'A novel to detonate the heart. Fans of Gail Honeyman and Joanna Cannon will love Bitter' A.J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window
'As gripping as Zoe Heller's Notes on A Scandal' Peter Bradshaw, Guardian Film Critic
'Brilliantly paced, moving, thoughtful and sharp. Loved it' Renée Knight, author of Disclaimer
'An absolutely astonishing first novel' Michael Frayn, author of Spies

It's 1969, and while the summer of love lingers in London, Gilda is consumed by the mistakes of her past. She walked out on her beloved son Reuben when he was just a boy and fears he will never forgive her. When Reuben marries Alice, he seems transformed by love - a love Gilda has craved his entire adult life. What does his new wife have that she doesn't? And how far will she go to find out? It's an obsession that will bring shocking truths about the past to light . . .

"Provocative and skilful . . . The results are as hilarious as they are unsettling as Jakobi exploits the stereotype of the needy Jewish mother and we are drawn against our better judgment to side with out-of-control Gilda" - GUARDIAN

"Jakobi's debut is ambitious in scope, investigating her central character in forensic detail, with short, pacy chapters that alternate between past and present . . . At once tragic and engrossing, this gimlet-eyed character study elicits sympathy and damnation, both for Gilda herself and for the circumstances that have defined her' " - FINANCIAL TIMES

"[A] riveting study of a woman who takes motherly concern to rather sinister extremes . . . it slowly, tantalisingly becomes clear that Gilda has never been in charge of her life . . . and shocking secrets from her past will have the power to transform her present" - Daily Mail

"Bitter, yes, but also sweet -- and moving, and searching, and quietly devastating: a novel to detonate the heart. Steep yourself in this exquisite story. You won't regret it, and you won't forget it. Fans of Gail Honeyman and Joanna Cannon will love Bitter" - A.J. Finn, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW

"Warning to readers: this book is highly addictive and could keep you awake at night. It has a wonderfully compelling narrative, driven by a fascinating unreliable narrator . . . BITTER manages to be a psychological thriller while at the same time dealing with such complex subjects as female autonomy, post-natal depression and loneliness. It is a remarkable first novel . . . poignant, funny, tender and bittersweet " - JEWISH CHRONICLE

"Beautifully written and paced. I was hooked - heart in mouth from the beginning. Exquisite storytelling" - Sally Magnusson, author of THE SEALWOMAN’S GIFT

"Jakobi's imagery transports you from bombed London streets to the anything goes vibes at the end of the swinging '60s . . . a terrifying and poignant portrait of a lonely woman ****" - SOUTH AFRICAN SUNDAY TIMES

"BITTER hits every single one of my must-reads. An incredibly well-drawn, flawed female lead character; a 1960s setting and an unsettling yet realistic family dynamic . . . BITTER is deeply moving and so very wise. I absolutely adored it" - Random Things Through My Letterbox

"Gilda's personal trials will keep readers in thrall to the bittersweet ending" - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review