An emotional friends to lovers romance full of risky secrets and late-night lessons in seduction.
Dylan is my best friend, and the only person in my life who understands me. He doesn’t mind my social awkwardness or my weird history. The only glitch? He doesn’t know that I’ve been hopelessly, desperately in love with him since the first day we picked apples together in his family’s orchard.But I … family’s orchard.
But I know better than to confess.
Now that I’ve joined him at college, I’m seeing a new side of him. This Dylan drinks and has a lot of sex. None of it with me.
Until the moment I foolishly ask him to tutor me in more than algebra…and he actually says yes.
One crazy night sets our friendship on fire. But now my heart lies in ashes, and nothing will ever be the same again.
Heartland is a standalone college romance set in the True North world. Expect: a young, broody farmer, a giant crush, tasty caramels, cute goats and late night confessions.
more
My goodness, Sarina Bowen does it once again! If you are looking for a slow burn, friends to lovers romance, then this book is for you. Sarina does a wonderful job at making you feel immersed in the story and she makes you feel like you are part of this amazing group of characters. This series has been so much fun reading, especially because of the characters. When side characters are a big part in each book, that’s when the series because even more enjoyable. The interactions between side characters and main characters are always fun to watch.
Chastity was the best friend, she was innocent, a deer in the headlights but she was made for Dylan.
Dylan is the youngest Shipley, he was scarred but was incredibly sweet especially when it came to Chastity.
The story between Chastity and Dylan was so much fun to watch unfold. Chastity is Dylan’s best friend but their chemistry was there since the very beginning, even if Dylan couldn’t realize it. Watching Dylan finally notice what was happening between them was so cute!
I absolutely adored this book and this series! Highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a somewhat long series with great characters and stories that were written so well.
Small town romance was my comfort zone. Heartland was the cozy love stories between Dylan and Chastity. I adored the lightness and finished it on one seating. The slow burn romance was on point and funny.. It was perfect for Chastity.. The girl who is trying to find her forever home.. I smile a lot because this story was simple but it brought every bits of emotional part of you. The warm of family and love
Sweet, angsty, and engaging!
Heartland is a charming, friends-to-more romance featuring the dependable, creative Chastity whose finding it harder and harder to keep her crush for her neighbour a secret, and the handsome, dependable Dylan who may finally realize the perfect girl for him is the one whom always seems to be right by his side.
The writing is lighthearted and fun. The characters are warm, charismatic, and appealing. And the engaging plot is a delightful blend of friendship, drama, emotion, heat, attraction, familial relationships, awkward moments, romance, and college antics.
Overall, Heartland is another fresh, swoony, sizzling addition to the True North series by Bowen that will leave fans of New Adult novels incredibly satisfied.
Sarina Bowen’s latest Heartland was a definite add to my TBR as soon as it was mentioned. Anything written by SB along with the friends to lovers trope is going to be a must read for me. I love every visit back to the True North series and couldn’t wait for Dylan’s story. Chastity and Dylan are the best friends to lovers that I couldn’t put down. I loved this sweet and steamy romance and can’t wait for more True North.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a New Adult/college romance and I forgot how much I enjoyed them. Chass has escaped a cult and is learning to be normal college student. Dylan is her neighbor from home who she always had a big crush on and is trying to introduce her to the college world. This story is sweet and sexy and even has caramel making! Heartland reminded me that my first introduction to Sarina Bowen was her New Adult books and why I loved them so much. The chemistry between Dylan and Chass is so steamy and I adored every minute of it!
I’m trying to rap my thoughts about what I want to say. It’s not easy since I’m overwhelmed with emotions.
This book was nothing like I thought it would be. To be honest I hoped that Dylan story would be M/M but after reading this it , I cannot picture him with anyone else.
This the 7th book in the true north series and if you haven’t started it yet you should!!! Like today.
What happens when you fell in love with your best friend but you know you can’t do anything about it?
What happens when you have all kinds of thoughts but you cannot act on them?
Chastity didn’t have it easy, her childhood spent in the compound in a cult. After escaping and finding her new life in Vermont she can start her life.
