“A stunning story about family and hope that unfolds unexpectedly but beautifully, like a Michigan summer sunset over an orchard.” –Viola Shipman, bestselling author of The Summer Cottage and The Clover Girls 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 … 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.
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Beautiful, emotional, and full of hope. This story of two women and a young girl on parallel journeys of discovery will break your heart, then put it back together, piece by piece.
I decided to buy this book when I saw that it was set in Michigan. Once I started, I realized that the book was so much more than the setting – it was a well written family story about three generations of women and the secrets that they kept. The story is told alternately by the three women and their secrets unfold gradually until the big secret near the end that threatens to destroy all that they’ve built.
Hope is on the run with her ten year old daughter, Tink. They have nowhere to hide until Hope remembers her aunt’s farm in Michigan. She goes with no idea of whether she’ll find shelter there but she is desperate to keep her daughter safe. Her aunt Peg comes to the door, rifle in hand to see who has shown up at her isolated farm house after dark. When she finds out who it is, she invites Hope and Tink into the house and is totally shocked to see Hope’s black and blue face from a recent beating. She invites them to stay for a few days which soon becomes longer as they develop a relationship with each other.
Hope is in her late 20s. She’s spent much of her previous life taking care of her mother as her health deteriorated. She tried to be a good mother to Tink but after her mother died, she got more depressed until she met a man who made her feel better about herself. The man was anything but good to her and she and her daughter fled into the night to get away from him. Hope needs to learn to love herself and to quit blaming herself for things in her past. Tink is 10 years old and doesn’t have a lot of friends in school. She is a quiet solitaire child who was negatively affected by her mother’s depression and her grandmother’s death. When she arrives at the farm with her mother, she hasn’t spoken in several weeks due to trauma. Peg is Hope’s aunt and is the owner of Orchard House, the family farm in Michigan. Hope’s mom had fled the farm at a very young age because she hated the life there with her strict parents and had never returned. Peg is an unlikable grouchy woman who appears to have no friends and not much of a life beyond the farm and the cherry crop. But is everything and everyone what they appear to be in the beginning? As the secrets are revealed, the women begin to grow closer until the final big secret comes to light. Can Peg and Hope and Tink become a real family or will the secrets that they keep from each other keep them from learning to accept each other?
This is my first book by this author and after reading this, I plan to look up some of her older books. I enjoy reading about strong women – which all three of these women are even though they may not realize how strong they really are. I loved the relationship that developed between them and I enjoyed seeing Hope start to let down her barriers and begin to accept other people. I was thrilled to see Tink begin to accept life and become a fun little girl and to see Peg learn to accept her past mistakes…but will the changes stay positive or will they all fall back into their old ways? The mistakes of the past are never far behind, and soon the women find themselves fighting harder than ever for their family roots and for each other.
One of the key characters in this book is Peg. Did you ever watch the television show Mike & Molly? Well, I kept imagining this Peg with the physical attributes, mannerisms, and voice of the character in that show, Mike’s mother Peggy (played by Rondi Reed). I’m not sure why, since the only things I can think that they have in common are a name and a gruff attitude. I’m also not sure why I feel the need to start on this point or even share it at all, but here we are. It’s my review, as much for my own recollection as for hopefully helping you decide if this is a book you want to pick up.
I guess where I’m going with that random opening remark is that impressions are funny things. They like to stick with us. It was the title and the cover that made me need to read the book description, but, full disclosure, I was probably going to read this book regardless, because of the impression made by the title and the cover. I couldn’t shake it, just like I couldn’t shake how I pictured Peg from start to finish.
What I liked about “The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season”:
The setting – Small town life, deep family roots, the easy instant friendship that wraps itself around you irreversibly. Those elements draw me in. Not in a Hallmark movie way, but because they’re the sort of elements that stabilize you, make you feel seen and known.
Excellent descriptors – Have mercy, can this author paint a mental image. I have great appreciation for that.
The last third of this book – As you’ll see below, I had my reservations. And yet, I couldn’t tear myself away. The book read easily, until it hit its stride and then the pages fairly flew beneath my eyes. That was a particularly satisfying hundred pages.
