Book ~ "The Lost Husband" (2013) Katherine Center

From Goodreads ~ "Dear Libby, It occurs to me that you and your two children have been living with your mother for -- Dear Lord! -- two whole years, and I'm writing to see if you'd like to be rescued." 

The letter comes out of the blue and just in time for Libby Moran, who, after the sudden death of her husband, Danny, went to stay with her hypercritical mother. Now her crazy Aunt Jean has offered Libby an escape, a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids and hitting the road. 

Life on Aunt Jean's goat farm is both more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet, deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff (though purportedly handsome, under all that hair) farm manager with a tragic home life, a formerly famous feed-store clerk who claims she can contact Danny "on the other side" and the eccentric aunt Libby never really knew but who turns out to be exactly what she's been looking for. And despite everything she's lost, Libby soon realizes how much more she's found. Libby hasn't just traded one kind of crazy for another; she may actually have found the place to bring her little family, and herself, back to life.

Libby was widowed a couple years ago when her husband, Danny, was killed in a car accident. He left her with a surprising amount of debt so she and their two young children, Abby and Tank, had to move in with her mother. Her mother is not a nice person ... she's critical and self-absorbed. But Libby had no other options until she receives a letter from Aunt Jean, her mother's estranged sister, inviting her to move to her farm. Room and board would be provided in exchange for helping out on the farm. Looking for a change, Libby jumps at the chance. 

At the farm, Libby discovers life is much different than living in the city but it's soothing once she got used to it. She gets to know Aunt Jean, who is still a hippy in some ways, and makes friends with Sunshine, who wants to help Libby get "in touch" with Danny, and O'Connor, who shows her the ropes on the farm and she develops a crush on.

I thought this story was predictable but okay. It is written in first person perspective in Libby's voice. I'm not usually a fan of children in stories but Abby and Tank were entertaining and not annoying. The ending wraps up rather quickly. I found it odd that this story takes place about ten years ago but there is no mention of cell phones or the Internet (Aunt Jean doesn't even have a TV). As a head's up, there is some swearing.