Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!

August 23, 2016 / 1 Comment / Feature, Mini-Reviews, Recently in Romance, Review

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Hi guys, I’m back today with Part 2 of my Sarina Bowen love fest! If you missed Part 1, Sarina is a new adult romance author whose books I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. Check out yesterday’s post for reviews of hockey romance series The Ivy Years and her upcoming book Rookie Move!

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Today I’ll be reviewing the Him series, her male/male hockey romance collaboration with Elle Kennedy, as well as her newest books, and my personal favorites, Bittersweet and Steadfast, from her True North series set in Vermont.

The True North series by Sarina Bowen

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Bittersweet

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3)
Series: True North #1
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: June 14th 2016
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | The Book Depository | iBooks

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 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.
Keywords: Vermont, sexy romance, lumbersexuals, not cowboys, hard cider, good times, steamy kisses and homemade ice cream.

LOVE LOVE LOVE. Sarina Bowen has knocked it out of the park –err, orchard with this sexy, sweet tale of foodie love. I never thought I would fall for a big, burly, grumpy farmer, but here we are.

Bittersweet is a love story about how plans can be derailed – but for the better. It’s basically a foodie’s dream. Are you obsessed with farm-to-table cooking, or artisanal cheese and cider? If you are, and you’re looking for an adorable, funny, fast & steamy romance, this one is for you.

Audrey is an intern at a big restaurant group in Boston looking to find her way into becoming a chef. Griffin is an ex-hookup from college who is now running his own apple and dairy farm in order to keep his family afloat. Against a heck of a lot of odds, these two meet and the chemistry is explosive. But they live in two different worlds, with a lot of issues – financial, and emotional – that come with them. The push and pull of this relationship is what made this book work – along with the incredible descriptions of Vermont’s natural beauty and the FOOD. Seriously, do not read this book while hungry!

I was a bit annoyed by Audrey’s flightiness at first, but I loved how it balanced out Griff’s grumpiness. And the secondary characters were superb – I had so many questions about farmhand and former addict/convict Jude and bartender Zara. Griffin’s family and the workers at the farm were an absolute delight.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good, unputdownable romance or people in a book slump. You will be captivated from the first word to the very last page.

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Steadfast

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3)
Series: True North #2
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: July 12th 2016
Source: ARC from author (thank you!)
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | The Book Depository | iBooks

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. 

Absolutely freaking loved this book. Possibly my favorite Sarina Bowen book, which is saying a lot. Steadfast is a story of survival, of a young man dealing with addiction in the small town where he first became addicted and the girl he loves who can’t give him up. The narrative alternates between Jude and Sophie, with Jude’s indicating his “cravings meter” and Sophie’s her “internal DJ” (she’s a singer). This sets the tone for a dark and heartrending story, full of the bad in life (wow, are there some crappy situations in this), but also with glimmers of hope.

It’s also really, really sexy. Jude and Sophie’s love for one another is not only smoking hot, it’s tender and honest. These are two people on a crash course towards each other, with every odd stacked against them, and the way they take comfort in and learn from one another…it’s exquisite.

There’s a surprising amount of plot in this book, which also occasionally throws in some flashbacks to when Jude and Sophie were younger and first fell in love, as well as their friends and family in their current situation. Sarina Bowen never writes characters in a bubble, so we also get to see a ton of the Shipleys, the family that Jude first stayed with when he got out of rehab (and the stars of book #1 of this series). I really loved the secondary characters, and the way they wove in and out of the love story.

In between all that, I learned a lot about addiction, ways to fight it, and finding people and moments that help you get through the fight. Even though I’ve never experienced what Jude is dealing with, the themes of finding acceptance, believing you deserve good things, and being able to have hope? Those are universal. I felt so much for Jude and Sophie, and I was definitely inspired to think more about giving people second chances and the benefit of the doubt.

Coming soon from Sarina Bowen…

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Keepsake (True North, #3)

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3)
Series: True North #3
Publication date: October 2016

Lark Wainright, 23, has nightmares. She used to be fearless. But while overseas for her nonprofit employer, she was kidnapped and held at gunpoint in a dusty shack. Everyone has an opinion about what might have happened to here there, but she's not saying much. She's too consumed by guilt to talk about it.

