Steadfast - Rendíthetetlen

True North #2

by Sarina Bowen, Kata Rácz (Translator)

A ​lány az egyetlen, aki valaha szerette – és az egyetlen, aki sosem lehet az övé.

Jude mindent elveszített egy tavaszi napon, amikor autójával egy útszéli almafának hajtott. Egy ember meghalt, és kizárt, hogy valaha helyrehozza, amit tönkretett. Ha tehetné, örökre elkerülné a vermonti Coleburyt. Azonban egy leszokóban lévő kábítószerfüggő exfegyenc nem talál akárhol munkát.

Sophie Haines számára megrendítő élmény újra szembetalálkozni a férfival, aki összetörte a szívét. Hirtelen mindenütt ott van, akármerre fordul. Nehéz nem észrevenni, hogy mennyire megváltozott. A rosszfiúnak, aki egykor szerette őt, nem volt izmos felkarja és napcsókolta hajfürtjei. És sosem jelentkezett volna önkéntesnek a templom konyháján.

Sophie tudja, hogy őrültség egy olyan ember után vágyakozni, aki az összes, fájó szívvel írt levelét visszaküldte olvasatlanul a börtönből. Ám a fiú pillantásai az irányába minden ellenállását megrendítik.

Senki nem akarja, hogy Sophie és Jude újra együtt legyen, legkevésbé Sophie rendőrfőnök apja. Viszont Colebury egy kisváros.

És a tiltott szerelemnek saját szabályai vannak.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance, New Adult, Audiobook, Second Chance Romance

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 2016

About the author

Sarina Bowen is the 24-time USA Today bestselling and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary fiction, including: The Five Year Lie, the True North series, and the Brooklyn Hockey series. She's the co-author of Him/Us and the WAGs series with Elle Kennedy. And more!

You can find a complete reading order list of Sarina's books on her website. Or see what's coming next from Sarina, and sign up for her newsletter so you don't miss a new book or a deal.

Reviews

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Steadfast wrecked me. It ripped me apart. It felt personal. Too personal. It's probably one of the hardest books I've read. I cried a lot--a-fucking-lot. My heart was beaten and bruised. Jude's a character I admire and adore. I want so many good things for him. His demons are dark and Sarina doesn't gloss over them.

This story was REAL.
It felt HONEST.
It felt EYE OPENING.

Addiction is something most of us have some experience with. Whether it's personally, or with a family member, it's prevalent. I've often wondered why people can't just say no. I've thought about the "why's," the "what leads them there's." I've spent time trying to put myself in their shoes. I've weighed how desperate, lonely and hollow someone must feel to trade family, life and love for drugs.

My father IS a drug addict. He's never held a steady job. Never bought a home. He's lived in and out of rehab and jail his whole life. He's traded his family for powdered substances and liquor.
My uncle IS an addict too.
My grandmother was an alcoholic who later turned to drugs, dying in her early 60's.

Addiction runs in my family. It has destroyed it. And that's the reason Steadfast hurt me so much. It felt PERSONAL. I've always believed that good people sometimes make bad decisions, and those bad decisions lead to extreme consequences. Jude is the PERFECT example of that. And his battle was fucking gutting.

Out of prison, 6 months clean off heroin and opiates, Jude's back home and life is not easy. He's essentially alone , struggling to stay sober. His battle is minute to minute. My empathy meter whirled out of control, soaring to infinite heights. I felt like I was being stabbed by his pain. I kept picturing my father having those same moments, over and over again. Jude's first "OH SHIT" situation almost put me on my knees. His struggle became mine. I was INVESTED.

This story is beautifully written. Where Bittersweet (Griff and Audrey's story) was sweet and sexy, fun and lightly angsty, Steadfast was the opposite. It was written with raw honesty, intense from the opening page to the last. It hits on heavy subjects like drug use and life after prison. I found it compelling, heartbreaking, yet hopeful too. And I really like that it it had an element of suspense to it.

With Jude back in Colebury Vermont, he's trying to regroup and earn enough money to get out of town. Permanently. The only way he knows how to do that is to work in his fathers auto repair shop. Jude went to prison for killing his girlfriend Sophie's brother in an auto accident.

Sophie (our heroine) is a breath of fresh air. She's lived a hellish life since her brother died and her boyfriend was sent to jail. Sophie's trying to make the best of things, though. She's close to graduating. She's hoping to get a permanent job at the hospital she currently works. She's desperate to move out of her parents home. Her dad's a hateful man, who blames her for Gavin's death. And her mother's a shell of a woman.

Sophie and Jude haven't spoken since the day her brother died. They have big problems, there's so much hurt between them and there a zillion landmines to wade through. But the first time they see each other is INTENSE. My heart bled all over the place for them. They're good people. And God, do they love each other endlessly and deeply. I'm not sure you could find a set of more amazing people.

This story is beautiful. It's about hope and making something of yourself despite your situation. It's about not allowing your past actions to define your current choices. About falling down but getting back up. It's about second chances, new beginnings, unconditional love. About forgiveness. Mercy. Strength. Empathy. And most importantly being kind to yourself even at your hardest points. I really loved it.

Overall, Steadfast shined so bright. I'm crazy about this series. In love with Jude and Sophie, the Shipley's, just the whole family dynamic. EVERYTHING IS WOW. There's not a detail I don't adore, or character I'm not completely and utterly invested in. Not a single one. I highly recommend this and Bittersweet. Sarina is my new favorite authors. I'll read ANYTHING she writes.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!!



'Steadfast' was one of the best books I’ve read by this author and also one of the best second chance romance I’ve read in a long time. What was different here from other second chance romances I’ve read in the past was the fact the romance between the two main characters was a forbidden romance which I really loved. Needless to say it was a very nice change. At least for me. The story was very addictive even if the premise is nothing new. 'Steadfast' is the second installment in 'Truth North' series and tells the story of Jude, character we apparently met before in the first installment. I haven’t read that first installment, so trust me when I say this installment can be read as a standalone.

“Whatever you call it, there was an ache inside me that I longed to soothe. And I moved through each day a little lost, trying to fill an empty spot in my soul. But it never went away.”

Three years ago Jude made a mistake that changed his life irrevocably. Every action has consequences and Jude paid for his sins in the worst possible way. A convicted felon, he served thirty-six months for drugs possession and vehicular manslaughter. When his job at an orchard ends in November, Jude’s only option to survive is to move back in his home town in his father’s house. He’s not very thrilled since everyone in town knows his past and since he still remembers when he can find the drugs that stole and destroyed his life, but working in his father’s auto-shop is his only option, at least for now.

“When I was seventeen, I thought Jude was sent to me from heaven. When I was eighteen, I let him take me there. When I was nineteen, he broke both my heart and my family.”

When Jude finds out that Sophie, the one person who used to mean and still means a lot to him is still in town, he’s more than surprised. He always had expected Sophie to leave town and become someone important. Sophie lives in some way for others. Halfway through college she moved home to help her mother who practically stopped living three years ago. She has…for now…a job she loves, but she doesn’t live her life like any other 22 years old young woman.



When she finds out Jude is back in town Sophie doesn’t know exactly how to feel… how to feel about the man who changed her life years ago. She knows she should hate him, but she can’t stop thinking and also fantasizing about him, because she never stopped loving him.

“We'd ended up exactly where I hadn't wanted us to land, slotting ourselves right into position in both my bed and my memory.”

Like I mentioned above this one was one of the best second chance romance I’ve read in a while. Jude and Sophie’s story was emotional, wonderfully written and really heartbreaking at times. I loved the pace of the story, everything felt believable between these two characters, both of them having so much depth.

Jude was a wonderful hero and I have to say I loved his portrayal. Sarina Bowen did a fantastic job with his character and I guarantee his story will break your heart as the story unfolds. His struggle with his addiction and also his struggle to accept he played such a big role in so many people lives were done in a very realistic way. His strength to stay clean was so admirable. His character will simply make you feel. Personally I felt everything he felt as the story progressed, his fear, his despair, his shame and last, but not least his love for Sophie. The way he still loves Sophie was really heartbreaking at times, but also heartwarming.

“The first time I ever kissed Sophie was in a car in the rain. That kiss had made my blood surge with lust and hope. But this one made me ache with impossible longing.”

Sophie was a great character as well. Despite everything she was a strong heroine I sympathize with from the beginning. I understood her frustration with everything that happened in the past and also with everything that happens in the present. Her struggle to accept her feelings for Jude was fantastically done. I totally felt for her!

The romance aspect here was simply wonderful. I loved these two together and I rooted for them from the start. Their connection was strong, palpable and I connected with them not only individually, but also as a couple. I loved the way they were with each other as the story unfolded and how easily they interacted with each other after all this time.

Overall, a wonderful second chance romance that I highly recommend!

"All we can do is listen harder, hug harder and hope for the best."

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!




