Bittersweet

Bittersweet
By Cathy Marie Hake
Bethany House, 2007. 399 pgs. Historical fiction

Laney McCain has had her heart set on Galen O'Sullivan for about as long as she can remember. Galen has only ever seen her as a pest and his best friend's younger sister, but suddenly it seems as if he's noticed she's a woman. Just when it seems like things will work out for them, though, the squatters Galen has generously been allowing to live on his family's land, stir up a whole passel of trouble.

This book has the same characters as Hake's Letter Perfect, but even readers who haven't read the first book should be able to follow the story line. I enjoyed both books, but this book has a stronger plot. I was shocked and horrified about the plot twist that got thrown in, and I almost didn't finish the book because it made me mad! However, I'm glad I stuck with it; this book was very interesting. A Christian romance, it really put to test the characters' (and the reader's) ideas of faith, charity, and what it really means to be a Christian. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

AE