Must Love Chickens

Must Love Chickens #1

by Jea Hawkins

City girl meets country girl.

Natalie’s life is on a precipice with too many failed career moves in the last year. Faced with the loss of everything she has ever worked for, Natalie looks for a way to get out of the city and realign her priorities.

When Jessica Morgan places an ad for a new farmhand, she doesn’t expect to hear from an urbanite. And when the respondent turns out to be gorgeous Natalie Wells, she’s really at a loss for words!

Natalie thinks taking a job in the country is a great plan, until she realizes she’s attracted to her boss. When she learns her boss’s bias against her is the result of issues with an ex-girlfriend, Natalie realizes she’s not imagining the sparks between them – that Jess might just be open to a new relationship, if only Natalie can prove she belongs in Jess’s life.

The last thing Jess needs is a new love interest, especially one who works for her! But she can’t deny Natalie is pretty darn cute trying to learn her way around the farm and as she falls in love, Jess wonders if there’s a chance for romance with the city girl…

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult

297 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2016

About the author

Jea Hawkins writes sweet and spicy contemporary lesbian romance. She writes all her paranormal romance and urban fantasy as Lucy True.
Regardless of genre, if love conquers all, then she’d like to think her heroines can rule the world one day. An east coast transplant to the Midwest, she loves to write about complicated women and settings that feel like home. Her historical / contemporary romance, As Long As Love Lasts, has been nominated for a GCLS Literary Award.
Personal addictions include genealogy, autumn, cozy sweaters, hot chocolate, and the Sims 3. She’s both an avid reader and gamer, and hopes readers don’t mind a few geeky references here and there in her work.

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Must Love Chickens” is a very entertaining, sweet story that’s as much a love story for our cultural ideal of small towns as it is a love story for the main characters.

While I do, of course, include the mandated disclaimer at the end of my review, I want to point out right away that I received this audiobook as a free review copy. This is the very first time I’ve ever requested a review copy of any book, and I was very excited to have been accepted to review the book. What I want to explain, or perhaps clarify is a better word, is why I requested this book. Narrator Lori Prince. That’s why.

I was halfway through Jea Hawkins’ “Something About You”, and was about to get on an airplane to visit my mom. At the airport, I realized I would need more Lori Prince. So I bought Heather Blackmore’s “It’s Not a Date”, despite mixed reviews for the storyline. Why? Because Lori Prince is the narrator, and I was really enjoying her voice on “Something About You”. Also, because that’s the same desk that Bold Strokes Books used for the cover of Georgia Beers’ “Right Here, Right Now”. Helloooooo! First those legs, now the bare feet…that’s a nice desk.

Anyway, I’m sitting at the boarding gate, looking at email, and I see that a review copy of “Must Love Chickens” is available. Narrated by…Lori Prince! Oh please!! I requested a copy, got on the plane, and checked my email as soon as we landed four hours later. Hooray! My request was accepted. So…I listened to the book (when my mom wasn’t around!!!), and here’s my review!

As I said earlier, this is a fun story of idyllic farm life; gathering apples by hand (does that really still happen anywhere?) and feeding friendly chickens…each of which has their own personality (the chickens provide eggs, they aren’t eaten!!). The MCs are very very likable, the small town secondary characters are friendly, and the big-city secondary characters are shallow and/or bitchy.

Much of the story revolves around big-city, rich family, MC girl Natalie trying to decide which camp she really belongs with. Family insists on big-city, of course. But who or what will make her happy…or want her to be happy. Yes, those are the questions many of us face, and it’s enjoyable being with Natalie as she decides. We don’t really learn as much of MC Jess….she has her own painful past, but she is more confident in knowing where she belongs…or, I should say….where she WANTS to belong. Understanding and choosing what one wants is very much a central theme of this delightful book.

For the most part, there’s very little angst in the book, and Natalie and Jess often communicate well…both in, and out of the bedroom. ;)

But…there is, in sort of Melissa Brayden fashion, just enough self-doubt and uncertainty thrown in late into the book for each MC to internally question each other’s “true feelings” for each to make assumptions about what the other may want to be moderately annoying. Really…they were doing so well together…this is a sweet romance…assuming the worst without talking….really? Sheesh.

