Today I'm pleased to review Valerie Comer's, Raspberries and Vinegar. The book is billed as "farm fresh fiction" and it is fresh and funny and definitely farm. There's lots of muck and mice and other things country. The story zips along with engaging characters and unexpected plot twists. Instructors of creative writing often use the metaphor, "get your characters up and tree and throw stones at them." In, Raspberries and Vinegar we do find the heroine up a tree although no stones are involved.
Summary: Josephine Shaw and two other women, have bought a run-down farm and are determined to restore the land, build a straw-bale house and pursue an earth-friendly lifestyle. Their ambitions reach into the community as well as they try to persuade others to live pesticide-free and buy local.
Their neighbour, Zachary Nemesek isn't particularly sympathetic, but then, he's only here until he can find a job in the city, treating cats and dogs. He isn't interested in a country veterinarian practice, or sustainable farming. Yet, despite himself, Zach is interested in Jo, if only she weren't so hot-tempered and single-minded in her pursuit of the rural ideal.
With faith and prayer and a splash of vinegar, Comer takes her readers and her characters on a bumpy ride to happily-ever-after.
I heartily recommend Raspberries and Vinegar.
Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her stories. Raspberries and Vinegar, first in her series A Farm Fresh Romance, released in August, 2013. It may be purchased at Chose Now Publishing
AND Valerie will give away a digital copy to one lucky reader, anywhere in the world. To enter the draw leave your name and e-addy in the comment box. Draw closes on Saturday, Aug 31 with the winner announced on the Sunday Edition.