Steadfast by Sarina Bowen is a new favorite of mine by her. Everything Sarina Bowen writes is fantastic, she is one of those authors that never disappoints. This book, though, it was especially wonderful. Honestly, books that have such a focus on addiction can be hit or miss for me. As with anyone who has had that touch their lives in some way or another, it can be a topic that isn't fun to read about. Bowen did an incredible job with this hard to read topic.

Jude lost everything with one mistake. Drugs led to that mistake and now that he's on the straight and narrow, he's determined to never go down that path again. Still, it doesn't take away all that he lost. The most important thing being the love of his life, Sophie Haines. Jude is an ex-con and things aren't easy for him. He doesn't have the same opportunities afforded to the average joe. Life is a struggle for Jude. He feels alone and I can't imagine how difficult it is for him to not try to turn towards the same path he was on.

"One minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time, I kept going."

Sophie has lost a lot. Not only did she lose Jude, she lost her brother, and with losing her brother, she essentially lost her entire family. Sophie's life isn't easy, either, but she has a purpose. She has direction. She's getting ready to graduate college and move on with her life. But now, things aren't so simple. Now, Jude is back in her town and in her life.

Words can't express how much I loved Sophie and Jude. Both of them. They have both been through so much, but gah! Together they are everything. This book was real, it was raw, it sucker punched me right in the gut and made me feel so much. It's a beautifully stunning story of second chances and I loved every second. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. It's got a lot to live up to!

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

When I was seventeen, I thought Jude was sent to me from heaven. When I was eighteen, I let him take me there. When I was nineteen, he broke both my heart and my family.

From the very second that Jude was introduced in Bittersweet, I knew that I needed his book. There's just something about the broken and tortured heroes, and it doesn't get more tortured than the man who let his addiction take away not only his freedom but the love of his life. Three years ago, Jude made a mistake that cost him everything. He's always been able to hide his drug addiction from his beloved Sophie, but when he crashes into a tree and sent to prison for the death of his car's passenger, all his darkest secrets tear wide open. Now after serving three years, the last place Jude wants to come back to is the town where everyone knows him as an ex-con, but there's not much choice for him while he gets back on his feet again. So back to his father's house he goes to work in his auto-shop and hopefully save up enough to get himself a second chance elsewhere.

My name is Jude Nickel, and I am an addict. Also, I'm a big fucking idiot.

Sophie Haines was the love of his life. Letting her go was the hardest thing he's ever done, but she was always too good for him and meant for greater things. He expects Sophie to be living her dream on Broadway and not stuck with her life in shambles in their small town with a mother that's a shell of a person and an abusive, jaded father.

It's inevitable that they run into each other and the love that neither of them ever forgot or got over soon brews to the surface once more.

We'd ended up exactly where I hadn't wanted us to land, slotting ourselves right into position in both my bed and my memory.

Steadfast packed quite an emotional punch. I loved the realism with which Sarina wrote Jude. This is not a man that suddenly forgets he's an addict once he detoxed. His struggle is daily and your heart breaks for him experiencing all of it with him. His love for Sophie was easily one of my favorite things about this book. It's just so unwavering and pure. His inner struggle of loving her but knowing he can't be with her was heart-wrenching.

The first time I ever kissed Sophie was in a car in the rain. That kiss had made my blood surge with lust and hope. But this one made me ache with impossible longing.

But reading how supportive Sophie was with everything about him and his past made it that much better. Sophie was an amazing heroine. She's been through so much herself and her family life leaves something to be desired, but you truly understand what draws her to Jude and why she never really blamed him for what happened three years ago.

An addiction is when you can't keep away from something that's bad for you. Maybe Jude was a drug addict, but I was a Jude addict.

I absolutely loved the two of them together. The story is highly emotional, angsty and with a touch of forbidden. It broke my heart and melted it. It shattered me into a million pieces and then slowly put me back together.

You own me. You always have."
"Even when you're not perfect, you're still mine."

The love between Sophie and Jude was a palpable thing. I couldn't get enough of them. It was beautiful in a tragic way. My heart was aching reading their road to a second chance together. I've been a huge fan of all things Sarina Bowen for a while now, but Steadfast put her on a whole different level to me. It was easily one of my favorite second chance romances I've read in a long while and certainly the most memorable. It was beautiful and emotional. It was everything I had hoped it would be and so, SO much more.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ~ 5 STARS

”All we ever had were stolen moments”



I sadly DNF the first book of this series at 56% mark and felt just awful that it didn’t work out for me. I am a fan of the author and gladly tried this second book and I'm happy to report that it was terrific read!



Those who have read the first book of this series may remember Jude the ex-con out who after three years of prison is hired to pick apples. Jude Nickel’s work at the Shipley farm is now over as the winter season is approaching. Jude is still struggling with his drug addiction and his battle to remain clean. With no more apples to pick, our hero returns back to his hometown of Colebury where we meet his first and only love Sophie Haines.

”When I was seventeen, I thought Jude was sent to me from heaven. When I was eighteen, I let him take me there. When I was nineteen, he broke both my heart and my family.”



The story is told in dual POVS of both Jude and Sophie as they fall back into one another’s orbit. Their love for one another and attraction hasn’t diminished even with the tragic accident and subsequent incarceration that had followed years ago.

”Of all the things I’d lost – my good name, the chance to get a decent job, my carefully restored care – none of them mattered as much as Sophie.”



Jude's battle with his addiction was raw and real. His strength to say clean even in some of the hardest of circumstances was well written and admirable.

”The problem is that it’s hard to behave differently in the same old environment.”

Jude and Sophie’s reconnection was perfectly paced and sexy. These two have never had an out in the open relationship. With Sophie’s father being a high member of the local police department and the horror of what happened three years ago our couple seems doomed or are they?



The story incorporated the Shipley clan as well as some really wonderful new characters from this neighboring town. The element of mystery around the fatal accident only added to the excitement of the story as the author brought it all together perfectly in the end!



**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}


I lived for Wednesdays and Thursdays. Pathetic as that was, a weekly glimpse of Sophie (along with some quality time with the Shipleys) kept me sane.






STEADFAST is the second installment in the True North series and I will say that I enjoyed this one a little more than I did BITTERSWEET. It definitely was very slow moving for about the first 25% of the story, which for me is entirely too long but I did end up getting into it once the pace picked up and there were some nail-biting moments to spice things up a bit!! If you haven’t read “BITTERSWEET”, I do believe that you can still read this as a standalone but it does help to get a little of Jude’s background from the first book, and also the Shipley family are major secondary characters in this one as well.



I was having second thoughts about reading this book because I wasn’t a huge fan of the first one and I also do not like anything drug related in my stories. They tend to make the story too depressing for me and that definitely did take place in STEADFAST. Jude is back in his hometown, living above his father’s garage. Everywhere he looks, his past is there to haunt him. The one thing from his past that brings the most pain to him is all linked to his ex-girlfriend, Sophie. She was the only person in his life who truly loved and cared for him, and is now lost to him forever. Or is she?? He was sent to prison for three years for involuntary manslaughter. Jude was reported to have been high and driving his car when it ended up careening off the road and killing his passenger, who happened to be Sophie’s older brother. So now he’s back home, working in his father’s garage. He barely has a relationship with his alcoholic father. There is no one he can call "friend" as everyone he used to know, except for Sophie, were all the people he used to either score drugs from or get high with. He’s being consistently harassed by the local police since he is known as the one who killed the police chief’s son. And to add to all his troubles, he has to fight his drug cravings on a daily basis. I really did love Jude for the determination he had to stay clean.



Jude goes to a drug counseling group session every Wednesday at his local church. He is befriended by the priest and asked if he would volunteer at their soup kitchen. Since Jude doesn’t mind busy work because it keeps his thoughts off of drugs, he agrees to help out. It is there that he comes face to face with his true love, Sophie.


During the three years that they were apart, Sophie never moved on. She had tried to reach out to Jude while he was in prison but he refused to see her and sent back her letters. Sophie was completely crushed and left in the dark. No one would tell her what exactly happened the night of the accident. Her brother’s death wrecked her family. Sophie’s mother became a basket case and relies heavily on her to take care of everything at home. Her father is a royal douchebag who mentally and even sometimes physically abuses poor Sophie.



I really struggled with this book because it was just so very depressing and my heart hurt for both Sophie and Jude. They were only able to have short moments of happiness when they met up at Jude’s garage apartment on Wednesday nights. Thursday night dinner at the Shipley’s was also another highlight for them. I did happen to love the twist at the end and ultimately was happy with how it all ends.



STEADFAST is available now!!
Amazon US → http://amzn.to/29qliBv

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

"My name is Jude Nickel, and I am an addict. Also, I'm a big fucking idiot."

Drug addict Jude lost everything when he crashed his car while high and killed his girlfriend's brother in the process. Now, three years later, he's out of prison for manslaughter and he's clean. After working six months at the Shipley Farm in Vermont, he returns to his hometown to live with his dad. Working in his family's mechanic shop, Jude is just trying to make it through the day without relapsing.

