Book Review: A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink

Pages: 336

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "In this Bridges of Madison County for teens, Michelle Zink weaves a magnetic tale about summer love that stays with you long after the seasons change. Rose Darrow never wanted to spend her life working on her family’s farm. But when her family is rocked by an unexpected tragedy she has no choice but to put her plans for the future—and dreams of escaping her small town—on hold.  Bodhi Lowell left home as a kid and hasn’t looked back. Years of working farm jobs has given him the one thing he wants most: freedom to travel without answering to anyone. He’s already looking past his job at Darrow Farm and plans on leaving in September—until he meets Rose.  Neither Rose nor Bodhi can deny the sparks flying between them, but with the end of summer looming, they must decide if it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all...."

Rose just graduated high school and lives on her family's farm. Instead of traveling this summer or going off to college, she is staying put in order to help her family run the farm.  This is especially important since things haven't been going smoothly since her mother died.  Her father really hasn't bounced back and taken over the responsibilities, so it's up to Rose to hold things together.  But the fact of the matter is, she is still grieving over the loss of her mother.  Then a mysterious stranger comes to the farm to help out for the summer. His name is Bodhi and he is a quintessential cowboy who also has secrets of his own.  There's an undeniable attraction between Bodhi and Rose, but he has plans to leave in September. What will become of their summer romance? Michelle Zink's  A Walk in the Sun is a sweet romance that is perfect for an indulgent day at the beach.

Rose is an interesting character in A Walk in the Sun. She's independent and she is a very capable farmhand, but there's so much more to her than that. She's definitely multi-faceted, but the part of that really tugged on my heartstrings was the fact that she is still dealing with her grief.  Instead of moving on with her life and trying to find happiness, she is stuck at home and the ghosts of her past haunt her. Rose had dreams of traveling, but they are all put on the back burner due to her mother's death and her responsibilities at the farm.  So, A Walk in the Sun is more than just a YA romance; it's also a story about coping with grief.

Rose's relationship with Bodhi was an adorable one and very reminiscent of a Nicholas Sparks novel. I will admit there were many overly sweet moments in A Walk in the Sun that made me roll my eyes, but overall, it was a cute romance.  I mean who doesn't love a mysterious cowboy, especially one that will declare his love for you? If you are looking for a sweet YA romance set during the summertime on an idyllic farm, check out A Walk in the Sun this summer.