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That Business Between Us #2

Bitsy's Bait & BBQ

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While Emma Collins wonders who in their right mind would use her hard-won divorce settlement to purchase a bed-and-breakfast down in the Ozarks, her free-spirited sister Katy fantasizes dreamily about how this move to a small town will be just the thing for her six-year-old son, Josh.

And, as usual, Emma is right. But it is not until they drive to Warbler Lake, Missouri, to take over Bitsy's B & B that they realize just how right she's been. In this part of the country, B & B stands for Bait and BBQ! The girls know little enough about running a bed-and-breakfast, but a bait-and-BBQ?

With their money and futures sunk into a run-down, roadside rattletrap, the girls have no choice but to roll up their sleeves and get to work. But as they settle in and get to know the difference between fatheads, night crawlers, mealworms and shiners, no one is more surprised than they are when they actually get the place up and running.

But trouble is brewing. Katy's ex-husband is having second thoughts about the custody arrangements for Josh, and he fully intends to get him back. With the prospect of losing the little boy, the sisters face another challenge, only this time it's Katy who proves that she, too, can solve a problem.

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2007

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1173 people want to read

About the author

Pamela Morsi

61 books450 followers
Pamela Morsi was an American writer. She was the author of 29 romance novels, beginning in 1991.

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5 stars
344 (20%)
4 stars
641 (37%)
3 stars
558 (33%)
2 stars
119 (7%)
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25 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
Profile Image for Julie Barrett.
9,196 reviews205 followers
July 20, 2016
Bitsy's Bait and BBQ by Morsi_ Pamela
With the divorce settlement she buys off ebay a B+B.
Emma and Kate and her 5 yo son Josh were on their way...
Humorous and each chapter has tips to help the situation along LOL, It's not a B+B but a bait and BBQ shop...
Story also follows the life of Shawn, he helps him mother run the burger joint. He's gone missing and had married the girl, Kate they hired.
She's made sure the child has child education fund and trust fund for college.
Kate receives a letter stating the father wants to revisit the visitation and sue for custody.. She knows it's not Shawn but his mother that wants the child.
Shawn and his mother and the laywer show up and rent a cabin for the summer while trying to get the grandchild away from their mother. Shawn is not for this at all and helps her in other ways to get her business off the ground thus giving them time to talk to one another...
Like the ideas of how to make the business a success with help from the townsfolk. Sex scenes also. Bit confusing at times with some of the townsfolk drama.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Profile Image for Amanda.
26 reviews
October 30, 2011
A classic fish out of water story that follows sisters Emma Collins (the dependable, grounded, wanna-be anthropologist) and Katy Dodson (the never thinks things through, eternal optimist) who relocate to an obscure part of the Ozarks when Katy buys a "B&B" online, sight unseen using her divorce settlement. Thinking Katy purchased a bed & breakfast, the girls are shocked to find it's a bait shop and barbecue restaurant in tiny Warbler Lake. Of course, knowing nothing of either business, Emma, who's put her college dreams on hold again to help out her sister and 5-year old nephew, Josh, with their new venture immediately wants to sell. Katy, however, thinks it's perfect and wants to make a go of it and raise her son in the friendly, small town.

In the meantime, Josh's father and Katy's ex-husband Sean Dodson resurfaces after having walked out on them 3 years earlier when he felt Katy and their baby would be better off without him. Pushed by his domineering mother, Gwen (CEO of the family's mult-million dollar burger franchise) he heads to Warbler Lake to visit with Josh. Gwen's ulterior motive, however, is to take Josh from Katy and bring him back to St. Louis when he can have his hearts desire and all that money can buy. Certain Katy was never good enough forger son, Gwen fails to see the things that make she and Katy very similar.

I have to say, the title definitely caught my attention and I found it to be a fast-paced read. Definitely enjoyed it and would probably read another of Pamela Morsi's books.
Profile Image for Amelia in PDX.
346 reviews7 followers
August 25, 2013
This book is set-up with questions in the back for a book study for those who want to use it in a book reading group.

I found that it was interesting as of two sisters of a just barely responsible mother, the older always felt responsible for her sister. This was interesting that one sister had to learn to let go, and the younger had to learn to group up some. They take up a new challenge for them both in a small town that is bending over backwards to help them in their new business. The ex-mother-in-law catches sight of the grandson that she has been denying for over three years and now she is going to interfere. The wimpy ex-husband has to finally grow up and learn where he is going to take some responsibility.... something that he has not been doing.

