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Bittersweet: A Coming of Age Historical Romance
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW The sounds, smells, and scenes of the Latin Quarter, dramatically painted by Free, take us back to a Paris that was the center of the world . . . readers will learn compelling lessons of history, from constant references to France's classical heritage all the way to the Algerian War and the tensions in France in the early 1960s . . . A great read. ********OFFICIAL ONLINE BOOK CLUB REVIEW Free's incredible imagery is prominent throughout the novel . . . The character development of the main characters and many of the side characters is outstanding and it was impossible to put down. ******** THE PRAIRIES BOOK REVIEW An engaging coming-of-age story written with subtle humour and great panache...********This book is definitely one of my favorites of all times which is saying A LOT. I didn't want to stop reading! This story gripped me right from the start and never let me go. The author has a way of making the reader feel the very essence of each character's emotions; I felt like I was with an old friend who was telling me the story of his life. . . Brown Bettie********BITTERSWEET captures the zeitgeist of 1960: America transitioning from the gray decade of Eisenhower and McCarthy to JFK and Camelot; The House on Un-American Activities Committee versus the flourishing Beatnik counterculture. Its two protagonists, Renny and Max, students at Berkeley, flirt with Beat poetry, Allen Ginsberg and Kenneth Rexroth, Bebop, and student led civil rights demonstrations. They join the SLATE organized anti-HUAC demonstration turned riot at San Francisco City Hall. The police billy clubs change their lives forever. To escape a withering culture of night sticks, sexual repression and censorship, they sail to France, land of the Enlightenment and sexual liberation where they shed their adolescence and become young men. Join them on their epic, unforgettable journey into an incandescent world of vivid characters, romance, sex and love.Don't Miss Out. An Unforgettable Reading Experience! Grab your copy now.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 1, 2019
Bittersweet is set in the 60s when political activism was high in the face of the Beatnik revolution. Author Lloyd Free takes us on a journey as he tells the story of two young men, coming of age, who are very different in personality and family background. As the story unfolds in the midst of controversy, Free allows us to see the brotherly bond that forms between them. With careful detail and a writing style that is artistic and engaging, Free shares the history of an American culture that did not tolerate freedom of speech or “un-American activities.” When Max and Renny join the SLATE organized anti-HUAC demonstration, they blend in with young artists of diverse backgrounds who seek freedom of speech through their music. With controversy all around, Max and Renny, find themselves in the midst of a riot and the brutal consequences inflicted upon those who oppose. Bittersweet is touching as commonality is found between two young men who desire to break away from censorship; it compels them to escape. Free is very descriptive in the details that surround their journey to freedom. With rich history, the story comes to life; readers will be able to envision being there. From the jazz clubs and beats’ meet to the demonstration at San Francisco Hall, the anti-HUAC demonstrators show solidarity in their pursuit of free speech. Unfortunately, their numbers don’t hold a candle to the authorities that demand order and the consequences are tragic, leaving the men anxious to find refuge. Yet, their motives for leaving are not limited to the movement alone. Renny has lost so much in life, already. His father was also an artist and the one parent that held it all together. When he died, Renny lost his mother too, but not in death; he lost her in mind and spirit. So, Renny can’t find a good reason to stay in San Francisco and every reason to leave; especially, after suffering the brutal beating he endured during the riot at San Francisco Hall. At this point, change is welcome, and the two young men and other college students set out to find it, in none other than, Paris France. With the allure that Paris France offers, the decision to travel there is a no-brainer, especially for the artist that resides in Renny. So, with the cares of their lives far behind and adventure ahead, Free takes us on a cruise where Max and Renny share space with upper and lower classmen, they entertain ladies of culture, enjoy fine cuisine, or lose themselves within the pages of books. While their travel extends itself to other modes of transportation before arriving at their final destination, the story continues to build all along the way. As two young men come into adulthood, they’re certainly looking forward to new experiences. Bittersweet is true to its name as pain and anguish segue to lust, passion, and romance. The freedom that they so desperately crave is found and while one desires sheer excitement and the other true love, they both eventually find what they’re looking for. Through it all, Bittersweet is riveting from beginning to end!
