BITTER
SWEET
The debut novel out now
AUTHOR ENDORSEMENTS
'I inhaled this novel. Utterly believable, immersive and heartfelt. I loved it'
JENNIE GODFREY
'Hattie's writing on early-20s friendships and their enmeshed intensity, was so convincing. I enjoyed it so much'
MARIAN KEYES
'A timeless tragedy, a story of the intricacies and illusions of true love'
CHRIS WHITAKER
'Beautifully crafted, with aftershocks of conscience'
JODI PICOULT
'Brutal but tender, entertaining, compelling and completely believable'
LAUREN BRAVO
'Raw and beautiful and true. Hattie Williams writes so honestly on love and loss that it hurts'
ABIGAIL DEAN
'Unsettling, unflinching... [it] reminds us how dangerous love can be'
ARAMINTA HALL
'Sharp, compelling, and thought provoking. The perfect book club pick for 2025'
LOUISE O'NEILL
‘Bitter Sweet is a brilliantly assured debut from an exciting new voice in fiction, which deftly charts the pains of young love in a way that is both fresh and yet infinitely relatable. I loved it.’
SJ WATSON
'An instant classic - as innocent and enthralling as first love; recalls the likes of Caitlin Moran and Curtis Sittenfeld'
AJ FINN
'Thrilling, compulsive and utterly addictive'
KIRSTY CAPES
‘Hattie Williams’ writing is as intoxicating as the relationship she portrays. Bitter Sweet is such a vividly drawn depiction of a power imbalance that so many women have experienced at some point in their lives. It’s a book that draws you in and keeps you obsessively within its pages right to the end.’
KATE WESTON
'Beautiful and tender, addictive and heartbreaking'
CJ COOKE
'An addictive, relatable story of obsessive love'
JULIA RAESIDE
PRESS ENDORSEMENTS
‘This juicy London-set story is a gem. An age-old plot told in a fresh way and the characterisations are perfect’
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘A truly evocative, powerful read’
THAT'S LIFE
‘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’
MY WEEKLY
‘Perfect book-club fodder, with lots to discuss!’
PRIMA
‘This beautifully written debut, which captures life in our turbulent 20s, will resonate with readers’
RED
‘A truly evocative, powerful read’
BELLA
‘A powerful, coming of age read’
CLOSER
‘Powerful and thought-provoking, you'll want to recommend this to everyone!’
HEAT
‘Tender, empathetic and absorbing, this page-turning debut unfolds like a car crash in slow motion’
WOMAN & HOME
‘Addictive’
SAINSBURY'S
'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.
Bitter Sweet will be published on July 3rd (UK) and 8th July (USA) 2025, with other languages to follow.
Bitter Sweet audio book read by Olivier Award nominated actor Rosie Sheehy
I am thrilled that Rosie Sheehy has read the audiobook of Bitter Sweet! Out now.