This real-life love story is more delicious than The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for marmalade muffins, and they are sticky sweet. If ever you wondered if a self-confident, sushi eating city girl could lasso the wrangler-wearing, meat and potatoes eating rancher, read on.

After leaving USC and a has-been boyfriend in California, Ree plans a brief stay back in her Oklahoma childhood home before starting over in Chicago. However, she quickly repositioned her GPS after sinking her teeth into a humble, country cowboy and his butter braised steak from the grill. Marlboro Man and his girl spend date nights on his ranch, cooking dinner, watching old movies and, fortunately, she includes some recipes of their shared meals at the end of the book. Their love is passionate but surprisingly restrained and Ladd’s wedding gift to Ree is precious. Even made my husband teary when I read it aloud to him.

Part three of this quick read focuses on their unpredictable honeymoon and first year of marriage. It ended with me smiling, happy for them, and wanting more. More funny. More kids. More ranch life. More recipes. Oh yeah, that stuff comes in her cookbooks.

I had the pleasure of meeting The Pioneer Woman recently at a book signing in Colorado. She is as likeable in person as she is on TV. I even secured her autograph on the inside cover of this hardbound book, probably my first non-digital book purchase in two years!