SUMMARY

There were two brothers—identical twins—and though I loved them both, my soul belonged to only one.

Annalia Del Valle has loved Preston Sawyer all her life. The daughter of an impoverished migrant farmworker, she grew up as an outcast in what was no more than a tiny, cooped up shack in California’s Central Valley. But her heart found freedom in the land, in the wide-open spaces of Sawyer Farm, and in the boys who were her only friends.

Preston has yearned for Annalia since he was a boy. But a sense of honor kept him from pursuing her until he’s unable to hold back any longer and their worlds—and bodies—collide one hot summer night. A night that sets off a chain of events that will alter their lives forever.

Now Annalia is back in town after disappearing without a trace for six long months. Determined to reclaim her heart, her life, and the baby she left behind—the son who was created in a moment of lust and love and pent-up yearning.

Preston has survived grief, a ravaging drought, and the despair of heartache, but he’s not sure he can survive Annalia again. And he might be unwilling to try. Will pride and bitterness keep him from the one thing he’s always longed for?

How do you heal what is irreparably broken? How do you forgive that which is unforgivable? How do you discover that real honor comes not from circumstance, but from the place deep in our hearts where truth resides? And how do you move beyond the wounds of the past to discover that some loves are as solid as the ground beneath your feet, and as enduring as the earth itself?

MY REVIEW

The beauty of this story is that although it is fairly straightforward –no major twists, no big secrets - , it can keep you interested in it until the last page:
Boy has loved girl since they were children but he never said it, girl loved him back but she never expressed her feelings. His twin brother made the first move.
When they finally talk about how they feel and act on it, the result is messy and creates more problems.

I think I have never felt such intense heartache before, while I was reading a book.

The words are so simple but at the same time so enganging.
The atmosphere is relaxed, but the depth of what is implied is so intense.
Everything seems uncomplicated, but everything is a strangling for the main characters.

There are a number of relationships that are unfolded beautifully by the author. Between:
1. The two brothers. Competitive but balanced.
2. Annalia and Preston. Electric and breathless.
3. Annalia and Cole. Playful and childish.
4. Preston and his father. Educational and appreciative.
5. Preston and his mother. Chocking.
6. Preston’s father and Preston’s mother. Faulty.
7. Annalia and her mother.Pitiful and depressing.
8. Annalia’s mother and Annalia’father. Nightmarish.
9. Annalia and the rest of the town. Unkind and unfair.
10. Annalia and Rosa. Embraced and comforting.

If I could count the mistakes, Preston has definitely made the most. I think actually that the title “Preston’s honor” is well-suited to this book.

A man is only as good as his word.

Preston at some point he will need to realize that sometimes things happen, because they just happen. Either good or bad things just happen. And for no particular reason. And because of nobody’s responsibility.

Annalia’s innocence and honesty stand out thoughout the book. You don’t find easily heroines in books that have such an innocent soul – without being totally victims. Annalia is strong in her fragility. The reader becomes her fellow traveler.
I felt for her. I cried for her. I cheered for her.

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I just needed a feelgood, inspiring book.
And the guy on the cover reminded me of James Dean...