Strawberry Acres

by Grace S. Richmond

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Romance, Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Ebooks

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Grace Louise Smith Richmond (1866–1959), American romance novelist created the Dr. R.P. Burns series.

Her first short stories were published in various women's magazines including the Women's Home Companion, Ladies' Home Journal, and Everybody's Magazine as early as 1898. Richmond wrote 27 novels between 1905 and 1936. Red Pepper Burns was published in 1910. Like most of her strong-willed yet compassionate characters, R.P. Burns is a kind, old-souled country doctor who makes house calls. His fiery red hair and temper to match earned him his nickname Red Pepper, though he is still a charming and endearing gentleman. Mrs. Red Pepper (1913), Red Pepper's Patients (1917), and Red of the Redfields (1924) followed.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
A sweet, engaging tale of Sally Lane, only sister to three brothers, who has an undeniable longing to make a home in the country. When they inherit a decrepit old mansion on forty-two acres, she is eager to persuade her brothers to try living in it long enough to fall in love with outdoor life.

Big things happen quietly, and the pen-strokes that portray them are deft and succinct. I always enjoy Richmond's writing.

[J. Boo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather sweet and quietly moral tale of an older-but-orphaned city-dwelling family who inherit acreage in the countrified suburbs. Will the nice, polite, hard-working sister find romance? Will the Sun rise in the East?

An unusual element - the crusty old survivor of the prior generation is an uncle. Almost exclusively the elderly role is a woman in this sort of book.

Weirdly, while the book seems like it would be right up my alley (superiority of the countryside! farming! a few passages on strawberry cultivation! families of prospective suitors that get along well with each other!), my reaction was rather tepid. Perhaps a few gaps in the description, for example the house, practically falling down due to age and lack of care, abruptly stops falling down when they move in. More like a 2.8/5 than an outright 3, but I guess that still rounds up.

[Angie Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet, cute story! No heart-stopping action or devious villains to thwart; no dark, hidden pasts or impossible obstacles to overcome; just a girl who's determined to make the best life she possibly can for her brothers--with a bit (or more) of help from her friends. :)

As much as I loved the Lane family, I think the Burnsides were my favorites. Such a refreshing change to see people who didn't fall away or hover around nervously after their friends "came down" in the world. Not that they were alone in it either; it was so fun to see the camaraderie that developed between all the different young people on and around the farm.

And can I give three cheers for a simple, natural, and respectful romance?!? As sad as I felt when Sally initially turned down the boy who loved her, I wanted to clap my hands when he let it go, continued to treat her as a friend, and waited a sensible amount of time before asking her again. Can some--okay, probably a lot--of the other fictional heroes out there please take lessons? (End of rant.)

At points, the story reads like an advertisement for country life, but it's so sweet and adorable that I really didn't mind. A very nice read.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Grace Richmond will be my next favorite, old-time author. I'm not entirely sure just yet, as this is only the first book I've read of hers, but I have "The Second Violin" which I'm anxious to start. She reminds me so much of Gene Stratton-Porter, though Porter will forever remain on the top and is most certainly the stronger writer.

The story is not complex and I didn't find the characters exceptional, but something charmed me nonetheless. Perhaps it was Richmond's whimsical and descriptive story-telling that I found so delightful. Or just the fact that it was purely old-fashioned, all things lovely and wholesome and sprinkled with that "all's well that ends well" goodness.

If you're looking for a little retreat from reality into a charming story-land, this is your ticket.

Cleanliness: The word "breast" is used to mean chest. There are a few dances. Someone smokes a pipe. Religious Profanity: Thank goodness (twice), Mercy!, Goodness gracious!, Heavens, for goodness sake, goodness (thrice), goodness knows, to mercy, Thank heaven.

