Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of this title.

This book really reminded me why friends to lovers is one of my least favorite tropes. I liked both Ginny and Elsie, and I really liked the set up. I would have been more interested in the romance if it had taken a little longer to happen. I would have preferred spending more time with them pining for each other. I felt like we went from besties to explicit sex scene after explicit sex scene way too quickly. I also hated that every time anything sexy started happening Elsie would start talking about how it reminded her of all of these childhood memories of Ginny. I just thought it was so weird that they start having sex and Elsie is thinking "this reminds me of that time we went to the fair when we were 12." There were also some inconsistencies with how the characters were described. A big part of this book is Elsie asking for what she wants. Ginny tells her that she needs to start advocating for herself and what she wants. It's stated over and over again that she doesn't ask for what she wants and just lets things happen. Then shortly after that we get a paragraph talking about how much Elsie has always loved being in charge.

I really enjoyed the premise of this one and had some high hopes that I would enjoy it. Unfortunately this one didn't really work for me .

First thank you to st Martins press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Elise and Ginny have been friends forever. When Elise fiancé decides to surprise her with a wedding and honeymoon, she decides that she can no longer go through with the wedding. Her ex-fiancé tells her to go on the honeymoon with her best friend. Ginny tells Elise she can have whatever she wants on the honeymoon and they take their friendship to a new level.

What I liked: the representation was fantastic in this book. I loved that the story was set in Minneapolis. It did remind me of the unhoneymooners also set in the twin cities. There were very funny moments and really liked the growth at the end of the book. I loved how important family was to both Ginny and Elise. The characters were a little young for me sometimes but overall good

Thank you to NetGalley, Goodreads, and St. Martin Griffin publishing for this ARC.

This is my first book from this author. This book is about two best friends, Ginny and Elsie. They have know each other for years. When Elsie decides to end her engagement to her boyfriend. Her and her bestie Ginny decide to go on the honeymoon together since it is already paid for and non refundable. Elsie is pansexual so their former fiancée booked the honeymoon at LGTBQIA+ resort. One thing leads to another and these best friends discover they have been feening for each other since the beginning.

Now don’t get me wrong this book had potential from the synopsis but it just missed the mark in my opinion. The two main characters were too interconnected and there was not enough plot or description showing that they were actually attracted to each other. They went from 5 to 100 in 2 seconds when they got on the island. Now I usually never say this but……too much smut especially with no connection. Now i feel like the plot got better in the last 20 pages but then it was over. Ending felt rushed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Arc!

I wanted to love this book. So badly. I love Meryl Wilsner. But this did not do it for me.

The chemistry and love between Ginny and Elsie was so cutie and lovely. I enjoyed reading about their connection. But their issues were so not believable or fleshed out. It was cringe! There was no character development and it fell so flat. So disappointed.

The spice was hot! So that added a star.

This was cute and spicy, I was a big fan! Two best friends on a honeymoon for one, I loved the tension and how they both wanted it and then finally jumped,

I was excited to read My Best Friend’s Honeymoon. It has a great premise: Elsie (she/her) ends her engagement to her well-meaning but dumb fiancé. Ex-fiancé has already booked a non-refundable stay in an all-inclusive resort for their honeymoon, so he suggests Elsie go on the trip with her best friend Ginny (she/they). Ginny says yes because (GASP) they’ve been in love with Elsie since middle school. I was pumped for what seemed like a sweet romcom with nonbinary rep. Plus, fans of this author and early reviews promised lots of spice. Unfortunately, there was almost nothing about this book that worked for me.

I’m not sure how to review this book because there’s very little to comment on. The only characters we learn anything of substance about are Ginny and Elsie, but both are very underdeveloped. Instead of actual scenes with dialogue or plot, the majority of this book is Elsie and Ginny taking turns telling the audience about things that happened to them in high school and/or info dumping about things going on in the present. Because of this, it’s difficult to care about either of them. We’re told they’ve been secretly pining for each other for 10+ years, but not given any opportunity to see that chemistry for ourselves. And then, out of what feels like nowhere, they start having sex. And then they keep having sex. And that’s all that happens for a VERY long time. From the 40% mark to the 60% mark—nonstop sex scene. My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is SPICY, I’ll give it that! I’m not gonna clutch my pearls over it, but, and I imagine this is the first and only time I will ever say this: CW for extremely graphic period sex.

