BITTERSWEET

by LaVyrle Spencer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 15, 1989

A second hard-cover romance from Spencer (after Morning Glory, 1988), all about a late-summer liaison that gives a fortysomething pair a second shot at domestic bliss. One year after her husband's death and on the night of her college-bound daughter's departure, Maggie Pearson Steam, 40 and nearly suicidal, takes the advice of her grief-group therapist and calls an old high school friend. Soon, not only is she in touch with her friends from the class of 1965, including Eric Severson (her first love), but she moves back to Door County, buys a large, delapidated house, and fixes it into a bed-and-breakfast inn. Back in '65, Maggie was not the prom queen, judged the most intelligent, nor considered the most likely to succeed. But now she manages to win the heart of Eric away from his stunningly beautiful, driven wife, Nancy. Quite by accident, Maggie gets pregnant. Eavesdropper Nancy finds out, and in desperation she pretends to be pregnant. Miserably, Eric chooses Nancy, while Maggie--alone--braves the winter, runs the B&B, and has her baby. Meanwhile, Nancy's miscarriage fools Eric until he stumbles on evidence of her deceit--and returns to Maggie with divorce papers in hand. Refreshingly flawed characters make an effective and resonant set-up here. Once settled in Door County, however, the story softens, and characters move into their respective corners: the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. Spencer's strength is in depicting complex familial ties and in amplifying the romantic struggle in pursuit of happiness.

Pub Date: Feb. 15, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1989

Categories: FICTION