I enjoyed Natalie’s conversation with her grandmother. As much as I agreed with Natalie’s internal assessment of the adage “if you love something set it free” being a “crock of shit”, I was surprised that the author made Jess’ decision not to try to influence Natalie’s ultimate decision work…work very well, in fact.

I really enjoyed listening to “Must Love Chickens”, and I will listen to it again when I want to relax with a story and voice I know will make me happy. 4.25* for the book, at least another half-star added for terrific narration, rounded up without reservation to a highly-recommended 5* audiobook. This isn’t complex or hugely thought-provoking…this is highly enjoyable entertainment. Get this audiobook!!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

My rating and my review was not in anyway affected by my having been provided a review copy.

[Joc]

DNF 58%

I really don't like not finishing a book because it feels like I'm not giving it a proper chance but I don't think this book is for me. I think it could be a sweet romance for somebody else but at nearly 60% I haven't connected with either of the characters enough to care what happens. I picked it up because of the title and the lead chicken seems to have quite a cool personality.

Part of what has motivated me to stop reading is when one character found a parallel in her changing life goals to the rabbit's in what sounds like the movie 'Zootopia'.
There are some good parts too, though. I liked that Natalie is not a skinny character and liked it even more that Jess liked her exactly as she is.
Overall, I found it too bland for me.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Farm hand.

I've been missing in action for a couple of days due to a heavier than normal workload but I managed to listen to this Audible audiobook.

This story is about Natalie, an gallery art director who has had enough of her life in the big city after being betrayed by a coworker and signs up to work as a farm hand and falls for her boss, Jess. It's a simple, straightforward, no angst countryside romance about finding a compatible person to love and I think there are people out there who like stories like that. But I found it hard to be engaged with it, in part because countryside romances don't always appeal to me. The other part though is that I find the romance a little too easy and convenient. Lori Prince made the listening experience better at least.

This audiobook was given to me for free at my request and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, perfectly serviceable, low angst romance. Good performance by Lori Prince as always, and an author that I’ve enjoyed a book of theirs before. But it didn’t have that extra thing that made me connect/love it. I think it might be ME being in a reading slump? Idk. I haven’t loved/connected with anything I’ve read recently. Could be ive just been picking duds/things not rlly my vibe or could be I’m just in a random slump. Dunno. This was cute tho, and not super long and def one I’d rec if you’re in the mood for low angst and sweet.

[Danni Mladenovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very cute novel. I had a smile on my face while reading it. :) This is certainly the book I'd recommend for a nice, quiet afternoon at home, with a hot tea, cinnamon brownies, while watching the snowflakes sparkling through the window. A perfect romance for a winter afternoon. Both Jess and Natalie are such lovable characters, it really makes you smile spontaneously while reading the novel.

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ – Must Love Chickens is a cute but shortish romance.

Jess needs a farmhand, Natalie needs a new job, as far away from the city and the art gallery she resigned from after too many low blows from her very competitive colleague. Both will find love on the way, and Natalie will also learn a lot about herself, not least that she really likes chickens.

I liked both MCs so was okay with the romance even though it was a bit rushed. I didn’t love this story as much as other books I’ve read by Jea Hawkins – I really recommend As Long As Love Lasts – but Lori Prince really made it work.

[JF · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this on audible and not even Lori prince as narrator could save this for me .

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally cute

This was a sweet story. The main characters had great chemistry and their interaction was often times playful causing me to chuckle here and there. There is not much to mention here really as the story was pretty predictable and there was hardly any angst. This is one of those books that allows you to just shut your mind off and enjoy the journey of two women trying to find their happily ever after.

[Harrow · Rating 1 out of 5]

i didn't feel any chemistry between the MCs. The dialogues, the plot, everything felt bland.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could have sworn I read this ... like a 2-3 years ago? But GR says nope. So I never picked it up thinking GR was nuts. Looking at my library I was actually remembering Hypnotizing Chickens... lol Anyway.

Jess and Nat are great. City girl/country girl. Nat gets the bad thrown at her early on and moves out of the big city. Jess runs a farm and well... yea. It works.