Sophie has spent the past three years struggling with her family after her brother's death. Her mom is fading away and her dad becomes increasingly agitated with every passing day. She still has questions from that night years ago and no one will give her answers. On top of that when Jude comes back to town, it shocks her to the core.



"I was still angry at Jude, and I probably always would be. But the strong arms holding me close took the edge off my anger."

Sarina Bowen is one of my favorites authors, and one of the things I love most about her writing is she never delivers the same story twice. Each one of her book is a unique reading experience I cannot wait to dive into, and Steadfast did not disappoint.

Despite loving Sarina's work, I was a bit hesitant going into a book where the hero is/was a drug addict, mostly because I was worried he would make stupid choices. But since this book is about Jude's recovery and not his time as an addict what we saw as readers was him making up for his past mistakes and atoning, and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. To be completely honest, I just plain loved Jude. He worked so hard for everything and never gave up, he was a great hero.

"Just because someone hasn't broken the law doesn't mean they're a good person."

I loved Sophie as a heroine, she's a strong woman who was trying to sort her life out of the mess it became. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place for most of her life so her personal struggles in this book revolved around her deciding what she wanted in life and going for it. Sophie and Jude had a fantastic romantic connection from the get go. And there's a mystery aspect to the book that I didn't expect but enjoyed.

This book can easily be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading Bittersweet before because it enhances the story in my opinion.

"Enough worrying about what we deserve. Let's appreciate what we have."

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[Geri Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed everything I've read by Sarina Bowen so far. But this, THIS BOOK, might be my favorite out of all she's written.

Steadfast is an emotionally heart-wrenching tale of love, addiction, and redemption. All wrapped in Sarina's exquisite authorial voice. I was floored by how emotionally on point this book was.

Addiction in romance is not a new thing. Unfortunately, a lot of what I've read in the past made me weary of this particular trope in romance. They either undermine the issues that comes with addiction or they glorify it. Steadfast managed to avoid those issues.

Jude Nickel's addiction was his undoing. It destroyed not only his future but the one person who meant the world to him: Sophie Haines.

The book starts off with Jude coming back to his hometown of Colebury after his time with the Shipleys. He's now an ex-con. He has no job prospects except for his own father's garage. Not only that, Colebury is a place that would test Jude's sobriety. It is also the place where he left his heart.

Sophie Haines is living in a limbo ever since that devastating night three years ago. Her mother is a shell of her former self and her father is still the asshole who controls Sophie's every move. So when she came face-to-face with Jude, everything shifted and changed for the first time in a long time. Despite the pain she's feeling, Sophie is feeling more alive than ever.

The love story between Jude and Sophie brought tears to my eyes. It's a classic good girl from a good family falling in love with the bad boy from wrong side of the tracks. It's a trope that's been done a thousand times before but Sarina Bowen made it her own, and made it fresh. The moment Jude and Sophie met when they were in high school, I was rooting for them. Their love was so incredibly sweet and heartbreaking.

Aside from the love story, this book dealt with addiction with such a realistic manner. Jude's struggle to get clean, his feelings of guilt with what happened with Sophie was done so magnificently that I have no complaints. This book was one of the few that really dealt with a character struggling with addiction without any judgement or approval. Just the stark reality of what it's like to be an addict wanting to get clean and sober.

There were a few twists along the way which added so much to the story. Plus, the characters involved were not caricatures at all. They're written like real people with real struggles. I loved Sophie's character. And Jude…man, Jude might be my favorite Sarina Bowen hero to date. He's amazing.

So what are you waiting for? Add this to your TBR and read this book. If you're worried about starting this book without reading the first one yet, don't be. This can totally be read as a standalone. Yes, Jude was introduced in Bittersweet but his whole backstory and everything else can be read in this book. The characters in the first book do make an appearance but it's very easy to pick up the threads of the story.

P.S. I don't know if you guys noticed but I rated this 4.5 stars but then as I was writing my review and looking at my notes, I realized that this book deserved 5 stars and then some. I have no complaints. So yes, I changed the rating to reflect my feelings

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stolen Moments Stars

Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books




When this one was released Sarina Bowen was attacked for writing a romance novel with the hero being a drug addict. I didn't get why, we read about anti-heroes every day, so what was the problem here?

One reckless decision changed the life of a lot of people. When Jude wrecked his car more than three years ago he also wrecked his life and his girlfriend's and her family's. After three years in prison and a summer spent working for the Shipleys he comes back to his hometown and the place where the love of his life lives.
Sophie was left behind heartbroken when Jude went to prison. She wrote him for a while, trying to understand and find out what happened that night when he crashed his beautiful Porsche 911 into a tree. Now he is back and she knows that he is forbidden. Resisting him will be tough, especially when, anger aside, old feelings some to the surface again.

Jude's shame and feeling of not being worthy is always present and all this time, while reading this book I wanted to hug him and tell him that he is an amazing human being. His love for Sophie has never died and everything he does is with her well being in mind, so even though he had a little stupid moment I could totally relate and forgive him. You can always see what a good person he is.

"I didn’t want to live like this- full of confusion and guilt all the time, and heartbroken in a hundred ways at once."

Sophie is an equally endearing heroine. After the first shock of seeing Jude again wears off her feelings come bubbling back. She tries hard to understand what her ex-boyfriend is going through, her support is invaluable for his recovery.

Together they have some seriously explosive chemistry. I loved how their feelings were so obvious without them having to say the words.

“Soph, I’d give you anything. But I don’t have a lot to give.”

The story is a stark reminder of how much people with an addiction struggle on a daily basis. No sober day can be taken for granted, every single one is a fight against your body. This is what Jude is facing in his story and his determination to stay clean had me in awe. He never forgets how many lives he touched by his dependence on drugs, how much chaos he wrought in the lives of the people he loved or were affected by the tragedy when he wrecked his car while being high as a kite.

"One minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time, I kept going."

This story is also a reminder that we maybe shouldn't be so judgmental and should show those addicts leniency, kindness and compassion who really want to detox and stay sober. A single wrong decision can shape your life and we all have been there and done that.

My name is Jude Nickel, and I am an addict. Also, I'm a big fucking idiot.

Sarina Bowen's story affected me deeply. It is certainly more angsty than Bittersweet and is one of those stories that will give you something to think about for days. I loved the two main protagonists and also that I got to catch up with the Shipleys. I really adore every single one of them. There are tender moments and emotional and heartbreaking ones, moments of kindness and understanding and all of those had me invested throughout the whole book. Jude is a hero because of the way he deals with his addiction. I am so happy with this series and I really hope that Sarina Bowen will keep writing about these characters.

"In music, the silence in between the songs can be as affecting as the most powerful crescendo. This moment was just the same. I opened my eyes to find Jude watching me.
Then his hips pulsed - the opening bass line of our song. I throbbed against him - adding to our melody. He rocked. I rolled my hips. We were complete right then. There were no naysayers. There was no past and there certainly was no future.
Listening to the rhythm of Jude's increasingly ragged breaths, I gave myself over to this moment. Our song rose to a fevered pitch, and I listened hard to every note while it lasted.

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Steadfast
Series: True North #2
Author: Sarina Bowen
Release date: July 12, 2016
Cliffhanger: No
HEAYes



One minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time, I kept going.

Steadfast was such an emotion packed read, filled with tender angst and an incredible forbidden second chance love story. I was not prepared for how much this book would take me over and keep me so completely riveted right from the start. I've seen some glowing status updates and early reviews, and let me assure you, every one is warranted. I was almost a little book giddy while reading this.

The more I read, the more Jude captivated me and drew me in with his vulnerable daily struggle with addiction. And the ache he had for Sophie, his high school girlfriend was so genuine it made you yearn right along with him. There were so many beautiful quotes when it came to his feelings about her. My highlighting finger was getting one hell of a good workout.

This starts out with Jude driving back to Colebury, his hometown after his three month job at the Shipley farm ended. Just recently released from prison for vehicular manslaughter, he's not the returning town hero. He's the one that got high and with one fatal decision to get inside of his car while wasted, his whole life was altered forever. He was shameful. Ashamed. And being back where it all happened was eating away at him with each tick of the clock. Every second was a struggle to not fall prey to his cravings and depression.

I didn't want to live like this-full of confusion and guilt all the time, and heartbroken in a hundred different ways at once.



Sophie has her own war waging in her head. Her defiant loyalty to the boy whom she aligned her future with led both of them down a path of destruction. Her family was completely destroyed and rendered dysfunctional after that fateful night that sent Jude to prison. Her father is filled with rage and her mother is catatonic. Leaving her to hold them all together by a thin thread. And the guilt she carries never fully goes away. Because even after all this time, she still feels him. Still hears the echo of their past around every corner.

When Jude and I were alone together, the rest of the world didn't exist. That's what I thought anyway. Until our little world cracked in two.

Seeing Jude again is like pouring salt in an unhealed wound. They're both changed. Yet at their core, their love never faded. These two have so much stacked against them, the hopelessness was very heavy. The scorn of the town, her father's aggressive hatred toward him, and his addiction that continued to eat away at his mind was a constant reminder that attempting to forgive and forget was futile.

Sophie was a great heroine. Yes, she took the mistreatment of her father on a regular basis, and let her mother's self-indulgent state of shock slide. But with the guilt eating away at her part in the tragedy that fell on the family three and a half years ago, she needed them all to be happy again. She was just stuck and unable to move forward.



I cannot tell you how much I loved Sophie and Jude together. When they were around each other, there was a sense of coming home. There was perfect completeness there if only they could break free from the ties of the past.

When our tongues slid together, it only confirmed what I already knew-she tasted like the sweetest gift I'd ever been given.

This is told in dual POV and can read as a standalone. Reading Bittersweet will give you more background of the Shipleys that Jude worked for and became friends with, but it isn't absolutely necessary. There is enough explanation here to get you through.

This story had so much heart to it, it was full to bursting. Not only was the love story filled with enough angst to squeeze your chest tight, but Jude's brave battle to continue to conquer his addiction was so honestly depicted. I've read quite a lot of second chance romances and this is easily one of the best I've read in a very long time. Faithful follower, new reader, or somewhere in between, Steadfast is sure to impress. I'm eagerly awaiting Zach's book
Keepsake in October.

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[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Insight Only Bowen Could Do Stars
* * * *1/2 Spoiler Free
Leave it to Bowen to take a current topic that touches so many and make it understandable and give hope. But then why would that be a surprise...for she has created a career of showing readers through amazing storytelling how to open their minds to so many challenges; Disabilities, Survival of Sexual and Physical Abuse, Depression... I could go on and on. Bowen has never shied away from any topic which intrigued her and with this story, I think she has written a true insight into a very difficult subject, drug addiction.

Steadfast (True North, 2#), is the journey of Jude and his road to redemption. We met him in Bittersweet as a man needing a place to readjust to the "Normal Stresses" after being in prison and then rehab. He was clearly a man wanting to make a change in his life. He worked hard on the farm, kept his nose down, and stayed away from any temptation which could lead him astray. He knew what he wanted, took responsibility for all the pain he had inflicted, and hoped to get some sort of a new start.

Jude knew, though, once the season at the farm was over, he had only one place he could go; back to his home town ... back to where everything was for shit...to his drunken father... to the town where everyone blamed him with good reason and to the place where the love of his life had been.

It was going to be the most difficult thing he was ever going to experience outside of detoxing.
For there was no refuge... there was no place where eyes would be welcoming...He was a felon, a drug addict and his hands were at the wheel of the car which killed the Police Chief's Golden Boy....and the love of his life's brother.

How's that for F@cking up...on a scale from 1 to 10, that makes it about a Zillion, don't ya think...

Jude was the guy in school that was just cool...he could be standing there...doing absolutely nothing but when doing it...it just seemed so effortless. He was the "bad boy" and it was the "good girl" who fell hard for him. He came from the wrong side of town, his dad's Auto Shop was where he learned his trade. No mom and an absent drunken dad for most of his years. The only good was his girl, Sophie. With her, he looked out and made sure she was protected...protected and cared for..as in her family, she was second best.

Sophie was the daughter who never could do enough for her father, the police chief. She never was recognized as the talented singer she was because her father was too busy singing the praises of his son, the Golden La Cross Boy. It was Gavin did this... and Gavin did that... with the dad not seeing that Gavin could be a complete Asshat. Sophie's mom was all about not causing any waves... of not disturbing her husband and upsetting him, so Sophie got great grades, did everything right, and tried her best.

But when she connected with Jude...all bets were off. She fell hard and so did he. Her father forbade her to mix with him...causing the usual teenage behavior...of going behind the parents back...for the pull and care Jude gave her was too much to ignore...He was the one good thing in her life.

As time passed and they became older, their love for each other grew stronger...except there was a serious lie Jude lived. He hid the fact he became addicted to pills. He worked hard to keep both lives separate- he never wanted Sophie to know what he was doing...

But life is never controllable...and Jude learned it the hard way. He was driving Gavin while high and slammed into a tree-killing Sophie's brother. The drug addiction was revealed. He did 3 years in prison and while there became addicted to heroin.

Yes, people, there are drugs in prison...but that is another tale to tell...

So we are there with Jude when he returns to the old homestead of the Auto Shop. His dad has let the place run down and is barely making it a go. Jude goes up to the room he had over the shop and is confronted with the scene of how the police ram-shacked his room searching for drugs and evidence. Jude takes it all in and goes about confronting all the mental demons while cleaning it up. He has a game plan....of sorts. Work the garage, go to NA meetings and save up so he can get the hell out of this town. Oh, and fight like hell the constant desire to get high.

He is going about his business when he sees Sophie in a parking lot with another guy. First, he is shocked...Why is she in this town; she was supposed to be in NYC being on Broadway or something... she shouldn't be here...He almost confronts her because the guy is getting handsy with her but he sees it stop immediately and they continue to talk like she has set the guy straight and he was sorry. Jude sits there and wonders what her life is...and what his past actions caused...

These two have their first confrontation when Jude is invited by Father Peters to volunteer with a Community Dinner at the church which holds his NA meetings. Sophie is part of the crew which handles the cooking and when Jude is given the task of chopping onions at the prep station, she sees him.

She is stunned. Her family was notified he was released from prison but that was 6 months ago. She had wondered where he was...for Sophie did not have the same reaction the rest of her family had with the accident. No one would talk to her about it. No one would tell her what happened or if Jude was alright...the hate streaming from her father was so strong it took over everything and everyone in the town. Sophie wrote to Jude in prison, wanting him to know she was there for him but after a few months all of the letters were returned to her unread and stamped refused. The pain was too much. She college but with her mother's growing inability to function and refusal for therapy of any kind...Sophie moved back home to look after her.

We all know what is going to happen...these two will not be able to stay away from each other...and we will share their need to be together.

There is so much more to this story then just their powerful love story; we have a plot of damned if you do and damned if you don't. We have a woman who finally figures out she needs to take care of herself first in order to just live the life she deserves. We have a story of denial and corruption which is not so surprising. And we have Jude's final understanding of who he is and how he does deserve good things in his life.

Yet the most impactful part of this storytelling is how it explains the feeling of addiction...of how it is always there... talking and taunting...and how it takes such fortitude to overcome it. Jude's strength and determination are a standout. He is a person who has fallen in the past with people who put him in a place to make a decision that would change the course of his life. It is at that moment when he decided and he never during this whole story put blame on anyone else. It is the strength of taking responsibility for one's own actions which makes him the hero of his own story.
Bowen describes addiction and the pull in a way all of us can understand. It is so clear...as someone who has had cheesecake talk to her... calling to her to have that slice ...I understand to a degree the difficulty of this disease. What I did appreciate was the way Bowen introduced new information assisting in the fight against drug addiction. Any way we can learn things is important.

This series is strong. It does not have to be started at the beginning. If you have not read BitterSweet, you can still read Steadfast without feeling like you are missing huge gaps. However, after reading this book...I do think you will go and pick up the first in this series...because it is so good.

Sarina Bowen has left us with a tease... a promise. The next book will be about Zach and I know it will be just as powerful as this.

Bittersweet (True North, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Steadfast (True North, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Keepsake (True North #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bountiful (True North #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Speakeasy (True North, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fireworks (True North, #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heatland (True North, #7)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Waylaid (True North, #8)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
7/28/2016
Did someone say "Happy Trail"....
Jude, you showed me yours...
And of course, you could lead me anywhere...
Right to Starting this Journey when you arrive in my Hot Little Hands!
Let the Jude Times Begin!
●•●•●•●•●•●•●•
5/12/2016
Accidents happen...
Some more impactful than others...

Jude learned all his lessons the hard way...
He paid the price, dug deep to right the wrongs...

What he would give to make his mistakes never happen...
What he would give to have her in his life...
But Jud knows better than to dream...

Dreams don't come true for people like him...or do they...

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[FMABookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart pounding, tension-filled, emotional ride!

This book! I finished a couple of days ago and I am still thinking about it. The tension was palpable, the feels, omg, the feels! 'Steadfast' slayed me!

I knew I was in for a book that would hit me where I "live" when I read this:



I knew it could go either way, especially as I continued reading and found out our heroine was studying to be a social worker. Getting personal here, my degree is in Social Work and I am a certified alcohol and drug counselor. Yeah, I was a little afraid and yet, after reading the above letter, I was also hopeful and knew whatever the outcome, I had mad respect for Sarina Bowen!

I fell in love with Jude in Bittersweet.

He was an ex-con with a tortured soul.  He needed some tender lovin' -- yes, I was volunteering. But he left the Shipley farm, and alas, I did not live in Vermont -- nor in his fantasyland, so he set off for the 20-mile journey to his hometown and I waited for his book to come out!

'Steadfast' picks up right where 'Bittersweet' leaves off, with Jude having left the solid, supportive environment of the Shipley's to the shaky, volatile surroundings of his home and hometown. The place where he lived and worked with his alcoholic father -- not the ideal environment for a newly recovering addict to be, and town where the Police Chief and entire police department would be out to get him when they found out he had returned. Talk about stress. The only saving grace for him, was he had hoped his ex-girlfriend, Sophie had left town to study music as she had planned.

I loved the chapter headings!

Cravings Meter for Jude - brilliant! If you know anyone who has ever suffered from addiction, this will be familiar to you. Called different things for different people, it gauges how you are doing, keeping you in the moment. Song titles for the music lover, Sophie - creative! I knew how she was feeling before I began reading. The use of songs evoked the same feelings in me I assumed she was feeling.

Three stories in one! Recovery, love, suspense!

Sarina Bowen did a fabulous job chronicling Jude's recovery. From struggling with his inner dialogue and stinking thinking, to dealing with outer stressors, we see how incredibly difficult it is for Jude to deal with his demons. My heart broke for him.

The stigma he faced because of his disease of addiction, was unfair. He was judged because he was an addict. Sure, he did things to support his addiction that were not good, and he should be held accountable for those things, but to treat him badly or automatically assume he is worthless because he is an addict is unjust. Yet, it happens to millions of people daily.

I loved this second chance romance, it was healing for Jude and for Sophie. She provided him with strength and support, and he provided her with honesty, attentiveness, and love. They complimented each other in their weaknesses and strengths. I cried with this couple,  I laughed with them, I cheered for them.



There was a suspenseful element to this book which came as a surprise to me. So, I will leave it at that so it can be a surprise to you, too. I loved it. Sometimes this can be risky, adding too much, making it over the top. But it was seamlessly executed.

As I was writing my review, this song came on. I knew instantly, it was perfect for this book. But when I saw the video, I knew it needed to be added to my review.

https://youtu.be/V0lw3qylVfY

5 HUGE Stars!!! This is only my second book by Sarina Bowen and I can't wait to read more and OMG OMG OMG  book #3, 'Keepsake', ZACH! enough said!

ARC graciously provided in exchange for review

[KAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

A SECOND CHANCE CHARMER!

This was my very first Sarina Bowen read and I was a happy camper from start to finish!

Jude pure stole my heart and has yet to give it back. He just oozed manly sex appeal, but yet is so darn sweet. I do believe I need to find another gorgeous bottle to place Jude inside and adorn my "book boyfriend" shelf ;) His story is heartbreaking. Only six months clean, Jude is an opiate addict, and his unrelenting need to use is unbearable. The addiction ruined his life once and he fights the desire to use every minute of everyday, hoping he doesn't let his second chance at a better life slip away. His bright spot has always been Sophie! She was his girlfriend in high school before everything hit the proverbial fan!

The chemistry between Jude and Sophie is addictive itself and the battles they have to conquer to sustain a relationship are all uphill. This story deals with the ravages of drug addiction, and yet, is a juicy romance with plenty of heat. The storyline is completely absorbing and told in dual POV style, which totally works.

Jude is a convicted felon and was sent to prison for possession and vehicular manslaughter. Before the night that changed his life forever, he was known as a popular, rowdy teenager who drove around in a classically restored Porsche. Fresh from serving three years behind bars, Jude is now driving a beat up car held together with duct tape and is heading back home to the tiny town of Colebury, Vermont. He is a recovering addict going back to the town where he hit a tree, and in the process, a young lacrosse hero was killed. He is going back to the town where Sophie no longer waits for him. He is going back to his drunk of a father and his father's auto body shop. But at least, he is going back home clean. Staying clean won't be easy as the "itch" to score is a constant, never ending struggle. And not having Sophie in his life anymore is all kinds of depressing. Although he misses her like hell, Jude assumes Sophie graduated from college and is doing well in New York City singing professionally.

But ......

Sophie left college a couple of years ago, only half way through her studies, to come back home to Colebury hoping to help her mother cope through her grief. It has been over three years since her brother, Gavin, was ejected from a car that hit a tree, and was thrown to his death. The driver of that car, was none other than Sophie's boyfriend, Jude Nickel.

On her way to work, Sophie drives past the Nickel Auto Body Shop, and stops completely in her tracks when she spots the boy who broke her heart and broke her family. The same boy she was forbidden to see long before the accident. The boy whose name is never to be mentioned again in her parent's home. The boy she fell in love with. Except he isn't the lean boy she remembers. He is all man! A muscular, all filled out in just the right places man. A man who refused her visits while in prison and sent back all the letters she wrote to him unopened. A man who broke her heart twice.

This story held my attention from the first sentence to the last paragraph. A well written enjoyment!

Sarina Bowen totally impressed me and I can't wait to read Zach's story in "Keepsake."

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does an evil person and a good person look like?

I thought I was an open-minded person until I read Steadfast. Unfortunately, before I’d even started reading, I’d become judge and juror and slapped a “he’s no good” sticker on Jude’s forehead. Look, I know from reading Bittersweet that he wasn’t all bad. It’s just that I kind of found it hard to start, knowing that the hero was imperfect. Harsh I know, but I couldn’t help but question whether I’d be able to fall in love with him. Would he be weak? Could I forgive Jude for his mistakes? Is the woman of his dreams going to have to be the stronger of the two?

Well, I can honestly say that Jude was one of the strongest, bravest and kindest of hero’s that I’ve read in a long time. It would be a pleasure to know someone as strong as Jude. His woman didn’t need to be stronger, she just had to stand beside him and hold his hand. Luckily, Jude’s woman Sophie didn’t just want to hold his hand, she wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold onto him forever.

So, I started Steadfast with reservations. I’d read the teaser chapters, and while I had sympathy for Jude, I also felt that he’d made the bed he had to lay in. As the story goes on and we get to know Jude better, it’s easy to see that this guy is trying his hardest to move on from his past.

His first step after rehab was the best step. He spent a few months picking apples with the Shipley family. He grew stronger with them, but he also made great friends there too. Before he left, they made him promise to return for Thursday night family dinners. At first, he was reluctant, but soon they became the best thing about his week. That was until Jude attended his first NA meeting. Well, the meeting was not that exciting, but a chance meeting with the priest had him signing up to be a volunteer in the kitchen for Community Dinners every Wednesday night. Imagine his surprise when the love of his life is in charge.

Sophie’s a good girl but in some ways, it’s all kind of an act. One day, a long time ago she met a bad boy with tattoos who made her feel special and listened to her. It wasn’t long before the bad boy and the good girl fell in love. Unfortunately, all of their love for each other couldn’t help them when tragedy strikes. Their worlds are torn apart and for three and a half years they are separated. Now, Sophie is finishing off her degree, hoping to get full-time work, looking after her parents and volunteering at Community Dinners every Wednesday night. Imagine her surprise when the love of her life comes back…to peel and chop potatoes.

The journey for Sophie and Jude is not easy. There are mountains to cross for them to be even on the same page. I never doubted that they would find their way back mind you, as it was obvious that they loved each other. Will their past always be in their way, or would they finally see the light at the end of the tunnel? Jude is determined to stay clean especially now that Sophie wants to be a part of his life. Sophie will do anything to support Jude because he is the only man who has ever held her heart. She trusts him and hopes that one day Jude will learn to trust himself.

I loved Steadfast and even though it made me cry like a baby, it still gave me heart flutters, smiles and blushes. There was one teeny weeny part where I thought…Geez, I hope I’m not going to be crying through the whole bloody book but those sad parts made the good parts even better.

The True North series is completely addictive. I love the Shipleys and all the other characters who have come to the table on Thursday night. Zach, the quiet giant is up next and I can’t wait for his story.

Hmmm...

On the outside, Jude is a bad boy. On the inside, he is trying to be a better man. In some ways, it’s for himself but in a lot of ways he wants to be better for Sophie.

So here we have a bad boy who has turned out good.

On the outside, Sophie's father, the police chief, is a good man. On the inside he is despicable. I never got the impression that he was trying to change. He didn’t seem to want to be a better man.

So here we have what appeared to be a good man acting like a bully and a brute.

On the outside, the drug dealer looks bad. He doesn’t want to be a better man and does evil things to reinforce that.

On the outside Denny is a good man…a little dorky, but still good. He has the best intentions and makes decisions to see other people's lives improve. His decisions can make his life harder, but he takes it on the chin.

Good can look like evil and evil can look like good.

Good can look good and evil can look evil.

Steadfast has given me a great reminder that we sometimes have to look below the surface to find the good and the bad in people.

To purchase Steadfast from Amazon - http://amzn.to/2eqxLHK



I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[S.M. West · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STEADFAST STARS

This was an emotional, heartrending read. From the very mention of Jude Nickel, in the first book, I wanted his story. Jude's an ex-con and ex-junkie who had been incarcerated for manslaughter. He's just over six months released from jail, spending those months working on the Shipley farm. Now he must go home, back to the scene of the crime so to speak. He regrets it all, well almost everything. He doesn't regret Sophie although he feels he's wrecked her life too and she's better off without him.

Sophie Haines loves Jude. Even after all he's done, the drugs, the lying, the death of her brother. She loves him even though her family's a mess, her mother a shell of person and her father more of a bully than he ever was. She loves him even though he rejected her and shut her out once he went to jail. She loves him.



Sarina truly brought to life the hard and torturous journey of someone trying to kick an addiction and stay clean. It’s never far from their thoughts. It’s a struggle, day by day, minute by minute.



Jude was one of those heroes that you can't help but love and connect with. He was flawed, broken but also truly remorseful and committed to staying the path. Sophie was a fantastic heroine. Her strength, her love and her conviction were all to be admired. Sophie and Jude together were sweet, pure and so heart felt.



“Even the grimmest of lives have moments of beauty.”



I loved that this story was different, had a different vibe and different complexities than the first book. And the two heroes, Griff and Jude, also two opposites but they work. Same goes with Zach, I can tell his story will take us in a completely different direction and I can’t wait! Sarina also gives us some twists, turns, and revelations that adds layers and a few surprises to the story.

While the second book in the True North Series, this could be read as a standalone. But to fully appreciate Jude's journey and the bond and support of the Shipley's, I'd recommend you read Bittersweet first.

**ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.**

For more reviews and blog posts.

[Anniebananie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 Sterne

Den halben Stern Abzug gibt es nur weil es mir alles in allem ein bisschen viel Drama war, dennoch gut erzähltes emotionales Drama. Fand den zweiten Band glaube ich sogar einen Hauch besser als den ersten, da mir das Thema "Sucht" um das es hier ging sehr gut gefallen hat und ich hierzu noch kein Buch in diesem Genre gelesen habe. Lobend hervorzuheben finde ich hierbei auch wie unser Protagonist mit seiner Sucht umgeht, vor allem, dass er sich von verschiedensten Stellen Hilfe sucht, das ist finde ich eine ganz wichtige Message! Trotz dieses doch sehr ernsten Themas kommen die sexyschmexy und Schmachtszenen dennoch nicht zu kurz. Ich mochte - wie schon bei Band 1 - die beiden Erzählperspektiven, generell Sarina Bowens Schreibstil und vor allem die Szenerie in Vermont. Für mich eine vollkommen gelungene Fortsetzung!

[Leticia (jerseygirlsbookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Even the grimmest lives have moments of beauty. Don’t miss ’em."
This was probably the heaviest Sarina Bowen book I've read. That means I'll be thinking about it for a while, and it also meant that this HEA, albeit very hard-won, was just sooo satisfying.
I love seeing good people finally getting the chance to be happy after all the BS life throws at them.

"But even a glimpse of him had given me palpitations. As if my subconscious had recognized a piece of my soul before my brain got a chance to speak up."
Jude broke me. My heart broke for him so many times. Not only because of what he's facing with handling cravings and his addiction, but because he really feels like he's worthless. He's such a wonderful person, with a kind, gentle heart, but no one really sees that. They see him as the drug addict, and the guy who went to jail. Except for Sophie, because she sees all of him.

"I wore the memory of Sophie like an imprint on my soul."
There's no way for me not to love Sophie. She has the kind of strength that comes from within, and that lifts you up and helps you stand. Against whatever it is. She lost so much when she lost her brother, and she's getting through life, but something's always been missing. Until Jude comes back, and the broken pieces start falling into place.

"This was a Jude from an alternate universe. But I knew if I slid into his arms he’d feel so achingly familiar—broad and warm and strong and so very mine."
Jude and Sophie were high-school sweethearts. Everything about their relationship was perfect for me, and they had this connection you get once in a lifetime. Except that he got addicted to painkillers, she didn't realize it, and he ruined his life by crashing his car and killing her brother in the process. He got sent to prison, leaving Sophie alone to fend for herself. He removed himself from her life, thinking she'd be happier without him, that she could follow her dreams without him weighing her down.
It just doesn't work like that.

"You make me feel so lucky," I told her. It was the truest thing I’d ever said.
When he gets released from prison and comes back into town, their worlds collide again. Neither of them is the same person, but some things never change, and they're still perfect for each other. Sophie needs to wrap her head around the fact that this is not the same man who left her, and that he didn't leave by choice, while Jude has his own demons to face. It's not only his cravings, but his feeling of inadequacy, of not being enough, of being less then, and always a screw-up.
I wished I could hug him. I really did. Because he's so much more than enough.

"That’s not how it works with you and me. We never let the bastards win."
It's hard for them to stay away from each other, and I loved it when they reconnected. I loved how pure their relationship is, and how much love they have for each other. Despite it all, or because of it all. When Sophie starts asking the right questions about the accident that killed her brother, secrets get unburied. Dangerous secrets that threaten both of them and what they have, and may threaten their lives in the meantime.
But Sophie... she's not going to take it lying down, and she's there to fight for her man. As she should.

I loved seeing the Shipley family, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next books in this series.

"You own me. You always have."
"Even when you’re not perfect, you’re still mine."
They're not perfect apart, but they're perfect together. They may be weak on their own, but they give each other strength. The kind that comes from knowing someone completely and loving wholeheartedly. I loved the ending because it's just so them, and I loved this book for making me believe everyone can get a second shot at happiness.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second chance at love story was so amazingly well written: I couldn't put this one down.
Jude and Sophie's love story broke my heart (but, thankfully, it got mended again!)

Jude paid a huge price for his drug addiction. Sophie's wicked father made Jude's life a living hell.
Jude's fight to stay off drugs and Sophie's faith and rekindled love for Jude, despite the prevailing belief that Jude was responsible for her brother's death, was a fast-paced, heart-stopping read.



As always, Bowen treats the subjects of addiction and sobriety with the utmost respect.
This is one of my all time favourites by Sarina Bowen. Highly, highly recommended!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - "Not all the things we want are good for us..." Stars!

Its LIVE!
Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Steadfast-True...
Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steadfast-Tr...
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stead...

Being the first full book I have read by this author I have to say I was mightily impressed with Jude and Sophie’s story.



You are introduced to Jude in Bittersweet, the first book of this series, one which sadly I didn’t actually manage to finish. But all the good things I have heard about this author were front and center in Steadfast and I could not put this book down.

I wore the memory of Sophie like and imprint on my soul.

You know from the start that this is going to be a heavy and emotional read, Jude is a recovering drug addict, and although five months clean at the start of the story, you quickly realize that his cravings are still strong and very much a part of his daily struggle. I must admit stories of this nature aren’t things that I usually gravitate to on a regular basis, I like a bit of angst now and again, but my reading tastes seem to have moved along from the all-out angst-fests that I used to devour.

"I know I screwed up badly… But if you ever needed my help, there’s really nothing I wouldn’t do for you."

The author pitched the angst and drama perfectly in this one, in that yes there is a lot of it, but Jude was such a self-depreciating character I just took him into my heart and spent most of the book wanting to give him a hug. No trying to blame others for his past transgressions with this character, he owned the fact that he had messed up, and was trying to move forwards and become a better person because of it, his humility in the wake of everything that happened and his determination to stay clean were so, so admirable. It was impossible not to root and root hard for him.

I thought Jude was sent to me from heaven. When I was eighteen, I let him take me there. When I was nineteen he broke both my heart and my family.

I wondered if Sophie was going to be a challenge for me to get along with initially, but it becomes quickly apparent as the story unfolds that there is a huge amount that happened prior to Jude’s incarceration both between them and outside of their relationship that played a part in the bigger picture, and as such Sophie is very much someone looking for answers, not just between her and Jude, but also in relation to her family and home life, stuck in the past, lacking any real purpose and barely living because of it. This is a woman who has given up everything for people that seem to just alternately take advantage of or ignore her. Majorly lonely, and literally just existing day-to-day, Jude’s return to town pretty much jump-starts hear heart again.



I liked the flashbacks you are given to when they were teenagers and the first threads of their relationship, it gave their deep and consuming reconnection gravitas, add to that, that they were smoking hot together and everything was just perfectly balanced in this story.

"I haven’t been properly fucked in three years… After all that’s happened are you going to make me beg?"

A little suspense threads through the book as well in that not all maybe as was initially assumed in relation to the reasons Jude went to prison, and I liked the fact we returned to the Shipley Farm from time to time, the author added plenty of flesh to this story in the secondary characters and side-plots and the book was an absolute joy to read.

"All we can do is listen harder, hug harder and hope for the best."

I can certainly see why so many people rave about this authors books now, although the first book of this series may not have been a winner for me, Steadfast 100% was, and I cannot wait to see what sort of story the Sarina gives Zach, another hugely interesting character in that he has a lot of interesting things going for him that should make his book Keepsake when it is released in October, another absolutely addicting read.

ARC generously provided in exchange for the above honest review.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Hopeful Stars****

(ARC kindly provided by Author)
(BR with Mel)


This was a beautiful novel about the healing powers of love and about believing in second chances. The main character Jude is a drug addict trying to re-build his life after a terrible tragedy. The subject matter of this book is very sensitive, one that if not done right can turn a story into something very dark and heavy. I feel like this author did a lot of research about it, and handled it delicately, adding depth and beauty to the story. Very well done!





We met Jude Nickel when he was working at the Shipley's apple farm in Bittersweet. Having finished his seasonal work there now is time for him to go back home. A place that brings nothing but anxiety to him. Jude has been gone for three years, everything about his hometown is familiar, every corner full of memories that haunt him. Jude's addiction landed him in jail, and being a felon doesn't leave him with much choice, than to go back home and work for his dad. Jude's mission; to stay away from drugs and Sophie.



Jude and Sophie were in love. Their relationship meant everything to both of them, but a terrible tragedy got in the way of their love, and now there is nothing but pain and regret between them. After everything went down Jude was sentenced to jail, and Sophie had to quit on all her dreams to stay home and take care her of her mother. But now that Jude is back in town, it will be a real challenge for her to live her life, knowing that the boy she's always loved is only a few blocks away.





When Jude and Sophie come face to face, the pain and the love is equally strong. What feeling will they allow to conquer?


Will love be able to heal two broken hearts, and bring them hope for a better future, or is it too late for them?


This was not an easy story to read, Jude's struggles become your own as you learn about his past, present and future. I loved Jude's resilience, and I loved how much Sophie believed in him. Steadfast delivers a powerful message about letting go of the guilt and accepting hope for the future. This author takes us on a beautiful journey that will make a lasting impression on our hearts. I'm excited to discover more from this series.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Bowen is one of the few authors whom I can tolerate MF from.

This was quite the angsty installment, focusing on recovering addict Jude, who doesn’t have a lot of life options being a felon for manslaughter along with the intent to distribute drugs. There’s lots of questions surrounding his incarceration, and no one is more curious and in the dark than his ex-girlfriend Sophie, whose very dad was the one who arrested Jude way back when. Despite 3 years apart, the love between Jude and Sophie hasn’t faded one bit, and try as they might to avoid one another, they simply can’t.

As always, Bowen never fails on creating compelling male protagonists and Jude, despite his many many faults and mistakes, was still quite the sexy sympathetic character. He’s no longer hiding behind drugs, he struggles hard every day against his addiction, and he desperately wants to get better. However, that’s so much easier said than done, especially when Jude was ultimately responsible for making all the decisions regarding his current predicament. Though he knows he’s the worst thing for Sophie, he can’t ever tell her no.

Not surprising, Sophie’s character was a bit more challenging to relate to because who has come across a person who loves someone who is responsible for one of their family’s greatest losses? It’s hard as a reader to reconcile such conflicting feels, and Bowen deftly (perhaps unrealistically) manipulates things in Sophie’s favor so she’s able to move on and still have Jude. Admittedly, Sophie did have a few “female” moments which often irk me to no end when reading MF, but I was just thankful she didn’t drive me to drink, only exercising my eye rolls here and there.

So, as usual in these sorts of reads for me, the majority of the points go toward the male MC despite the inherent struggle of rooting for Jude under the circumstances. This was an admittedly difficult read, never sugarcoating what addiction can do to a person and the terrible consequences it can wrought but ultimately, it was also a story filled with redemption and a solid push for a second chance at life and love.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I forgot I read this five years ago, even after I started the audiobook. But I'm giving this one the same rating I gave it in 2017! I really enjoyed how this was a second chance romance and how our hero was a recovering drug addict. He was addicted to drugs when he and the heroine were together, but he got into an accident and killer her brother, which led to him being in jail. Now, he's back in town trying to rebuild his life and win back the heroine. I appreciate seeing a character like the hero who was struggling to make a life and make up for the wrongs in his past. The heroine knows she should stay away, but their old attraction is back stronger than ever and they can't stay away from each other. I also enjoyed how she was slowly trying to stand up to her dad and figure out what had happened so long ago during the accident. This was a cute and emotional small town romance and I'm excited to finally continue on in the series!

[Angela (Reading Frenzy Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.**

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
(BR with Dee)



Jude Nickel is a guy from a small town called Colebury, Vermont. He lost everything because of drugs & went to prison after an accident he was involved in took a life. After prison he spent some time in rehab & then worked picking apples at Shipley Farms with a loving family that treated him like one of their own. With no more farm work till the spring, and little money, Jude has no other option but to return home to the town that reminded him of all his mistakes. He moves back in with his dad to his room above the garage & works at his dad's business, the Nickel Auto Body Shop. He plans to lay low, & stay clean. He's still in recovery & battles his addiction every day, but he's fighting with everything in him to shed the person he used to be.



Jude is shocked when he comes face to face with the only person who ever truly loved him, his ex-girlfriend Sophie Haines. He thought she would be out of this small town by now, but Sophie is living at home with her overbearing police chief father & her mother. She has a bad home situation & is working at the hospital while finishing up college. She is stunned when she runs into the boy she hasn't seen in over three and a half years. The boy who broke her heart & shut her out of his life when he was taken away, but this Jude isn't a boy anymore. He's all man. He's huge and even more beautiful than she remembered. He's changed so much, but she still holds a torch for the guy who destroyed her family. It should be wrong, but in her heart it wasn't. Loving Jude was the only thing that always felt right.



-He was beautiful.

-Even a glimpse of him had given me palpitations. As if my subconscious had recognized a piece of my soul before my brain got a chance to speak up.



When Jude begins volunteering at the same local church Sophie helps at, they begin seeing more of each other. They both still feel so much for one another & things soon turn intimate between the former high school loves. Sophie still see's so much good in Jude & treats him like he matters, but Jude doesn't feel he deserves her. She won't give up on him, & eventually seeing himself through Sophie's eyes, Jude begins to have hope for the future.



-She was the one person in my life who thought I was somebody worth knowing.



This story was another fabulous book in this series. It was about forbidden romance & second chances. I adore Jude & was glad to see him get his happy ending. There are a lot of twists and turns & revelations in this book. I really enjoyed it & can't wait for Zach's book!

[Wil Loves Books! · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Big, Fat “You make me feel so lucky” STARS!!!

Brilliant! It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Steadfast. It’s just brilliant. I loved every second of it. And just like with Bittersweet it has become an insta-favorite of mine. I guarantee those farm boys will steal your heart.

“When Jude and I were alone together, the rest of the world didn’t exist.”

I’m definitely a Sarina fan, and so far pretty much every Sarina book I’ve read has been amazing. She’s such a smart writer; her books are so real and also well balanced. They are usually the perfect combination of passion, angst and even humor. Better yet, she can achieve all that without having over the top drama or stupid misunderstandings in her books. And those are the kind of books I love. The kind of books that speak to me, and the kind of books I usually crave. And well, this is also a second chance romance, and if you follow my reviews, you know that second chance romances are my weakness! But this book, this book is so much more. This is a redemption story of the best kind. A book about accepting your mistakes, growing up in every sense of the word and moving forward with life. A second chance, not only at love, but at life in general. Like I said, it’s just…brilliant!

“When I was seventeen, I thought Jude was sent to me from heaven. When I was eighteen, I let him take me there. When I was nineteen, he broke both my heart and my family.”

That right there is pretty much all you need to know about this book before you start reading. If you read Bittersweet, you met Jude as Griff’s new employee, who is an ex-convict and who is struggling to stay clean after going to prison and rehab. If you haven’t read Bittersweet (why haven’t you? It’s a must read!) this can still be read as a standalone.

Jude and Sophie loved each other since they were teens. Unbeknownst to Sophie Jude’s other love was drugs. Their relationship abruptly ended one night and that night changed their lives forever. Now a few years later, Jude comes back to town and eventually runs into Sophie. This is a truly forbidden romance, Sophie’s dad is the chief of police and he hates Jude, always had. Not to mention, the events of that night years ago, make it almost impossible for them together. Almost. Cause Jude and Sophie’s connection is incredible.

“But even a glimpse of him had given me palpitations. As if my subconscious had recognized a piece of my soul before my brain got a chance to speak up.”

Jude struggles to remain sober were so raw and real. He was such a great guy is such a bad situation, but the way he persevered was admirable! Sarina has created an amazing world where the supporting characters are as amazing as the main characters. The Shipley’s are super present in this book and their support for Jude is incredible. I so want to be part of that family!

“This made a huge difference to my outlook on life. If I didn’t show up next week, they would wonder why. And if I relapsed, I wouldn’t be able face them.”

Soon Sophie realized that his Jude was even better than the version of Jude she used to know.

“It was hard to be here with this oddly sanitized version of Jude. The wearer of flannel. Diet Coke in his glass. This was a Jude from an alternate universe. But I knew if I slid into his arms he’d feel so achingly familiar—broad and warm and strong and so very mine.”

I loved both Jude and Sophie. Sophie was so likeable and such a trooper. I love that Sarina writes such amazing heroines. And Jude, well, there are no words to describe Jude. He was just so special, such a great guy. And the chemistry between them was so palpable. That, combined with the gorgeous writing, made for some swoony scenes.

