Hope thought she and Tink were running from something, but instead they were running towards something else. Sure we all know we are going to get some type of a happy ending, but it's how we get there that makes books like these so sweet! Character development was done well through the multiple points of view and I loved how the small town became almost its own character. Early on the reader comes to understand that things are not necessarily what they appear to be and that secrets are there waiting to be revealed. This added another layer in making this story engaging and enjoyable. While not a thriller, the story gives the reader some nice twists!

Review published on Goodreads, 11 June 2020:

I'm a sucker for a novel about a woman returning to her hometown to start over. If, in the meantime, she also discovers family secrets, falls in love, and finds healing? All the better. It's no real surprise, then, that I enjoyed this novel overall. The women at the center of the novel are relatable - they're flawed, but also loyal, hard-working, and admirable. As far as plot, you pretty much know how this one is going to unfold. There weren't any twists I didn't see coming from a mile away. Still, all in all, this is a sweet, compelling, hopeful novel that I very much enjoyed.

I love a book about female relationships full of strong women and this fit that bill go a tee. Lots of family drama and secrets with great writing and engaging storylines.

Molly Fader's latest novel, The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season, brings together three different generations of women, one Orchard, and a litany of secrets that must be dealt with. If I'm honest, I picked it up because it felt like it had similar vibes to Practical Magic, and I've been craving something like that for quite some time.

The Orchard House has been the center of many tales throughout Hope's life. Yet it wasn't until she carried her daughter and a dark secret that she made her way there. Here, she's hoping to find a safe haven for her and her daughter.

Luckily for Hope, her aunt Peg requires some extra hands on the Orchard, so she's not going to be turning them away anytime soon.

“They were little things, but it was always the little things that rubbed a person raw. That hurt the most.”

The twisting of secrets in The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is more than enough to keep any reader invested. There's so much to unfold within these pages. Not just the secrets of generations but the secrets of the Orchard itself.

To be blunt: I was fascinated by this tale and every little detail within. I couldn't put it down, and yet I found myself disappointed when I finally reached the end. Apparently, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these three ladies.

This is the first novel I've read by Molly Fader, but I have to say that I am extremely impressed by what I have found here. Clearly, I'm going to have to go through her backlog sometime soon (whenever I can make the time or find a spot in my TBR pile, that is).

Molly Fader is one of my favourite authors, and this book did not disappoint!

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season explores the complicated relationships between a family of strong women. The story is beautiful and complicated. I enjoyed the mystery behind why the relationship was strained, and I could not put this book down.

This was one of my favourite books of the year, and I would recommend this book and author to anyone.

Hope is in search of a safe place to stay with her ten year old daughter Tink after she flees an abusive situation. She ends up at Orchard House, her Aunt Peg's farm in Michigan, just in time to help with the cherry harvest.

Peg, Hope, and even Tink are all holding things back that they don't want other people to know - three generations of women all with a secret, all needing to find solace.

I liked this a lot. I could have done without the romance element but I thought it was a good family drama with really strong characters. Peg was my favourite, she gave me big Frances McDormand vibes.

I definitely preferred the first two thirds of the book - we knew that there would be secrets revealed, but we didn't know what they were or how they'd eventually come out. I liked how the story unravelled, but as I mentioned above, given the seriousness of Hope's situation prior to her arrival at the farm, I found the romance unrealistic and premature.

Still, this was a good book.

What an aptly named novel and what a fantastic generational tale about women & family. These are the types of books I love to savor and I can't wait for more from Molly Fader!

Oh goodness, this book. I freaking loved it! The happy tears were just pouring down my face at the end--pouring, I tell you!

I guess this is technically another "women's fiction" title (I still hate that label, but oh well) because the romance(s) take a way back seat--we're talking like that last row just before the minivan's back windows kind of seat--to the relationships between Peg, Hope, and Tink and Peg and Hope (and Tink, though to a lesser extent, since she's 10) figuring out their sh*t and coming to terms with their individual and collective pasts. All while picking cherries. And having target practice.

I have never wanted it to be cherry season RIGHT NOW in my entire life, I tell you.

Once again, Molly Fader/Molly O'Keefe has demonstrated just how wonderfully she writes beautifully flawed characters that it's amazingly easy to fall in love with. Peg and Hope start the story with so. Many. Secrets--even Tink has her share, though her narration reveals hers fairly easily, by comparison--and their reveal takes most of the book, in some instances. We do get clues galore along the way, and it isn't impossible to guess what the truth really is, even though Hope is blindsided, since she doesn't see the Peg POV parts like we do. The inevitable crisis--the IRL one and the emotional one--are both handled well, and OMG I couldn't look away from the page while either was happening. An absolute must read!

My only complaint? It is wildly unfair to make us read about all of Swafiya's amazing baked goods and not be able to share. We want recipes! :D

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I had a hard time getting into it, and it didn't grab my attention for quite a while. It felt like it was a lot longer than it was. I liked the main characters and the setting. The last part of the book was so touching and beautiful, though, and I'm glad I made it to the end.

