After reading a recommendation that described Bitter Sweet as “perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton, Coco Mellors, Caroline O’Donoghue, and Sally Rooney”, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of this book. It did not disappoint! The story was beautifully written and I felt an immediate connection to Charlie’s life and struggles. I couldn’t put this book down and wasn’t ready for it to end either. This was a moving and impactful debut novel, and I can’t wait to read more from Hattie Williams.

Since finishing Bitter Sweet just about 24 hours ago, the story has stayed insistently in my mind. At first this thoroughly surprised me, considering the fact that I've read many books following extramarital affairs before, and was familiar with the experience of reading a story shadowed by impending doom. But the reason Bitter Sweet stands out so impressively from the rest is its attitude towards personal growth, and the begrudging lovability of the main character, Charlie. I found myself swept up in the world of publishing alongside Charlie; the writing did an exceptional job at romanticizing the industry. Despite disagreeing with her actions, (and finding myself on the side of her well-meaning best friend, Ophelia, very often), I was still rooting for her. I even found myself not immediately disliking Richard, the famous author 30 years her elder that Charlie works closely beside. I found myself, like Charlie, thinking that wait, maybe this is the one where he leaves his wife for the younger woman, for good! The inevitable letdown from this build up was tense, and horrible to read. I wanted to protect Charlie, and I was amazed at the support she had in her life- both her best friends/roommates, as well as her boss, endlessly understanding. Another thing that makes Charlie so understandable is her admittance along the way of the situation she finds herself in, how she knows how bad things look, can fully understand why her friends feel the way about her relationship that they do. It's hard to root for her, at times. But Richard's efforts at isolating her drive her into such a parasitic reliance on him, and I just pitied her, more than anything. The final 50 pages or so were beautiful, and I was so thrilled that this story has such a cathartic ending.

I’ve never heard of this author before or anything about this book but i absolutely loved it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all around. I am 100% going to buy the physical copy once it comes out & probably annotate it. It was pretty short not even 300 pages but I felt so much while reading it. It talks about such real life things people go through everyday (migraines, abortions, grief, depression & anxiety) that made me connect & feel for the main character so much. Really loved this HIGHLY recommend 🫶🏻

What an amazing debut novel. I loved the writing and character development. You felt as if you really knew each person. At first I thought this was going to be a train wreck but I got sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down. It’s not just about a young girl falling in love with an older man, but it could resonate with anyone in a relationship with a strong personality who uses and abuses that power and the pain it inflicts. Charlie’s experience is often very painful but the author weaves the other characters in so well to demonstrate the love and support you need to extricate yourself and to heal and move on. Her friends, family and boss came to her rescue. Although Charlie is fragile and sensitive and struggles mightily to survive, it’s a lesson in working hard to persevere and to seek the help of others rather than fight alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Ohhh this was exactly the type of book I've been craving for. Protagonist in her 20s trying to figure life out, with the extra bonus of publishing industry setting (!!!). Main character and PR publishing assistant Charlie has fallen in love with Richard, a famous author 30 years her senior... OHHH this was good. I saw myself so much in Charlie and simultaneously felt so, so bad for her.

Addictive, well-written. Refreshing, also, to have a book with such beautiful friendships.

Already looking forward to Hattie Wililams's next book!

This is a BEAUTIFUL debut novel! I’m ready for more! Charlie is more relatable than you would think. Being young and never properly dealing with your traumas. The found family with Ophelia and Eddy was everything ❤️ I can relate so much to Charlie and her thought process. Being in an unhealthy relationship and then bottling everything up and feeling so alone because everyone around you just wants what’s best for you and it isn’t Richard. Bravo Hattie! This was beautiful! I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

The writing in this novel was stunning and makes me excited to see what Hattie Williams writes next! As a reader in her 30s, I found so much of Charlie's story to be heart wrenching. I thought the emotional depth of the story really pulled me along, even though the plot itself was a bit slow. Charlie's friends were brilliantly done but at times maybe too understanding of what choices Charlie was making. The ending was a relief and I was so happy Richard's email didn't make its way to Charlie before his death. Overall, the character development was unapparelled, the story was tragic and a true depiction of what it is like to experience depression. I think one thing that made this book about an affair stand out from other similar books, like The Rachel Incident, was that I never once felt the author excuse Richard's behavior or justify it in any way. Maybe because of his age or his obvious power over Charlie, it was always a bit like watching a trainwreck or a car crash, knowing it would end horribly but also empathizing with Charlie's young, naive beliefs.

