Every Sweet Thing is Bitter by Samantha Crewson 

Thank you Book of the Month, Netgalley, and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced copies! 

Providence Byrd hasn’t been back to her hometown since she was sent to prison thirteen years ago. Her crime? Running her mother, Elissa, over with the car. Even though it was an accident, and her mother survived, Providence is now a felon. Though when her mother goes missing, she returns to help search and to be there for her estranged sisters, Harmony and Grace. Providence’s return is not welcome – she is met with resistance and apprehension from the people around town as well as her family. 

This story is heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time. Each character was fleshed out and you could feel their emotions through the page. Something that resonated with me was how the Byrd sisters dealt with their parents’ addictions and shortcomings all at different points in life and how the community did very little to help them as they didn’t want to interfere with the family dynamics in the name of “justice” or “God”. Though the ending was predictable, I will not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone. 

Crewson tells a story of family dynamics, small towns communities, trauma, love, and perseverance through beautiful and poignant writing. A debut novel unlike any other.