This book had me guessing right up until the end! I really enjoyed that we were able to get the perspectives of both Lily and Olivia (rather than Lily and Asher). It really rounded out the story as I was able to see from both sides as details unfolded in the case. I do think that the chapters moving in different directions confused me a little while reading (Olivia's moved forward in the future and Lily's moved back) but I understand why. But I think that as I was getting to the climax of the trial it was frustrating to go back to Lily's chapters and move backward instead of closer to when the final night occurred. I guess I was just impatient to get to the verdict after 400 pages.

Overall, the characters were well done, I really felt for Olivia and Lily, and the analogies to bees were a really interesting tie into the story. I'd recommend it to friends, but it wouldn't be something I pick up again and again.

Olivia McAfee, is divorced from her abusive husband. She and her teen son Asher live in Adams, New Hampshire, in the home Olivia inherited from her father., along with his beekeeping business.

Lily Campanello and her mother moved to Adams for a new start after vicious bullying left Lily suicidal. Ash and Lily fall hard for each other, but Lily is keeping a secret from Asher and Asher is keeping a secret from Olivia.

There's a death, and arrest and a trial. All are sorely tested as Olivia discovers that even a relationship 'forged in fire' can be damaged by doubt.

Mad Honey

Olivia and Lily are happy with their respective new starts in a sleepy New Hampshire town until their circumstances take a sharp turn for the worse.

This the first time I’ve read the work of either of the authors. I’m more of a sci-fi/fantasy fan, however decided to mix things up a little. I’m glad I did, as I enjoyed this book immensely. It contained a number of elements I enjoy—suspense, secrets, family dynamics, the impact of the past on perception and a love story. The plot moved seamlessly between the two authors. It took me a while to fully engage in the story and I’m glad I persisted as not only did I learn a lot from this novel, the best part was that it wasn’t at all what I expected.

I plan to recommend this book to my former book club as I can also see this novel causing lots of discussion during one of the meetings.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel for review.

This book is phenomenal!! The characters are damaged and wonderful, the writing is beautiful, and the story is so appropriate for the times we are living. I'm so grateful Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan decided to collaborate--what a masterpiece!! I couldn't put it down. The title is absolutely perfect. So much subtext!! Read this book!!!

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I loved this! I love that Jennifer was a cowriter because it was also very educational. I learned a lot that I didn't know before. This did not disappoint and I'll definitely be recommending

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!! Mad Honey is the perspective changing, emotional, thoughtful and loving book you I didn’t know I needed. The trans representation in the story is wonderful, and knowing Jodi and Jenny worked together on this book makes it even more special. I am beyond happy to know this book will reach so many folks. The storyline moves smoothly, I felt like I knew these characters, my heart was invested.

Without a doubt Mad Honey is a MUST READ!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and the authors.
I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult for a very long time, her novels are always thought provoking, well researched and written. In this novel you learn about bees and honey, how people need family support during difficult times and some characters really needed that support. Teenage love and drama. Mother devotion for her child.
I had two instances where I truly did not expect what happened, I was so surprised and shocked ( jaw dropping).
Overall, I truly enjoyed this novel
Highly recommend. 4 stars

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Jodi Picoult can do no wrong. This is another hit for me by this author, I love that this was a collaboration also and introduced me to a new author.

I have been reading Jodi Picoult for most of my life at this point, reading her entire backcatalogue when I was a teenager, and while I don't consider her one of my favourite authors anymore, there is always something that draws me back to her.

I found the blending of the two authors very seamless, and their two voices worked very well together. It was mostly when the court scenes started that I was able to really tell which side Jodi wrote as scenes in court is such a hallmark of her writing for me. I also purposefully didn't look into the plot of the story ahead of time, choosing to be surprised and there were definitely those moments throughout the story.

The characters in this book were all so well written, drawing me in immediately and I was truly drawn along through the story. As information is revealed I was more and more invested, reading well into the night to finish the book and find out what happens.

I hope that this book teaches people about others different from themselves, and makes them think, because it certainly did that for me.

