Murphy is heading to her small hometown after the music industry left her high and dry. After passing the city limits, she pops a tire and a handsome good Samaritan comes to her rescue. Sparks fly but they go their separate ways.... for about 5 miles until she pulls in her driveway and finds out he is Wes, the new head chef of the family's restaurant.

They try and stay away, but as they get to know one another they realize they have a lot in common and they both have to learn to rebuild their dreams.

I loved this book, delightful small town vibes, a bit of forbidden romance, a touch of slow burn. Excellent. I dropped a star because the smut felt more forced into the story, and as much as I love a good spicy story, I think I would have preferred this one without spice, or maybe just one scene at the end, I think it would have fit the narrative better.

This is a dual POV book about two people rebuilding their lives from what they feel is rock bottom after two very unfortunate events in their lives that caused their original career goals to get knocked off course.

Wes lost his famous chef job in Chicago, while Murphy lost her opportunity at hitting bit in the music industry, causing them both to face their demons and rebuild from ground zero. Wes facing his mentor, and Murphy facing her father and elder brother who think she betrayed them by leaving the family winery.

The book had a steady story line that kept me mostly interested, with a little bit of smut although at times I did find it hard to pay attention. For that reason, I gave it 3 stars. It was a good story, but at times it seemed like some of the characters lacked depth. I may pick up the second book in the future.

Murphy is headed back home. Being away for a few years, trying to page her own way in L.A., it hasn’t worked out like she wanted, so she’s on her way home. Meeting a handsome stranger who is helping her, on the side of the road, they have somewhat of a connection but it’s just a stranger helping a stranger with a flat tire. She isn’t going to see this guy again right?😉.

Small town indeed, the guy is the chef at her family’s vineyard. Hawthorne Vineyards, small town, forbidden boss’s sister, some family drama with all the sparks! Looking forward to more in this series!

Bitter Truth by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota is an intense and thrilling ride that combines romance and suspense in all the right ways. The story follows a couple whose deep connection is tested by dark secrets and dangerous forces beyond their control. Wild and Liota’s writing pulls you in from the very first page, blending emotional depth with high-stakes tension. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, and the twists keep you hooked, making it impossible to put down. If you’re into fast-paced romance with a side of mystery, Bitter Truth is definitely a book worth picking up.

Bitter Truth by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota is a heartfelt romance that explores themes of family, forgiveness, and starting over. Murphy Hawthorne returns to her family’s vineyard after abandoning her dreams in LA, only to find herself entangled in old tensions and complicated relationships. The arrival of Wesley Hart, a talented yet haunted head chef, sparks a forbidden attraction that both complicates and heals. As they navigate their pasts, the chemistry between Murphy and Wes creates a compelling dynamic. This slow-burn love story delivers emotional depth and a satisfying exploration of second chances.

*3.5 stars*

A family-focused romance…

Wes and Murphy’s romance seemed to be over before it started. The prodigal daughter had returned, not by choice but circumstances and the relationships we had with her family were frosty at best. Wes was stuck in the middle. Not only was it a big opportunity for him but Murphy’s family could sink or swim it. The family who was at odds with the woman who so intrigued him. Murphy felt it. She knew it. But working together meant their attraction was either going to fizzle or try to burn brighter and it was only going to get more interesting...

This author duo’s writing style was smooth and silky with steam to spice things up. If the story was not original, the writing made it feel like new ground – and it was a good start to this new series.

Bitter Truth
Meredith Wild

A story of love, redemption and family bonds, I really enjoyed this book.
It felt like a Hallmark movie, the way her car breaks down when she arrives back in her hometown, she meets the handsome Wesley who shows up to help her. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romances.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC.

Not a good book at all. Very forced writing. The story was predictable. I do not recommend reading this book.
1/5 stars

2.5 stars

I didn’t love this but I also didn’t totally hate it. Nothing that i haven’t read before. But main characters were just meh and the side characters were just straight up unlikable. Gave this a shot because I liked Meredith Wild books before and enjoyed her writing style but unfortunately this book didn’t do it for me.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a good book. The two main characters are Murphy and Wes. Murphy has just returned home from living in LA. Wes has come to Murphy’s family vineyard to work at the chef of the new restaurant. Murphy is running the front end of the restaurant. There is an instant attraction. They start dating. They each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

Jillian Liota has become one of my favorite small town romance authors, and Bitter Truth slid right in and claimed a piece of my heart.

The first book in the Hawthorne series, I already know I want more.

This book captured mental health beautifully, as is typical of Jillian’s books. But beyond that, Murphy and Wes both had the chemistry and the understanding of one another to work through their individual hardships and trust issues.

Murphy has just returned to her hometown as her life has fallen apart. She meets a handsome man who helps her with her car, only to later realize he’s the very man who is now her boss—at her own family’s vineyard. Now they have to dance around one another as if they aren’t attracted to each other…and we all know how well that’ll work out for both of them.

I loved these two together and hope they make a cameo in the next book!

You’ll love this one if you like:
- Workplace romance
- Boss/employee
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- Forbidden romance
- Small town romance
- Family drama
- Secret relationship
- “Yes, chef”

Sweet. Tempting. Sexy. Yes! Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota did a fantastic job and the characters had great chemistry.

I read this book in two days. This doesn't happen very often for me as I lead a hectic life. I really loved the connection between Murphy and Wesley. You could actually feel the strong chemistry between the characters. The author made a good job here. I will be checking other books by these authors as I really loved the light and sparkle feeling.

If you are looking for something quick and easy to binge, this is your story! Bitter Truth is book 1 in a 2-book series. Sweet, light, some dysfunctional family, and complicated characters. I love small town and coworkers to lovers.

Beautifully written book about family,love and yourself.
Characters were very,very likable.
Setting was magnificent.
I really enjoyed it

This book has some hallmark vibes to me, just not at Christmas time. It’s a beautifully written small town romance. Murphy moves back to her hometown after living in LA for 9 years. She runs into Wes at a gas station where he fixes her flat tire. She then runs into him again at her family’s winery. They have undeniable chemistry but have valid reasons to keep each other at arms length. However, that is not enough to keep them away from one another. I loved this book. It has cozy small town vibes while having a bit of family drama. This is the first book I read from this author, but definitely not the last.

*4.5

This was so cute. It was interesting to see because Wes and Murphy are very much the same person and their journeys have paralleled each other. They were destined to meet and fall in love.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Okay, Murph! A main chick with broken dreams of wanting to be a singer in LA that isn't annoying - how is that possible? Not sure but the author pulled it off in this book. I enjoyed Murphey and appreciated that her singing career wasn't pushed too hard or made cheesy. I also loved that Wes felt like a real dude that you would want to date. There wasn't anything overdone about him but enough to give a girl the tingles and make him dreamyyyy.

Three stars because I feel like some stories could have been brought together a bit better / in a more complete way. Honestly the author could have taken away some tropes and hit heavier on the ones they kept. Less fluff, more drama. Break my heart, not my brain.

Looking forward to reading about Memphis but for now, I think he is a total dick ;)

BITTER TRUTH Hawthorne Vines Book 1 by Meredith Wild & Jillian Liota
When L.A. brings disappointment to Murphy, she heads back home to work with her family with their vineyard and new restaurant. Wes happens to be around when Murphy has trouble with her car, and lends her a hand.
When she makes it home, she finds out that Wes will be her new boss at the restaurant. It isn’t long before sparks are flying between them but he can’t risk his job, and she is also his boss’s sister. This is 4 stars.

A beautiful book about healing family relationships and yourself. The romance was beautiful! All around enjoyable.