Bitter Wine, Sweet Melons: Suffering Loss & Savoring Life

by Betsy DiJulio

152 pages, Paperback

Published July 4, 2025

Reviews

[Amy Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

In loved this gem of memoir on loss and life and finding love again!

Having known the author for many years and knowing her story and how beautifully she weaves words together, I was eager to read this book.

It did not disappoint!

I love Betsy's transparency about many things. I've read other memoirs by widows I know and whose stories I knew before they penned their books. A couple held back some key things that I think would have made their books more appealing.

Betsy lays it all out there!

Her writing is so visual and artistic, but then, so is she (She's an award-wining artist and an art teacher). Even though she experienced profound and sudden loss within a couple months, losing her husband, her dog, and her mother, she chose to focus on Joe, her late husband of 25 years.

Her essays range from thoughts on yoga, murder mystery dinners, online dating, and her art work, among others. She pairs each essay with one of her own original works of art, which are powerful in and of themselves. As a widow of three decades and a writer, I devoured this book and teh accompanying art.

While I love her use of words and how she creates wonderful and thought-provoking sentences with them, some people may find this memoir a bit too sophisticated (think people who don't read much or who don't connect with art). Still, I plan to gift this and recommend this to friends I know who are on their own grief journeys. It's powerful.

Bravo, my friend, bravo1

[Amber Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

To know Betsy is to love her, but you don’t have to know Betsy to laugh, cry, and connect with her memoir in essay form. She is a profoundly gifted and engaging writer, artist, and educator. Her essays, and accompanying works of art, provide both a mirror and window into her experiences of love and loss.

This beautifully written novel came to me in a time of profound grief, confusion, and loss. Each essay gave me a little escape and hope. Bitter Wine, Sweet Melons is so much more than an exploration of surviving transformational loss. It is a story of finding yourself time and again, and knowing love in many forms. Through Betsy’s journey, I found my own source of clarity, comfort, and inspiration.

[John Paschold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a deeply moving memoir by Betsy DiJulio (a friend of mine), who pens a beautiful story about grief and love during a period of significant loss. Her storytelling ability is unparalleled, and her vulnerability and honesty about her emotions, her interactions with others, and all moments - both the bitter and the sweet - make her a talented writer, capable of pulling off a powerful book in a difficult-to-write genre. Littered with references to pop culture, music, and art, Betsy seamlessly weaves her way from the abstract quotes and song lyrics to real-life experiences. This book is a gift.

[Mari Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful, moving memoir with moments of deepest grief and profound joy, shared through memories, food and art.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a huge fan of Betsy from her recipes from the Blooming Platter blog and cookbook. This was a great peek into her mind and life. It was sad, honest, and hopeful. A true work of art.