The tension was absolutely tensioning in this one OMG! Love love love Ginny and Elsie they are now both the loml! This was such a sweet story of friendship and deep love and overcoming the fear of finally taking what you really want and it was just such a good read. I loved the backstory we got throughout of their friendship and ups and downs each of them have faced. Learning about why Elsie moved in elementary school actually broke my heart :(

The pacing was great throughout the whole story and the third act breakup felt necessary for both of their character arcs (thank god bc I hate an unnecessary breakup). Ginny is the selfless icon we all deserve and they were such a constant light in this story, loved watching them come into themselves and take that final leap to make their dreams happen! I also felt so close to Elsie and her struggle in asking for what she wants and I loved her growth as well!

Overall such a fun read that I absolutely blew through and highly recommend!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is a salacious and incredibly fun/funny queer romance about Elsie (f) and Ginny (nb), who have been best friends since childhood but secretly both carry a torch for each other.

After a less than ideal surprise, Elsie ends up breaking off her engagement and is sent on her would-be honeymoon with Ginny instead! …And Ginny is determined that Elsie should get *everything* she wants. 😏 Buckle up, because this book is SMUTTY and SO HOT.

I absolutely LOVED this book and the connection between Elsie and Ginny felt so genuine to me. 4.75⭐️

CW: This book has butt stuff, just in case that’s not your thing. But uh, it’s done really well, because Meryl Wilsner can write butt smut better than any author I know. 🍑 I’ve said it before, but I would read their grocery list.

When Elsie calls off her wedding, she and her best friend, Ginny, end up on the honeymoon trip together. This is a very spicy friend's to lovers story.

This is not their best work. I have very much enjoyed Meryl's previous books, but this one struggled to keep my attention. The characters felt flat, and it felt like the plot was lost at points.

I received a free advance review copy through from St Martins Press through NetGalley and my review is voluntary.

Unfortunately, this book let me down! I had high hopes for My Best Friend’s Honeymoon based on the synopsis and the early chapters. The relationship between Elsie and Ginny was promising, as was the set up before we got to the titular ‘honeymoon.’ However, once the two main characters reached paradise, this fell flat for me. So much of the romantic buildup before they acted on anything was from flashbacks, so I wanted more tension before the duo acted on their feelings. Also, there was so, so, so much action (sexual) and so little action (subplot/conversation/anything) on the honeymoon, that the whole story stalled out for me. I finished, but I skimmed a lot of the middle section, which was a bummer considering how excited I had been for this.

On a positive note, I really Ginny as a character and her story development towards the end of this. I was happy to see them get their happy ending, doing what they love, surrounded by friends.

I think I need to accept that Meryl Wilsner’s books are hot and cold for me, as while I loved Mistakes Were Made, their last two books have been misses for my personal tastes.

"My Best Friend's Honeymoon" by Meryl Wilsner is a contemporary romance that explores the transition from friendship to love. The narrative follows Elsie Hoffman, who, just days before her wedding, realizes she's not ready to marry her fiancé, Derrick. Opting to proceed with the non-refundable honeymoon, she invites her lifelong best friend, Ginny. During their tropical getaway, long-held feelings surface, leading them to navigate the complexities of evolving their relationship.

Wilsner's writing is engaging, and the Caribbean setting adds a vibrant backdrop to the unfolding romance. The depiction of Ginny as a fat, nonbinary character offers refreshing representation in the genre. However, some readers felt the pacing was uneven, with certain plot developments, such as the transition from friendship to romance, occurring rapidly. Additionally, the novel employs the miscommunication trope, which, for some, became a source of frustration due to its frequent use.

The story is marked by its steamy scenes, characteristic of Wilsner's style, though opinions vary on their impact. Some readers appreciated the intensity, while others felt it overshadowed the deeper emotional connection between the characters. The internal conflict that drives a wedge between Elsie and Ginny was also a point of contention, with some perceiving it as contrived.

Overall, "My Best Friend's Honeymoon" offers a mix of engaging elements and challenges. It's a suitable pick for readers seeking a quick, steamy romance with diverse representation. However, those who prefer a more gradual development of romantic relationships and less reliance on certain tropes might find aspects of the story less satisfying.

Elsie has been engaged for a year and a half, but has done absolutely no wedding planning, so her fiancé takes the lead. When Elsie finds out that he planned their entire wedding and honeymoon without her, she realizes that she isn't really interested in marrying him. That's how she finds herself on their honeymoon with her best friend Ginny instead of the man she was supposed to marry. Ginny has been (not so) secretly in love with Elsie since they were kids, and now, she might finally have a chance to be Elsie's everything.

