Let me just start by saying I was very excited for this book. I’ve previously loved Meryl‘s other stories and I always enjoy queer love stories. I couldn’t believe it when I got approved for this arc and I went into the book expecting to love it. Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case.

The story started off weird to me with Ginny having been in love with Elsie for their whole lives, but never having said anything. Ginny had been living their whole life around what Elsie wanted, and ensuring they couldn’t always be around Elsie, and I didn’t love the vibes. I just kept imagining myself in a position of Elsie and I know I would’ve felt so uncomfortable. If I found out after decades, I had a friend who had always been in love with me, but never said anything and essentially built their whole life around staying close to me. Ginny even quit her job without telling Elsie to go on this honeymoon trip with her.

I felt like it didn’t represent queer people very well. I know that everyone is different, but too often queer people are portrayed as predatory, and I felt like the start of that story gave me that vibe.

What’s the two of them are on the honeymoon and realize they’re into each other we start to get into the spicy sex scenes - which was another piece of this book I was originally very excited for.
But honestly, the sex scenes felt like they were going on forever and were repetitive. I wanted more connection between them and more activities of them like falling in love. I wanted more than the two of them just going on a Caribbean trip to have sex for multiple days and rarely doing anything else or talk about anything interesting.

Towards the end of the book I did start to like it more. My favourite part is after they get home from the trip and spend some time thinking about things separately.

Ginny is doing things for themself for once - like getting a foster dog, texting with their family, and starting a new business they feel inspired by. Ginny builds her own foundation for her life.

Elsie spends time with her family talking a lot about certain things that she’s always wanted for herself, she fights for those things for herself, and learns to stand on her own outside of a romantic relationship.

Those are the parts that made me feel happy and made me feel like I was getting to know the characters and made me want to keep reading.

I also liked the way the book ended. Getting to know the characters at the end wrapped things up nicely for me, but honestly, the first 3/4 of the book were not for me.

Most likely I will still pick up whatever Meryl Willner writes next because I do love to read queer stories, support queer authors, and get that diverse representation in the books I’m reading. I’m hoping this story is just an outlier for me and I’ll go back to loving most of what Meryl writes.

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is ⭐️⭐️ for me.

Thank you for the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and a chance interview this book!

Have you ever yearned before? If not, get ready for a masterclass in the yearning of young queer folk who desperately are trying to not ruin the friendship.

I loved the dialogue, the characters, the vacation that made me jealous of tropical temperatures.

The author alternates the narrative between the two leads, and offers insight into their own personal history and how that is impacting the way they are handling the situations around them. I really loved this narrative style. It felt very immersive and like I was living in the character’s minds.

Three words: Plus-sized. Nonbinary. Sapphic! (Is plus-sized 1 or 2 words?...)

Yes. Just yes. This book is everything I expected and more. Meryl Wilsner is an automatic buy author for me and My Best Friend’s Honeymoon was no exception. And this one is PACKED with spice. If you loved the spice of Mistakes Were Made, they have turned it up EVEN HOTTER with this one, I’m still blushing.

I really enjoyed this wlw book by Wilsner. Look, am I generally annoyed by characters who feel lost/ stuck, and don't know what they want? Yes. Did this make Elsie grate on my nerves a bit? Yes, but I also think she was brave for deciding not to marry her ex-fiance. The premise of Ginny going on Elsie's honeymoon with her and the two discovering their friendship could be more (with Ginny's personal goal of helping Elsie decide what she does want -- in bed and out) was fun. I got anxious for the final third of the book but ultimately loved the time spent with Ginny and her foster-dog / Elsie and her family alone before coming back together. For this being Wilsner's first romance with a NB MC, I appreciated her nuance.

Mistakes Were made is one of my favorite books so I am always on board for a new Meryl Wilsner book. This book took awhile to get into the grove for me because of the third person present. It felt like Ginny was speak about themselves in 3rd person. I didn’t love that and I think this book would have nailed it if it was in first person. That said ME writes great spice and boy was there a lot of it. I think the story would have been a tad more relatable if there ass some angst between the two when they were younger. As always MW writes great queer love.

