Providence hasn’t been back home since before she went to prison at the age of 17. But when her mom goes missing, she knows she has to go back, at least for her sisters. Though they’re more strangers than sisters now, Providence return is met with resistance, suspension, and welcome. As the town searches for their mom, Providence and her sisters will be forced to face Providence’s felony so many years ago, the family they were given, and the anger of being left to their own devices.

I still cannot believe that this is a debut. Masterfully written, Crewson has delivered an amazing coming of age story without complicating the plot. While I wasn’t exactly a fan of the ending, this story is all about the journey and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the complexity of who Providence was versus how others saw her, especially on her return to town. Providence wasn’t the only character with depth, every single character we meet has flaws and a complication relationship with who they are. I felt that Crewson did a phenomenal job of creating multiple sided characters that you can’t love or hate.

This slow burn contemporary mystery is less of a mystery and more of character driven novel about family dynamic. With beautiful and insightful writing, this book is perfect for fans of Jane Harper and Tiffany McDaniels. With this being Crewson’s debut novel, I cannot wait to see what she puts out next.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★★★

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter comes out April 22, 2025. Huge thank you to Crooked Lane Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.