He is Her Salvation

Abby Merkley has been a member of the Church of the Apocalyptic Faith since she was a child, and there's no way out―except death. She will fight the odds to survive, but there's no one in the world she can trust, nowhere she can run that the cult can't find her...until her handsome, brooding neighbor takes her into the safety of his arms.

Luc Stanek craves a quiet life. But he doesn't hesitate when a desperate woman lands, bloodied and branded on his doorstep. Soon he finds himself drawn into her chaotic world, caught in the center of an apocalyptic war...and determined to save the fierce beauty no matter the cost.

Review:

First, I have to say that I love this series. I think it is very unique in its theme around people who have been scarred both on the outside and the inside. Second, somehow I missed the second book, crap.

In this story we have Abby having grown up in a cult atmosphere, wants more to life and to help her friend who has health problems. She seeks out a neighbor of the cult, Luc to get a job and earn money to escape. Luc, is a vintner, who is unsure of his wine making abilities and living a hermit life on the mountain housing him and the cult. Once Abby comes to him, his and her life is turned upside down and danger is around every corner.

Another captivating story in this series. I particularly liked Abby's story even-though it is full of abuse and sadness. The way Abby and Luc come together is perfect for them and their lives.

4Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

4 Finding Your Home Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Never let it be said that Adriana Anders tackles easy story lines. She doesn't. Anders takes on complex multi layered ideas and brings them to life. She has a way of weaving current cultural issues like spousal abuse, MC violence and now with this 3rd addition to her Blank Canvas Series, the corruption and abuse of cults pretending to be religions.

In His Hands takes place in Blackwood, the same small town where all the other books have...and we are rewarded with the comings and goings of past characters. However, in this entry, it is primarily focused on a side of a mountain miles away from the town.

There on this mountain there are two main properties. One, a vineyard with an new owner trying to grow the grapes and bring it back to life.

The other, a compound... a group of believers led by a man named Isaiah who thinks he is their Messiah and knows best.

Working the land the way he knows, Luc Stanek thinks of his grand-père telling him over and over again how to grow the grapes... what to look for when selecting the land, to be patient and never rush things....Too bad his half-brother never listened when they were both told the same things. Luc tried to show and explain to his step-brother but was told....to just grow the grapes, we will take care of the wine.

Well, now in America, not France, Luc is in charge, following the lessons learned so long ago and with the right timing and care...there is a chance something wonderful could happen...

Luc was not one to think the best, though. His life has not been the easiest. His love of the land, the grapes and need to tend to them made him awkward with people. He didn't do well with them and they, him. He liked the solitude...the quite...it was something he knew. Here on this mountain for these last few years, nurturing this vineyard, Luc stayed the course...

He was aware of the strange neighbors he had...never feeling comfortable when driving by their compound. He tended to keep to himself. He instinctively knew to stay away from there.

Luc did not know there had been someone watching him since he arrived. He did not know of the woman who watched how he used seasonal workers to help with the vines or how she wished she could be one of those workers herself.

Abby Merkley had been brought to the compound as a very young child. Her mother was thrilled to become a member of the flock....anything to take them away from the dirt, poverty of the city. Abby remembered the first feelings of wonder... open spaces and happy faces. But then one day she was taken from her mother...put with all the other children in a big room...left to never get the warmth or love she had had....

Time pasted and as Abby grew, her mind would question and ask the elders... things they didn't want to address. She became known as trouble and difficult. She had too much spirit and needed to be broken. When she was discovered with another boy her age reaching out and discovering touches... she was the one punished and blamed- not him.

She was rushed into a marriage with the first founder of the religion, a man who could have been her grandfather. She endured. She lived a dutiful life but then he became ill and now she is alone. The only one she has any real contact with is a young man/child named Sammy.

Sammy has developmental problems and the others treat him badly, sometimes physically hurting him. Lately, he has been having "spells" where he loses time and falls. Abby wants to get him away from this place... Abby wants to leave and be free, too. She just needs to figure out how to make enough money so she can take care of Sammy. She will not leave without him.

These two lost souls meet when Abby devises a way to leave the compound without elders knowing. The answer came to her when they took away her job of selling the baked goods and vegetables at the open market in town because she was too friendly. She was given the new responsibility of walking the fence alone. She was to make sure it was always intact. If it needed repairing, she was to have the men do it.

Well, with her nimble fingers and a bolt cutter, the fence did need mending and she was responsible for it. She cut carefully making sure it would be difficult to see. She took a breath and made the first step to cross onto Luc's land. There he was working the vines. But this year, there were no extra workers...but if she said things right... normal like...she would make him hire her.

Yes, she was going to make her plan work.
It was the only way to take Sammy and leave this place.
Was she scared...Yes, but she knew this was her one chance and took it.

Luc was working the vines and looked up. At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. A figure was walking towards him... and as it came closer...this slight wisp of a thing...was a woman?

What was she doing coming on his land...Did those people send her...and why was she so slight...
Luc stood there and Abby addressed him as best as she could... remembering to try to act normal... like all those people she had heard and seen in town...

She introduced herself and told him in halting but strong words she wished to work for him... like the workers he had used in past. This conversation would have been very strange to observe...for both of these people were out of their element. Luc, this Frenchman, no good with people... and Abby, trying so hard to seem like anyone else...yet so far from it.

What happens is interesting... for the inner strength of Abby wins out and Luc lets her stay and see how to help. She even forces Luc to shake her hand as if it were contract... something she remembers from a story or something from the past...A hand shake means something between two people...and between these two...it is the crossing over to something each never had...a sense of connection with this other person.

There is a saying ... For ever lid there is a pot.
These two characters are just like that. They were meant to be...and circumstances and logistics brought them together.

This tale addresses so very much. There is Luc's family issues and his feeling slighted. There is the way cult religion can be used to corrupt and take those who are lost looking for anything to take their internal pain away...and twist devotion to blind following.
There is also implied mentions of abuse and maiming. These parts are not pretty...

But there are parts which are...beautiful.... the coupling of Luc and Abby is powerful on many levels. There is the fierce strength in Abby taking what she wants... and Luc seeing what she needs...Letting Abby be the one to make all the decisions... a first for her.

The story also has the rescuing of Sammy, the discovery of what life could be like out in the real world and even lessons in wine making. The beginning was much to take in and made the pace a little slower than the other books...but once Luc and Abby became the focus, the pace picked up and became the book I wanted to read.

I wanted them to have what they had experienced...I wanted Abby to be with Luc ... and I wanted to find out what was going to be the outcome. Adriana Anders delivered.....and she also left me wondering about another couple...a British Bar Owner and a Strong Single Mom who just happens to work with Law Enforcement. Can't Wait....

Under Her Skin (Blank Canvas, #1) by Adriana Anders Under Her Skin (Blank Canvas, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
By Her Touch (Blank Canvas, #2) by Adriana Anders By Her Touch (Blank Canvas, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
So very excited to be starting this...
Ms. Anders has NOT let me down yet :DDD
●•●•●•●•●•●•●•
January 14, 2017
Ms. Anders has given us this so far.....
"Some wounds never heal..."

Then she teased us with this....
"Need some sexy winemaker hero inspiration to tide you over?
Check out Luc's Pinterest Board here!"
https://www.pinterest.com/adrianasbou...

Well, if you follow the link to her board... you will NOT be disappointed... you will be checking off the days till August 2017

In His Hands (Blank Canvas, #3)

A gifted copy was provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley for an honest review.

Adriana Anders is on my must watch list: an author who carefully brings serious and topical elements into her stories, while making readers long for more: more for her characters, more story, more moments. In the third book from her blank canvas series, she brings us yet another set of characters who have tried to move past their insecurities and make new paths for themselves. Easily read in any order: the series name of Blank Canvas truly defines the connections and romance for the characters – they have to choose what to cover those canvases with, and they do so in ways that are gripping, compelling and engaging.

Abby has been raised in a cult: with a leader who alternates between compelling and cruel, she’s finding that the world beyond the relative security and support within the life she has always known may be little more than an illusion. Innocent in all the ways of the world, she harnesses her fear of the unknown in an effort to escape and find a way to pay for treatment, denied by the cult, for a young boy in desperate need. The uniqueness of Abby: her innocence despite the horrific abuse she suffered during her time in the cult, the religious overtones where the word becomes a hammer, twisted and forged for control, and her actual unfamiliarity with many everyday situations. In the company of anyone other than Luc, an honorable man who won’t allow himself to ‘need’ another, even though he’s adopted a dog (Le Dog), and claims to avoid people. There’s just something about Abby – not just her willingness and need to work, her curiosity and the hints of sadness he sees, that allows him to gently guide her through the many pitfalls that her new existence brings.