I loved the overall premise of this, but wish there was a little more plot/storyline. Elsie was really hard to connect to as a character because she had no idea what she did or didn't want in life. There was a ton of unnecessary miscommunication, and also a ton of spice. So much spice that there were long chunks of the book without anything except for spice. I'm happy that Elise and Ginny finally were able to connect, I just wish we could have gotten more emotional connection from them.

I paired the ebook with the audio. The audio was well done and I enjoyed the duet narration. Both narrators were great and I didn't have any issues distinguishing the characters.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the advance copies!

This spicy LGBTQ+ romantic story will have readers dreaming of tropical destinations and lazy days in bed with a caring partner! Meryl Wilsner keeps the tone light while also bringing up relatable struggles with knowing when to make a move, both in romantic and in everyday life contexts. I enjoyed getting into the minds of both of the main characters and understanding their motivations, reflections, and musings on where they had been and where they were heading in life. A fun read with a good message and some exciting, spicy scenes! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a galley copy of this book.

What I liked: it’s a fast read! Love a vacation romance. Queer representation was excellent, especially the way Elsie defended Ginny

What I didn’t like: there wasn’t enough plot for my taste. The smut was constant, and felt like filler without any story. I didn’t root for them together since Elsie was such a terrible friend and much of the conclusion was how good it was for them to be apart.

I’ve read several of Wilsner’s books and was excited by the description of this book, but felt let down by the execution.

I always adore Meryl Wilsner's books, and My Best Friend's Honeymoon delivered. This sweet friends-to-lovers romance with a nonbinary lead is an utterly binge-worthy will they/won't they story.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I’m conflicted on this book. I loved “Mistakes Were Made” and the nuanced and complex storytelling from that book, but for some reason this novel did not impress me in the same way. While I love Ginny and Elsie and was rooting for their love story, I felt that the overall plot development was clunky. I felt that the story moved simultaneously too slow and too fast. I will say I loved the last 20% of it quite a bit! I think the pacing got much better in that last chunk. Overall a sexy romp but not my favorite from this author.

thanks netgalley for the arc!!

while i like the nb rep and the tropical setting of most of this book, i didn't enjoy the majority of it, unfortunately.

my issues:

- elsies character as a whole? wilsner tries to redeem her a couple of times, but we start off knowing that elsie as a person is selfish and cowardly.

she cut off an engagement with a great person that she didn't care enough about to figure out if she even wanted to marry him. then when knew she didn't want to marry him she said yes to his proposal and waited until he planned a wedding to tell him. she pretty much immediately forgets about the guy she lead on and then starts dating the nearest person who she knows is into her - her best friend. while on the honeymoon that was meant for her and her ex-fiance lol.

- ginnys character was maybe half as detailed as elsies. we learn the majority of what we know about them in the last 20% of the book. these are really the only things that you know about them for most of the book:

1. they love elsie (why? not important man they just do and always have and always will forever and ever no matter what)
2. we know what they look like - but even that description is limited to the fact that they're fat and have features that are nice but just not as STUNNING as elsies. we don't ever really see this belief challenged from elsies perspective either so that was weird to read. mascs can be hot without comparing themselves to anyone! especially the people they date omfg.
3. they like woodworking
4. they like dogs

- the miscommunication was ridiculous.

- it just felt like ginny liked elsie so much more?? its the only thing they talked about or cared about and then when they first get together it ends up feeling like elsie made a willy-nilly decision to risk their lifelong friendship because shes horny at the beach??? its literally on the cover of the book so you know its coming but it felt to me like there was zero build up to that and then all of a sudden they were having sex and in love with each other. meryl i read mistakes were made i know you can build tension what happened.

- both of these characters' lives were really boring outside of this romance.

- the sex was really weird to me. like i said i read mistakes were made and i like the way the smut was written in that book. i get that meryl was trying to explore different kinks here but idk the underlying vibe was just uncomfortable. the language they use with each other is really intense. elsie ends up crying after one of these scenes because of how mean ginny is to her? which is pretty much completely swept over afterward. idk personally i did not find that hot at all and skipped most of the sex scenes.

obviously, they're friends, but there's nooo build-up of trust in their sexual relationship, and that made reading this feel like two horny people were impulsively seizing an opportunity to try things out in the bedroom. that isn't romantic enough for me to believe these people are in love and for an actual relationship to happen afterward idk.

a miss :') womp womp

Meryl Wilsner writing an incredibly fabulous book. Finding yourself and finding the line of your life is pay of the wonderful pay of living. Ginny and Elsie have lived most of their lives together bucks they take the leap.

This story didn't captivate me as much as I thought I would. Both Ginny and Elsie have very similar internal voices, and I found their thoughts to be highly repetitive. I didn't like hearing about their motivations over and over and over again when they haven't changed and are pretty basic and surface level.

