Review: Bittersweet

Title: Bittersweet
Author: Sarah Ockler
Pages: 378
Published: 2012

Summary: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…

Review: This novel was downright adorable, but I have to warn you before you even get started, make sure you are either a. Full and have just eaten, or b. Have an entire plate of cupcakes or something sweet next to you to eat while you read the sweetness of this novel.

Some of the cupcake recipes in this novel...I had to stop and salivate over the beginning of almost every chapter because the downright deliciousness of each cupcake description, and if the sweetness of the cupcakes weren't enough, the novel itself made me develop cavities upon cavities.

I really liked the way that Bittersweet started off with a dramatic moment, with Hudson discovering how her father had cheated on her mother and how that threw off everything for her and her family, and I really like the way Sarah Ockler allowed us to see a little bit of the girl's life before we went into the present day.

Hudson's current life is nothing like her past, and she's gone from being an almost-professional ice skater to a nobody hiding in the back of her mother's diner and trying to bury herself in cupcakes. She's lost all of her past friends and only has her best friend, Dani, left, aside from her mother and her brother, Bug (who was my downright favourite character in the entire book. So adorable!). And then we discover this whole new idea that Hudson is secretly skating again, which is where we run into the absolute and wonderful Josh!

Oh Josh. Where do I begin with Josh? He is adorable and I just want one of him for myself, yes please! Throughout the book he seemed downright adorable and throughout the entire book I was just waiting for him and Hudson to get together, especially since they were absolutely precious as friends.

My favourite bits of the book had to be where the hockey team actually appreciated the way that Hudson worked to help train them and make sure that they were ready and prepared to take on the season, but I wanted to punch Will in the face. I get the way he was trying to fix things in the end, but he was selfish and he managed to try and screw everything up between Hudson and Josh, and almost succeeded.

This book was downright adorable and I definitely know that I will potentially reread it in the future. It was sweet and left a heck of a cupcake craving by the end of the book. If you're looking for a cute, quick read (even though it does get a little bit slow in the end), and are desperate to make some cupcakes by the end of it all, then this book is definitely for you!

Rating: ★★★★ 4/5 Stars