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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If you are reading from the start with this series, then you will be well acquainted with Zach. The quiet, hard working gentleman, who is first to jump in and help others and is always easy to please. He is settling in well at Shipley Farm and has become Griff’s right hand man. He is learning so many new and wonderful things since leaving the cult. When May’s best friend Lark arrives at the farm, Zach is smitten from the start but has been warned from Griff to all the guy’s that she’s off limits.
Lark has come to the Shipley’s to get away from the city and try to heal after her ordeal. She remembers some of it, and relives it all in her nightmares. It is the thing that bonds Zach and Lark, they are both survivors, and he understands her fears wholeheartedly. But as much as she tries to hide from the torment, it comes back and haunts her more.
As much as we think we might know how we would react in this situation, that we would be strong and not succumb to the negativity, everyone reacts differently. I think I’d be much the same, want to hide and forget it ever happened, but you can’t heal that way. I’m so happy that Lark and Zach worked through all their issues and reached their HEA. I’m also glad that Zach didn’t leave the farm fully, you can’t break up Hans and Chewy! I felt the ending was somewhat cookie cutter sweet, but it’s what Zach and Lark deserved after a rough time.
Heart-stoppingly beautiful.
Zach and Lark are both a little emotionally damaged in the most heart-rending way, they find solace in each other and it’s so beautiful! Amid the Shipley apple orchard in Vermont, they find healing peace, acceptance, and love. I am loving this series so much! The narration is perfect, the stories so fulfilling!
Based on reading the first two books I was always curious about Zach’s story and now I have it. Lark was a great heroine, and I’ve seen some reviews calling her flighty and I’m curious to know if those reviewers read the book. The author could have made both Zack and Lark melodramatic, but Zach and Lark are dealing pretty damn well with the hands they were dealt when it comes to tragic events.
POV from both characters, takes place on the Shipley farm, Griff is no longer grumpy even though they refer to him as such, provides a glimpse into Griff and Audrey’s lives, couple cameos from Jude, but no Sophie, plus the return of some secondary and tertiary characters. The last chapter sets up Book 4, which is Zara’s story.
My problems with the story, the timeline in the beginning. It’s supposed to be Aug going into Sept initially, but then they’re back in Aug, back to Sept. There are characters in college, but their going back mid Sept, doesn’t make sense. They should have already been back at school. Lark makes a comment about how she’s going to miss the summer, but the story primarily takes place in fall, apple season. Also the first half of the second to last chapter is supposed to be from Zach’s POV, but there ends up being a lot of head hopping. Plus there is something revealed (won’t spoil), where I didn’t understand why Lark was surprised and May’s family wasn’t.
Keepsake is probably my favorite so far from this series. Zach and Lark are so perfectly matched. They didn’t have it easy but the journey they went on was sinfully sensual, emotional, and simply beautiful. I loved this story.
Audible Review:
Overall 4 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 4 out of 5 stars
All the love for Zachariah!
Reading Keepsake made me want to go back and revisit, again, my favorites Josh and Caleb from Goodbye Paradise! And I do believe I’ll do that, as soon as I finish the Ture North series.
I adored Zach- he’s so sweet and precious and a really wonderful guy. He’s such a hard worker- it made me sad when he worried about the Shipley’s not needing him any longer, about being thrown out of somehere again. I hate those folks at Paradise Ranch!
My heart hurt for Lark, for everything she had gone through. Ms. Bowen did a nice job of building us up to her story-I was waiting for her to finally break, and when she did, wow. I can’t imagine going through what she did and not breaking, I can completely understand where her feelings of guilt were coming from.
Zach deserved all the happiness and I thought he and Lark were a great match. Even though she pulled a stupid stunt, I felt like she was a good match for him, even as opposite as they were. I loved that she never looked down at him or made him feel less about himself because of where he came from and how he was raised.
I’m so glad in this book we got a bit of an epilogue- it was nice to see how things were going for them a little down the road!
I love the Shipley family and how they rally around their people. I can’t wait to move onto the next book.