I seem to be on a bit of a Hawkins run lately. I don't mind. For the most part I like/love all her stuff. So refreshing actually considering the run of bleh I've had lately. Only a few more books and I'll finish up. I don't like having unreads to authors I really like.

[T.B. Markinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute lesbian romance that'll make you laugh and cheer.

[Romana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. Not much tension or drama, but there were chickens. And Esmeralda the chicken was adorable: I kept having to remind myself that out garden is not big enough for chickens.

Yes, what I've taken away from this one is a desire for pet chickens. You have been warned...

[Det. Nidhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

CUTE!

[Kexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the Jea Hawkins I really like - more story, less adult content. I brought into the main Characters but it ended too quickly (always leave them asking for more). Recommended.

[Ayse · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok romance -- the writing is a little lacking, particularly the romance part of it. The descriptions and interactions of most other parts of the book were alright but the romantic interactions between Jess and Natalie were flat and uninteresting. Their final declarations were particularly unsatisfying -- ultimately Jess never risked anything, Natalie had already decided. So there was never any real payoff for Jess -- just telling someone something after they had already decided isn't vulnerability or openness. It would have been better if there had been some real conflict with the job offer; some real possibility; something that Jess would have done to earn Natalie coming back. instead it was just unsatisfying.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home Sweet Home.

I dearly love chickens. I loved Must Love Chickens, too. Jess and Nat make such a loving couple. Finding home, making a living, taking a path to family and knowing your own needs are all essential to growing up. Natalie took responsibility for herself when her New York City life let her down. She gambled it all on her new job as a farmhand on an apple orchard. Jess is sure that the city girl won't stay long enough to become a country girl. They live, eat and work together. It's understandable when their feelings for each other start to grow.

The pace of the story was perfect. There was no need to rush things or to unnecessarily slow them down. Farm life and work were portrayed as very hard, but honestly rewarding. By comparison, city life came off as fake and toxic. Jea Hawkins writes with sincere insights into life's greatest mysteries. How do we become our best self and how do we share our life with someone else? Must Love Chickens is a genuine and enjoyable lesbian romance.

[Anja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story started well but around the love making scene it went a little downhill. The language used to describe their lovemaking didn't fit the rest of the book and at that time I was missing the chemistry and tension. After that scene the story babbled along, not much drama, just everything nice and easy.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this lesrom book had about as much subtlety as a stampeding elephant. Basic premise is that city girl has a bit of a life crisis and escapes to the "country" to work as a farmhand, where all of the side characters are a little too encouraging of hook up between her and the woman who owns the farm. The dialogue is wooden and is desperately trying to be clever and funny, the sex scenes tended to all contain at least one description or line that would qualify as cringe worthy if not creepy (really, you're going to tell the woman you're having sex with that you're disappointed you can't tell whether they're a natural red-head because they're waxed? and really, where are a woman's "petals" because apparently I missed that in health class).
And what about the chickens of the title? They would have been interesting to focus a bit more on and somehow bring the two protagonists together naturally versus someone telling each of them how "obvious" it is that they should be together, within just two days of meeting.
A disappointing, predictable, and boring read.

[Glyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I'm a city person (well, suburbs kid), and my girlfriend is from the country. The fact that our origins mirrors the premise, plus the title, is what got me to check out this novella.

And it was... okay. The prose is fine, but the dialogue is entirely stiff exposition. To quote Futurama, "you can't just have your characters say how they feel! That makes me angry!"

Plus, it's kinda boring how there's no real conflict in the book, until the end, and even then, it just felt limp. There's no feeling of emotional payoff, because there wasn't anything at stake.

Also, it's curious how the novella is all about ~good ol' country folk~, who are all 100% ok with the gays, and who are also 100% agnostic. In my experience, both of these things are highly unlikely to be found in such a setting.

[Gabbi Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I now LOVE chickens

OMG, this is such a sweet and wonderful book. Jea Hawkins is a new author to me, but I plan on reading more by her.

The premise is simple – city girl runs away to the country to lick her wounds and hide out from real life. This story, though, is so much more than that.

