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
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.
Review
Beauty in the Bittersweet is the first book I have read written by Jessica Stone and I look forward to reading some more books. This was a book that I decided to read purely off of the cover and the words Gilmore Girls-esque in the description, and it did not disappoint. This will be a re-read for me in the future. The character development was great. There were so many different layers to the characters and issues the characters were going through. Elle has just lost her mother and is having to pack up her mother’s estate and sell the house. Elle’s husband Micah is on tour managing a band and is not home very often. He makes some bad decisions and has an affair that greatly affects their marriage. Watching Elle and Micah fight for their marriage while going through everything else makes for such a vulnerable story. It really brought the characters to life. The plot was great. I loved getting to go through the grieving process with Elle, while also fighting for her marriage while Martine (the woman her husband had an affair with) is telling lies about what transpired between her and Micah. Micah and Elle are trying to figure it out, while also working on their faith and marriage. Elle is also going through her mom’s journal, dealing with grief, but also finding out some things she didn’t know about her mom. I also loved getting a glimpse at the music industry from a different perspective. This has been my third story this year that touched on the music industry and it has been great. The romance aspect was low spice. It did talk about the affair and the other party involved is trying to break up the marriage, so she tries to elaborate and tell falsehoods. Even with it all, it is a low-spice, closed-door romance. Jessica Stone did a great job intertwining faith throughout the story. I loved that part of the sermon was included. I also appreciated the different scriptures sprinkled throughout. I loved seeing God redeem this marriage. *I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.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.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
wonderful review, Emily! Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)
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