Bitsy's Bait & BBQ [Paperback]

Pamela Morsi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2007

While Emma Collins wonders who in their right mind would use her hard-won divorce settlement to purchase a bed-and-breakfast down in the Ozarks, her free-spirited sister Katy fantasizes dreamily about how this move to a small town will be just the thing for her six-year-old son, Josh.

And, as usual, Emma is right. But it is not until they drive to Warbler Lake, Missouri, to take over Bitsy's B & B that they realize just how right she's been. In this part of the country, B & B stands for Bait and BBQ! The girls know little enough about running a bed-and-breakfast, but a bait-and-BBQ?

With their money and futures sunk into a run-down, roadside rattletrap, the girls have no choice but to roll up their sleeves and get to work. But as they settle in and get to know the difference between fatheads, night crawlers, mealworms and shiners, no one is more surprised than they are when they actually get the place up and running.

But trouble is brewing. Katy's ex-husband is having second thoughts about the custody arrangements for Josh, and he fully intends to get him back. With the prospect of losing the little boy, the sisters face another challenge, only this time it's Katy who proves that she, too, can solve a problem.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Flighty Katy Dodson's dreaminess gets her in over her head (again) in this light romance. Against her younger but more mature sister Emma's better judgment, Katy uses her divorce settlement to buy off the Internet, sight-unseen, an Ozarks B&B, thinking it will be the perfect place to raise her five-year-old son, Josh. But when the three arrive in Warbler Lake, they find what they thought was a quaint inn is actually a bait shop and barbecue restaurant. Neither Katy, Emma nor Josh know a brisket from a big-mouth bass, but they stick it out; colorful locals dutifully patronize the establishment (and hope the food improves) while providing narrative fodder. Back in St. Louis, Katy's ex-mother-in-law, Gwen, suddenly sees in her grandson the opportunity to do what she failed to do with her son, Sean: raise a fitting heir for her burger chain mini-empire. Gwen bullies Sean-who's still pining for his ex-wife-into seeking custody of Josh, and soon Gwen and Sean end up in Warbler Lake. Though the characters are thin and the plot uninspired, Morsi (The Cotton Queen) has fun with the locale and manages the sort of ending fans should appreciate.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Emma and her younger sister, Katy, are virtually on their own in the world, so Emma acts as the ballast against the storms that surround flighty Katy's life. Katy never means any harm, but her divorce sends her and her young son back to live with Emma. Realizing how much Emma has sacrificed for her, Katy uses her settlement money to purchase a bed-and-breakfast in the Ozarks. At first it looks like Katy has done it again; the bed-and-breakfast she bought sight unseen turns out to be a bait and barbeque business in the nearly forgotten small town of Warbler Lake. But slowly, Katy and Emma become a part of the quirky community even as Katy's toxic mother-in-law and ne'er-do-well ex-husband scheme to take her son away from her. Morsi has created an amusing story that absolutely entertains while exploring the importance of community, forgiveness, and redemption. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Mira (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778324230
• ISBN-13: 978-0778324232
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

National bestseller, RWA Hall of Fame member and two-time RITA winner, Pamela Morsi began writing in 1990 creating historical romance novels set in the small towns and farms of the early twentieth century. She was an immediate success garnering awards and accolades from reviewers, readers and peers. In 2000, with a new millennium, she decided to move in the direction of mainstream fiction. Her recent works depict the voices of ordinary people overcoming everyday challenges. Librarian Pamela Morsi once asked herself what she would do if she ever won the lottery. She decided, given the chance, that she would spend her time writing fiction. Now, years later, she is still waiting to win the lottery, but THE BENTLEY'S BUY A BUICK is her twenty-third full-length novel. Pam lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars feel good family drama, June 28, 2007

By 

duchess "duchy" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bitsy's Bait & BBQ (Paperback)

Bitsy's Bait and Barbecue by Pamela Morsi was a charming novel set in the Ozarks of Missouri. Katy Dodson uses the divorce settlement she receives from her wealthy ex-husband to buy a B&B on eBay, thinking that the rural atmosphere and small town will be a wholesome place to raise her little son. Her sister Emma comes along to get Katy and little Josh settled in. The sisters are shocked when they learn that, in this case, B&B stands for Bait & BBQ rather than Bed & Breakfast - and that business, bought sight unseen, is a run down hole. Katy decides to make a go of it, and an interesting summer with all sorts of additional surprises awaits the sisters.

This was a very pleasant book about a family (and community) working out problems, growing up, and coming together.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars bitsy's bait & bbq, July 1, 2007

By 

Anna M. Gibbs "annabanna" (Northern New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bitsy's Bait & BBQ (Paperback)

I am a huge fan of Pamela Morsi, I have read all of her books, some of them many times over. THIS IS HER BEST BOOK. Wonderful story line, a place you want to visit, a heroine with a heart and backbone, great supporting cast and an antagonist you love to hate. A sequel is a must (she has done this before). Thank you Pam for a book that is a keeper. Also, Bitsy is very quotable, as my family both fishes and cooks.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great read from Pamela Morsi!, May 11, 2007

By 

Shaula - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bitsy's Bait & BBQ (Paperback)

Pamela Morsi is my favorite author for romance, and this novel was no disappointment. The characters are colorful, flawed, lovable and very human, all range of ages, and all walks of life. The story has character, plot, humor, and sensitivity. Exquisitely sweet. Gives you that good feeling and leaves you with things to think about.