I started reading this book almost three weeks after receiving my ARC. The beginning seemed so confined and reserved. The middle is a little scattered and hard to follow. But the denouement is filled with this bliss that seems unreal. The ending is tense and a little unbearable, like Gone With the Wind or Fifty Shades of Grey. I realized that the story is very character driven therefore the movement of the mood of the book very closely resembles the main character.
Sarah is a Mennonite girl from a provincial town in Alberta Canada. She has spent her entire life completely sheltered by the rigid beliefs of her family. She is easily dismissed by her family and seeks solace in daydreaming. The book opens with her on her way to college. She attends a school several hundred miles away from home with her best friend, Naomi. At college she meets two men, Tyr (pronounced tear) and Adam. The rest of the story proceeds with her having to make tough decisions about which of these men she should pursue. Sarah's family is working on arranging her marriage while she is working on pursuing a life outside of her hometown, one in which she would be forced to live within the confines of strict mother and father.
Sarah's journey of self discovery leads her on a path that is sometimes difficult to read. At other times, this book is difficult to put down. I was so surprised by this book, largely because I had never heard of the author. This is an awesome story. The characters are so different from the standard romance novel stock. I tried to rationalize that maybe it was cultural and relative to the setting but honestly I do not care. I love that they make REAL mistakes. I love that their flaws are relatable. I love that the love triangle isn't this tug of war but this young woman's struggle with affection and attraction. I also like that the reader does not automatically know which man is the right one for Sarah, that we have to wait and see. And I did find the end to be very reminiscent of GWTW and FSOG. I'm glad there is a sequel but lately that has made me nervous because I've been reading really strong first efforts and mediocre to subpar second reads. I think as long as the original story arc is followed every reader will be happy with the follow up, Like Drowning.
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