I haven’t looked forward to reading a book on my commute as much as I looked forward to reading this book on the bus over the past couple of days. I devoured this story in two days!

From the first few chapters, I was transported into a literary world comparable of Bridget Jones and “Emily in Paris”—not in a cringe way, but in the way of a complex female main character who is continually fucking up, but you still find yourself rooting for her because you see little glimpses of yourself in her. Charlie is a complex character up there with some of the best.

I’m really looking forward to reading more from Hattie Williams!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!

Bitter Sweet is expected to be released on July 8, 2025.

A strong debut! The plot in this is kind of one you can’t look away from even though you know exactly what’s going to happen— but the writing is really great, and helps the reader toe the line between frustration at Charlie’s naïveté and also making you hope along with her. I loved the friendship in this and Williams really nails the loneliness and uncertainty of your early 20s. I thought the epilogue wrapped things up a little too neatly and wasn’t necessary, but I’m excited to see what this author puts out next!

Bitter Sweet is very well-written, but it was a tough read for me. Maybe it's my age (middle-aged) but I found Charlie's narrative arc so frustrating. I understand what the author was trying to do here and I appreciate it. I think this novel will appeal to many readers. However, I continually cringed at Charlie's immaturity and bad decisions. Nonetheless, the writing here is top notch and the narrative is elegant and well-paced.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Bittersweet is an exploration of life's chaos, where the slow unraveling of its main character feels like waiting for a car crash. With each page, the sense of impending disaster builds, drawing readers into a world of emotional upheaval and heartbreaking realizations. The story leaves a lasting, unsettling impression, keeping you on edge until its inevitable, bittersweet conclusion.

This was great! Good writing. I highly recommend. This is a synopsis: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.

At first, I wasn’t sure I needed to read another book with this troupe. The old man with power and younger woman who falls for him. However, I was immediately drawn to Hattie Williams’ strong writing and ability to delve deep into the main character’s traits. Overall I found this book to be very sophisticated and beautifully written. If you’re a fan of Sally Rooney like I am, you’ll find this book to be of equal quality. Pick it up this summer - you won’t regret hearing Charlie’s story.

Received this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can confidently say this book is quite possibly one of my favorite books I have ever read.
Charlie is a character I connected with almost immediately. I saw so many of my own personal struggles throughout my life reflected in her and watching her journey unfold left me wanting so badly to climb into the book, sit beside her, and let her know that everything was going to be okay. Her best friends, Ophelia and Eddy, were absolutely some of the best friends I had ever had the privilege of reading about and I found myself so endeared to them. Their support and unconditional love for Charlie, even while she made less than ideal decisions, was truly something special.

Richard was an interesting character to read about, especially from Charlie’s perspective. Every time she would see a red flag in him she would instantly talk herself out of it, convincing herself that he was this truly magnificent person when in reality, he was just a man. He was so selfish in his ways and the way he was able to so easily manipulate conversations left me reeling for Charlie. It was so easy to see how someone vulnerable and in her position could fall for his games and it left me aching.

Overall, my favorite part of reading this book was watching Charlie’s growth. The author didn’t have you believing that she was “cured” of her depression, but that she made conscious decisions to work at it bit by bit, day by day, and that message was both a realistic one and an optimistic one. You can be in some of the darkest places in your life, experiencing some of the most painful moments that you couldn’t possibly expect to get through, but you can. And you will. And that’s how I will look at this book, as ultimately, a story of healing, perseverance, and all the ups and downs that come with that.

Wow. Just... wow. Have you seen the recent trend of “I met my younger self for coffee this morning”? This book was the absolute embodiment of that for me. Did I date older, married men like Charlie? Not exactly, but I certainly dated men just like Richard.

📖 About the book:
This novel completely gutted me in the best way possible. Charlie is a young woman in her early 20s, just starting her career at a publishing firm. In her teen years she struggled with extreme anxiety and ultimately, had a devastating loss and is coping the best way she can. When she meets her dream author—someone she’s idolized for as long as she can remember—a passionate and forbidden love affair quickly unfolds. Despite the warnings from those around her about the red flags in this relationship, Charlie does what just about any girl would do, learn the hard way for herself.

💭 My thoughts:
The power and control dynamic between the couple in this story was written with such sensitivity and authenticity. Their relationship felt raw and real, in the best and worst ways. I found myself pairing a glass of red wine with this book—because if Charlie was sipping on endless glasses of wine, so was I. 🍷 This is definitely going to be one of those books I wish I could read for the first time again.

As I wipe away tears over my own glass of red blend, I can’t help but wish I could give Charlie and my younger self a hug. Things will be okay, and you’re going to find someone better than you could have ever dreamed of. ❤️

Huge thank you to @hattiewilliams, @randomhouse and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gorgeous and gripping. Thoughtful and intense. This book was the five star read I’ve been waiting for. Follow Charlie as she falls into love with someone and out of and back into love with herself. Williams tackles unhealthy and abusive relationships and mental health, in an insightful and respectful way. I could not put this down.


I think it is kind of a disservice to authors to compare them to another because they are their own artist and art. But, they aren’t lying, if you enjoy Sally Rooney or Dolly Alderton, you’ll definitely enjoy this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Richard with his magnetic personality and highly regarded in the literary world always knew that Charlie would treat him in such a way that could easily be perceived as hero worship. Charlie had felt alone and lost ever since her mother died and as a result, she felt completely unlovable. Her serious bouts of depression only magnified it. Even when she found a great job in the literary world of which she loved coupled with true kinship with Ophelia and Eddy, her dark thoughts were always there. Richard prayed upon that. Charlie truly believed that if she loved him enough that he would leave Elaine. That they would be the power couple that others emulated, When this didn't occur and he became dismissive of her, she allowed her life to explode. She spiralled in such a way that as a reader I couldn't fathom how even such simple tasks like brushing your teeth and eating became too difficult. That there was no way out. She was truly lucky to have people care so much that they stood by her and moved her back to her Dad's place. Day by day she became stronger and when Cecile presented Charlie with the New York City opportunity, that she was ready to move forward. The ending was great to see that Charlie was able to get the life she deserved. That the letter from Richard let her know that he was not enough.

This one was rough. Truthfully it is very hard for me to explain how this book made me feel. Williams perfectly captured the deepest nuances of power imbalances in relationships. The way Charlotte tip toes around Richard and feels like she can't be anything except a young, pretty doll who constantly praises him with no regard for herself or her feelings. The way she desperately clings to any sort of affection for him, to the point of making some of it up to reassure herself where he will not. Her complete disregard for the people that she does truly love, all in the name of being at this man's beck and call. Williams did an excellent job of portraying something so deeply cutting.

This novel is a gripping, razor-sharp exploration of ambition, obsession, and power's intoxicating yet dangerous allure. At just twenty-three, Charlie is eager to prove herself in the publishing world, and when she finds herself working closely with her literary idol, Richard Aveling, it feels like a dream come true. But what starts as admiration quickly spirals into a charged, complicated relationship built on secrecy, control, and an unsettling power imbalance.

The writing is immersive and evocative, capturing the thrill of first love, the dizzying rush of professional success, and the slow, creeping realization of what it means to be caught in someone else’s orbit. The novel doesn’t shy away from the complexities of desire and manipulation, making it an unflinching and deeply affecting read.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Where to begin with this beautiful mess of a book. Our protagonist, Charlie a young woman breaking into the publishing world in London is so deeply broken and flawed, but still so loveable that even though you will want to scream at her through many of the scenes in this book as she becomes entangled in a romance with a much older married man, you will still find yourself rooting for her on every page. It's hard to believe that this is a debut as Williams captures the highs of this intoxicating and forbidden romance alongside the isolation and depression with such precise skill and depth that you'll be feeling a rollercoaster of emotions right alongside Charlie. The piece that I found the most endearing though was the enduring female friendship that was featured throughout - there is nothing like the best friend you live with in your twenties as you're finding your footing in life and the way you hold each other through this stage of life. Williams does an impeccable job of capturing this platonic love just as honestly as the romantic relationship.

While I admittedly cry fairly often, I rarely cry when reading - but this book had me in tears several times over and I will keep an eye out for anything Hattie Williams publishes in the future!