Bittersweet (True North Book 1)

This is an awesome story....love combination of humor, wit and romance. The kitchen and food part makes it really more interesting to me aside from the joys and pride of farming. Audrey and Griff chemistry is really off the charts and the loves scenes are wow....cant help but make you feel the intensity of it. Thumbs up!

I love this story line. You never know when your past is going to catch up with you in the form of a flat tire. Griffin gave up football for farming at the death of his dad, Audrey is trying to make it as a chef but her bosses keep sending her on crap shot jobs. Never did she imagine meeting her college hookup in Vermont.

Audrey meet Griffin in college. She never expected to see him years later. He was a college hook up that was hard to forget and she was a college hook up that disappears. Can these two fall for each other along with all the extra wants and needs of their lives? Read now to find out!! You won't be disappointed!!

I enjoyed this one more than I expected to! Bittersweet is a feel-good romance with a healthy dose of humor, sex, and family dynamics - both good & bad. Add a hero/heroine from two different worlds who are thrown together by accident and coincidence . . . even as they vividly recall two hot nights spent together five years ago in college. Now you've got the right recipe for romance. High on sex appeal but low on drama - the perfect feel-good read! I'm looking forward to more! A Must Read!

Hooray for stories about men and women who value hard work, family and strong partners. Sarina has created a family farm in Vermont that I would love to visit. It’s filled with interesting characters that I am looking forward to getting to know better in the rest of the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story about grumpy Griff and Audrey.

Seriously.. Pure genius.

I love the idea of apple orchards & cider making.
It reminds me of crisp fall, farmer market, and apple pie.

This book was funny and sweet.
Mature and wholesome.
Lumber and sexual.

^^see what I did there^^

Anyways, I adored it.
Griffin was gruff, manly, and sweet.
Audrey was genuine, clumsy, and endearing.

They were the prefect yin and yang.
This story was rich and full of life.
And I'm dying for more.

I love SB stories! Having family living in Vermont, I found this book captured the characters, time and place, as well as providing a wonderful love story. In the process I even learned a bit about cider making , which has inspired me to try it local cidery. Heading in to read the rest of True North series. Can't wait!

Bittersweet is SO good! I love the part where Audrey finally finds her backbone and stands up to her mom. Sometimes a book can take you back to a different part of life and show you the changes that need to be made. Thank you Ms. Bowen for a sweet book with a loving family. I can't wait to read Jude's story next.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel with the most engaging characters in the lead roles, and some interesting ones in the periphery. Some great humour and some real warmth in the writing style made this a lovely read. I said surprising as it was a freebie. I would have gladly paid for it.

The characters are lovable and the imagery is also believable. I know all too well that farming is hard and not pretty, but this author put a romantic spin to it. I can’t wait to read Steadfast, to see what she does with another hard scrabble situation and people dealing with it.

Not bad. I kinda wanted more in regards to Audrey & Zara’s friendship tho. I had already read Zara’s book (#4) cause it was part of the hockey series and I really wanted more on how she and Audrey became besties. But otherwise, Audrey & Griff are Fire! Smoking hot!

The emotional distances overcome between the two protagonists was realistically portrayed. I enjoyed the characters, their humor and the depictions of small town life. I liked this book so much, I went on to read all of the other books in the series. I eagerly await the next one volume.

I love this book. The background is written with such care, and it's part of the story, not just a prop. I love to cook, and summer is my favorite because I can cook with the vegetables that I planted, so I get the feeling that Griffen and Audrey have with the proud of good work. The romance is beautiful done. There is no excessive drama, and it makes you wish for the next book soon. So many interesting characters!!! Can't wait to Zack or Zara stories. Nicely done Mrs. Bowen!

3 Stars for Bittersweet, this is the first book in the True North series. I liked the side characters more than the h (Audrey) and the H (Griffin) grew on me. Cute story and I will probably read the next book in this series and see if it gets better.

This story had me intrigued from the very first chapter. Well written in a more true to life kind of romance between two people. Set in Vermont on an Apple farm, hard work from dawn to dusk. This smart author finds some time to play for her lovers.

Sarina Bowen is becoming one of my favorite authors. Bittersweet is such an easy read and I wanted to keep turning the pages to see what was coming. I wasn't even finished with Audrey and Griffin and was already planning on purchasing the next book!

The Shipley’s are awesome and I want more! Great start to a new non-sports series by Sarina Bowen. Great writing. Interesting characters and great supporting cast. I can’t wait for more from this crew. “Gruff” Griff and Audrey were great.

Griffin and Audrey have a second meeting on his family farm in Vermont. She is working for a corporation that wants to buy farm to table produce and cider from Vermont growers. So Audrey convinces everyone to sell to BCG. Griffin falls in love with Audrey. She wants to open a restaurant in Boston with BCG. However, the company swindles out of their deal for Griffin ' s cider. Can their love survive? 5 stars

The romantic exchanges by Griff were not my taste but the story was fun and relatable, and the descriptions we great. The relationship with the bartender and mother did not feel true to life but didn't interfere with the story too much. I like the writing style and would read others by this author.

I fell in love with this book and the characters. I swooned over Grumpy Griff and his family! Audrey was such a breathe of fresh air compared to so many other females written in books.
Sarina Bowen never disappoints when writing. Her characters always draw you in, the love story and the sub stories are always on point and the sexy scenes always cause a heat stroke.
I can't wait to read the other books!

Quick read with love and delicious foodie insight throughout the courses of the lovers courtship. Loved Tawdry Audrey and Farmer Groff and you will to. Let this romance sweep you away for a few hours of pure satisfaction.

The characters in this book are just the right amount of flawed and hopeful. The banter is entertaining and the family dynamics are what you want in a perfect world. The sex is not overly graphic but is enough to make the point.
If you like your stories short and sweet with an HEA, this book is for you.

Wow. Couldn’t tell it from description but this book was Hot!
I enjoyed the flawed characters, there realize struggles but financially, emotionally and family.
Wonderful rap up. Will read all books in series.

I liked the chemistry between these two, it was quick and hot. I didnt like the fact that the characters stories were more separate than blended together and i felt like i was left hanging at the end.

A sweet small town story about farmer Griff and city chef Audrey. I loved this story two different people getting together even though they had a hook-up during college. I'm a foodie so I love reading about food so when you mix it in a romantic setting I'm going to love it. I can't describe why I love this story so much, I just felt really happy when I finished this book

Having made some apple cider from my home grown trees has been fun so I enjoyed reading about the different varieties of apples the story had. Although I will never sell my brew, I could believe how much work goes into farmers selling theirs.

Could just be me and where I was emotionally when I began this book...i had just finished a book I was still processing and loved. But my schedule was about to get busy and I wanted to start a new book so I chose this one. I crammed it in. The writing was good, I didn't fall in love with Griffin or Audrey. I don't know. Not alot of depth or drama, just moved right along uneventfully really.

I purchased this book on a recommendation from a fellow reader who told me I would love this book. Boy was she right!! The story was fun and flowed really well. Griff and Audrey were a fun couple. Griff reminded me of a sexy, bearded lumberjack. And Audrey reminded me of a perky cheerleader who is now grown up!! I loved her. Griff was just hot and sexy!!

I loved the characters and their fun banter between them. I'm in love with Griffin;) Loved the setting (I could see it in my mind). It made we want to go try some ciders!! This was a book that had a great story and kept my interest. The only thing I would've liked is maybe the ending not seeming like it just was just done. Otherwise, I felt this was an excellent book!

This book was very good. The overall story was good but somewhat predictable. If you don’t like steamy sex, which there was some, then don’t buy the book. I personally thought it was excellent. The narration was also excellent.

Strong characters, great humor, sizzling chemistry realistic relationship of hardworking folks, no secret billionaires or women that need to be rescued. But H-O-T too. Loved the two povs and fun analogies.

The gift Grif bought was so touching, and came a bit of a surprise, yet perfect !

I stumbled across this book as a recommendation on my kindle and decided to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did! I loved the chemistry between Griffin and Audrey and absolutely fell in love with the Shipley family! I can't wait to read the other books in the series.

Griff Shipley stole this farm girl's heart!

4**** WickedGoodStars for Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen

Characters - Griff Shipley is a former college football playing love machine who had a couple of hotter than hot hook ups with a sexy blonde he cant seem to forget. Fast forward a few years into the future, his father has passed away and Griff, being the oldest child, is now in charge of the family farm - dairy cows and cider apples. Hes trying to keep everything running smoothly for his mother and his siblings.
Audrey Kidder is pretty much a failure at life. Shes failed out of a couple of colleges before finally making it through culinary school, her mother thinks shes a loser - and now unless she can convince some country bumpkins to sell her some produce on the cheap she is going to lose her job. First bumpkin on the list... Shipley Farms. Funny how the name Shipley rings a bell from one of those colleges she attended. A couple of steamy go arounds with an athlete named Griffin Shipley, eh?
I loved Griffin, but what's not to love. He was the ideal farm boy. Tall, rugged, gorgeous, loving, would do anything for his family. He was about as perfect as they come.
I liked Audrey to a certain extent. I felt a whole lot sorry for her. She was just this side of nutty but a very sweet little character. She was a great match for Griff, though. They were really good together.
Story/Summary - Bittersweet was a smooth, sweet... very romantic read. Light on the angst, heavy on the sexy. I was born and raised on a farm. I loved all the 'farm talk'. Of course, the pig butchering scene was one of my favorites. *giggles*. I actually learned a lot about apples and cider in the process, too. I will certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about large, burly, bearded farmers who dont mind getting dirty in the name of love!

A bitter and sweet romance indeed. Heart worming to read about the Ripley family, their daily struggle with the orchard, their love and caring for the unfortunate others and the captivating love between Griff and Audrey.
Could not stop reading.

Audrey and Griff hooked up in college and tons of chemistry. Years later they run into each other on a Vermont farm, sparks fly between Audrey an aspiring chef in Boston and Griffin an apple grower in Vermont. Sexy, fun and organic!

I really enjoyed this book and have quickly made my way through the rest of the series. I enjoyed the way that the author incorporates non fictional elements and that it is SO much more than sex. The characters are relatable and the story is believable. It has real New England charm and all the steam you need! I'll be sad when I finish the final book.