Come and see how they all learn, grow, and learn to start coming together.
Profile Image for Just - The romance reader.
549 reviews34 followers
September 25, 2009
In all honesty, the cover photo and the title are what initially sparked my interest in the book.

Bitsy's Bait & BBQ is a very sweet story about two sisters: Emma and Katy who have a very strong bond and close relationship. Emma is the older sister, who is accustomed to making sacrifices in her life so that she can protect and save her sister from life's dramas. Katy is a recently divorced mother of a young son, who while living with Emma buys a "B&B" in the Ozarks on eBay using her divorce settlement.

The sisters take Katy's young son Josh and set off to run Katy's newly purchased B&B only to find out the place is in the middle of Nowhereville, USA and is actually a Bait & BBQ, not a bed & breakfast. Knowing nothing about fishing or barbecue Katy is determined to learn, and to make a wonderful home for her son and herself. Emma is quick to look for a loophole to get Katy's money back and get them the heck home. As the sisters settle in and win over the locals, Katy's ex-husband and his wealthy, if not snobby mother appear out of nowhere ready to wage a court battle to steal Josh away. What happens from there is interesting, at times humorous, and even often wonderful.

The characters are lovable and the setting makes you crave a trip to Warbler Lake.
Profile Image for Lesley.
2,626 reviews
February 14, 2016
I don't think I would have read this except I needed to read a book that took place in Missouri as part of a 50 states book challenge. I usually prefer deeper stories but this was cutesy chic lit that was good. Everyone once in awhile a light read is good! All about small town life and the two sisters relationships as they moved to this new town to start a fresh start. Interesting enough. I liked the little bit of wisdom given in beginning of each chapter.
Profile Image for Vickie.
2,297 reviews6 followers
January 10, 2010
The beginning of each of the 31 chapters is a bit of wisdom from Bitsy, the woman who died and left her B&B to the town to sell and keep the proceeds to help Warbler Lake's citizens. Bits of wisdom like: "Use unsalted butter. You don't want somebody else deciding how much seasoning is right for you." or "Rub down your clean cooking grate with a smidgeon of oil. It will cut down on cursing when you're taking the meat off." or "Hornyhead minnows are often confused with creek chubs. Maybe you can't tell the difference, but the fish can."
I loved reading this book. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I can highly recommend this to anyone who likes a well-written, warm, and funny story. It's a soft, mellow book with soft, mellow good people and one or two harsh people who end up being mellower than the run-of-the-mill harsh person in other books. They are just harsh enough for the reader to dislike and hope that they get their come-uppance. The good people are wonderfully funny and sweet and you keep rooting for them.
I liked watching Emma and Katy make friends in the town and learn how to sell bait and work the BBQ pit. The town is behind them and the support is heart-warming and funny to see.
Five 'I wouldn't mind living in a town like Warbler Lake' beans......

Profile Image for Cami.
859 reviews67 followers
February 19, 2008
This was quite enjoyable and a well put together story of starting over, the sacrifices (and/or mistakes) we make to see that our loved-ones are taken care of.
This is the story of two sisters, one of which (Katy) has just purchased a business in a small town, sight unseen. Her sister Emma comes along, still feeling the need to watch over her sister and she is definitely needed, at least at the beginning. I'll stop here so there are no spoilers, but the wrap-it-all-up ending was very satisfying for this light read and I even got a bit teary during the last paragraph.
12 reviews
April 20, 2009
I was so disappointed in my neighborhood's choice for book club this month. Poorly written and some totally inappropriate content. Don't waste your time! If I could have given in 0 stars I would have.
4,416 reviews28 followers
September 20, 2017
Bitsy's Bait & BBQ review

Bitsy's Bait & BBQ is a cute book written by author Pamela Morsi about a town in the Ozarks. The characters are quirky and likeable.
Profile Image for Amy Ingalls.
1,507 reviews15 followers
May 28, 2020
A nice read. The town and people of Warbler Lake added warmth to the story. I kept thinking that it would make a good TV series.
Profile Image for Carmel.
381 reviews5 followers
September 18, 2007
I just finished reading this book on 9/17/07. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about small town life, and the dependence the people in the small town (in the story) had on fishing.

It was also funny to read about the way everyone gossiped about one another because I could understand how that could happen. After attending BYU-Hawaii, that "gossip" seems all too familiar.

The important part of the book was about the relationship the two sisters, Emma and Katy had with each other. They really needed to depend on each other because they didn't have their parents around or to even fall back on for anything.

However, I think the best part of the book was the relationship between Katy and her husband/ex-husband, Sean. Hey, I'm a hopeless romantic. I can't help but hope. Anyway, their love for each other was tried and true.
Profile Image for Kristal.
513 reviews10 followers
February 10, 2011
Katy Dodson along with her 5 year-old son Josh and her sister, Emma Collins, move to Warbler Lake, Missouri where Katy has purchased what she thinks is an Ozark Mountain bed and breakfast. But it turns out to be a run-down tackle store and BBQ restaurant. Katy was using money from her divorce settlement for the purchase, hoping to start a new life for her and Josh.

However, when Katy ex-mother-in-law sees things differently. Gwendolyn Dobson had helped her late husband start a successful hamburger chain and she had hoped to leave it to her son, Sean. But Sean never could get the hang of things and now she is focused on her grandson, Josh. She hatches a plan to deceive Katy and enlists the help of her son, Katy ex-husband. But when the two arrive at Warbler Lake, things start to unravel and some unexpected twist and turns throw everyone into chaos.
Profile Image for Char.
30 reviews1 follower
January 21, 2009
This was fun to read, I read it in two sittings, I think. I really connected with the two sisters who are the main characters and the description of the small lake community made me dream of what it would be like to live there. Interesting and with a happy ending, which I love.
Profile Image for Sally.
19 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2014
This was a delight that I just happened to find at a book sale. Easy, rompy read with lots of fun and interesting folks. Am I too much Gwen and not enough Nadine? Possibly. Not a lot of "deep" here, except in the lake, but fun!
Profile Image for Barb.
1,547 reviews39 followers
May 26, 2014
This was an enjoyable book. Not heavy.
Profile Image for Cindi.
295 reviews25 followers
August 18, 2024
This is my first time reading a book by author Pamela Morsi. Bitsy’s Bait & BBQ is a book filled with quirky characters and small town charm. It’s kind of like a Hallmark movie in book form. Depending on your opinion of Hallmark movies, that could be a positive or a negative characterization.

I normally do not read anything that could be characterized as chick-lit or romance unless there is some historical or mystery that drives the story. However, I had just finished reading something that was incredibly heavy and thought provoking, so I needed something light and fluffy. This book was exactly what I needed. The main characters act exactly as they should for the role they are given; divorced, single mom who hasn’t lost her idealism, her older sister who has sacrificed again and again for the good of her sister, adorable five year old boy, handsome mailman with a heart of gold, and other characters.

I did enjoy the story even though it was predictable. The only issues I had were a couple of different choices the author made. First she had a straight-laced, business minded woman who is very rigid, act out of character by going to the home of a man she had just met and agrees to spend the night, even though it’s all platonic. Secondly, within the first couple of chapters there is a line about a sexual experience that seems completely unnecessary.

I would have almost thought the book was light Christian fiction except for the sex in a couple of places. The faith of the community and a couple of main characters plays heavily in the storyline.

I gave this book three stars simply because it wasn’t the grand novel and there were some editing errors in addition to the slight issues I mentioned above.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Angie.
3,696 reviews53 followers
June 25, 2018
Emma has always taken care of her younger sister Katy. So when Katy buys a restaurant in the Ozarks sight unseen she goes reluctantly along to help. Bitsy's B&B turns out to be Bitsy's Bait and BBQ and offers quite the challenge to the sisters. The biggest challenge is that neither of them know a thing about BBQ. But the town wants them to succeed and helps them out.

Katy has just gone through a divorce and bought the restaurant with her settlement money. Her husband Sean left her with her young son and hasn't wanted to have anything to do with them since. Her ex-mother-in-law Gwen has never liked Katy, but now she decides that she wants to have her grandson back in her life. She hatches a plot to get custody Joshua by moving herself and Sean to Warbler Lake for the summer.

There is a lot going on in this light summer read. It was enjoyable and fun even though I thought the ending was a bit rushed. I really liked the small town atmosphere of Warbler Lake and its denizens. There are the usual characters you would expect. I enjoyed the relationship between Katy and Sean as they rekindled their romance. I wish the ending would have taken just a bit more time to wrap things up. Morsi spent 300 pages building up the story and then just ended it all in a few dozen pages.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,143 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2017
Katy Dodson just bought a B&B on Ebay. After her husband left her and their son, she turned to her sister Emma who has always taken care of her. Emma put her college career on hold to take care of her sister and now she's doing it again. Moving to the Ozarks of Missouri with Katy and her son Josh to open a B&B. It's not until they arrive at Warbler Lake that they realize Bitsy's B&B isn't a Bed & Breakfast like they thought, it's a Bait & BBQ joint, and neither knows anything about bait or BBQ.

Determined to make a go of the roadside rattletrap, the girls have no choice but to roll up their sleeves and get to work. With a town full of characters willing to pitch in to make the business a success, Katy and Emma start to learn the ins and outs of the bait business but fail amazingly at BBQ.

When Kay's ex-husband and his mother show up in town, determined to take custody of Josh, the sisters face an even bigger challenge that figuring out the BBQ pit.
Profile Image for Susan.
189 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2018
If I could give it a 3.5 I would.
I liked this book better in the middle-end than I did in the beginning. The way the eldest sister was written in the beginning had a bit too much of the martyr going for my taste and the younger sister was very typecast as the sister who always needs someone to take care of her - I was pleasantly surprised by the way Morsi changed their profiles to make me like them a little more. The peripheral characters are always interesting in small-town, fish-out-of-water books and this is no exception. A fine little read, but predictable.
Profile Image for Sarah Tummey.
Author 1 book8 followers
May 10, 2019
This had all the makings of a good story, but the ending was really disappointing. I thought the sister and the ex who came back would have some sort of confrontation, but she went through the whole book disliking him and then suddenly she’s delighted it’s all worked out? I heard about a real-life situation the other day where someone was really worried about her friend’s upcoming marriage and her future husband shook her hand, promising he loved her and would look after her. The same could have happened in this book.
Profile Image for Alex Guelff.
119 reviews
July 25, 2024
Bitsy’s Bait and BBQ was such a sweet book. There was the perfect amount of family drama and it preached love among friends, family, and the community beautifully.

I will admit I did have a difficult time getting into this one, but once the story picked up a bit it was much more enjoyable. I did often find myself struggling to pick it up due to the chapters that were slow and less dramatic.

The ending was pleasantly unsurprising, and I feel as though Pamela wrapped the journey up perfectly with a massive fishing line bow.
Profile Image for fruitcake.
1,134 reviews45 followers
July 24, 2018
Katy uses the money from her divorce settlement to buy what she thinks is a bed and breakfast from eBay. But when she arrives with her older sister and young son, she finds that "B&B" actually stood for "Bait & BBQ." Thus begins the story of fixing up the old store and getting know the small town of people.

This was an enjoyable yet extremely predictable book. No surprises here. But definitely could be enjoyed, particularly on a beach by a lake.
10 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2018
A friend gave me this book because I have a dog named Bitsy, and she thought I'd get a kick out of the title. She was right. After a couple of laughs, I put it on a shelf, mentally ranking it at the bottom of my to-be-read list, and forgot about it. But wanting a light read over a holiday weekend, I picked it up and couldn't put it down. This is a sweet and somewhat predictable story about family relationships and what living well means to different people. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Shari.
107 reviews5 followers
August 16, 2017
Too...

slow moving, too boring characters, too poorly researched, too predictable plot, too predictable ending although I gave up at 56 percent but the couple torn apart was almost back together so why read on,? I believe in giving a book a fair chance, which I did. This was too bad, give It a miss,.
287 reviews
August 26, 2018
It's a pleasure to read Pamela Morsi stories. There are only so many storylines to go around, yet Ms. Morsi always manages to bring a positive spin that ends with a decent ending. If you want a good read that leaves you feeling better at the end, read her books. I've not found a bad one as of yet, and doubt I will.
18 reviews
June 3, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was very well written and it kept my attention from beginning to end. I really got into the characters which doesn’t always happen when I read a book. There aren’t a lot of surprises in the book, quite predictable, but written so well that you just want to keep on reading. I definitely recommend it if you want to read a feel good book.
Profile Image for Janet.
3,330 reviews24 followers
September 28, 2020
Lovely story that focuses on a woman and her son after going through a divorce. Katy purchases what she thinks is a B & B, only to have quite a surprise when she gets to the Ozarks. Her sister Emma is with her to help her set down roots. I loved the townspeople and Katy's determination in making things work out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews

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