I did enjoy the parts where we got to know the characters on a deeper level via flashbacks and their interactions with others. I especially loved Elsie's coming out story since it's so similar to my own. And as always, Wilsner writes extra streamy romances and this one had an abundance of spice.

Sadly this book was missing the emotional pull for me to make this a rave review.

I was gifted a copy of this book by St. Martin's Press for review purposes. Thoughts are my own.

I loved Cleat Cute, and Meryl Wilsner did not disappoint with My Best Friend's Honeymoon. I had a lot of fun, and I ATE this up. This was a much spicier romance than I was expecting, but the spice was amazing. There was A LOT, but there was VARIETY in the spice, which I appreciated.
I do love dumbass4dumbass romances. Ginny and Elsie just could NOT communicate or chose to put themselves back in the friendzone in an attempt to not lose the other. There is just something about this dynamic that I eat up.

This was a fun, generally lighthearted romance! With nonbinary representation and a friends-to-lovers trope, along with plenty of learning about past pining, I thought Ginny and Elsie were enjoyable characters. I think the book did a good job of underlining the point that we all deserve happiness, and sometimes, you just need to ask for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This book was not for me...I have read a few books by the author and I think at this point, I need to be done. It's a me problem. I can see how others might enjoy this, especially if they have liked other works from the author. However, I find the intimate scenes to be too graphic for my liking.

Thank you to Netgally & the publisher for my early e-arc.

I had higher hopes but it just didn’t wow me at any point. I felt like I needed more from them besides sex. Ginny and Elsie also just annoyed me. I didn’t like that half the book was basically conflict and I kind of got bored. I’m not saying it was a terrible read, but it could have been better.

I loved the premise of this book and the execution was absolute PERFECTION! I've loved Meryl Wilsner's backlist books but this one might just be my favorite of all time! The yearning and mutual pining led to so much angst and I ate up every bit of it. Elsie and Ginny's characters both felt so real and their development was done so well! I absolutely loved how different both of the characters were from each other but how perfectly they worked together!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Meryl Wilsner for sending me an early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC and ALC of this book!

I loved the narration! I thought both narrators did a great job of bringing these characters to life.

I'm a big fan of Meryl Wilsner. Their book Mistakes Were Made is probably still my all time favorite sapphic romance. So I was really excited to read this one.

Friends to lovers is not usually a trope I gravitate towards. Nothing irks me more than people in love holding back because they may ruin their friendship. But this was really cute. Elsie and Ginny have basically grown up together, and while Ginny KNOWS they've loved Elsie that whole time, it takes Elsie calling off her own wedding and going on the honeymoon with her best friend to realize she loves Ginny too.

I loved the vacation part of the story.

It's Spicy (I mean we are talking spice before the halfway point) and it's got all types of spice as they are so comfortable with each other they try some things! Them being comfortable with each other is actually the best part for me. It's so endearing how they love each other.

It's when they get back home and the 3rd act breakup comes into play that the story fell a little short for me. It seemed a dumb reason to part, even though these two maybe did need some time to figure out what they wanted on their own. The reason... was dumb.

This is still a super cute, sweet, SPICY, lovely sapphic story and I enjoyed it a lot!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel!
4.5 stars

This is a really interesting structure for a romance! It is as much about their friendship as it is their romantic relationship, and it makes for a knotty (and naughty) character-driven story. All in all I really liked it, and loved what it had to say about finding individuality in a relationship and how a people-pleaser can find their own voice. I am very picky with my 5 stars, and this book is probably as close as a pop romance can get.

Characters: I enjoyed reading Ginny and Elsie's story a lot. They're very similar, which I think is a natural, sensible result of their lifelong friendship, but they sort of seemed less like two individuals at times and more like two sides of the same coin. Or like two heads on the same body. Even when you're in one character's POV, Ginny and Elsie are so intertwined that they almost haunt each other's narratives. It's part of what makes the end of the book so strong, in my opinion: they finally take time to find who they are as individuals, and I think it makes the book as a whole more interesting.

Plot: This book is very much separated into thirds. The first third is all the fun of a usual romance, with tension and yearning. The middle third is smut. The last third is the meat of the individual character development. I really liked the first and last third, but the middle was a little jarring. To be clear: it was really good smut. Meryl Wilsner knows what they're doing. But it came on a little suddenly, and it was really stuck in that one moment. I wish the build up to the initial getting-together had been a little more gradual, although I do appreciate that these two characters have been in love with each other since childhood. Other than that, I liked the plot.

Prose: Simplistic but nice. No lines stuck out to me for good or bad reasons. This book had a lot to say about individuality within relationships when they feel all-encompassing and like a sport of your identity, but did not do it in a particularly artful way.