Thank you @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review .

TW: Eating disorders and fat-shaming

Piglet (as friends and family call her) is just weeks away from marrying the sophisticated, well brought up, man of her dreams. Together, they own a home in posh Oxford. Her job as a food writer is a dream. Their friends lunch in their beautiful garden on the gourmet treats Piglet has whipped up. This life is everything she’s wanted.

Piglet thinks she’s built the life she’s always dreamed of by choosing her fiancé Kit, that is, until he reveals a terrible secret. Now Piglet must chose, will she stay in her beautiful lie, or destroy it all?

There are elements of this story I thoroughly enjoyed. I became invested in Piglet’s plight and found her to be a sympathetic character. I found the relationships between characters believable. There’s some great commentary on class. The right amount of foreshadowing also helped keep my invested in the impending climax.

But where the story shines in plot, it lacks in the execution. Just some personal preferences: I found a lot of the food descriptions to be too long, lacking the substance to make them worth reading; some of the character’s actions were so cringy, it was uncomfortable to read; and finally, Hazell spells out the lesson Piglet learns (no spoilers, I promise) with such precision, it’s like she didn’t trust the reader to figure it out.

And while Hazell gives us the moral on a silver platter, she never once directly stated that the toxic comments Piglet’s family makes about her eating are problematic, or that Piglet’s eating is disordered, as a result. I wish that element of the story had been handled with more care.

So is it worth the read? If you love a foodie story and a messy romance gone-wrong, check this one out, but be prepared for the cringe factor, this one gets messy.

3.5★

Piglet is an up and coming cookbook editor, with lovely friends and a handsome fiancé. Two weeks before they are set to be married, Kit, her fiancé, confesses a horrible betrayal. The couple decides to move forward with the wedding as planned, but as it nears, Piglet finds herself increasingly unsettled.

This book has no likeable characters, but is totally relatable. The fact that her parent's gave her the nickname Piglet and still call her that name into adulthood, is quite jarring. I feel like this is more a book about a woman's relationship with food than it is about her relationship with a man. However, what I found most relatable is how Piglet cares so much about what people think of her. Her fiancé cheats and she's more worried about what others will think of her, than what they think of him. 3.5 stars.

Thank You NetGalley for the free e-galley.
Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Wowowowowowowow. Within the first three chapters, I knew this would a favorite. This is the type of book that just *feels* different. I have yet to find another book that has as eloquently explored womanhood in the modern age.

I can imagine people in 15-20 years looking at this title as a reference point for analysis. I’m just flabbergasted.

Also can we talk about that cover? Its perfection. Kudos to the designer.

Please do yourself a favor and read this one!

I want to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Piglet was a very interesting read for me. Parts of this book I found fascinating- the descriptions of food, the themes of greed, selfishness, betrayal and status. It was all very pointed and I liked to motif of "food" as a means to paint a broader picture. With that being said, NONE of the characters (with the exception of Margot) were likeable. I understand that it was part of the point, but they were written in an enjoyable unlikeable way, the were simply flat characters. We never received the big reveal on what this big "betrayal" was and while it didn't totally bother me, it did make the book less impactful. It's been a few days since I finished and I ended up lowering my rating from a 4 to a 3. I see the vision the author was trying to achieve and I feel she slightly missed the mark. Not a bad book by any means, just not one that is going to stick with me. Credit to the cover for being unique and eye catching!

Thank you to the publisher Henry Holt & Company for providing an ARC via Net Galley!

My first 5 star read of 2024! This had me enthralled. I was unable to do nothing else but obsess over this book until I finished it. I loved the opening dinner party scene and was immediately intrigued by the characters. The writing style drew me in immediately, and the suspense and hints of betrayal kept me reading. I loved the messiness and depth of all the characters, and especially loved Margot. I am one of those eat to live rather than live to eat people, and actually find food as a requirement of living kind of annoying, so I was unsure how a book centered around food and hunger as a central theme would work for me but it was done beautifully. What an incredible debut novel! Going to be reflecting on this one for a long time.

