I wanted to love this one, but alas.
You know from the title/description that the FMC calls of her wedding and brings her nonbinary bestie along on the nonrefundable honeymoon.
30% of the book is time spent on the honeymoon and the only content is them having sex. No development of their romantic connection; very little other content. Then at the end of the honeymoon, we hit the third act conflict and then the rest of the book is that conflict. The two main characters do not spend any time together on page until the last 5% of the book. Yes we see some individual growth and development which is nice, but I just was not buying the transition from lifelong best friends to soul mates. I also did not love the ex-fiancé being the villian of the story when his actions are really not all that offensive given the actions and general door mat-ness of Elsie.

The audio narration by Blair Baker and Emily Shaw was well done. Both are new to me narrators. They sound pretty similar to each other which made it hard to distinguish the POVs/dialogue, but overall enjoyable and a quick read.

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

MORE QUEER BOOKS IN 2025!!!! What I love about this author is the representation that is etched into every page of this book. Could not recommend more. Especially for my enby friends.

Due out April 29

Elsie and Ginny grew up besties. They shared a first kiss once in their tweens. In high school, Ginny asked Elsie to a dance and Elsie turned them down. They put the work in to save their relationship after that and now are the closest of friends, seeing each other every day, and firmly platonic.

When Elsie's long-time fiancee decides to press fast-forward on their wedding plans, things fall apart. And when Elsie takes her bestie Ginny to the super sexy non-refundable honeymoon, things get super duper sexytimes (yep, there's a whole feast of sex in here). They obviously mean the world to each other, but they will each have to ask what they were and are willing to do to make their relationship work, because neither can come to terms with losing one another in their lives.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audiobook ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner is a cute friends to lovers romance. It was light and breezy without too much drama. The main characters were interesting and of course frustrating at times (but who isn’t) ;) that’s life.

I’m not typically a spicy romance fan, usually because it feels cringey or an odd word gets overused. However, I didn’t find that this time. The words flowed nicely and it was way more heat than cringe (although I did find a couple words that I was like “huh?!”.) It did end up feeling like a large segment of the book though. So if super spicy at length isn’t your jam, you might find this one difficult.

🎧 My brain consumed this book via my ears… so audiobook!

The narration was great - no issues at all. Good pace, I listed at around 1.75 speed

Note:
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

3.25/5.00 (for those that love spice, likely a 4.5/5.0) ;)

Whew. This one? Deliciously queer, wildly sexy, and emotionally satisfying in all the right ways. Meryl Wilsner absolutely delivered with My Best Friend’s Honeymoon, giving us a sapphic friends-to-lovers romance that’s as tender as it is steamy.

The fact that one of the MCs, Ginny, is nonbinary? My heart! It's giving main character energy to all the “theys” out there, and I am so here for it. Representation like this matters, and Wilsner handled it with care, charm, and zero tokenizing.

The concept alone is hilariously romantic: Elsie ditches her surprise wedding (yes, surprise), cancels the man, and takes her gay resort honeymoon with her queer bestie Ginny instead. One week. All-inclusive. No ex-fiancé, just sunshine, vibes, and a whole lot of heat. And when Ginny tells Elsie she can have whatever she wants, as long as she asks? Let’s just say… things escalate beautifully.

The chemistry between Elsie and Ginny is off the charts. Like, 5/5 spice and then some. Honestly, I listen to audiobooks at work. I couldn't with this one, and not to brag but I've got a dam good poker face. Their emotional connection is just as strong—years of friendship, quiet longing(except on Ginny's end, the entire town knew they were in love with Elsie), and that slow, glorious realization that they’ve always been it for each other.

Also? Shoutout to the narrator because—please! That voice?! 8/5. No notes.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 4/5 Characters
🌶️ 5/5 Spice
🎬 5/5 Ending
🧩 4/5 Plot
🎧 8/5 Narrator (iconic, honestly)
💫 5/5 Overall

If you’re into emotionally rich, unapologetically queer romance with sizzling tension and a soft landing? Pack your bags—this honeymoon is worth the trip.

ARC review for the ebook and audiobook! I loved this book SO MUCH!
I love Meryl Wilsner books so much and this one did not disappoint! I loved the audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job with this story.
I love a queer friends to lovers story and the ONLY thing I did not love was the third act breakup but that’s typical.

If you’re in love with your best friend, go for it. It could end like this 💕

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Two best friends of over a decade finally give a romantic relationship a shot and strive to pursue their dream occupations. Can they pull it off or will it all go up in smoke?

As a first work I have read by Meryl Wilsner, I was not only surprised by the plotline but also engaged with the characters, Elsie and Ginny.

Seeing the portrayal of a nonbinary character in a romantic piece not only was enjoyable but made me a Meryl Wilsner fan. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Ginny’s journey is one people need to read. Their expression of being nonbinary and a supportive friend to Elsie are the centerpiece (s) to the novel. While a budding, steamy romance does ensue between Ginny and Elsie, it is important to note the romance is built on a history of friendship between both of the lovers. The interwoven pieces of both characters’ pasts both pertaining to their lives together and their identities were CRUCIAL to the story and meant a lot to me as a reader, especially as an LGBTQIA+/Queer reader.

While I loved the plot-line, I did struggle to follow the plot-line after the relationship between both main characters began. This period in the novel led to many passionate scenes between characters; however, the plot after felt rushed and disconnected, which was unexpected. I would have enjoyed a longer resolve after both characters returned from the honeymoon, especially since both characters were built up to be strong characters who I had fallen in love with throughout the reading of the novel.

I would recommend this novel to other readers who would enjoy LGBTQIA+ romance!

A special thank to Netgalley, Griffin Publishing, and Meryl Wilsner for the ARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a relatively short audiobook which I enjoyed, and the narrators fit perfectly with the characters in my opinion. But it was difficult to care about the two main characters, Ginny and Elsie. It made me honestly angry that Elsie ended up not only having lots of sex with Ginny but also DATING them like what, two weeks after dumping her fiancé? I get she wasn’t very happy but damn. I wouldn’t be as upset if he like cheated or was mean to her or something, but he was honestly just kinda oblivious and trying to help. Some of the sex scenes made me CRINGE (aka the fisting scene). The third act breakup was extremely unnecessary and avoidable.
The redeeming qualities of this audiobook were the narrators and the fact that it was a quick listen.

Judging by the way I finished this book in one day, it’s safe to say that I loved it. It’s a fast-paced friends to lovers tale with funny and heartfelt moments. It was so sweet to see the way Ginny cared for Elsie and although I typically don’t enjoy a third act breakup, I didn’t mind this because it felt important to the storyline that the two figured out what they wanted for themselves. I do wish there was a bit more yearning (duh, I want this in every book) but I was definitely rooting for them the entire way through. I’ve read a few of Meryl’s books and this one has become my favorite so far!

The thing I most enjoyed about this book was the audiobook performance. I'm glad the ARC I received was an audiobook because it softened much of the content that didn't appeal to me, which is why this is a tough one for me to review. There were some things I liked about the book but more than a few things that were strong dislikes for me. That said, when I review books I try to put myself in a different POV because there are clearly people that do enjoy this content or the book wouldn't exist.

What the book is:
🔘 Two 25 year old best friends that have been in love with each other since they were at least 15. Ginny is aware of that fact and has suppressed their feelings for their entire friendship. Elsie doesn't want to lose the comfort of their friendship, so she ignores any stronger feelings. After ending her relationship, Elsie and Ginny end up sharing more than a bed when they end up on Elsie's honeymoon together.
🔘 Stays true to the Wilsner brand (lots of sex), though this one also has repeated use of the word c*nt with some degradation sprinkled in.
🔘 A 3rd act breakup so silly (not in a good way) that I actually didn't see it coming. It absolutely didn't make sense for two people that supposedly had such a strong emotional bond, especially when the miscommunication happens after sharing so much physical intimacy.
🔘 Characters with accepting families.

