We value your privacy

We use some essential cookies to make this site work. We'd like to set analytics cookies to understand how you use this site, plus additional cookies from third-party services such as YouTube and Klarna. For detailed information or to update your preferences, visit our cookies page.

Accept all cookies Reject non-essential cookies

Skip to content

Students, Get 10% Off with UNiDAYS
Offers & Promotions
Vinyl 3 for £66
Store & Venue Finder
Select your local currency
Trustpilot
Back to All Books
  • Bitter Sweet Hardback By Hattie Williams - 1
    View

Bitter Sweet Hardback By Hattie Williams

£16.99

Released: 3rd July 2025. '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 'Sharp, compelling, and thought provoking. The perfect book club pick for 2025' LOUISE O'NEILL *Don't miss the intoxicating and compulsive debut novel from Hattie Williams - pre-order BITTER SWEET now!* '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** '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 '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

More info

There was an error adding this product to your basket. Please try again.

Ring & Reserve

*Availability subject to change.

To reserve this item in store, call: 03333 230 667

Delivery
*Free UK delivery on orders over £20
(exclusions apply)
Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Click & Collect (UK only)
Get it delivered to a UK store near you with FREE Click & Collect available on this product.
⠀
⠀
Available for International Delivery

All items ship directly from the UK. Usually dispatched within 24 hours and delivered in 7 days.

  • Details

    Released:
    3rd July 2025
    Format:
    Book
    Barcode:
    9781398722804

  • Description

    '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

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

    *Don't miss the intoxicating and compulsive debut novel from Hattie Williams - pre-order BITTER SWEET now!*

    '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**

    '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

    '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

  • Delivery and Returns

    Delivery charges

    UK Delivery:
    • Orders under £20 - £2.99 
    • Orders £20 and over - FREE*
    • Click & Collect - FREE**
    • Express Delivery - £5.99
    International Delivery:
    Costs are calculated at checkout based on parcel size and weight. Find out more here.

    *Some items are only available via a dedicated delivery service, for an additional charge.
    **Some items can only be delivered via Click & Collect to an HMV or Fopp store of your choice.

    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.


    When will my order arrive?

    • We aim to dispatch in-stock items within 24 hours* 
    • Standard UK delivery: Royal Mail Tracked 48® service, usually within 2-5 working days (including Saturdays).
    • Express UK delivery: Royal Mail Tracked 24® or DPD, usually within two working days (order by 2pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).
    • International delivery: Tracked service, usually within 3-5 working days.
    • Pre-orders: dispatched with the aim to deliver on the release date.
    *Where an item is 'Back in stock soon', we usually expect stock within a week and will dispatch it once available.

    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.

    Will you tell me when my order is on its way?

    • You will receive a dispatch email when each parcel is on its way.
    • Orders may arrive in multiple parcels, depending on stock availability.
    • Out-of-stock items will follow as soon as we receive stock.
    • You can check the status of your orders in your account.
    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.


    Trusted Suppliers

    Items marked 'item fulfilled by Exertis on behalf of hmv' are dispatched directly by Exertis via their approved couriers. Your delivery details will be shared with Exertis and their courier to fulfil your order.


    Returns

    • We're happy to accept returns for unwanted items within 30 days of receipt, provided they’re in their original condition with all seals intact. Clothing and technology items without a seal may be opened for inspection (as you would in a shop) but must not be used and should be repackaged carefully.  
    • Some exclusions apply, please visit the Returns section of our Help Centre for more details. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Sign-up for emails

Sign-up for emails

Sign-up for emails

I'd love to hear about offers and promotions from hmv*