Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Standalone. Simon Pulse (January 2012) Library

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.
So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life... and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.
It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last...

Three years ago Hudson discovered incriminating evidence that her father was cheating on her mother. The same father that encouraged her and did anything for her so that she could get ice skating lessons and all the practice she needed to become a star. She discovered all this right before she was going to ice skate for a big event. While she was ice skating after her big discovery she looked up into the stands and saw her future. And it wasn't a bright future at all. So she just stopped. Three years later Hudson has a new interest, a new best friend, and a whole new life without her father or ice skating in it. But, when a letter comes in calling her back to her old life she seizes the chance to get out of her small town and have her old life back. By doing that she races towards something new - a dreamy boy who she can't get out of her head and a whole new confidence thanks to a group of underdog hockey boys. But where do the lines between past, present, and future meet in her story and what who will she choose to be?

Hudson's new interest? CUPCAKES! Yes... I love whenever I get to read a book with food as one of the main subjects because then I get to imagine what that food tastes like. It's fun yet it's a very evil thing to do to a person to get them to read your book. It's one of the biggest hooks you can give me. This girl is grappling with a tough choice, has a lot of responsibilities put on her, has to deal with feeling like the cause of her parents' divorce, and she bakes cupcakes... Done! All I needed to hear was the word cupcakes and I'm sold. I thought that there wasn't really that much describing of cupcakes though. This is something she loves but she really didn't love it throughout the book. I think it was because she was moving back towards ice skating that she lost her grip on something she's really enjoyed for three years of her life. 

Hudson is considered the Cupcake Queen which I found funny because I happened to have read a book with that title not too long ago. Because she was so good at what she did there was even more pressure for her to help her mom with the family restaurant. Her mom irritated me. I felt like she put so much pressure on her to take care of the customers by waitressing, creating these new cupcake designs, taking care of her little brother Bug, taking care of the bills, and on top of that she was grooming her to take over the restaurant when hello! She never asked her. Then Hudson now feels the need to lie about ice skating and what's been going on with her life because it was her and her father's thing... and it's this whole big giant mess. I do understand that her mother also had a lot on her plate. But, they should have communicated to each other what they were going through. If Hudson is old enough to pay the bills she's old enough to be trusted with the reality with their situation. I just think that the whole conflict could have been resolved with them being honest with each other.

There is a love triangle. It's not really a love triangle if you think about it because really she had eyes for just one guy. Again communication would have solved everything. I think that's the lesson with this book. Talk it out people! Will is this big stud on the ice. He's also the first boy Hudson's ever kissed which messed up her former friend and her's relationship which wasn't really there anymore anyways because of other things... Josh is also on the hockey team. He has these intense eyes and he's just the sweetest guy. He helps Hudson get some practice time on the ice in exchange for some help of his own. I loved the little moments where she and Josh interacted. I wish there were more and Hudson would just get out of her head when it came to him. In contrast, Will and Hudson didn't look too bad together either. Will was kind of shady though. You didn't know where he was coming from but he did have his moments and he did seem to genuinely like Hudson.

One of the things I greatly enjoyed about this book is also the thing I wanted more of. This book needed more Princess Pink. Princess Pink is what the hockey boys nicknamed Hudson. More than I loved the interaction with Josh and Hudson I loved her being tough with the hockey boys. Before she met them I thought she was acting very childish with her crush on Josh. She didn't seem like a seventeen year old then. When she was with the hockey boys I saw this all new side of her. The take-no-prisoners side. She came out of her shell for me and really brought her strong side when with them. But then it was just one time that I saw her on the ice with them. I wanted more! I think that's maybe why towards the end the book started losing a little appeal. That and the way Hudson was acting. I still don't understand her choice at the end but that doesn't mean I didn't like her story. All that she had to deal with felt even overwhelming to me and I could really see her point of view with everything in all of this. She could have made better choices but we all make mistakes. It's owning up to them that makes us different from the rest of the crowd.

Overall: I wanted a little more Princess Pink and cupcake action. I thought towards the end Hudson was making a lot of mistakes and that everything could have been resolved with people just talking things out. The hockey boys were adorable including Josh who I loved as a possible love interest. The family responsibilities and her choices are really what made this book. I could really relate to them as a teenage girl growing up and having to have more responsibilities. 

For More Info: For more info about Sarah Ockler and her books you can click on these links: Goodreads. Website. Blog. Twitter.

If you like the idea of Bittersweet you might like Sarah Ockler's newest release:

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one. Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas? Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Have a cupcake-filled type of day!