Diann Hunt was one of the authors of Smitten, a book I really enjoyed, which is why I chose to read Bittersweet Surrender. This book follows Carly who owns a spa and has a bit of a sweet tooth. Ok, maybe it’s more than a bit. When she starts exchanging emails with her childhood crush (and brother’s best friend) and he says that he will be moving back to town, she tries to lose 25 pounds. Her best friend Scott tries to help her out along the way by taking away all of her chocolate and making her go for walks and runs with him to get her in shape.
Her crush Jake comes to town and everything seems to change. She’s not sure she is really in love with him, he is rough and doesn’t take a liking to her advice to making his daughter happy about the move. Carly’s brother C.J. is in a HUGE gambling debt and Carly doesn’t want to help him out this time (a breast cancer survivor, she is trying to save up for surgery, not to bail her brother out all the time). C.J.’s marriage is falling apart and a bunch of secrets come out about Scott’s wife and Carly’s best friend Ivy, who passed away in a car accident.
The book is an easy read and quite interesting once you get in to all the drama that starts to unfold. Will Carly stay with Jake or has her teen crush faded? It is very easy to relate to Carly and root for her to suceed not only in her love life, but in realizing her self worth and with her spa business as well. The book is 259 pages and includes some reading questions at the end if you’re reading it in a group!
Book Description
(Katie’s Note – this is the description from Booksneeze. I am not sure why it is spelled Carley and Carly – in the book it is Carly. And I honestly have no idea who Tom is either. I’m thinking that should be Scott!)
Carly Westlake is living the dream. She spends her days at a spa (okay, so she owns the place), she’s dating a hunk, and she’s surrounded by chocolate—milk chocolate, her favorite—that she uses for the chocolate facials that made her spa famous.
But when long buried secrets threaten Carley’s business and her friendship with business-partner Tom, she fights like crazy to keep the dream—and the illusions—afloat.
It takes a miracle of grace to get Carley to finally make that bittersweet surrender to love and real life.
About the Author
Diann Hunt is the author of several novels including Hot Flashes and Cold Cream and Be Sweet. She has lived in Indiana forever, been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her dog and, well, chocolate. Visit her at www.GirlsWriteOut.com where she blogs with friends Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, Kristin Billerbeck and Hannah Alexander.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”