While I didn't enjoy reading this book, I was eager to find out how it ended. For such a character driven novel I felt like I never really got to know Piglet. There was also information purposely omitted that I felt weakened the story. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a great debut! Filled with complex characters and relationships I couldn't put it down.
Piglet is the story of a woman about to be married who begins to question her existence after her fiance reveals a secret. We are never told what that secret is but as Piglet's wedding date approaches her world begins to unravel.

This was a great debut! Piglet was engaging, intensely descriptive, and not entirely unlike watching a car crash. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get into literary fiction (or BookTok readers looking for a starter "weird girl" fiction, or "female rage" fiction), or to readers who enjoyed Milk Fed by Melissa Broder. I would be happy to read whatever Lottie Hazell comes up with next.

There was so much that worked for me: Piglet’s struggle with binge eating and her shame about her family, her friendship with Margot and doubts about herself… but I left feeling dissatisfied. I don’t, as a rule, feel that the secret at the heart of a book must be revealed. For about half the story, I admired the decision to explore the aftermath of what Kit did rather than the logistics. By the end, the withholding was distracting. Every other relationship’s flaws and struggles were explored in specific detail, and their specificity constituted the world of the book. It lent them unique moral weights and insight into Piglet’s loved ones and interiority. Her dilemma about Kit was disembodied and hollow in comparison. It felt important to know what he did because not all betrayals and conflicts are the same. Whether your fiancé cheated on you or assaulted someone or stole all your money should make a difference in how you respond. That says a lot about you. We just didn’t get to know. So the book collapsed around itself, like the croquembouche, despite some of the delectable writing.

Thanks to NetGalley & Holt for the arc — I’m looking forward to reading more of Hazell’s work!

Piglet is a brilliant story about a woman struggling to find herself and it was 100% for me.

The descriptions of the food were both beautiful and sometimes haunting and anxiety-inducing (who thought it was a good idea to make your own wedding cake?). The novel is also propelled forward by such cutting, clever, and accurate dialogue. We are rooting for Piglet, commiserating with her, and sometimes scratching our heads with her. I loved this book and congratulate the author on such a great debut.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Piglet is the main character and she is a Type A perfectionist. She will do anything to keep up appearances, including sacrificing her own sanity and happiness. She’s living the picture perfect life that many people would admire… until it all comes crumbling down.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. If you enjoy descriptions of food and watching cooking shows, you may enjoy this book. Do not read this while you are hungry! This book is not for you if you don’t care for food and cooking descriptions/terminology. This book is not for you if you need everything spelled out for you, and if you dislike ambiguity. I personally had a good time.

So much dialogue and so, so many descriptions of food. This will work for some and not for others. The cover is also sort of off putting from a bookseller perspective, but once you get past that, the content is clever and quick. The characters are easy to envision and I laughed out loud a few times. Such a unique book.

Piglet fell short for me. I did not particularly like any of the characters. I was peeved that we never found out what Kit’s big secret was. While the food descriptions were wonderful, sometimes I just wanted there to be a real story. Definitely don’t read this book if you are planning a wedding. You will be questioning everything.

First things first, I am truly obsessed with this cover. I think it is perfect, I think it is inviting, I think it is one of the most true to form book covers I’ve come across. So now let’s chat about what’s beyond the cover…

As many of my close friends know, one of my favorite genres of book is “the angry woman” and. let. me. tell. you. This book does this trope so incredibly well. In some cases, Piglet’s anger in justified, in other’s it’s a reflection of her own shortcomings. She uses her anger for good, evil, and everything in between. This book tackles issues like class, norms, and societal expectations all while being themed around Piglet’s sincere passion for food.

What impressed me so much about this book is how paramount the discussions of food were. So much of this book was dedicated to detailing her actions as she made different meals, descriptions of each individual ingredient, and sometimes even plans to create food or discussion of menu items. While if you told me this at face value I might turn my nose up and think ‘how fun can reading about food possibly be,’ it was so enthralling. The author used these cooking scenes as a highly effective way of expressing emotion and tension and it created a perfect storm for me as a reader.

The only thing I had hesitation about in this book was that, at the end of each chapter, there was somewhat of a “big picture” moment written in italics where another perspective was considered or deeper feelings were addressed head on. I felt that this sometimes took me out of the moment, but as I got further into the book I felt that it became more appropriate just due to the way it was being used in those later chapters.