What I didn’t care for:
The story isn’t presented in the best way – It feels like the author can’t get a handle on how to unroll a plot twist. On the one hand, we have a plot twist that is all but spelled out for the reader, it’s so obvious, and yet we’re not addressing it at all; it’s basically the elephant in the room and yet it feels like the lynchpin to the entire story, so maybe it needed to wait until a little deeper into the book before being blatant? On the other hand, we have a couple of plot elements that don’t seem to get addressed much at all, other than repeating what we already know, and it seems like maybe we could let a little more of the details dribble out by the time we’re a third of the way into the book? Something to keep the reader interested and invested? It wasn’t that I didn’t care about the story being told; I just felt as if my attention wasn’t being guided in the most effective manner toward the key plot points, which themselves seemed to either be prematurely accelerated or allowed to stagnate.
Worth noting:
There’s language in this one. It doesn’t feel inappropriately applied but it’s there, if that’s a deal-breaker for you. There are also some real-world issues wound through the story. For starters, domestic abuse, which isn’t a spoiler because Hope literally starts the book with a black eye and a split lip. But that’s not all of it and the rest is wrapped up in the story as it unfolds, so I won’t spell them out and make this a spoiler. Just know that there are a good twenty or so pages where the tension ratchets up big time and if you don’t care for a good dose of adrenaline pumping through your system, you’ll want to skip this one, no matter how enticing you find the title or enchanting those cherries on the cover.
First impressions can be tricky little fellows. We make snap judgments, whether favorable or not, and they cling to the back of our minds. Occasionally, we learn they were right. More often, we realize there was more to the story than we concocted in those initial notions we pinned to what or who we’re assessing. I grabbed this book, expecting it to be a delicious little story, and early on, found myself second-guessing, but in the end, despite it not being at all what I anticipated, it proved to be a satisfying story. I let go of my initial impression for a secondary, more skeptical one, but ultimately, I’m glad I didn’t let off-base impressions dictate my enjoyment of the book. You take the bitter with the sweet, right?
Molly Fader takes the reader on a journey from despair to hope. It is the story of two women, both with huge reasons to be jaded and defeatist, both of them trying desperately to hide their secrets from the other, finding healing together on a cherry farm in Michigan. Hope comes because she can’t think of anywhere else to hide from her abusive ex. Peg, the owner of the farm, is bitter and has closed herself from all the people she once loved. Fader does a fantastic job pacing their complex and heartbreaking backstories, and for a long time I simply basked in the beauty of the hearts unfolding to each other beneath the sheltering arms of the cherry trees and farm buildings. I have not often read a book where I felt so grounded in the setting, but perhaps that is because I grew up on a farm and I could envision it so well.
It took a while before I remembered that danger was hard on Hope’s tail. I still wasn’t prepared for it. But though evil rears its head, the takeaway is the complexity of good and bad within us, and how closely we are bound together, no matter how hard we fight it.
A beautifully written story about life, love, new and old, lies, secrets, addiction, hidden emotions, abuse and so much more. When you finally let the light in beautiful loving things can happen. I really enjoyed listening to his well crafted story. I felt as if I closed my eyes I could picture everything that was happening. I look forward to more by this wonderful author. The narration was perfect.
Wonderful writing. Common plot but told in a fresh way. I loved this book.
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.
The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season was a great read by Molly Fader. Hope only knows of the Orchard House. That is the only place that Hope knows might keep her and her ten year old daughter safe at the moment. Hope is met with the aunt she never met and the barrel of her shotgun. Peg, Hope’s aunt, has always lived in the Orchard House. She and Hope agree that they’ll stay there if Hope and her daughter help with the next cherry season. She meets Abel, who is Peg’s neighbor that helps with the harvests. Unfortunately Hope is hiding something important and her past starts to catch up to her. I really enjoyed Hope’s story and cant wait to read more by Molly Fader.