Been in love with Dylan was never easy but he was her best friend so she didn’t want to change it.
But what can she do when her body and heart wants more?
Dylan doesn’t do relationships, he doesn’t get attached to anyone. He is easy going and fun. He love Chastity very much she is his best friend. He never what to cross the line with her. But sometimes the line is crowded and you cannot go back .
For me there some hard moments, when reading some parts of the story, the pain, the loss, the shame.
It made me go back to my personal pain and loss .
What I love in Sarina’s book is just this . She make me feel, she makes my heart bleed. But in the end I feel whole.
This story was no different, everything about it make me happy and sad raw and loved.
And just so you know the sexy part are smoking hot!!!
Loved loved loved every thing about this book
I don’t read many new adult romances and read even fewer male/female romances these days, but there are authors and series whom I’ll always gravitate toward. This author and especially this series is one I adore and am always happy to get lost in. Heartland is the seventh book in the True North series, and while the books feature interconnected characters who play secondary roles, it’s easy to read these out of order or as standalones without feeling as though you are missing major pieces. This slow-burn, friends- to lovers romance has a ton of heart, sweetness, and warmth, making for an incredibly enjoyable read.
While I don’t favor YA/NA romance, I am a huge fan of friends-to-lovers romances and I loved the way Heartland captures those moments between Dylan and Chastity that hint of a connection which goes beyond close friends. It felt incredibly real with a palpable chemistry I was happy to see ignite as the book progressed. I also liked that the author managed to capture the youthfulness, and sometimes immaturity or simple inexperience, of the characters without it ever feeling simple or shallow. Instead, the emotions and experiences that colored Dylan and Chastity’s pasts made for characters with depth, but who very much felt like college students still feeling their way in the world. As always the author’s words and rhythm were smooth and polished, capturing the moments, setting, and characters in ways that made them a pleasure to read and made me wish I could go visit the Shipley Farms. If you like books and series that focus on the bonds between friends and family, the True North series is one that shouldn’t be missed.
Another terrific book in my favorite Sarina Bowen series. This crew in Vermont I’d always a treat to return to. I wasn’t sure that Dylan could compete with my favorite guys from this series Zach and Griff, but I was wrong, wrong, wrong. He’s definitely a new favorite! This was a great friends to lovers, slower building romance. As is common from this author, we got some terrific new side characters to fall in love with too. Everything about this read just left me feeling happy. This is a great book I highly recommend it.
What a deliciously sweet story!
Dylan and Chastity are SO cute together! I haven’t read any of this series and I don’t feel that I missed out at all. Although I do plan to rectify that soon! Dylan and Chastity have been friends for two years and Chastity has pined for Dylan for two years. Dylan is a bit of a player and doesn’t really believe in dating. Chastity resigns herself to just staying friends.
To help the family farm out and to earn some much needed cash – they go into business together making goat’s milk caramels. And that’s when the magic starts to happen. Algebra tutoring leads to a whole ‘nother kind of tutoring and things between these two will never be the same.
“The cool people are the ones you don’t have to try to impress.”
This was a cute friends to lovers romance and I felt it really captured the flavor of friendship that grows unexpectedly into more. Chastity’s background made for an interesting story line as well.
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
I loved this addition to the True North series. If you like friends to lovers then you will like this book. Dylan and Chastity are friends who spent time as neighbors. Both grew up differently with Chastity growing up differently than most.
They attend the same college with Dylan dating Chastity’s roommate. Dylan friend zones Chastity and tutors her in algebra. Things change however when they begin having feelings for each other and Dylan calls things off with his girlfriend. He wants to see where things could go with Chastity.
There are secondary characters who really help bring this story together. I hope it’s not the last we see of them. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite troupes so if you like them too then read this book. If not for that just look at the hunk on the cover.
Sarina Bowen delivers a sweet and surprisingly emotional friends turned lovers romance in what is probably my favorite book in the True North series. I feel positively giddy after reading Heartland.
Dylan Shipley is the most easygoing member of the Shipley clan. He relishes in his perpetual playboy status and is making the most of his college experience by partying and sleeping around while still maintaining good grades and his duties on the family farm. He has a huge heart, and his fun-loving nature hides some very real pain. It’s a shame Dylan is so underestimated by his family.