I really enjoyed the narration in this book, both Erin Spencer and Teddy Hamilton were great! I mean, Teddy can do no wrong in my ears! He was the perfect casting for Zachariah- he just has that wonderful vulnerable quality to his voice. (I wish he had been the narrator for Jude’s character.)
***Borrowed through AE.
This one is definitely my favorite of the series!! Zach is everything! Sweet, sexy and so swoon worthy! I loved Zach and Lark’s chemistry. Their storyline brought all the feels. The banter between all the characters will bring a smile to your face. I can’t wait to read the rest in this series! A must read!
I listened to the audio of Keepsake and loved every minute of it. The narrators were amazing and captured the emotions of the characters perfectly. I loved Zach and Lark’s friendship to lovers story to no end.
4.5 stars – such a cute love story. The characters were likeable, especially Zach who was just plain sexy and adorable. Definitely one of my top favourite male virgin heroes, not quite Jamie Fraser but close 🙂 the story was well-paced with interesting side characters and good world-building. The dual narration was great as well. I highly recommend this book.
This was so, so good! Such an excellent story with this wonderful building friendship that turned into so much more for these two characters. A little broken and raw but so kind and sincere, I loved both Zach and Lark. I’ve been excited for Zach’s story since the first book so I loved getting to know his backstory.
This whole series (each standalone, should read in order to avoid spoilers as previous characters appear in subsequent books).
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
I so love this series. This family and their friends are incredibly endearing. And Zachariah has a special tender place in my heart. Lark was an intriguing character with lots of complexity. I don’t have any experience with PTSD, but Sarina’s treatment felt genuine and sensitive. As a couple they were … wow (I’m running out of superlatives here). I highly highly recommend this series. I’m addicted to these folks in Vermont.
I dont know how it’s possible but these true North books just keep getting better and better. I love Zach so much. His naiveté about pop cultures and life in general make him so endearing.
Lark is strong and brilliant, but she’s broken by the horrible ordeal she went thru. The comfort she finds in Zach is only made stronger by the sharing of their hard pasts.
The story completely surprised me with a couple of reveals that I wasn’t expecting. And that’s always fun, when a book catches you off guard.
Erin Spencer was fantastic as Lark. She does both the vool confidence and the vulnerability so well. Teddy Hamilton brought me to tears. Literally. His performance as Zach truly showcased just how talented this man is.
I really enjoyed this visit to the Shipley’s farm.
**4.5**
After returning from a traumatic experience overseas, Lark goes to spend the summer at her best friends farm where she hopes she can overcome her issues and find herself again. Except instead of finding the peace she is looking for she finds Zach. After being through out the polygamist cult where he grew up in he found himself working at the Shipley Farm. He adores working there and busts his butt every day so that he always has a place there.
Lark found a bit of the peace that she was looking for in Zach but it was mostly an escape from her reality. Zach was nothing short of amazing and I loved him so much. I wanted to give him a momma bear hug. His fear of abandonment was so obvious I felt so bad for him. But I really loved these two they felt genuine – I fell their love for each other. Both the physical and emotional because they had both in spades. For Zach being a virgin these two know how to steam it up! I also loved how the conflict played out and respected how the author had it play out. Lark had to do the work to get better so she could give her and Zach her all. It was a fantastic book. I am loving the Shipley’s so hard.
Read: 1/31/17
Keepsake is the third book in the True North series by Sarina Bowen. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had forgotten how much I enjoyed the series. Additionally, it only took me a few pages to remember Bowen’s fabulous use of humor.
Zach Holtz was introduced in the first book and had been prevalent throughout the series. Zach was raised in a religious cult and had gotten kicked out at 19. The True North series picks his story up about 5 years later once he’s at the Shipley Farm in Vermont. He was sheltered and naive; yet he had a maturity well beyond his age. Additionally, he was sexy, innocent and quiet.
The beautiful and free spirited Lark Wainright had just experienced a horrific event when she was kidnapped while working for a non-profit overseas. While still recovering emotionally, she decided to spend time on her college roommate May Shipley’s family farm.
