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Bend Toward the Sun - by Jen Devon (Paperback)

Bend Toward the Sun - by  Jen Devon (Paperback) - image 1 of 1
Bend Toward the Sun - by  Jen Devon (Paperback) - image 1 of 1
$10.79 sale price when purchased online
$16.99 list price
Target Online store #3991

About this item

Highlights

  • Perfect for fans of Every Summer After and Lucy Score, Bend Toward the Sun is an angsty slow-burn romance between two complicated, imperfect people-and a love story you'll never forget.
  • About the Author: Jen Devon is a lifelong lover of love stories.
  • 384 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Women

Description



About the Book



"Rowan McKinnon believes love isn't real. Armed with a PhD in botany, two friends who accept her social quirkiness, and some occasional no-strings sex, she has everything she needs. What she doesn't share is that she hides deep wounds from the past-by an emotionally negligent mother, and by a fiancâe who treated her like a pawn in a game. The only love she's ever known came from her grandmother Edie, who taught her to care for all things that grow. After a chance encounter at a future winery, Rowan is captivated-by the beauty of the land, the challenge of the vineyards' restoration, and by the warm and inviting family that plans to run it. They'll offer her a job. She'll eventually accept it. And try not to think about Harrison Brady. Harry Brady is a doctor. Was a doctor. An obstetrician profoundly struggling after the unexpected loss of a patient, Harry no longer believes he is capable of keeping people safe. Reeling from the loss and his crumbled four-year relationship, Harry leaves Los Angeles to spend time emotionally recuperating at his parents' new vineyard in Pennsylvania. He'll work to get the place ready to open, and try to pick up the pieces of his heart. Because if there's one thing Harry Brady knows how to do, it is love deeply, fiercely, with his whole heart. As soon as he meets Rowan McKinnon, sunlight begins to crack through the dark cloud smothering Harry's soul. He wants to explore the compelling pull between them. Rowan just wants to keep things casual-she's spent a lifetime protecting herself against feeling anything, for anyone. But even Rowan can feel their extraordinary connection tilting the axis of the world they both thought they understood"--



Book Synopsis



Perfect for fans of Every Summer After and Lucy Score, Bend Toward the Sun is an angsty slow-burn romance between two complicated, imperfect people-and a love story you'll never forget.

"A steamy romance about humans' ability to grow and heal."--Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically

Guarded, self-reliant botanist Rowan McKinnon doesn't believe in love. With her new PhD, two steadfast best friends, and the occasional no-strings sex, she's convinced she has everything she needs. When an academic setback throws her off course, she takes on the restoration of an overgrown vineyard to re-center herself and her career.

Dr. Harrison Brady is in an emotional freefall. Since losing a patient, he no longer believes he can keep people safe. Hoping rural sunshine and the hard labor of renovation work will help him heal, Harry heads home to Pennsylvania, where his family has just bought a long-abandoned vineyard.

The last thing Rowan and Harry expect is each other. Despite deeply different views on life and love, their chemistry is explosive, their connection magnetic. Even though their time at the vineyard is only temporary, Harry is compelled to explore the undeniable pull between them. Rowan is committed to protecting her heart at all costs.

But some things are too powerful-and too right-to be ignored.

"Intoxicatingly sensual and undeniably sexy." - Mazey Eddings, author of The Plus One

Don't miss Jen Devon's sizzling second-chance romance Right Where We Left Us!



Review Quotes




"All my favorite tropes in a heart-warming, sensual, beautifully written package. Jen Devon has given us a steamy romance about humans' ability to grow and heal, and about the power of love. I cannot wait to laugh, cry, lose myself in her future books." - Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

"This is a book to be savored. Bend Toward the Sun is a lushly drawn portrait of two people with a magnetic, soul-deep connection, wrapped up in a gorgeous story of hope and healing. It's the kind of romance that made me fall in love with the genre all over again--and I never wanted it to end. Consider me a Jen Devon fan for life." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author

"Devon's debut, Bend Toward the Sun, is a gorgeous love story full of lyrical writing and raw emotion. I fell in love with these two broken characters who begin to heal one another. Definitely an author to watch!" -Jennifer Probst, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author, of Our Italian Summer

"Sometimes a book comes along that contains everything you want: romance, tenderness, humor, passion, and a hint of sadness that makes the other emotions feel earned. BEND TOWARD THE SUN hits all the perfect notes." - Trish Doller, author of Float Plan

"An achingly beautiful romance between two broken people struggling to heal each other's hearts and a neglected vineyard over a season. Soul satisfying, sensual, and unforgettable." - Libby Hubscher, author of Meet Me in Paradise

"Intoxicatingly sensual and undeniably sexy, Bend Toward the Sun stole my heart from page one and never let go. With tender explorations of passion, mental health, and belonging, this book has a permanent place in my heart and on my bookshelf." - Mazey Eddings, author of A Brush with Love

"Sweeping and lush, Bend Toward the Sun is one of my favorite kinds of books, where the setting is just as integral to the story as the main characters. Getting to know the warm, lovable Brady family feels like a hug, and I am thoroughly annoyed I can't visit their vineyard in real life. Harry and Rowen's road to happily-ever-after as they each battle their own demons is deeply emotional and hard-won." - Anita Kelly, author of Love & Other Disasters

"A smart and riveting love story about two imperfect people who may just be perfect for each other, Bend Toward the Sun is a delicious debut. Jen Devon knows her way around the human heart." -Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Everything Must Go

