"Bittersweet: The Story of the Heath Candy Company" details one of the sweetest success stories in American business, the Heath family and the complex relationships among family members. The book show how the Heath family business grew from a small-town ice cream parlor and confectionery to a successful national company, then came unraveled when the sweet success ultimately turned bitter from jealousy, greed and selfishness by the time the company was taken over by Leaf, Inc., a Finnish conglomerate, in 1989.

What happened dramatically illustrates how once-close family members can fall victim to the pitfalls that come with fame, wealth and success.