This did start slowly: there is plenty of set-up as we get a feel for each character: Abby so open and guileless in her sharing, and Luc, a bit more reserved with his quiet moments spent with old recordings that were his grandfather’s favorites. His every waking moment is spent gently tending his vines as a seller of wine grapes with a sense that the grape lives in his soul as a native of Bourdeaux. But soon, with Abby’s sharing and the pressure from the cult to bring her back, the revelations as she understands the repercussions of her own treatment and deciding how to feel, as well as her growing affections for Luc, bring us a slow-growing story where both Luc and Abby find themselves meandering down the path of love. At the same time, the pressures from the outside increase, and the story starts to build tension and keeping readers wondering just what is next. With Abby and Luc, their relationship is decidedly as friends that grows into more: less from Abby’s reticence and more, it seems, for Luc giving her the opportunity to grow, learn and make a choice. As choice seems to be a new-ish concept for Abby, you have to love Luc’s willingness and understanding: even as he guards and guides her forward in this new world. Incredibly emotional and sensual, Anders allows those moments of discovery, growth and sharing come organically and doesn’t rush; you can actually see that these two are well-suited, and the slower development of the relationship gives them a solidity that wouldn’t have appeared had they jumped into the ‘couplehood’ any sooner. Perfectly suited as an installment in this series, keeping it on my favorite series list for characters, writing and unique elements that aren’t common to romance.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9do/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Very good book! This was such a great story! Lots of drama and kind of dark but so so good. I was taken with the heroine and what she went thru. The hero was so good and such a counterpoint to the heroine. Some parts weren't easy to read but I still couldn't stop reading. I hope to read more by this author in the future because this book just blew me away!

Two very different characters collide in this evocative and passionate romance. We have Luc, lonely and closed off desperate to bring his precious vines to life and fruition. He has walked away from his home and family and now feels he needs no one . Into his well ordered existence comes Abby, a prisoner of the religious cult that own the land next to Luc's home and burgeoning vineyard. It's simple in Abby's eyes she will help work with Luc and in return he will pay her meaning she and a boy whose health she's desperately worried about can afford to escape to a new life. Except the church leader wants Abby for himself and cruelly tortures Abby leaving her with no choice but to run to the one place she feels safe, in Luc's arms!
This author seems to have cornered the market when it comes to vile and sadistic villains. Yet she does not allow them to dominate her storylines no that's reserved for her couples. Abby is so innocent when it comes to the modern society we live in and she's written in such a way that it's impossible not to empathise with her and indeed cheer her on as she boldly moves forward. Pairing her with the brooding Luc allowed them both to relish life no matter how scarred they are both inside and out whilst exploring a mutual passion. Yes they have personal struggles but there's a depth to this story and a wealth of emotion. It's not just a sensual journey though as there are bigoted stalkers next door at the church who are determined to get Abby back no matter the cost. Luc still has to come to terms with his own past as the story plays out and when all looks lost there's a bright new dawn!
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Ok you guys. I'm just not sure how I feel about this one. Did I enjoy it? At times. But I'm not gonna lie. I spent a lot of time skimming the beginning due to the set up. Don't get me wrong. It's not the writing that I struggled with. It was the story line. Mainly, the "Church/Cult" theme. I mean, it worked in terms of bringing these two together, but...argh...it's hard to explain without sounding put off.

Luc is French. Not just French. He's from the Bordeaux region, stemming from a line of winemakers. But he left home and ended up a wine grape seller. Not a wine maker. Not that he hasn't "experimented" with wine making, he just doesn't think he's good enough. But one day, while pruning his vines, someone enters his life who just might change the way he feels about that. Actually, the way he feels as a whole.

Abby is a member of the Church of the Apocalyptic Faith, aka Cult that lives next door to Luc. After her husband dies, she begins questioning everything. After watching the "grape man" next door for a while, she musters up enough courage to ask him if she could work for him. Her goal? To raise enough money to leave the Church and start a new life. But things don't exactly go as planned. And when things crumble, guess who's there to help her put herself back together?

