Keepsake by Sarina Bowen

Keepsake (True North, #3)

by Sarina Bowen

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 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.

Reviewed by whisperingchapters on

4 of 5 stars

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This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


When I read Bittersweet, I knew I needed Zach's story ASAP! He's such a quiet guy and I wanted to know more about him. Well, he was raised in a religious cult where he broke the rules and for that, he fled. He was already questioning everything about the cult so this was the perfect opportunity to leave. Fortunately, he ended up at the Abrahams family, which is a married couple who had also belonged to a cult and escaped. They suggest Zach gets a job with Griff and that's where's been all this time.

Zach wasn’t just a guy I happened to be attracted to. He was special. Zach was a better person than… well, just about anybody. He ought to be handled with care.

Lark used to love adventure. She even traveled to Guatemala to help out the non-profit organization she worked for. It is there that something happens that changes Lark completely. When given the opportunity to escape to Vermont, Lark takes the chance and ends up at the Shipley farm, where Zach works.

Zach was more than I could imagine! He's so shy and quiet, but the way he takes care of Lark was amazing. He started to let go of his own fears in order to care for her. I felt so deeply for Lark. She's a really great woman and I wish she hadn't gone through what she did. Despite being/feeling vulnerable, Lark is still a strong woman.

I'm all for slow-burn romance and this had one of the best ones yet. Lark and Zach together were magnificent. I couldn't have asked for a better couple for this story. I totally believed their swoon-worthy and caring romance. They are so good for one another and help each other out with their fears.

Overall, Keepsake is a wonderful story about healing and forgiving, with a beautiful romance that will have readers falling in love with.

I received an eARC from the publicist for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 October, 2016: Finished reading
  • 25 October, 2016: Reviewed