3/5 stars: This is Wilsner's 2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance that follows a woodworker who goes with her hardware store shopkeeper lifelong best friend on a non-refundable Caribbean honeymoon after she calls off the surprise wedding she didn't want but only if she'll explore everything she wants... even if they never expected her to want them. Told in dual POV and with plenty of humor and heartfelt feelings, Wilsner's writing and character work are well done; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Ginny, who's nonbinary and a lesbian, and Elsie, who's pansexual, are great and I enjoyed seeing them deal with their personal issues, come together and get their HEA. This is a best friends-to-lovers romance with top notch swoony banter and OPS scenes that are incredibly steamy, oh so spicy and kinky. With tact and sensitivity, Wilsner takes on some very serious and sensitive issues; so take care and check the CWs.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Usually, I don't like the friends-to-lovers trope. Most of the time I find it lacking, either in drama or yearning or whatever, and the idea of falling for my childhood best friend grosses me out- but sometimes, when it's done right, it's so good. Meryl Wilsner gets it so right in My Best Friend's Honeymoon.

The novel follows Elsie and Ginny, childhood best friends who go on Elsie's honeymoon together after she breaks up with her boyfriend when he surprises her with a wedding. But soon the platonic get away turns less than platonic when the pair give into the attraction they've both felt and start sleeping together. Wilsner's sex scenes are so hot, and this may be their hottest book yet.

The character development in the book was excellent as well. Both Elise and Ginny realize that they have their own issues that may be inhibiting them for a better relationship with each other, and the second half of the novel allows them to discover themselves outside of their close friendship and flourish as individuals.

It's also notable that Ginny is the first non binary main character Meryl Wilsner (non binary themselves) has written. Ginny is a non binary lesbian while Elsie is queer.

I liked My Best Friend's Honeymoon a lot (which was a relief since I didn't care of Cleat Cute, Wilsner's novel before this one). The premise was fun, the book both sexy with lots of character development, and I was rooting for and shipping Ginny and Elise so hard. It's cute and I recommend it.

I am throughly disappointed in having to give such a low rating to a book. Especially a LGBTQIA book. I understand that ARCs are uncorrected copies, but the blatant disregard for not using Ginny’s they/them pronouns consistently became so frustrating that it really made me wonder if the author understood the importance of non-binary people or just wanted to seem like they did. The number of times Ginny was referred to as she/her especially in the scene visiting her grandfather made me want to throw my Kindle across the room.

There is also A LOT of sex in this book. Like… I get it. You’re in a sexy place finally hooking up with someone you’ve been pining over for decades. But it was just getting to be so much I had to start skimming to get to some substance again.

This is a big pass from me, unfortunately. But I do thank Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Damn Derrick (both appreciative and degrading). I am a sucker for best friend’s to lovers considering my personal experiences. I love nonbinary lesbian rep. Elsie and Ginny are adorable together. This is a lesson all women need to learn. If you don’t take care of your needs first your life will be unfulfilled. Personally I didn’t enjoy the spice, but that’s my own biases because I went into the book knowing about the spice. I assume it was written well, and Elsie and Ginny really enjoyed it. Their enjoyment made me happy.

5 Stars – A Perfect Blend of Romance and Friendship!

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner was an absolute delight to read! From start to finish, I was completely captivated by the heartfelt journey of friendship, love, and unexpected romance. The chemistry between the characters is electric, and Wilsner does an amazing job of weaving a story that balances humor, vulnerability, and emotional depth.

The plot is refreshing and unique – it takes a trope we all know and love (best friends and unexpected romance) and adds a layer of complexity and warmth that makes it feel entirely new. I couldn't help but root for the characters as they navigated their feelings and the twists and turns that came with their evolving relationship.

What truly stood out to me was the way Wilsner handled the themes of friendship and love. The dynamic between the characters felt so real, and it was easy to get emotionally invested in their journey. The writing is sharp and witty, and the pacing was perfect, making it a book I couldn't put down.