I loved this story. It was sweet, yet the storyline had depth and dimension. Within the plot, Bowen tackled the difficult issue of PTSD in a unique manner that I hadn’t experienced before and she did it well. At times it was emotional and disheartening; yet it was plausible. She also mixed it within Zach’s continued mind set challenges from his upbringing.
Although the theme wasn’t suspenseful, Bowen provided a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting; which contributed to the additional depth and enjoyment.
Bowen still has several more characters to explore for this series. It appears Zara is next up. I look forward to not only hers, but to the rest of the Shipley clan stories as well.
Shew, this one will have psychology majors drooling! There are so many things going on, but it never seems overwhelming or rushed. Ms Bowen has added another great book to the True North series.
Zach grew up in a religious cult out in nowhere Wyoming. He was thrown away by them at the age of nineteen. That will leave anyone with deep psychological scars. After he finds a place with the Shipleys in Tuxbury, Vermont, he finally feels safe and worthwhile. Then, along comes Lark, who has just returned from a traumatic kidnapping in Guatemala. Talk about PTSD and psychological trauma. These two deeply scarred people find comfort in one another. One is further along in the journey than the other, but they both recognize a kindred spirit.
Keepsake has a lot to unpack, but it’s worth every minute of the unpacking.
Such a beautiful and heart touching addition to the true North series. Zach and Lark have such a beautiful story of their troubled experiences and learning to find themselves and family together. Such beautifully written work, a true must read!
Keepsake is the third book in Sarina Bowen’s True North series and is just as good as you’d expect it to be (maybe even better). Sarina Bowen’s gift for writing slow burn romances with engaging characters, realistic struggles, and happily ever afters shines through in Keepsake and it was a delight to read.
Keepsake is the story of Lark and Zach. Lark is a reformed and admitted wild child who has been unbelievably traumatized by her time as a captive in Guatemala. Zach is likewise scarred by his upbringing in a strictly religious and isolated polyamorous community that threw him out when he was nineteen – arguably the best thing they could have done for him. When Lark returns from her trip abroad in need of some time away from her hovering, but well-meaning parents in Boston, she accepts the invitation her best friend, May Shipley, has extended to work for the season at the Shipley orchard. It’s there that romance sparks between herself and the shyest member of the hodgepodge Shipley family. For two people struggling to find their place in the world, an easy friendship is just what they need.
Lark tells Zach things that she can’t tell anyone else and is met with the sweet and considerate personality that is all Zach. He’s there for her from the beginning and offers her friendship when she needs it most. He’s the ultimate hero – loyal and kind, brave and true, with a dash of vulnerability and heaps of compassion. What I appreciated the most about their story though is how grounded it felt. What I mean by that is, although it’s not every day a young man breaks out of an oppressive polygamous lifestyle or a woman is kidnapped and held for ransom, Keepsake dealt with real issues – trauma and the fight to overcome it, the struggle to find your place in the world, the love of a family that isn’t connected by blood, and the realization that bettering yourself should be a priority but love isn’t impossible because of it.
Lark and Zach’s relationship is so sweet and precious it makes your teeth hurt a little and I sincerely enjoyed watching (reading) it play out. You know an author has succeeded in crafting beautiful, complex characters when you can’t help but root for their happiness. The relationship was sweet, the sex scenes steamy, and their HEA well deserved. Highly recommend.
I loved it, love the series!
I have always attempted to give ‘star’ ratings on my completed reads, just as a tracking method for my titles that I have completed. I have unlimited packages for audio, kindle, and utilize the local/state library.
However, I do not check the ‘I recommend this book’ unless I am willing to reread a book and or a series.
[I read about 5-15 books a month through kindle, and I listen to about 15-30 books monthly]
I have a full life as a nurse, professor, wife, daughter [daughter in law], sister, and mother. I love to read and love a thousand other lives by turning the pages in countless books.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a review. Happy reading 🙂