishers Weekly )

#2 Wall Street Journal Bestseller (Wall Street Journal )

“Charming and bright, Drummond’s story will be an inspiration to those who despair of finding old-fashioned, lasting love.” (Booklist )

#2 New York Times Bestseller (New York Times )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition, First Printing edition (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061997161
• ISBN-13: 978-0061997167
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (210 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"I'm a desperate housewife. I live in the country. I channel Lucille Ball, Sylvia Plath, and Ethel Merman. Welcome to my frontier!"

My name is Ree. I'm also known as The Pioneer Woman on my website, ThePioneerWoman.com.

Years ago, after living and working there for several years, I left the great city of Los Angeles . Fleeing a dead-end relationship with a surfer, I planned a much-needed pit stop in my Oklahoma hometown before beginning my new life in Chicago. While home, I met and unexpectedly fell in love with a Wrangler-wearing cowboy whose icy-blue eyes made me forget myself. Before I knew it, I'd canceled my Chicago plans, married the cowboy, and was bearing his children and chasing cows off my porch on his cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Four children and thirteen years later, I still don't know what I'm doing here.

But I do know this: I'm exactly where I belong.

A former vegetarian and food-lover, it was a rude awakening to find out that cowboys don't eat seaweed. They don't eat salads unless they're piled high with ranch dressing, and they certainly wouldn't consider spicy Thai food the height of culinary bliss. They eat meat, lots of meat, with an occasional potato thrown in for balanced nutrition. I stood in my country kitchen and cried, mourning the beautiful things I used to eat. I stared at potatoes with disdain.

Then I picked myself up off the figurative floor, dusted off my apron, and figured if I couldn't beat 'em...I'd join 'em. I jumped right in, teaching myself to cook cowboy-friendly meals. Occasionally, I'd throw in some fresh basil to bring a little of my old life in. I'm still cooking today, and I love it more and more all the time.

Unless the family requests fried calf nuts, and then I start crying all over again.

One morning in 2006, my husband took all four of our small children to work cattle. In my pajamas, I wandered to the computer and started a blog, "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman." What started as a place to post the occasional photo or two quickly became a catch-all for rural stories, bizarre poetry, photography tips, and eventually, my step-by-step pictorial recipes. Now, nearly four years later, ThePioneerWoman.com is still going strong. I love sharing my crazy, silly life with the folks who stop by my site...and I love interacting with them. They're the best people on the internet.

My cookbook, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks", is a natural extension of the cooking section of my website. Using only simple and widely-available ingredients, I share my favorite, classic recipes from my website---along with a good crop of new dishes. I hope you enjoy it. It's homespun, homemade, and very stream-of-consciousness. It's me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing New, March 4, 2011

By 

N. Pearce (Fairbanks, AK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story (Hardcover)

I read this story when she posted it on her website and enjoyed it the first time. I was terribly disappointed to find this book was the exact same story word for work. A final chapter was added, but again if you follow the Pioneer Woman blog, there isn't anything you haven't read before.

62 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Recycled Fluff, February 27, 2011

By 

L. Coulter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story (Hardcover)

If you read Ree's blog you've probably read much of this in serial form, in which the recycled, repetitive nature of the writing didn't grate so badly. In book form though it is just so much of the same old, same old, over and over and over and over again.. Ladd's butt is cute, we made out, we cooked, we made out.. on and on and on ad nauseam. I think that covers it.

The new section on the first year of marriage is written in a totally different style, almost as if another person wrote it, or it was dashed out in an hour or two. Sparse details, with no depth to the new part of the story, unlike the first part that goes into minute details of the most mundane things this glosses over what could have been interesting if some effort was made.

Save your money, go to the blog and read what already exists. You won't miss a thing.

140 of 176 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Check out from library, February 3, 2011

By 

Kimmil76 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story (Hardcover)

I love PW and follow her blog daily. I was so excited to get this book and read it since I had read the story on her site about how she and her husband met and fell in love. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in this book. Only the last 85 pages is new material. The majority of the material can be read for free online. Also, the story up through the wedding is very detailed and flows beautifully. The story that takes place after the wedding doesn't have a lot of detail and doesn't really flow that well, but what can be expected when you are using 85 pages to cover a year when you have previously used 230 pages to describe the first year? The price is very high, even at the sale price, for the amount of new material. I suggest checking this book out from your library rather than purchasing it, or just reading the blog for free.