The good, the bad and the ugly fact of reading memoirs is spending a considerable amount of time with the writer. Unlike novels, where the narrator may be more or less charming than the writer, the main character serves the overall narrative.

The Unlikely Lavender Queen, unfortunately, showcases this to off-putting perfection by presenting the life and times of Jeannie Ralston, whiner extraordinaire. While her premise begins promisingly enough: city girl forced to adapt to country life and succeeds smashingly in the incredibly unlikely field of farmer, Ralston shows difficulty in stopping to the smell the lavender.

Instead, she must be dragged kicking and screaming. A little more gratitude and a little less entitlement would have served Ralston well.

Grade: B-

The Unlikely Lavender Queen is currently available.