All in all, this book was really great and I do recommend you check it out!! Thank you to NetGalley and Lottie Hazell for the ARC. Congrats on a fantastic debut!

The writing itself was very good, and for that, I would give this author another chance. However, completely subjectively, I just didn't love the story itself. I could even relate to Piglet in a number of ways, but I just don't think that this story will stick with me long-term. It was perfectly okay, just not something I'd rave about.

Piglet is a successful cookbook editor, has a lovely group of friends, and just moved into a beautiful home with her wealthy fiancé, Kit. When Kit makes a devastating confession weeks before their wedding, Piglet’s world is turned upside-down. They choose to proceed with the wedding but as they get closer to the big day, Piglet becomes locked in a spiral of self-destruction. As Piglet’s behavior becomes progressively unhinged, it’s up to the reader to decide if she is experiencing a complete collapse or a radical transformation. Full of mouthwatering food descriptions and dark humor, PIGLET is a brilliant take on social class, marriage, and the pressure of perfection. 🍔

First of all, let's talk about an attention-grabbing cover! I saw that burger and I knew I needed to read it. I enjoyed that the entire book was either dialogue or eating/preparing food. The food was the closest thing you got to Piglet's inner dialogue. I found it very engaging and fun to read.

Piglet made me want to shop for high-end groceries, take my time cooking, and EAT - damn this book made me hungry! The food descriptions in this book are decadent - I was not surprised at all when I got to the end and saw the author has done research in food writing in modern literature.

I loved Piglet as a character and enjoyed watching her uncomfortable path of self-destruction in search of happiness, not just the shiny facade she'd created with her well-to-do fiancé. This is a beautifully written, feminist novel about a flawed weirdo who tries and fails to eat her way through the grief of learning her fiancé has betrayed her and I loved every page. Will be buying a hard copy (that cover!) for my shelf the day this comes out.

THANK YOU NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advance copy!

I was really excited to pick up Piglet by Lottie Hazell. It had a very original and creative description and I was looking forward to it but unfortunately, it fell short for me. I'm assuming that the lack of revealing some information was intentional but it felt incomplete? The problem with that was that I felt like I didn't understand the reasoning behind why certain things played out the way that they did. It felt like it lacked substance.

I was excited to delve into Piglet, the debut novel by Lottie Hazell, because I don’t always judge a book by it’s cover, but if the cover is a painting of a huge cheeseburger, I will read the book every time. I did not know anything about the story before I started, and I was pleasantly surprised. The story is about Piglet, a woman who edits cookbooks, has moved to a great house with her finance, and is getting married to Kit in 90 days. Two weeks before the wedding, Kit reveals a secret that shatters all of the life that Piglet has carefully constructed, and with days to go before the huge wedding, she has to decide whether or not to go through with the marriage.

Hazell uses food, cooking and eating, as a metaphor throughout most of the novel. While Piglet makes a living with cookbooks, has a large arsenal of cooking tips and tricks, and makes delicious food for everyone to enjoy, food is also something that she can hide behind. Piglet’s life changes and she uses food to cope, food to mourn, and food to try to prove herself worthy of not only staying in the relationship, but as a means of value in herself. There are moments when I salivate at the dishes that she prepares, and I found myself stopping and getting snacks more than once while reading. The writing in these passages are expert level, and it is easy to see some culinary experience and skill behind Hazell’s writing.

I liked Piglet as a character, and even though some of Piglet’s decisions are not the right decision, they are the decision that makes sense in the world that Hazell has built. Kit comes from a family with money and Piglet comes from a working class family who sees marrying into Kit’s family as an great opportunity. I found Piglet’s family remarkably endearing, even though her father is not the most supportive. Piglet seems embarrassed by her upbringing and the family that raised her, and she uses food to bridge the gap between her upbringing and the family she is marrying into. Both of the families, from Kit’s rich upbringing, to Piglet’s more modest upbringing, are written like people that I want to know off of the page. I would genuinely grab a beer with Piglet’s dad and Darren, her sister’s partner.

People say that you should not judge a book by it’s cover, but if it has a picture of a food, the chances of it being worth reading are high. Piglet is a good story, and I get hungry just thinking about reading it again.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.