Combine a page-turner mystery with beautiful writing and they've got a winner. Tho written by two authors, the chapters are seamless. I certainly learned a lot about bees and honey! Recommended for both fans of Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Jodi is back!! I really liked this one. I enjoy when she brings in her court room expertise to the story. I did have some problems with some details but overall the twist was so well placed and so shocking.

This may be my favorite book of the year. Without giving too much away, I’ll say this - I absolutely love books that teach me something. Those that take another persons perspective and immerse you into that characters battles. This book handles hard topics with grace and beauty. The plot was also fantastic and not predictable. There was so much art to the story - the different points of view, the way Lily’s sections descended and Olivia’s ascended, the fact that it was written by two different authors and included working mothers taking on unexpected male dominated roles. Just so much wow. This book is important, entertaining and a masterpiece.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for a copy of an eARC in exchange of my honest review. I will be purchasing this book. And thank you to the authors for your important work and dedication to this novel.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is an impactful and timely story that will stay with you.

Jodi Picoult does not shy away from covering relevant and to some, controversial topics. She has this masterful way of presenting a story that seems pretty clear cut on paper and then about midway, there is a twist that changes everything.

Mad Honey is the latest example of this.

The novel, co-written with Jennifer Finney Boylan, covers so much: identity, gender, abuse, love, toxic relationships and much more. It’s not an easy read and many times, it’s quite sad but it’s also important and I think will open many eyes to the struggles that people deal with on a daily basis.

Mad Honey is an important and impactful read. It’s very well done and will make you think. And those are always the ideal book club selections.

Mad Honey is a perfect book club read!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know the name Jodi Picoult. If you have read her books then you know that she consistently tackles the hard to talk about issues. You may not have heard of Jennifer Finney Boylan but she is well known to own-voices readers. Mad Honey is one of the most successful author collaborations I have read. Based on the authors areas of interest, I couldn't help making some guesses as to who wrote what but the writing is seamless and never gave it away.

So. What happens when a wife and mother finds the courage to leave her abusive husband? What happens when her teenage son shows signs of his father's temper? And what happens when the son is accused of murder? I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out.



Mad Honey does require multiple trigger warnings, among them domestic and gender violence, and depression with suicidal behavior. As a clinical psychologist, I particularly appreciated the realistic portrayal of domestic violence and the parental concern about the impact on our children.

I found Mad Honey to be sensitive and engaging with fully developed characters I cared for, rooted for, and worried about. Readers of contemporary family drama will likely find it a good fit.

Y’all. This book. I can’t even put into words how amazing it is!!! It’s such a wild ride!

I don’t want to give anything away because the first twist, especially, blew my mind. I went into this blind and that’s definitely what I recommend doing. But I will say that this is such an important story and I’m so glad these wonderful ladies chose to tell it!

The pain that the two main characters experience is so real and raw and honest. You may not have lived their stories but there’s still so much to identify with. Olivia and Lily were both so real, finishing this book felt like losing friends.

I also definitely shouldn’t have finished this book in public because the ending had me sobbing! (As well as the authors notes after! So so powerful!!!!)

So I’m glad this book exists. It’s a book that needs to exist. I could not recommend it more highly, especially to all my fellow ladies out there. This book talks a lot about what it means to be a woman and I think that’s such a fascinating topic to explore. This book is SO well done!

And I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!

As an aside: I LOVED all the info about beekeeping and honey in this book! I found it all so fascinating! I knew very little about beekeeping going into this so I loved learning more!! I think all of that information was an EXCELLENT addition to this story!

Okay that’s all. Now read this book please =)

Mad Honey is a story of a boy and a girl; around them is abuse, love, bullying, single parents and a tragedy. I started out loving this story, and after about half way through I found it to be sort of a story that repeated and changed focus. I typically love Jodi Picoult but this was not my favorite book. Thank you #NetGalley#Ballentine#MadHoney

When a teen is accused of murdering his girlfriend, his mother must face her own horrific past. The trial brings up uncomfortable questions, and the mother finds herself stretched beyond her comfort zone. Authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan join to tackle a sensitive issue in the well-intentioned but dragging novel Mad Honey.

Olivia McAfee feels like her life is finally on track. After escaping an abusive marriage to a high-profile physician back in Boston, Olivia brought her son, Asher, back to her hometown of Adams, New Hampshire. Since the death of her parents, Olivia has found solace in her role as head beekeeper. She’s rebuilt everything—the family business and her self-esteem—one bee colony at a time.

When she left her husband, Asher was barely in elementary school. Now he’s taller than her, running to hockey practice before school, grunting his answers at her over breakfast, and being her first assistant when she tends to the bees. Olivia knows he’s a typical teen, but she can’t help feeling nostalgic for her little boy.

If there’s anything to remind Olivia that Asher isn’t little anymore, it’s his girlfriend, Lily. Not only is Lily new to Asher’s life, she’s also new to Adams. She and her mom have recently moved to town, and Olivia likes her. Lily is smart and curious, and Asher is clearly in love.

Then word comes that Lily has died. Asher’s world comes crashing down and Olivia’s right with it. Because not only is Lily gone; Asher is a suspect in her death.

The evidence points to Asher being the last person to see Lily alive. The teens had also been in the middle of a week-long fight, although Asher refuses to say what it was about. Then comes the biggest revelation of all: Lily was transgender.

Accusations of transphobia start flying, and Olivia defends her son to the world. Privately, Olivia wonders whether Asher has inherited some of his father’s rage. He’s never hurt Olivia, but there have been times when he’s shocked her. Is it possible that he found out about Lily and reacted to the extreme? Olivia doesn’t know, but as the trial begins she can’t ignore her doubts or the accusing gaze from Lily’s mother.

Authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan each bring their own strengths to this book. Readers will see Picoult’s painstaking attention to detail in the chapters from Olivia’s point of view. As with all her other novels, Picoult has gone out of her way to do her research. Here she shares a copious number of facts on beekeeping and draws parallels to relationships. Many of the comparisons work; some feel a little stretched.

Boylan takes charge of the chapters from Lily’s point of view. As a transgender woman herself, Boylan uses the opportunity to share Lily’s experiences that, no doubt, echo her own. Readers get a three-dimensional, heartfelt look into the heart and mind of a young person dealing with gender identity.

The book suffers from a plot that drags, however. Once the revelation about Lily’s gender comes to light, the novel starts to meander. Picoult and Boylan are seasoned, talented writers and will induce sympathy and kindness from any reader. The novel, though, can’t seem to decide whether it wants to tackle transphobia, domestic abuse, or small-town scandals. It tries to give its due to all three but succeeds only in a limited capacity.

Character features, too, get lost in the shuffle. Lily is first introduced as a fencing champion, a cellist, and a curious, intelligent young woman. After her death, most of these character traits don’t even figure into the story. Asher is presented as a hockey star, but other than the odd mention of him going to practice or his teammates there isn’t much to convince readers that hockey matters. Even Olivia seems, at times, to be reduced to “beekeeper” or “domestic abuse survivor.”

The chapters from Lily’s point of view take readers through the story backward, starting from just before her death to the time she moves to Adams. It’s unclear why Boylan and Picoult chose to approach those sections of the book this way, especially considering Olivia’s story is told chronologically. More than anything, the timeline of Lily’s sections distracts readers from Asher’s trial.

The sensitivity to all of the characters shines through, but some sections come off sounding a little too pedantic. Those who want to learn more about being transgender might like this one.

I cannot give enough praise for this beautifully written book. I have always loved Jodi’s writing , but I really enjoyed Jennifers addition to the book.

This book is written on such a sensitive topic and I believe it was done wonderfully. I would highly suggest going in blind, keeping an open mind and just enjoying the story these two authors created together.

I am just blown away, I would definitely recommend Mad Honey!

Fans of Jodi Picoult will not doubt love this one as well. It is well written with nicely developed characters. My only complaint is that there are a lot of triggers or "hot button issues" which I think bogged the book down. Jodi is not one to shy away from these topics however her other books that deal with tough topics shine because they are about one issue. This one felt like it was all over the map trying to make too many statements. That being said it was still an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

“The secret weapon of mad honey, of course, is that you expect it to be sweet, not deadly.”

In true Picoult fashion, this novel was thought-provoking and brilliantly twisted. It is a captivating and carefully crafted story that felt like the old Jodi we know and love, with an added layer of Jennifer Finney Boylans extensive expertise. These authors wrote a story so seamlessly together and it’s a beautiful match up.

The story flows in a unique way, exploring many different themes at once. It is done in a concise way that pulls together for an overall clear picture. Per usual, the plot twists are extra twisty and so jaw dropping & eye opening that you’ll think about this story for a long time.

I loved how important the themes were in this book. I think this is one every person should read because it is so beautifully articulated to paint a picture of understanding and acceptance in a world so unwilling to do so. My only complaint is the amount of time spent explaining the beekeeping (while wholly interesting) versus how quickly the last chunk of the book wrapped up…. I would have liked to see more time spent in wrapping up the story!

If you have trigger warnings and wish to know them before reading this book please reach out. Thank you to Random House & Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

“We aren’t here on earth in order to bend over backwards to resemble everybody else. We’re here to be ourselves, in all our gnarly brilliance.”

What a fantastic collaboration between Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. This books reads like it came from only one author. I have no idea who wrote what. This story is told from two points of view, Olivia and Lily, with Olivia's story always in the present and Lily's story told backwards. What a fresh take on unfolding a character's story. This led me to believe I knew where things were going, but of course there were surprises and truths told that blew me away. Both women are incredibly brave, fighting to live the life they desire in their hearts. I will not spoil the plot for anyone but I would like to thank the authors for writing a book to make people pause and consider what they think they know to be true in hopes of opening their minds to new beliefs and values. I had several aha moments and I love it when a book does that to me.