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[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When four siblings inherit a run-down farm, they aren't sure whether to sell it or try to live there. Max opposes every plan to live in the farmhouse, since it will need extensive repairs, and it's so large that they could never afford to furnish it. But Sally has her heart set on a peaceful country life, and she tries to persuade her brothers that they could make a living growing strawberries in the fields. Although the guys hate their stuffy city office jobs, they can't imagine themselves as rugged farmers. They argue back and forth until finally, a disaster in the family compels them to make use of the farm, and they discover that they love living in the country.

I loved this sweet and wholesome book! I adore Sally and all the brothers, and I loved how they drag their friends into their adventures on the farm. They have some childhood friends, a kindly wise old uncle who lives with them, and a country neighbor who gives them advice and help on the farm. The neighbor is a bit of a mystery at first, but we learn that he has a deep faith in God and a generous spirit.

The romance is a little odd and disjointed, since Sally refuses to be courted at first and makes her suitor wait until things are settled at the farm. In the meantime there are a few other fellows who appear to be interested in her, but she keeps things friendly and does not encourage any special attentions from them. There is a little bit of mystery about who Sally will ultimately choose as her suitor. There are few other flirtations between some side characters, but at the end we never learn if they started any serious relationships or not. I was disappointed not to know how their little romances turned out.

But the biggest focus is not on romance, but on sibling relationships. I love stories about siblings and this one really captured my heart! Sally is the only girl in the family, and she feels the responsibility to take care of her brothers. They are very protective of her, and all the siblings work really hard for each other. However, they have their differences like all siblings, and they don't always meet obstacles or challenges as a unified team. It's takes some humility and compromise to make decisions as a family, and make the farm a success.

I love the wholesome plot and the delightful characters! I love the sweet writing style that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. This book made me smile and warmed my heart!

[christine ✩]

This is very VERY much LM Alcott-esque - from Jarvis' eye condition (Mac Campbell who!) to the moralizing about the outdoors. I don't know anything about Richmond, but based on this and the Gay Street book I read - she definitely falls in the genre of American authors severely interested in the outdoors as a solution to many problems lol (i.e. go touch grass and maybe you'll feel better) (which like, yeah, Real and True).
In terms of character and plot, there really isn't much plot beyond "farming and old house" but that's fine by me (I'd love to know why these books actually capture my attention enough that I finish them when a crazy YA fantasy won't anymore--girl help??). It is truly incredible the amount of respect they all have for each other especially with the Love Triangle(tm)--which, idk man the fact that Richmond didn't wrap up a single thing beyond what I assumed was going to happen anyway is unfortunate. Literally just went "yep! here's this that was obviously going to happen anyway... don't worry about anyone else :)" it was all very light and careless in a sense and I wish there were more closure. I definitely spent most of the book wanting to punch Max. Jarvis and Ferry were both too good to be true fr. Everyone was VERRYYYYYY reminiscent of Eight Cousins/Rose in Bloom for multiple reasons. Very interesting look into agriculture of the day n farming n all that. Idk this was definitely a lighthearted Old Book I just picked up for the fun of it while making a list of dime novels to reread this summer... yikes. online-literature.com strikes yet again

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a fan of Louisa Alcott? This book is reminiscent of Rose in Bloom and the Old Fashioned Girl set 20 or 30 years later, with more subtle moralizing. Although the ending disappoints in only tying up a couple of the characters' stories, I shall try another book from this author!

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about family and friends coming together to create a home out of an old house, and a farm out of abandoned fields. As with most of these older novels, the plot is pretty predictable but the characters make up for it. I will be reading more from Grace Richmond.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and good. Reminds me of L.M.M Montgomery or Louisa May Alcott, and makes me want to invite my friends over for afternoon tea, and then go work in my garden.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice relaxing little read from Gutenberg, though the growing ro-mance thread was not needed, particularly because it really didn't add much. If there had been a suspicion of Sally having to decide which man was her choice, maybe so, but not even that. When she and Uncle Timmy (!) go down South, we are given nothing much of either the farm or her trip. The farther the book went the more surface the story got, so it was rather unsatisfying. Even the minister's "muscular Christianity" gets only a passing mention or two. BTW, "the City" is of course NYC; I just found out the Old Dutch Church Ferry speaks at (midweek, on the lunch hour, but apparently not on Sunday?) is on Wall Street.

