Farmers make the earth move.
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 … 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.
Warning: Contains sexual situations, gourmet yumminess, a steamy outdoor shower and proof that farmers don’t mind getting dirty.
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YES! This was sooo good! Romantic and full of family!
I push this book like no other. I even tried to get Mr Wood to read it.
It should be no surprise that I’m recommending it to you as well.
And, if I ever get my husband to read it, I’ll report back. 😉
I started with this book by Sarina Bowen and quickly sped onto the next one in the series. The worldbuilding and character development in these stories are AMAZING! I’m the furthest person from a foodie, but this story made me want to try all of Ashley’s recipes when I schedule a vacation to Vermont. 😉
Based on the premise and how hot their first sex scene is, you might assume it’s on the erotic side with lighter character development, but stick with the story and you’ll see how much depth it really has. 🙂 The other books I’ve read in the series are equally fantastic (if not even better!) — love them!
This was my first Sarina Bowen romance. I’m not sure how that’s possible now that I’ve read her. This book is hilarious and witty, plus romantic. Major steam! Can’t get enough of this series.
5 OH MY GOSH WHY DID I NOT READ THIS BEFORE STARS….
I flipping loved this book… SOOOO MUCH!
Where has this series been all my life, I started on 9/1 and am now in book 5 and LOVING each one.
Book 1: (PSST, it is free right now)
Griffin, oh my Griffin, grouchy, lovable, alpha, protective Griff… Love him so. Seriously, amazing hero and takes care of his whole family. He runs an apple orchard and a dairy outfit for his family since his Dad passed (a few years prior to this books timeline).
He liked a girl when he was in college, a lot. Problem, she was with his frat brother. After she and frat guy broke up, Griff and her had a hot little thing and then she disappeared.
Enter Audrey, I LOVED this character, SO STINKING MUCH… I feel for her, I relate to her. She was just kind, and sweet and thought she was worthless. Her mother is a factor in why she thinks she is the greatest thing since sliced bread (WHICH SHE IS)…. Her mother is very analytical, driven, ambitious, wants the same in her daughter and Audrey is more artistic, and kind, and an awesome chef.
A few years after school they run into each other, literally, when her company (who is a POS of company that use and abuse their employees) sends her to the country area of Vermont to try and drum up low balled produce and product for their restaurants, her car gets a flat tire on his farm.
I simply adored the Shipley family and the way this author wrote Audrey’s self perceived shortcomings was pure genius. Often, when a character makes a self deprecating remark it can come across like a pity party or 1 step away from being a martyr. Not Sarina Bowen, she wrote it in a way that made my heartbreak and feel like Audrey believed what she was saying but still was ok with herself too. It MADE this book for me.
All of it was great, character development, plot, heat, flow, time frames, it was perfection. Seriously, I have now spent a fortune on buying the next 5 and there is more to come.
Side note: I loved the side characters here, Zac, Jude, May, Zara, Kyle, Keiran, Ruth, Dylan, Daphne, ALL OF THEM… CANNOT wait to read all their stories…
Bittersweet Book 1: Griff and Audrey story (this book)
Steadfast Book 2: Jude and Sophie’s story
Keepsake Book 3: Zac and Lark’s story
Bountiful Book 4: Zara and Dave’s story
Speakeasy Book 5: May and Alec’s story
Coming 11/13/2018 Fireworks Book 6: Ben and Skye’s story
I highly recommend!
Sarina Bowen
I love Sarina Bowen’s books; she’s one of my favorites in the new adult/contemporary romance genre.
I read Bittersweet a while ago, and have since read all of the books in the True North series. Sarina creates memorable characters, the dialogue is smart, and you immediately feel immersed in the setting. Clear a few hours on your schedule when you start one of her books because they are un-put-downable. Her newest release is coming out next week, so if you’re looking for a good holiday weekend read, I’d recommend starting this series.
This was so fantastically awesome. I can’t even begin to tell you how in love I am with Griffin and his family and how wonderful Audrey is. It was such a sweet, fun story that was incredibly well written. I was smiling the entire time! A must read for sure!!!
Awesome read. Looooov it.
I cannot believe I have the amazing book on my kindle since 2019 and never read it. I love everything about the story. Brilliant plot, amazing characters, beautifully relationships between families and the chemistry between the two main characters are off the charts.
I adore Sarina Bowen’s characters, and this novel didn’t disappoint. I loved Grumpy Griff and the whole farm family. Diving right into the rest of the series!
There are no words I can use to convey what Bittersweet means to me. The whole True North series owns me, and you can’t pay me enough to choose one as my favorite, but there’s something really special about Bittersweet that makes me go back every once in a while and read it again.
Bittersweet is the first book in the True North series, and the best place to start if you ask me. Because if you happen to love beautifully written stories that will fill your heart with feelings and make you think, then you will definitely want to read them all.
There are a lot of things I love about Sarina Bowen’s writing, but one of my favorite is the fact that she makes me laugh. She’s witty and smart, and just plain brilliant. She’s not trying to be funny, she just is. And she makes me cry just as skillfully. Sometimes even at the same time. She is such a talented writer and storyteller. Her words shine, and her stories flow smoothly, making her books unputdownable.
Griffin Shipley, aka Grumpy Griff, is the hottest farmer in Vermont. In all the land, really. He has a beautiful farm, an adorable family, and a lot of work to do. He’s passionate about his apple trees and cider, dedicated to his family, but a little overwhelmed by the responsibilities he had to take on when his father died three years ago.
And then one day, out of nowhere, Audrey Kidder shows up at his farm. She’s a trained chef, an excellent one, but she’s working as a produce buyer for a soulless corporation back in Boston. She’s sassy, honest and determined, and poor Griffin doesn’t intimidate her much. They first met in college five years ago, but their reacquaintance doesn’t go very well. At first. But once they start spending time together, the fighting only makes their attraction to each other stronger. And in the end, they will have to find a way to be together and get everything they ever wanted, or go their separate ways.
I love Griffin and Audrey together. Their banter is hilarious and so charged with tension and longing. Griffin is such a grump! He’s funny, passionate, honorable, and sweet. And he’s hot. He’s a good guy. A great guy. But he’s such a guy! I love him. And Audrey is fierce, sassy, and seriously hilarious. The way she talks to Griff will have you laughing so hard. But what I love most about her is how real she feels. She’s a hoot, but she also has many insecurities, a difficult relationship with her mother, and a lot of sad childhood stories that show how strong she really is.
I also fell in love with Vermont reading Bittersweet. It feels like another character in the story, and Sarina Bowen does a wonderful job making it come alive in the reader’s mind. All the trees, the mountains, the small town vibe, the weather, everything is there for us to almost touch.
Bittersweet is an enemies to lovers, second chance, small town romance. It will fill your heart with love for the Shipleys, and your soul with longing for Vermont. It’s emotional and beautifully written. It will make you laugh and cry, but ultimately, it will make you smile. And it will make you happy. I totally recommend reading Bittersweet, and then the rest of the True North series. You’ll see for yourself you’ll never get enough Vermont in your life.
This was my first Sarina Bowen book and it won’t be my last! I really enjoyed this book! I got drawn into the book right away! I love books where you feel like you are really there with the characters and this book gave me that feeling! I also loved that you got a straight forward love story that didn’t have any drawn out drama too! I can’t wait to read the next book
Audible Review
Overall 4 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 4 out of 5 stars
I’m ready to pack up and move to VT!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who wanted to pack up and move to Vermont after finishing this book. I actually went there on my honeymoon, many moons ago, and even though the marriage didn’t last I’ve always had a soft spot for that area.
Bittersweet was a nice, easy listen. I think Sarina is such a terrific writer- her stories are always so engaging, and this one was no different. I loved grumpy Griff! He family is wonderful, I want them to adopt me.
The love story between Griff and Audrey was a bit of a slow burn, but I thought that worked well with the story. I liked that there wasn’t a lot of drama between them, other than that one little blip.
I enjoyed both narrators. Tad brought just enough grumpiness to Griff’s character, without going over the top. I enjoyed his voice- this was the first book I’ve listened to that he narrated. Saskia was a good Audrey- she sounded age appropriate and I liked the way she portrayed her.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the books in the series!
***Borrowed through AE.
I’ve started with Jude’s story, so this was my 2nd book. Love this series so much. Thank you!
Absolutely loved this story, I was hooked from page 1. Loved the romance and family dynamics.
I am all in for the Shipley clan! This is one of coziest, autumn-vibe-filled stories you’re likely to find, and it’s absolutely perfect for curling up with. It’s sexy and sweet and had me laughing out loud on several occasions, but what I loved most was the real sense of atmosphere and world building. The setting felt so real and immersive, and I loved reading about the people who were a part of it. If you’re a fan of small town romances and family sagas, this will totally be your jam. You can’t help but want to binge on the other books in the series after meeting everyone in Bittersweet. They’re a loveable and entertaining gang I’m so happy I got to meet.
I’m ready to read more from Sarina Bowen
This book spoke to me. I found it very enjoyable.
Love her stories. All of her series are amazing. Great characters and if you read enough of them the characters crossover. Fun to see that and recognize them. Highly recommend.
I so enjoyed this book and the characters in it!
The main reason I loved this book was Grumpy Griff. Grumpy heroes are my catnip and he’s been added to my list of favorites.