Like I mentioned earlier, I liked this story at times. I liked how innocent Abby is and how Luc literally teaches her things for the first time. I like how their relationship unfolds and blossoms. Once I hit the half was mark, I was 100% in and ready. It was getting there that I struggled with. But as always, the author found a way to bring me to the story at hand which was really about Abby and finding herself, with a lot of help from Luc. Well done Ms Anders.

reviewed by Chris

Abigal Merkley is a member of The Church of the Apocalyptic Fath since she was seven years old.
She lives in a world surrounded by a high fence with barbed wire. Knowledge, medicine, joy and pleasure are forbidden. The only goal is to prepare for the apocalypse. Everyone is expendable.

This view of the world is finally shattered when her late husband suffered a terrible long illnes that ended in his death. Being always the sinner amongst their people, for craving knowledge and experience, Abby finally decided to prepare to flee; through a hole in the fence.

Luc Stanek, the loner neighbor who seems to live only for his grape farm, is her way out.
After a few days of desperate pleading she convinced him, that she is of help on his farm. With the earned money she wants to escape the cult people permanently.
But no plan comes in easy and soon the members of the church discover what she is up to.
It starts a race for life and death...

I loved how Abby and Luc interacted with each other. Abby was honest and refreshing in a genuine unsophisticated manner. For Luc she was innocent perfection who would never play games with him.
The attraction to each other was always there, slowly building with each page. Therefore the story took a while to build up. Some will like that, other will not. For me, it was the perfect pace.

I absolutely loved Adriana Anders' debut book, Under Her Skin, and when I got a review copy of this one, I grabbed the chance to read it. It was no surprise that I ended loving this one too.

This is an intense and raw story of two very different characters who discover they are exactly what the other needs.

Abby is trying to escape a religious cult, while Luc is on the run from his past. She wants to experience life to the fullest, he is living as a recluse and wants to keep it that way.

We have the mix of strong, irresistible sexual chemistry with slow opening up to real intimacy which brings them together. He helps her escape, she helps him start enjoying life again.

The whole aspect with the religious cult was very much along the lines of what I expected, still the levels of manipulation and physical abuse were truly staggering. So much pain, so much uncalled-for violence/hate.

I really liked Abby and found her to be a very real, believable heroine. She was determined to escape the cult and its teaching, yet still very much under their influence, we see her struggle, her growth as a person of her own, one thinking and making choices for herself, no longer brainwashed by the teaching of the cult.

Her lack of much experience in the world outside the cult is shown but it's not overdone for the sake of presenting her as more innocent and naive than she really was. I liked it was not a virgin heroine trope, tough she was very much a virgin at every thing to do with intimacy besides the sexual act itself.

Luc was very much a misanthrope or rather he did a spectacular job pretending to be one. He was hurt by his family and like Abby, he was on the run from his old life, trying desperately to build himself a new one. She brought (back) the human(-loving) side of him, she made him care, about her, other people, brought back the life in him.

I loved how the story explored the relations between emotions and physical connection/intimacy, how notions of shame and taboo were questioned. It's ultimately a celebration of life, enjoying it to the fullest - through food and drink and sex and just interacting with people on one's free will, forming relationships (with friends, with family, with lovers). Overall, this is a great addition to the series and a highly recommended read.

Not my favorite. Now, I've never been part of a cult, or been kidnapped and experienced Stockholm syndrome, but I couldn't identify with Abby at all. She frustrated me to no end, and Luc wasn't much better. They both contributed to their own problems, so I had a hard time sympathizing with either of them. Good story, lots of emotions, but not for me,

What an intense read! This sort of reminded me of the movie "The Village" by M. Night Shyamalan. Abby is in a cult like church where the leader does not believe in outside influences. No doctors, no medicine, what happens is the will of God. They are all on a piece of land in the mountains and locked behind a prison like fencing.

The problem is Abby isn't willing to just follow along. Sammy is a boy with Down Syndrome who has seizures. No one will help him and Abby is determined to get a job so she can help get Sammy out before it's too late.

This is where she meets Luc. He owns the adjoining land and cultivates a grape field for wine making. She has seen him out there working and she is convinced he will hire her to earn money. She cuts a hole in the fence to sneak out everyday and work for Luc.

Luc isn't exactly thrilled about Abby's intrusion but he's just as drawn to her and her tenacity and ends up hiring her. Luc is a very anti social person. He's lived next to the church for two years and had no clue what was happening in his own back yard.