Maybe the most frustrating thing about this book is that it has potential. There is an underlying theme of codependency here, even though the word is never explicitly said, that I think could’ve been so interesting had the author actually gone for it. They toe the line, but ultimately back off in favor of a HEA. I get that this is a romance, but meh. Ginny is far and away more interesting than Elsie. If this were a single POV narrative focused on just Ginny, and if the issues that came up with their friendship with Elsie had been explored instead of hand-waved away, I’d be writing a very different review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Best Friends Honeymoon started out cute with a friends to lovers storyline but then turned a bit too fast for me. I couldn’t connect to either mc very well and their very fast jump into bed was a bit too much for me. The buildup and character evolution for both Ginny and Elsie felt a bit off and not quite what I’m used to from Meryl Wilsner. This was overall a cute story and suitable for anyone looking for a light, feel good romance but didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is an adorable queer romance from Meryl Wilsner. Elsie breaks off her engagement and takes her best friend, Ginny, on the nonrefundable honeymoon with her. What could go wrong, right? Well what Elsie doesn’t know is that Ginny has been in love with Her since they were in high school.

Totally predictable but totally adorable! I loved the characters—as I have in all of Meryl Wilsner’s books. Cute rom com read!

A fun romcom twist featuring a nonbinary main character and some spicy scenes. It feels like it fills in a missing section of the RomCom category and is a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF. I will not be finishing. I don’t think I’m liking the two main characters. I thought I would give it a shot because of the vacation aspect, but I’m not a huge fan of friends to lovers especially how their history together is. I’m only rating because it makes me in reviewing so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio.

Meryl Wilsner is the deity of queer pining. They write with the most thoughtful representation and pretty much every relationship they capture leaps from the page with a clarity and a reliability that you just don't see from a lot of authors in the genre...sometimes it seems like folks can write friendship-love, family-love, OR romantic-love, but not all three convincingly. Given the plot of this book: "two besties secretly pining for each other share one of theirs would-be-honeymoon and, whoops, they're more than friends," Wilsner captures it all.

I was delighted to receive an arc of this book, even though Friends-to-Lovers is a trope I always struggle with. And while Wilsner got me fully invested, kicking my feet, and having a great time, they also walked into what I feel is the biggest trap of F-to-L: the mcs not just having a freaking conversation. The miscommunication trope is tried and true, I get it, and Wilsner's 'Cleat Cute' honestly has my favorite semi-subversion of the trope ever, but it feels cheap in an F-to-L story. Wilsner really immerses us in Ginny and Elsie's friendship from the jump. They have my total buy-in. I love the banter, I love the lore, I am here for the wild support and "quit your job" energy. They are each other's champions (and crutches) from the start, Wilsner paints all their complex and anxiety-ridden nooks and crannies so vividly. Which is why I struggle to accept a conflict hinged on a simple omission/overreaction. I just don't believe Elsie and Ginny wouldn't be able to talk to each other? Wouldn't be able to define what was going on between the two of them before jumping into bed. Wouldn't 'be able to have a semi-difficult conversation after the "lie."

It felt like we flipped a switch from friendship to filth and then again to a worlds-shifting falling out. The friendship was sweet, the filth was *chefs kiss* and the falling out was ??? And all of the shifts so intense and instantaneous?

I love how Wilsner writes with a self-awareness of "trope," and I felt like every time I was about to roll my eyes, they gave me the nugget of "why" and justification that I craved, it just didn't fully defeat my peeves. A valiant attempt. But the F-to-L + miscommunication peeve dragon lives on. After the creme de la clever creme of miscommunication in 'Cleat Cute' I was expecting Wilsner to win me over on another heavy sigh of a rom com standard.

That said: the pining, the representation, the big hard self reflections, the big REAL relationships, the spice. Big swoon.

My Best Friend's Honeymoon is a lovely story of self-discovery, romance and friendship. I always enjoy friends to lovers stories and was excited to read My Best Friend's Honeymoon. Wilsner wrote a wonderful, devourable story that will leave you with all the feels. While I don't mind spice in my books, this one definitely had more than I was expecting. A really good book!

Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5/5 rounded up

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reading copy!