August 26, 2019
Two elements stand out in this novel. Firstly, the protagonists, are relatable as they seek out new sensations. Leaving behind the cocooning safety of the US in the early 1960s, the two main characters set off for post-WW2 Europe, where they discover new horizons in politics, culture and sex. This is a journey into adulthood, with the characters escaping from their comfort zone into a world that is unfamiliar and uncertain. Secondly, the novel’s historical aspect is well-developed. The descriptions of France during the period of the Algerian War are a thought-provoking reminder of the country’s bumpy relations with the Arab world. The characters and the story are engaging; once you get started, you want to follow them on their journey and find out where they are headed and what lessons they are going to learn about life.
May 22, 2019
Lloyd Free’s novel Bittersweet takes us to the year 1960. It was a time in America between hot wars and very much in the thrall of the cold one. It was a time of universal military training, when all American males over eighteen were expected to serve two years in the military – an obligation which could be deferred by attending college full time. It was also a time of burgeoning unrest, of the “beat generation.” That decade’s eventual mantra of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” was still mostly “sex, booze, and jazz.”
Coming into their majority in 1960 were Max and Renny, best friends from childhood. Both were the children of parents who survived the Great Depression, and global warfare. Yet the two best friends could not be more different. Max was raised by a single, mob-connected, mother who works as an expensive call girl in Las Vegas. Max’s culture is one of fast money, high living, and total self-adsorption. In contrast, Renny is firmly grounded in classical music and literature, but who has, of late, discovered the voices of the beat generation: Ginsberg, Kerouac, Ferlinghetti. Both are dependent on their mother’s largesse, Max with cash infusions as needed, Renny with a modest monthly check.
The novel starts with both men enrolled at Cal Berkeley, avoiding the draft. For Max, Berkeley is for skipping class and finding willing women. Renny is more serious, a proper student, searching for meaning. When he and Max get involved in a student protest, Max skips out when the demonstration turns violent. Renny stays and is beaten and arrested. Bailed out of jail by his mother, Renny decides that Europe, France in particular, is a far more hospitable place for his sensitive soul, and convinces Max to join him to study in Paris. Max’s mother agrees to finance the trip, but only if they study in Dijon, where, she heard, they have an excellent program in wine chemistry. The two men embark on an ocean liner bound for Europe. En route, Max woos and beds a wealthy divorcee, Fiona, a steamy relationship that continues throughout the novel. Renny passes the time with Yeats and the classics.
In Dijon, Max skips class, makes friends, and sleeps around. Renny attends class, but still joins in the crowd Max runs with. In class, Renny meets and moons over fellow-student Anne-Marie, who rebuffs his every attempt to woo her. Max finds Dijon boring, and Renny finds it suffocating and confining.
Renny sours on Dijon completely when Anne-Marie shows a marked preference for Wolf, a German student, and a professor mocks his oral class presentation. Renny quits Dijon and heads to Paris to experience life there. The Paris of 1960 is under siege by Algerian rebels; it’s a place of conflict and terror bombings. Renny falls in with an assortment of strange Parisian friends, gets occasional visits from Max and Fiona, and tries to forget Anne-Marie. Then, Anne-Marie, pregnant, and deserted by Wolf, shows up in Paris. Renny, convinces a reluctant Anne-Marie to move in with him just as his mother’s monthly checks stop coming. Things do not end well.
Throughout Bittersweet, Free provides lush descriptions, word pictures that delight the senses and thrust the reader into the settings where the story unfolds: the seedy cafes, the sun-drenched byways of Berkeley, the stone coldness of Dijon, the verdant French countryside. And Paris: Paris in the early 60s comes especially to life: the beauty of the city of light besmirched by the darkness of bloody turmoil. We hear the sounds of boozy jazz, the confusion of different languages all spoken at once.
