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Bittersweet
A Desperate Woman
When the South lost the Civil War, everything changed for Laura Taylor. The Yankees came to South Carolina, driving Laura and her soldier husband, Jesse, west to seek a new beginning. But Laura's hopes crumbled when she found herself pregnant and alone in a wild railroad camp. Jesse was dead, winter was coming in fast, and Laura had no one to turn to except Dr. Spencer Hardin.
A Vengeful Man
Spencer came home from the war to find his wife had run off with another man, taking his young son with them. Vowing to get his child back, he headed to San Francisco. Not even the discovery that his wife had died could stop his vengeful journey. But as a blizzard raged, Spencer found himself stranded, fighting for the lives of Laura Taylor and her baby...and the change to reclaim his soul through the miracle of love.
When the South lost the Civil War, everything changed for Laura Taylor. The Yankees came to South Carolina, driving Laura and her soldier husband, Jesse, west to seek a new beginning. But Laura's hopes crumbled when she found herself pregnant and alone in a wild railroad camp. Jesse was dead, winter was coming in fast, and Laura had no one to turn to except Dr. Spencer Hardin.
A Vengeful Man
Spencer came home from the war to find his wife had run off with another man, taking his young son with them. Vowing to get his child back, he headed to San Francisco. Not even the discovery that his wife had died could stop his vengeful journey. But as a blizzard raged, Spencer found himself stranded, fighting for the lives of Laura Taylor and her baby...and the change to reclaim his soul through the miracle of love.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1997
12 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Anita Mills
44 books66 followersA former history and English teacher, Anita Mills turned to writing in the mid-1980's. After her regency romance SCANDAL BOUND was published followed by her highly acclaimed LADY OF FIRE, Anita Mills went on to enjoy an award filled career. Her historical novels and regency short stories are ranked among the best in their respective genres. The parents of four children, Anita and her husband Larry find peace on a small farm near Plattsburgh, Missouri. This former teacher has drawn upon her love for both history and English to enrich her novels.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 17, 2011
This is a American Civil War book which I very seldom read which is probably the reason I've had this on my TBR shelf for 14 years. For some reason it appealed to me yesterday. I'm glad it did. The book was very well written and researched which I find is typical of Anita Mills. The hero, Spence, is a surgeon who became tired of medicine after 5 years in the Confederate Army cutting off limbs. When he goes home to his wife and child after the war, he discovers she had run off to San Francisco with another man taking Spence's son with them. He heads west to find them. Along the way he runs into the widow of a soldier he had known and stops to help her. Laura is alone and pregnant in the railroad workers camp where her husband was working when he died. Spence, trapped by the winter weather, stays with her over the winter and they fall in love.
This was a lovely story. There were large sections that took place before they got together that might drag for a reader who insists that the two main characters be together in every scene. But I didn't even really notice. It made the story seem more real. They also fell in love and got married before the end and the last third of the book showed them adjusting to their marriage and searching for Spence's son. I particularly enjoyed that as I like to see a new couple learning to adjust to marriage. I like it when stories aren't over just because the principles said "I do".
Laura was a nice character. She was strong and proud, practical and loving. Spence was pretty injured and it took Laura to help him heal.
This was not just a wall paper historical. You got a real sense of time and place. I recommend it for lovers of true historically correct romances.
This was a lovely story. There were large sections that took place before they got together that might drag for a reader who insists that the two main characters be together in every scene. But I didn't even really notice. It made the story seem more real. They also fell in love and got married before the end and the last third of the book showed them adjusting to their marriage and searching for Spence's son. I particularly enjoyed that as I like to see a new couple learning to adjust to marriage. I like it when stories aren't over just because the principles said "I do".
Laura was a nice character. She was strong and proud, practical and loving. Spence was pretty injured and it took Laura to help him heal.
This was not just a wall paper historical. You got a real sense of time and place. I recommend it for lovers of true historically correct romances.
January 8, 2015
Anita Mills is a hit and miss author for me and this book is in the latter category. It has a good writing, likable characters but it was also full of clichés, recycling storylines, too saintly for my taste heroine. The story was full of secondary characters that I thought would play bigger role but they disappear without a trace leaving me confused and wondering why to have them in the first place.
