A moving new stand-alone novel of forbidden love by USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.
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.
… 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.
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OMG! This book. This freakin’ book. I’m wrecked over Sophie and Jude. Their love is so strong and so tortured. Jude is a top-rate Hero with heart-breaking flaws, deep integrity, and an unwavering admiration for the love of his life. Sophie is a formidable Heroine! I was continuously in awe of her humanity and strength. This book is a perfect mix of romance, mystery/crime, and redemption. Be careful. You won’t be able to put it down!
Number 2 in the True North series and so far (I am reviewing after reading 4 so far.) not my favourite so far.
But the characters are real and you feel for them.
Perhaps its the family dynamics that just saddened me that I didn’t really love the book.
Jude after being released from prison, then rehab and then working at the Shipley orchard for the summer has moved back to his home town to work at his dad’s mechanic shop because he really has no where else to go. Who would hire a convicted felon? Every day is a struggle for him to stay sober but he has the Shipley’s and the local NA group meeting to help keep him on the path. And he also has Sophie. His first everything that he thought had moved away to pursue her dreams when his mistakes destroyed her world. But one day after an NA meeting he sees her volunteering to prepare meals.
This story had a bit of everything and I thought it was really well done. I loved everything about it. I loved how it had a bit of a mystery/suspense aspect to the story. I really enjoyed that. I also loved how the author showed that Jude was still struggling every single day. That his recovery wasn’t easy peasy just because he went through the program and because he had Sophie in his life again. Truly respected that aspect. Sophie was an outstanding heroine. I loved her heart and loyalty. I loved how she questioned everything and didn’t back down to get the answers she needed even if it would break her flailing family even more. I also loved that even though Jude isn’t working at the farm anymore we still got to spend time with the Shipleys. I heart the Shipleys and I heart Jude and Sophie. Great great book.
That was an amazing emotional rollercoaster. It is a sad story with bright moments in between and a HEA. I started crying since page 1 and I kept going till the end. Sad and happy tears were mixed together during this read and I’m not shy to say it.
I loved the story and the characters. Their love was the thing that kept me reading and made me race to the end. My favorite book so far from this series.
Read: 7/15/16
Steadfast is the second book in the True North series by Sarina Bowen. I loved the first book in the series and I loved this one just as much. Bowen tackled a difficult topic of addiction and didn’t back down by skirting the real issues and painting a unicorns and rainbows view of recovery. As a result, the majority of the storyline was plausible which added depth and substance, creating a successful book.
Jude Nickel was introduced in the first book of the series, Bittersweet, as the felon who had just been released from a drug rehab after serving three years in prison for killing a passenger in a car he was driving while high on drugs. Jude worked the harvest for the Shipley’s in Bittersweet, and was sent home when the work dried up. We were introduced to teasers of his personality and who he could be – liking what we saw. Steadfast opens with his drive to his father’s home, a town he hoped he would never have to go to again.
Sophie Haines is the beautiful, caring daughter living a shell of a life in her parents home after her brother was killed three years ago in a car that her boyfriend was driving. Her parents lives were changed forever on that fateful day and no one would answer any of her questions about that night. Her father was the Police Chief and barely spoke to her, putting the blame of that night squarely on her shoulders. She moved home from college to pick up the pieces.
The story was well written with well developed characters. Albeit, the storyline was dark, Bowen depicted a realistic version of a recovering addict coming home. Bowen also included some intriguing twists which added substance to the storyline, not all were completely plausible; however, mix in the small town politics, and it was questionable enough to make it work well.
Bowen also included the same cast of supporting characters from the first book of the series. The connections were logical and a great link to the overall series, continuing to provide teasers to future books of the series.
All in all, it was another success for Bowen and I can’t wait to see the next one in the series, Keepsake.
This might be my favorite romance of 2020. I’m a sucker for angsty romance stories with family drama at its core, so this was a perfect fit. I loved that in Bittersweet, book 1 of the series, we get to know Jude, an ex con and ex addict who’s trying to get back on his feet by working on the Shipley’s farm, and then he gets his own story in Steadfast that takes us through his tragic past and how he ended up where he is, plus how he can’t help but want to win back the woman he hasn’t been able to forget and who’s also at the center of the tragedy that put him on his path to addiction and a fateful car accident that sent him to prison. The chemistry ignited the pages of this second chance romance and I rooted for these two with my whole heart. This is the kind of book that you have to mourn once you finish it. Good thing there are more books in the series. If you like angsty second chance romance stories, you won’t be disappointed!
Steadfast is book two in the True North series. It is deeper and more emotional than book one. But with all of the same characters you came to know and love in Bittersweet it feels like you’re coming home again. Steadfast is the story of Jude and Sophie. They were high school sweethearts but fate wouldn’t let them realize their dreams. But maybe it wasn’t really fate that kept them apart, sent Jude to prison, and Sophie into giving up her dreams to help hold her family together.
Now, three and a half years later, Jude is back in town. He has turned his life around. Sophie is still trying to hold hers together. Steadfast is a second chance story, but it is so much more. It is real. It is raw. It will have you smiling one minute and screaming the next. Steadfast is addictive.
honestly not my fave of the true north series, but still a good story!
*Audio Review – 5 Stars*
Copy kindly received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was really keen to read/listen to this story, because we met Jude in the first book of this series, and I really thought that was some potential for both himself personally, and his history/future story.
Man, I was in for one hell of a ride. Both Sophie and Jude were wonderful main characters, and I thought the narrators brought them to life really well. Jude proved to be the man I thought he was, and then even more. Sophie has an interesting home life, and can I just say that I absolutely despised her father. Man, did I want to punch him sometimes. Ugh.
Secondary characters like Denny, who was sure a mix of things, and the Shipley family added to the story. I liked having them there, they’re all great people.
There’s also a bit of a mystery in this one, and when everything panned out, holy moly I didn’t expect it. Some thing, yes, I started to think I was onto. But others, whoa.
I really loved this one, and I can’t wait to continue this series, either via audio or reading the actual novel. Both would be great options.
Wow what a real, at times gritty and always heartfelt story from Sarina Bowen. I love this True North series and this one was second chance romance to the hilt. Don’t miss this one!
Oh Em Geeeee. Guys, this book totally wrecked me. After blowing through Bittersweet and one-clicking this baby seconds later, I was roped in once again and got nothing done in real life until I was finished. It’s that good.
Jude isn’t the same kind of book boyfriend that Griff was, and his story is much heavier. My heart was in shreds by the end of this thing, and my blood pressure must have been sky-high once the action got going full-tilt. Still, somehow Ms. Bowen brought home an amazing HEA for these two, and it was so, so satisfying after everything they’d been through.
I highly recommend this installment. It handles so many difficult subjects with such clarity and sensitivity that you really can’t look at life the same way once you’re done. As for the series, I think it’s fair to say I’m a convert and Sarina Bowen’s newest fan.
I loved this book ,great characters and i loved the story line 🙂
Omg Jude is so awesome, i loved that he finally got help for his addiction and he’s keeping clean even though it’s one of the hardest thing he’s done ,losing Sophie and going to prison changed him for the better and now that he has a 2nd chance he’s doing everything he can to be better ,he never thought he’d see Sophie again but here she is and just like 3 years ago they can’t stay away from each other ,the pull between them is so strong and the love they had one another never went away ,it’s not the easiest relationship because there are so many people who don’t want them together but they won’t let that get in the way of true love 🙂
I love Sophie ,i totally get why she’s in the rut with her family ,she had plans but they took a back burner because of everything that went down ,she lost her brother ,her family to the grief and she lost Jude because he went to prison ,but now that he’s back they find each other again and it is so awesome to see them together ,they really are meant for one another ,Jude is the only one who ever believed in her and the only one who listened to her and she did the same for him 🙂 ,i loved their story and i loved the end where he asks her to marry him (swoon) it was perfect !
OMG Sophie’s dad is a total AssHole ,i hated him so freaking much ,he should rot in jail for the rest of his life !
Love love love this series and i can not wait to read the next book !
True North My favorite serie
Quand j’avais lu le premier tome sur Griffin Shipley, j’avais fondu face à ce personnage dont j’avais adoré l’histoire. Griffin nous offrait une romance “classique” et douce mais un autre personnage avait attiré mon attention et il s’agissait de Jude Nickel, un ancien prisonnier qui après avoir purgé sa peine de trois ans devait se remettre sur les rails. Son histoire monte d’un cran et c’est un véritable coup de coeur .
Jude Nickel a donc payé sa dette à la société en purgeant trois ans en prison mais malheureusement son corps porte encore les séquelles de ces fautes car il reste encore très fragile face à son addiction. Il était accro aux opiacés et en prison il est passé à l’héroïne. Le combat qu’il va donc mener sera d’autant plus difficile qu’après avoir passé quelque mois dans un cocon familial douillet chez les Shipley, il va devoir retourner dans sa ville natale, dans la garage de son père pour tenter de continuer de remonter la pente. Cela ne sera pas chose facile car la tentation reste grande et il faudra une sacrée force de caractère pour résister. Il assistera aux séances d’aides aux anciens toxicomanes dans l’église du Père Stephens et on le voit tenter de prendre son problème à bras le corps.
Mais revenir affronter ses vieux démons implique aussi de revoir celle qu’il a aimé et qu’il a fait souffert en tuant son frère. Sophie est plus belle que jamais et ô miracle, elle va de nouveau lui adresser la parole. Ce que j’ai adoré dans ce tome est le fait de pouvoir découvrir des pans de leur passé commun et de voir que leur histoire d’amour était très profonde. Bien qu’adolescent, ils étaient tout l’un pour l’autre mais les faux pas de Jude ont tout réduit à néant. N’ayant aucun souvenir de l’accident mortel, il ne pourra que s’excuser et tenter de rester à distance . Mais le souci c’est que l’attirance est toujours là et l’alchimie aussi . Quand tout le monde tente de lui mettre des bâtons dans les roues, il pourra compter évidemment sur les Shipley pour être à ses côtés mais aussi sur Sophie qui n’a pas encore tourné la page de leur histoire commune.
Sophie Haines est une jeune femme que j’ai adoré découvrir . Elle avait des rêves adolescentes qu’elle n’a pas pu mettre en oeuvre mais elle a choisi une voie professionnelle qui lui sied parfaitement. Elle a cette empathie en elle qui lui permet de venir en aide aux autres. Depuis trois ans, elle a mis sa vie entre parenthèses pour s’occuper de sa mère qui ne s’est jamais relevée de la tragédie que sa famille a vécue et elle doit aussi supporter les remarques acerbes et injustes de son père. Sophie n’est pas le genre de femme à lâcher l’affaire quand un détail la titille et elle ne croit pas à ce qu’on lui a dit sur l’accident de son frère Gavin. Il reste des zones d’ombre qu’elle a besoin d’éclaircir et Jude pourra peut être l’aider .
Elle avait tenté de garder le contact avec lui en prison mais il a toujours refusé de lire ses lettres. Le revoir sera un nouveau coup pour elle mais loin d’avoir peur , elle va le voir et le confronter. L’alchimie sera toujours là et je crois bien que les sentiments aussi. Mais Sophie ne peut plus vivre sa vie comme elle l’entend et elle devra garder certaines informations secrètes pour ne pas déclencher de remous. Pourtant , elle ne renoncera jamais dans ce tome, même dans les moments les plus chaotiques et on espère simplement que l’amour triomphera et que la vérité éclatera car on commence à émettre des hypothèses en espérant que celles ci s’avèrent être fondées.
Bref, Sarina Bowen met la barre plus haut avec Jude qui ne peut que nous charmer et faire fondre notre coeur. Son histoire va nous faire vibrer, nous émouvoir et nous permettre aussi de revoir les Shipley. L’histoire de Jude et Sophie n’est ni anodine ni banale et on ne peut qu’espèrer les voir enfin heureux . L’addiction sera t-elle plus fort que l’amour?
This is becoming one of my favourite series, I loved Bittersweet it was such a different book me, Steadfast was the kind off book I normally loved and his was no exception. Loved love loved Jude and the battle he faces with being a drug addict and the love for a girl that never fades. I loved Sophie as well, Sarina Bowen did such an amazing job with this book and it being so different to the first book in the series, with serious issues and different battles faced everyday by both characters.
I’m just hoping that October comes quickly as I cannot wait for the third book super excited. I wish I could give more than 5 stars but I can’t 🙁
5 this book is life stars
Jude’s book!!! YESSSSSSSS
Sophie’s his original love… yesssssss…
I recommend reading Bittersweet book 1, first, this could be read as stand alone but why would you do that! Start at 1, the character development continues through this story with all the characters. Join me in the apple picking, cider making, world of the Shipleys…
I dont want to be a spoiler on this book.
Let me say,
1) You get lots of the Shipley’s in this book.
2) There is a happily ever after. Even when you think how could there be, there is, this author is that talented.
3) I will say, you find out in book 1…
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Jude was previously in jail for 3 years for wrecking a car in it while under serious opiate influence, killing the sheriff’s son (which was also the love of his you life’s brother)
You will swoon and fall in love with Jude. You will feel his pain and want him to succeed so much.
He is 8 months sober and of jail at this start of this book (or there abouts) and he is hanging on with both nails to his sobriety. He lived with the Shipleys for 1st months to get back on his feet, make some money, and be sober a little longer. Prior to going back to his hometown 20 mins down the highway.
Sophie, Sophie, gotta love Sophie. She is trying to hold her broken family together with paper straws and a glue stick. And her parents use and abuse her, specifically her dad. Her mom is just physically present but mentally absent.
Jude and Sophie together seems impossible.
I adore the way this author portrays very difficult subjects and makes you feel for and cheer on her characters to succeed.
I highly recommend book 1 and 2 in the true north series…
I should mention, all the book are smoking sexy hot… The plot is so great, this is a bonus, but if you want a book that is panty-melting and puts you all in your feels, Ms. Bowen is the author for you
Sarina Bowen
~ 4.5 Stars ~
Steadfast can be read as a standalone. However, we first meet Jude in True North. I knew when he was first introduced that he would end up being one of my favorites. There was just something about him that draws you in and makes you want to know everything there is about him.
Jude is a recovering addict who served time in prison for killing a man while driving under the influence of narcotics. Now that he is out, he has been working hard to stay clean and start a new life for himself. When he first got out of prison, he was able to spend 6 months at the Shipley Farm in a nearby town from him hometown of Colebury, VA. The long hours and the simplistic life was good for him. But now the apple season has passed and he’s forced to return home. The one place he has tried to avoid. The temptation too easy and the memories of losing not only some of his life but the love of his life is extremely difficult.
Sophie has always loved Jude. She was the good girl who wanted the bad boy. When she caught his attention, she fell hard and fast. When Jude shows back up in town after serving time, she tries to avoid him but he seems to be everywhere in her life. He’s also changed from the boy she knew and loved. Once again, Sophie finds herself drawn right back to the only boy she’s ever loved.
This book is heartbreaking yet inspiring. Jude’s drug addiction is all too real. Most of us have had some kind of personal connection to addiction. What I think sets this book apart from some of the most recent addiction books that I’ve read is the fact that it gives you more of an inside look at the struggles of a recovering addict. Through Jude, Sarina shows us just how difficult day by day is. We also get to see things that might seem small to some people but are milestones for addicts. I know that many people will be able to connect to this story.
I like the fact that we get to see Sophie’s side of it as well. Addiction isn’t isolated to the user only. It’s affects your loved ones and those around you. Her situation and actions are relatable and gives just a little bit of insight from the loved one’s point of view. She’s a very strong heroine who has been through a lot with her family yet she still has the heart to digest and understand just what happened during his addiction.
Overall, I really enjoyed this heartbreakingly beautiful second chance novel and I really can’t recommend it enough. It won’t be pretty all the time but it’s inspiring for people who have to overcome a serious life obstacle and come out of it with hope. Well done, Sarina. I’ve enjoyed this series and I can’t wait for the next book.
Oh, man! True North series knocked me out of my boots so far, and I have no doubts book three, Keepsake, will be just as perfect, just as deserving of these HUGE five stars both Bittersweet and Steadfast got from me! And it’s all because they were so damn amazing.
Skeptical: that’s how I’d have described my feelings about Steadfast at first – it’s about one hard topic to read, ya know? But, hell, I should have known better than to doubt Mrs Bowen talent for bringing us these wonderful stories in writing. So, Steadfast turned out to be wonderful!
I loved it. I loved Jude and I loved Sophie. I hated what they both had been through, but at the same time I loved the strength they acquired during those hard times – they came out scarred, but stronger. I loved Jude’s determination to get better and Sophie’s to do justice. I loved how she believed in Jude and never thought less of him despite his addiction he overcame. I loved how she decided to trust him with her heart, no matter what. I loved how he loved her: with his whole huge heart, and how he always did what he thought was best for her – even if that pained him. And I loved how he let her make her own decisions at the end – it’s her life, and for him she was always that one thing that matters most.
Yes, I loved whole lot of things about this book! It’s kind of completely different from what was expected after Bittersweet since it speaks of completely different problems, and I still loved it. Mrs Bowen knows how to create strong personalities for her characters that we can clearly distinguish and that can carry on their own stories – she does it very well!
Bittersweet and Steadfast are both on the top of my 2016 read list. Amazing stories and amazing characters that will stay in your heart long after you’ve finished reading the book!
Sarina Bowen at her best: heart-warming and intense read!
Despite the subject matter Steadfast was an uplifting book overall.
It was so good and amazingly written plus I love second chance love stories.
Jude’s tough journey to find redemption,peace and happiness made me cry in a few parts but I’ve really appreciated his perseverance and resolution.
Sophie is a very good character,she doesn’t leave the people she loves,she doesn’t give up and she fights for the truth till the end.She gave me so much hope throughout the whole story.
I can’t wait to read next book in this series because I’m sure it will be entirely different but equally good.
Holy crap what an emotional and fantastic book! Jeez, my cold dead heart is working overtime. My feels are all over the place!
OMG Jude is my hero, I just want to give him a big ole hug. It takes big balls to overcome an addiction. I know this is fiction, but I felt like I was right there with him every step of the way. I was rooting for him, especially everything with Sophie. I just loved this story so much. The writing sucked me right in, it was hard to put down so I could do life.
I really don’t know what else to say except damn, this book is so, so, so good. I would reread this one. And Bittersweet too.