I'm not sure how to feel about this one. On one hand, I found the backstory and Tina and Nancy's relationship relatable, especially how generational trauma can be carried and how that trauma can affect the upbringing and relationship between parent and child, particularly for mother-daughter relationships. However, on the other hand, while I did feel sympathetic towards both Nancy and Tina, I could not connect with either character. Especially with Nancy, whose emotional side and reasoning weren’t shown until the end of the novel. Although I accurately guessed why she was the way she was with Tina and why she treated her differently than Tina’s brother, I still would have liked to see these emotions and reasonings play out during the entire novel and not just towards the end.

Still, despite my reservations, I would still recommend since this was a solid and interesting enough read.

After reading the description, I was very excited from this book and even requested it from my own library. I think this would be a solid 3 star book. The flow and pacing didn’t quite work for me. I love dual perspective and historical fiction book, I think it was a bit tiresome to have the chapter alternate from Nancy to Tina each and every time. This made getting into the story in the beginning harder. I think it would’ve been better for character building and the overall flow of the book if we had a couple of chapters for Nancy, ending with a revelation or moment of suspense instead of the exact back and forth.

I wasn’t too in love with Tina’s story and it was exhausting to constantly have another male character be a coward or let her down.

The subject matter is also very heavy. Reading the on-page grooming and fetishization was very difficult even for an experienced reader. It felt like Nancy had no reprieve.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this review!

Bitter Honey is a powerful, emotionally charged novel that beautifully explores the complexities of womanhood, friendship, love, betrayal, and resilience in a world that constantly asks women to carry too much. Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström writes with a fierce tenderness, giving voice to three distinct, unforgettable women whose lives intersect in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. Through her vivid prose and compassionate lens, Åkerström paints a portrait of emotional survival that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Each character is rendered with depth and care—raw, flawed, vulnerable, and strong in the ways that matter most. The book’s setting pulses with life, as rich and textured as the inner lives of the women who inhabit it, and the cultural backdrop adds even more layers to a story already brimming with tension and truth. What makes Bitter Honey so extraordinary is how it examines the sweetness and pain of relationships—how love, in all its forms, can nourish or destroy depending on the hands that hold it. This novel doesn't shy away from difficult truths, yet it never loses its deep sense of empathy. It’s honest, brave, and stunningly written—a story that aches, simmers, and ultimately empowers. Åkerström has delivered a soulful, unforgettable novel that lingers like a memory and stings like a truth you didn’t know you were carrying. Absolutely brilliant.

This was a deeply touching and stirring read, and I expected nothing less. I was so excited to review this ARC because I’d just finished reading In Every Mirror She’s Black. I knew that this would be another powerful story about black women, the roads we are forced to travel, and the courage we must conjure to do so.

The writing in this book was absolutely superb. Written from two POVs -Nancy and Tina- the mother/daughter MFCs, and set over multiple decades and three countries, the author did a phenomenal job of telling their stories allowing us to experience their growth. I feel like I was growing and developing with them throughout the book. I usually side quickly with one character or the other, but not this time. I fully understood the plight of both as my heart ached for each of them in different ways. Now Lars…. I hated him from the beginning and still do even though he tried to make amends at the end. His twins aren’t far behind. They are definitely his spawn.

I especially love the authors fluent writing style and how she writes in another language and translates it for us. I imagined the character speaking the words but understood their meaning right after. I may have even learned a few phrases!

I can’t express how much I enjoyed this book. I couldn’t get a thing accomplished other than focusing on this story so I didn’t miss anything. I thoroughly recommend this book!

Bitter Honey is a sweeping, emotionally resonant novel that spans continents and generations. Told in alternating timelines, we follow Nancy, a Gambian scholarship student who arrives in Sweden in 1978 and falls into a love affair interrupted by political unrest. Decades later, her daughter Tina rises to sudden stardom in Sweden but unravels under the weight of fame, familial silence, and her longing for love and identity.

Åkerström skillfully weaves Nancy and Tina’s stories together, exploring themes of generational trauma, mother-daughter tension, cultural displacement, and emotional survival. Both women are vividly drawn, flawed, and achingly human. The way their timelines begin to merge mid-novel is a powerful narrative choice that highlights the deep connection between past and present.

This is a novel about how women carry pain, how silence passes from mother to daughter, and how we find our way home to ourselves, even after being adrift for years. Åkerström’s writing is compassionate, honest, and rich with cultural context.

This story is a powerful novel that beautifully connects the lives of two incredible women, separated by time and distance. We follow Nancy as she travels from Gambia to Sweden, while her daughter Tina navigates the complexities of their family history shifts between different time periods, tackling heavy themes like intergenerational trauma, healing, and the impact of toxic relationships. Some parts felt slow, but the emotional depth and growth of the characters really drew me in. The character Lars adds a layer of tension with his manipulative nature, highlighting the significant struggles that the main characters face. It's a compelling read that you won't want to put down!
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this Advanced copy in exchange for my honest review this will release 11/4/2025

Bitter Honey is a beautifully layered, emotionally resonant story about the fragile, complex bond between a mother and daughter stretched across decades and continents. I was completely drawn in by Nancy and Tina’s parallel journeys—two women navigating love, identity, and painful secrets in very different eras, yet always tethered to each other. What I loved most is how Åkerström captures the silences between mothers and daughters: the things we protect, the things we don’t say, and how love can sometimes feel like both a safety net and a chain. Set between Gambia, Sweden, and the wider world, the book brings a real sense of place and cultural tension, without ever losing its emotional intimacy. This is a warm, tender, and at times heartbreaking novel about womanhood, forgiveness, and finding your own voice even when the past won’t let go. A powerful, rewarding read that lingers long after the final page.

"Bitter Honey" by Lola is a compelling novel that skillfully intertwines the lives of two women across different generations and continents. The story follows Nancy, who leaves Gambia for Sweden, and her daughter Tina, as they navigate complex family dynamics and personal growth. Through alternating timelines, the book explores themes of intergenerational trauma, healing, and the impact of toxic relationships. While some parts of the narrative felt a bit prolonged, the emotional depth and rich character development kept me engaged. The portrayal of Lars as a manipulative figure adds tension and highlights the challenges faced by the protagonists.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest thoughts.

Let me just say—Lola’s books have never missed for me, and Bitter Honey is no exception! Every novel she writes is layered, emotional, and beautifully told, and this one? It wrecked me in the best way.

Two women. Four decades. A lifetime of secrets. Nancy leaves Gambia for Sweden to study, and then she meets Professor Lars. Love is a powerful thing—but loving the wrong person can leave lasting scars. This is a story of love gone wrong and the blessings and consequences it brings.

I just have to say this — Lars? A selfish, cowardly ba$tard. Yes, I said it! Men like him take and take, then disappear, only to show up years later like nothing happened. His love was parasitic and suffocating. And yet—he gave Nancy her babies, her greatest joys. The emotional complexity of that alone had me reeling.

Lars, you've no right waltzing out of Nancy's life and walking back into Tina's life. This book evoked a lot of emotions within me. I could relate to what Tina felt. I felt her pain, her confusion, and ultimately, her triumph in finding her voice. It was raw, real, and incredibly relatable.

Overall, I love love this book and the message it was trying to pass across. I got it, and I spotted a cameo from Lola's last book!

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled through the 1st 60% of the book. I felt that the MC’s were a little flat and the story was dragging. The story picked up and I started to enjoy it a little more. This was a solid read, but maybe just not for me.

<I>”His memories are poison, his entire being dead to her. His sweet honey eyes, now bitter.</I>

For the most part, I loved this story as it alternated between mother and daughter’s timelines, unfolding a mystery of Nancy’s story and Tina’s heritage, how Nancy loses herself and her dreams and ambitions — and Tina finds herself amid and despite living hers. In this way, it artfully tells a story of intergenerational trauma and also healing, deep wounds and forgiveness. It’s also a story of the destruction that can be wrought by narcissistic men, how they can unmoor even the strongest, most passionate women, particularly when they have few anchors in other friendships and facets of their lives. And cultural appropriation.

<i>“She’s seen his type crisscrossing Banjul in too-short shorts, rubber flip-flops and flowing long hair, learning all they wanted, flashing those grins at local women, returning home as experts on her country, while leaving their spawn behind.”</I>

The last third of the book didn’t drag, but felt too long, and I grew weary of Nancy’s emotional stuntedness, which I suppose was maybe the point, but also I think her inner story could have been a lot more developed. Lars was a creep, i never quite felt her fall in love with him nor and understood why, unless there was an unexplained need in her to be seen, a tenderness beyond what’s described, something besides his pushiness. And because the love rang hollow, so did the void of his absence, the allure of his return.

All in all, an enjoyable historical fiction set in a time, place and culture of which I knew nothing - African Swedes traversing European entertainment epicenters, glamorous LA music industry, navigating domestic racism and stardom in the era of Arab Spring. 3.5-4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to HarperCollins, the author, and NetGalley for this ARC!
I truly, truly enjoyed this read. I feel like it was the perfect sprinkle of historical fiction, with some romance aspects as well. I love the direction that this book went in. Despite the POV frequently changing from the mom to the daughter which could sometimes be seen as a confusing writing style, I feel like the author really did a great job of blending such different stories to emphasize on their similarities, the characters were easy to follow and relatable. This novel’s themes were eloquently executed, and I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoyed “In Every Mirror She’s Black,” and “Everything is Not Enough.”

Bitter Honey is a captivating novel that spans three continents, weaving a tale of family dynamics and personal growth. The story unfolds through the eyes of Tina, navigating trials and tribulations alongside complex characters. The complexities of the characters become understandable, adding richness to the narrative.

Ultimately, the novel explores the importance of pursuing happiness amidst life's challenges. I'd like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins William Morrow team for the opportunity to delve into this beautifully crafted story before it's publication date.

Super cool to learn about different cultures and I love how Lola, a book club favorite author, talks about the different trials and stories of women. I can't wait for others to read!

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed.  I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.



****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

There were some parts of the book that was not needed. I leaned a lot about Sweden and Gambia. I liked reading about the traditional customs and language. I was in the middle, I did not like it and like it at the same time,