Member Review
Review by
Wendy W, Reviewer
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs is the fourth book in her popular Bella Vista Chronicles but can be read as a stand-alone. I saw that pretty pink cover with the beautiful cake, read the blurb, and expected a nice summery romance. I also read the previous book in the series, The Lost and Found Bookshop and I expected a similar story or at least a similar tone. And, I did get a nice romance, BUT, I also got a very emotional, tough, intense, and powerful story as well.
Margot needs a fresh start and has always wanted to open up her own barbeque restaurant. She finds a nice space that shares a kitchen with a bakery. She loves the location, so she goes ahead and takes the space after meeting Ida, the owner of the bakery. Then she meets Jerome, Ida’s son, who runs the bakery. Jerome and Margot instantly connect and develop a friendship. Jerome is a single dad to two young sons, and he continues to worry about and care for his mother, Ida.
Margot also has a past that she wants to forget. But when she meets and gets to know Jerome, she knows she has to tell him about her past in order for them to move on. And she’s always afraid of her past catching up to her. Can Margot escape her past and find happiness with Jerome?
I said earlier that this book is much more than a light romance. It started out just fine, I liked Margot very much, she’s a tough woman who knows what she wants. I also enjoyed Jerome and his mother Ida. Everything was progressing as I expected, with Margot getting her restaurant up and running, and Jerome and Margot starting to get closer, and then BAM! Up next came the backstory, which took up about half the book. Not only Margot’s backstory, but Ida has a difficult past as well, with some secrets. This is where the book changes from a light romance to an intense, and emotional story.
I would suggest that you look up the trigger warnings for this book if you get triggered. There is sexual assault, abortion, abortion rights, adoption, desertion, lost family, assault, draft dodging, criminal injustice and so much more. I can’t list it all. Margot’s backstory is horrific, sad, and difficult to read. But, it also made the book into so much more than just a nice romance. I wanted to know how she survived such a difficult past and I couldn’t wait to find out. I also enjoyed Ida’s backstory, although it’s not nearly as horrific as Margot’s.
I don’t want anyone to think I didn’t like this book. I loved it! I felt like the author did a great job handling all the issues, and I was enthralled with the story. It’s just that I didn’t EXPECT such tough issues in such a pretty book.
I highly recommend Sugar and Salt to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs is the fourth book in her popular Bella Vista Chronicles but can be read as a stand-alone. I saw that pretty pink cover with the beautiful cake, read the blurb, and expected a nice summery romance. I also read the previous book in the series, The Lost and Found Bookshop and I expected a similar story or at least a similar tone. And, I did get a nice romance, BUT, I also got a very emotional, tough, intense, and powerful story as well.
Margot needs a fresh start and has always wanted to open up her own barbeque restaurant. She finds a nice space that shares a kitchen with a bakery. She loves the location, so she goes ahead and takes the space after meeting Ida, the owner of the bakery. Then she meets Jerome, Ida’s son, who runs the bakery. Jerome and Margot instantly connect and develop a friendship. Jerome is a single dad to two young sons, and he continues to worry about and care for his mother, Ida.
Margot also has a past that she wants to forget. But when she meets and gets to know Jerome, she knows she has to tell him about her past in order for them to move on. And she’s always afraid of her past catching up to her. Can Margot escape her past and find happiness with Jerome?
I said earlier that this book is much more than a light romance. It started out just fine, I liked Margot very much, she’s a tough woman who knows what she wants. I also enjoyed Jerome and his mother Ida. Everything was progressing as I expected, with Margot getting her restaurant up and running, and Jerome and Margot starting to get closer, and then BAM! Up next came the backstory, which took up about half the book. Not only Margot’s backstory, but Ida has a difficult past as well, with some secrets. This is where the book changes from a light romance to an intense, and emotional story.
I would suggest that you look up the trigger warnings for this book if you get triggered. There is sexual assault, abortion, abortion rights, adoption, desertion, lost family, assault, draft dodging, criminal injustice and so much more. I can’t list it all. Margot’s backstory is horrific, sad, and difficult to read. But, it also made the book into so much more than just a nice romance. I wanted to know how she survived such a difficult past and I couldn’t wait to find out. I also enjoyed Ida’s backstory, although it’s not nearly as horrific as Margot’s.
I don’t want anyone to think I didn’t like this book. I loved it! I felt like the author did a great job handling all the issues, and I was enthralled with the story. It’s just that I didn’t EXPECT such tough issues in such a pretty book.
I highly recommend Sugar and Salt to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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