This book was about new beginnings and the secrets we keep to start over in a new, hopefully safer place. I really enjoyed Asher and Lily’s story. Olivia, Asher’s mom moved back to her hometown to start over, she takes over her dad’s beekeeping business. I enjoyed learning all about bees and I like the part where when something happens they let the bees know. Like when someone dies they sing to the bees and let them know what is happening. I was totally surprised when they arrested Asher for Lily’s death. I thought it was someone else but when I found out who did it boy was I surprised. This was a heartbreaking story that has you crying and feeling for the characters. There is no happy ending but there is a new beginning. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all. I received a free book and the views and opinions are my own.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for this ARC.

Though I found the scene-jumping narration style somewhat jarring, it is worth the reader’s time to remain alert when reading. Clever, character-building storytelling afoot.

I regret that the “wrap-up” conclusion felt a little rushed. Without spoiling anything, I don’t think certain details (though clarifying) were needed. I’d have rather walked away in a bit of hazy ambiguity, I think.

Mad Honey delightfully enriches the genre of legal drama by infusing fascinating facts about the world of bees alongside the events of the plot. It further elevates and humanizes the story by offering the reader sincere insight into the trans experience. These elements were both effective and deeply moving.

3.5 Stars.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

This is that book you can't put down, the book you don't want to end, that book you will tell everyone about, the book you won't ever forget you read. What an amazing duo these two women made in the creation of this novel
A book that can address so many things...
Young love, frienship, adolescence, parenting, transgender, and bee keeping, so much wrapped into one novel. And the ending with the twist I didn't see coming.
This story is told by two of the main characters, Olivia tells of her life as an abused wife and the life she has made for her teenage son Asher, and Lily tells of her life as a transgender teen.

Thank you to both authors who wrote this amazing novel, not just about humans and accepting people for who they are, but about bees and honey. I'm in love with this book.
I am an accepting person, but this books just opens your eyes that extra bit in the hopes of being more accepting of those different from us, we are all only human underneath it all.

At first I wasn’t sure about this book, but persevered and became absorbed in the characters and couldn’t put it down. A wife runs away with her transgender daughter because her husband is abusive and unaccepting of his child who was born male. Liam becomes Lily. They settle down and all is well until Asher falls in love with Lily, and she with him. Things happen that you can read for yourselves! No spoilers. Two topics of interest, one was the life of honey bees which was intermingled in the story and told by Asher’s mother, the other talks about transgender.
A fascinating book written by two well known authors which I recommend you read.

I would like to preface this review by mentioning that Jodi Picoult has been one of my favourite authors for many years and I have a large collection of her books sitting on my bookshelf, so when I saw another book co-authored by her and Jennifer Finney Boylan, I was intrigued and immediately wanted to get my hands on it!

Picoult and Boylan's Mad Honey is a powerful novel that encompasses aspects of suspense while exploring the complex themes of gender identity, authenticity, domestic violence, sacrifice, parenthood and unconditional love.

Olivia McAfee is no stranger to having her life upended to protect her family, after leaving her esteemed cardiothoracic surgeon husband in Boston and getting a fresh start in her rural hometown. However, when Olivia's teenage son, Asher, learns that his high-school girlfriend Lily Campanello is dead and that he is under investigation by the police, Olivia is forced to re-evaluate the beliefs that she holds about herself and those closest to her.

The novel is told from the perspectives of both Olivia McAfee and Lily Campanello, which allows the reader to gain a more diverse perspective of the story and the themes explored. The novel creates a lot of ambiguity and unanswered questions which allows suspense to build as the reader is left questioning what someone who is in love, is truly capable of. The narratives written by Picoult and Boylan blend seamlessly and create a comprehensive, tragic love story. Picoult continues to tackle controversial subjects with grace and expands the minds of her readers.

I found that the pacing of the book may make it difficult for some readers to become immediately immersed. I was not as captivated by the opening page, as I had been with previous Picoult novels and had a harder time really becoming entranced with the story, prior to the twist that was revealed about halfway through the book which added much more dimension to the story.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read that explored difficult themes eloquently, but I did not find it as gripping as some Picoult novels until much later in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my copy of this novel.

This book was Everything! What a ride! I went in not knowing what to expect and was blown away.

This story did touch on some sensitive issues such as gender identity, abuse, and bullying .

I felt drawn into this book, perhaps it was the Mom in me. What a situation!

I don’t want to say much more, I don’t want to ruin the book. This is a powerful story, and I highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Thanks so much to @ NetGalley and @penguinrandomca for the arc of this book in exchange for my review.

Couldn’t get into this book. I thought I would like it so I grabbed it when it was “read now” but it didn’t grab me,

I always know a book from this author will make me think about perspectives I have the privilege to overlook most of the time.

I'm this book we deal with what it means to be in love. In love with the wrong person. In love with the right person at the wrong time.

Without giving too much away, this story revolves around three view points. Firstly the two teenagers - Asher, the golden boy jock, and Lilly, the brilliant musically inclined new girl to the school. They are in love, and as with all teenagers their relationship is full of dramas and upset. And this casis speculation about Lilly's death to involve Asher and his actions.

Olivia is Asher's mom and the third perspective in the story line. Raising a child as a single mother wasn't easy, but she did a goid job of teaching Asher right from wrong; about respect and caring. And how to be nothing like is father. Right?

I personally loved all the information about bee keeping, honey facts and the recipes in the back of the book too. Honey has a special place in my childhood and the idea of bee keeping is so fascinating to me.

All in all and enjoyable read which I couldn't wait to finish.

What can I say about this book? It held my interest like bees to a honey pot, my eyes were stuck to the pages. It had it all, the twists and turns that Picoult is known for, the unpredictable ending, not to mention the information I learned about bees. I am definitely going to do some bee research after reading it.

Aside from learning about bees Mad Honey had another major thread through the book that the authors gave such excellent perspectives on. It has definitely made me reconsider how I see the people in my world and provided answers to questions I had about a person’s identity and the love and acceptance of a parents.
Would I recommend this book yes. I’d say make a bee line for it today!

Oh and make sure you read the author’s notes about how the book began.

Mad Honey

This is a novel that has an interesting side story about honey bees and their care. I knew nothing about that subject so it was an intersting side story.

The real story is about the a single mother, Olivia, (the beekeeper) and her almost adult son, Asher. Asher has a girlfriend Lily whom he loves, and they had a fight as most lovers do at one time or another. Lily won’t answer his texts or phone calls so he goes to the house she lives in with her single mother and finds her at the bottom of the stairs - dead. Because of their fight, Asher is arrested for Olivia’s murder. He denies he killed her but all the circumstantial evidence points clearly to him.

As luck would have it , Olivia has a brother who’s a noted attorney. He vows he will prove Asher’s innocence.

I had a hard time sticking with this book because for me there seemed to be a lot of wordiness which as a reader I don’t enjoy. But I really hate giving a book a poor review. So, out of 5 I’ll give it a 3. I recommend that you decide whether it’s for you. We all have different tastes and who am
I to discourage anyone from reading a book?

I want to thank Netgalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me the privilege of reading and reviewing Mad Honey.

For those who like recipes, there are several honey recipes at the end of the book.

I liked this book and it reminded me of the depth and emotion of older Jodi Piccoult books that I really enjoyed. Very interesting and timely topics dealt with in a very real way. I recently had a family member go through transition surgery and this book helped me understand even more, I learned a lot.

Some reviewers have complained that the authors have tried to cram so many “hot” topics into this book, but I think that all of these issues are happening on every street, everyday. Just because you may not see them doesn’t mean there aren’t hurting people everywhere. Also, maybe if Asher had grown up in a traditional, “perfect” home spared of all these challenges, he, a big, popular jock, might have been the very one bullying the transgender person, not the one who accepted her for who she was. It’s just real life, not always pretty.

I also loved all the information about the bees, so fascinating.

Thank you to NetGalley, penguin Random House Canada and the authors for the opportunity to preview this book and give my honest review.