what a debut! wow. devon had my attention from the very beginning. just the right amount of worldbuilding for the characters and romance to flourish, and flourish they did. harry is such a beautiful character, and i love him for rowan. here’s hoping we get a brady family series!

#netgalley

A sweet, swoony romance between two damaged people who find a way to make each other whole. Rowan is a brainy botanist who has decided that plants are the main relationship in her life and her dealings with people are strictly no strings attached. Harrison is part of a large loving family, but a terrible accident has left him scarred and hurting, Smart dialogue, a gorgeous vineyard setting and well-rounded supporting characters all add up to a romance for the ages as Rowan and Harrison overcome their own demons to find their way to one another.

To start off simply, Bend Toward The Sun is one of the most beautiful books I have had the pleasure of reading this year. I can’t believe this is Jen Devon’s debut! This novel is filled with gorgeous prose, deep feelings of love and loss and uncertainty, and SO MUCH ANGST!!! This has everything you could possibly ask for in a romance; beautiful descriptions and portrayal of trauma and healing, sizzling sexual tension, and overwhelming, raw emotions and feelings. On top of all that, we have two MCs in STEM, and the scientist in me absolutely loved the integration of botany and medicine through the story.

I can’t recommend this book enough!!

I requested to read and review this book for free from St. Martin Publishing Company. This book was fantastic. It had drama, romance, mystery and so much more. Can we escape the past for a better future or is there no escape? Rowan is a girl that has survived so much in her years. Can she really trust herself and is love for everyone? Harrison is a guy who thought he had it all until he didn't. Can he learn to trust himself and the one around him? Can two very different people be together. How much does one family play a part in our future and decisions. This book is for a mature reader and can be read anywhere.

4.5

Bend Towards the Sun is the perfect read for fans of Colleen Hoover, Abby Jimenez, etc. great mix of romance and seriousness set on the beautiful backdrop of a vineyard that is being restored. I really enjoyed the story and all of the characters; My only complaint is that Harry felt a little too perfect, I literally can’t imagine anyone acting like that in real life, but maybe I just don’t know the right people 🤷🏼‍♀️

I also liked that there were so many great side characters that it felt like there could be potential for other books set in the same “world”, hopefully the author is thinking the same!

The thing I disliked most about this book was the cover. It looks cheesy and low-budget and in no way communicates the complexity of the story inside. I truly the cover art gets changed before publication.

The cover is not the book, however, the book itself is beautiful. It's slow and quiet, but also emotional and intensely readable. It's one of those books I couldn't read fast enough, but also really didn't want to end.

Rowan is a botanist working on her postdoc (yay for women in STEM and academia!) and Harry is a obstetrician who moved across the country to regain his confidence when they meet at his family's new vineyard. It's a story of not letting your past define you, opening yourself up to vulnerability and new experiences, and learning to trust after heartbreak.

There's nothing groundbreaking or novel in this romance, but it's just a solid, sweet story about two broken people finding love and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

It was a really emotional read for me and I really loved it. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but that ending was so worth it!! I really loved both the MCs and was smiling and crying like a proud parent because they deserved their HEA more than anyone!! Along with that, the writing was quite beautiful too. I might not be a really big fan of third person PoV but you won’t see me complain if the story is this level of good. All in all, it’s a full 5 stars read for me.

This is such a remarkable book, one that breaks with a number of trends, both in terms of popular traditionally-published contemporary romances, and in terms of what I expect from a debut. Not everything worked for me, and I'll talk about that too, but mostly I found this to be a bold and assured story from a new author who I think is going to fashion a unique place for herself within contemporary romance. 

The first thing I loved about Bend Toward the Sun, especially in light of it being a debut, is that it doesn't have a big, splashy, hook-y premise. It is fueled entirely on the emotions - and emotional baggage - of its two MCs. Rowan has just finished her PhD and is floundering, and finds herself in a temporary job at the new Brady family vineyard. That's where she meets Harrison, an obstetrician who recently lost a patient, and is back at home struggling with lingering trauma and depression. I think in a different book, the setting (a non-traditional workplace) or the characters (one MC's large family) would have been played as part of a flashy premise-turned-external obstacle to romance. But this book lets its setting be an actual setting, and its characters develop as characters, and not just fodder for hijinks. And my goodness it excels at both. The setting, in particular, is SO vivid I feel like I've actually spent a summer night at this vineyard. (This is kind of a random observation, but the author is remarkably good at creating a sense of place via touch and smell, and not just what things look like? It's an immersive sensory experience). 

Also, this book is angsty. Properly, truly "fighting and pining and yearning and making each other cry and hurting each other not because we're cruel but because we're each a little broken" angsty. It's hard to make sweeping statements about what's popular and selling in "romance these days" because - to pick just one facet of the genre's vastness - indie romance is out there offering some of just about anything one could look for. But my sense as a reader who shops for books a lot is that, in traditionally published romance at least, we're in an era of high rom-com popularity. Many of which I've read and enjoyed! But I love variety, and I love a book that knows that any tone, well-executed, is better than trying to dress up in a tone that doesn't fit the story or writing style. This is angsty, and it leans in hard to that. When my heart wasn't busy having every ounce of feeling squeezed out of it, it was very happy. 

That being said, I did have one issue and it's kind of a big one - although the fact that I got emotionally involved regardless is a testament to this book's strengths. To me, the pacing of the romantic connection between Rowan and Harrison felt... off. Especially at the beginning. For such an emotional book, the early beats of the romance were focused on physical attraction (fine) and a sort of mystical "I just feel so drawn to this person" (which only works for me if the prose describing that feeling is infused with its own unique magic). I wanted Harrison and Rowan to talk more. I wanted to know why they were drawn to each other besides inexplicable magnetism. Their moments of connection felt episodic, almost set-piece-like, and for long stretches I didn't feel like any individual interaction moved them forward, or taught them about each other. The sex scenes, similarly, were very grounded in in-the-moment physicality, where I wanted a bit more emotion, a bit more personality from them. (I know part of Rowan's character is about avoiding romantic attachment, but there are still plenty of non-romantic feelings a person can feel about sex) Still, I'd be lying if I said I didn't care by the end, so something must have gone right. 

Also, the story was very white and very straight (I know Rowan's descriptions of sex as a biological imperative towards procreation are supposed to be a flimsy excuse, and grounded in her characterization as a botanist, but regardless I could have done without it). 

The writing, though. The writing is gorgeous. I'm not sure about the etiquette of posting quotes from ARCs? So maybe I'll come back here and add some later. But suffice it to say, there are some achingly lovely expressions of love, and longing, and loneliness. I'm so glad I read this book.

Rowan has been cast adrift since her grandmother died years earlier. In order to face the fact that no one cares about her, Rowan has resolved not to let anyone too close. A casual hookup is all she wants or needs, forget about anything deeper. Because the more you let people into your life, the more likely they are to disappoint you. Instead, she focuses on her botanical research and remains satisfied with that.

Harrison comes from a family whose embrace he returns to when his world turns upside down and he can't find his way on his own anymore. Yet his path to healing becomes her path to belonging. And their world is colored by the people and place they find themselves in.

I truly enjoyed this story of two broken people finding healing, first for themselves and then in each other. While there was more focus on the carnal than I like, there was also a lot of exploration of how we get in our own heads, the traps we lay for ourselves, and how finding wholeness is possible for each of us, no matter what we've been through.

Thank you Jen Devon, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Angst-lovers, this one’s for us. It’s the exact kind of story I’ve been missing. Gorgeous writing, layered characters, great angst. It made me laugh out loud and it made me cry…is there anything better? I don’t want to say too much about it because it was such a magical reading experience. Rowan and Harry snuck into my heart from their meet-disaster of a beginning. (This made for the best full circle moment by the end.) Rowan won’t risk a serious relationship and Harry doesn’t know how to do casual. They kept getting in their own way, which made my heart clench. What made the romance for me was the little things they would do to show their love, even when it wasn’t obvious to themselves or the other person until months later that that’s what was happening. That made for such a satisfying payoff. I’ll never see wildflowers and pancakes served with pulpy orange juice the same way again.