I received this book for participating in the Girly Book Club PJ Party, thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for sending it over! I had never read this author before, and after the event I was looking forward to this one.

What I loved most was the writing style. It may have been a slow burn as we took most of the book to find out what secrets each of these characters was keeping, but the author kept me interested with beautiful words and a heartfelt story. Great themes in this one, from personal growth to learning to live with and move past your mistakes, highly recommend this read, 4.5 stars from me.

This book was amazing, it had me hooked from the first page. It made me feel so homesick.

This book was so well written that I didn't want it to end. This is my first book by this author, I can't wait to read more.

I received this book through an online author event. I was drawn to the summary because I grew up in Michigan and have visited cherry orchards. It also seemed like a sweet, easy summer read. The story did not disappoint. I loved each of the characters, and enjoyed that we got to experience parts of the story through three different characters. It was a fast read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick, emotionally satisfying read.

Well written tale with solid characters and an interesting storyline. First book i have read by this author and looking forward to more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

When you hear "home" what does that say to you? For me, it is my mom's place, wherever she is. I realize that at 62, I should be thinking of my own home and family, but if I truly reach deep, it is where my mom is. If this is true for you, then keep reading!



This is my review of the book The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season by Molly Fader. Read on to learn more about what the book is about plus my review of the book and story.
ABOUT:
In cherry season, anything is possible…
Everything Hope knows about the Orchard House is from the stories of her late mother. So when she arrives at the northern Michigan family estate late one night with a terrible secret and her ten-year-old daughter in tow, she’s not sure if she’ll be welcomed or turned away with a shotgun by the aunt she has never met.
Hope’s aunt, Peg, has lived in the Orchard House all her life, though the property has seen better days. She agrees to take Hope in if, in exchange, Hope helps with the cherry harvest—not exactly Hope’s specialty, but she’s out of options. As Hope works the orchard alongside her aunt, daughter and a kind man she finds increasingly difficult to ignore, a new life begins to blossom. But the mistakes of the past are never far behind, and soon the women will find themselves fighting harder than ever for their family roots and for each other.
Ok, I won't make you wait. I loved this book. Strong female characters, deep character development and a setting that will make you swoon. Add family secrets, the dissonance between two characters, a wonderful opportunity to practice your predicting skills, characters to love, and ones that irked you and you have a novel for everyone. Plus there is a moving and compelling element that keeps you reading into the wee hours of the morning. I love it when that happens!

Q&A with Molly Fader

Q: What message do you hope readers take away from The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season?
A: Oh wow! So many! I hope they think about about the power of memory in their own lives. That memories are what make us - good and bad. Mothers are fallible in a million ways and most are just trying their best. Grace and forgiveness feel better than resentment. When times are tough - get yourself some chocolate cherry brioche? :)

Q: What's the story behind the story/how you came to write this novel?
A: Well, the opening scene literally just arrived in my head. Mom with a dead cell phone driving through the dark dark Michigan night. She’s absolutely out of options. Her daughter isn’t speaking to her. And she’s been beaten up.

As far as opening scenes go it’s one of my absolute favorites. Women out of options, out of pride, trying SO HARD to do the next thing… I love it.

Q: Do you have any specific writing rituals (outfit, snacks, pen,music, etc)?

A: I wake up early, make the coffee and go. Sometimes the internet is a little too distracting so I need to turn it off. But most days, that’s how it works. Some days - when I go on retreats or I’m really behind - I work in the morning, go for a long walk, come back and have a beer before writing some more. When I was a newbie writer I had a few more tricks I needed - there were books I wrote listening to the same album on repeat, but now I can’t have any music. I’ve written some books in different rooms in the house -because for whatever reason that’s where the writing magic happened. The McAvoy Sister’s was written almost entirely in my daughter’s bed room… I have no explanation for it.

Q: Which character do you most relate to and why?
A: Honestly, all of them in different ways and in different parts of the story. I have never been in the situation that Hope has been in but there have been parts of motherhood when I find myself in situations outside of my control and I have to treat my kids like adults. Or expect them to act like adults. And I know it’s not fair, but it’s what happens sometimes. I can also really relate to how she can find a million reasons to beat herself up as a mother - but struggles to see what an amazing job she’s doing. I think most mothers understand that reality.

I also understand Peg’s reluctance to open herself up to more pain. And how what she thinks is keeping her safe is actually a prison. And I can also appreciate her - If I don’t talk about it, it didn’t happen - stance. I think that’s a very real part of human nature.

And frankly even Tink - I LOVED how she used what power she had to make her point clear. The story about Tink and the broken leg - that came from real life. My kid’s friend spent most of a year wrapping his leg up in an ace bandage and telling everyone it was broken - it was like he was conducting a very specific social experiment on us. And then one day… done.

Q: What can you tell us about your next project?
A: Oh, I’m so excited about it. The title is always changing… so we’ll skip that part and get right to the good stuff...

Sarah Beecher has died and everyone in Greensboro, Iowa has shown up for her funeral. She was a beloved Administrator and Nurse at the Nursing School who has lived almost the entirety of her life in this small town. Her daughter’s are there - each battling some real life demons but supporting each other, despite old resentments and feuds. They are absolutely firm in the knowledge that Sarah Beecher had no secrets.

Into this funeral walks Kitty Deveraux - legendary star of stage and screen. And she’s there to tell Sarah’s daughters their mother was not who they thought she was.

And neither are they.

It’s got two timelines! Family secrets! Twists! Seriously, I enjoy it so much. AND it’s based in part on my mother’s experience at St. Luke’s Nursing School in Iowa.

Q: Have you been to the cherry festivals in MI?
A: I have! I’ve been to the cherry festival in Traverse City. I competed in a cherry pit spitting contest and ended up spitting the pit on my shoe. I was an embarrassment to my kids and husband. Luckily there was plenty of cherry ice cream (thank you Kilwin’s!) around with which to console myself after that poor showing.

Actually I spent part of almost every summer of my life in Michigan. First along Southern Lake Michigan - St. Joseph’s and South Haven. And then in Northern Lower Michigan - Traverse City, Boyne City and Petosky. A few summers on Beaver Island. I have enjoyed The Cherry Festivals, The Tulip Festivals, a million Beer Festivals and the odd Elvis Festival.

Q: Why did you decide to use a cherry orchard?
A: I wanted to set the book in Michigan. I knew I wanted it to be rural and agricultural and lots of hard work. And after all the summers in Michigan - picking up bags of fresh washed cherries from road stands all over the state - a cherry orchard seemed perfect!

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is a great women's fiction read. Molly Fader weaves a lot into this story of three generations of women.

From the start, we know Holly has a problem, and it doesn't come as any big surprise.

This is a story with heart and some suspense. The writing is well done, slowly revealing everything, through multiple povs.

Hope and her daughter Jenny (Tink) show up one day on Hope’s Aunt Peg’s doorstep. This is very difficult for her because she never met her aunt. Her mother died about a year ago and Hope is bouncing back from a very bad relationship and her and Tink have almost nothing or nowhere else to go. Arriving at Peg‘s Orchard House, where it is cherry season, the time is really good because Peg needs assistance. This in turn will help Hope and Tink in immeasurable ways.

Not only do we have Hope’s issues, we begin to learn things about Peg that Hope was completely unaware of. Hope arrived at her Aunt’s house completely broken. She had moments of despair that were so sad that they brought tears to my eyes. It was bad enough that Hope did not know if she would feel welcome at Peg’s home, She doesn’t know what the future will offer for her and Tink.

While Hope is helping with the cherry harvest, she meets someone that is working along with them that begins to change her outlook. This literally gave hope to this very touching story. This story of three generations had each of their points of view, including Tink’s. That poor child, only ten years old, had the world on her shoulders.

This compelling read offered several lessons, including trust and forgiveness. It also dealt with secrets of the past and how they impacted the lives that the three primary characters in the story were experiencing. This dramatic book really caught me by surprise and I am very pleased to have had an opportunity to read a story that affected me on such a visceral level. The conclusion had me bawling. Kudos for Molly Fader for writing such a wonderful story.

Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

What a perfect book to start my backlist with. Having no books due til the end of September, I am trucking through reviews I missed throughout the summer and The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season had me hooked for the weekend.

It's cherry season in northern Michigan and Hope and Tink have nowhere else to go. This lands them at her aunt's orchard, showing up in the middle of the night, Hope broken and bruised in more ways than one. Together, Hope and her little girl, Tink, learn to love and be loved and most of all, trust. Her aunt Peg does as well. It's been a long time since she let anyone in.

Though the story was a little predictable, that did not detract from the heartwarming story that sucks you in. A lovely, heart warming read. Highly recommend.

I received a gift copy, all opinions are my own.

Single mother Hope, & her daughter Tink, are running away from a man who has terrorized them & physically assaulted Hope. They are heading for Orchard House, the home of Hope's aunt, Peg. Peg lives alone with an assortment of regrets & hurt feelings, as she tends her cherry orchard in northern Michigan. She welcomes Hope & Tink into her home & they begin to heal from their trauma. Abel, business partner to Peg, also helps both Hope & Tink in their adjustment. An attraction between Hope & Abel slowly simmers throughout the cherry season & as Orchard House begins to feel like a real home to her, Hope has a final reckoning with the man she left bleeding in a hotel room.

This was an excellent book. The characters were well written, the story line was realistic & kept me riveted. I strongly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Molly Fader, and the publisher Harlequin for granting my request for a free ARC. This is my honest opinion of this terrific book.

An amazing story of family and life’s tribulations. Molly always weaves an incredible intense web of characters that pull and draws you in. Just a fantastic read!

Fader crafts a multi-generational story with heart that will keep you reading long after lights out. Perfect for fans of Susan Mallery, Susan Wiggs, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

CW: domestic abuse, drug use, child abandonment