Chastity Campbell is a survivor. Having run away from a polygamist cult a couple years ago (the same cult Zach escaped from in Keepsake), she is now an inexperienced 21-year-old college freshman. She reveals her cruel past in pieces and in the most casual ways, which somehow makes it even more heartbreaking. Chastity completely charmed me with her unexpectedly cheery, optimistic personality.
College provides an opportunity for Chastity to satisfy her curiosity about things she missed out on due to her sheltered upbringing. Dylan is her best friend and fortunately he is there to help her navigate life on campus. The bad news is she’s secretly in love with him and Dylan has placed her firmly in the “fragile little sister” lane of the dreaded friend zone.
I was moved by Chastity’s unconditional love for Dylan and his devotion to her. The big and small moments they share delighted me, from him helping her with math homework to them working on their artisanal candy venture.
The side characters make the story even more entertaining. Chastity’s friend Ellie is a sweet, geeky genius. Dylan’s roommate Rickie is an eccentric hoot. I sense a connection between him and Daphne, Dylan’s “evil” twin sister, so I hope we will see more of him in a future book.
Heartland amplifies the tenderness that is a trademark of the True North series and incorporates an abundance of lighthearted fun. The result is a balanced and thoroughly enjoyable read.
I received an early copy of this book to voluntarily read.
This book is yet another great addition to the True North series and another reason to fall more deeply in love with the Shipleys. Once again we’re treated not only to a wonderful love story but also to the comfort of the Shipley family. While we experience the ups and downs of Dylan and Chastity’s romance, we’re also lucky enough to see our other favorite characters and feel like part of the family once again.
Dylan, the carefree, commitment-phobic youngest Shipley, is enjoying his time at college – sowing his wild oats, so to speak. However, he has an undeniable need to protect Chastity, who is not only his neighbor but also his dear friend. What he doesn’t realize is that the deep down need he feels may be more than he’s willing to admit. Chastity, on the other hand, knows exactly how she feels about Dylan. However, she doesn’t see a relationship being in the cards so she holds back. It was such fun to watch these two reach out and tentatively take what they want and all the excitement, joy, and fear that came with that. These two were equal parts sweet and spicy! Oh…and definitely as warm and delicious as caramel!
This is a series that you want in your life. The ongoing story of all the Shipley siblings will capture your heart. Ms. Bowen can definitely write a love story that’s multi-faceted, endearing, and romantic, while at the same time teaching you a thing or two. This series has helped me better understand Vermont, and this story, in particular, has made me desperate to make some homemade caramel. So, to summarize…great characters, fantastic story, lovely family, wonderful writing, and the opportunity to learn something…priceless!
I absolutely love Dylan and Chastity.
Sarina Bowen knows how to build a world and characters that leave you happy and I just never want to leave Vermont.
These two are perfect and just everything I expect when I read a True North book.
I have a 14 year old daughter who loves to go to the mall. And I don’t love to go as much as she does. But last weekend, I dove in to Heartland while I waited for her and I let her shop for 2 hours longer than she expected because I absolutely couldn’t put it down! Friends-to-lovers is one of my most favorite tropes, and I couldn’t have picked a better pair then fresh-from-the-cult Chastity and farmboy Dylan Shipley! I knew I would love Dylan- he’s a Shipley!- but I had no idea how much he would make me swoon. I loved Chastity’s innocent, quirky personality. The MBA in me so enjoyed their business venture and talk of expenses and profit. Together they were magic- in the kitchen and once they explored their attraction to each other. It is always great to go back to the Shipley farm, and I am so hoping for Dylan’s roommate Rickie backstory- I know it will be fun!
“Life is full of little moments that don’t matter a whole lot, peppered by a few moments when everything is on the line.”
I love Sarina Bowen’s books, especially the Truth North series. I’ve read all but book 6, even though I own it; I just haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet. I was selected to be a member of Sarina’s ARC team recently, and was given the opportunity to read and review this 7th book, and I jumped at the chance.
