Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: The Art of Husbandry
SERIES: Mackenzie Country, Book 1
AUTHOR: Jay Hogan
NARRATOR: Gary Furlong
PUBLISHER: Southern Lights Publishing
LENGTH: 10 hours and 43 minutes
RELEASE DATE: January 11, 2024
BLURB:
When life drowns you in lemons, to hell with making lemonade. I wanted to burn the whole world. But eighteen months from the day my life was torn apart, I’m tired of the anger. Tired of the nightmares. Tired of putting one foot in front of the other just trying to survive. Three months on a high country sheep station in the middle of nowhere is precisely the reboot I need. A chance to break free. To breathe again. To find a way forward.
I put my entire life on hold and head south to Mackenzie Country. But falling for the captivating young station boss was never part of the plan. Holden Miller might be smart and sexy and push all my dusty buttons, but we come from two different worlds. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m not interested in love. I’m done with all that.
But Holden doesn’t care about my rules. Nestled safely in the arms of the spectacular Southern Alps, on an isolated sheep farm at the top of the world, Holden begins knitting my battered heart together one careful stitch at a time. And with every pass of the thread, every braid of the river on our doorstep, I catch a tantalising glimpse of something I’d almost given up on.
Happiness, and maybe even love.
If I have the courage to reach out and grab them.
Author Content Note: This book contains references to the past death of a child and PTSD.
REVIEW:
The Art of Husbandry provides a strikingly different, heartbreakingly poignant MM romance that will really stick with you, and it’s due to the talents of its creator, Jay Hogan. The uniquely gorgeous setting on a remote sheep farm at the base of New Zealand’s Southern Alps plays an integral part in this story of grief and healing, love and loss. Yet, Hogan infuses it with her equally distinctive writing with all of the characteristics we love: the heart, deep meaning, hurt/comfort and angst, all balanced perfectly by witty dialogue, humor, sexy men, swoony love, and above all, deeply bonded found family.
This is a deeply textured story in so many ways. The setting is truly a character in and of itself and Hogan’s imagery is breathtaking. Gil and Holden anchor the story with parallel journeys. Gil’s is much more visceral – as a parent, his storyline is simply harrowing. But it’s also completely relatable even if you aren’t a parent. Gil’s palpable pain, that sense of hanging on by his fingernails, barely keeping it together, all comes across loud and clear and ouch, it hurts. Holden has his own shadow to navigate – trying to fill the shoes of his grandfather, to make his own way while being criticized at every turn. And yet, they also both are working through the same thing – finding themselves again, in a new place and a new world with new people all while some loved ones have moved on or been left behind.
For an impactful story like The Art of Husbandry, I can’t imagine a better narrator than Gary Furlong. He’s authentic, precise, and fully embodies the nuances of the characters and the complex emotions of the scenes. Furlong is a fabulous storyteller, so equipped with a rich story like this one, there’s no doubt the audio he’ll produce will be magical – and it is. Highly recommended.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: