The Farmer's Wife

Jillaroo #2

by Rachael Treasure

She got her fairytale ending -- but life had other plans ...

The Deniliquin Ute Muster had always been on Rebecca’s wish list, but with the farm and babies, she’d never managed to make it. Tonight, she decided to reclaim herself.

After ten years being married to larrikin Charlie Lewis and living on her beloved property, Waters Meeting, Rebecca is confronted by a wife’s biggest fear, a mother’s worst nightmare and a farm business that’s bleeding to death.

Can Rebecca find the inner strength she once had as a young jillaroo, to save everything she cherishes? Or is life about to teach her the hardest lesson: that sometimes you simply have to let go.

This uplifting and insightful tale deals with the truth about love that the Cinderella stories never tell us. Rebecca’s journey is everywoman’s journey, and a resonant tale for our times.

Genres: Romance, Australia, Audiobook, Horses, Book Club

388 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Rachael Treasure lives in southern rural Tasmania with her two young children. She is passionate about encouraging non-readers to read, inspiring farmers to consider regenerative agricultural practices and animal handlers to better understand their dogs and livestock. She is a graduate of Orange Agricultural College and has a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. She has worked as a jillaroo, rural journalist, ABC radio broadcaster, professional woolclasser, part-time vet nurse, family farm manager, drover and stock camp cook. She has written 4 novels and a short story collection, all bestsellers.
Follow her on facebook:
www.facebook.com/rach.treasure

Reviews

[Susiekenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wholly disappointing.

Rachael Treasure's first book is still one of my favourites; Jillaroo was smart, funny, haunting and a brilliant recreation of country life that had never been seen before. Rebecca was a loveable and gutsy heroine and I told all my friends to read this book. I then proceeded to read Treasure's second book - loved it - third book - still loved it - fourth book... getting a bit weird... Fifth book? Ugh! This "sequel" to Jillaroo does the characters and previous story absolutely no justice! How did such a fantastic bush story teller go so wrong? The plot was all over the place, the larrikin love interest had turned into a rapist (??) and the previously strong female protagonist was very hard to like, having lost all her sense of self and was only saved by some inner-peace spouting hippy! Add in an unnecessary pregnancy, a bizarre intercontinental move and very didactic farming practices and you get one mess of a book. I will say that I read it to the end, when I normally give up on a book I don't like, but I was just hoping something could be salvaged... apparently not.

[Bec · Rating 2 out of 5]

Depressing... Jillaroo wasn't all happy either, don't get me wrong! But this story was a downer nearly til the very end. It was only for the fact that I wanted to know how it ended, that I even kept reading. Def my least favourite of Rachael's books.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really disipointed. Jillaroo was one if my fave love stories and I hate how she made Charlie Lewis :(

[Chelsey with a y · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very much up and down like the first book to the series. It was pretty full on compared to what I usually read. I’m glad Rebecca ended up finding her way and seeing the community support her was lovely. I would have liked to see her end up with Sol though. He seemed like the perfect block and everything he did for her was amazing!!! I feel like there could be a third book

[Maxine · Rating 1 out of 5]

On dear.... What a disappointment . I have read previous books written by Treasure and thoroughly enjoyed them....alas this was not the case with The Farmers Wife. I hate reading a book where the author has an obvious agenda. If I want to know about environmentally friendly farming practices I will seek that information via the appropriate channels. I chose this book as I thought it would explore the struggles facing farming families intertwined with a relationship breakdown. I was wrong. There was no depth to the characters or their relationships. It appears Treasure intended to use the book as a medium for conveying her farming ideals. Very disappointing.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this book, maybe because I didn't warm to any of the characters. It seemed to be written in a different style to her usual books.

[Bron · Rating 2 out of 5]

A couple of kids and a lifetime later, Bec and husband Charlie are stuck in a rut, the romance has completely dissipated. Bec still has ideas for the farm but Charlie won't listen to them. The neighbourhood is beginning to change, there are rich neighbours on a beautiful horse stud, and rumours of a mining boom. These features add to tensions between the two, and the future looks grim.

The book tells the story of a really horrid husband, everytime I hear him mentioned I can't believe that the author would marry her heroine to him in one book, then turn him into such an evil being in the next book! We also have a New Age guru running around the town spreading her message of goodness to Bec, turning up each time she needs a shoulder to cry on, helping her to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The book watched Bec grow and look at life in a new way, however I really could not call reading it a positive experience.

[Lyn Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no doubt that this is a well written book in the usual Treasure manner. It is the content of the book which is really disappointing. To find out that the perfect relationship between Charlie and Rebecca ends on this note is very sad and a huge let-down. I'm well aware that the situations in this book are very real and happen on a regular basis in the real world, but some people pick up a book to escape the depressing moods and situations that surround them. This book wasn't all that easy to read because it was frustration and sadness from beginning to end.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really disappointing on so many levels. I can't believe the sequeal to Jillaroo has taken 10 years, and ends up like this.I have loved all of Treasure's earlier novels, and was sooo looking forward to reading this that I re-read the Jillaroo so the storyline was fresh in my mind, and went staright onto this book.Its a really depressing story, with frustrating characters, and sounds like a really bitter person has written this book that has gone through a divorce or something similar hersolf in the last ten years and has taken it out on the reader!! I know not every story is all sunshine and lollipops, but this was just all over the place and didn't even end well. There are alot better rural romance novels out there by new up and coming Aussie Authors I will be focusing my attention on instead.

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book as much as her previous titles. The marriage breakdown was not nice and this is reflected in the style of writing. I did not find myself warming to many of the characters.

[Rana Catlow · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved reading The Jillaroo, it was the first Rachael Treasure book I read and have loved her novels ever since. However I did not enjoy The Farmer's Wife at all. I struggled to read it and found it was going all over the place. I was really disappointed that she made Charlie out to be so horrible and that their relationship was beyond repair (and I do realise that in reality this can be the case). But in the "world of novels" it's always nice to have in the back of your mind that there is some hope....I did not like the character of Sol and didn't think Rebecca and him made a good match. I was particularly disappointed with the ending - however it could be made into another novel.
After reading this book, it makes it hard to go back and re-read The Jillaroo and enjoy it, it's kind of ruined it now. It's hard to think good thoughts about Charlie. :(

[Deb Bodinnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follow on story to Jillaroo, I loved it. This author has the gift of being able to grab her readers attention to hold on to it, chapter after chapter. Having been a country girl myself, I can identify with the trials and tribulations of farm life. Bec's confidence and self esteem has taken a real battering over the years since becoming "The Farmers Wife" and finds it difficult when not one but three different men start to show interest in her. When Charlie asks for a divorce and decides its time to take Bed on for the farm, Bec needs to show how much of a strong woman she can be. I believe Rachael Treasure has left this novel open to write a third Rebecca novel. Recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good Australian Rural Romance.

[Stacey Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

After only just finishing Jillaroo I decided to read the sequel straight away.

Whilst the writing was of Rachel's normal high quality I must admit the book made me very sad from start to finish. I felt the characters were so vastly different from themselves in the first novel and whilst I know 10 years can drastically change a person it was heartbreaking for Charlie to be the evil selfish person he had become. I missed the larakin of his youth! And Bec ? I felt her strength was gone which saddened me.

I'm glad to have read the book but perhaps I would have been better leaving the characters as they were in Jillaroo? In love and living on the beloved Water's Meeting.

[Amber Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a downer, I actually skipped through this one and only read the highlights, the characters were not very nice and difficult to relate to.

[Naomi Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this felt like a really 180 from Jillaroo. In Jillaroo we meet a feisty young woman that won't let anything stand in her way, and we fall for a dashing young jovial and charismatic farmer... don't fall too hard.

This book was all about the trials faced by a farmer's wife. I thought it would have a lot to do with the land and the farm, and there is a lot in there, but this was more about her relationships and learning to stand on her feet and fight for herself.

