Member Reviews

Rowan McKinnon doesn't believe in love. As a scientists, she needs the proof, the data - without that the idea of love is laughable to her. Rowan has had a setback in her personal life & academia career and is taking some time to figure things out. When an opportunity to help restore a beautiful abandoned vineyard lands in her lap, she can't seem to say no.

Doctor Harrison Brady has come to his family's vineyard in Pennsylvania to find some peace from the demons chasing him from California. After losing a patient, Harry's not quite sure what to do with his profession or really his life. It isn't until he meets Rowan, that Harry starts to find some semblance of who he was prior to the event that changed his life.

Bend Toward the Sun was quite simply, a beautiful read. The descriptions in the book alone made me feel like I was right there with these characters. I loved the banter and chemistry between Rowan and Harry. They were so patient and kind with one another and yet challenged each other when they needed it.

While there isn't much that happens with the plot, I still enjoyed this romance! I loved the Brady family as well as the dynamics between Rowan and her best friends. I hope we get more stories featuring these characters!

Was this review helpful?

Oh, I was caught off guard by this beautiful love story and I loved it. Rowan, so broken, yet so strong, trying to forge a life for herself where she could heal from the pain of her lonely childhood, and Harry, so dedicated, sweet, and vulnerable, who felt things so deeply that he just couldn't move on after unexpectedly losing a patient. When these two come together, the passion and strong emotions are almost palpable and I felt for them both as Rowan tried to protect her bruised heart by maintaining a distance, while Harry knew right away that she was the one for him, and was determined to show her they could move forward together.

The writing and descriptions of the setting were lush and beautiful. I wanted so badly to visit the vineyard and plunge my hands into the earth, let it sooth, comfort, and heal me the way it did for Rowan. I loved how brilliant and effortlessly competent Rowan was in her chosen field of botany while at the same time she was somewhat awkward socially, but not afraid to walk away from situations that made her uncomfortable. Meanwhile, the entire Brady family swept her up in their lives with no hesitation and showed her what a true family is like, giving her the chance to finally bend toward the light and have the achieve the closeness she always longed for. I'm so hoping that the author continues this story with others in the family and that we get to revisit the vineyard and the family in a later book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

There was something incredibly soothing about Bend Toward the Sun. The title is appropriate because reading it felt like languidly stretching your limbs on a warm summer's day.

Jen Devon's writing has a definite old-school quality. This book has the timbre of an older historical romance (without some of the shall we say problematique elements) transported to a contemporary setting. In her author bio, Devon describes being nurtured on romance paperbacks in the 1990s so this makes total sense. In a sea of candy-coated romcoms, Bend Toward the Sun's understated maturity stands out as refreshing.

If I had to pick a current "for fans of" comp I would probably say Kate Clayborn—who is a gold-standard author for me. Their writing styles aren't exactly the same; Clayborn is definitely the more whimsical of the two. But both Clayborn and Devon have the gift of writing intimacy and characters who are sensitively attuned to each other. Spacial awareness! Characters who are written with precision! Organic conflict that is derived from the characters' personalities and backstories!

Clayborn and Devon also share the gift of elegant prose. I'm leery when a book's writing is described as "lush" and "vivid" in marketing copy as those descriptors are often a purple flag. Devon's writing is genuinely lovely, though, and creates a full sensory experience for the reader.

The reason this is marked as four rather than five stars is the drop in momentum in the final stretch of the novel. To be fair, my brain has been applesauce this year when it comes to reading so this could be an "it's not you, it's me" problem. I am not a big fan of emotional martyrdom, so that was probably the biggest source of drag for me. There was also some speed-run recapping near the end that felt out of place with the rest of the book's more thoughtful pacing.

I look forward to reading what Devon writes next. There was a lot of sequel bait in this (Frankie/Malcolm IN PARTICULAR went straight for my jugular).

