NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Trigger warning: Death of a loved one and grief.

A poignant and slow-building romance. It is a story about finding love after losing one's spouse. I love that the characters are middle-aged and it also explores relationships between a bisexual woman and a lesbian. This is a great book to read in a cozy nook while wrapped in a comfortable blanket with biscuits and tea.

Found myself very surprised by how much I loved this book but I really did love it!

A great cast of characters, likeable but never saccharine and all felt very real and true. I found myself really rooting for them. A story that really found simplicity in connection even in complex feelings and situations. A fantastic portrayal of grief and loss when you’re grieving an idea as much as (if not more than) the person in question.

Blending of family and found family is always a favourite for me and this was done so beautifully.

I also deeply appreciated that even the hiccups were small and I didn’t have to sit through unnecessary drama, they were able to sit with their thoughts and communicate effectively and quite frankly that’s what I want.

I thought Honey in the Marrow was beautiful, heartwarming and profound. From the way grief and depression were written about, the female friendship that eventually turned into more & I loved how neither of the woman were written as a caricature or parody of how a woman in their 50+ would act.

I don’t know if I believe in right person wrong time, but my god that’s what this was. 🐝
Addie was an excellent addition and seeing their “found/made” family come together was lovely.

Emily Waters is now one of my top authors and I can’t wait to see what else is released

Thanks to Ylva and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

Grief and new beginnings are the two biggest themes of this story as we follow Stella Carter after she's lost her husband to a terrible murder. Her niece moves cross country to live with her and help her out. Stella is deep within her grief, barely leaving her home except to head to her local drugstore for candy. But between her niece Addie and an old coworker of Stella, Captain Elizabeth Murphy, Stella finds herself (sometimes reluctantly) pushing through the grief to find a new lease on life after a marriage that wasn't the healthiest and a job that she had given everything for, but doesn't want to go back to.

This book is a bit slow paced, but it does very well in my opinion, to show case the emotions and distress of moving on from huge changes in life. Stella refuses to go to therapy, having to be almost dragged, but soon finds the benefits from it. And through this she comes to realize the animosity she felt towards Elizabeth since their first meeting years ago, were a cover to feelings she couldn't deal with. Both women are products of their generation and struggle, but once their friendship begins to warm they cannot deny their draw to one another. The journey of their friendship to lovers was warm and funny, but had its ups and downs for sure.

Overall a really great read that left me feeling that no matter what time in life you can start again.

I absolutely loved this gorgeous slowburn awakening between recently widowed Stella and divorced Elizabeth. Stella is a police prosecutor, on leave from her work after the death of her husband. We see Stella's intelligence and how competent she was in her work, even if it didn’t make her happy. Elizabeth is a senior police officer, who used to work with Stella, and also with Stella's husband.

Stella is floundering in a fog of grief. She's paralysed by it and much of the first half of the novel is taken up with her denying, then navigating, depression and grief. Through the machinations and assistance of Stella‘s niece Addie, Stella and Elizabeth are thrown together and (very) slowly become friends. It’s thoughtful and quiet, and the process of grieving is a key throughline for the novel. Told from Stella's point of view, she acknowledges and eventually accepts her feelings for Elizabeth There's a beautiful metaphor about a hum under her skin that we possibly recognise as desire well before Stella does. Elizabeth unfurls for us as she does for Stella. Addie is crucial to them both and essentially gives them permission to be together. It's steamy and full of longing, with such a satisfying ending. So beautifully told, I can't believe this was a debut novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Ylva Publishing and Emily Waters for the ARC.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

nobodies grief is the same and for stella former criminal prosecutor it also means a loss of identity, so its a good thing her niece moves in with her to help

but it also brings her into contact with LAPD Captain Elizabeth Murphy someone who brings out the worst in her

but both are suffering stella for losing her husband and for elizabeth who was there when stellas husband was murdered

as the time passes and stella leans more on her niece for support elizabeth also show up more and more ...could there be a spark between them... surely not they are both not attracted to each other .....

an interesting coming out later on in life.... its a rollercoaster ride of grief and attraction

Sweet, slow-burn story with a enemies to lovers angle, sort of. Elizabeth and Stella have a history that isn't fully fleshed out, but through Elizabeth's perseverance, they eventually become friendly. I loved the cast of characters; particularly Stella's niece, Addi. The author does an excellent job of showing the difficulties of moving through the grieving process, and the relationships between the three women are well-written.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

cute love story between two fun characters that formed a cool plot. would recommend this one.thanks for the arc.

It took me a little while to get fully absorbed in this book with the matter-of-fact writing style, but once I did, I was hooked. This was an emotional story that touched on death, the grieving process, and how one attempts to put their life back together when you just want to do anything else. The more mature characters and their varied life experiences added dimension to the story. In addition to Stella and Elizabeth, I also enjoyed the character of Addie and the support that she provided to Stella at her most vulnerable moments. 4.25 stars

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚓⚖️🍷🛏️💄

I found it very refreshing to read about a main character going through grief, and depression and finding herself. I especially loved the fact that she was in her fifties and her love interest was even older in her sixties. I loved the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope and I absolutely loved how the niece played a part in getting them together.

Honey in the Marrow is so raw and heartbreaking and at the same time very beautiful. I loved every second of it. I loved how Stella went to therapy, how Elizabeth was there as much as she could be from day one and I just loved how everything played out. I loved seeing Stella come to terms with the fact she was in love with Elizabeth, and how her mind processed it considering she was still griefing for her husband who was killed.

The book is well-written, relatable, and a fantastic read. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

This book has to be up there with some of my favourites.

The story was beautiful, sad and heart warming all in one. And it was so lovely to see with older women not just teens/younger!!

I would highly recommend this book to others.

I have never been more mad to need sleep than I was when reading this book. I fell asleep fast and woke up even quicker to get back to reading. I fell absolutely in love with these women. Head over heels, ass over tits, in love with their love story. From the heartache, the depression, the loss, the emotional spirals, the absolute longing, the questioning, then the finding one another, their story unfolding, the family members adding another layer to the narration?? I fear I have a crush on this book! The straightforward, non-floral writing; the exactness and humor is effortless to read. I'm gonna reread this one again and again, so much sleep to be lost!!

Honey in the Marrow by Emily Walters was an absolute breath of fresh air! This was a lovely story about two middle aged women trying to cope with these newfound feelings for each other. The main character Stella is grieving her husbands death while her niece Addie comes to California to live with her. Through these next few months, all three women learn to co-exist while all going through three different yet similar problems. What blossoms through these connections is nothing but beautiful. The story as a whole is light-hearted and nothing but soft to the touch. From coming out at an older age, to discovering what you want to do after college- this story broaches multiple different subjects at once. The cohesiveness of each plot coming together as one was truly amazing. I really enjoyed this story and just how open and obvious the writing was. This story is about loss but also love that shines through in the end. A true gem of a read! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

One of the best books I’ve ever read. Such a touching story with deep true human emotion.
Emily Waters is one of my favorite authors!

This book hit me unexpectedly deeply and made a huge impression!
I didn't know anything about it, except that a lot of people thought it was great.
I didn't know anything specific about the story, just that grief was part of it all.
All I can say is, Wow!
It's hard, but also so full of depth and love.
It's, at least I think, a pretty realistic picture of depression coupled with grief.
Stella's grief for her late husband is not entirely clear at first.
You know she is grieving and is in a phase of self-abandonment.
Everything slowly becomes clearer as something new emerges. But it takes time!
Starting with her wonderful niece Addie (such a sweet character, I love her).
She moves in with her aunt, because she is taking a year off from school and wants to support her.
Both are and have always been very close!
This is how Stella comes back into contact with her former nemesis, Elizabeth Murphy.
The woman, her former captain, who even back then made everything inside her shudder, and not necessarily in a good way.
The person with whom she clashed the most. This woman, of all people, wants to help her? None of this makes any sense to Stella, but Addie is very convincing.
Why is Elizabeth so stubborn and so patient with her?
And what's that buzzing under her skin, whenever Elizabeth is with her?
That was a slightly different love story, but nonetheless a love story that will stay with me for a while. The story of Stella and Elizabeth is simply touching and beautiful!
Thanks to the Author and Ylva Publishing for this ARC!

Fascinating. I’ve read other books where the main character is dealing with grief but this is a stand out. Stella Carter is 51, a former prosecutor, is still reeling from her husband, an LAPD deputy chief, was killed senselessly. Her niece Addie, has finished college, moves cross country and they become housemates. Slowly Stella makes small changes in her closed up routines. Addie reintroduces Stella to Elizabeth Murphy, she is 61 and a police captain in homicide. Stella was assigned to work with Elizabeth’s team previously but they weren’t close. Stella is both annoyed at Elizabeth and drawn to the friendship she brings. It isn’t easy. Elizabeth encourages therapy and some other things that feel like baby steps. And Stella isn’t always appreciative.

I’m new to Emily Waters writing and she slowly peels back layers. A dear friend of mine was widowed this past year and I’ve watched her struggle with a lot for the first times without her husband. Water’s writes about this so realistically. But as Stella slowly sheds her grief, there are cracks where you learn the marriage wasn’t perfect, moments where she admires Elizabeth and realization that maybe she desires her too. It is subtle, and hooks you. I love Addie as the gentle cheerleader encouraging her aunt forward. This is mostly Stella’s story and told from her POV. But Elizabeth has her own background, grown kids and is taking her first steps into a new and different for her relationship. This is a beautifully written new romance with mature main characters. (4.5 Stars)

Beautifully written slow burn romance (4.5 stars)
I wasn't sure what to expect having not read the synopsis for this book ahead of time. It's an unvarnished depiction of a woman grieving losses and turning away from those who care about her, trying to navigate her life to the best of her ability. You feel for Stella trying and failing to do the most basic tasks and her niece Addie trying to balance out her own life while looking after and out for her aunt. I found it be to heavier reading at the beginning but was invested in the characters, especially rooting for Stella to find her footing, reach out for help and accept it when offered.
There's a lot of humor in the story as well and although reading about a grieving woman is not for everyone it's a hopeful story that follows Stella, Addie and Elizabeth thru their challenges and ends well for all. Just be prepared to take the journey with the characters at the pace they set knowing the payoff is meaningful and well worth it for them and the reader as well. The slow burn of the romance is beautifully written, meandering in its development at times (by design and necessity), but passionate and intimate showing Stella and Elizabeth (women in their fifties and sixties) as vibrant, flawed, accomplished women, and still evolving works in progress, always human and learning both together and on their own. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
(review from September 8, 2022)

This is truly a rare delight of a book. When I picked this up I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I did find was a fabulous story about grief, compassion, and self-discovery (and all the complications that come with it). Written in present tense singular character POV (which really worked for me) and well-balanced (equally humorous and devastating/angsty) prose, Honey in the Marrow follows the story of Stella. After the gruesome death of her husband, Stella's life falls apart. She has trouble functioning and out of concern Addie, her niece, decides to make the move out to LA to be with her aunt to try and help pick up the pieces. In this endeavor Addie befriends and enlists the help of Elizabeth, a former co-worker of Stella who Stella is so fascinatingly cagey about (read: very very very gay and very very very deep in denial).

God I adored Stella so much and even though her actions could be frustrating at times, author Emily Waters does a magical job at maintaining her likeability. She's written with so much complexity and care that I can't help but root for her even when all she seems to do is self-sabotage. The way that the feelings are depicted and developed was done so well that every plot development felt both exciting and inevitable--<SPOILER ALERT>of course Stella ghosts her therapist! I would too rather than admit uncomfortable truths about a certain beautiful and confusingly kind woman! I understand you completely Stella! Stella isn't the only well-written character either--the story primarily follows Stella, Elizabeth, and Addie, but every single character introduced feels very well thought out and I wish there was more set in this universe simply because I adored the characters so much. Finishing the book was personally devastating, but I can't wait until the release of Emily Waters's next book. Lucky for me I found this book so late I don't have to wait very long!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ylva Publishing, and Emily Waters for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!