Internal conflict drives the plot, which fed my soul. There weren’t any emotionally manipulative external conflicts to move things forward or tear them apart. This was a huge relief. So often would-be angsty romances fall into those traps and they never work for me. Not so here. Rowan and Harry put up enough roadblocks all on their own but the thing is, there’s never a doubt about why they’re responding the way they are or that they’ll be able to learn from their mistakes. I had such a hard time putting this down because I needed to see how it would all come together.

This has such a strong sense of place. I wish I could go visit the vineyard and book a stay the bed and breakfast once it’s ready. Similarly, the secondary characters were just as well-developed as Harry and Rowan. The Brady family was absolutely wonderful. I will never tire of a watching a big loving family embrace someone who believes they’re unlovable. People feeling like they don’t belong or like there’s something fundamentally wrong with them is my catnip. Between Harry’s family and Rowan’s friends, there is some exciting sequel potential. Fingers crossed Temperance and Duncan are next.

I had a few nitpicky issues <spoiler>there’s a major HIPAA violation and I was really gobsmacked that Harry had not experienced patient death until his first post-residency year…that didn’t feel realistic to me but I never worked in obstetrics.</spoiler> but I ultimately didn’t care because I loved the story that much. It is worth noting this is a mostly white cishet book so I hope that will improve going forward.

Jen Devon is a refreshing new voice to watch. I’m looking forward to whatever she writes next.

<i>Characters:</i> Rowan is a 30 year old white woman with a botany PhD. Harry is a white obstetrician. This is set in Vesper Valley and Philadelphia, PA.

<i>Content notes:</i> depression, anxiety, panic attacks, past death of obstetrics patient <spoiler>MMC was stuck in a traffic jam when someone on the highway called for a doctor. Delivery went great. Then she had a sudden hemorrhage in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. It was his first patient death.</spoiler>, past intimate partner violence <spoiler>(FMC’s ex was emotionally abusive. He does not appear in this story but she does recount what happened.)</spoiler>, past infidelity <spoiler>FMC did not know her abusive ex-fiancé was married with kids. The ring he gave her actually belonged to his wife. She broke things off once she found out.</spoiler>, recent divorce <spoiler>separated in May, divorce finalized in November due to California’s mandated six month waiting period. MMC met FMC in September but they did not kiss until a few weeks after the divorce was finalized.</spoiler>, past weight loss (due to depression), past death of grandmother/primary caregiver (FMC was 12), past child neglect (FMC’s mom was emotionally and physically distant. Once her grandma died, she had no loving presence in her life and had to fend for herself), arachnophobia, HIPAA violation (<spoiler>MMC says deceased patient’s full name and tells her medical history to FMC and other family members</spoiler>), pregnant secondary character (off page delivery), sheep gives birth, on page sex, edging, alcohol, inebriation, pipe (secondary character), cigar (secondary character), STD joke, gendered insults, brief gender essentialist language, ableist language, mention of past substance abuse and car crash for MMC’s brother (uses cane for leg injury), mention of FMC wanting to “snort” MMC’s scent “like a drug”, reference to FMC’s dad leaving before she was born

This was a great book by Jen Devon. It was funny, interesting, a bit of drama - everything you need in a book to keep your interest. There is one part where I laughed so hard - being able to clearly imagine this actually taking place. The friendship that developed as well the detailed description of the farm had you imaging you were actually a part of this book. Highly recommend!

Honestly, I DNF'd this book at 17%. I did not care about the characters, and I hate books where every page has sexy thoughts/comments from the characters. These people obviously wanted to hook up the second they laid eyes on each other, but instead will have to spend 3/4 of the book just lusting and making remarks. It was crass and unappealing.

I've been grumbling for years about how not every romance is a rom-com, and it was such a pleasure to read one that made no pretense of wedging itself into rom-com expectations and marketing. The Feels are big. The language leans into metaphor and lyricism. The setting is as lush and romantic as the central love story. I'm also a fan of messy characters who don't say and do all the perfect things at all the perfect times, and Devon sets her complex heroine and hero up for a perfect storm. Though they're deeply drawn to each other from their very first brief meeting, one has been craving marriage/family/commitment since childhood. The other has been running from commitment for equally as long. One pulls too tight and too fast. The other pushes too hard and too long. We know things are bound to erupt. But while the tension simmers, Devon also builds a profound, undeniable attraction, and she surrounds her central couple with a loving and lovable big family, so we know at all times that a support network is only an arm's reach away. My set-designer brain also loved how central the setting was in this one, as much a major character as any of the people in the story. Every flower, building, bug, and vine holds double meaning, calling out to the reader to pay attention to the little things, because maybe they're not so little after all. Recommended for readers who like to lean into the Big Feels and the powerful draw of mutual attraction that grows over time into a deep and everlasting love.

Rowan McKinnon, a botanist, doesn’t believe in love, the wounds from her past preventing her from making meaningful connections with the exception of her two best friends. That all starts to change after a chance meeting with obstetrician Harrison Brady.

I’ve always enjoyed books that have an element of romance, and Bend Towards the Sun, Jen Devon’s romance debut is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves getting wrapped up in a blossoming relationship. Jen’s writing style which made this book so enjoyable to read, and I really enjoyed getting to to know more about Rowan and Harry throughout the course of the book and how they work to overcome the issues from their past. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!

From beginning to end, Bend Toward the Sun is romance - a beautiful, emotional, angsty love story that will melt and break your heart. It's been awhile since I read a straight out romance story that didn't rely heavily on humor to help carry the plot. If you're a fan of romance with second chances, friends to lovers and broken hearts, this one's for you.

Botanist Rowan McKinnon has been burned by love . . . badly and has vowed to never let anyone close enough to hurt her again. Dr. Harrison Brady has also been damaged in love, but he believes in love like his parents have and is searching for a forever relationship. What he can't bring himself to do is doctor again. A painful loss has him doubting his own abilities. He retreats to his family's new vineyard in Pennsylvania to lick his wounds and regroup. When Harry meets Rowan, sparks fly and he's sure he's looking at his future. Rowan recognizes danger when she sees it, and she knows Harry is a dangerous man she needs to avoid at all costs if she's going to stay in control. However, that's hard to do when she hires on to help the McKinnon's get their vineyard off the ground and up and running. The vibes between them are magnetic, drawing them together like moths to a flame. Ground rules are laid - friends with benefits only. No feelings. Period. How long do you think that can possibly last?

Bend Toward The Sun is beautifully written, showcasing a lonely woman with no family as she's welcomed into a boisterous, loving family like she's always wanted. The story is paced out over a year, and the author does a great job at keeping the pace up and readers interested over this long time frame. Devon is a obviously a master at writing beautiful prose while delivering the high angst, heartfelt romance between two people who are at different places on their journey to forever. Emotions run high as Rowan continuously spurns Harry's efforts at moving toward a real relationship. Tears fall as Harry struggles to accept the fact that love may not be able to fix everything, and he may never break through the walls built around Rowan's heart. His family fills out most of the support cast and they're everything a large, loving family should be - open, welcoming, emotional rocks.

While the plot line is quite simple, the characters do the heavy lifting in Bend Toward the Sun as they learn to live with loss, accept what's gifted freely and bend toward the light, leaving the darkness behind in search of true happiness. I truly believe stories like this are rare in today's romance. Bend Toward the Sun runs the gaumet of emotions carrying both readers and characters on a journey of highs and lows on the way to happily ever after. Fans of pure romance will love this one.

Wow, the descriptions of the land and property and area and family are totally immersive and enjoyable to read about. It starts quickly with a fun meetcute between the characters. The book's story than takes an unexpected but somewhat deep turn as the author explores trauma, abuse, and other issues. There are some great lines and quippy comebacks that make for enjoyable reading. Every now and again the story gets slow or falls just a little flat but is never more than a few pages before you're emotionally invested again. I want to know the Brady family and I love a happy ending. Note: sex scenes are fairly graphic-skip at your discretion
Thanks Netgalley for providing a free copy for reviewing

Is there any greater feeling than a book living up to the expectations you have for it? I don't think so. I hoped that Bend Toward The Sun would be the kind of introspective, moody love story that I crave. I am a self-professed angst monster but there have been very few new releases that have really fed me. This book absolutely did! I even almost teared up (one of the highest compliments I can give a book, trust me).

There's a lot that I love here, but one of my favorites is the way Devon uses small actions and gestures to explore how people care for each other. Neither of the protagonists are very good at communicating their feelings with each other so the little things they do to communicate their love become so important. Their journey is less about being able to say those three words and more about learning to recognize the ways the other reaches out. It's subtle, but it packs such an emotional punch. I'm not sure I'll ever look at pancakes and a glass of pulpy orange juice the same way.

This is a quiet book and moves slow in some ways. There's not a lot that *happens* compared to a lot of the so-called rom coms coming out of romance imprints these days. That style really works for me--I get to focus on the characters and their burgeoning relationship without the distractions of plotty hijinks. If that also sounds like your cup of tea, I highly recommend giving this story your time. Of course, it's not perfect. I have a few quibbles (the biggest being diversity on page; other than a passing mention of someone's queer family member we never meet and a minor character described only as "brown," everyone appears to be cishet and white). But I still love it. It gives me FEELINGS.

Content notes: grief, past death of grandmother/parental figure, maternal mortality (Harry is an OB who lost a patient to birth-related hemorrhage), PTSD (Harry experiences flashbacks and panic attacks), parental neglect, past psychologically abusive relationship (Rowan's ex emotionally manipulated and gaslit her), infidelity (not by either protagonist), minor character becomes pregnant and gives birth off-page, reference to past car accident due to driver under the influence, divorce, arachnophobia, on-page alcohol use, on-page sex, descriptions of non-life threatening injuries and blood

Such a good book, I think people are gonna really love this one. Keep me wanting more the whole way through. Thank you!

I think that I might be a little in love with this book. It is so rare to come across something so beautifully written, and that is exactly what Bend Toward the Sun is - Beautiful in so many ways.

First of all, I don't think I'm going to be able to fully express how amazing this book is in words - so all I can say is read this! Do it! Because I'm not sure I've ever read a portrayal of love that hit me quite like this did. The relationships in this book are real, messy, and broken - but also accepting, imperfections and all.

I feel like this book did what so many others struggle to do in going both so deep into the emotional background of the characters while still remaining to be comedic through the banter and chemistry throughout the story. The tension between the characters was always for a reason that made all of the sense in the world, weaving these characters together in a way that felt so vivid it's hard for me to believe these aren't real people.

I think part of it might be because I have never related to a character as closely as I did to Rowan. So much of this book hit way too close to home for comfort, but I loved her so much anyway! I think through loving Rowan's character, and seeing her through the lens of the other characters in the story it made me love a parts of myself, and my story that I have often struggled to accept. I think a lot of people will see parts of themselves in these characters, and I hope they will give themselves more grace because of them too.

This story is magical, and I can see myself returning to it over and over again. Straight to my favorites list it goes!

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc! Below is my honest review of this book.

I came upon this book because of Ali Hazelwood's review of it. And let me tell you--it was so worth it.

So, we follow two perspectives: Rowan (our heroine) and Harrison/Harry (our hero).

Rowan is a botanist. She’s working on her PhD so she’s so close to getting to the end of her finish line when shit goes wrong. Her research assistant faked her data, so her whole paper is basically inaccurate. So she becomes really depressed because academia is the one area in her life where she feels most complete.

Enter our hero(‘s family). Harry’s family decides that they want to make wine but no one knows how to take care of plants. Temperance, Rowan’s best friend and Harry’s cousin once removed(?), sends Rowan’s resume to them because why not? Rowan reluctantly accepts working on the farm, and only does so because she can create more data and do research on their land.

Rowan and Harry obviously become very close, but they have different ideas of what they want with each other. Rowan is all for casual relationships and sex with no strings attached while Harry is a hopeless romantic. This causes conflict between them, and you can probably see where the story goes from there.

This book made me tear up, and that hasn’t happened in a long time. It was just so lovely and heartbreaking at the same time.

If you’re looking for a book with:
- academically smart heroine who loves plants and nature,
- a medical hero who struggles with mental health issues,
- a funny as hell cast of side characters,
- a slow burn romance,

Then my friend, this is for you.

You do learn quite a bit about the academia life, botany, and other medicinal stuff. I also feel like the side characters are flushed out well enough that they all have their own personality.

Another positive about this book is that the break up (mostly) makes sense. The couple gets back together fairly quickly, but I liked how the explanation for the breakup just shows how complex people can be and how your upbringing really guides how you view your life.

Would I recommend this book? Hell yes!!!