Aside from the main protagonists, there are also a multitude of characters in this novel, Free draws them all in quirky portraits, and we meet them head on – warts and all. In Max and Renny, Free has drawn for us two men who embody the aimlessness, the lack of grounding, and the self-indulgence that typified what was to become the American subculture throughout that decade and beyond. Max and Renny, then, represent only a segment (albeit the most interesting and exotic segment) of American youth in the ‘60s. The overwhelming majority of young men at that time just did their two years of military service, married, raised families, and went to church. Max would have just found them boring; Renny would have envied them.
Coming into their majority in 1960 were Max and Renny, best friends from childhood. Both were the children of parents who survived the Great Depression, and global warfare. Yet the two best friends could not be more different. Max was raised by a single, mob-connected, mother who works as an expensive call girl in Las Vegas. Max’s culture is one of fast money, high living, and total self-adsorption. In contrast, Renny is firmly grounded in classical music and literature, but who has, of late, discovered the voices of the beat generation: Ginsberg, Kerouac, Ferlinghetti. Both are dependent on their mother’s largesse, Max with cash infusions as needed, Renny with a modest monthly check.
The novel starts with both men enrolled at Cal Berkeley, avoiding the draft. For Max, Berkeley is for skipping class and finding willing women. Renny is more serious, a proper student, searching for meaning. When he and Max get involved in a student protest, Max skips out when the demonstration turns violent. Renny stays and is beaten and arrested. Bailed out of jail by his mother, Renny decides that Europe, France in particular, is a far more hospitable place for his sensitive soul, and convinces Max to join him to study in Paris. Max’s mother agrees to finance the trip, but only if they study in Dijon, where, she heard, they have an excellent program in wine chemistry. The two men embark on an ocean liner bound for Europe. En route, Max woos and beds a wealthy divorcee, Fiona, a steamy relationship that continues throughout the novel. Renny passes the time with Yeats and the classics.
In Dijon, Max skips class, makes friends, and sleeps around. Renny attends class, but still joins in the crowd Max runs with. In class, Renny meets and moons over fellow-student Anne-Marie, who rebuffs his every attempt to woo her. Max finds Dijon boring, and Renny finds it suffocating and confining.
Renny sours on Dijon completely when Anne-Marie shows a marked preference for Wolf, a German student, and a professor mocks his oral class presentation. Renny quits Dijon and heads to Paris to experience life there. The Paris of 1960 is under siege by Algerian rebels; it’s a place of conflict and terror bombings. Renny falls in with an assortment of strange Parisian friends, gets occasional visits from Max and Fiona, and tries to forget Anne-Marie. Then, Anne-Marie, pregnant, and deserted by Wolf, shows up in Paris. Renny, convinces a reluctant Anne-Marie to move in with him just as his mother’s monthly checks stop coming. Things do not end well.
Throughout Bittersweet, Free provides lush descriptions, word pictures that delight the senses and thrust the reader into the settings where the story unfolds: the seedy cafes, the sun-drenched byways of Berkeley, the stone coldness of Dijon, the verdant French countryside. And Paris: Paris in the early 60s comes especially to life: the beauty of the city of light besmirched by the darkness of bloody turmoil. We hear the sounds of boozy jazz, the confusion of different languages all spoken at once.
Aside from the main protagonists, there are also a multitude of characters in this novel, Free draws them all in quirky portraits, and we meet them head on – warts and all. In Max and Renny, Free has drawn for us two men who embody the aimlessness, the lack of grounding, and the self-indulgence that typified what was to become the American subculture throughout that decade and beyond. Max and Renny, then, represent only a segment (albeit the most interesting and exotic segment) of American youth in the ‘60s. The overwhelming majority of young men at that time just did their two years of military service, married, raised families, and went to church. Max would have just found them boring; Renny would have envied them.
May 14, 2019
Bittersweet captures the era of the 1960s cultural revolution around the globe. America is at the brink of a revolution marked by drugs, sex, and rock ‘n roll, and France is the established cultural hub of the world. Restless and wary of a withering culture and government censorship of students’ bodies, Renny and Max, young students at Barkeley, leave for France to study at the University of Dijon. Fascinated and impassioned by an unprecedented and intoxicating freedom, the young men shed their earlier inhibitions and enter the phase of adulthood.