"A breathtaking, beautiful debut! Rich with emotion and unforgettable characters in a lush setting so vividly described that you'll long to visit!"
- Priscilla Oliveras, USA Today bestselling author of Anchored Hearts

"Bend Toward the Sun is an inspiring tale of love that sweeps you into a world you'll never want to leave, with achingly beautiful scenery and characters who take root in your heart." - Brooke Burroughs, author of The Marriage Code

"Jen Devon has crafted a masterpiece that is as soul nourishing as it is romantic. An emotional story about two people with undeniable chemistry, yet opposing views on love, Bend Toward the Sun is unapologetically vulnerable and beautifully complex. This book will make your heart ache and give you hope in the way only the best romances can." - Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak For Hire

"Hands down, one of the best contemporary romances I've read in years." - Elizabeth Everett, author of A Lady's Formula for Love and A Perfect Equation

"Devon breaks hearts and puts them back together again...[a] tear-jerking debut." -PW

"Devon's debut happens to be not just one of the best of contemporary romance, but one of the best books of the year." - Paste Magazine




About the Author



Jen Devon is a lifelong lover of love stories. She writes vivid, cinematic romances about imperfect people finding their perfect match. A former ecology academic and adjunct professor, she now works in the Internet tech industry and dreams of writing full-time. An avid gardener, photographer, gamer, and unapologetic nerd, she's also a mom of five (three kids, two rescue mutts) and lives in central Ohio with her engineer husband.
Dimensions (Overall): 8.22 Inches (H) x 5.46 Inches (W) x 1.01 Inches (D)
Weight: .71 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 384
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Women
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Paperback
Author: Jen Devon
Language: English
Street Date: August 9, 2022
TCIN: 84232247
UPC: 9781250822000
Item Number (DPCI): 247-23-6982
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1.01 inches length x 5.46 inches width x 8.22 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.71 pounds
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5.0 out of 5 stars with 3 reviews
100% would recommend
2 recommendations

Razed my heart and nourished it back to life!

5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
abookwanderer - 2 years ago
Jen Devon’s debut Bend Toward the Sun razed my heart and nourished it back to life. Devastating in the best way, this romance set on a neglected and newly acquired vineyard in Pennsylvania had me longing for walks in wildflower-filled meadows, swims in mist-covered ponds, and games of hide-and-go-seek in old greenhouses. If you’re a follower, you’ve seen me mention—on several occasions—how much I love books set on vineyards. I often fantasize I have a long lost relative who leaves me their countryside vineyard in their will. So, this novel about a family who has recently purchased an old vineyard with plans to restore it was right up my day-dreaming alley. The Brady’s, the vineyard-buying family, is one of those families. Large, well-established, comfortable with one another—but also with past hurts and maybe some grudges. But their love for each other comes first. Bend Toward the Sun is Harrison Brady’s story, the middle son among five other siblings. And, please Jen Devon, please be writing more of their stories. I can only imagine that’s the plan, because the vineyard is just in the early stages of development and there are so many hints about Harry’s sibling’s stories within the novel. Harry, a doctor, has had a hard year, and he’s joining his parents and some of those siblings at the vineyard to work while he attempts to heal. The book opens on a housewarming party at the vineyard, in the middle of the family’s traditional game of hide and seek currently happening throughout the vineyard. It’s one of the best openings I’ve read lately. But the reader sees it from a guest’s perspective, Rowan, who has been dragged to the party by a friend of the family. Rowan is hiding in an old greenhouse when she encounters Harry. Sparks fly! Rowan, a botanist, has her own past issues. Raised by a neglectful mother, basically alone since the death of her beloved grandmother when Rowan was twelve, the closeness of the Brady family is foreign to her. She hasn’t allowed anyone in except her two closest college friends since a bad relationship in college convinced her “love” is just another name for lust. But she can’t deny her attraction to Harry or his family’s vineyard. She’s hired to work on the vineyard, helping to restore the vines while she works on her dissertation. As time passes, Rowan and Harry find themselves drawn together, but their pasts, and Rowan’s vow to keep it casual, complicate their growing feelings. Harry’s a cinnamon roll who wears his heart on his sleeve, and I just wanted someone to give him a hug. Suffering from panic attacks after losing a patient, reading through his struggles was gut-wrenching. The chemistry was off the charts for these two, as well. Plenty of tension built while waiting for them to finally crash together. And when they finally do crash, wow! Bend Toward the Sun has earned a permanent place on my shelf, and it’s a love story I can’t wait to reread. It delivered exceptionally in the romance department, even providing a few surprises. And while there may have been a few tears along the way, it’s my perfect kind of romance. The best reward for enduring all that heartache!
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Favorite romance ever

5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Cburke - 2 years ago
Bend Toward the Sun is a wonderful, realistic romance that you won’t want to put down. I listened to this on audio and it has two narrators, one for Rowan and one for Harry. They both do a phenomenal job bringing this book to life. Rowan is a botanist who has just found out that the data from her thesis has problems, and Harry is a obstetrician who has recently decided to take a leave of absence from medical practice. When they meet, there is an instant attraction but what I loved about this book was the very realistic timeframe for their relationship. This is not instalove. As the relationship grows, Rowan is clear that she is looking for no strings attached and not an emotional connection. Harry feels the complete opposite, he only wants to be all in. It takes time and a lot of steamy scenes for these two to figure it out but when they do it is just beautiful. This is absolutely by far my favorite romance book. I don’t read a lot in this genre and when I do I am quite selective. I am so glad that I read this book and I will be recommending it to everyone I know. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
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