I really had no idea what I expected when I picked up this book by Molly Fader. I was seduced by the very nice cover - I have always been a bit partial to cherries! It is such a charming story of small town America unfolding in a small farming community and the larger than life characters that live in this part of Michigan.

Hope knows very little about her remaining family who still live on the same north Michigan farm that her mother escaped from. The stories about Orchard House were from a lifetime ago. When she arrives on the doorstep late one night, looking battered and bruised with her young daughter at her side she isn't really sure what kind of welcome she can expect.

Aunt Peg is stunned to see Hope again but takes her in to help with the Cherry Harvest on the farm. It is tough physical work but sees the three generations working together and forging bonds between them all. <

If you like the Virgin River series it is that kind of small town America tale with strong ballsy women who seem to dominate life in this part of Michigan. It is all about learning to trust people again and becoming part of a supportive family unit and a collaborative community. And in these strange times who doesn't need a real feel-good story to boost your spirits.

Supplied by Net Galley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

This is a feel good sort of book. There’s some family drama. Loved feeling their emotions. Hope is a single Mom fleeing from Daniel. She returns to her hometown and it’s a very healing sort of book. Three generations of women and how they heal. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy through NetGalley and I recommend this book.

What a delightful book with interesting characters. Family drama and deep rooted past secrets draw you in.
You learn lots of information about how a cherry harvest is accomplished which I found quite intriguing.
The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is about three generations of women coming together after years apart. Getting to see how they overcome all that’s been thrown at them was beautiful. Heartbreaking and emotional at times with many heartwarming moments thrown in to keep you smiling.
I was sad when I finished this book.
Perfect summer read!
Definitely recommend you pick this book up and read it.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion.

*great book for a book club pick

Hope is just looking for the safest place she can find for herself and her ten year old daughter, Tink. With a bruise on her face and a cut on her lip, she needs somewhere to hide and keep her daughter safe from their recent past. Peg is Hope's aunt, a relative she has never met. Peg runs a cherry orchard along with her business partner Abel and isn't into all that hospitality stuff. But she has a past with Hope, and having Hope there stirs up the past and all the pain with it. But neither can she afford to let Hope go.

Cherries are my favorite fruit, so I almost jumped into participating in this blog tour without even looking at what the book was about. But, once I saw it was women's fiction and deals with the pains of the past for one tiny family, I was hooked. I adore women's fiction when it doesn't come with a heavy dose of romance, and, boy, did this book deliver! It also reminded me of one of my favorite books, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, just with a lot less magic and a darker overtone. Needless to say, I was quite smitten with this book.

The Characters: Perfectly Crafted

I don't know how they did it, but the whole cast of characters broke my heart and then put it back together. Everyone, from Hope and Tink to Peg to Abel to Janice and everyone in between were hurting, had pain in their pasts, but were working hard to move past them and find a better, brighter future. They were so amazingly well drawn and so much fun to read about. They all seemed a bit too bright, but it also highlighted their own individual pains. I wish we had gotten to know the minor characters better, but my favorite part was really getting to know Hope, Tink, and Peg.

Hope, Tink, and Peg are dealing with their own losses and traumatizing experiences. It often felt like it went on too long with no resolution or change in sight, and then it miraculously got better, but I did like that it highlighted the fact that just talking about bad things can help make it seem a little better. Hope felt especially human to me. She's just a single mom trying her best to find a good life for her and her daughter, but her own childhood has colored that. It was fascinating to read how history continued to have an impact, but that there's always hope for a brighter future. Tink was also so much fun. As a ten year old girl, there's a lot of spunk in her, but her life has also been tinged with fear, loss, and trauma, but I loved how healing The Orchard House was for her and how it helped her find empowerment. Peg was kind of awesome as a rough around the edges kind of lady who didn't stand for any nonsense. I loved how her own past carried weight into her later years, but that she was also able to be redeemed.

Every character felt like someone who could walk off the pages. They felt real and alive with histories and baggage. They felt like real people. Some of them did feel a little one note, but most of them were very well crafted. I loved getting to know them and enjoyed reading about how they interacted and reacted to each other. I really felt for them and my introduction to Hope, Tink, and Peg really hurt my heart.

The Setting: A Cherry Orchard

Most of the book takes place at The Orchard House, the cherry orchard, and the town. It's a small, isolated area in Michigan and I really got a small town feel to it. Everyone knew everyone else, but secrets still abounded. It was fascinating to see how the secrets were peeled back little by little and that no one actually held a grudge against anyone else. They were always there for each other, which was incredibly heartwarming.

I loved the orchard and The Orchard House. Of course, that might be because I just love cherries and wouldn't mind living there myself, but I felt like I could feel the cherries, taste them. I felt like I was actually in the orchard. I loved it, and thought the house and the garden beside it was charming. I couldn't help but wish I could live there, too.

I really liked the town. It was small, but had a fun eccentricity to it that made it really interesting. Everyone was so trusting, honest, and kind. It was kind of bizarre at first as I come from a large city that would be the exact opposite, but I couldn't help finding it charming. The only weird thing was how beloved the cherries were. It seemed a little weird that everyone adored the cherries.

The only thing that bothered me, just a little, was that I could never remember this book takes place in Michigan. I don't know anything about Michigan, and I'm not sure I know anything coming out of the book except that small towns seem really isolated. And there's a lot of open space. Maybe. Anyways, I adored the orchard and the small town, but I'm on the fence as to whether it really screamed Michigan to me.

The Plot: Full of Pain and Hope

Not only did the characters break my heart and put it back together, but so did the story. The first chapters made my heart hurt, but then brightness and hope started to find their way into the story and then all of a sudden there was incredible magic to be found in the orchard and with this family.

This is the story of two women and a girl who come to each other broken being able to find their feet and their way forward in life. The ghosts of the past hang low and heavy over them, but they're all fighters, and it was lovely to see them knit back together into a family.

I liked that there was just a bit of romance, and a whole lot more about friendship. I liked that the pacing, more or less, matched the natural healing pace of Hope and Tink. I liked that this story felt like it was unfolding naturally. There were steps forward and steps backward, but they were always moving on a path together.

As I mentioned, this book reminded me of Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. There are a lot of parallels between the characters, circumstances, events, and story in general. But, as much as it reminded me of one of my favorite books, it also had a darker edge to it that made sure I didn't settle too comfortably into the story. It kept me on my toes, kept me reading to see how it would all turn out. There isn't as much magic, but there's that same family love. Just a little darker.

Overall: Heartbreaking and Uplifting

I adored this book. Not only did it remind me of my favorite fruit and one of my favorite books, but it was also so much fun to read about the characters. Tink was so spunky and Hope felt like she could use all the hope in the world. I really liked the light sprinkle of romance, but my favorite parts had to do with Hope, Tink, and Peg finding friendship. This was a really lovely read, one that had me reading every moment I could.

Thank you to Netgalley, Justine Sha, and Graydon House Books for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This review will be posted on the New York Journal of Books site the evening prior to the release date.


"The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season" by Molly Fader
Graydon House
June 9, 2020
10-1525804553
Contemporary Women's Fiction
320 pages

Publicity Contact: justine.sha@harpercollins.com

Reviewed by Nancy Carty Lepri

Hope Wright and her ten-year-old daughter Jenny (AKA Tink—shortened for the nickname "Tinkerbell") are fleeing their Missouri home to get away from Hope's abusive boyfriend, Daniel.

With their meager belongings and not much cash, Hope wonders if Canada is the place to go. Will they be safe there? She remembers her deceased mom telling her long ago about Orchard House, the family farm in northern Michigan where her aunt Peg resides. Can they go there and descend on Peg, an unfamiliar relative? But what other choice do they have?

They arrive at Peg's only to be greeted by a ferocious looking dog and a middle-aged woman standing on the stoop with a shotgun in her hands. Hungry and exhausted from their escape, Hope cannot decide whether to cry or collapse. She manages to shout out to Peg her identity and after a while, the ornery woman allows them entrance. Peg notices her estranged niece is sporting a black eye and split lip and something in her hardened heart will not allow her to turn the two away.

Both Hope and Tink want nothing more than a warm and safe place to sleep. Surprised by their sudden appearance, Peg doesn't want to be aware of what has brought them to her. She believes they should remain separate; she doesn't want to know their business, and she doesn't want to disclose hers. However, curiosity stirs in her, especially as to why Tink refuses to speak. Could they both have been a part of something so terrifying to flee their home and come to her to hide out?

Feeling somewhat sentimental, Peg gives them access to her upstairs quarters, and after almost two days of slumber, Hope informs her they are will not be staying. She does not explain their presence, but Peg can easily imagine, seeing the bruises and haunted look on the faces of both Hope and Tink.

Not wanting to be a burden to her aunt, Hope offers Tink and her help in gathering the cherries as the season has begun. Hope needs something to take her mind off her problems and what better way than with physical labor?

Out in the orchard, Hope and Tink meet Able, who Hope believes is Peg’s hired help. Abel and Peg have been working hard to collect the fruit, and now hands involved, Peg is happy the job should go more swiftly. She is also surprised by the fortitude the two newcomers display with their labor. Though she doesn't show it, she is relieved and happy to have the extra workers, so they can harvest the fruit before it can go bad.

Fearful at first of both Able and Nelson (Peg's beloved canine), Tink begins to relax and demonstrate her feisty and independent personality. Meanwhile, Hope, distrustful, of Able soon discovers a gentleness in him and finds herself drawn to him. The relationship between her and Peg softens and before long they open to each other, yet Peg holds a secret she cannot share with her niece.

Tink loves her new surroundings and wants to remain there permanently though Hope is fearful Daniel will find them and bring trouble to Peg. When she finally discloses how dangerous he is, Peg and Able too, are adamant about keeping them safe. Slowly Peg turns from her aloof and introverted ways to find happiness for the first time in a long time.

For so long, life has consisted only of Hope, Tink, and her mom, DeeDee, until DeeDee’s death. Tink, shy around others, never had any friends, so Hope wants to change for them both. They are invited to Janice's—an old friend Hope does not remember being with the last time she was at the Orchard House—which was when she was four. They are hesitant to go, having mainly lived a sheltered life without much contact with others.

As Hope ponders why she has no memories of ever being there she reminisces about DeeDee, wondering what happened between the two sisters and how her life as well as Tink’s became so solitary:
"Hope wasn't sure what Peg was choosing to be along out there on the farm, all her memories tucked behind couches.

"Hope didn't want any of that for Tink. She didn't want it for herself. This was the hard work they needed to do. If anything in their life was going to change, they had to make it happen.

"'Everything is not okay, Tink,' Hope said, the truth unsugarcoated spilling from her lips. Tink's head spun toward her, and Hope felt light-headed. She squeezed her hands into fists and then let them go just so she could feel something. ’It hasn't been for a while. And it's not just about Daniel. It's about DeeDee and us and how we live. And you're right, we've got Peg now and Abel. School. And maybe—' she looked out at the house with the geraniums and the dog and the blonde woman she'd apparently celebrated her first birthday with '—some friends. I want to live a really big life, Tink. A happy one. And I think going into that house and making friends with people is part of that. It's part of being okay.'"

As mother and daughter force themselves to socialize, they discover how much fun they are having, making Hope determined to get Peg out of her shell and more involved with others.

Meanwhile, in the back of her mind is the thought of Daniel finding her, which scares her so much, she wants to leave Peg’s—fearful not only for herself and Tink but for Peg too. As much as she's come to love her new living quarters, and Peg, Nelson, and even Able, can she live with herself if her presence puts them in danger?

As disclosures are revealed, Hope learns the secrets of her past, and she is confused about how to proceed. Has her whole life been one lie?

This novel offers an in-depth look into the three main characters as Hope, Tink, and Peg, give their point of view where their fears, heartaches, and aspirations are brought to life. Focusing on estrangement, abuse, forgiveness, and a chance for new beginnings, this is sure to touch the heartstrings.

Cherries are one of the best things about summer. Reading this book is a great way to kick off summer. The story drew me in for the first paragraph. Hope is out of luck and ends up at her aunt's house in Northerrn Michigan. Peg takes them in, but harbors her own demons and secrets as does Hope. Tink is a lively sprite who brings spunk and delight to the chapters. Can't forget Abel, Hank, and the town of Elk Falls. My favorites were Hank and Nelson, the dog. I love the cover.

This was a feel good, homey novel with strong female characters. I loved the character development and the setting. The family drama and the secrets revealed were relatable. This was a down to earth, feel good, warm fuzzies at the end type of read. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I was consumed by this book. It actually surprised me how much I was drawn to the characters, the setting and even the season. It's the first book that I've read by Molly Fader/Molly O'Keefe and it won't be the last. I was excited to read that she has over 50 published books however many of them are a different style to this and are more focused on romance. I would say that this book was domestic fiction. There was a healthy dose of family drama, relationships and secrets. Molly writes with great characterisation and a mix of bittersweet and humour. What a perfect combination for a Summer read.


What makes it even more attractive is the cover - it's stunning. I really like it when a book cover is eye-catching and the book itself is a gripping, fun read.

4.5 star for sure!!!

Ya'll, when you just need a feel good book...something that will put your mind at ease and make your heart full then look no further than Molly Fader's The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season. I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC of this book and at first I begged (*ahem* asked) for this book just for the cover alone. It's gorgeous! Then when I read the synopsis I just knew this book was going to get me all up in my feelings. I'm now a huge fan of Molly Fader and when I need something to remind me of home I'll definitely look to her.

This book is written in Hope's, Peg's, and Tink's POV and I absolutely adored it. Each female has endured a lot at the hands of people who said they loved them, but throughout each chapter you see the strength this family has. Hope is running. After her mother died a year before she lost herself and in turn made some really bad decisions that not only affected her but her daughter, Tink. Tink is young, 9 or 10-ish, and her world as she knows it is gone. She's a different kind of child, but it was always just her and her mom, until it wasn't. Peg has lived through so much heartbreak and at times, she blames herself; blames the hardness she had to create around herself just to survive.

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season really hit home for me because I grew up with a mother who had/has a mental health disorder and my heart ached for Tink. Her reality felt a lot like my reality as a child and at times, it was all too real. Hope is trying. Man, she is trying so hard to fix herself, her daughter, and their lives together. She's trying not to be consumed by grief and fear and I just love how brave she becomes. I firmly believe everyone in life needs an Aunt Peg; she's hardened but she loves deeply and you can never have too much love.

These characters were amazingly well written and I connected to each of them immediately. They were relatable in their grief and hardships and Fader made it feel like you, as a reader, were right there with them. The plot and setting was detailed and kept me wanting to know more, and when the book was over I missed the Orchard House deeply. It made me miss home.

Overall, this book was fantastic and even after having put it down days ago, I still feel connected to it. It's just a feel good book that I will enjoy over and over again.

Have you ever started reading a book and you immediately feel like you’re right inside the book?! I felt that way with this story from page one. Three generations of strong women coming together under one roof. This book was so good I didn’t want it to end! It was descriptive , could almost taste the cherries! Definitely recommend! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Wow, this story packed a punch of wonderful love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and happiness. It also had the repercussions of pain, loneliness, isolation, and depression. It started out so hurtful, but as things unfolded, and we got to see things from Hope, Tink, and Peg, the strength and the power these females showed, it was beyond beautiful. As they learned to live again, for each other, for themselves, the synergy of the force they created was a kaleidoscope so bright, you were drawn into the vortex. And in that, you felt their feelings, and you rejoiced with them as everything washed over and through you. None of it bad, none of it good, but all of it becoming part of who they were and are in the moment. Truly and honestly, invigorating in its’ story and the life they are living. I feel privileged to have witnessed it.

Hope and her daughter Tink arrive at her aunt Peg’s home in Michigan running from trouble and hoping she’ll let them stay. Hope doesn’t remember ever being there before, and while Peg lets them stay, she’s wary. Sweet and emotional this is a story about the relationships between these three strong women and how they handle the highs and lows of life. Perfect for readers of romance books and strong women characters.

I enjoyed this low-key, inspiring romance. This is a great story to recommend to readers who prefer a slowly developing, gentle romance with characters who have struggled with tough issues in the past, but are determined to rebuild their lives -- good people in hard circumstances. Hope, a devoted single mother, returns -- in trouble and in desperation -- to the northern Michigan cherry farm that has been in her family for years. She has a lot to overcome, as do the old friends and relatives she reunites with. But it all works out. Great story with a well-paced plot that keeps you turning the pages. I'm thinking this book will appeal to fans of Susan Wiggs, Debbie Macomber, and Nancy Thayer.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hope arrives at her aunt's estate—the Orchard House—late one night with her young daughter and a terrible secret. She is worried that her aunt, whom she barely knows, will turn them away.

Peg has lived in the Orchard House all of her life and like Peg, it is starting to show its age. She agrees to take in her Hope and her daughter if, in exchange for room and board, Hope helps with this season's cherry harvest. Out of options, she agrees.

Working alongside her headstrong aunt, her daughter, Tink, and a kind man who she can't stop thinking about, Hope begins to feel the promise of a new life. But the past always seems to have a way of catching up with you...

