Bitter and Sweet is a well written dual time line novel. The characters are well developed and the plot kept my interest. The two time periods were woven together perfectly. I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. This is my unbiased review.

Bitter and Sweet by Rhonda McKnight is a well written novels that speaks a captivating tale of love, loss, and redemption. The authors ability to mesh family drama, healing, secrets and history left me emotionally satisfied. The character development is phenomenal and keeps you engaged from beginning to the end.

The power of forgiveness is a beautiful thing! I love how this books touches on lessons that touch on resilience and also knowing when to let go.

Rhonda McKnight left no crumbs, and as always has you satisfied yet wanting more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Three women, all stronger than they realize. Sabrina and Mariah, sisters who have been at odds for years are now thrown together to try and save their great grandmother’s legacy. A legacy that was founded by hard work and determination. Tabitha who was left with children and nothing much else except her love for cooking. Cooking her much loved Gullah Geeche soul food and wonderful sweets. Her granddaughters have that same passion, they just have to find it. After they discover that family is everything. Wonderful boo. Rhonda McKnight is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. After reading The Thing About Home I couldn’t wait to read this one. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance. Five wonderful stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am familiar with this author and was excited to see that she had another book releasing soon. This book was definitely slower pace but i thoroughly enjoyed it and how the sisters found redemption in the end.

The author did an amazing job with writing this book. It was so intriguing how she brought two timelines together in one book. Two sisters who are dealing with their own issues are asked to come home to help preserve the family restaurant while their grandmother tends to their grandfather who had a stroke. The girls read letters from their great-great-grandmother and it showed the importance of how much the family restaurant meant to her and now they are faced with similar challenges.

The author has done an amazing job with the character development. You connect with them and you can feel what they are going through with their issues. This book will have you smiling and crying. I think it is also important to note that the author has brought out how it is okay to seek therapy when life gets too much to handle. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy for my honest review. Bitter and Sweet is a multigenerational book that toggles between two estranged sisters, Sabrina and Mariah, and their great great (?) grandmother, Tabitha. Throughout the book you become privy to the causes of the rift between the sisters and also witness the transformation of their relationship as their characters develop. The sisters gain inspiration from letters written by Tabitha that explain her life as she has her children and becomes a restaurant owner. As the sisters work together to save Tabitha's restaurant, they deal with their personal issues (homelessness, divorce, grief, low self esteem, etc.) through counseling and the guidance of their grandmother, Gail. This book showcases the hardships that Tabitha endured in the 1930s as an African American woman with children and a business. The interwoven stories in this book showcase the importance of familial relationships, support, and trust. (Trigger warnings: colorism, homelessness, death of a family member, postpartum depression)

Rhonda McKnight has written an amazing dual timeline (which I loved) story of sorrow and joy, She masterfully weaves a tale between a great great Grandmother and her descendants Mariah and Sabrina. The result is a beautiful tapestry that shows us life is Bitter and Sweet. Mariah and Sabrina, sisters, learn through the trials and triumphs of their ancestor, that they have within themselves the strength to bring healing, restoration and victory. Fellow readers you will not be disappointed. I cannot wait to introduce my bookclubs to this great book, Bitter and Sweet.

A grandmother whose husband has a stroke, sends messages for her granddaughters to come home. She wants them both to help with the family restaurant, but she has no clue of each granddaughter’s pain and even suffering.

Two sisters Mariah and Sabrina want to come home as they were asked to do so. But, when they get to their grandparents’ home, they are tasked to work together to save the families legacy and pride—Tabitha’s Meats and Sweets. As they get started,both sisters are forced to deal with their past and present trauma. They quickly learn they have more to save than just Tabby’s.

Tabitha, the sisters’ great-great grandmother leaves written letters explaining her life, trials and wins during the Jim Crow era. She wants love, but soon learns that men can be deceitful to get what they shouldn’t have. So, she puts her big girl panties on and handles life as best she can while documenting her journey.

Rhonda McKnight creatively weaves two stories detailing the past and the present allowing readers to learn valuable lessons just as the sisters are learning too. This book is heartfelt and tackles many issues women face today.

I enjoyed this book and appreciate the pain, love, tears, joy and triumph I experienced reading Bitter and Sweet.

Another great novel from the author. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to get a physical copy of this book. The characters were complex but relatable. I love how the author is able to effortlessly weave black history into her stories.

