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readfrenzy's review against another edition
4.0
Keepsake is the third standalone novel in the True North series. With each book I fall more and more in love with the Shipley family, life on the Shipley farm, the Shipleys’ friends—basically anything Shipley related. I’ve been curious about farmhand Zach, and now we finally get his story.
Zach has always been the quiet, kind, and hard working one. Other than the fact that he grew up in a religious cult and he’s a 23-year-old virgin, little is known about his past. Lark is May’s friend. She’s working at the farm during apple picking season and attempting to recover from a traumatic ordeal of her own.
I. Love. Zach. He knows what it’s like to painstakingly rebuild your life after horrific experiences. His gentle and gracious nature makes him the perfect partner for Lark. I really enjoyed the slow burn nature of their relationship and the way they unselfishly give to each other.
I have no issues with the plot itself, but the pacing is very slow making the book feel longer than necessary. I think editing some scenes out would have enhanced my overall enjoyment. That doesn’t detract from the numerous funny and sweet moments that make the story so appealing. The meals around the Shipley table, the gentle ribbing among the men, Zach and Lark’s experiences at the farmer’s market, and the integral roles Griffin and May play are just a few highlights. The epilogue is pure perfection.
Keepsake is a heartwarming addition to this winning series.
Recommended for fans of:
Cider donuts
Apple picking
Farm life
First love
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
Zach has always been the quiet, kind, and hard working one. Other than the fact that he grew up in a religious cult and he’s a 23-year-old virgin, little is known about his past. Lark is May’s friend. She’s working at the farm during apple picking season and attempting to recover from a traumatic ordeal of her own.
I. Love. Zach. He knows what it’s like to painstakingly rebuild your life after horrific experiences. His gentle and gracious nature makes him the perfect partner for Lark. I really enjoyed the slow burn nature of their relationship and the way they unselfishly give to each other.
I have no issues with the plot itself, but the pacing is very slow making the book feel longer than necessary. I think editing some scenes out would have enhanced my overall enjoyment. That doesn’t detract from the numerous funny and sweet moments that make the story so appealing. The meals around the Shipley table, the gentle ribbing among the men, Zach and Lark’s experiences at the farmer’s market, and the integral roles Griffin and May play are just a few highlights. The epilogue is pure perfection.
Keepsake is a heartwarming addition to this winning series.
Recommended for fans of:
Cider donuts
Apple picking
Farm life
First love
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
andrea_author's review against another edition
5.0
Lark thirsts for adventure—until a trip to Guatemala turns into a nightmare. Though safely home, she feels like a shell. She visits a friend on a Vermont farm to try and heal.
Zach understands trauma. As a teen, he escaped the cult where he grew up with nothing more than the clothes on his back. Working as a farm hand, he's gradually adapting to life in the real world.
The friendship that grows between Lark and Zach slowly ignites into passion. But can they find a future together when they come from such different worlds?
This deeply heartfelt story is an emotional but ultimately uplifting journey. It's a good choice for readers who like hurt-comfort, opposites-attract romance.
Zach understands trauma. As a teen, he escaped the cult where he grew up with nothing more than the clothes on his back. Working as a farm hand, he's gradually adapting to life in the real world.
The friendship that grows between Lark and Zach slowly ignites into passion. But can they find a future together when they come from such different worlds?
This deeply heartfelt story is an emotional but ultimately uplifting journey. It's a good choice for readers who like hurt-comfort, opposites-attract romance.
ketchuplisa's review against another edition
2.0
Vielleicht sollte ich generell eher bei Fantasy bleiben, damit ich mich nicht nach mehr Spannung sehnen muss.
Natürlich ist meist offensichtlich, wie Liebesromane ausgehen. Zumindest der Weg bis zum Happy End aber sollte sich nicht so ereignislos und dahinplätschernd gestalten wie bei diesem Buch. Dabei fand ich das Setting eigentlich ganz ansprechend, mit dem Leben auf Farm und den potenziell interessanten Nebenfiguren.
Leider hat mich die Geschichte überhaupt nicht mitnehmen können.
Natürlich ist meist offensichtlich, wie Liebesromane ausgehen. Zumindest der Weg bis zum Happy End aber sollte sich nicht so ereignislos und dahinplätschernd gestalten wie bei diesem Buch. Dabei fand ich das Setting eigentlich ganz ansprechend, mit dem Leben auf Farm und den potenziell interessanten Nebenfiguren.
