This book sounds like everything I need- sapphic, romance, Christmastime, in Canada! Unfortunately, I was not able to read it (yet!), as I could no longer download it on NetGalley when I went to read it. However, I've put it on my Christmas list so I'm hoping someone will gift it to me. When/if I get my hands on a copy, I will definitely be reading and reviewing it here!

Honeymoon for One is based in Canada and revolves around Robin who is a pastry chef. I travelled around Canada for three months and just generally love to eat so the premise drew me in straight away.

Robin's had a rubbish year... Her fiancée broke up with her and she's stuck in a job she doesn't enjoy. To make matters worse (or maybe better), she forgot to cancel her honeymoon in Canada. Rather than waste her money, her sister encourages her to go and enjoy by herself. I totally agree with her sister by the way, what a great sister to have. Robin decides to go and that's when the adventure starts. It's also where she meets surly ski instructor Neve.

This was a real cookie cutter escapist contemporary LGBTQ+ romance. It's an opposites attract storyline but feels quite fresh and has the added benefit of having a husky as a character (as a dog person I appreciated this a lot). It also made me want to go have adventures again and left me reminiscing about when I went last time.

This book was not exactly what I expected.

Tis the season for holiday romcoms. And while this has a bit, it is in fact not as fluffy in tone.

Each of these main characters is broken in their own ways, but they do manage a love story.

Damn, this was sweet… And a little sad. And relatable. When Robin’s fiancée cheated on her, the wedding was cancelled and Robin forgot about the honeymoon in a Canadian ski resort. Not the most obvious choice when you live in the north of England but Robin didn’t have much say in that relationship. As Christmas approaches and, with it, the nightmare that are their mother’s holiday cooking and the extended family visiting, Robin’s sister convinces her to take advantage of the honeymoon since she already paid for it anyway. In for a penny, in for a pound, once there Robin signs up for a couple of ski lessons, which turns out to be both the worst and the best idea she could have had.

I wasn’t sure I’d like Robin at first. She felt whiny and gullible and a pushover. I was wrong and she grew on me, bad puns and all. She’s extremely sweet and funny and quirky and I’m sure she’ll live in my mind for a while. On the other hand, Neve’s stubbornness made me want to shake her repeatedly yet her fears are entirely understandable.

Rachel Bowdler doesn’t make things easy for her characters. They’re not perfect, they make mistakes, they cling to their denial, and I couldn’t help but root for them, I wanted to see them both (and the people around them) happy, I wanted them to get a break and feel loved and understood. Fighting for what you want and deserve doesn’t seem to come naturally to many of us, and Robin and Neve’s journeys will probably sound familiar to more than a few readers.

The majority of books I read are set in the United States and I always forget how much I love when one isn’t. Honeymoon for One takes place in Canada and England, and I could hear the different accents, especially in the way Robin speaks, which definitely added to the pleasure of reading. 4.5⭐️

Due to technical issues I don't seem to be getting any further than 20% through this one and now it has disappeared from my kindle! What I will say is that I was really enjoying this premise and we need more w/w romance in the world! Rating a three star as like I say I couldn't get further due to technical issues so I am going with the average

this is a Contemporary Romance with a W/W relationship. I really liked this Holiday away and romance with a ski instructor. the romance was sweet. I wouldn't classify this as an entirely light and fluffy holiday romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars.

I have really mixed feelings about this one. I love the idea of a romance set on a ski resort. I also love any sapphic romance. There were some really nice elements to this; grumpyxsunshine trope, small town, set at Christmas, one person leaves and is chased across the globe by the other.

However, it fell flat in a few different ways. It felt like the tension between the main couple was quite forced and I could never quite pin down the personalities of the main characters. Our main character, Robin. is described as goofy and clumsy, but this doesn't quite fit with how she acts or what her internal monologue is like. There was such a lack of communication/miscommunication between them, it drove me wild.

