Book Review: A Fallow Heart

by Linda Kage

Book Description:

Ten years ago, an oil tycoon’s daughter and a farmer’s son shared a moment neither would ever forget. When she left town in disgrace, a piece of her stayed locked deep within his soul. And like the ground he tended, his emotions lay fallow for years. Cooper Gerhardt’s deeply buried feelings for Jo Ellen Rawlings grew more fertile over time, just waiting for the day she would return to release his deepest desires.

When she strolls back into Tommy Creek, Texas for her ten-year class reunion, Cooper shows her farmboy-style exactly what she missed by leaving. Starting a short-term affair is simply unavoidable. But when the week is over, can either of them let go of the responsibilities and apprehensions keeping them apart? Or will their fallow hearts learn to flourish together?

Book Review: 4/5

“Sometimes a man can be a lot like a farm. He lets his heart lay fallow for a while, and instead of his feelings dying out, they just go dormant, his emotions growing deeper and stronger as time passes. A person only needs to clear away the weeds on the surface to uncover them.”

Usually, I don't really care if a man had his heart broken. BUT - when someone as good, sweet, honest-to-goodness man like Cooper gets his heart broken, my heart gets broken too.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO HATE THE GIRL - but how can I, when Jo Ellen is almost as nice as him?

Oh yes, I'M TORN!

This is a story of a poor sinfully hot farm boy, Cooper falling in love with one of the daughter of the richest man in Tommy Creek, Jo Ellen.

If Cooper was any more kinder, he'd be a saint. I don't know what kind of man can love that unconditionally, and what kind of man can just look his love from afar and not doing anything with his feelings? Oh well, meet Cooper. It's exasperating. Because if I were Jo Ellen, I'd choose him over millions of Travis in this world. He had proven his loyalty and his love when he was there for her at her lowest point. Cooper was willing to sacrifice his life, the future ahead of him for the people he loves. Even after ten years, when his dad got six, he had his business in hiatus and went to work in his father's farm.

HOW CAN JO ELLEN BE SO BLIND?

How can someone so intelligent be so blind with this kind of love? I just want to shake her and tell her: WAKE UP! Wake up before everything will just disappear. Jo Ellen is one of Grady's twin sister. I believe I love Emma Leigh's character more than I liked Jo Ellen. While Emma Leigh was very sociable, friendly and just cool. Jo Ellen was reserved, proper, and a well-mannered lady. These are the main reason why Cooper fell in love with her instead of the other twin. She values commitment, and even though she really didn't like her boyfriend's ways, she stuck to him. Until he left her hanging during the time she needed him most. She was devastated, and it broke her. She decided to go out of town and spend the rest of her senior year in Dallas. She left town, and Cooper broken hearted.

Ten years later - the twins were back in Tommy Creek for a reunion. The moment Cooper and Jo Ellen saw each other for the first time after all those years, chemistry still sizzles between the both of them. But the past keeps chasing the both of them. Can they finally take a risk and find their own happy ending?

Or would they just...

But its not just Cooper and Jo Ellen's story. The surrounding characters have their own stories to share, especially Thad, Cooper's dad whose story surprised me the most. I never could have imagined he could be THAT person when I met him in the earlier pages.

It's nice to be back in Tommy Creek, only years back before The Trouble with Tomboys took place. It was nice to see them young, especially Grady and BJ. I wasn't really sure if it was nice to see Amy alive as well, it was just weird. For those who haven't read the Trouble with Tomboys yet, I suggest you read A Fallow Heart first, although the two can still function as stand alone novels on their own. 

Linda Kage you just made my year. I could not have a better last book to read for 2012 than this one. It made me swoon, laugh, cry - drove me crazy. Thank You!

Favorite Quotes:

• “I was crazy in love with you in high school, and you broke my heart the day you hooked up with someone else our sophomore year. Then you broke it again when you promised me you’d dump him the night we kissed and go out with me instead, because the next morning, you forgot all about me.”
• “Jealousy is an uncontrollable emotion. It attacks all of us. As long as you don’t let it get the best of you, I’m sure you and your envy can live in harmony without anyone getting hurt. So, see? There’s no need to feel bad about it. It makes you normal. Human.” 
• “I’ve found the things I’ve regretted most in my life are the things I wanted to do but never had the courage to try. And I’m beginning to think I don’t want you to become one of my what-if-I’d-only-tried-it regrets.” 
• “Sometimes a man can be a lot like a farm. He lets his heart lay fallow for a while, and instead of his feelings dying out, they just go dormant, his emotions growing deeper and stronger as time passes. A person only needs to clear away the weeds on the surface to uncover them.” 
• “Rational was for people who didn’t have a broken heart.” 
• “When you love, you open yourself up to numerous vulnerabilities and worries and responsibilities you never imagined existed because suddenly there’s someone else in the world who’s more important to you than you are. That’s what makes it so tough.” 
• “You’re a man, darling. There’s something sick and twisted inside you, making you relish girly torture. I don’t understand it myself. Never did.” 
• “If she loves you back, no woman is going to complain about the hour if a man calls her to proclaim his undying love.” 
• “And I don’t want you to love me enough for the both of us. I’d rather carry my own portion, thank you very much. I love you so much it consumes me.” 

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(Disclaimer: Book reviewed was sent to me by the author and I have received no compensation of any kind for the review whether it is positive.)