Natalie has enjoyed a successful run as an art gallery assistant in New York City, but a string of poorly-reviewed shows has pushed her lower in the echelons of prestige. Realizing she’s been betrayed by someone she trusted, she takes a chance on an ad from a farmer who is looking for an assistant. Natalie knows nothing about working the land, but escaping sounds perfect.

Can a woman go from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Vera Wang, to mud, apples, and chicken dung?

Jess isn’t holding her breath. She’s been tricked into hiring Natalie and believes the woman won’t last two weeks, let alone an entire season. City women never stay and they only break Jess’ heart when they leave.

What begins as a tale about polar opposites soon becomes an exploration of the law of attraction. It doesn’t take long for the women to see that not only are they both attracted to women – they are attracted to each other.

I love slow-burn stories. These women don’t leap into bed. They get to know each other, care for each other, trust each other. When they do finally acknowledge their feelings, I felt rewarded for having followed them on their journey.

So what happens when reality intrudes? Natalie is summoned to the city and Jess is resigned to losing her forever. I had more faith in the women, but there were a few times when I wondered if either would be willing to compromise—willing to lay her heart on the line.

I liked that each woman held something back because that’s often how it is in real life. When they did finally open up, I felt validated for having believed in the women. Jess’ story was especially heart-wrenching.

I got my happy ending and I plan to come back for more.

Lori Prince is a new narrator for me. She was perfect for this book, giving unique voices to both women and I’ll be happy to listen to more books narrated by her.

Finally, I want to say, I want to meet someone who finds me beautiful—“mind, body, and soul”. Jea Hawkins made me believe that there might be someone out there for me as well.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet lesbian romance without a lot of drama and conflict. It's a quick read or listen, but the kind of story that hits your sweet spot. Natalie is a city girl who is somewhat naive. I don't expect a grown woman to be as sheltered as she is, but it's explained away with privilege. Jess is a hard-working small farm owner who finds it hard to trust people. Both women have within the last year suffered break-ups that make them wary of entering new relationships.

Natalie shows her character by working hard without complaint, even when it takes her time to learn how to do things. She wins Jess's heart by bonding with the chickens. (As a bird owner myself, I approve of this.) As Natalie toughs out her new life, she and Jess realize that maybe what might seem impossible is worth giving a shot.

Well, no spoiler to those who love romance: Our couple pulls through in the end. However improbable, they are great for each other.

As far as the narrator's performance, I believe this is the first piece I've heard from her. Her voice is great, and she always kept the character voices distinct. You can definitely tell Natalie and Jess apart, even when it's a gasp or sudden sound. The overall production values on this audio are very high and even better than some I've heard recently from bigger name narrators in mainstream studios.

Bottom line: This is a good book for someone who loves a sweet lesbian romance and who wants to spend a few hours wrapped up in that goodness. This is my first book from the author and narrator, but if these works are typical of either creator, I'll definitely be back for more.

Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Heatherblakely · Rating 3 out of 5]

chickens:

this started off really strong, and i liked the beginning a lot.

but wow, not a fan of the fatphobia; natalie is described as curvy, and there are a lot of comments from her about how isnt it obvious she likes to eat etc. internalized fatphobia isn’t progressive.

also jesus jea hawkins, which city woman broke your heart? this was so judgmental about city people and cities. people in small towns can be just as terrible, and you can find community in cities. also sorry but you’re saying there’s no good chinese food in manhattan? back off.

i also kept thinking that if natalie had bought her apartment to not have to rely on anyone, wouldn’t she likely have started cooking then? doing things here grandmother didn’t need to know about? maybe not, i’m probably being judgmental. there were also times where natalie would be thinking about her former life and be happy about it, and i think we need to get used to the idea that the things that make you happy can change. maybe she was happy doing gallery stuff and working in art, and that’s just not it anymore. and that’s fine, but it doesn’t mean that years of your life were a waste or mistake.

there was more telling than showing and the pacing was eh. it’s a quick read that may be good for a vacation or a rainy day.

[naptimenow · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable easy read. I found the main romantic pair to be sweet but a little forced for the first half of the book. I think it would have benefitted from a much slower build up of tension rather than jumping almost immediately to them both assessing each other as romantic prospects and trying to find reasons why it wouldn't work. But aside from that (and some purple-prose-y sex scenes), it was a lovely little romance and I quite enjoyed a lot of the characters. From about the point where they visit the field and the farmers market together it felt like the pace picked up and it felt like the tension and question of whether they'd work out as a couple came together a lot more naturally.

I quite liked the details of the farm and the town, though it could have perhaps benefitted from a little less criticism of people for being nosy. Sometimes it didn't even feel like they'd been more than sociable and yet the characters were inexplicably fending them off for no real reason. But Esmerelda was very cute and it was nice to see Nat getting comfortable with doing new things and some of the details of what they were growing and things like that. Overall, a lovely little read!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my review of the audiobook:

This is a great opposites attract romance. Natalie is from a rich family, and while she enjoys some of the things that life has provided, she begins to feel more and more unhappy and longs for a change. She applies for a job as a farm hand, which is the opposite of everything she's known before.
Jess is the owner of the farm where Natalie comes to learn a new way of life. She is blunt and sometimes grouchy, and she's both attracted to and doubtful of the city girl who thinks she can make it doing manual labor.
Both women have pain in their pasts to overcome, and they begin to feel like they might be able to help each other. They begin to feel like more than employee and boss. Can they get past their doubts to find happiness?
I loved this story, and the narration was excellent. I will look for more books from this author and more from this narrator.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Kim Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

City Mouse Country Mouse, super sweet story with just enough light conflict to keep things interesting and somewhat true to life, but nothing the characters can't overcome.

Jess owns a small apple farm in a small town upstate New York, where she has lived her entire life, and loves. Natalie works at a fast paced high stress art gallery job in big city New York, her "dream" job. Due do unfortunate events, Natalie decides she needs a change of pace, and takes a job at Jess's orchard, a 180 degree turn from everything she has ever known.

Lori Prince nattation is a smooth easy listen, I was able to relate to both characters, the storyline was solid and included a sweet love story with a well-written plot.

I enjoyed it so much I recommended it to my wife, she's only about half-way and it's fun to revisit the characters w/her. Highly recommend!

[A Shrimp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet, but lacking any real substance. There's just too little conflict to make it interesting.

Spoilers:

there are a bunch of plot lines of which I would've expected this conflict to come from. Somehow though, all of them are just kind of forgotten about. Such as the elaborate workplace rival introduced at the beginning. She gets such a huge setup to really make her come across the ultimate evil... and then she just never appears again... Or the grandmother of one of the protagonist, who's also randomly unreasonably evil, and she appears exactly once for a short confrontation scene.

[Lelouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started following the narrator Lori Prince recently. I saw this book pop up and couldn't resist. This is my first time with the author Jea Hawkins, and I'm glad it's more of a fluffy romance. (nobody died, yay!). We have cute scenes like petting a chicken who nuzzles affectionately and rolling around in a pile of leaves. There are also several (steamy? is that the word?) sex scenes. There are a couple small conflicts, but as I mentioned it's on the more fluff side so don't expect complex solutions.

I already mentioned I like the narrator, and she performed an exceptional job as always.

[J.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

City girl meets country girl

A thirty year old city woman,Natalie, who is undermined by a younger girl in her job in the city. Natalie decided to go off a deep cliff according to some of Natalie's friends and grandmother to work on a Apple farm. The lessons Natalie learns from Jessie far out weight the things Natalie learned in the city Through self determination Natalie has to weight what she really wants to do with her life. Jessie has to able to come to terms herself and be able to express herself. Will both realize they belong together or not? Enjoy and find out.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the start but 30% in I'm not getting any tension from any barriers. Yes one is a boss but it's on a farm and not really set up as a power issue.
They get together really easily, but I get no sense of impending problems, which makes it really easy to cheat on this book with another! I came back to the book and the lack of tension continued. A normal plot arc involves break up before make up. There is the barest blip. I think the book would have benefited from some jeopardy. 2 would feel mean, 3 feels generous.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable happy ending,wouldn't have it any other way....

A history of romance in the lesbian life has predictable outcomes. Love, sex, living together however long, coming out of a breakup, falling in love again, questioning is this the one?, A pleasant read, a quick read, a predictable outcome always a happy ending,would not have it the other way, since women who love women have had and are having so much tragedy in their lives.