BITTER AND SWEET is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining novel with an absolutely wonderful message. The author brings the reader into the story world so that we experience things as the characters are experiencing them. You can practically taste the food just from the descriptions.

I have one minor quibble. I suspect I am in the minority here, but the past storyline of Tabitha felt a bit unnecessary to me and substantially slowed down the pacing . I do understand, however, why it's included and we learn about the girls' great-great grandmother to understand where the restaurant originated and how Tabitha weathered life's ups and downs. I just would have preferred for it to be a smaller percentage of the overall novel.

The story really shines when it comes to Sabrina and Mariah. The sister relationship is troubled and with good reason. The author does a great job of showing how their personalities clash. I enjoyed seeing how they begin to understand each other better as they spend time together working to bring the restaurant back.

The love stories are a delight. The men are attractive and sweet and well-suited for Sabrina and Mariah.

I really loved how the story turned out, and I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-galley; all opinions in this review are 100% my own.

For me is a complete delight find books that have well created , elaborated and developed characters and this book got it all. The whole structure of the book is well crafted by the author and the plot is something I really loved. The setting and the ambiance was my favourite Part of the book. The prose of the book made I want read again this author and the work she made in the character emotional analysis is breathtaking. Well done with this book! Thank you NetGalley, the author and the editorial for the access to this arc. PREorder the copy of you want give a extra help to the author

This novel has everything: a good plot, good writing & real characters. The glimpse of the Gullah culture was interesting, even incorporating the native tongue . The sisters, Mariah & Sabrina were both in crisis mode and had to find the strength to prevail. At first, I didn’t care for Mariah, but she eventually won me over. I enjoyed reading of Sabrina’s free spirited outlook on life.

The authors style of writing is enjoyable & engaging. Bitter Sweet shares love & hope. Overall it’s a light read that satisfied me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC; I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This review is also posted on Goodreads.

The title says it all: bitter and sweet. I would also add beautiful and redemptive when describing this book. McKnight crafts a beautiful story that expands over generations and connects sisters in present day.

When their grandfather has a stroke, Mariah and Sabrina's grandmother calls them home with one task: save the family restaurant. Tabby's Meats and Sweets, named after their great-great grandmother, has been passed down over generations of the family matriarchs. Their grandmother is determined to not let it close for good after nearly nine decades of operation.

Mariah is at a crossroads in her life. Her husband has left her, her dream work project has vanished, and she's bitter. Sabrina is living out of her van, grieving the loss of her partner while raising their child, and is trying to find positives in every day life. Both sisters are adamant in the fact that they will never be close. They fail to notice one thing they have in common: they're both looking to hurting and need to heal.

Their grandmother is keenly aware that her granddaughters desperately need healing and reassurance that all will be okay. She encourages the girls to read their great-great grandmother Tabitha's letters from the early 1900's. Readers are immersed into a split timeline where we receive Tabitha's story first hand, feeling the same impact of her experience as Mariah and Sabrina do in present day.

I instantly fell in love with the setting, the focus of the restaurant, and the Gullah traditions. I could practically smell the food as it was described. I felt like I was right there with everyone in Tabby's kitchen. I loved each and every character and grew attached. I was transported into the this family's story, and I was so sad to leave it when I finished reading. But that's the magic of books - I can always go back, and I definitely plan to visit.

Wow, what a great book. We meet Tabitha who is the great, great grandmother of Sabrina and Mariah. We get to see these 3 women’s stories and how they intertwine. Mariah and Sabrina are estranged sisters who are back home to help their grandparents as they navigate their broken relationship. We learn about their resilience as well as their relative, Tabitha as she navigates life as a single Mom. There were so many layers in this story regarding betrayal, forgiveness, strength, sorrow and joy. This was simply a wonderful book full of black history. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

BITTER AND SWEET by RHONDA McKNIGHT is a dual timeline novel, written in beautiful prose, that takes us through the joys and griefs of three generations of an African American family from Georgetown Carolina, starting with Tabitha Cooper in 1915, and ending with her great great granddaughters, Mariah and Sabrina in the present day, who have come to Georgetown at their grandmother’s request to restore Tabby’s Meats & Sweets to its former glory. The depth of the author’s character analysis is outstanding. I particularly like the way she expresses their strong and practical faith in God…..
A strong sense of the strength of family and other relationships, hard work, restoration, and unconditional love is mixed with that of grief, betrayal and hardship.
I cannot recommend Bitter and Sweet highly enough as a most enjoyable and inspirational read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.