Muddled Cherries

by Sally Collins

It's the spring of 2009 in Deer Valley, Wisconsin, and with the crack of a screen door, twenty-year-old Emily Schmidt's life is about to change.

Born and raised and still living in The Honky Tonk, her dad's flagging tavern, Emily's tired of the patrons' same old conversations, the jukebox's same old sad songs, and her dad's same old drunken tirades. Loyal, but lonely and struggling with an unsettling incident with one of the regulars, she's secretly planning to pursue her own dreams - like her high school classmates who've scattered across the Midwest and Jacob Larsen, the young man passing through on his way to Door County. But when her world falls apart and she's nowhere left to turn, Emily journeys across the state in search of work, questioning everything she thought she knew about family, friendship, and love.

Hired on the spot at The Schooner, a restaurant on the shore of Lake Michigan, she embarks on a summer she never expected, filled with colorful relationships and unforgettable experiences that force her to grow in ways she never imagined, heal in ways she never knew she needed, and face the unrelenting shadows of the past.

Muddled Cherries is an evocative coming-of-age story about the gravitational power of family, inextricable bonds of sisterhood, and the endless possibilities that arise when you find your own voice, your own way.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

424 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Clare Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The Wisconsin setting was so homey and familiar to me (though I still need to visit Door County).
I thought that this story had all the right elements to make a compelling coming-of-age story, one that kept me engaged the whole way through. Emily’s character was relatable and interesting, I wanted to see her grow. The cast of characters around her were fleshed out without taking the focus off of her too.
My only minor critique is that it felt like viewing 2009 through 2024 rose-colored glasses. The way trauma is described and processed seemed very current, not very 2009 to me. But idk, I was only 9!!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much. It perfectly balances the love of your hometown/home state with honest critique of the bigotry and alcoholism you can find there. Emily is complicated, and though I haven't had most of her experiences, I still found her so relatable. She's a few years older than me, but there's a powerful reflection in setting this book in 2009 - far enough back to feel removed, but still recent enough to remember life during that time. .This book is tense and dark at times, but also beautiful, loving, and hopeful.

I picked this up on a whim in Door County and then was lucky enough to hear Sally Collins speak about it. I'm so glad I did, and I hope more people find this book!!

[Kate Pforr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall rating: 5/5 stars

Emoji rating: 🙂😞😀🙂😬🤗😬😀🤩🥰

I received this ARC (advanced reader copy) from the author to get some reviews before its release date.

“Muddled Cherries” follows Emily, an only daughter to a single dad that owns a honky tonk bar in northern Wisconsin, as she tries to figure out what to do with her life after high school. She ventures to Door County after the tiny pieces of her life fall apart and finds new friends, an amazing summer, and a new Emily.

I absolutely adored this book! It was such a great read, perfect for summer, and perfect for any person wanting to live in the early 00’s for a few hundred pages. The conversations between characters made me fall in love them in that crazy time of their life, and the writing was absolutely brilliant. I even had to wait until the kids went to bed to finish the last few chapters so I wouldn’t be interrupted. And the ending was glorious. I want to share more but I won’t spoil it. If there are any book clubs reading this, please lmk if I can sit in on that session.

As a mom that just turned 40, Emily is a truly special character and what she went through and felt really resonated with me. She and her girlfriends showed what it was like to be a girl with a promiscuous past but still a victim. I’ve never actually said some of the things written in the book, so it felt good to see them in print, and it felt like someone was ironing out a bunch of my own cringey stories and helped me see that maybe I wasn’t all bad. Emily helped rewrite my past, letting me see it from a new POV, acknowledging how uncomfortable I always was and why, how cringey boys were and how I laughed with them to make them feel better when they stepped out of their comfort zone to make me feel uncomfortable. From that standpoint, if you are a woman born in the 1980s with secrets from her past, this book is made *specifically* for you.

I also want to add something about dads/parents that aren’t perfect… this book speaks to that a lot and the blurred lines between good and bad. It’s also a good read for Adult Children of Alcoholics (I’m an Adult Child) or the like.

The story had a perfect ending, but I’d love to see what happens to Emily if a part 2 comes out. I am a forever fan of Sally Collins!

[Anna Kottakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unpretentious (and yes, dramatic and cringey) in the way that all 20something narration should be. Relatable. And I like that this handled some pretty heavy/complicated stuff without feeling hard to read.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Wisconsinite who grew up in a small town and spent quite a bit of time in Door County in the summers, this was a joy to read! A love letter to our state and to restaurant workers

I can't wait to read more from this author!

[Crystal - BooksBrewsMKE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this debut novel set in Wisconsin. Sally Collins brought me back to my late teens working in my northern WI small town and feeling like Emily. Wondering when my life would begin and if leaving my small town was even an option.
Emily is a main character who will stay with me for some time. She struggles with high school friends leaving and her relationships with them changing. She struggles with wanting to live her dream of being a nurse but having to leave her father and his bar The Honky Tonk behind. When trauma pushes her to her limit, she gets in her truck and heads to Door County after hearing about it from a young man who stopped in the bar. Emily finds work quickly and begins a summer of new friends and a life she never expected.
Muddled Cherries is a novel about life, family, friends and making choices for oneself. Loved it and highly recommend.

[Hillary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a grip on me. It brought back many sweet memories growing up in a bar while my mom ran a bar and restaurant during my middle school years. Now, pass me an Old Fashioned while I tell you about this amazing book!

Emily’s dad owns The Honky Tonk, a quiet, struggling bar in northern Wisconsin. Emily’s mom left when she was young and it had been just her and her dad ever since; he likes to remind her they’re partners. The Honky Tonk is her home, but Emily doesn’t feel safe and she doesn’t trust her dad. Emily is also growing tired of the same stories, the same patrons, the same sad songs on the jukebox and longs for something more. Emily wants to live her own life. Then, Jacob Larsen comes along. Jacob is a young man who stops into The Honky Tonk on his way to a summer job in Door County. Emily knows she has to leave and she doesn’t look back.

Emily finds herself in Door County—a job serving at The Schooner on the shores of Lake Michigan, coworkers turned fast friends, dreams of becoming a nurse and unexpected sweet summertime romance. Emily finds there so many possibilities when you are challenged to listen to your own voice.

“My name is Emily Schmidt, and I grew up in a bar with my dad. My mom left when I was little, and it’s hard to think about sometimes. It’s a cool bar—The Honky Tonk—and has lots of old music and an old jukebox. I didn’t realize it was weird to grow up in a bar until other kids said so. Some thought it was awesome. Others thought it was bad. I guess it was kind of both” (352.)

[Dirty D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by Sally Collins, a local-ish author. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Of course it’s easy to love a story that is written in my home state and starts out pretty much in my backyard. 🙂

Emily is a 20 year old girl who has been left behind in her small town as all her school friends went off to college. She was raised by a single dad since the age of 3 when her mom abandoned her. They own a rundown bar that has seen better days before the new Interstate came along. From as early as she can remember the bar regulars have been her family, the jukebox of old country songs the soundtrack to her life, and she’s been making old fashions long before she was old enough to drink them.

One day an interesting young man walks into the bar who imparts some words of wisdom that resonate with her deeply. After an unsettling discovery she decides to take his advice and she leaves everything she knows behind and heads to Door County to chase a dream.

There she makes new friends, discovers who she is, unburies past trauma, gets validation for her feelings and sets boundaries for her relationship with her dad.

This book was such a great read and touched on the uncomfortable subjects of SA, parental manipulation, and abandonment. A lot of books don’t stay with me after I close the last page, but this one has. The characters were very believable, the plotline was engaging and overall just a really good read.

I highly recommend it. Even better is that I get to meet the author in September at the Booked Eau Claire event! If you haven’t grabbed your tickets, a few still remain! ;)

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ask your friendly midwest barkeep to make you a Brandy Old-Fashioned (sweet), order the fish plate (perch or walleye if available), and time travel back to 2009 in this really lovely coming-of-age story about twenty-year old Emily in northern Wisconsin.

The book takes place mostly over the course of one summer, and travels from Emily's dad's honky tonk bar in northern WI, to the Door Country tourist area on Lake Michigan. There is such a clear time and place in this book, that I loved falling into; so many excellent WI references, and touches of adolescent or early adult life in the 2000s... Nalgene bottles and the tv shows we all watched, just as a few examples.

Muddled Cherries does not shy away from tough topics, and a central theme is abandonment. There's a large interconnected web of side characters (co-workers, friends, etc.), but the core of the book is Emily and her growth. Her relationship with her dad is also particularly heart-breaking (multiple times over). The conclusion will reaffirm your belief in all the characters though, and is realistic and satisfying.

Mood Reader Guide: for when you want to fall deeply into the psyche of a young adult, making mistakes and taking risks, but having good intentions - and obviously, if you have any affection whatsoever for the Cheesehead State :).

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive this book in a giveaway. I think the best way to put it is that this book feels familiar. The places, the people although I have never been, and don't know them feel like I do. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite books of all time The Drifters by James Michner. It is written in a way that is honest and down to earth. Emily feels like a friend I've had before. Ryan seems like a guy I know with similar struggles. I've even had a "Simon" before. It's all very relatable. I couldn't put the book down. I really don't give 5 stars easily but after putting it down there was nothing I wish was any different. I am happy to have read it and feel like there are a lot of messages that I can take from it and Implement as a wife, mother of a girl. Womenhood is powerful and while being the emotionally vulnerable beings we are, we can also be powerful and strong driven individuals. This book to me is about how strong we can really be! I'd really like to start a journal of my own while sipping one of Emily's famous old fashions. There is healing in having a group of friends who rally behind you !

[Cherie Zamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a native Wisconsinite with many visits to Door County since childhood, the setting of the story really intrigued me. So excited to read this selection in my book club. A wonderful first book by local author Sally Collins. It has in depth characters, a coming of age story, dealing with the real issues of young women at work and in relationships, and even dives into harassment and alcoholism, all so relatable in our Midwestern Wisconsin culture. Loved the background of the scenic Peninsula and a peek into the hospitality world of one of WI most beloved tourist destinations. Highly recommend- a fulfilling story - and relatable to any woman, at any age. Read on my Kindle.