“Kissing her wasn’t a decision I made. It was just inevitable, the way a clap of thunder follows lightning. We leaned in at the same time. I closed my eyes so that I didn’t have to see the little spark of shock on her face. But my blindness changed nothing. Sophie. Our lips brushed together on a sigh. And then my mouth melted onto hers. I kissed her so slowly. Once. Then twice. Even in my haze of yearning I knew I should memorize every second.”

The angst is off the charts with this one. The love is also off the charts. Also, there’s an element of mystery throughout the whole book that keeps you guessing until the end. I also loved the flashbacks to when Jude and Sophie were teenagers. I wholeheartedly recommend Steadfast. It’s a beautiful, beautiful book. You will love it from beginning to end. I’m truly hooked on this series and I can’t wait for Book 3 of this series, Keepsake, which is Zach’s book. And if you haven’t read Bittersweet, pick that one up too, you will not be disappointed!

“All we can do is listen harder, hug harder and hope for the best.”



 

**An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

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[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Freaking AWESOME Stars!




Wow! I abso-fucking-lutely loved this forbidden love, turned second-chance romance! It hit the spot in my plight for an angsty-emotional, heartfelt read! We'd met Jude Nickel in Bittersweet but all we knew of him was that he was recently released from prison and fresh out of drug rehab. A hard worker, Jude tended to keep to himself while working on the Shipley Farm. Once the apple season was complete, he was laid off and finds himself back where it all began (and ended) for him. His hometown of Colebury, Vermont- chock full of memories and heartache. And mistakes he can't take back.

Sophie Haines hasn't seen Jude since the accident. Three years in prison for manslaughter, her letters returned, she can't believe her eyes when she notices he's back. Working in his dad's beat-up auto body shop. Prison sure bulked him up and she can't help but wish what if...





Steadfast was a perfectly paced romance between two high school sweethearts that seemingly lost their chance of a happily ever after. The local police chief's daughter who's in love with the town felon. Not what true romances are made of. But this was such a true love story!

Sarina Bowen did a stellar job with Jude's character. A recovering opiate addict, she didn't gloss over his pain, his cravings. She made it front and center for him, a daily struggle. It was so realistic and made me attach that much more to his...their story. So often our heroes are so perfect, well Jude was realistically imperfect! And Sophie...the sweet social work intern that see's underneath Jude's act in protecting her from himself. They couldn't be more suited! If only he could see it!





We also get a bit of added suspense and drama but it didn't feel like it was added just for effect. It fit the story and there isn't a thing I'd change about this book. I liked Bittersweet but I loved Steadfast. Both books thus far in the True North series can be read as standalones but Bittersweet does introduce you to all the characters within the Shipley family- who also happen to get more time with us in this book! So yeah for more Griffin and Audrey! And I can't wait to see what Sarina Bowen does with our dear, quiet, virgin farm-hand, Zach!

Bravo!




Advanced copy received by author in exchange for my honest review.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so busy right now, that I just don't have much time to write a review. I do feel this book deserves one, and I hope that I will come back to write one. I loved Jude and Sophie, and I felt the Jude's addiction issues were dealt with and talked about very realistically. This is a topic that I don't usually like to read about as it hits very close to home for me; but Sarina Bowen did a beautiful job of not glamorizing it; but giving us readers a front row seat to the guilt, sorrow, and heart ache that the addict goes through while trying to continue to stay clean. I loved how Sophie supported Jude always, and to me that just made their relationship all that much stronger.

This series is a wonderful series, and I am so glad that I picked it up!! Now on to book three which is the one I originally was looking forward too!

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Redemption and Second Chances stars

I’ve recently started to read Sarina Bowen’s reads. Almost every book I’ve read from her has been an instant hit for me, including this series. Steadfast is a standalone and is part of the True North series. This is Jude’s story!

I will admit and say I wasn’t overly excited for Jude’s story. Remember, he’s the one that came on the farm and he just got out of prison. I’m not a fan of drug addicts but to my surprise, I REALLY REALLY REALLY liked how Sarina Bowen wrote Jude’s story.

Steadfast is a book about changing the way people think of you and doing what’s best for yourself. It’s about pursuing love and letting the negativity go. It’s a super sweet, romantic book and I love second chances romances.
Sophie and Jude were high school lovers. Jude was the bad boy and Sophie was the daughter of the town sheriff. Jude became a drug addict and even though Sophie wasn’t aware of it, everything went out of control one night which landed Jude in prison for three years.

The story will break your heart! When Jude gets out, he tries everything he can to stay on the straight and narrow path. He is coming back home from working on the farm and now he needs to build up money to eventually get out of the town that hates him so much. He works at his father’s shop and that’s all he does.

I really loved Jude’s story. I loved how strong he was and I LOVE reading about his inner struggle and believe me, he had tons of it. I didn’t think I would like reading about a struggling addict, but I found it really eye opening and addictive to read. Everyone hates Jude because of what he did and you can’t help but feel for the guy.

Sophie doesn’t know what to make of Jude being back. She stays out of his way but there are so many residual feelings. I really liked Sophie. I found her so strong and so smart. I wanted to squeeze her because she is an awesome Heroine. The chemistry between Jude and Sophie is crazy wild, can you imagine the tension?

So much more goes on in this book and it becomes kind of a mystery book, which I also love. Sarina went in a completely different written direction with this one and it paid off in my opinion. It was written well, the characters were super developed and I felt an emotional attachment to the story.

AN ARC was provided


Bittersweet #1 REVIEW | AMAZON - B&N - iBOOKS - KOBO - GOOGLE

Steadfast #2 AMAZON

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

There are second chance romances and there are second chance romances and Jude Nickel and Sophie Haines very much fall into the latter. Steadfast is one of the best I've read and, with the perfect balance of angst and passion, this story broke my heart, put it back together again, and in a completely realistic, believable way.



Jude was a superbly portrayed character; very quiet and unassuming, he owns the fact that he's a recovering addict, owns his past mistakes and refuses to let his past regrets bury him. And as the story progresses he shows incredible strength despite fighting his weaknesses; he very much stole my heart from the start.

"I count down the days until Wednesday. Keeps me sane, knowing that if I stay strong all week I get to see you."

Sophie was equally well portrayed. The volume of loss she has experienced would test the resolve of even the strongest person, but she refuses to be defeated and I had a huge amount of empathy towards her as she comes to term with Jude's re-entering her life. But the love between this couple is something else.



Whilst the second book in the True North series, Steadfast can easily be read as a standalone. However, it was lovely to be reacquainted with the Shipley's, they do add real value to Jude and Sophie's story and I'm looking forward to seeing the journey Sarina Bowen takes Zach on Keepsake.

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new trope is taking over the romance novels… Haven’t you noticed?
Billionaires seem to have been relinquished to the back shelves and more down to earth, next door neighbors kind of heroes own the front row…

Blue collar type of heroes over arrogant business men… I for one, can definitely see the appeal. While I’m not completely over the idea of a man in suit, I’m more naturally attracted to heroes I feel I’d be attracted to in real life. Romance novels and me… A success of a great read for me is the ability to project myself, and to feel for the characters as if they were real.

And Steadfast could not have been better regarding that last point. Sarina Bowen delivered here the most down to earth and honest characters I’ve been given the pleasure to read.



In all honesty, I finished the book wondering how she’d done it to make me fall for whom everyone would consider a loser at first glance.

Her hero, I believe, was not written with the purpose to make you swoon. I didn’t feel like she was trying to write your typical bad boy nor the anti hero we’re used to read about in our romance novels.
She just wrote a character that felt REAL. Honest. True. Jude Nickel is not a stereotype. He’s flawed and has baggage.
Oh yes, I hear you, we’ve read characters like him already… Except… Not really.

For the first time as in maybe.. EVER, I felt like this character’s flaws were not just a mean to some angst in the plot… Not just an accessory to some cheap romance.
No. Jude flaws and problems were the story. His issues were not brushed over like I’ve read so many times, to give a character’s credit or grit. The author insights about a drug addict recovery, or more exactly on his path to recovery are uncanny.

And let me tell you, despite his anti hero traits, despite the non-dreamy settings, despite the fact Jude seemed so far away from any charming prince… I fell hard for him.

Thanks to the amazing storytelling, I was equally hooked on his POV, the brilliantly done flashbacks and Sophie’s side of the story.

For all I’m concerned, the romance story between Jude and Sophie was just the cherry on top. Not only Sarina Bowen created a hero you WANT to read about and never let go but she paired him with an equal authentic and lovable heroine.



I don’t know what to say about this book except that everything is set to make you lose yourself within its pages.
I also don’t want to say too much and ruin the experience it was discovering all the little things that makes Steadfast one of my favorite book of the year.

If you’re looking for a romance story and are tired of all the romance stereotypes, or simply if you need something new all wrapped up in feelings and authenticity, then I can only suggest ( recommend, order even!) to one click that breath of fresh air that is Steadfast.



(Arc offered in exchange for an honest review)
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