There’s a first time for everything.Lark Wainright 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 … 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.
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Amazing
Hands down, my favorite of the series!! Zach and Lark fit together in a tragic, traumatic perfection. Their stories are heartbreaking but how they helped each other was beautiful.
True North My favorite serie
Je poursuis ma découverte de cette saga étant donné qu’en VO , il y a 5 tomes de sortis et que le 6ème tome sortira le 13 novembre prochain. Ce tome se focalise sur un personnage qu’on a découvert depuis le tout premier tome et qui a brillé par son travail acharné et son calme absolu.
Zachariah Holtz est un jeune homme de 23 ans que nous avions découvert dans Amertume et qui nous avait charmé par sa discrétion, son calme et sa ténacité. Si vous avez le moindre problème avec un tracteur ou tout ce qui a attrait à la mécanique, pas de souci, super Zach va tout réparer en un clin d’oeil. Nous ne connaissions pas son passé mais nous avions eu quelques éléments sur sa vie personnelle dans les précédents tomes étant donné que les autres avaient tendance à le charrier sur cet aspect. J’ai beaucoup aimé le personnage de Zach car quand on va découvrir son histoire , on a juste envie de le prendre dans nos bras et lui faire un gros câlin. On est attristé de découvrir ce sentiment d’abandon qui est fortement lié à l’événement marquant qu’il a subi à 19 ans. Il est très lié à Isaac et Leah mais il a évidemment aussi sa place chez les Shipley. Il aide Griffin sur tous les plans et il ne dit jamais non au moindre coup de main. On en viendrait presque à se demander s’il n’est pas surhumain.
Lors de l’arrivée de Lark dans la ferme des Shipley, on va découvrir un autre pan de sa personnalité qu’on soupçonnait mais qui va encore plus nous séduire. Ce jeune homme est d’une bonté sans nom et avec l’arrivée de la jeune femme , il pourrait découvrir de nouveaux sentiments. Oui , Zach est pur dans tous les sens du terme et il n’y connaît pas grand chose mais il sait avec certitude que Lark a besoin de lui pour surmonter elle aussi son passé. J’ai adoré les interactions qu’ils partagent car ce sont de doux moments très agréables à lire. Il porte aussi en lui ce sentiment d’insécurité qui est très fort et la peur qui le tenaille n’est pas ubuesque. Il n’a pas confiance en lui alors que son aide est très précieuse pour de nombreuses personnes. J’ai adoré retrouver Griffin dans ce tome qui sera sans aucun doute la figure fraternelle nécessaire dans la vie de Zach. Il saura l’aiguiller quand il partira sur un terrain inconnu et lui prodiguer de sages paroles. Sera t-il être apprécié à se juste valeur?
Lark Wainright est une très bonne amie de May Shipley, la soeur de Griffin, et elle va profiter de la haute saison pour apporter son aide à la bonne gestion de la ferme. Elle sera en charge des différents marchés qu’elle animera avec Zach. Elle fuit un terrible événement et elle espère trouver la paix au milieu d’une famille aussi aimante que les Shipleys. Mais malheureusement les cauchemars vont la suivre mais elle pourra compter sur Zach pour l’apaiser comme il le pourra. Elle tentera de cacher aux yeux de tous la profondeur de son mal être et elle essayera de s’en sortir du mieux qu’elle peut. Mais un ultimatum pourrait intensifier ces terreurs nocturnes qui ne lui laissent aucun répit. En quittant Boston, elle espérait que le Vermont sera un lieu plus apaisant mais elle va vite se rendre compte qu’elle n’est pas la seule à cacher un secret. J’ai aimé ce personnage qui est brisé mais qui refuse de s’avouer vaincue. Elle va développer une très belle relation avec Zach mais on espère juste qu’elle se rend compte à quel point elle pourrait le blesser. Quand le moment sera venu d’affronter son passé, elle devra faire un choix qui pourrait blesser plus d’une personne.