I am glad we got to an ending that made me feel there was good in her future, because most of the book had me either tearing up or so bloody angry! And after this book, I can not see the point of men in anyone's life...

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book, this one not so much. I feel like we lost our main character a bit, as well as development of the other characters, particularly Becs dad. I get that this is probably more realistic where we find out that people weren't what we thought, but it was a bit disheartening. Also a lot of preachy farm talk in this one. Sometimes felt like this was a pitch for regenerative farming rather than a novel. Maybe this is just the authors form of activism, but for non farm based readers it was too much.

[Meina · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I like stories about the Australian bush and life on the farm, I found the story too unrealistic. There were inconsistencies in the timeline. In particular, I doubt whether a change in farming practices would really show such immediate turnaround. Also, which bank would grant a loan extension with a simple phone call?? And finally, I have not heard of any doctor saying that drinking alcohol, no matter how little, during pregnancy would be ok in a long time. To imply that a ‘country doctor’ would say such a thing seems demeaning to all those lovely GPs we have working in rural areas.

[Annmarie Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story outlined how hard it is on the land with competing priorities from farm, a cheating husband and children. It showed the resilience of a wife, who processed what was occurring in her life to how she came about on the other side and the path it took, new friends made and life choices she took to be herself and support her family. A book about growth. Whilst sad in a lot of areas it was a journey Rachel took her readers on that happens and is experienced everyday.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this, it’s my book clubs’ April read. However, it was nothing like I expected, which was a Rachael Johns style outback romance. This instead was a drama-filled, main character self-realisation story, with characters who all seem to have such superficial outlooks. And don’t even get me started on the husband, Charlie. I’d have got over the disappointment of this not being a RR had it been a good story, but I really didn’t enjoy this one.

[Lorraine Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story about Rebecca. Such a strong woman who overcome some of the hardest things in life. A husband who cheated and didnt want their sons or ownership of his daughter. The way in which she found herself again after many tragedies in her life. Loved this story from cover to cover. ❤️❤️

[Marilu · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most predictable, boring, frustrating story I have ever read, the female protagonist was weak, and had heaps of different ways open to her in her predicament.. She not only ran away from her problems but a male also had to come along and rescue her....

[Linda Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘Let’s grab a lettuce out of the garden for lunch’
Listened to audio book and rolled my eyes through most of this...
I did enjoy the insightful messages of the environmental impact of ignorant farming in Australia! There’s many more stars on that account.

[Sharna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character from Jillaroo is back and navigating another stage in life. Somewhat reminiscent of Treasure’s own life, which her avid fans would be aware of.
Another great read to see the growth in the character of Rebecca.

[Carol Slade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, sequel to Jillaroo, continuing the journey of Rebecca. The fairytale ending in the first novel becomes unpacked, messy, and nasty.
Rebecca embarks on a new journey of new farming practices and self enlightenment. A good dose of humor and heartbreak along the way.
An uplifting read!

[Kerri Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book overall, except Charlie ended up not being a very nice man. Neither was her brother.. I was really angry with Charlie. I'm glad Bec found her happiness in the end. It was very emotional read

[Pip Tlaskal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! She captures farm life so truly and the romance(S) of the heroine are so quirky and believable. The drudgery and sad disillusionment of marriage are dealt with in an ultimately uplifting and powerful way, mirroring the regeneration of the land. Treasure is a treasure of rural romance!

[Glenys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good once I got into this book. Actually made me think about soil erosion and farming, good when you learn something new. Also makes you think about the amount of research that goes into writing novels.

[Emma Wishart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved Jillaroo, it was one of my favourite books. However, for whatever reason, the characters were taken on a journey that not only did not fit their previously written arc, but was just savage.
It you loved Jillaroo….never read this book, it will ruin what was a brilliant book

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

this changes from my usual readings : read just after finishing Tokyo Vice, I needed something light and rural :-)

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy story. Lost a bit of depth in the middle. Not as good as some of Rachel Treasure's others read so far.