This book is interesting, because it has a connection not only to the Shipley family and the other Vermont folks we’ve met in the rest of the series, but our heroine has a deep personal history with the hero in book 3, Keepsake. Chastity and Zachariah were both raised on a polygamist ranch in Wyoming, but it would be a spoiler for me to say much more than that. One thing I will say is that they each had to overcome seriously messed up views of men and women and love and sex. It’s one of the things that made Keepsake such an interesting read, as well. Keepsake looks at it from a man’s point of view, and Heartland sees it from a woman’s.
I don’t read blurbs, especially when it’s an author I love. I actually don’t want to know what is going to happen in a book (or movie or TV show) before I read (or watch it.) If I know something ahead of time, I’ll spend the whole time anticipating when that thing is going to happen, and I won’t be fully present. So I did not know anything about what Heartland was going to be about, except that the main character was Dylan Shipley.
The last book I read as part of an ARC team was Crush, by Mae Wood. I love her books, but I didn’t really like that one because the heroine was 22. It has been a long time since I was 22, and I couldn’t relate, plus I have a daughter who is 20, so I usually avoid books about kids in college. Dylan is 20, and the heroine, Chastity, is 21, and yet I didn’t have a problem with this story. I’m not really sure what the difference was, but I was hooked from the start of this book and I didn’t want to put it down!
I’m a big fan of Fish Out of Water stories. I loved Crocodile Dundee, and Doctor Who (bonus: Time Travel!) and any story where a character has to figure things out, because things are so different from what they are used to and there is so much that is new to them. Chastity has been away from the ranch where she grew up for two years, and there are still things that her friends are discovering she doesn’t know about. She has always been interested in things that were considered “sins” on the compound, and doesn’t know a lot about sex. That’s where Dylan comes in. To complicate things a bit, Chastity is in love with him, but she decides to enjoy the time they have together while trying to prepare herself for the inevitable end of their sexual relationship, but hopefully not their friendship.
I loved Dylan. I can’t say that he made much of an impression on me during the previous True North books, probably because he was so young. But he is so full of life, and fun, and his philosophy is pretty much like mine: “You have to celebrate when you can, because you never know when the bad times are coming.” He’s loyal, caring, and hard-working, but he carries a lot of guilt surrounding the circumstances of his father’s death. He thinks that no one can look past his party boy exterior and see his real potential
We get lots of fun scenes with the entire Shipley family, and while you don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy the interaction between the members of this boisterous loving family, it does make the story a bit richer if you have. One of the new characters to Heartland is Rickie, who is Dylan’s roommate and he is delightful. I think there’s a bit of a backstory with him, and I hope that we get to discover it before too long!
This was an extremely well done friends to lovers romance. I have loved all of the books in the True North Series, but this is definitely one of my favorites.
There is so much that Chastity has overcome, and I love that Dylan had been encouraging and assisting her on that journey. Dylan’s unresolved grief and pain from his father’s passing, along with Griff’s overbearing and grumpy ways, was heartbreaking. There is a chance that this book will make you cry; it made me.
One of my favorite characters that we were introduced to in this book was Rickie, and I’m crossing my fingers that we will get to see him again, and hopefully as a hero in Sarina’s books.
I’m ready to plan out a trip to Vermont to see if I can find the Shipleys to sample their ciders and caramels!
“And I forget how to breathe for a second, because I just lover her so hard.”
“I pull her against me again, because I can’t get enough. Loving chastity isn’t a big decision I made. It just happened.”
“All I did was lead Dylan to the kitchen where – for hours – we stirred goat’s milk together with sugar. It was just beat and patience. Those were the only ingredients.”
I have loved this series from Sarina Bowen and this was a lovely sweet addition to this series. It was lovely seeing some of my old favourites from this series pop up.
Friends-to-lovers is one of my favourite genres. Chastity and Dylan have been friends since she escaped from a cult a couple of years prior. Chastity has been in love with Dylan since she met him and watched numerous different women take turns in his bed.
When they start up a business of making caramels its more then just the ingredients that heats up. Dylan becomes aware of his feelings for Chastity and not he is going for what he wants.