[Craig Elderkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been vacationing in Door County WI for more than 35 years. My family and I bought a house there a few years ago. I *love* the place! Sally's book has a lot of authentic references to businesses, entertainment, and geographic attractions, which was a lot of fun to read. I picked it up after an article in the Peninsula Pulse and figured it was a light coming-of-age novel. I have to say, it got darker and darker as I went along. Sally deals with a couple of heavy themes and does so with sensitivity and grace (or at least as graceful as early-twenties millennials can be!) Probably wrapped everything up too neatly for real-life, but satisfying nonetheless. Great job, Sally Collins!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read this poignant story set in Wisconsin by a Wisconsin author. Many local references and a reflective story of a young woman venturing out on her own. She feels torn between continuing to work at her dad’s bar or going to Door County and working and living with a unique group of people that are formative to her growth. This book makes me want to discuss deeper issues like abuse, alcoholism, and faith while holding my interest with an engaging story. Looking forward to more from author Sally Collin’s in the future.

[Mary Merlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at the library from their "Too good to miss" shelf and am glad I did. The story is based in northern Wisconsin and had a lot of local references, which I enjoyed. The story itself was well written and kept me engaged. I appreciated the way the author smoothly wove in tough topics, like the sexual harassment/assault all women experience during their life, difficult family and social dynamics, addiction and mental health, and the importance of learning about ourselves and finding our own way. Overall, a really strong novel.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story a lot but there was a narrative detail that bothered me enough to keep taking me out of the story while I was reading it. The default alcohol used to make an old fashioned in Wisconsin is brandy. You’d have to specifically ask a bartender to make you one with bourbon, and even if you did you can expect bombastic side eye about it. What a strange and very obvious detail to get wrong for an author that lives in Wisconsin!

[Delaney Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went into this one just wanting an interesting story to pull me out of my reading slump and this did the trick! The Wisconsin setting was perfect (as a Wisconsinite), so many of the references felt so familiar. Emily is by no means a perfect person, which I really appreciated. Her flaws make her feel so real and give her a chance to grow as a character as the story progresses. I think this is a great read for any 20 something year old girl and I’ll definitely be recommending it to my besties!

[Ed Sarna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muddled Cherries by Sally Collins is a well crafted coming-of-age story with unexpected twists and believable characters that pop off the pages.This is the story of how Emily Schmidt overcomes a traumatic childhood to find herself and her place in the world. The sharp, witty dialogue propels the action. This is a story of survival and redemption against the charming background of a summer job in Door County, Wisconsin. I highly recommend Muddled Cherries.

[Willful Wanderings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Physical Book - I loved this book. As a girl who grew up in rural Wisconsin, I could really connect with alot of the characters and the setting felt like home. I loved the story of the FMC and her path of growth and coming into her own in adulthood. Really reminded me of the importance of having people around you who love and support you, and to stand up for yourself.

[Melissa Trecek · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars - it is a coming of age book that toes along the lines of Young Adult read. At times I struggled with the time period (late 2000s/2010) and location (Door County). Felt Hallmarky and not really authentic to this Wisconsinite, but then at times I enjoyed it. It is, however, my first SIGNED book by the author so for that I'll remember this book. I would read more by the author.

[Tracy Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally did an amazing job with this book! There were parts that brought you right back to those care free summer days filled with friends and fun. But there were also parts that were deeper and touched on some tricky topics. In all it is a must read!

[Holly Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The timeline became somewhat unclear at various points in the book. And the ending seemed, almost unrewarding. But overall, the story was good and the characters incredibly relatable. A beautiful testament to finding yourself.

[Sally B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book would be another fluff book about summer in Door County Wisconsin. Far from it! Sexual assault, alcoholism, fleeing unhappy situations. Emily is 20 and flees her home. Friendships happen with co-workers. We all have a story to tell. We all have issues to work through.

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a required reading for one of my classes and so I thought I wouldn't like it but I really enjoyed reading this book. It's an adventure of a young girl navigating the next step in her life when her father wants her to stay in her current chapter.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's 20 and she still lives with her dad, even though all her friends are gone. Then she meets a guy who tells her he is off to Door County where there are lots of jobs and the $ is good. She intends to start tech school for nursing, but when her tuition check bounces, off to Door Co she goes.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a slower start but I ended up loving it. A great story about figuring out life and living with trauma. I loved how beautiful and deep the friendships were and all the care and love they had for each other.

[Brenda Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this colorful slice of small-town life in America, and Door County reminds me a lot of my own hometown. The characters are relatable and diverse (and, at times, tragic). The main character, Emily, shows so much growth. I’m rooting for her.

[Katie Smullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down! The characters drew me in and I just loved rooting for Emily. The author also captured Door County beautifully with great doses of humor throughout. The way Emily processes what she went through with an awesome cast of characters to support her, is really inspiring.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Lindsay Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A coming-of-age book that will take you back to 2009. Set in lovely Door County, readers will fall in love with Emily and friends.

[Rhonda Weinzapfel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Real and sometimes raw. Love Door County and love the references to it. Great ending.