The Summer of Bitter and Sweet

By Jen Ferguson

A Métis girl faces family secrets and threats to her ice-cream shack.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 2,504 ratings

374 pages· 90,639 words· Est. 8.5 hour read

$19.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Lou's summer is tangled with confusion as she works at her family's ice-cream shack alongside her ex-boyfriend and former best friend, King, who has mysteriously returned. When a letter from her imprisoned father arrives, Lou is forced to confront a past she hoped to leave behind. As her family's business faces an uncertain future, Lou must decide whether to face her father or let the past remain buried. Can she find sweetness amidst the bitterness of truth, or will her father's shadow consume her? Discover the strength of young Native heroes in this compelling tale.

From the publisher

In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person–and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth. A William C. Morris Award Honor Book and a Stonewall Award Honor Book!Lou has enough confusion in front of her this summer. She’ll be working in her family’s ice-cream shack with her newly ex-boyfriend–whose kisses never made her feel desire, only discomfort–and her former best friend, King, who is back in their Canadian prairie town after disappearing three years ago without a word.But when she gets a letter from her biological father–a man she hoped would stay behind bars for the rest of his life–Lou immediately knows that she cannot meet him, no matter how much he insists.While King’s friendship makes Lou feel safer and warmer than she would have thought possible, when her family’s business comes under threat, she soon realizes that she can’t ignore her father forever.The Heartdrum imprint centers a wide range of intertribal voices, visions, and stories while welcoming all young readers, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes. In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.