Keepsake by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Zac and Lark’s instalment is just as delicious as I expected it to be.
I found Zac’s character to be an interesting choice for the author from the start of the series. Being a kicked out of a cult is a pretty out-there backstory. Zac’s emerging story is written so well, and his thoughts and misgivings are sweet and insightful. His lack of knowledge around relationships and love aren’t corny or naive either, it is truthful and a little sad. His life with the Shipley’s is lovely, and I liked that Isaac and Leah have more air-time in this story as well.
Lark’s trauma is also well-written. Bowen puts a lot of effort into her research of subject matter, and it shows in her portrayal of PTSD in Lark’s life since returning from her abduction. I like an author that puts in that type of effort, as the writing reflects real knowledge, and so is that much more readable. Her old and new self war with each other, and as the story progresses we get to see so much of what it’s like to live as two people after a life-changing event.
May’s behaviour was a little radical, and sort of came out of nowhere for me. This was the only jolting part of the book, as it was clear that at some point May will have her own instalment and this was setting up for that. There had been no conversations in the previous two books that would indicate that May’s character was having the issues she was in this book.
Apart from that, I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Ally Jane 