Bitter and Sweet: A Lowcountry Novel

By Rhonda McKnight

Book Overview

". . . a poignant story of sisterhood, motherhood, and new love found in old places. McKnight's writing is as delectable as the Gullah cuisine at the heart of the novel." --Denny S. Bryce, bestselling author of The Other Princess and Wild Women and the Blues

From the beloved author of The Thing About Home comes a dual timeline tale of Lowcountry flavor, family, grief, secrets, and the sweet redemption that lies within the bonds of sisterhood.

-The Present-

When summoned to Georgetown, South Carolina, sisters Mariah Clark and Sabrina Holland both assume their ailing grandfather's health has gotten worse. Neither expects their grandmother's undeniable request--save the family restaurant.

Mariah is at a crossroad in her life. After being dumped by her husband and forced to walk away from their diner that she helped rescue from bankruptcy, bitter feelings consume her. Even though the restaurant has been in the family for eighty-six years, giving her all to another struggling business isn't something she wants to do.

Living out of her van and striving for a fresh start, Sabrina yearns for stability for herself and her daughter and a chance to turn her baking hustle into a bona-fide business. The family restaurant may be just the blessing she needs--but as old tensions and angry disagreements resurface, Sabrina wonders if her sister will let her have a say.

-The Past-

After falling victim to a love she thought would last a lifetime, Tabitha Cooper finds herself away from home and struggling to survive in Charleston in the early twentieth century. She is determined to turn corn into cornbread and to take care of her children the best way she knows how--by serving food that's good for the soul--and along the way forges a path that leaves a legacy of success for generations to come.

Through letters that reveal Tabitha's complicated past, the sisters discover truths that just might be the right recipe to mend their hearts--if they can find a way to savor the blessing of today and leave the bitter aftertaste of old memories behind them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 084070657X
• ISBN13: 9780840706577
• Release Date: June 2024
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A story of family and legacy, of strong and courageous women

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own unless otherwise noted. I enjoyed this story of family and legacy, growth, healing, and forgiveness, strong women with real problems and complex issues that don’t have just one solution. The novel alternates between two sisters in present day who are called home to help save their grandparents’ restaurant, alternating with the story of how their courageous great-great-grandmother founded that restaurant back in the early 1900s. I appreciated how author Rhonda McNight describes this family of faith, with references to God, regrets, and real-life struggles of survival. In addition to the historical difficulties of women back in the early 1900s, this is a story of African American issues, adversity, and problems that were faced especially during this time period in the South. To counterbalance these serious topics, there is a thread of romance for each of the three main female characters. Quoting the publisher’s blurb: “Told in a dual timeline that alternates between the 1920s and present-day Charleston, South Carolina, “Bitter and Sweet” is an emotional story about love, one family's perseverance, and the bonds of family and heritage.” My only caution about reading this novel is you’re probably going to start craving some of the delicious-sounding food described throughout the book.