In Danica Nava's Sunflower Season, June Walker's all-consuming job at a San Francisco tech company ends with an unceremonious exit and a sigh of relief. She discovers that a sunflower farm she loved visiting as a child is for sale, and June decides that returning home to Love County, Okla., and buying Sunflower Farm is the fresh start she needs. But June's excitement at winning the land auction is cut short when she arrives to find that one of her new fields is engulfed in flames. To make matters worse, the fire captain putting out the blaze is none other than Noah Abbott, her ex-boyfriend.
Noah is still hurt and confused by the way June left town 10 years ago without so much as a good-bye. But his easy charm, and his steady determination to prove to June that their connection is just as strong as it used to be, pulls June back into his orbit, despite her protests and witty retorts.
Nava's clever banter and heated chemistry come with an endearing cast of quirky small-town characters such as Buzz, Love County's "Okie version of Joe Dirt." While most welcome June back with open arms, questions remain about whether she really plans to stay. Coupled with June's own sadness surrounding the events that caused her to leave home--and Noah--for so long, June's journey to rebuild the farm and her life shows her what it truly means to belong. As Sunflower Farm buzzes back to life with flowers, honeybees, and lively community activities, June and Noah's heartwarming second chance shines with forgiveness, hope, and true love. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer