It might be a fake date, but what if he’s not faking it?Loner Cole North has always been the odd guy out. His IQ is sky-high, but he’s not so bright when it comes to people or relationships. Years ago, he spurned expectations, shunned his family’s business, and embraced a career in construction instead. Now he values his job above everything, in part because of his secret feelings for his boss, … feelings for his boss, Sierra. While he could never be right for her personally, he endeavors to be exactly what she needs professionally.
Remodeler Sierra Lowell might be creative, hardworking, and a color-outside-the-lines thinker in her job, but there’s one line she’s never crossed. It’s tough enough to be a woman in a man’s job without adding sex or emotions to the mix. Smart, sexy Cole is without question her right-hand man, but the lines get blurred when Sierra’s life is complicated with a wedding date crisis and the television opportunity of a lifetime.
Cole impulsively steps up to be her go-to guy for both. When their fake date is interrupted by a family emergency, having Sierra at his side makes him realize there’s a fine line between alone and lonely and that maybe he’s ready for less of both. Can he find a way to go from being a right-hand man to the right man for her?
True North is a stand-alone story with a HEA in the North Brothers series, a spin-off of the Hale Street series.
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I loved Sierra and Cole they were great characters!! Stuck in the middle usually causes problems with kids. I liked how they seemed to bring each other out of their shells…more Cole then Sierra. Fake to real in no time.
Cole North is not your typical middle child. Nope. He is definitely not the peacemaker in the North family. He is the exact opposite. Cole has a lot of baggage he’s been carrying around for years. A lot to answer for and a lot to let go of. Can he do it? Sierra is a successful business owner in a man’s world. She owns a construction and renovation business. She is also Cole’s boss. Sierra has strict rules concerning her business and she is not about to break them. Or, maybe she is….
True North is the start of another series by Ms. Knupp. These characters are flawed and real, they are honest. This was a very enjoyable story that easily held my interest. It’s a great start to the North Brothers series.
great read
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I’ll be reading the rest of her work! Loved every minute– great characters and a beautiful love story.
Cole North is just the sexy construction dude you’re looking for! Loved True North!
This was a wonderful start to another series. I also loved seeing old “friends” from Hale Street here. Sierra is the sister to Kennedy. Kennedy is getting married in just a few days. She and her current boyfriend agree that they aren’t for each other but he would be there for her as her plus-one for Kennnedy’s wedding. But on Thursday, he breaks it off and Sierra is now date-less for the Saturday wedding! Cole North is Sierra’s foreman and he has had a thing for Sierra since he started working for her construction company. Sierra has a no fraternization between her, the boss, and any of her workers. While Cole decides to be her plus one, it is just as a “fake” date to get through the reception and dancing. This is the start of the blurring of lines for these two. Cole doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t feel that he is good enough for her. Things between these two really heat up but Cole’s past gets in the way.
The drama for Cole to deal with an event that shaped his outlook, was one that was deeply touching. I really appreciated having this story being written in the dual POV format. This really helped me to identify with him. I truly felt for him and what he went through.
The “sexy” scenes were few and highly glossed over with no great detail. That being said though, I would highly recommend this one to anyone OVER the age of 18.
I love all the North brothers series. If your a sucker for friends to lovers stories like me, this is a great read for you. Lexie thinks she’s found true love. Until her fiancé breaks things off minutes before the ceremony. But Gabe her best friend of 30 yrs whisks her away from this humiliation. He’s wanted to be more than friends but now isn’t the time. Can he convince Lexie that she is lovable. I mean as I said he’s loved her for years. You should check out their journey from friends to lovers for yourself.
I loved this story set in Nashville full of authentic characters, my favorite being Cole, of course! Super hot bad boy anyone? New author for me, and I have already downloaded my second book of hers. Looking forward to the next in the series!
Entertaining
I picked this one up on a deal. Knupp is a new-to-me author. But the characters were so well developed–I found I liked them and was rooting for their HEA right from the start. The ending was super-satisfying without being crazy. The characters even grew as people during the story (so they could really be good for each other.) You can bet I bought the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one!
Entertaining, but just seemed a little “off.” Maybe it moved too fast. Not really good character development.
I stopped reading in the epilogue.
I know.
So, I loved the first third of this book: her profession, her personality, his desire NOT thought in explicit actions but in actual feelings, even if some were self-abusive. I mostly loved the rest. Side characters were okay, etc. I skim most sex scenes and this was no exception, but there aren’t a lot, since they had no sex trouble.
I was skimming through the last several chapters, because I could tell the author put less thought into them. The prose went predictable, the action ditto. Judging by the reviews, I guess a lot of people don’t care, but I do.
And then.
Oh, fellow readers.
I may actually have snarled.
In an offhand line, the author committed ugliness. Probably because the last fourth of the book got a lot less editing attention. It is a terribly derogatory comment about the new foreman, and I’m still mad. It was not in Sierra’s character to think such a nasty thing, and I am very done with this author over it. Yep. One sentence. In the EPILOGUE.
Am I picky? Yes! This is my brain these stories go into. “…too old and too ugly for…jealous(y)…” is stupid on many levels. Ageist, sexist, dismissive, insulting, rude, and out of character. And it’s that last one that killed the story for me. You invented Sierra, author. How could you ruin her?
Nice but pretty trite.
I really enjoyed this book. Good story
Sorry, I didn’t realize I was getting a book with swearing in it, so will not be reading after the first chapter.
Great read
Amazing how one “fake” date between friends can so totally turn two lives around add in an family estrangement, a contest for a TV show and quirky friends and you have the makings for a wonderful love story. Cole has worked for Sierra for several years, but their relationship has never crossed the line until Cole decides to rescue Sierra and be her “fake” date for her sister’s wedding. The sparks start to fly at the reception and then get derailed by Cole’s mother’s heart attack. Sierra soon learns that Cole has kept secret his association with the North Brother’s franchise and that he has a big family. Cole must come to terms with his past and the guilt that he has struggled with for so long if he wants to have a future with Sierra and with his brothers. As Sierra starts falling in love with Cole, she has to deal with her “not getting involved with an employee rule”, her bid for winning the TV spot and the fact that she cannot pressure Cole or she might push him too far away. This was a lovely story and I look forward to learning more about the North Brothers and some of the other characters mentioned.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a new author for me and I can’t believe that I hadn’t read her before. She used to write for Harlequin and somehow I missed her. Well, after reading this gem of a book, I will not be making that mistake again.
This book had me from the beginning. Sierra is a woman working in a man’s world but that doesn’t take away from her feminity. She has wants and needs like everyone else but she is not about to date someone from work. No matter how good looking they are…Cole, I’m looking at you. She knows that she shouldn’t cross the line but she does anyway. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing. Go to a wedding and move on. Do you know what they say about best-laid plans? And then compound that with an opportunity to be on television to do a renovation project? She needs Cole there beside her to make her dream complete.
I love Sierra. She is strong, very capable but overall, she is still a woman. She doesn’t NEED a man to complete her but spending time with Cole makes her realize what she is missing in her life. I loved how she was able to be professional (most of the time) with Cole at work and then be funny, flirtatious and a woman with Cole after hours. She makes herself vulnerable to him and to me that just endears even more to me.
Cole is a puzzle. Ms. Knupp does a great job of slowly peeling away the layers that are Cole. Brilliant, somewhat black sheep of the family, great at his job and totally 100% in love with Sierra. He doesn’t want to mess up their working relationship either but like she, he feels the pull towards her and lays everything on the line for her and their love.
Cole’s family is at times a hoot and then you have the older brother that honestly, I didn’t particularly like. Even when all the secrets and backstory are spilled, my opinion didn’t change. However, his mother always believed in him no matter what. I really liked how Ms. Knupp wrote Cole’s family story and weaved into his romance with Sierra. At times frustrating but in the end, I can’t wait to read more about the other two brothers.
Ms. Knupp has a fan for life now. I devoured this book in a day. I couldn’t put it down; it is that good. True North is emotional, relatable, swoon-worthy and a keeper on my shelf. The secondary characters are well written and the scenes with Cole and Sierra’s dad are funny. I could see Cole sweating it out with him. Did I mention that Cole has a demon kitten? OMG…that cat is hilarious and just humanizes Cole that much more.
Pick this book up. Read it and say thank you to me. It doesn’t disappoint. Now the wait begins for the next North brother.
5 stars
I received a free copy of the full length steamy novel True North: North Brothers book 1: Cole and Sierra by Amy Knupp and this review was given freely.
A Hale Street, Nashville Tennessee Series spin off containing all the characters we love from that series joined together at Kennedy and Hunter’s wedding and, introducing the large diverse and somewhat dysfunctional extended North family and the North Brothers Sporting company. An introverted genius, construction foreman Cole North steps out of his comfort zone to help the woman he secretly loves, his boss Sierra Lowell, at the same time his mother’s heart attack forces him to reunite with his family. This a complicated opposites attract novel where the lines of professionalism and friendship become blurred by attraction and the hopes for more. Well balance and easy flowing with realistic characters, this is a fast paced rocky romance filled with tragedy, drama, a touch of humor and of course a happy ending.
True North is a wonderful first in series story by Amy Knupp. Sierra is the owner of a construction business started by her grandfather that restores historic buildings. A female boss in a traditional male role. Cole is a no relationship kind of person who has not been able to let go of his troubled past. He gave up his share of the company his father and uncle founded as he felt he was unworthy. Tragedy strikes his family bringing Cole and Sierra together and she is able to see his attributes. It is not all smooth sailing for them as they make major decisions in their lives. A wonderful, interesting story with real life characters, flaws and all. I loved this story!