Once again, Brenda Novak’s book group has introduced me to an author who is not to be missed! Molly Fader wrote a book that is entertaining, engrossing and emotionally charged. The main characters are Hope, her daughter Tink, her aunt Peg, and Abel who owns the cherry orchard. When a physically damaged Hope shows up on the farm with her emotionally damaged daughter, Peg tries her best to stay distant. This book unravels the relationship between the two woman and the secrets that both of them are keeping hidden. Only Tink is totally genuine. She is wise beyond her years in a way that is heart-breaking at times. Abel is the perfect romantic interest as well as the perfect boss. Without giving too much away, I just want to say that this book is all about the strength that women call on when they are at the end of their ropes. Peg and Hope have to find their way to each other before they can begin to heal from their past. I loved this book and highly recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary fiction.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I own an autographed copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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
Favorite Quotes:
Hank had been able to throw around compliments and kindness like he had them coming out his ears. But Peg was always so stingy with hers, like she only had a tiny, meager supply to get her through life and she meant to take some with her to her grave.
Tink was glaring at her like she would start a fire in her hair, if she could.
She did not like this one bit. She liked all her emotions separate. Her anger with her anger. Her guilt with her guilt. Nothing touching.
It was like when your ears pop, and everything goes from distant and removed to loud and present. Life, right there in the kitchen.
My Review:
This was superbly written and exceptionally well-crafted. How have I never read this talented wordsmith before? I was consumed by this maddeningly paced and striking tale and well and truly sucked into a compelling vortex of tautly held family secrets that were tucked away on a fruit farm in rural Michigan. The original storylines were shrewdly constructed and sneakily emotive with stealthy and unexpected hits of the feels. This underhanded author was wily and cunning in ruthlessly plucking, squeezing, and pulling on my overworked coronary muscle. This sly she-devil was also guilty of stinging my eyes and putting hot rocks in my throat more than once. The nerve! I was stunned and loved it; her word voodoo is strong! I most do further research on this phenomenon by amassing and perusing all her clever words.
I really enjoyed reading this book! It hit on all the Emotions that can be touched? There are laughs and tears and anger, and lots of secrets. We all know secrets are not a good thing! You will really love reading this book too!
I really enjoyed this book! I love books that have characters from several generations and this book definitely had that quality. The interaction of the older generation with the younger is something that I think brings a story to life. This is the first book that I read by this Molly Fader. I really like her writing style.
I was so involved in the plot and wanted to get to the end of the book, knowing when l did, I would be sorry it was over. The story was so emotional for me. The entire second half, I was fighting to hold off tears! This is a fantastic book that will stay with me.
So, this book gripped me and grabbed hold of my emotions. It’s all about family and it’s lows and how to come back and maybe, just maybe bring yourself back and be better.
There are all these little moments in the book, small moments in most lives that are so significant to single mom Hope and her aunt Peg, and especially to Tink. A word spoken, a small touch, a hug. All these little moments that in so many other people’s lives would just be thought of as nothing much bring heartbreaking emotion to each of these three’s lives.
And there are the big moments, things that happen that you don’t see coming, but in a good way. Life moments, life changing moments. And isn’t that really what life is all about? Those little moments we tend to take for granted, but shouldn’t, and those few big moments that we truly notice?
It is 2:40am and I just finished The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season. I read the book in one sitting. It was so good I couldn’t put it down without knowing how it ended. The book is filled with secrets, family drama, romance, domestic violence, love, and friendship. We are shown how our secrets and choices effect our lives and the lives of everyone we touch. You can’t change the past. But, it’s never too late rebuild a better future. I look forward to reading more books by Molly Fader.
Hope is just looking for the safest place she can find for herself and her ten year old daughter, Tink. With a bruise on her face and a cut on her lip, she needs somewhere to hide and keep her daughter safe from their recent past. Peg is Hope’s aunt, a relative she has never met. Peg runs a cherry orchard along with her business partner Abel and isn’t into all that hospitality stuff. But she has a past with Hope, and having Hope there stirs up the past and all the pain with it. But neither can she afford to let Hope go.
Cherries are my favorite fruit, so I almost jumped into participating in this blog tour without even looking at what the book was about. But, once I saw it was women’s fiction and deals with the pains of the past for one tiny family, I was hooked. I adore women’s fiction when it doesn’t come with a heavy dose of romance, and, boy, did this book deliver! It also reminded me of one of my favorite books, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, just with a lot less magic and a darker overtone. Needless to say, I was quite smitten with this book.
The Characters: Perfectly Crafted
I don’t know how they did it, but the whole cast of characters broke my heart and then put it back together. Everyone, from Hope and Tink to Peg to Abel to Janice and everyone in between were hurting, had pain in their pasts, but were working hard to move past them and find a better, brighter future. They were so amazingly well drawn and so much fun to read about. They all seemed a bit too bright, but it also highlighted their own individual pains. I wish we had gotten to know the minor characters better, but my favorite part was really getting to know Hope, Tink, and Peg.
Hope, Tink, and Peg are dealing with their own losses and traumatizing experiences. It often felt like it went on too long with no resolution or change in sight, and then it miraculously got better, but I did like that it highlighted the fact that just talking about bad things can help make it seem a little better. Hope felt especially human to me. She’s just a single mom trying her best to find a good life for her and her daughter, but her own childhood has colored that. It was fascinating to read how history continued to have an impact, but that there’s always hope for a brighter future. Tink was also so much fun. As a ten year old girl, there’s a lot of spunk in her, but her life has also been tinged with fear, loss, and trauma, but I loved how healing The Orchard House was for her and how it helped her find empowerment. Peg was kind of awesome as a rough around the edges kind of lady who didn’t stand for any nonsense. I loved how her own past carried weight into her later years, but that she was also able to be redeemed.
Every character felt like someone who could walk off the pages. They felt real and alive with histories and baggage. They felt like real people. Some of them did feel a little one note, but most of them were very well crafted. I loved getting to know them and enjoyed reading about how they interacted and reacted to each other. I really felt for them and my introduction to Hope, Tink, and Peg really hurt my heart.
The Setting: A Cherry Orchard
Most of the book takes place at The Orchard House, the cherry orchard, and the town. It’s a small, isolated area in Michigan and I really got a small town feel to it. Everyone knew everyone else, but secrets still abounded. It was fascinating to see how the secrets were peeled back little by little and that no one actually held a grudge against anyone else. They were always there for each other, which was incredibly heartwarming.
I loved the orchard and The Orchard House. Of course, that might be because I just love cherries and wouldn’t mind living there myself, but I felt like I could feel the cherries, taste them. I felt like I was actually in the orchard. I loved it, and thought the house and the garden beside it was charming. I couldn’t help but wish I could live there, too.
I really liked the town. It was small, but had a fun eccentricity to it that made it really interesting. Everyone was so trusting, honest, and kind. It was kind of bizarre at first as I come from a large city that would be the exact opposite, but I couldn’t help finding it charming. The only weird thing was how beloved the cherries were. It seemed a little weird that everyone adored the cherries.
The only thing that bothered me, just a little, was that I could never remember this book takes place in Michigan. I don’t know anything about Michigan, and I’m not sure I know anything coming out of the book except that small towns seem really isolated. And there’s a lot of open space. Maybe. Anyways, I adored the orchard and the small town, but I’m on the fence as to whether it really screamed Michigan to me.
The Plot: Full of Pain and Hope
Not only did the characters break my heart and put it back together, but so did the story. The first chapters made my heart hurt, but then brightness and hope started to find their way into the story and then all of a sudden there was incredible magic to be found in the orchard and with this family.
This is the story of two women and a girl who come to each other broken being able to find their feet and their way forward in life. The ghosts of the past hang low and heavy over them, but they’re all fighters, and it was lovely to see them knit back together into a family.
I liked that there was just a bit of romance, and a whole lot more about friendship. I liked that the pacing, more or less, matched the natural healing pace of Hope and Tink. I liked that this story felt like it was unfolding naturally. There were steps forward and steps backward, but they were always moving on a path together.
As I mentioned, this book reminded me of Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. There are a lot of parallels between the characters, circumstances, events, and story in general. But, as much as it reminded me of one of my favorite books, it also had a darker edge to it that made sure I didn’t settle too comfortably into the story. It kept me on my toes, kept me reading to see how it would all turn out. There isn’t as much magic, but there’s that same family love. Just a little darker.
Overall: Heartbreaking and Uplifting
I adored this book. Not only did it remind me of my favorite fruit and one of my favorite books, but it was also so much fun to read about the characters. Tink was so spunky and Hope felt like she could use all the hope in the world. I really liked the light sprinkle of romance, but my favorite parts had to do with Hope, Tink, and Peg finding friendship. This was a really lovely read, one that had me reading every moment I could.
Thank you to Justine Sha for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
I don’t know if I can put into words everything I loved about this book. The writing is phenomenal with such depth and complexity and emotion. I highlighted so many quotes and had so many notes. I really identified with Hope, Peg and even Tink and Janice. I felt what they felt and this one put me through the emotional wringer. I loved the themes of forgiveness not only for others but for yourself and healing and letting go and opening your heart again. How many times do we just close ourselves off emotionally and think it’s enough – it’s enough just to get through it. How often do we continue to punish ourselves for wrongs committed? Hope and Peg – I won’t forget these two and Abel, oh my gosh Abel, the way he was always spouting off these nuggets of wisdom. This is a book that will remain with me.
“She didn’t need my judgement, just my support” – man if we all practiced this a little more
“You said punishing myself wasn’t going to make it right? Yeah? How do I? How do I fix what I did?”. “You can’t”, Peg said, “You just have to live with it”
“if it’s growing it can’t be ruined, if it’s got roots it still has a chance”
“That load you carry…it gets a little lighter if you share it”
“It was surprising how sharp happiness was – bitter and sweet all at once”
“It was like when your ears popped and everything distant and removed goes to loud and present. Life, right there in the kitchen”
Loved this book – don’t skip this one!!!
Amazing read! You get emotionally invested from the first page with Hope and Tink, then Peg . Its like a Heart warming embrace , holding on so tight , your heart is squeezed so hard you might explode . esp if you (the reader) have had a past like Hopes . The characters were telling their story , wanting to heard loud and clear . Wonderful read , one that will stay with me for awhile .
The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season by Molly Fader has Hope and her daughter, Tink arriving at The Orchard House in the middle of the night. They have nowhere else to go and danger could follow them to the farm. Peg is surprised to see Hope after so many years and especially in her condition. Hope and Tink need a place to stay which Peg is willing to provide. She can use their assistance with the cherry harvest. Peg has lived on the farm her whole life and she cannot imagine living anywhere else. She is alone, though, through choices she made. As Hope helps with the harvest, she spends time with Abel who co-owns the cherry orchard with Peg. As time passes, Hope begins to dream of a happy future for herself and Tink. Unfortunately, trouble is not far away and soon the women will find themselves in a difficult situation. The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is a novel of secrets, drama, and romance. It has strong female characters who have made mistakes and have secrets. Hope’s face tells Peg all she needs to know as to why Hope and Tink arrived in the middle of the night looking frightened. Tink refuses to talk and does not want to be touched. Peg has a room that is off limits to Hope and Tink. I liked getting to know the three women. I thought the characters were realistic and I enjoyed the descriptions of the farm. It was interesting learning how cherries are harvested. There is drama and excitement later in the story that will have readers on the edge of their seats. I do want to warn you that there is violence that can be upsetting. I did feel that the romance with Hope was too soon considering her recent trauma. I did not appreciate the foul language in the book (not everyone uses that type of language). The point-of-view alternates between Hope, Peg and Tink. It does allow a reader to see what each female is thinking and feeling. However, I did find it confusing and it messed with the flow of the book. I was happy with the epilogue and how this sweet story ended. My favorite line was, “It was surprising how sharp happiness was. Bitter and sweet all at once.” The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season is a story about finding forgiveness, surprising secrets, missing memories, female relationships, succulent cherries, and family.
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! 😀
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.