Bref, même si mon coup de coeur reste pour Jude pour Griffin, j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec Lark et Zach. Sarina Bowen a su créer une atmosphère familiale comme on les aime et c’est toujours un régal de revoir les personnages qu’on a tant adorés, prendre de leur nouvelle et les voir interagir avec les héros de ce tome. L’histoire de Zach comme celle de Lark est à la fois touchante et dramatique et on espère donc que l’orage laissera place à une belle éclaircie et un vrai bonheur à partager peut être à deux.
I am in the biggest book funk ever and just didn’t know what I felt like reading and I feel sometimes if you read a genre your not in the mood for you really don’t enjoy the book. So I really struggle so instead I thought what author do I love and who writes a story I will get hooked into and my first thought was Sarina Bowen.
I love her writing and her stories and there a few for me to catch up on and Keepsake was one of them especially with the new book in the series coming out. The thing about this series is I love how each couple story is so different and this book didn’t disappoint at all.
I forgot what is was like to be in the world of Vermont and surrounded by all the apples and being back on the farm was amazing and I actually missed it I loved this world of farming and all the characters.
The two main characters in this book have both been through their hard times and it was interesting to see two broken people trying to help each other get through their nightmares and try and put each other back together again. It was also nice to see the male in this relationship being the vulnerable person in this story and I loved it.
Zachariah was mentioned in the first two books so we got to know him a little and knew he had a different upbringing to the rest of the guys. He was a hard worker and the boys got into him a bit as he really didn’t know much about the outside world, he really didn’t know a lot but the Shipley family and issac and Leah made him feel like an extended part of there family’s. In addition he was such a beautiful, thoughtful and quite intelligent guy who was always the first one to put up his hand and help around the farm. He had a lot of learning to do but he kept going trying to do his best.
Lark had been through hell and back and was best friends with May Shipley and came to the farm to escape her nightmares and to have some time out from the city and her ordeal she went through. I really did like Lark and was interesting to really read her hit rock bottom and do what she needed to do to get herself back on track, she was a strong character and she put herself first to make her life better and I really admired that about her.
If your looking for a great series you need to start this one, this book had it all, laughter, tears, hopefulness, and just a beautiful love story.
A big big 5 Stars for this book and for this series.
5 they get better and better each book, and the first was the bomb, start reading these…
Zac and Lark’s story…
Zachariah was raised in a very twisted, backwards environment… A cult that is based on polygamy and distorted religion.
Lark was raised by two very education oriented people, who find their philanthropic daughter confusing. She has a trust fund, so is able to work on non-profit and help. She goes to South America, things dont go as planned. PS: This is May’s best friend.
I would say this is a slow burn novel, which I don’t typically enjoy but it is HARD not to love Zac and more zac and lark was always a bonus..
There’s a lot in this book I don’t want to spoil. Let me say that when Lark gets to the farm, she is accepted with open arms and is trying her very best to leave the issues from South America in the past.
I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK. I had completely written off Lark’s parents but was happy to see I was wrong at the end about my thoughts (seriously minor sub-plot but a sweet little bonus that made my heart sing).
As Ms. Bowen did with Audrey, the way she portrays Zac’s perceived short comings is flipping perfection. I simply am adoring this series and think everyone should read it.
I wish I could say which was my fav but there is something unique in all of them that I LOVE…
Sarina Bowen
~ 3.5 Stars ~
Keepsake can be read as a standalone but it is the third book in the True North Series by Sarina Bowen. We first meet our Hero, Zach in the first book, Bittersweet. While you certainly can read this without the others, I recommend reading the first books because you really start to itch for more of Zach’s story as soon as you meet him.
Zach has been at the Shipley farm for the past four years. He showed up in Vermont after being cast away from the cult that he grew up in. He’s had to completely learn a new way of life over the past four years but he’s been very happy. He’s always been a pretty quiet guy who stays out of trouble and is one of the hardest working and loyal employees anyone could ask for. Despite the fact of never being with a woman, he really hasn’t had the urge since he’s been in the real world. Until Lark shows up in his life. Briefly a few years back but now more permanently and he wants everything to do with her.
