Bittersweet (True North #1) by Sarina Bowen & Interview

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Source: advance e-galley provided by the author

The new series is set in Vermont. True North is populated by the tough, outdoorsy mountain men that populate the Green Mountain State. They raise cows and they grow apples. They chop a lot of wood, especially when they need to blow off steam. (Beards are optional but encouraged.)

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the orchard.

The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some.

Source: advance e-galley provided by the author

Firstly, I want to thank Sarina Bowen for getting me out of my reading funk. I’d picked up three other books in the last three weeks and haven’t been able to concentrate on any of them until I started Bittersweet. Secondly, holy hell is Bittersweet not one of the sexiest reads I’ve read lately! I mean, wow! I’m so eloquent, aren’t I?

The True North series is a departure from Bowen's sports-centric novels, and it’s a breath of fresh air. Set in a very picturesque Vermont, Bittersweet focuses on Griff a former football player drafted by the NFL who gives it all up to run his family’s farm after his father unexpectedly passes away. Not once did I get a sense of bitterness from his perspective as he seemed genuinely content with his lot in life. Let me rephrase. He finds joy and purpose in running the farm but does stress about maintaining it and supporting his family and employees. Audrey, on the contrary, who has dreams of becoming a chef and owning her own restaurant, is slaving away for some restaurant corporation that doesn’t utilize her amazing culinary skills. Instead, they send her on an assignment to negotiate food supply prices with farmers in the Vermont area. This is how she and Griff, two people with a brief history, meet again.

Normally, instant physical attraction is a tricky thing to write and make believable. In this scenario, since they already share a past, it’s easy to accept that Audrey and Griff gravitate towards each other instantly. And oh boy is it hot! I also like how different and similar the two of them are. They have this effortless connection between them that makes it fun to see where they’re headed. With regards to their communication, this is more grown up fare than that of the Ivy League series. This couple is slightly older, out in the world working diligently because so much is dependent on them being successful at their chosen vocation. Griff at this point is on steadier ground. What Audrey goes through as she finds her footing is a struggle that most of us can understand. There’s also much more at play here other their incredible chemistry. It’s also about family and what true support system means. The warm fuzzies I got from them is another reason why I enjoyed this book. Surrounded by his welcoming family and farmhands, Audrey yearns to have something akin to that for herself.

Bowen is a talented writer. The story flows effortlessly and her stories in general are simply enjoyable to read. That's why she's one of those writers where I don't even think twice about grabbing her books. If you ever wanted to have an idea about farming, Bowen has done the research for you. From milking cows, to picking apples to creating cider, every day is interesting and productive. It definitely gave me better perspective on what a farmer’s typical day might be. Bigger than that, with all the talk of cider-making and what seemed like the endless varieties of apples, Bowen had me craving apples! She also made me want to give up bacon briefly (about five minutes – let’s not get crazy here). Anyway, I think Bittersweet, featuring the gorgeous East Coast region, is an inspiring start to her brand new series. I’m ready for more!

~ Bel

INTERVIEW WITH SARINA BOWEN

Sarina is such a sweetheart and made some time to answer a few questions for us, about Bittersweet and other random topics. Read on!

1. With the True North series, you're shifting away from a focus on sports to a focus on a different kind of culture in Vermont. How did the idea come to you and what was it like to make that shift?

I love athletes, but I'm surrounded by the coolest, hippest innovative farmers, and I thought it would be fantastic to explore their world. You know what? I think I love guys who work with their hands. And Griff is an ex-football player, because I couldn't help myself.

2. What fun things did you discover as you researched about running a farm and brewing cider?

That making cider is so much fun! Cidermakers use some really crazy apples, ones that you wouldn't want to eat straight. They taste so bad they're called "spitters" because people spit them out. Also? Making hard cider is harder than making beer, but takes less energy. So it's both tasty and eco friendly.

3. You're working on a few series concurrently - True North, Brooklyn Bruisers, Him (with Elle Kennedy) - so how do you manage your time and keep track of multiple plots? And how does that work when you're writing with another author?

