BOOK EXCERPT: Bitter Honey: A long-kept family secret redefines a mother-daughter relationship
With a mother-daughter relationship at its heart, Bitter Honey explores relationships, resilience and what it means to fully wear your skin and carve your own space in this world.
Bitter Honey, Lọlá Ákínmádé's debut novel, delves into the complex mother-daughter relationship of Tina and Nancy. Tina, once a celebrated Eurovision pop princess, grapples with her identity beneath the glittery surface she presents. Her mother, Nancy, remains secretive about their shared past, but an unexpected revelation may change everything.
As Tina prepares to perform on her birthday, winning the Melodifestivalen music competition could propel her towards representing Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. The song "Honey," an original by Tina, was inspired by personal pain stemming from a man she never knew, who abandoned her and her son, Tobias, years ago. The excerpt reveals a chilling encounter between Tina and a man who claims to be her long-lost father, Lars.
As they face each other for the first time, their eyes reveal a startling resemblance. The truth of their shared history becomes undeniable, shattering Tina's carefully constructed façade and forcing her to confront the painful revelations of her past.
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