Through Max’s carefree excursions and Renny’s attempts to partake, as the latter wanders wide eyed through a series of gatherings with his new and old friends, Free takes the reader on an unforgettable coming-of-age journey of the friends. Renny may be overly emotional and a bit lost, but he is an ardent believer—not only in literature but in love. He is earnest, compassionate, and sincere in ways that make it easy for the reader to root for him. After his long and exerting depressive spell, the suddenness of his emotional breakthrough on hearing the news of Anne-Marie’s presence in Paris engage the reader’s sympathy. When he gets over-involved with Anne-Marie in Paris and is unable to realise the truth, readers cannot help but feel pity for him.
Undergirding several secondary storylines is Renny’s distraught memories of his mother’s continuous struggles with depression and Max’s nonchalance attitude toward his mother’s sordid affairs. Readers travel through rich settings (from San Francisco in America to Dijon, Cassis, and Paris in France) and come across richly embodied dramatic events–from audacious demonstrations of various student groups demanding profound changes in the system to the young men falling into rhapsodic love affairs involving passionate sex and romance.
Free has a gift for writing, and his voice is rich; it justifies his protagonist as a lover of words, especially, poetry and a student of literature. Renny and Max are relatable as the main protagonists—the young men who are at a bit of lost point in their life, and Free takes the same time and care with his multiple other characters. Despite the fact that the heart of the book is Renny’s poignant love story, the book remains subtle in its sentimentality and impresses the reader with its reflective depth.
Through Max’s carefree excursions and Renny’s attempts to partake, as the latter wanders wide eyed through a series of gatherings with his new and old friends, Free takes the reader on an unforgettable coming-of-age journey of the friends. Renny may be overly emotional and a bit lost, but he is an ardent believer—not only in literature but in love. He is earnest, compassionate, and sincere in ways that make it easy for the reader to root for him. After his long and exerting depressive spell, the suddenness of his emotional breakthrough on hearing the news of Anne-Marie’s presence in Paris engage the reader’s sympathy. When he gets over-involved with Anne-Marie in Paris and is unable to realise the truth, readers cannot help but feel pity for him.
Undergirding several secondary storylines is Renny’s distraught memories of his mother’s continuous struggles with depression and Max’s nonchalance attitude toward his mother’s sordid affairs. Readers travel through rich settings (from San Francisco in America to Dijon, Cassis, and Paris in France) and come across richly embodied dramatic events–from audacious demonstrations of various student groups demanding profound changes in the system to the young men falling into rhapsodic love affairs involving passionate sex and romance.
Free has a gift for writing, and his voice is rich; it justifies his protagonist as a lover of words, especially, poetry and a student of literature. Renny and Max are relatable as the main protagonists—the young men who are at a bit of lost point in their life, and Free takes the same time and care with his multiple other characters. Despite the fact that the heart of the book is Renny’s poignant love story, the book remains subtle in its sentimentality and impresses the reader with its reflective depth.
April 23, 2019
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a college student in the early sixties, right on the cusp of immense change? You will be intrigued to learn about it by reading Lloyd Free's fabulous novel. Early on, we get a glimpse of unrest taking place at UC Berkley which seems to parallel the discontent of Max and Renny who are ready for greater adventure.
Soon they embark on a journey to France where much of the story unfolds. Set against the backdrop of Dijon and Paris, we observe a coming of age of these two young men especially Renny whose connection to Beatnik culture propels him to immerse in greater learning. Although both of them find romance, we see Renny, the more sensitive of the two, suffer heartbreak from his first serious love. Of interest, we learn more about the early sixties' Algerian-French conflict and its impact on Paris. Finally, you will be compelled to keep reading as you wonder how this story ends until the very end. This book is a must read.
Soon they embark on a journey to France where much of the story unfolds. Set against the backdrop of Dijon and Paris, we observe a coming of age of these two young men especially Renny whose connection to Beatnik culture propels him to immerse in greater learning. Although both of them find romance, we see Renny, the more sensitive of the two, suffer heartbreak from his first serious love. Of interest, we learn more about the early sixties' Algerian-French conflict and its impact on Paris. Finally, you will be compelled to keep reading as you wonder how this story ends until the very end. This book is a must read.
