Review of ‘Homestead’ by Radclyffe (Audiobook)

Yay for my recent finds through Audible’s Escape Package! This is one of them and glad I found it!

Tess Rogers is a farmer tirelessly working to certify her dairy farm as organic in order to finalize a deal with a big yogurt company. Enter Clayton Sutter, VP of NorthAm Fuel and her father’s deal maker. NorthAm Fuel has the rights to tap one of the largest natural gas reservoirs in Upstate New York but needs to reach an agreement with the farmers to get the drilling going. The farmers, Tess included, are concerned about the process and the chemicals used to extract the gas.

The plot thickens when Tess realizes she already knows Clayton. They met fifteen years ago, the summer after high school when she was working in the cabins and Clayton pretended to be just another kid vacationing instead of the heiress she was. The love affair ended abruptly when Clayton left and never reached out to Tess again. Now they must work together through threats, old lies and everything that was left unsaid between them in order to reach a much-needed compromise that will breathe critical life into this farmland.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this is part of the ‘When Dreams Tremble’ universe. When Tess looks for her old friend and oh, she is a lawyer that does exactly what Tess needs at the moment, and the wife is an environmental and water expert…well, yes they do! It was actually established in the previous book. This is a very, very small part of the story, but it is a testament at how gifted Radclyffe is when she intertwines her characters. Provincetown and Justice, Justice and First Responders, Tomorrow’s Promise and Honor; always a pleasure to see all those links throughout her books.

As always, Radclyffe’s technical input into the story is fascinating. The gas extraction and farming processes, more so than medical ones for once, were on point and bring such credibility to the story. I have seen some dairy farms in action and it was great to hear accurate information and details that another author would have missed or simply skipped. This is why her stories are so layered and rich.

There is also the conflict with the town and the underhanded tactics employed when such money is at stake. This felt very much like something that could happen when the so-called ‘progress’ infringes on farming or conservation. It is also apparent how Tess endures discrimination as a woman farm owner since the majority of these are owned by male counterparts.

The rest is pure Radclyffe. Strong women, one handsome and broody, determined to sacrifice their own happiness for the other with or without the other’s consent, etc. If you are a Rad fan, then you will like this. For others, this may not be the place to start.

This one was narrated by Abby Craden, in another fabulous performance!

Overall another solid lesbian butch femme romance book by Radclyffe. 4 stars