It has been about 24 hours since I finished the book, and I'm still having a hard time putting into words how much I devoured this book. I could not put it down.   This author is truly one of the GOATS when it comes to emotionally charged, heartwrenchong stories that will keep you captivated from beginning to end.  I wish I could read it again for the first time.  This is how you craft a story.  And these characters will live in my mind for a while.  I hope to see this as a movie one day.

This new release from Rhonda McKnight is full of forgiveness and food. How did I not know about jar cakes? Have I had my head in the sand? They look just delightful. In truth, the cooking and baking in this book made my mouth water. And the stories of sisterhood and motherhood were heartwarming.

Two sisters -- Mariah and Sabrina -- are called to the low country in South Carolina to help save the family restaurant: Tabby's Meats and Sweets. These two women have been estranged and each has their own current crises to deal with. Past hurts have kept them apart. If they can share each other's burdens, there is hope for the family.

The Tabby in the restaurant name is their great grandmother. Her story is a third perspective and takes us back to the 1920's and 30's. I really enjoyed her perspective and her grit. She may have made some mistakes, but she really had the deck stacked against her.

If you enjoy Southern fiction filled with grace and good eating, give this one a try. I struggled a bit with the gullah speakers (that's a me problem). I'm guessing if I were native to this part of the country it might not feel so foreign.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The path to redemption is not as narrow as we think, Miss Cooper.”

Bitter And Sweet by Rhonda McKnight 💗💗

This was a joy to read ! This dual timeline story follows the lives of a multi generational family of strong women in Georgetown, South Carolina, the choices that shaped their lives. I was so wrapped up in this story, falling in love with the characters, seeing myself in them, as well as being comforted by the wisdom of Grandma Gail. A must read!! An unforgettable experience. So grateful to Netgalley for allowing me to hear the voices of struggle, pain, and life experiences that mold this family matriarchal lineage.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Set primarily in the low country of Georgetown, South Carolina, BITTER AND SWEET is the story of two sisters who are divided, yet underneath that division is a love waiting to be unearthed.

Mariah was on the cusp of television success with a cooking show, when her husband sweeps the rug from beneath her. Sabrina has lost her husband to a tragic accident and is sent spiraling. Their grandmother summons them home to Georgetown under the guise of their grandfather’s illness, only to have ulterior motives. Will these two sisters bury the hatchet and find love for each other?

Rhona McKnight weaves a beautiful dual timeline story of the importance of family history, overcoming challenges, and the importance of forgiveness. It’s also a story of how secrets can shatter relationships. During their time in Georgetown, their grandmother gives them journals kept by their great-grandmother, Tabitha. It is through Tabitha’s story that we’re shown how to persevere through life altering experiences.

This story is beautifully written especially the importance of faith and trust in God. I’m pretty sure anyone reading this will relate to one of the characters. For me, it was Mariah and in fact, I might implement some of her therapy homework in my own life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advanced readers copy.

This story is a masterpiece that I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. From following Tabitha on her journey to watching Mariah and Sabrina heal and become the sisters that they weren’t able to be due to their childhood experiences.

***below review posted on StoryGraph***



This is my first book by this author. I’m not a fan of overly descriptive books and I couldn’t relate to any of the characters. Some of the characters were hard to root for. I felt that Tabitha’s story had the most but I got bored at the 1/2 way point. Overall the story was ok. I would give this author another chance.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I liked that this was a dual time line story. I was invested in both storylines, honestly It was a captivating read. I really enjoyed learning about the history of Tabitha’s cooking and eventually owning the restaurant, it was inspiring to witness her resilience. I also enjoyed that the sisters Mariah and Sabrina are able to work on both their individual issues and mend their relationship along the way. Overall, this story was very entertaining and ultimately a tale of faith, family, and forgiveness.

The way I’m loving this book. I really need to hear the audio version so that the characters can come to life. The emotion that is being evoked from me already by just starting the book is definitely a winner for me. I just know this story is a good one. Love her writing.

This was a really great read… I will say although fiction there were a few parts that took away from the story because it just seemed as if it was too perfect as far as the ending. I get Mariah had a turnaround however it was as if she became too perfect too quick…

I loved everything about Great granny Tab and I wished we had more especially seeing how everything turned out for her.

Sabrina I loved her and I’m so happy how things worked out for her. She deserved everything that she got and I would love to see how the sisters work together in their place..

All in all this was a great read and I’m giving it a 4.75

Thank you NetGalley and HearOurVoices for the free ARC..

Thank you NetGalley and the Publishing Company for an advanced reader copy.
I really enjoyed this novel. The dual timeline was a treat and it was not difficult to follow. The "past" timeline or Tabitha's timeline was the most interesting to me. I actually wanted more of Tabitha's story. That said and without giving too much away, I appreciated the present timeline, the resolutions, and full-circle moments. Overall, solid read.

Some great themes of complicated family relationships, hardship and perseverance. I enjoyed reading about Mariah and Sabrina and how their relationship morphed and grew after a very harsh start. I think both their stories were well told and had you invested in them as people and as sisters. And I liked that their growth was a partnership of both practical and spiritual.

The progression with Tabitha was also a heartbreaking but inspiring one, and I thought her character development was authentic and easy to relate to. It was fun seeing parts of Charleston in there as well, since I love visiting there and recognized the streets and some locations.

There were, however, a surprising number of typos and mistakes in the book tho, even tho it was an ARC. Hopefully some more editing is done before release, as the book certainly deserves it, but it wasn’t real sufficient in this pre-release.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

First time reading from this author and I absolutely loved the story. Two sisters that do not get along at all, have to come together when their grandfather falls ill and their grandmother calls them to take care of their failing restaurant, that’s been in the family for almost 90 years. So many topics were covered in this story of family dysfunction & trying to piece their faith and family situation. Mariah and Sabrina literally be going through it in this story so their grandmother gives them old letters from their great great grandmother Tabitha that was trying to make it through the Jim Crow era. Tabitha was my favorite part of the entire story and I wish I got more of it. Absolutely amazing story a strong four star read for me. Thankful for this complimentary copy for an exchange of my honest review.

You want to talk about a multigenerational family story done right?! Bitter and Sweet is it. I was immediately pulled in with this story and couldn’t put it down. The story followed sisters Mariah and Sabrina as they saved the family’s restaurant at the request of their grandmother. However, the relationship between the sisters was extremely strained due to childhood traumas and issues they were struggling with presently. We also got to go back in time to read their great great grandmother’s story and see how the restaurant came to be. Bitter and Sweet was such a beautiful book that will have you tearing up as well. Each of these women were resilient in their own way and they worked very hard to become successful. Even though I wanted to yank Mariah through the book initially for being so mean and hurtful, I admired her growth and the fact that she went to therapy to be a better sister, granddaughter, and auntie. Not only that, she also did the work to break generational curses. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for you to read it when it comes out! You will be rooting for these ladies the entire time!There was also some romance that unfolded in this book. Add it to your list and thank me later!✨

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for this eARC

This book was a fantastic read. It is the first one I have read by Rhonda McKnight and will not be the last. I enjoyed how flawed the characters were and that they, through the help of others, admitted they needed help and sought help. I enjoyed the dual timeline piece as well. The growth and development of the characters was present. There is faith content, but nothing over the top. I also enjoyed the food content, and the environment where the story took place. I feel like the present timeline encompassed many topics and buzz words, making it very relatable to the world in which we presently live. The historical pieces were eye opening to me as well.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I received a complimentary e-arc of the book. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.

With dual timelines and strong women, BITTER AND SWEET is a southern fiction treat.

This was my first experience reading the work from author Rhonda McKnight and it was enjoyable. Her story features a family of four women, each facing their own life changing challenges. Two sisters and a grandmother appear in the contemporary timeline and a great, great aunt is featured in the early 20th century. All these formidable women are facing different battles but are united in the joy they find around the food business and a family restaurant.

Each chapter is voiced from a single character and clearly marked for person, place and time. McKnight makes good use of descriptive prose, bringing the lush landscapes of South Carolina to life. Character development is deep but the alternating chapters delays the process a bit too long for my liking. Using letters and cooking to link timelines and family members worked very well in this book.

Charleston and the area surrounding are the setting for much of the past timeline. This area is influenced by the Gullah people, their food and culture. McKnight weaves this element into her story, including some language that I assume is common knowledge in the area; colloquial. It would be good to provide a page of translations for readers that are not familiar with the language. I was able to intuit some, but not all, of the language and found it frustrating.

There are only about 200,000 Gullah people in the Low Country, (SE coastal NC, SC, GA, FL), so it’s important to preserve the culture. Kudos to McKnight for adding it to this story in an organic way. Altho’ there’s no mention of it at the end of this volume, I could easily see some of these characters coming back in another book(s) and expounding on the Gullah culture📚

Read and reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

Okay this is the second book I read from Ms McKnight and let me tell you this is another one of my favorites I will definitely be reading more of her books .I loved everything about this story so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.I adore reading stories that make me feel emotional(in a good way).
Such a great story I adore all of the characters... like the diff pov between the sisters and Tabitha story was amazing and the plot twist at the end abt Tabitha step dad family Wow didn't see that coming

Very poorly written with an almost non-existent plot. I .do not recommend this book as there as so many better ones out there

This story gripped me, heartfelt laughter, and some tears dual timelines. All the motions was all over the place as the story unfolded in these lives the we are learning

Rhonda McKnight did such a beautiful thing with this book 😍

This is the first time reading this author but it won’t be the last. I loved “Bitter and Sweet” for the relatable characters and the deep messages that still led to the happily ever after and resolution we all want!

At the heart of this story is the complexity of family and the restoration of even the most dismal circumstances and relationships. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself rooting for Tabitha, arguing for Sabrina and wanting to shake some sense into Maria. And then it will be someone else you want to hug the next minute.

Highlights
⭐️I loved the spotlight on therapy
⭐️ The dual timelines added a layer of depth and intrigue to the story that kept me hooked
⭐️The sister dynamics felt so real to me

This is a Christian fiction that doesn’t feel corny or unrealistic and is such a unique story that I was drawn in almost immediately. So good!

Ultimately, this story is about family and forgiveness. It is told from three narrators across two time periods. All of the women experience difficult, life-altering situations and come to learn to rely on God and family.