Danica Nava is so good at dropping readers right into the main character’s mental crisis. At the beginning of Sunflower Season, June Walker thinks she has everything under control. She has a soul sucking, but financially rewarding job. Her entire life is centered around that, except for the app she designed to encourage her to develop a little work life balance. Her virtual garden app is the clue that June does not want to be at a tech company in San Francisco. Danica Nava yanks that thread and very quickly, June’s rigidly controlled existence is on fire. June is out of a job, attempting a home dye job, and getting rid of everything so she can go back home and buy her late grandmother’s farm in a foreclosure auction.
Having escaped her previous life filled with annoying men who want her to quietly accept indignity, June still has annoying men to deal with, and one of them is her first love, who would like some answers. The first third of the book is mostly June’s point of view. We see her break and then flail, trying to get her world back together. By the time we get Noah’s point of view, I was curious about what was driving him. He seems to have it together (he has the job he always dreamed of), but he seems to flip flop between needling June and trying to take care of her. Fellow readers, he is, emotionally, as big a mess as June. I love it. I really enjoyed watching these two messes figure it out together and start to build something that strengthens communities and not just bank accounts.
Today is Election Day in the US! Just so you know, June would never have to cancel out Noah’s vote because he doesn’t vote against the interests of his community or women.
Another thing you should know about Noah – he bought out the pharmacy. IYKYK.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Berkley and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