July 11, 2015
4 and ½ Stars - Post Civil War Heading West
A well-written story of two people who find love in recovering from the past and the war that tore apart a nation.
The story begins in Tennessee in 1864 as Spencer Hardin, surgeon for the Southern troops, is trying to provide medical care without supplies to do it. Meanwhile, his young wife, Lydia, sends him letters urging him to desert and come home. While he tells her to endure, he sends a friend home with a medical discharge and encourages him to take care of Lydia and help her manage until the war is over. As it turns out, the friend will help himself to Spence’s wife.
A year later, the war is over and Spence returns home only to discover his wife has run off with the other guy, taking Spence’s young son with them. Intent on recovering his son, Spence heads for San Francisco where he learns they may be. Along the way, he discovers his wife has died of cholera, but he goes on. In a railroad camp, he encounters a pregnant Laura Taylor, the widow of a man who once helped him and died working on the railroad.
Spence and Laura are the kind of people you want to know, noble, courageous and despite their own hardships, willing to help others. Life on the frontier in railroad towns is not easy but Laura decides to take in laundry. Spence, who is desperate to find his son, won’t leave her in the lurch. Each must come to terms with the shortfall in their marriages and what they want for the future.
A well-written story of two people who find love in recovering from the past and the war that tore apart a nation.
The story begins in Tennessee in 1864 as Spencer Hardin, surgeon for the Southern troops, is trying to provide medical care without supplies to do it. Meanwhile, his young wife, Lydia, sends him letters urging him to desert and come home. While he tells her to endure, he sends a friend home with a medical discharge and encourages him to take care of Lydia and help her manage until the war is over. As it turns out, the friend will help himself to Spence’s wife.
A year later, the war is over and Spence returns home only to discover his wife has run off with the other guy, taking Spence’s young son with them. Intent on recovering his son, Spence heads for San Francisco where he learns they may be. Along the way, he discovers his wife has died of cholera, but he goes on. In a railroad camp, he encounters a pregnant Laura Taylor, the widow of a man who once helped him and died working on the railroad.
Spence and Laura are the kind of people you want to know, noble, courageous and despite their own hardships, willing to help others. Life on the frontier in railroad towns is not easy but Laura decides to take in laundry. Spence, who is desperate to find his son, won’t leave her in the lurch. Each must come to terms with the shortfall in their marriages and what they want for the future.
December 19, 2023
After reading Comanche Rose by Anita Mills, I knew I should get my hands on other books of hers as I loved that book so much. The blurbs of Bittersweet sounded something right up my alley (widower vs widow, falling in love with someone else’s wife trope) so I bought its ebook. I have been putting this book on hold white getting other oldies romance that I’ve been saving to read for months and finally, after almost a month of delay, I finally got around to read this story. Oh my, living to its namesake, such a bittersweet read indeed! I have always been a sucker a love breweing during the times of Civil War.There is no over the top, cheesy romance that is usually affiliated with 80’s and 90’s HR but rather, the characters feel so live and real. There are so many nuances and depths to the characters you feel as if it’s a real life account of actual persons. It’s a slowburn romance which starts kickiny off about halfway through the story as the first half still have Laura and Spence married to their first spouse. My most favourite part of the story was when Spence peeking into Laura’s journal about his bravery and talent in surgery.
November 25, 2025
I love most of Mills’ books and this was no exception. Both MCs are amazing. Some parts do drag but overall a well-researched book set within an authentic setting.
February 11, 2024
It's not a bad book, but I'll probably forget it within a week. The only things that stood out were how chatty the characters were and the realistic portrayal of the harsh living conditions.
August 28, 2013
NOT quite as good as the fire series but still well worth the time & money. I wasn't thrilled with the way jumps in time within chapters were a bit confusing but since I use tts it might have just been me. Also in a few places the dialogue came across as explanatory/flat & not natural. Whatever the issues i'll continue reading my way through this authors ebooks.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews