DNF at 36%. Even getting this far felt like a slog and I just couldn’t keep going.

I was excited for a sweet fun sapphic holiday romance and instead I got a strangely petty, anxious, unkind mess. Let’s start with Robin a character who is so inexplicably incompetent at such a wide verity of things you have to wonder how she has survived to this point. She is Bella Swan clumsy, has no backbone with her overbearing mother or ex who was mocking and cruel, in her head is judgmental and get alarming angry at a child for bumping in to her and getting food on a coat (she admits isn’t expensive and she doesn’t wear often). And then on the other hand we have Neve, a mean emotionally shut off hottie. Neve instantly hates Robin (is clearly a terrible ski instructor) and while I might not like Robin I also don’t like that she gets a love interest that actively dismisses her thoughts and feelings. This was not helped by the stylistic choice to use third person with the perspective switching between Robin and Neve seemingly without rhyme reason or warning. I think if you want dual perspective you have to commit to it and while I’m sure the author felt it helped explain and soften Neves actions, maybe just not have her be a dick?

This book couldn’t seem to decide if it wanted to be enemies to lovers, and it spent way too much time convincing me these are two women who desperately need therapy for me to rooting on them to fall in love. And I read romance to root for love and have fun, and this was not fun

A Hallmark-esque Christmas time romance. In the aptly named, Honeymoon for One, Robin forgets to cancel her upcoming honeymoon after her broken engagement and ends up traveling to a ski resort in Canada. Clumsy and self-deprecating, she meets Neve, a skier that has given up on taking chances since her grandmother's death. The two of them grapple with the choice of taking a risk on one another or remaining in their comfortable bubbles.

There were some excellent side characters in this one: Artie, the lovable grandad; Nick, the bartender; Hazel, the cafe owner in love with the bartender; Juniper, the not-a-wolf dog. The side characters made the story enjoyable.

Unfortunately there was a lot that missed the mark for me in this book. I was provided an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for a review so I hope that formatting and grammatical errors are caught before publication. The POV switches were sometimes jarring and confusing to read. Section breaks and jumps in the story made the story difficult to follow as we'd jump scenes without a proper progression.

If you enjoy holiday romances, here is another one for this upcoming season. Although I had difficulty connecting with these characters personally, I do think there are some beautiful moments that are worth checking out.

Review for Honeymoon for One by Rachel Bowdler

The term ‘heart-warming read’ was made for this book – two damaged and lost characters drifting through life meet unexpectedly when ‘star baker’ pastry chef Robin forgets to cancel her honeymoon (even though the wedding never happened) and meets up with Neve, her caustic ski instructor and failed Olympic team member.
Needless to say, eventually enough alcohol and carbs are imbibed to thaw both their frozen hearts, making for a charming LGBTQ+ romance. Add into the mix tricky mothers on both sides, a brother who could also do with finding ‘the one’, and a wonderful Husky who, quite frankly, stole all his scenes – and you have all the ingredients for a wonderful wintry romance.
Curl up this winter with a hot chocolate, a cinnamon swirl (or are those just my favourites??!) and Honeymoon for One, by Rachel Bowdler.
With thanks to #NetGalley, the author, and Embla books for sending me an e-book copy of #HoneymoonforOne. All opinions are my own.

Honeymoon for One is a sapphic (female/female relationship) Christmas romance novel. It follows our exhausted heroine Robin who failed to cancel her honeymoon after her fiancee was caught cheating and has to decide whether to go solo. Her intended honeymoon was a ski trip to Canada, something she has no interest in and was going ahead just to please her soon-to-be wife. After frustrating talks with her mother and dread slowly consuming her, Robin impulsively decides to go to Canada and seize the day!
Saying Robin is clumsy is a bit of an understatement. She reminds me of a golden retriever in human form. She is harmless and lovable and over time she has lost her independence and confidence.
Neve is a ski instructor in the hotel Robin is staying in. She's grumpy and closed off, living day to day taking care of her husky Juniper and her grandfather Artie.
After a rocky start to their acquaintanceship, the two get to know each other better as friends before slowly realising they're attracted to one another.
Although the romantic plot is at the forefront, the individual development of each character is built upon throughout, including side characters like Nick (Neve's brother), Hazel and Artie. I honestly did not like Robin's mum. I found her to be really manipulative towards her daughters. I know this was a motivator for Robin but it was hard to read at points.
Overall, this was a wholesome and romantic read perfect for the lead-up to Christmas. It was refreshing to read a FF romance, especially one that focused on Christmas.
Thanks so much for the eARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Honeymoon for One was just the book I needed after reading a romance that didn’t click for me.

I loved Robin and Neve instantly. Despite Neve’s prickly nature and Robin’s overt clumsiness, these two had instant chemistry and I loved reading them fall for each other.

Robin is such an easy character to love. Despite everything she’s been through recently, she’s mostly bright and bubbly, cracking jokes and delivering some of the best worst puns I’ve ever seen. She’s adorable and sweet and kind and considerate and, just like Neve, I was smitten immediately.

Neve, on the other hand, is a little harder to like right away. She doesn’t let people in easy. She has walls up, and the author has perfectly included that in the readers experience as well. Neve starts off rude and abrasive and impatient, but the more we get to know her and peel back the layers, the more we get to see the soft vulnerability underneath.

The side characters are all fantastic, too. Nick, Hazel and Grandpa Artie all have my whole heart. The way they welcomed Robin into their lives and their hearts just made me melt.

This is just the perfect romcom. There’s sad moments, explorations of grief and abandonment, messy family situations, and an absolutely beautiful love story that will hook you right from the start.

This book was adorable and one of my favorite reads of the year. I found it heartwarming and relatable. The characters were adorable and quirky and their interactions and relationships left me never wanting to put this book down. I went through the full spectrum of emotions with this book. I even teared up a little. The romance left me feeling all warm, fuzzy, and smiling.

What a charming holiday romance! Now I’ve got a sapphic holiday trifecta to promote, which is wonderful. I was expecting more romance and cliches, but that was based only on how every other holiday romance I’ve read is full of that. Holiday for One doesn’t necessarily feel like a Hallmark Christmas movie, but it has all the love and holiday magic I look forward to in this type of novel. Robin is a complex main character and it was a pleasure going on this adventure with her. Will certainly recommend to my followers. Thank you so much for ARC!

5 stars!

Let me start off by saying this book is now a firm favourite of mine, and is forever going to be one of my top Christmas reads.

I absolutely loved Robin. Sometimes I find clumsy, bumbling characters a little irritating but not my girl Robin. She was a sweetheart and the contrast between her and Neve was perfect. If you like the grump x sunshine trope, I think you'll like Neve! Even she couldn't help but find Robin endearing.

This was definitely an emotional read, with both Robin's heartache over her cheating ex and Neve's bitterness and abandonment issues surrounding her Mum. However, none of that overpowered the sweet, romantic themes of the book and I thought the balance was spot on.

The side characters (Artie, Nick and Hazel especially) were all great and I loved how we got a little bit of their backstories too without taking away from Robin and Neve's. It helped to capture the whole close-knit community vibe of the resort. Also, the setting?! I want to visit Canada in the snow ASAP.

P.S if you like books with dogs, you're going to adore Juniper.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Embla Books for the opportunity to read the ARC. I can't wait to share this book with Bookstagram on the release date!

Every year, I pick one Christmas ARC by an unknown (to me) author. This was my pick for Christmas 2022. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover.

I loved reading this book. It was definitely towards the more emotional end of what I like to read, but so worth it. I liked Robin and Neve a lot. They both have struggled with difficult relationships, which holds them back from romance. Consequently, their character development over the course of the story is lovely to see.

I loved the setting so much, the lodge in snowy Canada. I loved Juniper too, she definitely added to the story. I loved the epilogue, it rounded off the book perfectly.

Overall, this book was funny, sweet, romantic, and a little bit emotional. The perfect way to get those happy, seasonal feelings going.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

This is the perfect book to read during a long weekend.
A quick read and a heartfelt one too,
This book centers around Robin whose finance called the wedding off. There is one problem - with dealing with her heart being broken, she forgot to cancel the honeymoon that she paid for. Her sister encourages to go anyway and it will be good for her to get away.
She is going to a ski lodge that her ex-finance wanted to go, she had no desire to go to. She decides to go ahead and take lessons. What she isn't expecting is sparks between her and her instructor, Neve.
Robin learns how to heal, possibly find a new job and a new romance.
I would recommend this.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

Honeymoon for one is a really sweet holiday sapphic rom-com and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Robin, a pastry chef, got her heart badly broken by her ex-fiancée and she had to cancel all the marriage arrangements but she forgot to cancel her honeymoon and now she has no other option than going alone. Robin is heartbroken but a funny and extremely clumsy character her overall personality was very endearing and lovable.
While Robin is outgoing and funny, Neve, a ski instructor, is closed off and stolid and prefers to stay the same since she has been hurt and let down by her mother way too many times.

This is not a fluffy and soft romance book, both the characters had been through a lot of hurts and have a very sad backstory. It was lovely to see both the MCs falling for each other. The chemistry between the characters was written very well.

I loved Wren, Nick, Artie and Juniper, all these supporting characters were amazing and lovely.

Overall, it is an amazing sapphic Christmas romance read.

In my opinion this book could have finished about 50% of the way through, I just got a bit bored of it. Moreover I think this might be suitable for the older end of the young adults section as the characters are not long out of education and trying out in their careers.
I did like the fact it explored a modern day open gay relationship figuring out who they are. It's not very oftern you get gay characters as such strong central roles.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers as I recieved a digital complimentary copy of this book.

Honeymoon for One was a fun, winter themed sapphic romance! The story is told from the perspectives of Robin, a pastry chef going on her ski honeymoon solo, and Neve, the grumpy ski instructor. The setting is charming and as the relationship progressed I found the book more compelling! Juniper the Husky was a fun addition too.

To me, the way in which both protagonists dealt with their family conflicts felt a little stilted and detracted from the book. However that is definitely a view that would change from reader to reader!

Overall I would recommend this as an easy winter romance!

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Honeymoon for one" is a sweet sapphic holiday romance with elements that reminded me of Kirsty Greenwood's "Big Sexy Love" and Courtney Kae's "In the event of love".

Robin faces her fears and takes her broken heart across the Atlantic for a holiday vacation when she forgets to cancel her honeymoon. There, she meets Neve, her ski instructor, and the two initially clash. But as the holiday cheer pulls them closer, they each have to contend with their own insecurities and baggage to decide if they give in to a fling, or if what they have is worth something more permanent.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the protagonists' journeys individually and as a couple, even though the premise of forgetting to cancel the very expensive honeymoon you're paying for *for months* and nobody bringing it up until the day of is a tad unrealistic.

The story was a mix of humour and drama, with beautiful descriptions of Clement Falls, but don't expect a fluffy romcom. Robin is unpacking the ways her toxic ex and overbearing mother affected her; Neve is doing the same with her abandonment issues that stem from absent parents (more on this later). There's plenty of angst to go around, which might not be everyone's cup of tea for a holiday read. However, the story is also full of feel-good moments and holiday traditions that balance out the mood.

While I generally liked the characters, I'm not a fan of the clumsy-quirky girl trope that Robin fell into, with her constant puns and accidents. I don't understand why writers can't make things like that part of the characters' personality without making it their entire personality. Nonetheless, I liked her dynamic with Neve and the way they complemented one another. I especially liked following Robin's journey into discovering who she really is and what she wants to do, as well as Neve giving her dreams another chance.

I really enjoyed granpa Artie, Nick, Wren, and Juniper as supporting characters.

This book has two open door smut scenes that were nicely done, although I thought the pacing of the book dragged a little bit towards the end for me, which meant I didn't enjoy the second sexy encounter as much as I could have.

Not to hit my feminist pots and pans, but I took issue with the focus being on "bad mothers" in this story. I'm not saying that abandoning mothers don't exist, that it's not their fault, or that their children should understand them regardless of how they feel about it. But there were two characters in this book who grew up with other relatives because their mothers worked, remade their family, preferred to travel around, etc. The bio fathers in both cases are barely even mentioned because they checked out early - but the abandonment issues still stem from mom. This is a problem on a much broader and deeper level than a single romance book, obviously, but I had to point out that seeing these two cases *and* also Robin's mother being so unsupportive of her rubbed me the wrong way. And to be fair, I will say that there is a conclusion to the journey of Robin and Neve with their mothers that I appreciated.

So there you have it! If you want a sweet and spicy story for the holidays and you like the grump/sunshine dynamic, you'll probably enjoy this!

This is such an adorable rom com story! Robin is recovering from the betrayal of her cheating ex when she meets Neve - a ski instructor with a shell to crack. Their banter is sweet and fun, and the supporting characters are all warm and kind. A perfect holiday read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review.

This is a cute holiday romance that shows you can find love when you least expect it.

Robin and Neve have both been stuck in their ways for a long time. When Robin decides to take a chance and go on the honeymoon she forgot to cancel she expects to hate everything. In her first few encounters with Neve, a ski instructor at the resort, that’s exactly what she gets. However, something keeps drawing them together. But, there's a deadline looming over their heads as Christmas draws near and with it the end of Robin’s honeymoon.

I really enjoyed how Robin and Neve both challenge each other to step out of their comfort zones and grow. It was subtle and worked particularly well given the personalities of the characters. I would have liked to see a bit more of a connection between Neve and Margo given their similar family experiences as this would have been a great way to help Neve move past her resentment towards her mother. Overall, I thought the side characters did a great job of supporting the growth of the MCs.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Months after finding her fiancée in bed with someone else, Robin Ellis discovers that she canceled every part of her wedding… except for her honeymoon. Faced with reservations she can no longer cancel, she’s convinced to go alone. She expects to find nothing but snow and loneliness, but instead, she just might find everything she’s been missing.

There honestly wasn’t a single thing I disliked about this book, but I want to talk about one aspect in particular: the characters. I love romance because I’m constantly excited by the character development in this genre, and this book was no different. Both of the main characters go from being scared and stuck in their routines to realizing they need more and fighting for it. They find a safe space with each other to grow and heal. There’s such comfort and care in their relationship. Even when they mess up, it never comes from a place of malice. It comes from fear, from trauma. It’s not that they complete each other, it’s that they help each other find the strength within themselves to be whole again. That’s what I love about romance and that’s what I loved about this book. Also Junie-poo is the best girl. But that’s all I’ll say about that. You’ll just have to read it.

Robin is overworked and after breaking off her engagement, decides to go on her honeymoon alone. sweet quick read.

* 4.5 stars

I loved this book! It was the perfect sweet rom-com setting for the holidays.

Robin is one of the main characters, the British one, and she's quirky and funny in a really silly way that had me giggling at her puns and lack of equilibrium (she falls a lot). Neve is mysterious, but also sweet and caring. Their character development was slow and building and I could see them falling in love in a couple of days, as it happened.

The Canada setting with all the snow, the cold and Holiday festivities had me feeling nostalgic and it transported me there easily. I enjoyed it through and through!

I guess I should say that if you're looking for a more steamy story, this one is not for you! It's a really slow burn and it takes them a while to develop intimacy - which is perfectly fine and okay! Just a heads up though.

Some people might not buy the story as believable (if we're being honest, I don't either) but it's a sweet Holiday rom-com, so I don't really felt that was necessary? I was rooting for Neve and Robin despite my skeptical being thinking 'this would never happen in real life'.

I'd say this is a perfect start for Holiday heart warming stories.

(also, I loveeed this cover with Juni-Poo in it!)

Thanks NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC.

Overall I think that was a very good romance book! I am super excited to see all of the sapphic romance coming out, especially for the holidays. This definitely is not as fluffy as they were marketing it as but overall was a good book. It's not my favorite sapphic romance to recently be released but I do think it is fun and worth reading.