June 24, 2019
Note: This is a short excerpt from the review posted on my blog
Bittersweet is a perfectly readable, enjoyable book, set in a very interesting historical context.
The language is very good, the pace is about right, and the narrative is overall well balanced in terms of progression. It doesn’t win any awards for either originality or brilliance, but it has no glaring flaws, either.
Having said that, it also does feel like a lost opportunity. What separates “okay” from “good” or “good” from “excellent” is precisely the willingness and ability to go beyond what is expected. Problem areas include the lack of narrative tension, and an over-reliance on direct exposition. There is also minimal, if any abstraction or symbolism - for all the panoply of authors, artists, and philosophers displayed, the novel itself seems too timid to engage in anything difficult or dark.
It all boils down to intended audience and expectations. In times of appalling writing skills and mediocrity, I’ve learned to expect everything. Bittersweet is better than the average novel out there. Hell, just the fact it describes real, human characters, in a real, historical context (and not witches, tall-dark-and-handsome sheikhs, or hard-boiled detectives, is enough to put it on the winning side as far as I’m concerned.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of genre. As a literary-fiction novel – what I was led to believe when picking it – it clearly doesn’t work. As a coming-of-age novel it works better.
Note:
I hate rating books. It just doesn't make sense, particularly when it's connected to a "I did not like it -> It was amazing" system, which is erroneously predicated on personal preference. Reviewing a book has nothing to do with personal preference. My 3-star rating is purely from the perspective of how I believe the intended audience will react to the book - this is entirely subjective, whereas an analytic review should be as objective as possible.
Read more
Bittersweet is a perfectly readable, enjoyable book, set in a very interesting historical context.
The language is very good, the pace is about right, and the narrative is overall well balanced in terms of progression. It doesn’t win any awards for either originality or brilliance, but it has no glaring flaws, either.
Having said that, it also does feel like a lost opportunity. What separates “okay” from “good” or “good” from “excellent” is precisely the willingness and ability to go beyond what is expected. Problem areas include the lack of narrative tension, and an over-reliance on direct exposition. There is also minimal, if any abstraction or symbolism - for all the panoply of authors, artists, and philosophers displayed, the novel itself seems too timid to engage in anything difficult or dark.
It all boils down to intended audience and expectations. In times of appalling writing skills and mediocrity, I’ve learned to expect everything. Bittersweet is better than the average novel out there. Hell, just the fact it describes real, human characters, in a real, historical context (and not witches, tall-dark-and-handsome sheikhs, or hard-boiled detectives, is enough to put it on the winning side as far as I’m concerned.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of genre. As a literary-fiction novel – what I was led to believe when picking it – it clearly doesn’t work. As a coming-of-age novel it works better.
Note:
I hate rating books. It just doesn't make sense, particularly when it's connected to a "I did not like it -> It was amazing" system, which is erroneously predicated on personal preference. Reviewing a book has nothing to do with personal preference. My 3-star rating is purely from the perspective of how I believe the intended audience will react to the book - this is entirely subjective, whereas an analytic review should be as objective as possible.
Read more
January 2, 2020
Bittersweet: A Coming of Age Historical Romance begins at Berkeley University and sends readers to France during the early 1960’s. Author Llolyd R. Free writes of a time in history when in the United States life was more carefree and Algeria sought its independence from France. Immediately we meet best friends, Renny and Max who are students at Berkeley University who after experiencing the volatile side of civil activism decide to move to Paris for a year. Their plan is to continue their studies in France which would allow them to keep their student draft deferment .