I found the beekeeping information woven into all of Olivia's chapters to be quite fascinating!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review of Mad Honey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here I am still catching up on my review. This one. I loved this one. I am such a huge Jodi a Picoult fan and this one felt like a classic one for her style. I love the characters and all of their back stories. I loved the drama and mystery with the plot. I went back and forth with my feelings about the main characters and I even cried a little. If you enjoy her work, you will love this one. My only complaint is that the ending seemed too abrupt for me. Still five stars though.

Quick synopsis: Olivia lives in her hometown and works as a beekeeper after leaving her husband who had a dark side to him. Her son Asher is a senior in high school and is madly in love with his girlfriend who is new to their town. Her name is Lily. But when Lily ended up dead and Asher is taken in for questioning Olivia starts to doubt everything she knows about her son and maybe even a bit herself.

4.5 stars

Oh Jodi Picoult, you're back to your best writing and I'm all for it. I loved the courtroom drama and all the shocks that were revealed during the testimonies. Such an emotional storyline that tugged on the heartstrings, I couldn't put this one down. I knew from the first page it was going to be a binge worthy book!

When picking up this book I was not sure what I was going to get story-wise because with Jodi Picoult, she is able to create hard hitting and thought- provoking books. I will say with this book it is a normal sense of urgency in her books, but with added elements of realism in the characters.

This book gave me the same feelings as "Nineteen Minutes" and "My Sister's Keeper" because it was able to create such intense events with a lot of heart and soul. The main characters are flawed and hide secrets from one another and throughout the story you learn each part of the story in bits and what people actually know about one another. In this story you meet a single-parent family with Olivia and Asher, who seem to be living a simple life until Asher's girlfriend ends up dead and Asher is the one they arrest for her death.

The reader gets to walk through the relationship of Asher and Lily as well as Olivia and her abusive ex-husband and the events that led up to Lily's move into New Hampshire up to her death. I recommend this book for people who like hard hitters with a little bit of mystery because you have to figure out who killed Lily. Although I was able to have a small guess as to what happened it kept me enthralled till the end.

This novel is seamlessly co-written between two talented writers. I love that the work is researched and never feels stilted or forced. Picoult takes a current social situation and is always able to show the reader a 360 view of it compassionately. I really enjoyed learning about keeping bees.

Jodi Picoult could write about paint drying and captivate and audience. This novel follows her pattern of seeing societal opportunities and slicing it wide open. Loved!

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine for an early copy of this novel. I've read a lot of Jodi Picoult and was surprised/interested that she had co-authored a book. I love books that teach me a little something as I dive into the fiction aspect -- I learned a ton about beekeeping in the book. I impressed my husband with my bee-knowledge that upon the Queen's death I told him that her bees needed to be told of her death and that their new owner was King Charles. I enjoyed this novel - don't worry, as always, Jodi gives you a giant twist. I read this fairly quickly and enjoyed it. If needed, you should google for content/trigger warnings.

Mad Honey - Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Ahhh this felt like 2000s/2010s Jodi!!! I read her books nonstop in highschool/college and I was so happy to see that this read like her older books. The Book of Two Ways was a total disappointment so I was nervous, but Mad Honey delivered!!

What I liked:
* AGAIN this felt very Jodi with the twists/ big reveals, lots of drama, heavier themes (pls look up trigger warnings), multiple POVs, etc. Totally makes me want to go back and reread some of her older stuff.
* The main character is a beekeeper so lots of bee talk. Could potentially not be for others, but I loved this aspect!
* Jennifer Finney Boylan offers a perspective that was crucial for this story and I am so glad her and Jodi wrote this together!
* I seriously could not put this down. Such a quick read that you HAVE to know what happens next.

What didn’t work for me:
* I wanted more from the ending. I liked it but wish it had packed a little bit more of a punch.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I generally really enjoy Jodi Picoult books, and there is much to like about this book. The collaboration with Jennifer Finney Boylan worked very well and the prose flowed seamlessly. I learned a lot, both about beekeeping and other matters, although sometimes there does sometimes seem to be information overload. The twist was excellent, and most of the characters are richly drawn and I was invested in the outcome. However, I thoroughly disliked the ending. On the one hand, it was satisfying to get a definitive answer on how it was that Lily died, but the explanation and the consequences were quite infuriating. I actually went back and read some sections to see whether the betrayal was as great as I thought, and it indeed it was. It was way too glossed over in a way I found to be unrealistic--it seemed like everyone was okay with what happened--and it really detracted from my opinion of the book, bringing my rating down to 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4. Still, I would recommend the book for the many positive aspects, and I thank NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read the e-ARC.