Lark has always been the venturous one. She’s May Shipley’s best friend from college and has always loved the Shipley family. When her adventurous side takes her to Guatemala, things quickly turn bad, causing her to have nightmares and difficulty with specific situations. While trying to recover from the horrific events that happened to her, she ends up at the Shipley farm for some much needed quiet and good ole farm work. What Lark didn’t know, was how desperate she was for comfort and she found it in the one person you wouldn’t expect. Zach. Their relationship quickly turns into comfort and ease and the two start to fall for each other. However, Lark has always been a wander. Will she recover and move on to her next adventure or will Zach be able to tame the wild girl and keep her with him forever?
So I’ve always wanted to know more about Zach. He’s been the quiet boy that that everyone teased but he has the most beautiful soul. He’s so loyal and hardworking. His background keeps him humble and he’s grateful for everything in his life. He’s just the overall nice guy that everyone wants to be around. I couldn’t wait to find out more about him and watch him fall in love with someone. I feel like everyone needs a Zach in their life.
Lark was a little harder for me to connect to. I really can’t pinpoint it. Sometimes I just felt like she was was too clueless. I did like her snark and how easily she could roll with the boys at the farm. How she liked to be just like the boys and do just as much work and joking around as they could.
There were a couple of side stories here that I feel like are being developed for future books and I’m looking forward to seeing where Sarina takes them. Especially with May. She’s dealing with more than we know and I really want to see how her story plays out.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a humble, down to earth lovable hero, then Zach and this book is what you need.
This is the End…I really hope not.
I would be so pleased to read more books about the other Shipley family members,I think May story has to be told.
I always appreciate the adroitness and sensitivity with which Sarina Bowen writes all her stories but this time something was missing…I felt like the story could give me more but it was halted to not be too dramatic.
I loved the main characters.
Lark emotional fragility and Zach beautiful heart make them a perfect couple and the reader cannot not love and cheer for them.
How do you even begin to talk about a book that moved you like you had never expected?
I read because I love the escape it gives me. I read for the love story. Too often, books get bogged down with sex scenes, and you are not given a chance to fall in love with the characters who are falling in love. Sometimes, I think authors forget that the love story is the backbone to every romance novel. Without out, what’s the point?
Keepsake is ALL about the romance. It’s about first glances, lingering touches, and cross-room gazes. It’s about butterfly swarms in your stomach, hand holding, and that incredible first kiss. Stories like Keepsake are the reason I read romance novels.
There are simply no words I could use to convey the emotion, longing, and passion in Zach and Lark’s story. None. I’m not even going to try, because I just cannot do it justice. What I can tell you is Sarina Bowen is a master writer. Everything is done to perfection. She manages to change up the story each time, never giving you a dull, recycled story. Her words jump of the page, painting such vivid imagery, you can close your eyes and picture yourself on the Shipley Farm, or at the Hanover Market. The love between Zach and Lark is not just a slow burning love. It’s a love that builds, and builds, and builds, until it explodes with a fiery crescendo.
Zach and Lark are unique, multi-dimensional characters. Each has suffered from unimaginable traumas, yet put on a brave face, and try to conquer the day. The nights are where they are free to be themselves with each other, and where they start to fall in love. I loved their midnight conversations, and how they could bring each other peace by just lying together. They brought a calm to their otherwise chaotic minds.
Keepsake is the perfect book to curl up with on a fall day. Grab a blanket and a cup of tea. Get lost in Zach and Lark’s story… you’ll find, you may never want to leave.
I liked the build of their relationship, and most of the story was entertaining as well as sexy once you got into not knowing any of 10 million characters and the premise is so specific it’s almost weird it works as a plot.
Lark was inconsistent and annoying at first but grows on you. Zach is a bit of a Mary Sue.
The stuff with her best friend comes out of left field.