Hives of honey, young love, single motherhood, and a murder trial in small town New Hampshire: this one was emotionally gut wrenching, but an absolute five stars for me. There is not a Jodi Picoult #book that I will not #read – her character development is some of the best in the game, and her ability to craft a story around hot-button, controversial issues is unparalleled. I will note – I am not going to say what issue this book centers around, because if I did, it would utterly destroy and ruin the absolutely jaw dropping, shocking #plottwist that takes place in the middle of this one.

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What I will say, is that this was one of my recent favorites of hers. The emotions and subject matter are heavy – this one, as do all of Picoult’s #books – will have you evaluating your position, thoughts, views, and perspectives on all manners of topics, including the main one in this #novel, and excels at putting the #reader into the shoes of others, forcing you to confront your own morality, ethics, views, and beliefs. Again, this is a trademark of all of Picoult’s #novels, and it is why I love them – but this one I felt was particularly well done.

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I also thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected background and theme of “honey” – told from the perspective of a beekeeper, I found myself mind blown by the prevalence and power of the amber liquid that somewhat stands in as its own character in this book. Another added bonus: Attorney Jordan McAfee, one of my personal favorite side characters, returns to the stand with a presence in this one.

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Oliva McAfee had the seemingly perfect life as the wife of a successful surgeon – fleeing her ex-husband, though, she is now a single mother to her teenage, All-American son, Asher, as she continues her family’s legacy on their land, working largely as a beekeeper. Unfortunately, Olivia’s life and everything she has ever known or believed about herself, her own parenting, and the love of her life – her son and only child – is tested, when her son’s girlfriend is found dead in her home.

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This one is haunting, but powerful.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. This thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel tackles complex themes of identity, love, and the secrets we keep. Told through dual perspectives and timelines, the story unfolds like a mystery while exploring deeply human truths. The writing is powerful and compassionate, with characters so vividly drawn they linger in your mind long after the last page. A compelling and timely read that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

This book gutted me in the best way. I went in expecting a courtroom drama or domestic suspense, but Mad Honey is so much more than that—layered, timely, beautifully written, and emotionally bold. It’s a story about secrets, second chances, and identity, and it completely pulled the rug out from under me in the most masterful way.

The alternating perspectives between Olivia and Lily are so well done, with both characters carrying pain, resilience, and quiet strength. The beekeeping metaphors are stunning throughout—never overdone, just enough to add meaning and atmosphere. And without spoiling anything, the reveal was handled with such compassion and power that it made me pause and reread.

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan have created something truly special here—equal parts heart and heartbreak, with a narrative that challenges, enlightens, and lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the authors for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mad Honey is available now.

This book was intriguing with the honey and bees. I did not expect so many twists, and as a mother I can definitely see why Olivia felt the way she did. This novel went over many challenges in today’s society. It was a good book. There are trigger warnings as well.

Definitely a heavier read. Very thought provoking, and I did not expect some of the twists that took place in this story!

Shocking and emotional, this latest instalment by the incredible Jodi Picoult will leave you inspired and provoke so many thoughts and emotions. I think it's a great pick for book club discussion!

Mad Honey is a powerful, multilayered novel that delivers far more than its summary suggests. While the flap hints at a suspenseful mystery, the story unfolds into something deeper—an emotional exploration of identity, love, and the weight of secrets. I felt a bit misled by the description, which barely scratches the surface of what the book truly offers. That said, the narrative is both unique and necessary, shedding light on voices and experiences that are too often overlooked. The writing is compelling, and the story is told with empathy and nuance. A surprising and important read.

Beekeeping has always fascinated me. This book weaves beekeeping and the murder mystery together in a suspenseful manner. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

This book was so so so good. In the story, Olivia and her son Asher live in New Hampshire. She’s running her father’s beekeeping business while her son stars on the high school hockey team. Everything seems perfect until Asher’s girlfriend, Lily, winds up dead and the fingers are pointing to Asher as the culprit. Throughout the novel, we see the case unfold as the building blocks come together from Asher and Olivia’s past, to Lilly and the life she had before she met Asher. Jennifer and Jodi navigate heavy and intense subject matters in such a caring and informative way. I highly recommend this, and audiobook is fantastic.

Jodi Picoult is so amazing! I love everything she writes and this was no different.
This has some intense themes but I think it was done really well.

Very interesting book with a twist half way through the book. It felt like the author tried to educate us on too many topics: Bees, What it means to be trans, What an abusive relationship looks like. Sometimes these sections went on a little too long and felt disjointed when the author went back to the main narrative. The out of order narrative was also hard to follow as it did not go in ascending or descending order. A very interesting book but just needed some edits.

4.5 stars,

As always Jodi weaves a wonder story with an ending that you don’t expect and can never guess. The added voice of the co-author, Jennifer, was just an added bonus.

While the main characters are Lily and Asher, I found the story lines of the mothers, Olivia and Ava, just as captivating. As a mom, myself, I cannot imagine what they went through and how they feel. Thinking about how I would react if put in their shoes was always in the back of my mind.

This is definitely a book that is timely to the current events and atmosphere of our country, sadly. It’s also a book that I will think about for a long time.

The benefit of reading this 2+ years after it came out is that I knew the "twist" that was going to be revealed before I started it, and I think that that actually enhanced my reading experience because I didn't have the controversial "gotcha" moment. I have been a very longtime Jodi Picoult reader , and by comparison a relatively new Jennifer Finney Boylan reader, and they did an excellent job with this one, with a really seamless voice. Boylan's experience as a transgender woman who has been public and vocal about her experience helps to inform the story, and it is both sensitive and informative. This is very classically Jodi Picoult with a trial at the center of the book, and I'm so glad I finally got to this one.

What an amazing novel, Picoult usually hits me right in the feels but this story was an especially heavy hitter. I was absolutely captivated by the characters and the plot, the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.

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This really took me by surprise in the best way. It felt like vintage Jodi Picoult, and I loved that there was a co-writer for plot reasons but - and I mean this as a compliment - I couldn't even tell who wrote what characters, it felt perfectly blended together. This would make an excellent book club pick.

I LOVED this book! Jodi is one of my all time favorite authors. This book left me in tears (as most of her books do). This representation is so important (especially in our current political climate). I'm so glad I got to read this book, will definitely purchase a copy for my Jodi shelf!

What an amazing book that I never saw where the storyline was going. This book made me think and reflect on other’s experiences.

I had heard amazing things about this book over the last few years and had it on my TBR list for quite a while. I’m so sad I didn’t pick it up sooner because it was incredible. It was beautifully written and thought-provoking; I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after I finished reading. This story not only broke me but also put me back together through the deep love for the characters.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. However, it does cover a lot of controversial topics, much like all of Jodi Picoult's other works, so be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.

This story is fully of mystery, family drama and social themes. You follow Olivia, a beekeeper, who has worked hard to create a safe place for her son after feeling an abusiive marriage Told through alternating perspectives and revealing secrets along the way. This story really made me think.