This is the kind of early 20thC novel that ruined me for real life. Oh to have rich relations who would leave me a decayed mansion and acreage, and likewise rich friends who are willing to buy stuff to help me furnish it, provide stuff for a party, and even permanently lend me their cook-maid! When of course in reality the moment the Lanes lost their fortune, their friends would probably find themselves too busy to even visit them in the city, and would no longer be At Home to them.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another charming, wholesome family novel. This one extols the virtues of out-of-doors life, and scientific farming methods. There is a city preacher--but we never hear a sermon, nor any spiritual language, really. My e-book version calls it a "Christian" novel, but that is a misnomer, except in the broadest sense that its worldview is consistent with Judeo-Christian values and teachings.

[Michelle Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun, old-fashioned, light romance read. Perfect for a sick day.
Reminded me of Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott and They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth and Meet Me in St Louis (time period).
Just a fun old-fashioned adventure about a group of siblings and some friends starting a strawberry farm.
I have no memory of how this ended up in my want to read list, but I’m glad I finally got around to it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet relaxing read. An old house in need of repairs, a farm in need of working, and a family I would like to spend time with. Sally is the only girl and has three brothers. She convinces them to move to the country and enjoy life there. Richmond was a new author to me. I enjoyed the easy pace of this book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shades of several of my favorite old-fashioned authors: Louisa May Alcott, Grace Livingston Hill, Gene Stratton-Porter... Although different from all of them, there is a freshness and wholeness in Richmond's stories that is similar to the others. They tended to write in the same time period and often explored the themes of city vs. country life, and class differences.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this style of book—the content, the setting, the plot, the characters, the feeling of it. It’s a sweet book and I enjoyed it. However, it was a bit dull in places, and there wasn’t much deeper to think about. It was rather flat, or even too sweet in some ways. I liked it anyway. This was a very nice book.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Alcott, Margaret Sidney, and Eleanor Porter all collaborated on a story it would be something like this.

I didn't dislike it but, apart from Donald Ferry, no one really lept off the page at me. I find the infantilization of grown women(Polly and Phronsie, Sally Lane) rather bothersome. She's 20. She shouldn't be treated like a baby. At least Alcott let's her women be women and have legitimate flaws.* It was a nice treatise on the benefits of outdoor life, though. For a light read, it fit my needs.

*"Women should be women and not babies that need petting and correction all the time."

Eliza R. Snow

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 1911, this is a sweet little story about three brothers and their sister. Their father died and left his estate in poor condition. Their large home and nice things had to be sold. The brothers work and the sister keeps house in their tiny apartment in the city. An elderly relative leaves them a rundown estate in the country. Can they figure out how to move there and support themselves? Of the work hard, do right, and good things happen genre of the period, it's a lovely little story.

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books that I love so much that I can hardly talk about it. The only thing I remember that I wanted to note is this: Since Jarvis Burnside ❤️ Sally Lunn Lane, I think:

Donald Ferry ❤️ Josephine Burnside
Max Lane ❤️Janet Ferry

Alec and Bob are still young, and Constance Carew, well, perhaps she met with some disappointment when abroad.

And I ❤️ Donald Ferry but I can't help ❤️ Jarvis too...

[Beverly J. Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A a good clean romance

This is a good (very readable) clean historical romance.
I was disappointed however, as I was expecting a Grace Livingston Hill story. This author was mixed in with Hill) books. I don't understand how you can mix
Grace Livingston Hill. &
Grace S. (Grace Smith) Richmond
In alphabatizing (spell) the two names. Let alone the two styles of writing.
It's a matter of similare (spelling again) but not the same!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely my absolute favorite book of Richmond's of all I've read. The characters felt very real. I loved that the siblings didn't get along perfectly, but still cared about each other. I liked that I wasn't entirely sure which way the romance was going to go too.

