Steadfast (True North, #2) by Sarina Bowen Series: True North #2
Published by Rennie Road Books on July 12th 2016
Pages: 313
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She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have. Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.
Sophie Haines is stunned by his reappearance. After a three year absence, the man who killed her brother and broke her heart is suddenly everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never volunteer in the church kitchen.
No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.
Sarina Bowen’s True North series is a breath of fresh air. There are no millionaires, superstar athletes, models, or rock stars. You won’t find people returning from the dead, love triangles, or emotional roller coasters. It’s simply an enjoyable series with down-to-earth, working class characters that warm your heart. Steadfast moves into heavier territory with a believable story about drug addiction and second chances.
This is Jude’s story. He’s a recovering drug addict who has just served three years in prison for manslaughter while driving under the influence. After finding solace working on the Shipley farm for six months, the farming off-season has him returning to his hometown unemployed. It’s the last place on earth he wants to be. Temptations are around every corner, the police chief is out to get him, and he can’t stop wanting his ex-girlfriend/love of his life whose heart he broke.
Jude really brought out my maternal instincts. I just wanted to hug him throughout the entire story. He’s a truly decent man who is trying his best to stay clean and find hope in the midst of grim circumstances. Sarina Bowen turns a sympathetic light on the effects of drug addiction. I love how she gauges Jude’s mood by starting his chapters with a craving meter.
I also had a lot of admiration for Sophie. She and Jude are well matched and I enjoyed their star-crossed and forbidden second chance love affair.
Steadfast is a welcome addition to this sweet series. Zach’s book, Keepsake, is up next. He’s the virgin farm hand with a controversial past. I’m excited to read more about life with the Shipleys.
Recommended for fans of:
Second chance romance
Forbidden love
Survivors
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
About Sarina Bowen
Sarina Bowen is the award-winning author of more than thirty contemporary novels. She has hit the USA Today bestseller’s list nineteen times and counting. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.
Sarina is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. She lives with her family on a few wooded acres in New Hampshire.
Sarina’s books are published in over a dozen languages on five continents.
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