Bowen brings us back to Vermont in Speakeasy. I never thought I would crave Vermont so much! May, our heroine, finds her live in girlfriend kissing another girl. Alec swoops in an rescues her like a true hero! I appreciated the depth that Bowen takes on with these characters. May's sexuality and alcoholism are topics that play a major role in the story. However, Bowen also knows when to lighten things up too.
May's struggle with addiction has shaped her and her family. Her family has always handled her with kid gloves for fear they might set her off. May is tired of it all, so the story is not just about her relationship with Alec, but about repairing her relationship with her family. The Shipley's are great and they provide some levity with their zaniness! May is also not sure that a real relationship with Alec would ever work. She is sure that friends with benefits is all they could be.
Alec is steady a s rock. He is one of those book boyfriends who just makes you swoon. He is so laid back. It was refreshing to have a character who is just kind of going with the flow as an opposite to the heavy emotions that May experienced.
Speakeasy is another stellar entry in Bowen's True North series and further reminder why Bowen is one of my go to authors!
- POV: dual 1st
- Tears: no
- Trope: addiction, friends with benefits
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: stand alone within an interconnected series
- Cliffhanger: no
- HEA: yes
Character driven stories like Good Girl by Jana Aston, Wasted Words by Staci Hart, Fighting for Everything by Laura Kaye...then you will probably like Speakeasy!
See full review on The Book Disciple