Renny and Max are polar opposites yet they have no qualms about sailing off to Paris together after Max’s mother agrees to pay for their trip as long as they attend a university at a place of her choosing. Each choose to make the trip for reasons of their own and agree to enroll at a university in Dijon, France. Renny dreams of being a great writer like the ones he admires most such as, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg. He thinks and dreams in music and prose. Everything he sees as he strolls the Parisian countryside of Dijon and streets named after famous artists hold a poetic vibe for him including a young woman who steals his heart. Max is more interested in wine, women and fun which begins for him soon after their boat departs for France. Each meet cast a of characters who introduce them to a world where there is an easy sense of camaraderie among men and women of different cultures, sexual freedom and a language that they must learn in order to get by. What they learn of life, love and friendship during their journey is sure to grab readers attention.
The author did a wonderful job creating interesting characters. As I read this book I could easily imagine each character in their words and actions. Even more so the descriptions of the Parisian sites and streets were written very well. Free managed to romanticize the city as much as show how dangerous the times were for residents and tourists alike during the Algerian War. It’s a wonderful read for someone interested in historical fiction with a touch of romance.
Renny and Max are polar opposites yet they have no qualms about sailing off to Paris together after Max’s mother agrees to pay for their trip as long as they attend a university at a place of her choosing. Each choose to make the trip for reasons of their own and agree to enroll at a university in Dijon, France. Renny dreams of being a great writer like the ones he admires most such as, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg. He thinks and dreams in music and prose. Everything he sees as he strolls the Parisian countryside of Dijon and streets named after famous artists hold a poetic vibe for him including a young woman who steals his heart. Max is more interested in wine, women and fun which begins for him soon after their boat departs for France. Each meet cast a of characters who introduce them to a world where there is an easy sense of camaraderie among men and women of different cultures, sexual freedom and a language that they must learn in order to get by. What they learn of life, love and friendship during their journey is sure to grab readers attention.
The author did a wonderful job creating interesting characters. As I read this book I could easily imagine each character in their words and actions. Even more so the descriptions of the Parisian sites and streets were written very well. Free managed to romanticize the city as much as show how dangerous the times were for residents and tourists alike during the Algerian War. It’s a wonderful read for someone interested in historical fiction with a touch of romance.
November 13, 2019
“Bonjour!" “Comment ca va?” Would you like to visit Paris, France?
If so, then read the book entitled, “Bittersweet: A Coming of Age a Historical Romance”, by Lloyd R. Free.
Max and Renny are adventurous college students living their lives to the fullest in California in the 1960’s. We meet up with them when they are in the middle of a peaceful protest of the HUAC hearings. Detective Michael Maguire has just ordered that the group be sprayed with water from several fire hoses. Renny ends up in jail and is released shortly thereafter while Max is able to leave the protest peacefully. Both Max and Renny are excited to see their pictures in the “Chronicle” highlighting the demonstration.
Renny and Max decide that their next adventure will be a trip to Paris, France. They board the transatlantic ocean liner, the SS Maasdam from New York to Le Havre, France. While on board the ship, Max meets Fiona, a sophisticated Irish girl with red hair. Renny spends his time reading books like “On the Road” and Joyce’s “Ulysses” since his goal is to become a writer. Renny wonders what life would be like in Dijon, France, the “mustard capital of France”. “Would it be exciting?” “Would there be adventures?”
Once in France, Renny and Max enroll in classes at the University of Dijon. Renny is very poetic and he meets Anne-Marie in Professor Talon’s eighteenth-century English class. Renny likes Anne-Marie, but Anne-Marie likes Wolf and is studying German with him. Renny does not understand Anne-Marie’s attraction to Wolf. Anne-Marie is French and is studying to be a Professor of German, French and English.
Their group or coffee klatch continues to grow and includes Phil, Max, Renny, Rolfe, Wolf, Marcel, Jean-Claude and Christos. It also follows and discusses political issues in America like the Richard Nixon versus John F. Kennedy election. Max likes Kennedy while Phil likes Nixon.
Grab your francs and come to the Cafe de la Paix and join in the fun!!
“Comment ca va?”
“Bien, Bien …”
Teens and adults.
If so, then read the book entitled, “Bittersweet: A Coming of Age a Historical Romance”, by Lloyd R. Free.
