4.5 star book for me, rounded up to 5 stars

Mad Honey is another wonderful book by the prolific Ms. Picoult, and her first book with co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Mad Honey is set against the backdrop of beekeeping in a small town in New Hampshire. Olivia's family have been beekeepers for generations and she and her son, Asher, returned home to her family farm and bees years ago after her divorce. It's now Asher's senior year in HS and he has a new girlfriend, Lily, who recently moved to town with her divorced mother.
The story is told by Olivia and Lily in alternating chapters, with Lily telling us her story before a big event occurs, and Olivia focusing on what happens afterwards. It's an interesting twist on the dual narrator approach and was an effective way to tell the story. Mad Honey is a fast paced, thriller-ish novel, with a compelling story and a legal storyline.
You know that you'll always learn something when reading a Jodi Picoult novel and Mad Honey is no exception. The details about beekeeping, bees, and honey were fascinating. There's another subject you'll learn about but I don't want to reveal because it's a spoiler. The book does include several very thoughtful discussions that will give the reader something to think about (and could be an excellent book club book). Difficult subjects, including death, domestic violence and self-harm are also tackled in the book.
The two main female characters, Olivia and Lily, are such powerful women. Each faced life threatening situations and they dealt with them - both very bravely. I loved this statement by Olivia: "I am like a lot of women in the world who choose to conceal something, who live in fear of what might happen, if the exact wrong person ever found out."
The authors' notes at the end deserve careful reading and thought, and I was thrilled to see that recipes are included as well. What more could you want?
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Mad Honey in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Jodi Picoult has always been a favorite author of mine so to see she was releasing a new book had me super excited. She, per usual, did not disappoint. The flow of the story was perfect, it was easy to follow the change of character and timeline. The bee metaphors and stories got a bit old and I skimmed through some of those towards the end, but I understand where all of that came into the story (mad honey, obviously). Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

4.5 stars, rounding up to a 5
Picoult teams up with trans author Boylan to craft an important legal drama addressing trans identity and violence.
I’m only familiar with Jodi’s previous 2 books (one of which i dnf’ed and the other was offensively bad) but I hear this legal drama is more of a return to form for her, which means i definitely need to dive into her backlist. This book is a long journey but the authors really take time to develop the characters and set up a detailed story.
The only thing that took away from this book for me was that some of the discussions around trans issues felt a bit textbook/lecturey (there’s a very lengthy portion where a surgeon describes the medical aspect of transitioning, for example), which I felt was shoehorned in for the purpose of educating the reader instead of actually fitting into the story and came off heavy handed as opposed to informative.

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan's writing is on point in this novel about young love and new beginnings. The story is set in the picturesque town of Adams, New Hampshire. Olivia moves back to Adams to take over her father's beekeeping business after his death. Divorced, her son Asher lives with her and rarely sees his dad. Lily and Asher are high school students. Lily is the new girl in class. Lily has a deep dark secret. Can she trust Asher with it? Lily ends up dead and Asher is arrested for her death. Did he do it? Is Lily's secret revealed?
This book brings to light complicated relationships: divorce, abuse, re-marriage, other children. The story is suspenseful. There is a lot of interesting information about beekeeping. Most of all, it's a story of unconditional love.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Synopsis: Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising a beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in, and taking over her father's beekeeping business.
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can she trust him completely . . .
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

This was such a riveting and heartwrenching novel. There is a twist in the story early in the book that I did not see coming that completely changed the tone of the book. This was my first Jodi Picoult in a while so I was pleasantly surprised this was reminiscent of some of my old favorites. It is so hard to write a review without giving anything away, but I think this is definitely a book everyone should read! Contemporary issues are addressed very eloquently and with care, and I feel the authors did a great job with character representation in some very triggering situations. 4.5 star read for me.

Long time Jodi Picoult fan here 👋🏼 so let me start by saying, this book is in the classic Picoult style that I know and love (and honestly missed)! There's a trial, multiple perspectives, twists, a plethora of facts, and more. Olivia, a single mother, escaped her abusive husband with her son, Asher. Teenaged Asher meets and falls in love with the new girl in town, Lily. But then Lily ends up dead and Asher is on trial for her murder. 😮. Told through the perspectives of Lily and Olivia, could Asher really be the killer? Is he more like his father than Olivia thought?

