Bittersweet
True North #1
Sarina Bowen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: June 14, 2016

The new series is set in Vermont. True North is populated by the tough, outdoorsy mountain men that populate the Green Mountain State. They raise cows and they grow apples. They chop a lot of wood, especially when they need to blow off steam. (Beards are optional but encouraged.)

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the orchard.

The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some.

Bittersweet was a story I fell in love with. First off, the premise of a second chance love story coupled with bearded men and set in the beauty of Vermont, I was quite intrigued. When I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to read it. Sarina Bowen is a new to me author and I am so glad I picked this book up! Bittersweet nailed it. It was a fun love story coupled with a dose of reality and passion. This book was a blend everything I expected and it gave me more than I anticipated.

One of the things I loved about this book is somewhat random. I loved the world that it takes place in and the things I learned. Griff’s farm is organic, the real honest to God kind where people take pride in their work and work hard to produce something wonderful. When the first mention of organic farming came about, I was a bit worried that this would become a pedestal to drive an agenda. Instead it made the story awesome. First I learned a lot about the hard work and realities of the average working farmer in such a way that validated the theme and added depth to the story. Because of this I understood the passion that drives Griff . His family has sowed blood, sweat, and tears into the land and the fruits show that very fact. I loved how everyone had a role to play and the community it created. The Shipley family was perfect and their extended “family” melded right into that group!

Another thing I enjoyed about this book was Audrey. This woman was an enigma. I may have judged her like Ship did in the beginning but watching her interact and do the things she loved, it transforms her into a woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get her hands dirty to achieve it. She was sweet and kind, humble in her accomplishments to the point of negating praise. This character is a brilliant blend of smart and naïve. She learns so much and we learn right along with her. Get her in the kitchen and she becomes a queen, wowing those around her with her ingenuity and creativity.

Audrey and Griff are great together. They balance so well. She softens his edges and he encourages her to dream. Their romance is hot. These two dive into passion headfirst and the chemistry is off the charts. When hearts get involved, the sweet moments rival the sexy ones, giving the book a great love story. I cannot wait for more from this series! I am excited to see more of these characters and learn more of their stories. You can bet I will be watching for more of the True North series, excited to see glimpses of Audrey and Griff in the future!

You can grab your copy of Bittersweet today at the retailers listed below! You can also read the FIRST CHAPTER for free online.

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