Content notes for anxiety/panic attacks (experienced on-page), death in childbirth (minor character; backstory), parental neglect (backstory), and death of grandparent/parental figure (backstory).

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Was this review helpful?

It has been a while since I have fallen in love with a romance novel (pun-intended). Romance novels have become so commercialized, it's difficult to not just expect the same storylines, the same tropes, the same everything, when a new one falls into your lap. But this one, this one knocked it out of the park. This is a romance novel that I cannot recommend enough.
The story flows beautifully. Time does jump, but it is done in a way where you, as the reader, can decipher how it benefits the story. I really enjoyed all of the careful consideration taken when tackling the heavier topics of mental health, trauma, neglect, and even death. The author knows how to get the facts out there with sympathy and grace. And I also appreciate all of the new random botany facts I now harbor.
Rowan and Harry are two characters that are just so...human. Very descriptive, I know. But what I mean is, they are characters you can really connect and empathize with. Both of them have their insecurities and fears and have the trauma to back them up. But they are both also willing to move forward. It is a slow burn, for these lovers, but it never felt too delayed nor rushed. You are immediately taken by their love and get to experience them falling for each other.
The standout character (and what really sold this novel to me) was Rowan. She is talented, witty, smart, and genuinely cares for others. She is the type of character that, at least for me, I flipped between loving and hating her. I genuinely felt like I was her friend and found myself wishing I could shake some sense into her or just give her a massive hug (although she would probably not like it). Rowan is powerful - she is driven and stubborn, and when you begin to see the cracks in her armor, it actually adds to her power. Her past does not define her; she uses it to learn and grow.
There is much more I wish I could dive into. I cannot wait for this book to hit the market so I can fangirl with other readers.
Get this book. It's the romance of the summer.

Was this review helpful?

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I loved everything about this book, from the characters to the romance. The story was well developed and I couldn't put t down. I wanted to keep reading but also didn't want it to end. I loved it so much! Very well done!

Was this review helpful?

Wow I cannot believe more people are not talking about this one!!! I absolutely loved it. Loved the setting of the vineyard, loved the Brady family, and loved Rowan and Harry. I hope this is a start to a series because I need all of their stories!

Was this review helpful?

This book is as romantic as it can be. I love it from beginning to end. Enjoyed every single situation and character. Appreciate the approach the author gave to loss and the strength found in love.

Was this review helpful?

This book had great potential. It was a bit slow at times, which I think messed up the flow of the story. Otherwise I think it was a solid story about learning to forgive your past and move on. To try and focus on the positive you currently have it life and learn from the mistakes of the past. Rowan and Harry's story was inspiring and I enjoyed both the good and bad times they went through.

Was this review helpful?

Jen Devon’s beautifully written contemporary romance Bend Toward the Sun explores the profound connection between a botanist, who doesn’t believe in love, and an obstetrician, experiencing grief and PTSD after losing a patient, who meet at his family’s vineyard and become involved while restoring and converting it into a winery and Bed and Breakfast.

I received the ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’m so thankful to Griffin and Netgalley. I might have never discovered this breathtaking novel on my own.

Rowan McKinnon believes her life is complete with her botany Ph.D. and two best friends who love her no matter how quirky or socially awkward she can be. Engaging only in occasional no-strings sex, she does not believe love is real. How could she? Rowan’s only ever known the love of her grandmother Edie, who taught her to care for all things that grow—inspiring her deep love for nature. Unfortunately, an emotionally negligent mother and a fiancé who treated her like a pawn left her emotionally compromised, hiding deep wounds from the past. After a chance encounter with a stranger at a vineyard leaves her out-of-sorts, Rowan agrees to manage the restoration of the Brady family’s abandoned vineyard, immersing herself in nurturing the grapes back to their former glory. Though she tries not to think about Harrison Brady, who is no longer a stranger, yet still makes her want unexpected, new, and dangerous things.

The loss of a patient causes obstetrician Harry PTSD/panic attacks and a crisis of faith, leading to a spiral of doubt in his ability to keep his patients and family safe. Reeling from that loss and a failed romantic relationship, Harry leaves Los Angeles for Pennsylvania to emotionally recover at his parents’ new vineyard. From their first meeting, something in Rowan calls to Harry, helping him heal—sunlight breaking through the darkness smothering his soul. Harry cannot resist exploring the undeniable pull between them. But after a lifetime of protecting herself from feeling anything—for anyone—Rowan pushes to keep things casual after fighting and failing to ignore and deny their explosive connection.

Devon’s writing is gorgeous, with lush and vibrant descriptions incorporating all the senses. I couldn’t stop reading Bend Toward the Sun once I started. Her authentic and dynamic dialogue and fantastic worldbuilding are so vivid that I was in the vineyards with the characters from the first scene to the last. I love her storytelling and narrative style. I am so not an outdoorsy, nature person, but her descriptions, narrative, and protagonist make me long to experience that same sense of comfort and peace she feels. Devon writes scenes filled with emotional intensity and vivid and visceral descriptions when Harry experiences anxiety and panic attacks. With nuance, Devon deftly captures Rowan’s emotional infancy and her discomfort and unfamiliarity with feeling emotions—especially love. Rowan’s interactions with Harry and his family force her outside her comfort zone because they sneak behind her barriers, despite her efforts to keep them out.

Devon deftly develops fascinating, imperfect, relatable, genuine characters through humorous, snarky, emotionally intense, intimate, flirty, sexy banter, dialogue, and interactions. Her fantastic description and narrative style make the profound emotional connection/sexual attraction between Rowan and Harry into a living, breathing entity. I love their banter, interactions, love scenes, and relationship development, which reveal their characters. I don’t know if she intends to return to this world. But the time Devon invests in developing all her characters and having Harry and Rowan interact with the secondary characters strengthens the depth of her novel and creates a world rich with fantastic characters and possible stories.

Poignant, sweet, sexy, angsty, and steamy, Bend Toward the Sun is a profoundly romantic family-centered romance. It explores themes of taking unexpected paths, self-discovery, finding where you belong, falling in love and how it changes you, taking risks to experience happiness and love, friendship, grief, loss, healing, and acceptance.

Advanced review copy provided by Griffin via Netgalley for review.

Was this review helpful?

In the years since I joined NetGalley, I’ve strayed from one of my original intentions - to discover new, first-time authors. So when I came across this one from a debut author I decided to take a chance.

And when the book started out with a humorous meet-cute, followed shortly by some dialogue that made me laugh out loud, I knew I was in for a good ride. I mean read. But also listen, because I did both with this one!

There was so much that was great about this story: a heroine with a unique science-based career, a lovely and well-developed vineyard setting in Pennsylvania, lovable side-characters in a large family that eats dinner around a big table, and beautiful writing with fantastically witty dialogue (I will forgive a world of wrongs if your dialogue is top notch). I loved that this story takes place over the course of a year and doesn’t rush the timeline. I could envision myself wandering the vineyard looking over the vines and trying to keep up with all the sarcastic banter during a dinner with the family.

But this wasn’t a romantic story where loved conquered all. Both characters had deeply wounded hearts that kept them from having a healthy relationship and their interactions frequently just made me sad. I found myself so frustrated with the heroine - there was too much take and not enough give to the hero. And I was frustrated with the hero who was willing to settle for scraps and let the heroine be so wishy washy. With the characters' inability to have open and honest conversations, this reads more like a young adult novel than one about people in their 30s and I am not at the stage in my reading journey where I have patience for that kind of drama llama.

Despite the things I didn’t enjoy about this book, I think this author has a lot of potential. Her world-building was incredible and with all of the Brady siblings, I hope Bend Toward the Sun is just the first in the series!

And I hope if there are more audiobooks, Erin Mallon and Chris Brinkley are available - these two narrators are FANTASTIC! Their inflections, the way they convey emotions, the comedic timing when needed, all

* thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
* thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this romance! Definitely a emotional and fun read filled with science, medicine and steamy romance! Thank you!

Was this review helpful?

Bend Towards The Sun had an interesting story line. I looove a book about botany and I found the main character, Rowan’s background in botany really interesting. I also really enjoyed the setting on an old winery. However, I personally just did not like the way Rowan and Harry communicated. I wanted more growth from these characters. Overall, I did enjoy this book and would read more from this author.

Was this review helpful?

This book was great! Both MC‘s had great back stories, which were revealed very slowly and made us extremely invested in their stories. I adored the big family and would love to see more of those brothers in another book! The romance was filled with flirty banter, a perfect amount of tension, and a relatable third act break up! This book was very well done and I look forward to reading what comes next from this author.

Was this review helpful?

Such a sweet book! I found the beginning a bit jarring and it look me a little bit to get into it, but you are easily sold on these characters and this story. It's romantic and fun - great dialogue. Lots of open door steam so be prepared. There is also quite a bit of back story and character development. This author has left the door WIDE open for subsequent books about this family, which I would certainly read.

Was this review helpful?

*** BOOK REVIEW***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bend Toward the Sun
Author: Jen Devon

Even from the beginning of the book I knew I’d love Bend Toward the Sun . I don’t even know how to describe my feelings except for complete happiness.

I loved the characters and felt I was right along with them. I felt their hurt and their love. And I would love to spend a night with the Brady family especially for a game of “Team Tag”

And I was hoping Harry and Rowan could get through their pasts to find each other. I’ll admit sometimes their tendencies to runaway from a good thing was sometimes irritating but sometimes I think that’s all necessary to get through the hurt and see the goodness in a situation.

At the end of the book I wish I had the physical book in my hand so I could give it a hug.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read Bend Toward the Sun in exchange of an honest review

Was this review helpful?

What an absolutely gorgeous love story! Jen Devon's writing is perfection and I found myself completely lost in this book. I am not a small town girl, but by the end, I was figuring out how I can buy my own farm and move away from it all! The tension between the two main characters was so brilliant. I loved the emotional journey they went on both together and as individuals. Overall, a perfect romance!

Was this review helpful?

4.5 rounding up to 5 for Goodreads because honestly this book deserves it! I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! You know the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." And this is the author's debut?! And it's not even her full time job to write?! Wow! She's needs to quit now and devote all her time and energy into writing because she's got talent! I liked this book so much!

When I received a copy months and months ago, there weren't many reviews for me to go on to help decide if it would be a good fit for me, but I decided to take a chance and I am so happy I did! Since then and since the books release a few days ago, I have heard nothing, but good things about this book, so it really peaked my interest and made me excited to dive in.

The chapters alternate between two main characters. Rowan,who is a botanist, and Harrison, aka Harry, who is a physician. Being in the medical field and loving gardening, I felt I was able to relate to both immediately and I really enjoyed that aspect. It peaked my interest right away. I loved the setting with the vineyard as well. It was nice to probe into that world a bit, especially from the botanist's perspective.

What made this book so amazing to me was not only the dynamic main characters with their easy, witty banter and their imperfect, deeply layered lives, but I loved the side characters and that lovely Brady family so much! I can see (and really hope!) that the author delves into their stories more in the next book, especially Temperance and Duncan. We get some major hints that something is there, so I'm really hoping it is the author laying the foundation for a sequel.

This is a beautifully written and descriptive romance that honestly was a stronger contender as being a favorite of mine this summer than some of the more famous authors that I have read recently. While reading this book, I went to add her other books to my "want to read" list on Goodreads to shockingly find she has no other books, (yet anyway!).This book reads like someone who is a professional, who has spit out many other books prior to this one. I still can't believe this is her debut. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance. I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Was this review helpful?

Buckle up, kids! This story will break your heart, but I promise, it will be whole and full of happiness by the end.

I am not sure I have ever met two characters who needed each other more than Rowan and Harry did. Harry’s world had unraveled after he lost a patient. With his mental health suffering, he returned home and welcomed Rowan into his life. Rowan was a brilliant but complicated woman who made a habit of holding most people at arm’s length. Needless to say, they were unable to resist the pull of the other, and though it was a super emotional and bumpy road they traveled, it was wonderful seeing them heal together. In each other, they found comfort, peace, and an ease that was missing in their lives, and I was so invested in this union.

The romance between Rowan and Harry was obviously a highlight, but were so many other things to love, as well. The setting was captivating! I loved being a part of the vineyard’s restoration and renovation. I always joke that I would have been a farmer in my alternate life, but seriously, I am enthralled when I read of such things, and that was exactly what happened here.

Family was king with respect to so many aspects of this book too. My heart just about exploded from all the love and affection displayed by the Brady family, and though Rowan’s biological family may have been lacking, she had some of the best friends around. These two groups melded beautifully to form one big-happy-found-family, and I truly enjoyed basking in their love and affection. Speaking of these other “family” members – Jen Devon, please give them books. Their stories would be incredible!

Botany and horticulture is really interesting. I am a science nerd, so I was not shocked to discover I enjoyed all the injections of science, but I still must commend Devon on how well she wove it into her story.

This was such a beautiful, touching, and emotional story about two broken people who found one another and a way to heal the deep wounds that were holding them back from living their best lives. With gorgeous prose and a depth of emotion, Devon took me on a wonderful journey where I cried buckets, but also jumped for joy.

Was this review helpful?

Title: Bend Toward the Sun
Author: Jen Devon
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Rowan McKinnon doesn’t believe in love. With a botany PhD, two best friends who embrace her social quirkiness, and some occasional no-strings sex, she has everything she needs. But she hides deep wounds from the past—from a negligent mother, and a fiancé who treated her like a pawn in a game. When an academic setback leads Rowan to take on the restoration of an abandoned vineyard, she relishes the opportunity to restore the grapes to their former glory.

She does not expect to meet a man like Harrison Brady.

An obstetrician profoundly struggling after losing a patient, Harry no longer believes he is capable of keeping people safe. Reeling, Harry leaves Los Angeles to emotionally recover at his parents’ new vineyard in Pennsylvania.

He does not expect to meet a woman like Rowan McKinnon.

As their combative banter gives way to a simmering tension, sunlight begins to crack through the darkness smothering Harry’s soul. He’s compelled to explore the undeniable pull between them. And after a lifetime of protecting herself from feeling anything, for anyone, Rowan tries to keep things casual.

But even she can’t ignore their explosive connection.

Rowan was a little challenging for me to like at times, just because she was so self-focused and really couldn’t be bothered to try to understand what Harry is going through. I loved the family dynamics in this—I’d definitely read anything written about them—as well as the friendship between Rowan and her two best friends. The vivid supporting characters made this a wonderful read, and Harry was pretty great, too. Sign me up to live at a vineyard and work with plants!

Jen Devon lives in Ohio. Bend Toward the Sun is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Was this review helpful?

This book was so emotional. Rowan McKinnon had her life planned out as a botanist, getting published and enter academia. When the rug is pulled out from under her, she retreats to the two people that know her best. Even they think it is time to get her life moving again. Harrison Brady is a struggling doctor. He lost a patient and now he can't engage in seeing patients. The sight of blood sends him into a panic attack. With the help of her friends and the Brady family, they believe these two can help each other. By nurturing the grapes at the new vineyard, Rowan gets to be one with the soil. She is starting to find her passion again. Harrison is still stuck but when it comes down to it, A farm animal needs him. Not his specialty but in the end, he saves them both. Each make the decision to go back to their regular lives, but something is missing. Rowan is back at the vineyard and Harrison is back for the family gathering. Neither can stay away from each other. It seems that love has found its way.

Was this review helpful?