Review: Bitter Sweet Heart by H. Hunting

Rating: 5/5  PoP: 5%  Lies, Hearts and Truths #2

From the blurb you can get a good idea of the set up with Maverick and Clover. They meet during the summer, have explosive chemistry and a one night stand. As fall approaches and school resumes, they discover that Maverick is a student of visiting Professor Sweet. The attraction is still there but they both understand that the situation has to be handled carefully. As Maverick and Clover deal with their own traumas they find support in each other and their relationship grows. 

This book’s timeline overlaps with the timeline of Little Lies and gives explanation to Maverick’s absence in Lavender and Kody’s book. Maverick is selfless to the point of hurting himself and he is only beginning to understand that. When he finds the one woman he wants to spend time with, it is complicated by their roles and her past. The books in this series really center around how a shared trauma shaped the lives of so many people. Maverick has never really dealt with his feelings concerning the events of the past and Clover gives him the space to do so safely. 

I loved this book for multiple reasons, probably the most because it is such a great second generation book. Although, you do not have to have read the Pucked series for understanding. If you have, you know Maverick’s parents Alex and Violet Waters and have a love for them. However, parenting is hard and the Waters are not immune to making mistakes. The transformations that their relationships undergo are encouraging to those of us parenting or being parented. I like that Clover was very concise of how her role and gender could be viewed if she was to have an open relationship with Maverick. They both acknowledge the double standards placed on women in roles of power. Maverick is an old soul and protector, looking for peace and he finally finds it in a life with Clover.  There are a lot of feelings, some sweetness, and a bit of drama in this book, making it well rounded and a worthwhile read.