Bitter Roots is a tragic love story about a middle-aged Christian woman, Claudia Lakes, whose only desire in life is to love and be loved. Yet, she is not free to love because she is haunted by her past; a deep, dark secret buried under a lemon tree in her backyard. But secrets cannot be kept forever. Taunted and bullied as a child, Claudia suffered from low self-esteem until the new minister of her church, his wife, and their young daughter Olivia, moved in next door. At last, Claudia is no longer lonely. She and Olivia become fast friends. At the age of seventeen, Olivia is raped and Claudia blames herself for not being there to protect her. Praise for Marion McNair and Bitter Roots "Bitter Roots is an exciting novel. It reveals all too often, the lives of a myriad of people's public success, but private failure. This provocative work of art will capture your attention. You can't put it down " -Dr. Paul A. Thomas, PhD, Greenville, North Carolina "Against a backdrop of Christianity, the author develops the characters uniquely, colorfully, and weaves them into an intricate pattern of traditional values laden with suspense, intrigue, and passion. A must read " -Faye I. Mandell, L.C.S.W