Bittersweet

Summary

In her first epic romantic novel since The Thorn Birds,Colleen McCullough weaves a sweeping story of two sets of twins—all trained asnurses but each with her own ambitions—stepping into womanhood in 1920s and ’30sAustralia.

Because they are two sets of twins, the four Latimer sistersare as close as can be. Yet these vivacious young women each have their owndreams for themselves: Edda wants to be a doctor, Tufts wants to organizeeverything, Grace won’t be told what to do, and Kitty wishes to be known forsomething other than her beauty. They are famous throughout New South Wales fortheir beauty, wit, and ambition, but as they step into womanhood, they are notenthusiastic about the limited prospects life holds for them.

Together they decide to enroll in a training program fornurses—a new option for women of their time who have previously been largelylimited to the role of wives, and preferably mothers. As the Latimer sistersbecome immersed in hospital life and the demands of their training, they meetpeople and encounter challenges that spark new maturity and independence. Theymeet men from all walks of life—local farmers, their professional colleagues,and even men with national roles and reputations—and each sister must makeweighty decisions about what she values most. The results are sometimes happy,sometimes heartbreaking, but always … bittersweet.

Rendered with McCullough’s trademark historical accuracy,this dramatic coming-of-age tale is wise in the ways of the human heart, onethat will transport readers to a time in history that feels at once exotic andyet not so very distant from our own.