Summary:
There’s a first time for everything.
Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.
When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.
Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.
Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.
Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he’s good for much more than farm labor.There’s a first time for everything.
Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.
When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.
Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.
Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.
Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he’s good for much more than farm labor.
Review:
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I’m so sorry to be posting this one week after release day, but I’ve been through some stuff and honestly couldn’t bring myself to read, and less so to write reviews. I did enjoy this book, though. It was quite intense and emotional.
Throughout the series Zach’s always been an interesting character to me. He grew up in a polygamist community where he was isolated and basically kept out of today’s world. He’s a sweetheart, he’s also kind of naive, but he’s just good and deserves the world. When Lark, May Shipley’s best friend, joins the farm to try and put herself back together after living a traumatic experience, Zach kind of wakes up. He feels connected to Lark and somehow helps her keeping her nightmares at bay.
Everyone’s worried about Zach being hurt, since he’s a virgin and he’s never truly opened up to anyone, and Lark is kind of a ticking bomb. Their connection works, but it’s also true that Lark is going to go back home, and probably break Zach’s heart. Not to mention how they’re both broken in different ways.
I love how Sarina Bowen took these really intense characters and explained them, mended them with ease, without adding unnecessary drama or being too pretentious. If you haven’t read this series, give it a chance, it won’t disappoint.
Calloway Books 