From Riptide:
Connor Graham is a city boy—a celebrated fashion photographer in New York. When his uncle’s death drags him back to the family blueberry farm, all he wants to do is sell it as quickly as he can. Until he meets his uncle’s tenant farmer.
Connor Graham is a city boy—a celebrated fashion photographer in New York. When his uncle’s death drags him back to the family blueberry farm, all he wants to do is sell it as quickly as he can. Until he meets his uncle’s tenant farmer.
Jed Jones, shy and stammering, devout and dedicated, has always yearned for land of his own and a man to share it with. Kept in the closet by his church, family, and disastrous first love, he longs to be accepted for who he is. But now, with his farm and his future in Connor’s careless hands, he stands to lose even the little he has.
Neither man expects the connection between them. Jed sees Connor—appreciates his art and passion like no one else in this godforsaken town ever has. Connor hears Jed—looks past his stutter to listen to the man inside. The time they share is idyllic, but with the farm sale pending, even their sanctuary is a source of tension. As work, family, and their town’s old-fashioned attitudes pull them apart, they must find a way to reconcile commitments to their careers and to each other.
Kimi’s thoughts:
Vanessa North takes a city boy from the country and returns him home to his roots in this sweet but slightly angsty romance. The pair are interesting characters who fit outside of standard tropes though, with Jed in particular really shining out as so real, you might swear you’ve met his real life counterpart somewhere.
I quite enjoyed the sensitive way the religious angle was used, with the condemnation driving confusion and yes, probably some fear, but the persons themselves were not demonised. They too were given a three-dimensional treatment. If you hated them, it was because of who they actually were, and when you liked them and wished for different, ditto. Growth happens for the main characters and some of the side cast too, which makes for a warm fuzzy feeling when it all comes together.
The setting of rural America, with its eyes firmly on the economics involved in leaving, running an agricultural business, and the very real skills needed to successfully run the farm were a nice change of pace as well. The locations used evoked real memories of childhood visits to different farms and of picking and eating fruit, which was no doubt the intention as our photographer lead is counting on this very thing to sell the photoshoot he wants to do. All told, it makes for a great anytime read, especially if you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up.
Rating: 
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