The Reluctant Courtship of Jack Allan by Dayle King Searle

Hello everyone.

Years ago, I started learning about genealogy. During my quest I have discovered some remarkable things. I also realize all the questions I should have asked relatives that have passed on. I wish I could go back and ask those questions now and tell my family all the interesting things I have found. Some of them, like my grandfather, would be none too shocked that he was a direct descendent of William the Conqueror...and I'd NEVER hear the end of it. I found I share a branch of the old family tree with Wald Disney, George Eastman, and Daniel Webster.  The discovery is never ending, as technology gets better it seems to shrink the world and make information better quality and easier to obtain. My research actually started a lot closer to home. I began trying to find out about my husbands family.  They were very early settlers of North Carolina. There is a town and streets named after them, even a bird. They owned a lot of land, what do people with a lot of land do, they farm of course. Close enough to drive to, we were able to see the actual farms they owned, some of the early buildings still stand. It is quite an odd feeling to be right there where your family lived, hundreds of years ago.  The land is peaceful and beautiful as wind blows patterns through the crops, usually cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans or wheat. It seems like such an honest way to live, simple. You plant seeds, they grow, you harvest the crop, more seeds are planted and more grows. Okay, that is a simplified version but compared to working downtown, complaining about traffic jams, parking costs, and stuck elevators, it's pretty holistic.

I recently read The Reluctant Courtship of Jack Allan by Dayle King Searle. While sold as an inspirational romance, it is much more.  There is a romantic element but it is really just a beautiful story.  The main character is a man, very unusual for anything romantic-ish. Jack is a farmer who has lost his wife, his neighbor Ruby plays matchmaker between him and her granddaughter, Ally. Things don't go quite as planned for the sassy Ruby, but she believes she knows what is best. In addition, we find out that Jack has a secret that threatens not only his relationship with Ally but essentially his future true happiness. This book talks a lot about farming. Wait, don't run. It is informative and interesting, not dry or boring and blends into the story seamlessly. (It is a farming setting, afterall.) I don't want to say much more about the plot as I will ruin it for you.

This story is full of characters that you will come to love and admire. This book will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The writing is excellent. While you may not have heard of this author or novel, the writing rivals any New York Times best seller out there. This book is a joy to read from beginning to end.

Next time I hear the song Old McDonald, I won't be thinking of ee-i-ee-i-o, I'll be thinking about Jack Allan.