[Becki Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freshly sweet and as wholesome as the fruit.

Difficult to find a place to pause. I love the conversion of city dwellers to gracious and successful country folk with a hint of spectacular romance blooming along with the fruit. This is a keeper!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, old fashioned story, a pleasure to read.

I enjoyed reading this, it's simple and sweet. Other books from this era can be a little sappy but this one skirts the line most of the time.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the domestic bits and the rich family life. Not so keen on the heroine... I just didn't have much patience with her wanting to remain a child instead of accepting her age & acting like it.

[Anna Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another charming novel of yesteryear... I seem to be in quite the reading rut lately. I can't help it! There is something so incredibly compelling to me about the quiet and loveliness of these past novels. Thank you Project Gutenberg for making so many of these forgotten classics widely available online for free!

I enjoyed this book. It definitely showed it's age, but it was still a fun read. The romance seemed a little forced to me, and I would have appreciated it more if it had seemed reciprocated by the lady sooner than the last page...but again, that's partly the time period. (Don't get me wrong - there was nothing inappropriate or even pushy about the male love interest - he was a complete gentleman. I just had to wonder why he stuck around as long as he did...) I might have enjoyed the book more if there had been NO romance whatsoever! But, we know THAT doesn't sell, does it? I also wish we would have gotten to know the neighbors a little bit more...but wishes and all that...

Over all, however, I quite enjoyed this book. The female friendships were #goals and they just seemed to have so much fun! It makes me want to sell my house and buy a farmette in the country! Raise some strawberries...have some corn shuckin' parties...ahhh...bliss!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars
I loved this vintage story. The four Lane children, three brothers and a sister, are young adults trying to make ends meet after the death of their parents. They live in a small flat in the city, which is quite a come down from the circumstances in which they grew up. They have paid the debts left to them and are getting along with their lives as best they can. Then, unexpectedly, they inherit a manor house and some property outside of town. The house is rundown, in need of repair, and the property hasn't been cared for in many years. Some want to sell. Others want to make it into a home. They decide to try living there for a determined amount of time to see if they can make a go of things.

I love how honorable the Lane family is. I loved how they had friends from their former life who stuck by them and helped wherever they could. This is a good story about good people, gently told.

Quote:
"I've come to see," he went on more slowly, "what it means to have a definite purpose in life beyond merely making a living and having as much of a good time as you can manage to extract. I want to make a man of myself—the sort of man my Maker intended me to be."

This isn't a Christian book necessarily, but I appreciate the reference to a higher being and purpose.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this 4 because overall it was a cute story.
I was a little frustrated at the romance in it because, honestly, the guy was rejected so many times and I can't understand why he just didn't take the hint. I don't remember how old Sally Lane is supposed to be but after all these yrs and months she must be in her 20s at the end of the book and she still 'wants to be a little girl'?? Besides the urge to yank the flowers out of her wistful face and tell her to grow up already, the storyline was extremely simple and everybody sweet.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

So sweet and so boring. The characters are so one-dimensional that you can barely tell one from the other. There’s a romance that’s very low key, and it takes so long to develop that after a while you really don’t care any more. The characters are living in a country house left to them by a rich relative, and they want to grow strawberries. Which they do. Ho hum. I only finished the book because I was mildly curious as to how it would turn out, but nothing very interesting ever happened.

[Kathi Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit boring, but sweet

If you like to daydream about fixing up old houses and farms, you may enjoy participating in this one. No villains, no dramatic happenings beyond the commonplace. Heroes and heroines too good to be true. Very predictable romance. Not bad, but not exciting either.

[Safya :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 - This was lacking something. It was sweet, if perhaps a bit too overtly moralistic, but any real conflict was smoothed over a bit too easily. It had potential at the start but it felt like Richmond petered out by the end. Sally’s character was enjoyable, as was Jarvis, but there wasn’t much depth to either.

[Jennifer Booth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet!

It was sweet homey type of a read. The charters needed a more fleshing out. Needed a more detailed in the romance department of would be perfect.