Bitter Sweet cover art

Bitter Sweet

The intoxicating, razor-sharp debut book club read that everyone is talking about!

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 'I inhaled this novel. Utterly believable, immersive and heartfelt. I loved it' JENNIE GODFREY

'Wonderful. A masterpiece. I adored it' SOPHIE COUSENS

'A timeless tragedy, a story of the intricacies and illusions of true love' CHRIS WHITAKER

'I didn't want this book to end. 10/10' VOGUE WILLIAMS

*Don't miss the intoxicating and compulsive debut novel from Hattie Williams - everyone's talking about it!*

'In my life, there are things that have happened to me, and things that I have done, that have proven to be moments that have a clear before and an after. One of those moments, perhaps in some ways the biggest, was the day that I met Richard Aveling for the first time.'

Charlie is twenty-three, single and the new publicity assistant at the independent London publishing house Winden & Shane. Richard Aveling is fifty-six, married and the author that has defined his generation.

Charlie has long idolised the charming, illustrious writer, who also represents a link to her late mother, who loved his work. But as they embark on an illicit and all-consuming affair, Charlie is forced to hide the relationship from everyone she cares about.

And when the success of Richard's latest book launches him to a new level of fame where all anonymity is lost, she realises she might just be in too deep...

A thought-provoking exploration of a relationship founded in power, control and silence, Bitter Sweet is perfect for book clubs and will appeal to fans of Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason and Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors.

** More praise for BITTER SWEET by Hattie Williams**

'Hattie's writing on early-20s friendships and their enmeshed intensity, was so convincing. I enjoyed it so much' MARIAN KEYES

'Beautifully crafted, with aftershocks of conscience' JODI PICOULT

'Intoxicating and propulsive. I inhaled it' NUSSAIBAH YOUNIS

'Sharp, compelling, and thought provoking. The perfect book club pick for 2025' LOUISE O'NEILL

'Brutal but tender, entertaining, compelling and completely believable' LAUREN BRAVO

'An instant classic of a debut: honest, winning, breakable' AJ FINN

'Raw and beautiful and true' ABIGAIL DEAN

'Fresh, unflinching and reminds us how dangerous love can be' ARAMINTA HALL

'Thrilling, compulsive and utterly addictive' KIRSTY CAPES

'As intoxicating as the relationship she portrays, a book that keeps you obsessively within its pages' KATE WESTON

'A brilliantly assured debut which deftly charts the pain of young love' SJ WATSON

'A tender assured novel, thrilling and alive and brittle and broken all at the same time' NIKESH SHUKLA

'Smart and intense, a thrilling new voice' AJ WEST

'Beautiful and tender, addicitve and heartbreaking' CJ COOKE

'An addictive, relatable story of obsessive love' JULIA RAESIDE©2025 Harriet Adam-Smith Coming of Age Contemporary Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Tear-jerking

Critic reviews

This juicy London-set story is a gem. An age-old plot told in a fresh way and the characterisations are perfect
A truly evocative, powerful read
Bitter Sweet is exactly that - a heart-wrenching story of a young girl growing up and learning almost everything the hard way. Every character is so well-rounded and well-written, which makes the book wonderfully frustrating to read
Perfect book-club fodder, with lots to discuss!
This beautifully written debut, which captures life in our turbulent 20s, will resonate with readers
A truly evocative, powerful read
A powerful, coming of age read
Powerful and thought-provoking, you'll want to recommend this to everyone!
Tender, empathetic and absorbing, this page-turning debut unfolds like a car crash in slow motion
Addictive
Brilliant and heartbreaking
All stars
Most relevant
Very slow at first and went on about 2 hours longer than I needed for the story. Well drawn characters and evocative of the nature of long term damage from youth and manipulative selfish older men.

The protagonist is very annoying and quite limp. She lacks agency to an annoying degree. But still believably human

Also the edit leaves in quite a few repeated takes which spoils the quality of the read

Good but a little long

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such a beautiful story, I laughed cried. stunning piece . I couldn't stop listening to it

amazing

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Bittersweet is an emotional rollercoaster that dives deep into the complexities of growing up, making tough choices, and the blurred lines between right and wrong. The narrator is absolutely fabulous—bringing each character to life with depth and nuance that makes the story impossible to pause.
The plot is full of twists, turns, and subtle manipulations that keep you questioning every decision. Watching Charlie navigate her world is both heartbreaking and eye-opening. You really see how wrong decisions can come from the right intentions, and how red flags can be easily overlooked when you're chasing what you think is your dream life.
This audiobook offers a raw, honest look at the highs and lows of young adulthood—where what feels like thriving is sometimes just surviving. A must-listen for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with emotional depth and moral complexity.

Captivating, Emotional, and Masterfully Narrated

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A little slow to start but gets going eventually. Thoughtful, heavy and moving. Themes of friendship. Mental health, grief and relationships.

Thoughtful and moving

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This was my first book I’ve read by the author, I was a little disappointed after hearing good things. I enjoyed the narrator’s performance immensely but just didn’t like Charlie much and thought the story predictable.

Didn’t like the protagonist much

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