Elle and I have to work together in schedule gaps. It isn't easy. We're both horribly over-scheduled right now and hoping that changes next year.

4. In the Ivy League series, all your female characters are strong and there's always a theme of personal empowerment. You continue that in Bittersweet with Audrey, a character who's struggling but has grit. How much did you enjoy writing her?

She was fun and wonderfully imperfect. But she never lost her true sense of self, and she refused to compromise. I loved her.

Now here's the part of the interview where we like to have fun. Our motto at Bibliojunkies is "books, boys, pie". With that being said ...

5. Do you remember the book that completely blew you away as a kid? 

A Wrinkle in Time

6. What's your absolute favourite dessert and with which male celebrity would you share it? 

Huh. Okay. Sour cherry pie. Jaromir Jagr. Because I'm so impressed that this 44-year-old is still killing it in hockey. He's interesting and he totally deserves pie.

The Deal & The Mistake (Off-Campus 1 & 2) by Elle Kennedy

The Deal * * * *

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy...

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice... even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

I’d first heard of The Deal when I saw someone highly recommend it on Facebook. The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan had almost burned up my ereader with its hot college sports romance and had definitely whet my appetite for more like it. Readers, I went on a bit of a bender and read both The Deal and The Mistake in one weekend. Go me! Hence, I’m covering both books in this review and no spoilers included.

The Deal gives you Hannah and Garrett who are in the same ethics class together but where she’s passing, he’s failing. One look at her score on the latest test has Garrett begging her to tutor him. She doesn’t succumb to his fame or flirty ways so refuses him because she honestly has no time. Garrett doesn’t give up easily and eventually wears her down by dangling a carrot in front of her – help him pass the class and he will make sure that she gets noticed by her crush, a popular football player in their class.

Despite everything he tries, Garrett can’t break Hannah’s defenses. That’s okay though because while he’d never noticed her before, he’s actually enjoying her company now. Hannah finds him growing on her though she won’t admit it out loud. There’s a reason why Hannah guards herself so closely and when she’s finally brave enough to admit it, Garrett shows that he can actually be a really stand-up guy. He also has his issues which would break any illusions people have of him and his family. When Hannah and Garrett come together, it’s beautiful and also maddening because of some despicable interferences from outside sources.

I liked The Deal a lot. At first I couldn’t help but notice similar themes with other novels but whatever similarities I’d noticed were fairly innocuous. The story pulled me in and I took to both characters. I mean, I have a soft spot for sarcastic and cocky guys…in fiction. And Hannah is awesome because she doesn’t back down to anyone or follow the pack. Her sarcastic nature is something I adored about her. Combine all their qualities and some sexual tension and you have yourself one helluva read!

~ Bel

The Mistake * * * *

He’s a player in more ways than one…

College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…

After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

By now we’re aware that our hockey player guys in the Off-Campus series are serious players. Being in a relationship is not high on the agenda. Hook-ups are the way to go and there are a few right off the bat here.

Logan is Garrett’s best friend and fellow teammate. Things between them are a bit off lately because now Garrett has a girlfriend and Logan may or may not be silently crushing on said best friend's girl in a bad way. He feels like a collosal jerk and the only way to alleviate the guilt is by being with other women. It leaves him empty inside but it’s a better alternative than being around the two love birds.

Grace is a sweet and awkward girl. She has a confidence about her that gets overshadowed by her tendency to blab too much when she’s uncomfortable. She runs across Logan one night at a party which leaves an impression on her. Let's say he's living up to his reputation. The next day in an attempt to avoid Garrett and not feel like a loser, he decides to take up a friend’s offer to meet them at a dorm party but when he arrives there, he doesn't remember the room number. He knocks on a door which turns out to be Grace’s room. That leads to some awkward chatting. Happy coincidence, she's been watching a movie (Die Hard) and he just so happens to share her love of action movies so he says yes to staying when she invites him in. One thing leads to another and they kind of sort of hook up. But then he bolts. Yes, that’s a jerk move. But he can’t get over how he left her feeling.

Logan attempts to make things up to her and thus begins a bizarre relationship. Even Logan can’t fathom what he’s doing. Whatever they’re embarking on, he’s worried that he may be leading her on and Grace isn’t exactly sure what’s happening between them.

Just as with The Deal, Logan and Grace have other matters in their lives that need attention. For Logan it’s his family obligations that could hinder his own career goals. For Grace, it’s her changing relationship with her best friend and a need to break out of her friend’s shadow.  Even with all the confusion and miscommunication between Logan and Grace, what I admire most about her is that she will not be anyone’s consolation prize. When Logan screws up big time, she makes him work to earn her trust back. Believe me, she makes him do it in the most hilarious and inventive ways possible!

The added bonus to The Mistake is seeing a bit more of the other guys in the house, Dean and Tucker. They’re both fun and sometimes shockingly insightful. Oh and one part that made me squeal was a shout out to a certain other fictional character that many may recognize.  I wasn’t expecting it and it was a nice touch!

In conclusion (like I’m debating here or something), The Deal and The Mistake both make for a great time. They both highlight some serious issues that affect many people and I think they’re dealt with sensitively here. I'm impressed by these heroines who aren’t afraid to be smart and won’t compromise their principles. And the guys – got to love them for all their brawn and ego but they do gain some maturity and wear their hearts on their sleeves. If that didn’t happen, there’d be no way I’d enjoy this series as much as I do.

Now the wait is on for the next story ...

~ Bel

13 Hangmen by Art Corriveau

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Available April 1, 2012

“Some people won’t believe any of this story. You might be one of them. But every single word is true. Tony DiMarco does catch a murderer, solve a mystery, and find treasure – all in the first few days after he moves, unexpectedly, to 13 Hangmen’s Court in Boston. The fact that he also turns thirteen at the same time is not a coincidence.”

So begins the story of Tony and his friends – give 13 year-old boys, all of whom are living in the same house in the same attic bedroom but at different times in history! None are ghosts, all are flesh and blood, and somehow all have come together in the attic room, visible only to one another. And all are somehow linked to a murder, a mystery, and a treasure.

Is it too early to claim a favorite for 2012? 13 Hangmen was such fun reading that I can’t wait to share it with my daughter when it finally comes out.

This thrilling story combines everything described above – murder, mystery and a treasure hunt.  But the author has also added history, mythology and numerology into the mix. All of this is done so impressively that it’s thoroughly engaging reading as soon as it gets under way.

On his thirteenth birthday, Tony inherits a house that belonged to his Uncle Angelo – a man he only met once and barely knew. The inheritance comes with some odd stipulations – he must live in the house until he’s twenty-one, his bedroom must be in the attic and he cannot ever sell the house to any member of the Hagmann family who are perennial enemies of his family. This inheritance results in the uprooting of the entire family (his parents and his older twin brothers) from Detroit to Boston.

Getting used to his new digs is quite the task especially when he learns about what makes the house special.  It all starts with an old Red Sox baseball hat and from there the adventure begins. I won’t go into what happens next because it’s honestly so exciting that I don’t want to risk any spoilers. Suffice it to say that Tony somehow comes into contact with previous occupants of the house and delves into its history, the neighborhood and even a significant time in the country’s past.

Since I was a kid, I have always, always loved history and what I love about this book is how imaginatively Corriveau blends historical elements and makes them work in this adventure through time. Even though he admits to tweaking certain details to fit the story, he makes history interactive, a neat reminder that some of the greatest events come about as a result of chance encounters. And Tony, a sensible protagonist who starts out in the shadow of his more outgoing brothers, becomes the hero when he gains confidence in his own abilities to eventually save the day. 

I highly recommend 13 Hangmen simply for its good writing and inspired storytelling. I was drawn into this book, eager with every turn of the page to discover the next clue in the puzzle. Anyone who's a fan of mystery or the 39 Clues series will enjoy this. 

~ Bel