This story is wild! You learn piece by piece what is really happening behind those fence lines. So many of them have grown up there and know no other way. The more I learned about Isiah, the leader, the more angry I got. He's basically the devil in sheeps clothing. This is definitely a story that will get your emotions charged.

A few warnings for readers with triggers: There is a lot of religion talk. Even though Abby is an adult, she has child like innocence. Luc has to explain a lot to her. There is abuse. The author did a good job of not going into too much detail but still expressing some of the abuse so you know what Abby has suffered.

I've read and liked all three of the books in this series but this one was the most intense. It's well written and can be read as a stand alone. ARC provided by NetGalley.

I only recently found the Blank Canvas series after noticing the beautiful book covers but, I was quickly taken in by the great writing, unique characters and engaging storylines.

In His Hands is the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone.

Abby is a young, naive, sheltered woman who has been living most of her life in a religious cult, The Church of the Apocalyptic Faith. She has never felt as if she fully belongs, questioning and knowing that there must be more out in the world for her and the others in the church. Determined to help those she loves and free herself from the cult she decides to sneak out and approach her neighbor for a job to earn money for her escape but, with a dangerous man leading the religion and a mother who doesn’t support her, Abby's strength and determination are put to the test.

As characters go, it is no surprise that I often gravitate toward silent, stoic men. I love fierce protectors and those that show their feelings through more then just words. Luc, Abby's neighbor, is a French winemaker now living in the U.S after a falling out with his family. He is bitter and angry over his past and chooses to keep to himself. He also doesn’t talk much. When he does speak however, those few words have so much more meaning behind them. Nothing is sugar-coated or flowery. He is direct and to the point even when he talks about his desire for Abby. I connected with Luc and really enjoyed his character.

While I liked the story with its interesting plot and great descriptive writing I did want more then what was given. The progression of Abby and Luc's relationship was paced nicely for me (I'm a slow and steady fan) and the intimacy between the two was beyond sensual to the point it was palpable. I appreciated that the author didn’t feel the need to toss in unnecessary sex to fill the pages, she focused more on the actual plot and character building. With that said however, I also felt that Abby and Luc didn’t have enough interactions or dialogue together at the start of their relationship to build the bond the author was aiming toward. I wanted more details, more description and more backstory for both characters. I also really wanted an epilogue. I mentioned in my review of the first book that I missed not having that closure at the end. To me, epilogues are the cherry on top of your sundae and without one, it’s not as satisfying.

Overall, a great addition to the series. I'm looking forward to what Adriana has for us next.

As a member of the cultish Church of Apocalyptic Faith, Abby Merkley struggles to find a way to escape. She manages to break the fence and finds that working at hunky neighbor Luc Stanek’s vineyard is a great opportunity to gain experience of the outside world. However, the Church refuses to let Abby go, and soon Luc’s life is closely tied to Abby’s.

Verdict: This is the third book in the “Blank Canvas” series. Personally, this was my least favorite of the three books. It was very slow to start and somewhat slow in the middle and I found it hard to connect to either Abby or Luc. Also, while we do have previous characters make an appearance they almost weren’t necessary. The biggest issue I had though is that I just couldn’t find Abby or Luc’s predicament very believable and unfortunately, this feeling ruined the book for me.

In this third book of the Blank Canvas series, Abby Merkley lives in the mountain home of the cult known as the Church of the Apocalyptic Faith; its organizers enforce rules that antithetical to just about all the tenets a belief in a loving God should mean. The charismatic leader has everyone and everything tightly under his control in the compound where Abby has lived since she was a young child. After careful planning, she sneaks out to work for a neighbor helping him with his vineyards. Luc, a Frenchman, left his home country escaping from his own family issues. Though a loner and not prone to get involved with his strange neighbors, he and Abby form a bond so that when she desperately needs his assistance, Luc can do nothing less that help her survive the deadly and abusive cult who would wage war in order to keep control over this fiercely brave young woman.

Abby has to learn about the outside world at a rapid pace as she has been stifled and cut off from normal society. The little interaction she and the other women have had with the small North Carolina town down the mountain has been carefully controlled by their leader, Isaiah. Abby desperately wants to get herself and someone she cares for away from the cult knowing the wrong moves could be catastrophic for those women and children who live there as well. Her strong determination and bravery despite the odds and her growing affection for the quiet, tough man who seems to be fighting his own demons makes for a compelling story. Abby and Luc’s relationship blossoms as they work together not only on his land, but to overcome the obstacles which stem from fighting against the controlling cult bordering his property.