Leider hat mich die Geschichte überhaupt nicht mitnehmen können.
xxbooksilovexx's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! Dare I say that it's my favorite book in the True North Series. I loved Zach & Lark soooo much <3 Excellent narration by Teddy Hamilton & Erin Spencer.
lifeand100books's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful powerful story that just sneaks up on you and completely rips you to shreds. I loved every page of this book.
kate_and_books's review against another edition
4.0
Dr. Becky was a huge fan of Zach’s, even though she hadn’t met him. Figured. Zach was pretty irresistible. – You and me both Dr. Becky, you and me both.
Lark stopped being fearless 67 days ago. Her life changed drastically and she has never been the same since she has come back from Guatemala. To escape her parents and Boston she goes out to the Shipley Farm. To relax and to forget it all you can’t outrun your nightmares though.
I didn’t love Lark but I didn’t hate her either. But I did understand her. Lark is strong, intelligent, a warrior with a heart of gold but has lost herself along the way. She has survivor’s guilt and feels toxic to all the people around her. Vermont is good for her. But Lark is trying to do too much by herself and sooner or later even the strongest person can breakdown. She has a difficult journey ahead of her but her strength and love will help her through.
Zachariah is the sweetest, kindest Hero I have met in a long time. He has a hero complex a mile long especially ever since he left his cult home and never knew what happened to Chasity. Ever since Zach saw Lark he has been taken with her. He is the first one to help in any situation and the last one to stop working he has no clue what to do with his life but he has time. Zach is wise beyond his years. Although he is still stuck on what to do with his life. His innocence towards the outside world was endearing. Is lack of understanding in some things was adorkable.
I didn’t know any sexual innuendo. Those still got me into trouble because it seemed there were a million terms for sex, and they didn’t all make sense. I’ll never forget the sight of Griffin doubled over after explaining what a blowjob was. “But nobody’s blowing on anything,” I’d protested while he tried to remember how to breathe.
I adored Zach but I still felt there was something missing to make him spectacular. For his age his is so innocent, pure not sullied. Well not yet anyway. Move over Lark I’m on my way. I’ll dirty that strapping young man up.
Lark can’t control her nightmares and living in the same bunkhouse makes it difficult but MY Zach comes to the rescue. But not all of what Zach has to give helps. A part of the recovery Lark will have to do all by herself.
I love this series and I love Ms. Bowen’s writing style but I think my expectations for this book were just too high. I have some mixed feelings at times I was bored harsh but true. But once it picked up again I was loving it. Each individual character in the book is unique. Each story that the character told is unique. Not knowing what TV is, although to be honest no loss there. Seeing as some of it rots your brain. Not knowing the simplest things. After being so carefree trying to figure out what happened and if one will ever be the same again.
Although there is a mutual attraction it isn’t full on instalust or instalove. They strike up a somewhat odd friendship and then it develops from there. They worked well together although I felt that Zach gave more than he got out of the relationship. But they have intimacy together and I loved their easiness they had due to the friendship they started off with. They meshed and had great banter.
Lark: You got a phone??? I love the selfie.
Zach: I did. I’ve joined the 21st Century.
Lark: Does this mean you’ll send me a dick pic later?
Zach: Let’s not get carried away.
The ending was unexpected but that is good that is exactly what I wanted and what I enjoyed. I will read more books by Ms. Bowen.
I wonder if the Shipley’s will get books, the cousins included and Zara as well. Keep me posted peeps.
scvallese1's review against another edition
5.0
I fell in love with Zachariah in Bittersweet and Steadfast, so I was anxious to get to his story. He was such an enigma, and his upbringing fascinated me from the start (having previously read Goodbye Paradise and Hello Forever, I already had some inkling to it. They’re is really no connection between these books, except a mention- but worth the read!). The way Zach was drawn toward Lark and was able to help her was admirable. And Lark drew Zach out of his shell, and helped him to find who he was.
I look forward to more from this crew in the next book!
**Update** I have also listened to the audio for Keepsake and it was wonderful! I love Teddy Hamilton's voice!!
I look forward to more from this crew in the next book!
**Update** I have also listened to the audio for Keepsake and it was wonderful! I love Teddy Hamilton's voice!!
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
More of a slice-of-life romantic novel than a romance in some senses () but given that the slice of life is of a working orchard and cidery in Vermont and the characters are all wonderful and well-drawn, I had no complaints. I appreciated that the heroine's trauma felt "real" without being stereotypical or ridiculously violent, and also that it wasn't aggressively hidden from the reader - by the time the heroine discusses it with others, the reader already has a pretty good idea of what it was. I hate it when books make violent trauma the "mystery" of the plot and a driver to keep you reading - I'm here for the romance, not the details of the awful backstory. I really liked both hero and heroine, although I kind of wished there were more of the hero's journey towards the end - it really turned into the heroine's book at that point.