I do think this was a nice read and the ending was so lovely, however, it was just not quite there for me.

3.5

Honeymoon for One is a cute sapphic holiday romance. It follows Robin, who finds out she forgot to cancel her honeymoon after she got cheated on and dumped by her fiancee. As the holidays near, Robin is dreading spending them with her family, so she decides to go on her honeymoon to Canada alone, as it's a better alternative (and it's too late to cancel it now, anyway). When she gets there, she meets Neve, a ski instructor and they definitely do not hit it off right away. The book follows them as they get to know each other and fall for each other, all while facing their issues.

Robin starts the book off still heartbroken over her failed engagement and her fiancee's cheating, which is completely fair, and I really liked seeing her go from the person she was at the beginning to someone more confident, more self-assured, and just overall happier. But, she and Neve start off shakily, Neve seems incredibly annoyed by everything Robin does. Robin is a mess at first, she wallows in self-pity and is so clumsy she actually hurts herself. The beginning of the book is probably why I didn't rate this four stars (even though I considered it) - it took me a moment to get invested in the story. I wasn't a fan of Neve right away and Robin fell too much into an i'm-so-clumsy stereotype.

However, as the book progresses, I really grew to like both of them, as they were actually three-dimensional, real-feeling characters. I really appreciated both a lot more once we got to know them. As much as I didn't like how dismissive Neve was of Robin in the beginning, I fully understand why she was annoyed with her. So I was pleased that we go more in-depth with their characters and get to understand them more, it really brought the story to life and made me so invested.

Robin and Neve are pretty much polar opposites, and I think that's why the story works so well - they balance each other very nicely. Robin comes from a very close-knit family, a little too much, you could say. Her mother is definitely overbearing, placing a lot of guilt on Robin for missing holidays and family stuff. On the other hand, Neve is close with some of her family but deals with the abandonment issues caused by her absent mother. They both face their own issues, and this book actually deals with those issues more in-depth than I would've expected from a holiday romance. Their romance was really sweet and I enjoyed reading about them a lot.

I liked most of the side characters, namely Neve's brother and grandfather. Their family dynamics were so heart-warming and sweet. What I didn't like was how overbearing Robin's mother was and how that was kind of glossed over. She was entirely unsupportive of Robin and guilt-tripped her for leaving (and it seemed as if she would've been upset at Robin for leaving even if this had been an actual honeymoon) and that was quite weird to me. The situation is sort of resolved, I suppose, as her mother says she wants the best for her but with how much it upset and occupied Robin it didn't seem like enough to me.

All in all, this was a really cozy holiday romance. I would definitely recommend it, if that is something you're looking for. Do know it does touch on more serious issues, like grief and abandonment in terms of family so it's not just sunshine and rainbows at all times. It is still really sweet!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Robin’s almost over her breakup with her ex till she finds out that she forgot to cancel her honeymoon reservation at a ski resort in Canada. With a boost from her ever supportive sister, she jets off and finds herself confronting cold weather she knows she dislikes and a hot but hard-ass ski instructor Neve who despite her best efforts, she cannot help but really like 👀

This was a cute little transatlantic romance. It read a little Bridget Jones like in the first third given the despair and general clumsiness by Robin. The hot and brooding Neve giving off definite ice queen vibes made for some good sunshine / grumpiness banter. I also liked the small town cosy romance vibe and I really enjoyed all the baking references / moments.

The last third did feel a little repetitive, but the grand gesture was well done and rounded off the HEA nicely. A nice read to kick off the holiday season.

Thank you NetGalley and Embala Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cute. It gave me all the
Christmassy vibes that I love. I absolutely adored the book. The characters were well written and very likable. This story was just what I needed.

This was the eggnog drunk, warm and cozy around the fire story that I’ve been needing. I loved Robins character and the realness of her. I loved the concept of this story, the friends made, the personal growth, and ALL THE CHRISTMAS GOODNESS. This was such an enjoyable read and has me so pumped for the holidays. Maybe I can take my hubby somewhere similar and have a magical experience such as I felt in this book.

Thank you @netgalley, the publishers and author for the e-arc of this book!

Robin embarks on a huge adventure when she realises she has forgotten to cancel her honeymoon. Too late to cancel it, does she mope at home or embrace it? (I think you guessed it…)

This brilliantly, sweet story follows Robin as she falls face first through life. I absolutely loved the realness of Robin’s character, the literal trips and falls and the ‘life isn’t always perfect’ trips and falls.
Robin meets Nick, and Neve. This is where you fall in love with these characters too! They were witty and funny, and it was like hanging out with friends every time I picked up the book.
There were some more difficult relationships that were unpicked, and does answer some questions about why I found Robin’s mum so annoying at the start….

The setting of this book was dreamy. A snowy, small town with skiing, hot chocolates, and a bakery. There was more than that but I don’t want to give too much away…

This book was all the cute, Christmassy vibes that I needed, and has now started my Christmas streak!

I absolutely adored this book and hope you want to pick it up too!

This was a typical christmas book but I did enjoy it, not the WOW factor but very good, the characters were well written and likable, just the thing you need for a cozy night in

A quirky winter sapphic romance.

Robin Ellis forgot to cancel her honeymoon after her fiancee broke things off. Since Robin is tired and not ready to spend time with her family leading up to the holidays, she leaves on an adventure from her hometown of Manchester to go to Canada. There she meets standoffish Neve, a ski instructor. They might want to see what happens if they don't just consider this a holiday fling.

First off, I really enjoy the premise and I love wintery holiday reads. However, the very first page references flying Delta Airlines to Canada, but that's definitely not how you would get from Manchester to Calgary. Those kind of incongruities continued throughout the book, which really was a turn off for me. There was also a joke about calling a taxidermy moose head "Moose-olini", which is definitely cringe rather than funny. There were many attempts to incorporate Canadian culture as well, but it felt like a Wikipedia article more than an actual experience.

Now for the good stuff: I enjoyed seeing Robin and Neve both try to work through some of their issues and find each other. The small town was super adorable and I would love to get more stories set in that world. I think the secondary characters were also a driving factor to me still liking this book a bit.

Overall, if you are good a disconnecting from any level of reality for contemporary romance and you like wintery holiday reads, I would give this one a try. There were moments that were really funny and/or emotional to go with the problems.

In a fun beginning premise, Robin who lives in England, ends up going her honeymoon alone to Canada. When her engagement is called off months before Robin didn’t remember to cancel her honeymoon plans. Her sister encourages her to take the trip. Robin is someone who has always given in to other people. Even her honeymoon at a mountain skiing cabin was her ex’s choice and not hers. Neve is a local ski instructor. She was almost an Olympian but family issues brought her home and she hasn’t left again.

In a slow burn romance Robin and Neve’s paths keep crossing. Neve helps Robin find her cabin in the dark, sees she gets home after drinking too much and teaches her to ski. A lot of activity is packed into a short week holiday. I’m not actually sure the time frame works to get in ski lessons, helping out at a bakery, holiday markets, dog sledding, drinking etc.

I liked the narration giving inner thoughts for both of the main characters. Both have gone through a lot in their young lives. It was almost overwhelming on the down side. Both want to be seen and appreciate by mom and others. The book relies on farce for comedy which I find more common for British writing. The clumsiness of Robin, funny puns, the over the top uncle who has to dance in his underwear, the extremely horrible sounding food options for holiday dinners. That is a minor quibble but it can come off as too much or unrealistic for some readers.

I’m new to the author and am always up for a holiday romance. I think I felt more sorry for the characters than loving them. I mentioned this is slow burn and on the very, very mild, non descriptive side of steaminess. I was happy with the eventual and realistic HEA. Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Robin is supposed to get married but things fall apart. Dealing with the stress of canceling everything from the wedding, months go by and she completely forgets about the honeymoon she paid for. Of course it is non refundable. Having some time off from work, she decides on a whim to go solo despite the trip being planed for her ex-fiancé’s preferences- Robin doesn’t like snow, cold, or skiing. Once there, she meets Neve, after an embarrassing first interactions, she is her ski instructor. A bunch of mishaps later and it looks like there may be romance blooming… or not?

Pros- Sapphic rom com, holiday time, beautiful setting, complex characters.
Cons- moves a little slow, plot repeats itself occasionally, so many tropes.

Conclusion- fun light read for the holidays!

Thank you to the Netgalley and the publisher, Embla Books, for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.

I’m not going to lie, I was excited to read a sapphic Christmas/holiday contemporary romance like this one and that’s exactly why I requested this book on Netgalley. Unfortunately, that’s where my excitement ended.

We get Robin, she has been cheated on by her fiancée, and has cancelled all the vendors for the wedding, but forgot to cancel the honeymoon, so she decides to go on her own to not let it be a waste of money. I have seen this trope, but this version is more unbelievable in my opinion since, how could one forget to cancel the honeymoon? But we move on.

Robin is 26 and lives in England, and moved back in with her mother after the wedding was called off. The mother needs fucking therapy. How could a grown woman tell her adult daughter she can’t go on this trip, AND literally hide her ADULT DAUGHTER’S LUGGAGE SO THAT SHE WOULD MISS HER FLIGHT AND NOT GO? And the fact that the mother is acting like a child since Robin did go, “Robin’s name is not to be uttered in her house” and her mom is not even talking to her, Robin’s sister is the one giving updates to both about each other.

I think the author was going for a grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers vibe, but as for the grumpy/sunshine it was a flop. Robin is very clumsy, so much so its probably part of her personality, and has a lot of self pity, she’s sunshine because she makes self deprecating jokes. Neve, the ski instructor at the resort, on the other hand is not grumpy, she’s bitter, rude, and mean to everyone including Robin who is her love interest. She goes as far as to say to Robin, after being late because she’s never skied before, “If you’re not going to take the lesson, you still owe me for the time I could have spent with someone competent. We have a policy.” As for the enemies to lovers, it really doesn’t make sense because there’s no reason for them to be enemies. Neve disliked Robin from the beginning for no rhyme or reason.

I did enjoy the side characters much more than the main couple. Nick, Neve’s older brother who also works in the resort as a bartender. Hazel, the pastry shop owner. Juniper the Husky (that Robin thought was a wild wolf who was going to attack her).


The pacing of this story drags so slowly. There’s many grammatical errors that I hope are picked up prior to the final version, along with lots of formatting issues. Honestly, I personally did not have a good time, and this turned out to not be my jam, but it might be someone else’s.

I adored this sweet, romantic book. I enjoyed the story and the characters. Hope to read more by this author.

I like stories that take place outside the US, because I always learn a little bit about another culture. In this case the story is about a woman from Manchester, UK who travels to a small town outside Calgary, Canada. The holiday story is sweet, the town is cute, the women grow together in a nice way, but on the whole it felt too long, and might have worked better as a novella. There were parts that picked up and parts that made me really feel for the women though, and in the end I was rooting for them. Plus, Robin’s baking sounds divine and it was fun to read about Neve’s romantic dates.

Short summary: After being dumped by her cheating fiancée, Robin forgets to cancel their honeymoon and decides to go alone. A surly ski instructor is the last thing klutzy Robin needs to feel even worse about herself. Though they are opposites, the women start to grow on each other and seem to be everything the other is missing. But they live thousands of miles apart and Robin’s only in town until Christmas…

Thanks to Embla Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Different but interesting, seemed strange aat first as an author was writing about an author. Once you get the hang of it, after the first few pages it all fits together. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC