Beauty in the Bittersweet by Jessica Stone | Book Review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Beauty in the Bittersweet by Jessica Stone, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Beauty in the Bittersweet
Series: A Thornbush and Juniper Story
Author: Jessica Stone
Publisher: Story Architect
Release Date: May 5, 2025
Genre: Women’s Contemporary Fiction (Christian) with romance

If checking off lists were all it took, Elle Reed could keep her life from crumbling around her. But her husband betrays her trust, her best friend’s recent diagnosis reveals a hidden trauma, and a secret Elle has been keeping from her mother has wrecked their Gilmore Girls-esque relationship. Her career may be the one thing she has control over, and she holds it tightly with both hands.

Then she gets a call she never expects—her mother has passed away suddenly, taking any hope of reconciliation with her. Discovering Catherine’s collection of devotional journals while packing up her home provides an opportunity to glean the wisdom she so desperately misses. But the journals reveal that her mother had secrets of her own, leaving Elle wondering if anyone in her life is who they say.

When an upheaval at work rips away the only stability Elle has left, she has to face her biggest fear. What will it take for her to surrender control to The One who’s had it all along?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Jessica Stone Stories | Amazon

My Review of Beauty in the Bittersweet

Beauty in the Bittersweet by Jessica Stone is a book that’s exactly as its title says; it’s beautiful yet very bittersweet. You’ll find a great deal of heartache interspersed with hope…hope that can only be found in having a relationship with Christ.

I’ll be perfectly honest. At about the 30% mark, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to finish this book. It’s heavy, and I could feel the sadness deep inside of myself. I’m the type of person who has “all the feels, all the time.” However, I could see the glimpses of light shining through, and I was already sailing through the book. I ended up finishing it in just a little over a day. It’s that much of a page-turner. 

After Elle’s mother dies very unexpectedly in her early 50s, Elle finds her mom’s journals which reveal so much to Elle. We think we know our parents, but when we’re kids, we’re so self-centered that we don’t think about things they might be going through. Sure, there are times when it’s easy to tell if they’re upset about something, but we rarely fully know what is going on because they shelter us from those big things. 

Reading Elle’s mom’s journal entries along with her and discovering her mom’s deep feelings is very emotional. Elle begins to grasp just how much God helped her mom through the darkest times of her life. Yet, it’s very raw because her mom was human and got mad at God! Who among us hasn’t? This quote from the book just knocked me upside the head: “His (God’s) utmost desire isn’t my comfort on earth but shaping me for everlasting joy with Him.” Her mom’s journal eventually leads Elle to the realization that she might know about God, but she doesn’t know Him. 

There’s just so much in this book that I could talk about, but it ultimately does come down to the fact that there is beauty in the bittersweet. The author gives us well-written characters who grow throughout the story. The things that the characters either go through or have gone through could be potential triggers for readers. I feel that giving those would spoil things that are revealed in the book, but if you have specific subjects that you wish to avoid, I’m sure that the author would be happy to share with you. You can contact her on her website: https://www.jessicastonestories.com/ 

Beauty in the Bittersweet is totally a five star read for me. Even though at times my heart was breaking, and I felt like I couldn’t go on, I am so grateful that I read this book. The spiritual and inspirational messages that are weaved into the story reached deep into my soul. They’re a reminder that we’re not alone in our struggles and our sorrow. I highly recommend it! 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Despite her start as a journalist for a faith-based news publication two decades ago, Jessica Stone has always loved fiction. She believes that her testimony and message come most clearly through storytelling, and she loves the process of developing deep—and deeply flawed—characters who find redemption and learn to accept grace, just as she is herself. Jessica and her husband reside in Raleigh, North Carolina, near her parents and other family. This story—and her confidence to write it—were inspired by her own Gilmore Girls-esque relationship with her daughter, who is living out her dreams as a fashion designer in Paris. Beauty in the Bittersweet is Jessica’s debut novel and the first in her A Thornbush and Juniper Story series.

Connect with Jessica by visiting jessicastonestories.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will receive a print copy of Beauty in the Bittersweet plus a sticker/bookmark, journal and pen set!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 29, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 6, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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