If like me, you loved Mistakes Were Made and long anticipated Cleat Cute only to be unsatisfied, this book will probably not satisfy either. The author's choice to emphasize sexual intimacy over emotional intimacy was a big miss. It reduces queer relationships stereotypes and it made it feel so heteronormative. One of the reasons why I loved the relationship in Mistakes Were Made so much was because there was so much emotional intimacy shared which made the physical so much more meaningful.

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

This is my first book by Meryl and they did a great job of keeping me entertained!

could there have been more character development.. Sure, could we have seen more lead up.. Okay.. BUT was it an enjoyable read! Absolutely!! And that dirty talk 🥵 Love me some good degrading dirty talk!

i felt this was a very easy read and I enjoyed finishing this in one sitting.

Thank you net galley, St Martin’s Publishing Group, and Meryl Wilsner for gifting me an arc of My Best Friend’s Honeymoon.

What do you do when your fiancé decides to surprise you with a wedding? You’ve had no say in the details, invites, or any of the planning.

Obviously the correct answer is you dump him and take your hot plus sized nb bestie to your non refundable honeymoon destination!

This books was cute, fun, perfect for the summer and LORD THAT SPICE!!! Way, WAY spicier than I would have ever expected.

Overall the book was enjoyable, but didn’t wow me at any point.

My Best Friend's Honeymoon was a fun read where best friends figure out they've been in love with each other for several years. It only takes a broken engagement, a cancelled wedding, and a tropical vacation to figure it out.

Generally, I enjoyed this friends to lovers romance. I do which there had been a little more build up to the relationship, but overall it was an enjoyable read. While I am not usually a fan of the third act breakup, I very much support this one, it was a break up with purpose and not just miscommunication.

I also enjoyed that the audiobook had distinct voices for each character. I always knew who I was listening to and felt the narrators did a really good job portraying the emotions the characters were feeling.

If you enjoy friends to lovers, stories that feature NB characters and spice I would recommend you pick this book up! Thank you to the publisher for providing an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I have really enjoyed other books by Meryl Wilsner, I couldn't stand this one. As a Trans Butch Minnesotan obsessed with the state fair I should have loved this book. The characters WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT MINNESOTA, whyyyy almost every time the place setting was brought up it felt like filler and I thought this was very naively written. Also the characters are soo unlikable!

If you're fan of Meryl's books then you wont be disappointed. The audio book is done really really well. It is narrated by two different people and I had no issues separating the characters not only by their voices, but also by their intonations, tempo and accent. The audio was clear without any funky or weird noises. I would rate the audio version 5 stars, but the story itself only "meh". I personally thought the first part of the book was repetitive, going on and on in circles. If it wasn't for the engaging audio version I might have not pushed through and not continue with the book. And yes, the spice is hot.

Thank you, author, publisher, and NetGalley for Providing me with an eARC of the book.

Ok go read that description one more time... yeah that's right her fiancé throws her a surprise wedding and instead of going through with it they break up before they can make it to the alter. She then takes her bests friend(/homoerotic friendship) on the non-refundable honeymoon to the tropics... would you be surprised if I said this is Meryl Wilsner's least messy book so far.

I'm gonna be so serious, this is the first book by Meryl Wilsner that I haven't DNF-ed. This is messy but not to the point where I'm cringing at how the characters act. So, if that's why you're reading their books this one might not be as exciting for you. There're definitely some good parts but this isn't one of those ones that I'm gonna be re-reading any time soon.

I loved this book! It felt like such a new and unique story that was very special. Especially in the way it explored gender identity. Very well done!

Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you—My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is less romance/romcom and more erotica-light. I don’t have an opposition to that, but I generally prefer more story and yearning rather than so much steam. The pacing wasn’t really for me, but it’s a nice enough book regardless.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio version of this book. This was a cute story of best friends who finally admit they love each other. 3.5 stars