4 <b> The blood was everywhere </b> Stars
This is a hilarious story about Libby and the way she lives her perfectly scheduled life. I picked this up on amazon as a freebie in a short sale and then forgot about it for a long time until I got a copy from the publisher/author.. why am I so stupid this book was laugh out loud comedy. It was crazy real. This book is EXACTLY what happens when you just stop planning .. I oddly read this on my honeymoon and it was great. I discovered the author from her Crown Jewels series and glad to see her humor still present. This book is fun , simple, a summer read, quick and while there is a ton of stereotyping and clichés it adds to the overall sweetness of the book… go in expecting full on sugar and you will like this!
I mean really.. who plans their honeymoon to work?

Funny, fresh and written in a unique style,'The Honeymooner' is a great romantic comedy.

For a book that focuses on some weighty topics - being jilted at the altar, loss of identity and attempting to keep a business afloat - it contained plenty of humour and had a delightful lightness. There was very little angst because of the romance and humour blending with the deeper issues and I appreciated the way Melanie Summers was able to successfully combine them. The two main characters - Libby and Harrison - were both extremely personable and with whom I could relate. Harrison was dreamy and alluring and he really made this book for me, along with the slow-burn romance. A very worthwhile read.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Indigo Group via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Honeymooner was such an enjoyable romcom! I want this to be a movie so I can experience it again! The setting was so gorgeously described that I could almost imagine being there instead of being in my pool in Ohio. Close enough, right? Melanie has edged her way in to my top list of romcom writers, and I look forward to reading more. I’m excited to see this is #1 in a series and curious to see where the rest of the series goes!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

DNF 42%

Unfortunately this novel is unremarkable. For me the characters do not have depth or character. I thought this would be a fun light read but the story wasn't interesting enough for me to continue. Despite this, it is written well.

Perfect chick lit! I loved the premise and the characters were well developed! I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

Richard leaves Libby at the altar. Literally. Just as the wedding is scheduled to start, Richard (who hasn’t arrived yet) dumps Libby by text. Libby is certain he must just have cold feet. She has their whole life planned out – careers, a four-bedroom house near her bestie and cousin, Alice; a small yacht; and 2-3 children. Each will have two individual and one mutual hobby when they retire at age fifty-five.

The newlywed couple were intending to honeymoon at Paradise Bay Resort in the Benavente Islands where she had scheduled a meeting with the owner. Since her employer, GlobalLux, had paid for a two week stay, Libby decides to go check out the resort and hopefully convince the owner to sell. All of Libby’s carefully laid out plans crumble the moment she arrives and lays her eyes on the handsome Harrison.

At age 6, Libby forsake the bohemian lifestyle her mother preferred and has since been very tightly wound. On the surface, she appears to have a hard shell. In no time, Harrison begins to cause cracks in that exterior. Underneath, Libby just wants to be loved.

Harrison has spent his entire life taking care of everyone else. When his uncle passed away, he took leadership of the Paradise Bay Resort while encouraging his brother and sister to follow their passions. Now, though, the resort is close to bankruptcy. Suddenly, Harrison is conflicted by his fierce, sudden feelings for Libby Dewitt. He knows she is only on the island to convince him to sell to GlobalLux.

Go inside the hearts and minds of these two lost souls as they discover new things about themselves that they are ill equipped to handle. See them at their most vulnerable. Rejoice with them as they learn to take chances.

Their encounters evokes strong emotions in Libby and Harrison, as well as the reader. You will laugh and tear up as you hold their frailties in your hands. You will want to give them a hug.

A definite must read. The story in all its simplicity and complexities will leave you wanting more. Fortunately, Whisked Away, the second book in this series, will provide it.


I received an ARC from Indigo Group through NetGalley. That in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

The Honeymooner is an uplifting romance! When Libby Dewitt is embarassed and left by her fiancee, she flees to Paradise Bay on a solo trip. There she encounters Harrison Banks, the owner of the resort, she becomes a different person, perhaps the woman she's always meant to be. A wonderful story of rising up from a loss and discovering what truly makes you happy!

Funny story of stood up in alter and finding her true love going to honeymoon by herself.
This could be standalone and it was perfect summer read.

Libby Dewitt was ready for her wedding until her groom decided to bail on her 10 minutes before the wedding. She never thought her fiancee would bail on her since they weren't any indication of cold feet from him. Libby being stress nose bleeder (that was kinda funny), she was just thinking this is just another bump on their happily ever after and decided to take her honeymoon by herself. Honeymoon was suppose to be work and fun at the same time. Since she doesn't have any groom, she decided to enjoy and work at the same time.
Libby's goal is to get the owner of Paradise bay to agree to sell the property. But it is not as easy as she thought. First night at her honeymoon at Paradise Bay resort, she is drunk as skunk and meets gorgeous bartender Harrison and throws herself. Until she finds out that bartender wasn't just bartender, the owner of the resort.
Libby needs to win Harrison over so he would sell. But it won't be easy for her. He is offering all the fun activities and she decided to enjoy the fun as part of research and getting to know the owner.
Now she is having so much fun and getting to know Harrison and his quirky crews and they are winning her heart little by little. Not only Libby having fun out of her comfort zone, she is having fun with Harrison as well. Now she has to figure out if she is really loving what she does or help Harrison and his resort.

All of the characters were quirky and funny. Libby was uptight in the beginning but she really changed and I ended up liking her as well.
Thanks to Netgalley and Indigo group for ARC in exchange for honest review.

This book intrigued me from the start with our main character being left at the altar on her wedding day. I had high hopes that the intrigue would continue but honestly, this book didn’t quite do it for me. It was so predictable, which isn’t always a bad thing, but it just became so cliched and cheesy by the end. The two main characters felt a little underdeveloped, making it difficult to feel attached to them and their relationship.

This was a light, easy read with some funny parts, but nothing new and exciting. I probably would not recommend this book over other novels of the same genre with that vacation vibe.

How can you not be drawn into a story where a person is left at the altar? ‘The Honeymooner’ is a great read for a summer holiday, lazing on the beach (which matches the delightful cover). Libby Dewitt, is trying to have it all by combining her honeymoon at the Benavente Islands whilst trying to coordinate a business arrangement with the owner of the Paradise Bay Resort, Harrison Banks. Meanwhile, Harrison, is trying to keep his family business intact and avoid having to sell. It is only when her fiancée Richard, leaves her standing at the altar, having delivered his rejection via a text message, that she decides to remain on the island. Soon she finds herself, captivated by Harrison, who is almost too good to be true – handsome, kind-hearted and full of life. It is only when Richard decides to return, that her life is further thrown out of balance.
The characters in this story were delightful. Libby, trying desperately to be unlike her mother, becomes super organised, rational but at times too predictable (according to Richard). Harrison, whilst appearing to be her opposite, is everything that Libby needs, to bring her back to her true self. It might seem that this is all so very clichéd, but it works. This is a fun read, made even more enjoyable when the characters, make such a mess of everything when they forget to communicate. Not only is it comical at times, but the romance, will have you smiling until the very end.
This will make for a great series, that I am looking forward to. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A great gentle story, with humour wacky characters and a bride to be left at the alter. Breeze has an abandoning life. Her mother leaves her to follow her hipster life style. Her fiancé Richard leaves her at the alter. Her need for an happy ever after appears to abandon her. Her career leaves her feeling abandoned. So she breaks with tradition and heads for a solo work related honeymoon, that was booked to follow her wedding, on a beautiful paradise island. Enter Harrison. A handsome, Adonis who happens to own and run failing island resort, due to the fact that he cares to much about his siblings and employees to the detriment of his wallet. A story unfolds of comical situations. Intriguing conversations, and lustful encounters. Resulting in a really enjoyable gentle book.

I enjoy this storyline so much. It’s so sweet and cute and fun and a little heartbreaking. So. All the great things for an excellent novel.

2 stars
I wanted to love this book, it sounded awesome. When I don't love the main characters, it is hard for me to get into or care about their story. That was my problem with this one.

'The Honeymooner' by Melanie Summers is a romantic-comedy that's heavy on the romance, light on the comedy and almost entirely lacking in plausibility.

I'm guessing it's aimed more at the American market. As a Brit, I couldn't get over the map provided in its opening pages to help readers locate Avonia, a fictional island of the UK that is, according to the author's map, in Dutch territorial waters. This had me scratching my head before I'd read a word of the novel. Why invent a British island, when Britain already has a few decent ones that would serve well as a setting, and then plonk it in the maritime boundaries of a completely different country? Was there a Middle Earth or Narnia element to this novel? Would there be unicorns?

And then it transpired that the residents of Avonia speak American English - they are, quite clearly, American characters who have somehow spent their entire lives in the UK - at which point I almost gave up altogether. However I was determined to finish the book so I could write an informed review.

The story of 'The Honeymooner' is actually good, albeit formulaic and predictable, and plausibility improves slightly once the action moves to the (also fictional) Benavente Islands of the Caribbean. I liked the names of all the characters. But I didn't laugh once whilst reading it - I swore a couple of times, and once or twice had the slightly mushy feeling you get around Labrador puppies (probably because Harrison is basically a two-legged, well-endowed Labrador puppy) - but I never laughed. Which for a rom-com can only be counted as something of a failure. It's not that the comedy isn't there, just that it's over-written. Every joke is explained in a superfluous, follow-up sentence that knocks the humour out of the original gag.

I was mentally one-starring this book the whole way through, and then something quite amazing happened in the last few chapters. I started to care about Libby, Harrison and the future of Paradise Bay. Not care like how I care about climate change, but enough to avert my gaze from 'The Antiques Roadshow' and finish reading last night. So now I've upgraded my verdict to two stars. If it wasn't for the ridiculous Avonia thing (I mean, why can't Libby the American just be from, say, America?) I would stretch to three stars. And actually, the lined-up Paradise Bay sequel featuring Harrison's likeable sister Emma, who presumably won't even mention Avonia, will probably be quite fun. So I can definitely see a future for this series of books, whilst happily admitting I am simply not its target reader.

Such a fun read! I loved the characters and the witty dialogue!


Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

(4.5 stars)
I just loved this light and airy read! It literally made me want to be on vacation somewhere tropical rather than sitting in stuffy 99-degree weather in New England. It’s balances both wit and humor and had me laughing out loud several times, especially when she considered hyphenating her new last name “Dewitt-Tomy.” 😂
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Libby is dumped by her fiancé, Richard, just before she is set to walk down the aisle and what’s worse... it was via text message (who does that?!). And just because she is too organized and has everything in her life planned to a T. Libby goes ahead on her honeymoon alone which was doubled as a work trip anyways. Straight-edge Libby hilariously tries to win Richard back via Instagram posts. She meets resort owner, Harrison, who is the complete opposite of her. He’s impulsive and adventurous (just what Richard wanted in her) and not in her future plans. She’s attracted to him and you could cut the sexual tension with a knife but can she let her guard down and be more relaxed? Does she win Richard back? Or does she capture Harrison’s heart?
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This book is so cliché yet so good! I found myself yelling at the characters. It was so infuriating with their miscommunication and I couldn't help but yell at my book “JUST SAY I LOVE YOU!!!” Why can’t people just say how they feel?! How many books elicit that kind of reaction that the reader ends up yelling at the book? 😂 who knows what the other cars in traffic next to me were thinking of me as I was screaming to nothing. 🤷🏽‍♀️

It was great! Chemistry between the characters were on point and the storyline was engaging and entertaining. Would recommend.

Me and chick lit are not BFFs but I have to admit that sometimes I like to read this type of books.
This one, in particular, was romantic (duh!) but also humorous and at some point, after reading it, I appreciated that, actually.
It is the perfect light reading on the beach or by the pool, perfect to hold out in the warm sun of the summer
The characters were opposites that attract each other and they worked very well together.
I think I might even pick up the next book (probably). It is quite good.
3.5/5 stars

I loved this book! It was funny and fast paced. The chemistry between the main characters was great! The writing was smart and engaging

Cute, fun , happy book. The characters and story are unique and keep you turning the pages, will recommend to all romance fans.