Sasha Butler - The Marriage Contract

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Sasha Butler is coming to The Heath Bookshop to talk about her book, 'The Marriage Contract'. 

Sasha and Claire from The Heath Bookshop will be in conversation for around an hour. There will be a book signing afterwards.

Sasha Butler is a Birmingham based writer. Her first novel, The Marriage Contract is published in early October 2025 and was shortlisted for the Cheshire Novel Prize 2022 and the Bath Novel Award 2022 under the former title, As Soft as Dreams. She also writes short stories and features in Floodgate Press' anthology, Night Time Economy.

The Marriage Contract

Worcestershire, 1577. Eliza Litton, a talented artist, has loved Francis since they were children. But when he vanishes after a night at the inn, her brutal father forces her to marry Edmund, a wealthy and distant stranger. 

At first, Eliza grieves for Francis, her heart caught in the past. But Edmund surprises her — with kindness, encouragement, and a life she never dared imagine. Slowly, she begins to fall for the man she never chose. 

Far away, Francis fights to return to her. But when Eliza uncovers a secret that shatters her fragile peace, she must decide where her heart truly lies — and what she is willing to risk for love.

The Marriage Contract is a sweeping Elizabethan love story about lost dreams, second chances, and the courage it takes to choose your own path.

‘The Marriage Contract is beautifully-written portrait of Elizabethan England and the lives, trials, and subtle powers of the women who existed – and found unconventional ways to thrive – within its rigid social constraints. Butler’s sentences are exquisite, her research is impeccable, and the world she conjures is wonderfully evocative. A must-read for historical fiction lovers.’ —Katie Bishop, author of The Girls of Summer and High Season

‘The Marriage Contract is a beautifully atmospheric, searingly romantic novel that is ultimately a celebration of female empowerment and self-discovery. This book broke my heart over and over again, and I loved every word. Eliza, Francis and Edmund will haunt me for some time.’ —Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women

‘An immersive and luminous debut; I was swept away by Butler's exquisite storytelling and the complexities of Eliza Litton, at once defiant and vulnerable, sensitive and fierce.’ —Elizabeth O’Connor, author of Whale Fall

We look forward to seeing you. 

Catherine & Claire