This is definitely a book I will recommend to anyone looking for a beautiful, heartwarming romance that also explores the bonds of friendship. If you're in the mood for a story that will make you laugh, swoon, and maybe even tear up a little, My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is the perfect pick!

This was such a great (super spicy!) read that will be perfect for the summer reading season! I think Meryl Wilsner is going to be an auto-buy from here on out for me. I really enjoyed their book “Cleat Cute” and now this one. I liked how the characters, even though they had known each other for over a decade and both had been pining for the other, decided to ultimately take time to really stop and figure out what they wanted from their own lives without the other’s influence, before getting into a serious relationship. It was during that time that their characters really developed and came into their own and made the final payoff that much better.

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

I liked this book! It took me a little bit to get into the book but I liked the inclusiveness and the setting. I didn’t really connect with the main character and thought the miscommunication was a little overdone. If you like best friend turned lovers trope then you will probably like this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

What a fantastic vacation and enjoyable summer read! It's a delightful blend of spice and sweetness, featuring memorable and well-developed characters!!!

2.5/5 ☆
3/5 🌶

I wanted to like this book so much and it had such a great premise & strong start...but I dont buy the romance. It went from a decade of pining on one side to an admitted desire and then immediate sex. For a good chunk of the first half.

Then the miscommunication. Can we PLEASE get a new trope for romance to cause tension? This wasn't even third act break up, this was 50%!! We spent almost the entire second half of the book where neither person would talk to the other and admit feelings. Im so over this trope and it really put a damper on my enjoyment of a novel I was really looking forward to this year- it was actually one of my most anticipated ARCs i had lined up. As a fat introverted enby, i really wanted to like the MC so much but...i really just couldn't and their love interest made me so mad at times.

Thanks to St Martin for the eARC.

Pretty much what I expected since I've read Mistakes Were Made - a spicy queer romance, nothing groundbreaking but still fun! I was lowkey getting annoyed that they were squandering their resort vacation by staying in the hotel room the entire time.

I enjoyed this book. Meryl Wilsner's writing was just as good as in her first book Cleat Cute and she is great at crafting a romantic story. I did feel as if this book was a bit harder to get into, but once I was into it, I was into it. This was the perfect book to read in the cold weather while wishing for warmer days ahead.

I am obsessed with Meryl Wilsner's writing style. One of my biggest complaints with romance is a lack of balance. All of their books have that perfect ratio of spice to sweet that I just love. I am a complete fiend for the friends to lovers trope, and Meryl wrote this one beautifully. I will definitely be suggesting this book to anyone looking for a great spring or summer vacation read.

The first Meryl Wilsner book I read was Mistakes Were Made. I adored it. I then read their debut novel, Something to Talk About, and adored it as well. Then Cleat Cute came out and WOW it was great. My Best Friend’s Honeymoon, makes their books a four for four for this reader!

Wilsner is excellent at creating a world where queer people are allowed to exist, live, and love. This book, their first with a non-binary lead, continues this trend quite successfully. It was refreshing to read a queer romance with this kind of representation. I loved the characters and found their relationship endearing. Was the book perfect? No, but they never are. There were moments where I found myself unsure of the pacing or character reactions, but Wilsner makes the pay off worth it. I’d recommend to anyone looking for a rom com!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

My Best Friend's Honeymoon tells the story of what happens when you call off your surprise wedding and take off on your honeymoon with your best friend. Elsie has been engaged to her college boyfriend for a few years and he's decided to throw her a surprise wedding. When Elsie calls off the wedding she is offered the honeymoon by her ex-fiancee. She takes her best friend Ginny who has been in love with her forever.

This was a very spicy book (in my opinion) with a lot of LGBTQ representation. Elsie and Ginny's story was lovely and had a lot of real-life problems with real-life solutions.

This was adorable!! Both the nbmc and the fmc were super lovable, the concept was fun and lighthearted, and overall it was a standard but well done little rom com. It doesn’t drag itself down in any one thing too long, and the only time I found myself really questioning if the characters’ actions made sense around a conflict, the story eventually acknowledges that they were being unreasonable. A friends to lovers trope mixed with “for one week, you have to do anything I say,” which was a cute dynamic.