When her best friend offers her a stay at the Shipley orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps into her little car and heads to Vermont. Unfortunately, the night terrors don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret from those who know her best, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of Orange County, Vermont, to calm her down when her dreams prove too much.

Zachariah, 23, is a survivor of a different kind. It’s been three years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult out west, and the only home he’d ever known. In Vermont, he’s found a peaceful place in the bunkhouse at the Shipley’s farm. He’s good with animals, and he’s good with his hands. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. And he doesn’t always know what to make of a world where apps and movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV. He’d never spoken on the phone.

Actually, there are still a lot of things he’s never done.

Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she shoves Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he's good for more than farm labor.

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The Him series by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Him

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3), The Deal, The Deal
Series: Him #1
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | The Book Depository | iBooks | Google Books | Audible

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.
Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

It took me a long time to get to Him because I just couldn’t see how this book could offer me anything better than Rikker and Graham’s story in The Understatement of the Year. When I finally got to it, I realized how wrong I was because this book was even more smoking hot than TUotY – and I’m pretty sure the reason for that is Bowen and Elle Kennedy working together. Together, Bowen and Kenny bring us a tale of two college hockey players – and former best friends – who come back to the summer hockey camp where they first met.

Ryan Wesley and Jamie Canning were best friends as teens, but the friendship was broken one night when they got intimate together at their summer hockey camp. Now, four years later, they’re both coaches at that camp and it’s just like old times. Except not, because Wes is gay and out, and Jamie is straight – or so he thinks, because he’s pretty attracted to Wes. Together, they explore a physical relationship – and possibly an emotional one?

I loved this story because it was an honest portrayal of a guy who thinks he was straight, exploring his sexuality. I also loved how Jamie and Wes navigated their friendship/relationship – their own fears of inadequacy, of unrequited love, of dealing with the pressures of prejudice. The story is both idyllic with the summer camp/summer romance, and realistic. And yeah, like I said, this book is so hot it basically bursts into flames as you read. For anyone who enjoys smoking love scenes, hockey, and summer camp.

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Us

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3), The Deal, The Deal
Series: Him #2
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: March 8th 2016
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | The Book Depository | iBooks | Google Books | Audible

Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?
Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves—Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.
Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.
Or can they?
When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?
Warning: contains sexual situations, a vibrating chair, long-distance sexytimes and proof that hockey players look hot in any shade of green.

Us is the sequel to Him, set a few months after the end of Him. I don’t want to give too many spoilers because if you haven’t read Him, you won’t want to know how this one starts, but suffice to say, Jamie and Wes are together, and Wes is in the NHL. They’re trying to navigate keeping their relationship a secret so that Wes’ sexual orientation doesn’t become a big thing during his first year in the NHL. This is proving difficult since Wes’ very annoying and very in-your-face teammate moves into the same building. Meanwhile Wes is on the road constantly and time and distance away from each other are taking their toll.

Of the two books, this one almost feels more realistic because Jamie and Wes are out of their honeymoon phase and are dealing with real-life adult pressures. This makes for a harder book to read – I really felt for these guys as they tried to navigate other friendships, their own romance, and their jobs. While it wasn’t quite as swoony as the first book, I was still totally swooning for these guys and cheering them on in the midst of some serious problems that come up. It’s definitely a harder read, but it’s one that I still enjoyed a lot, and I’m really looking forward to the last book in this series, which focuses on some of the secondary characters from this book. 

Coming soon from Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy…

Recently in Romance: Sarina Bowen edition, Part 2!Untitled

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3), The Deal, The Deal
Series: Him #3
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: Early 2017

No synopsis yet, but we know this book will feature Blake, Jamie and Wes's annoying neighbor!

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About Sarina Bowen

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Sarina Bowen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives in Vermont's Green Mountains with her family, six chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.

In 2016, Sarina became a Rita Award winner! The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.

About Elle Kennedy

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A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!


Have you read any of these fantastic romances? Are you a Sarina Bowen or Elle Kennedy fan? If the latter, which of her solo books do you recommend? Hit the comments and let me know your thoughts on contemporary romance!


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