Helen Austin and her husband already had one biological son when they decided to adopt. They chose to adopt an older child, and soon their second child-adopted at almost five years old-came to be a big sister to their son. They imagined that their new family constellation would easily slip into a happy, smiling, group. It was not so easy. Adopting an older child is not always simple. Helen and her family learned from their experience that adopting an older child is a process involving five phases: preplacement, placement, family disintegration, family reorganization, and individual and family growth. BITTERSWEET allows readers to see firsthand the range of emotions and experiences that occur throughout the process. In beautiful but honest narration, Helen bravely shares her family's adoption experience with others who might face similar challenges in their own adoption journeys, reassuring them that they are not alone.