Bend Toward the Sun: A Novel

by Jen Devon

Overview

Perfect for fans of Every Summer After and Lucy Score, Bend Toward the Sun is an angsty slow-burn romance between two complicated, imperfect people–and a love story you’ll never forget.

“A steamy romance about humans’ ability to grow and heal.”—Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically

Guarded, self-reliant botanist Rowan McKinnon doesn’t believe in love. With her new PhD, two steadfast best friends, and the occasional no-strings sex, she’s convinced she has everything she needs. When an academic setback throws her off course, she takes on the restoration of an overgrown vineyard to re-center herself and her career.

Dr. Harrison Brady is in an emotional freefall. Since losing a patient, he no longer believes he can keep people safe. Hoping rural sunshine and the hard labor of renovation work will help him heal, Harry heads home to Pennsylvania, where his family has just bought a long-abandoned vineyard.

The last thing Rowan and Harry expect is each other. Despite deeply different views on life and love, their chemistry is explosive, their connection magnetic. Even though their time at the vineyard is only temporary, Harry is compelled to explore the undeniable pull between them. Rowan is committed to protecting her heart at all costs.

But some things are too powerful–and too right–to be ignored.

“Intoxicatingly sensual and undeniably sexy.” – Mazey Eddings, author of The Plus One

Don’t miss Jen Devon’s sizzling second-chance romance Right Where We Left Us!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250822000
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/09/2022
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Jen Devon wrote her first romance when she was eight. Now she writes vivid, cinematic love stories about imperfect people finding their perfect match. A former biology academic and lecturer, she currently works in the tech industry and dreams of writing full-time. She’s an avid gardener, photographer, and boardgamer, a thrift store enthusiast and unapologetic nerd. She’s a mom of six (three kids, three rescue mutts) and lives in central Ohio with her engineer husband.

Editorial Reviews

06/27/2022

Devon breaks hearts and puts them back together again in her tear-jerking debut. Botanist Rowan McKinnon is on the hunt for a postdoctoral position when she meets obstetrician Harrison Brady through a mutual friend. Harrison recently unexpectedly lost a patient, spurring him to take a leave from his practice as he struggles to get his anxiety and panic attacks under control. Rowan gladly accepts a job at the Brady family’s fledgling winery, and she and Harrison explore their mutual attraction. From the beginning, they want different things. Rowan was raised by an indifferent mother and a loving grandmother who died when Rowan was 12. Add in the way her first and only boyfriend mercilessly criticized and lied to her, and her reluctance to enter a relationship rings all too true. Though she insists on keeping things casual, Harrison’s determined to win her heart. Devon handles Harrison’s anxiety with impressive sensitivity and his love and caring shines through on every page. The result is a moving tale of two hurt people healing together. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"All my favorite tropes in a heart-warming, sensual, beautifully written package. Jen Devon has given us a steamy romance about humans’ ability to grow and heal, and about the power of love. I cannot wait to laugh, cry, lose myself in her future books." - Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

"This is a book to be savored. Bend Toward the Sun is a lushly drawn portrait of two people with a magnetic, soul-deep connection, wrapped up in a gorgeous story of hope and healing. It’s the kind of romance that made me fall in love with the genre all over again—and I never wanted it to end. Consider me a Jen Devon fan for life." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author

“Devon’s debut, Bend Toward the Sun, is a gorgeous love story full of lyrical writing and raw emotion. I fell in love with these two broken characters who begin to heal one another. Definitely an author to watch!” -Jennifer Probst, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author, of Our Italian Summer

"Sometimes a book comes along that contains everything you want: romance, tenderness, humor, passion, and a hint of sadness that makes the other emotions feel earned. BEND TOWARD THE SUN hits all the perfect notes." - Trish Doller, author of Float Plan

"An achingly beautiful romance between two broken people struggling to heal each other's hearts and a neglected vineyard over a season. Soul satisfying, sensual, and unforgettable." - Libby Hubscher, author of Meet Me in Paradise

“Intoxicatingly sensual and undeniably sexy, Bend Toward the Sun stole my heart from page one and never let go. With tender explorations of passion, mental health, and belonging, this book has a permanent place in my heart and on my bookshelf.” - Mazey Eddings, author of A Brush with Love

"Sweeping and lush, Bend Toward the Sun is one of my favorite kinds of books, where the setting is just as integral to the story as the main characters. Getting to know the warm, lovable Brady family feels like a hug, and I am thoroughly annoyed I can't visit their vineyard in real life. Harry and Rowen's road to happily-ever-after as they each battle their own demons is deeply emotional and hard-won." – Anita Kelly, author of Love & Other Disasters

“A smart and riveting love story about two imperfect people who may just be perfect for each other, Bend Toward the Sun is a delicious debut. Jen Devon knows her way around the human heart.” -Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Everything Must Go

“A breathtaking, beautiful debut! Rich with emotion and unforgettable characters in a lush setting so vividly described that you’ll long to visit!”

- Priscilla Oliveras, USA Today bestselling author of Anchored Hearts

"Bend Toward the Sun is an inspiring tale of love that sweeps you into a world you'll never want to leave, with achingly beautiful scenery and characters who take root in your heart." - Brooke Burroughs, author of The Marriage Code

"Jen Devon has crafted a masterpiece that is as soul nourishing as it is romantic. An emotional story about two people with undeniable chemistry, yet opposing views on love, Bend Toward the Sun is unapologetically vulnerable and beautifully complex. This book will make your heart ache and give you hope in the way only the best romances can." - Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak For Hire

“Hands down, one of the best contemporary romances I’ve read in years.” – Elizabeth Everett, author of A Lady’s Formula for Love and A Perfect Equation

"Devon breaks hearts and puts them back together again...[a] tear-jerking debut." -PW

"Devon’s debut happens to be not just one of the best of contemporary romance, but one of the best books of the year." - Paste Magazine

From the Publisher

Erin Mallon and Chris Brinkley narrate different viewpoints in this debut romance. In rural Pennsylvania, the Brady family is revitalizing a long-neglected vineyard and winery. Mallon tells Rowan McKinnon’s story with bravado that springs from the cynicism she uses to hide childhood trauma and a disastrous engagement. Brinkley shares Harrison Brady’s viewpoint in measured tones as he returns from California to join the family project while struggling to deal with the unexpected death of a patient. When these two damaged people meet, sparks fly. Rowan’s botany doctorate lands her a job transforming the vineyard into a working business, guaranteeing that she and Harry will be thrown together often. Will it lead to a healing happily-ever-after? N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile

Erin Mallon and Chris Brinkley narrate different viewpoints in this debut romance. In rural Pennsylvania, the Brady family is revitalizing a long-neglected vineyard and winery. Mallon tells Rowan McKinnon’s story with bravado that springs from the cynicism she uses to hide childhood trauma and a disastrous engagement. Brinkley shares Harrison Brady’s viewpoint in measured tones as he returns from California to join the family project while struggling to deal with the unexpected death of a patient. When these two damaged people meet, sparks fly. Rowan’s botany doctorate lands her a job transforming the vineyard into a working business, guaranteeing that she and Harry will be thrown together often. Will it lead to a healing happily-ever-after? N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile