Quick Synopsis

A woman with a violent past gets a chance at redemption in this upmarket suspense debut, perfect for fans of Lisa Taddeo and Tiffany McDaniel.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Thirteen years ago, Providence Byrd threw the family car in reverse and ran over her mother. Even though her mother survived, that single instant of teenage madness made Providence a felon and irrevocably altered her life. When her mother disappears years later under suspicious circumstances, Providence tells herself that returning home is her chance to find closure after a prolonged estrangement from her family. Never mind that this is only half of the truth: she’s also returning to finally confront her abusive father, Tom Byrd. Nothing can stamp out Providence’s certainty that he is guilty of whatever terrible thing has happened to her mother.

As the search unfolds, Providence is haunted by the wounds of her past, none of which cut as deep as the distance between her and her younger sisters. Harmony and Grace are both uniquely scarred by her attempted matricide, and both have their own idea of what reconciliations might look like – if reconciling is even possible. Harmony urges Providence to make their father pay for his sins; Grace begs her to end the cycle of violence that has haunted their family for generations. As her thirst for vengeance collides with her desire to heal her relationships with her sisters, Providence must decide which she values more: revenge or redemption.

Sharp and poignant, Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a stunning novel that eschews picture-perfect endings and dares to tell a story about a resilient queer woman and her relentless determination to persevere.

Book Review

Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a dark, emotional suspense novel that explores family trauma, grief, sisterhood, and the pursuit of closure. This debut follows Providence Byrd, a former felon, who returns to her rural Nebraskan hometown when her mother goes missing. Having been estranged from her family for 13 years, Providence hopes to confront her father, reconnect with her sisters, and finally put her past behind her.

It is hard to believe that Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a debut novel. Samantha Crewson’s writing is beautiful and gripping. This is the first book in a long time that I dog-earred corners to revisit sentences that really struck me. The prose captured the story’s quietly intense tone perfectly. As someone who grew up in a place similar to Annesville, I thought that Crewson expertly captured the dynamics of an isolated, incestuous rural small town. and the duality of your hometown being both a place rife with nostalgic memories and traumatic minefields. 

Although Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter has dark themes, the narrative never felt like a trauma dump or gratuitous. Instead, the subject matter builds both the desolate, rural small town setting and the complex characters. The story feels both brutal and cathartic as it depicts Providence’s struggle between move past her childhood.

I appreciated how well developed the protagonist, Providence, is. She is both a morally grey character and someone for which you want to cheer. Although I would not call Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter a coming-of-age tale, the book does portray Providence’s growth as she seeks closure and begins to find her own power. However, I think the complex, multifaceted nature of Providence may turn off readers who need to like a protagonist to enjoy a novel.

Overall, Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a strong debut novel filled with heart and depth. While a mystery is at the story’s heart, it is ultimately a tale of survival and choosing how you move forward. I recommend this book if you do not mind a character-driven novel and especially for those who enjoy S.A. Cosby’s writing.