Abby and Luc’s personal struggles will draw you in as well as their heartfelt relationship that makes the reader want these two wounded people to fall in that deep well of love which heals and protects. The scars which mark them both physically and emotionally are emblematic of the harshness of life, but also badges of courage showing their strength to not only endure, but thrive. Together Abby and Luc can put aside their pain to experience love, hope, and joy where none existed before they found each other. The depth, passion, and quality of Ms. Ander’s writing imbues this story with much to be reckoned taking the reader on a journey in quite a passionate and well-wrought tale.

This is my first book by this author and overall, I loved the romantic plotline and the somewhat lyrical writing style.
I loved the way the author wrote this hero, especially in the beginning: a grumpy Frenchman who is “too gruff, too straightforward, all matter-of-fact with no frills”. The way he sees himself (“I’m not good at being normal/at communication”) and the way the heroine feels attracted to this silent man who grows grape vines lovingly, adopts a stray dog (Le Dog, what a character…) and blushes often.
I also loved how Adriana Anders fleshed out the cultural and linguistic differences between the French hero, Luc, and the American heroine, Abby. How she even gave Luc a French grandfather who listened to Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf’s records in an ancient record player (which he would inherit and would be used to dance with Abby). I really enjoyed the parts about the growing of grape vines and wine making and how it was all embedded in Luc’s characterization.
I liked Abby’s learning of her own sexuality/body/pleasure, but I thought that sometimes the author’s voice was clearly intruding on the heroine’s voice and it lost spontaneity.
Abby’s adaptation to her new life seemed a bit rushed and some of the main characters’ actions related to the cult sounded a little unrealistic.
The secondary characters Clay and George – “By her Touch” – were also quite appealing.

This sharply emotional story brings to stark life the pain and loneliness felt by Luc and Abby from opposite sides of the fence separating his farm from Abby's religious cult's compound. I wasn't prepared for Abby's brutal and bleak existence, or the extent of Luc's self-imposed exile. But most of all, I wasn't prepared for the deep emotional and physical depths Luc and Abby had to traverse just to find peace.

At first, the pacing of the book was almost excruciatingly slow and I toyed with skipping ahead. There was so much internal musing on both Abby and Luc's part. But once Abby opened Luc's eyes to her world and its terrible dangers, this suddenly became a taut, suspenseful saga with almost Hitchcock-like tension. I was on edge for almost the entire book, wondering how these two damaged people could possibly escape the physical dangers of the cult and the storm, much less the dangers of their long-suppressed emotions.

Despite the savageness of the world and people around them, Luc and Abby were nothing but tender and careful with each other. These are two people who need to cherish and to be cherished; a bit of loveliness among the ruins. 4.25 stars

Have really loved this series. Abby trying to find work not approved by the church. Trying to convince Luc a vineyard operator to take a chance on her. A must read book

First of all, the cover is amazing! The plot and storyline are genuine! Loved everything about this book!

I made 50% in this book I liked the character development and the storyline. Luc and Abby were so sweet and I enjoyed watching the progression of their relationship but honestly I just started losing interest this isnt a bad book but I just wasn't glued to my kindle maybe because I've read the "cult" theme from other authors and I expected more. I do think if you want light cult themes you'd like this but for me it just fell flat. But the writing was good and the plot was interesting.

This is the third book in this series, and I did enjoy it. It was not my favorite however, I will still stick with the first book as such. The one thing I like about this author is that she gives you stories that are different, and that she doesn't need to rely on sex to give you a story, she gives you feeling, situations, difficulties, and captures your interest. This story is about Luc, a farmer originally from France, trying to start a new life in the US, all by himself, and he is a loner, not comfortable with people. And, then we have have Abby, who is from a Cult, and she is trying to get away and start a new life for herself and a child with down syndrome. We read the horrors that they go thru, it is heartbreaking, and the whole time you are rooting for them.

The plot was interesting. Woman is in a cult since childhood and escapes as an adult, finding refuge with a reclusive neighboring owner of a vineyard.

But the writing, yikes. It is awkward in the extreme. I felt like a waded through thousands awkwardly written words to find the Nuggets of plot that existed. This was an exercise in determination to finish the book, not the hours of enjoyment I expect from a book.

3 stars for the plot line. 2 stars for the writing.