Fader's narrative is told in alternating third person limited points-of-view between Hope, Peg, and Tink. These strong women are the backbone of the story, however, their strengths are also their downfall. Peg is a complicated character and her relationships with Hope and Hank play out over the course of the story. Hope is on the run and her relationship with her daughter is strained.

I enjoy Fader's writing. She is engaging and her characters are authentic—they have distinct voices and personalities and are fully developed. Her excellent ear for dialogue translates well to the page. There are some heavy topics (domestic abuse, depression, and addiction) and Fader handles them with the care they deserve.

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is about three generations of women that come together at the family orchard to face secrets, and learn about the power of hope and forgiveness.

3.5 stars

This is a charming, heartwarming tale. I've never read anything by this author, but I enjoyed her writing style, and I found the characters to be realistic and well-developed.

This is a tale about three generations of women and their family cherry farm. There wasn't any unexpected twists and turns, but that was okay. The family dynamics and secrets were enough to maintain my attention throughout. If you're looking for a feel good tale, this is one to add to your list.

Hope arrives battered and scared with her ten-year-old daughter at her family’s northern Michigan property hoping that the aunt she doesn’t remember ever meeting won’t turn her away. Peg, on the other hand, is slow to trust and isn’t sure what to make of her niece’s appearance. You also get the viewpoint of Tink, Hope’s daughter who needs a safe place for her and her mother. All three have secrets that are haunting them, but maybe together—and with the help of the community—they can create a beautiful family before the end of the cherry season. This is a sweet story of family divides and redemption. It’s definitely a pick for fans of Viola Shipman and maybe Amy Reichert, Susan Wiggs or RaeAnne Thayne.

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is one of those books that you don't want to end. The cherry farm is charming, the characters endearing, and the plot is almost achingly, wonderfully perfect.

I felt like I was reading summer and now cannot wait for the season.

The main character, Hope, is a single mom and domestic abuse survivor. In an attempt to disappear and protect her daughter, she flees to the Aunt she barely knows and to the cherry orchard that is her family's long time home. There, she not only discovers a refuge, but a bit of herself and a lot of secrets.

This story is about the women. The romance is nice, but it's honestly secondary to the relationship between the three generations of women and the family farm. The men are present enough to be interesting, to help compel the story, but do not take over in any aspect. Even when Hope's past abusive relationship finds her, the story focuses on what the women do to survive and how it affects their futures.

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season represents female relationships in gloriously, reveling in the unique way women can support and console each other. How women can be strong and vulnerable at the same time, scared and brave, especially when we are protecting our own.

A lot of stories having to deal with romance and domestic violence become too focused on the actions of the men who do the hurting, or saving, or loving. Molly Fader seems to make a determined effort to write about Hope, Tink, and Peg. How they grow to love each other and themselves and their men, all with the backdrop of cherry season permeating the air.

I highlighted a particular quote that I am sure will stay with me for a long time. After the girls arrives, Peg, who has isolated herself on the farm with her regrets and mistakes, realizes what having Hope and Tink live with her means. "It hit Peg somewhere in her belly how lonely she'd been. Not just alone - alone she could handle. But lonely. It was like they'd arrived with a big light that revealed just how dark the shadows in her life were."

In dark times, I hope we all have someone who can shine a light and help us see, because that's part of the problem about being lost in the dark. Your eyes adjust and you stop noticing how little light there is and forget how much light there can be.

Awesome story and now I am terribly homesick!
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This book had me addicted from the very first page I think. It’s written in such a beautiful manner that you just never want it to end.

Loaded with highs and lows scattered throughout, the story is told in such an emotional and touching manner, it feels like you are one of the family.

It’s a story of secrets, regrets, drama, and romance that pulls you in and twists you up. Fader has crafted a beautiful story ripe with Americana and the warmth of home. It simply is a feel good book that keeps us believing in the strength of family ties.

A perfect heartwarming summer read. Not to be missed!

Sweet and heartfelt, this title will be a hit with fans of Louise Miller and Amy Reichert. Good addition for collections where women's fiction is popular.

This charming and fast read found me at the perfect time. I loved everything about this three-generational group of women, as they rediscovered themselves and each other on their family cherry farm.

While there weren't a ton of unexpected twists, the family secrets were held until the very end, and my attention was pleasantly held throughout. The ending left me happy, satisfied and missing these fun characters already. If you're looking for a happy ending, this is a wonderful comfort read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for a gifted copy.