Heartland (True North, #7) [Dylan & Chastity] by Sarina Bowen

This book was my treat. I'm in a strange mood this week maybe even longer than that. I feel it's hard for me to commit to actually reading. But you know what? once I started this one it was IMPOSSIBLE to put down and I only did it because it was VERY late, and I had to wake up early the next day. I can tell you 5 minutes after I returned home I sat to finish this one and now all I want it to get the next one which I truly hope will be of Daphne (Dylan's twin sister) and Dylan's roommate Rickie. There are already sparks so I CAN'T WAIT.

We've already met both MC of this book - Dylan is the youngest (well, he was born a second before Daphne, does it count?) in the Shipley clan and though he is twenty years old and in his second year in college everyone still consider him the "kid" who can't commit or be serious about anything, moving from one warm body to the other included. Chastity Campbell came from the same highly religious cult Zach, Leah and Isaac came from. She bravely ran away into the warm hands of Leah and Isaac and was happy to find Zach who in a way had a very significance role in her decision to escape. Now she is also in college, getting a little bit of help from Dylan, mostly in Algebra but he tries to help he on other accounts whenever he can.



Chastity fell for Dylan probably the second she laid eyes upon him - frankly, it doesn't sound like a hardship.. He might behave in a certain way in college but he is a really nice and caring guy. They somehow share a connection even if from Dylan's side it's just a friendly one. Chastity wishes for more, but she knows she doesn't have what it takes to be one of Dylan's girls. Too sheltered and naive. Lacking the confidence and experience girls her age already acquired. Dylan is oblivious to the whole thing, in his mind Chastity is one of his closest friends and even when he finds himself appreciating how she looks he just feels bad about it not wanting to destroy their friendship. He values her too much to do that. She is the only person in his life to accept him the way he is, not question asked and mostly not expectation or pressure beyond what he feels he is ready to give.

Things change when they start spending more time together when Chastity shares a really cool business idea with Dylan. They jump into it, only to find themselves sharing more than they probably should in one stormy night. From there starts confusion and later on a nameless relationship they both want to keep though they aren't sure at what cost. Spending more and more time together means things get more complicated about what they want and also what they are able to offer the other.

There is much more to this story than just their romance. There is always Chastity's background hoovering around them. With little bits and pieces of what she went through and how much it still affects her 2 years after she left. There's also how the death of Dylan's father affected him and the state of his relationship with oldest brother Griff and how he can (or can't) find himself working on the farm alongside him. Griff's book (the first in the series) was the only one I actually didn't really like. It was okay, but I simply didn't connect with him. Reading about him in this one reminded me what and why I felt the way I did. I wanted to strangle him half the time. Poor Dylan.

There's also a little bit more with Dylan's roommates Rickie (hint hint) and Keith (will he get his book as well?). There's also Ellie - Chastity's new under-aged friend. ~sigh~ Thinking of everything these two (and their friends) went through in this book I really don't' want to let them go. This book was such a heart felt one. My absolute favorite trope is friends to lovers and this one delivered it BEAUTIFULLY.

I kindly received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is will be out - 28 January 2020 - Pre-order it now through the links below.

Rating: ★★★★★

E-Book Edition

329 pages

Read on: 24-25 January 2020

ABOUT THIS SERIES

 

True North is a New Adult / Contemporary Romance series by Sarina Bowen. It takes place in the beautiful Vermont where nature is always present. With Apple trees and exceptionally well made ciders. This series is really awesome! It brings something special and also personal from Sarina's "backyard" with interesting and complicated characters. Some older and some younger. All with unique stories with a very satisfying HEA. Sarina tackles a few difficult life situations in this one and she does it beautifully though frankly I don't expect any less from her. Superb series.  

* If the name Dave Beringer sounds familiar it's probably from another great series by Sarina - Brooklyn Bruisers. He plays for the team but finds his HEA someplace else ;) 

Books:
1. Bittersweet [Griffin Shipley & Audrey Kidder] (Published 14 June 2016) ★★★
2. Steadfast [Jude Nickel & Sophie Haines] (Published 12 July 2016) ★★★★★
3. Keepsake [Zachariah "Zach" Holtz & Lark Wainright] (Published 26 October 2016) ★★★★½ 
4. Bountiful [Zara Rossi & Dave Beringer*] (Published 20 October 2017) ★★★★
5. Speakeasy [May Shipley & Alec Rossi] (Published 29 May 2018) ★★★★★
6. Fireworks [Benito Rossi & Skye Copeland] (Published 13 November 2018) ★★★★
7. Heartland [Dylan Shipley & Chastity Campbell] (Published 28 January 2020) ★★★★★

8. Waylaid [Daphne Shipley & Richard "Rickie" Ralls] (Published 20 July 2021) ★★★★★