Max and Renny are adventurous college students living their lives to the fullest in California in the 1960’s. We meet up with them when they are in the middle of a peaceful protest of the HUAC hearings. Detective Michael Maguire has just ordered that the group be sprayed with water from several fire hoses. Renny ends up in jail and is released shortly thereafter while Max is able to leave the protest peacefully. Both Max and Renny are excited to see their pictures in the “Chronicle” highlighting the demonstration.
Renny and Max decide that their next adventure will be a trip to Paris, France. They board the transatlantic ocean liner, the SS Maasdam from New York to Le Havre, France. While on board the ship, Max meets Fiona, a sophisticated Irish girl with red hair. Renny spends his time reading books like “On the Road” and Joyce’s “Ulysses” since his goal is to become a writer. Renny wonders what life would be like in Dijon, France, the “mustard capital of France”. “Would it be exciting?” “Would there be adventures?”
Once in France, Renny and Max enroll in classes at the University of Dijon. Renny is very poetic and he meets Anne-Marie in Professor Talon’s eighteenth-century English class. Renny likes Anne-Marie, but Anne-Marie likes Wolf and is studying German with him. Renny does not understand Anne-Marie’s attraction to Wolf. Anne-Marie is French and is studying to be a Professor of German, French and English.
Their group or coffee klatch continues to grow and includes Phil, Max, Renny, Rolfe, Wolf, Marcel, Jean-Claude and Christos. It also follows and discusses political issues in America like the Richard Nixon versus John F. Kennedy election. Max likes Kennedy while Phil likes Nixon.
Grab your francs and come to the Cafe de la Paix and join in the fun!!
“Comment ca va?”
“Bien, Bien …”
Teens and adults.
October 17, 2019
Whether we like it or not, everyone will grow up and go through ups and downs, exciting experiences, heart thrills and breaks, it’s all part of life. With the hopes to travel and see what else the world has to offer, you gain a sense of self or what your purpose could very well be.
In “Bittersweet: A Coming of Age Historical Romance,” author Lloyd Free takes his readers along for the journey of two young men, Max and Renny, as they explore what life is like across the pond. Along their way to a better understanding of the French culture, they meet interesting individuals who add some levity to their studies. Max, is more of a see where life takes you kind of guy, while Renny, is a hopeless romantic who enjoys spending his free time indulged in books. The author truly captures his reader's attention and leaves them eager to witness what’s yet to come. His well-written and descriptive details of every setting only increase your submergence within the book like you’re a side character. Since Max and Renny are young, there are lots of learning for them to experience, which has likely re-shaped them into intriguing young men. Spending time abroad in Dijon has enlightened their minds into new adventures, building up their characters to become dignified men. As love interests are introduced, they discover just what else can fulfill their lives.
I enjoyed reading about these two young men as they experience more of life by seizing the opportunity to travel, study, and live abroad. That is something many people won't ever get to see in their own lives, so you can consider living vicariously through them. The author did an amazing job with grasping and keeping my attention, as this book was well-written without sparing any details. I highly recommend others to check out this book, the characters are relatable to members of today's world.
In “Bittersweet: A Coming of Age Historical Romance,” author Lloyd Free takes his readers along for the journey of two young men, Max and Renny, as they explore what life is like across the pond. Along their way to a better understanding of the French culture, they meet interesting individuals who add some levity to their studies. Max, is more of a see where life takes you kind of guy, while Renny, is a hopeless romantic who enjoys spending his free time indulged in books. The author truly captures his reader's attention and leaves them eager to witness what’s yet to come. His well-written and descriptive details of every setting only increase your submergence within the book like you’re a side character. Since Max and Renny are young, there are lots of learning for them to experience, which has likely re-shaped them into intriguing young men. Spending time abroad in Dijon has enlightened their minds into new adventures, building up their characters to become dignified men. As love interests are introduced, they discover just what else can fulfill their lives.
I enjoyed reading about these two young men as they experience more of life by seizing the opportunity to travel, study, and live abroad. That is something many people won't ever get to see in their own lives, so you can consider living vicariously through them. The author did an amazing job with grasping and keeping my attention, as this book was well-written without sparing any details. I highly recommend others to check out this book, the characters are relatable to members of today's world.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews