Steadfast - Book Review

By Sarina Bowen

Synopsis

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there’s no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

Sophie Haines is stunned by his reappearance. After a three year absence, the man who killed her brother and broke her heart is suddenly everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never volunteer in the church kitchen.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie’s police chief father. But it’s a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.

Review

STEADFAST was an amazing addition to the True North series. I loved the story, the romance, the push/pull and the daily struggles faced by both Jude and Sophie. This was a story that could not be put down.

I really liked Jude, which you probably think would not be possible given that he’s a convicted felon and a recovering drug addict. He considers himself to be weak because he struggles with his cravings, but every time he passed on those cravings, it showed how strong he really was. He knows that life is all about choices, and in the here and now he chooses to stay clean and to surround himself with good people that reinforce his desire to be a better man. You can’t fault a man who only wants to be worthy. I really liked Sophie too, who has gone through a lot since the accident. She lost her brother and her boyfriend in the same day, her father has placed some of the blame at her feet, and her mother has mentally checked out. I liked that she recognised that some battles couldn’t be won and that sometimes it’s more important to let go than to keep fighting. I liked her resolve to take back her life and her determination to get to the bottom of that fateful day. Jude and Sophie both had their strengths and weaknesses but when they’re together, they compliment each other perfectly.

STEADFAST is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Jude and Sophie get their HEA so there’s no cliffhanger. We also get to reconnect with the Shipley’s from BITTERSWEET, which was nice. Zach gets his story told in book 3, KEEPSAKE, and after the very tiny snippets we’ve been given, I’m definitely looking forward to hearing his story.