I adore a small town romance. It’s relatable to me. Especially the escaping of small town life and later seeing that such a life isn’t that bad at all 🥰.

Abigail (Abby) Henry returns to her hometown Grand Marais, Minnesota. She returns there for the funeral of her sister’s husband. She stays in town after the funeral to help her sister Emily with her mourning phase. While in town, she visits the local bar. There she meets bartender Charlotte Johansson, who she remembers from before. She didn’t however remember her being this beautiful.

Abby gets to know Charlotte better when she frequents the bar and also when they keep meeting at several town activities. There Abby meets Charlottes daughter Amelia. She is attracted to Charlotte. But what is the use? She’ll return to LA and her life there as a playwriter, as soon as Emily gets better at coping with her grief. Besides, she has her girlfriend Kambria to consider 🤨.

Charlotte however doesn’t have any reservations and takes charge by making the first move. They sleep together and it’s obvious that Abby has to end things with her girlfriend. She does so in an impersonal and cowardly way. Which never reaches Kambria, because she shows up in town all of a sudden. For Charlotte that says enough. For Abby it’s the beginning to actually understand decisions she’s making in her life. And what exactly the reason is for not wanting to stay in a small town like Grand Marais.

The banter in this novel is excellent! And I love Eliza Lentzski’s characters. They often have similar character traits, strong willed, big hearted, stubborn, proud, loving. So do Charlotte and Abby. The stubbornness in Bittersweet Homecoming is prominent though! It was frustrating to see them both suffer because of that. But it makes it all worth it in the end ❤️.