Sarina really did well with this one bringing the perfect blend of steam with the chemistry between Chastity and Dylan, the humour with the goats and the emotions between the Shipley brothers. That bit honestly made me cry.
Im hoping there will be at last another book with Dylan’s sister Daphne
Release Date: January 28 2020
Spoken In: Dual POV
Rating: 5 Stars
Heartland is a novel written by Sarina Bowen and is the seventh book in her True North series. Although it can be read completely as a standalone I would totally recommend reading all books in order because they are so amazing and many previous couples and characters make appearances in this story.
My baby Dylan Shipley is all grown up and away at collage with his best friend Chastity who is still learning life outside of escaping her cult a few years ago. Their friendship is amazing but Chastity has been been having unrequited feelings for Dylan for a while now but he isn’t about relationships all he wants to do is have fun.
These two, Gah I loved them so much. All the cute and sweet moments and witty banter between them and when they do finally cross that line it is Oh So Sexy!
So many emotions while being back in this world and and all the giddy feelings. I loved seeing all our old characters and all the new ones as well. I loved this book and I LOVE this series. So excited for the next one maybe Dylans twin sister Daphne and Rickie….???? Hmmmm. I can’t wait to find out!
ARC kindly provided for an honest review.
OMG! Dylan & Chastity were everything! Heartland. If you like a hero who is a genuinely kind, sweet, funny guy on top of being incredibly hot & hunky- Dylan Shipley is your man! Chastity is a little naive, incredibly caring, a touch insecure and stronger than she knows rolled into one. Together Dylan and Chas. Gave me the perfect romance read! I have loved every single book I’m the True North series and this 5 star read was no exception! The majority of this romance takes place on a college campus, but we still got to visit the Shipley’s Vermont farm and we also got a few of those crazy family scenes that I adore. This book gave me ALL OF THE FEELS and made me want a goat… and maybe some really good chocolate. I can’t recommend Heartland enough ~
4.5 Stars!
From the moment I opened Heartland, I felt like I was back where I needed to be. Reading a True North novel is like coming home. Well, all of Sarina Bowen’s books feel like coming home to me, but especially this series. There’s just something about small farm town Vermont that makes me feel all warm and gooey inside.
I normally start out a review with what I love about a book, but with Heartland I’m going to start with the one and only thing that drove me a little nuts. If you’re a fan of this series, then you know Dylan Shipley is a man who likes the ladies. He’s a commitment phobe. There’s some other woman drama in the beginning of this book that made me cringe. It wasn’t so much that it made me want to stop reading. It did make me question Chastity’s sanity a bit. BUT, as a die hard Bowen fan, I knew she had a path in this romance that would lead me to happiness and it did.
Despite Dylan’s wild woman ways, I still loved his character. Mrs. Shipley only raises the best of children, and Dylan was a guy who really cared about people — especially Chastity. (She’s the girl who ran away from the cult and is now neighbors with the Shipleys.) He had some stuff to work out in this book, but I loved how it all came together for him.
Chastity was a breath of fresh air when it comes to sheltered, virginal young women characters. I loved how she challenged the beliefs she was raised with and came to terms with how she viewed sex and relationships. This book was sex positive in ways I wasn’t expecting and loved.
Dylan and Chastity’s romance is one of those book romances where you can’t wait for them to get together because you’re already invested in them as characters from previous books. It wasn’t an easy road to romance, but it was one that was appreciated because of all the prior knowledge I had of them, their families, and the town they grew up in. That’s not to say you couldn’t enjoy it without reading the previous six books, it was just more fun having had the knowledge to understand and love the characters despite their flaws.
As for the rest of the Shipleys and friends… All of my old favorites were around to spend some time with Dylan and Chastity. I love how they were woven into the story. There were also a couple of newer characters that I loved meeting. I’m pretty sure Sarina Bowen gave us some hints at what’s next in the True North series, and I honestly can’t wait!
Heartland was a great trip “home” to Vermont. Despite a few reservations at first, I ended up truly loving Dylan and Chastity’s romance. It was sweet with moments of humor and a couple of tears. If you’re a fan of this series, you will love finding out how they get their HEA.