This book will make you THINK. It is heart-breaking, thought-provoking, and just good storytelling. You really have to go into this blind to get the full effect of the "twist" so I am not going to add much else here in terms of the plot. But that twist stunned me (in the best way) and dang, I feel like so many people will benefit from reading this book. It is POWERFUL and although there were parts of the story I didn't necessarily love (mainly the ending… and not in a poorly written way, but in a sad way), the message is so overwhelming important that I can't rate this anything less than 5 stars.

Please, do yourself a favor and grab a copy when it is released next month (10/4/23) and make sure to read the Author's Note when you are finished!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse (Ballantine) for my advanced copy.

Being a long time Jodi fan I was intrigued, about her co-writing a book, maybe even a little bit worried - if you’re the same - put those worries away, this book is SO good.

If you’ve been reading her books since the beginning too, you will find this reads a lot like her older books - which I was absolutely thrilled about. It has the courtroom drama and behind the scenes of the legal world that I’ve missed from her newer books. As always, she focuses on emotionally heavy topics as well.

I loved learning about beekeeping and enjoyed how the bees tied into the themes of the novel.

The writing between the two authors flowed seamlessly, you’d never guess it wasn’t written by one person. Make sure you don’t skip the authors note - but wait until you’re finished to read it. I enjoyed going into this one a bit blind.

Thanks to Ballentine for the gifted ebook! This one is out Oct 4th.

ARC Review: Mad Honey

“What parts of your past should be disclosed?…When, if ever, is the right time for that conversation?”

Holy cow you guys…I have no doubt everyone is going to be talking about this book. I cannot say enough good things about it. I would highly, highly recommend not reading anything about it other than the synopsis because there is something I wasn’t expecting that made this book incredible. I won’t give anything away though by commenting about the fact that I LOVED the tidbits about bees. My husband is very into bees and starting a hive so it was just pretty darn cool to read about beekeeping in such a beautiful way. Mad Honey is available on October 4th and would without a doubt I would suggest you add it to your fall list.

I had heard great things about Mad Honey from other readers and they weren't wrong.

Olivia is living a quiet life in her childhood home after divorcing her abusive ex. She runs a bee keeping business with a little help from her teenage son Asher. A new student, Lily has started the same school as Asher and they form an instant connection. They are mostly together most of the time until one day Asher finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs in her house. Asher is later arrested for her murder, although he insists he only found her and did not harm her.

Two families are devastated and trying to find the truth.

A few twists, secrets and information about bees kept things interesting until the end.

A touching story of love, loss and family.

Don't skip the authors notes about how the book came to be.

Thanks to netgalley and Ballantine for the arc.

Another beautifully written story by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. This book was told in a dual time line between a mother and a teenage girl. My heart ached for both of them throughout these stories. I enjoyed the information about the bees - some of it was really interesting and I found myself reading these tidbits out loud to my husband in a "did you know?" informational. Also, I have read several Jodi Picoult books, but never realized the lawyer in several of them are the same - Jordan McAfee, only this time he is related to one of the main characters. I loved how this tied into other books by Jodi Picoult. While this was not my favorite Jodi Picoult book, I really did enjoy this story and would recommend it in a heartbeat. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for a digital arc of this title.

This book came about after Jennifer Boylan tweeted that she had a dream that she co-authored a book with Jodi Picoult! Jodi saw the tweet, and reached out to ask, “What was the book about?” They then wound up writing this compelling story together.
Asher and Lily are two teenagers in love. But one afternoon, Lily dies, and Archer is found cradling her body. He says he stopped by to check on her, and found her that way, but the police arrest him for murder. Even his mother isn't sure of what’s true.
This is a beautiful story about love, being transgender, and having the courage to live an authentic life.

A young girl dies. A young man is arrested. A family is broken.

This book details the heartbreak and loss following the death of a young woman named, Lily. There are so many sub stories that lead up to this event and tie into it. The storyline is meaty and full of many serious topics. In some ways there is too much going on but I understand why the authors are tucking it all in.

There are moments in this book that simply broke my heart. Olivia was a battered woman who raised her son, Asher on her own. As a mother myself, I can only imagine how tight that makes your bond with your child.

I have been hot and cold with many authors recently. Honestly Jodi Picoult has been one of those. However, I can honestly say that I felt that Mad Honey was something special and I recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I have read everything Jodi Picoult has written. If I remember correctly, the last two books were a little different with an alternate timeline scenario. Mad Honey felt more classic Picoult. A slow build up but you know something big is coming.

Olivia’s life is turned upside down when her son is accused of murdering his girlfriend. Is he really the loving young man she thought she knew or is he taking after his abusive father? The perspectives shift between Olivia now and Lily before she died.

I read some other reviews complaining that there are too many references to hot button issues. But if you follow her as an author/mother, I don’t think any of this should surprise you?

I liked it and I found it compelling but it felt a little too predictable and I thought the ending could’ve been less cheesy.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Although i found the information about the bees very informative, i found sometimes it distracted from the storyline. Over all i found the characters and plot very intriguing and thought provoking!!

When I started this book, the detailed information on beekeeping didn’t quite keep my attention, but I made it through that and then the whirlwind began! This story developed so quickly and keep me engaged every single minute! I loved it and couldn’t wait until I could find out the ending! Wonderfully done!

In true Jodi Picoult fashion, this book was absolutely amazing, well-researched, interesting, engaging, and beautiful. The story follows a woman who is busy with her life as a beekeeper, her son who is in love with a young woman, and the young woman herself. Shortly into this book, we find out that the son is accused of the murder of his girlfriend, the young woman. There are amazing relationship discussions, descriptions, and discussions of pertinent topics we see in the news still today, and I think the discussion here of trans individuals will go a long way to bring understanding to many people in a digestible way that people may actually learn to understand and empathize with.
I think the inclusion of Jennifer Finney Boylan was beautiful because it brought to life the wonderful understanding she has of the subject matter and definitely does not cut corners. One thing that normally bothers me about books is bad descriptions of places, and Jodi Picoult always does the opposite - she researches and understands the places which she discusses and relates, and that is always a plus in her books. I highly recommend this book!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-ARC. I will start of with saying Holy Smokes Batman what did I just read. My rating kept moving around I will say this was not at all what I expected reading the summary on it. There was some stuff that was way too deep that but overall I aint gonna lie I was captivated I needed to know what happened and none of the 20 scenarios I had in mind was what happened. So win win for everyone

"There are some trajectories you cannot change, no matter what you do."

Olivia and her son Asher moved to the small town of Adams, New Hampshire years earlier to start a new life, free from a haunting past and the weight of secrets. Ava and her daughter Lilly recently arrive in Adams to start again, albeit for much different reasons.

Lilly and Asher meet at high school and begin a volatile romantic relationship as they wrestle with their own demons and try to figure out who they want to be as they are soon to become adults and journey to college or other endeavors away from the cocoon of home.

But then the unthinkable happens: Lilly is discovered dead at the foot of her stairs with Asher as the only person in her home at the times.

Without any other suspects, Asher is accused of her murder and is put on trial. Olivia recovers from the shock of the accusation against her son in order to secure her brother, Jordan McAfee, as Asher's lawyer. *Picoult fans will recall this character from other Picout's novels including The Pact and Nineteen Minutes.

As the trial gets underway, Olivia begins to realize that she didn't know her son Asher as well as she thought she had. As secrets are unearthed and stunning revelations are revealed, Olivia must grapple with the uncertainty of her son's innocence and the shadow of her past encroaching upon her future.

There is so much more to say about this novel but one of the most important things that this book discusses is a major plot spoiler. Suffice it to say, Picoult and Finney Boylan engage in an important dialogue that needs to be further explored.

And the twist left me gasping. I recommend this engaging dramatic thriller.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Book of The Century, for me, personally.

Recovering from a divorce from her abusive ex-husband, Olivia McAfee starts anew in her childhood home. Things seem to be changing in a positive direction with her beekeeping business turning a profit and her relationship with her son thriving. When that son is accused of murdering his girlfriend, everything falls apart.

Olivia is caught between two life-altering questions: is Asher just like his violent father, or is someone framing him for this crime?

In typical Jodi Picoult fashion, the writing in this book is superb. Every sentence has a purpose and every relationship is nuanced. Both she and Jennifer Finney Boylan have put together a novel that excels in character development and describes the dynamics of different relationships masterfully.

The murder mystery aspect is interesting enough to hold my attention throughout the book, which is impressive considering how long it is. I wish the ending was drawn out a bit more as it seemed far too abrupt.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Mad Honey and am excited for whatever these authors come out with next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.