Ughhhhh i wanted to like this one so much more. It felt so rushed and forced in like every way. The friendship was believable and sweet, but it was so obvious that both of them were just in love with each other their entire friendship without any real reason why they didn’t do anything about it? The internal monologues were repetitive and lacked depth. It’s not often that i think a book should have been longer, but that’s how I feel. The intro felt rushed, the jump into sex felt rushed, the fight and makeup all felt rushed. The spicy scenes were good but intense after a short build up. Those took up too much room in the book as a whole imo. Just not what i wanted out of this one :/

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is a light and breezy friends-to-lovers romance. After Elsie calls off her engagement to Derrick, he generously lets her use their nonrefundable honeymoon trip — and naturally, she invites her best friend, Ginny. Known for being a people-pleaser, Elsie is told in no uncertain terms that this trip is all about her desires — and she intends to make the most of it. The pair hike, go horseback riding, snorkel, and most notably, hook up. Their week together is filled with steamy moments, though a few scenes veer into cringey territory for me. The dialogue flows effortlessly, and the setting is richly described, but I found the emotional connection between Elsie and Ginny lacking. Despite the heat, I never quite felt the spark that was supposed to pull them together.

If you’re in the mood for a breezy friends-to-lovers romance set against a gorgeous backdrop, this one’s worth a try.

I love Meryl Wilsner and I love this story. But there are so many sex scenes and so much use of the c u next Tuesday word, this was a DNF for me at 56%. I was also a little annoyed about how cis-het relationships were described as seeming less adventurous that LGBTQ+ relationships. If a cis-het person said that about LGBTQ+ relationships, it would be clear how offensive that is.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This book was fine. I loved the inclusivity and representation in this book: Ginny is nonbinary and Elsie is pansexual. I loved their friendship and seeing it progress over the years into something more. It was nice seeing both of their backgrounds and how they each figured out their futures in the end.
However, I was struggling with the pacing of this book. The beginning we have Elsie breaking up with her fiance and going on their nonrefundable honeymoon with Ginny, and that whole part moved very fast. And once they were on the honeymoon, their friends to lovers relationship moved VERY fast. And then we hit a lull because everything is fine and dandy between the two of them. And then s%#t hits the fan and the inevitable third act breakup ensues, which leads us to seeing how Ginny and Elsie figure out their futures on their own. But this is a romance, so we still get the HEA.
Honestly, I was kind of bored with this book, but I do think it has its audience. Friends to lovers fans will eat this up! The tropical setting for the honeymoon was also portrayed well. The story just fell flat for me.

Set against a breathtaking backdrop, this trope-filled friends-to-lovers romance shines with heart and authenticity. Ginny, a fat and nonbinary lead, steps into the spotlight as a truly refreshing and compelling protagonist. Through Elsie’s eyes, Ginny’s charm and beauty radiate, brought to life with Wilsner’s signature warmth and depth. A must-read for fans of Wilsner and anyone craving a tender, nonbinary love story that doesn’t shy away from realness or romance.

3.5 stars.

"My Best Friend's Honeymoon" by Meryl Wilsner is a bit of a mixed bag, though it's mostly good. The story is 100% sold on the chemistry between Ginny and Elsie, which is top-notch. Their banter is delicious, sexy, satisfying, and unapologetically queer. I loved their friendship but wanted to pull my hair out soooo many times because they were so clearly in love with each other that it made me sick to see them futz around with other people (Elsie I am looking a YOU!!!!!!!!). They are both a mess. They are both their own biggest enemies. They constantly stand in their way (both of them!) and, subsequently, in each other's way. That being said, I think the friends-to-lovers aspect works here (which usually isn't the case, in my opinion). The spice in this book is spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiicy, y'all, and even a tad k1nky, too! I like how Elsie grew as a character where her s3xuality was concerned, but that stops there. Both of their character growth didn't feel super earned at the end of the day. This is a book that leans waaaay into the physical aspect of the story as opposed to the romantic, emotional one. Ginny and Elsie's characters' relationship is exclusive to a vacation bubble until it's not, and it's obvious what's going to happen when they leave their love nest for the real world. I never felt like their relationship grew on their vacation; I only felt like the physical aspect was explored. Low emotion, high s3xuality. I'm also not sure I loved Ginny and Elsie getting together just two weeks after Elsie broke off her engagement to someone else. I get that they have been lusting after one another for years, but it still felt pretty messed up, considering her ex was a decent, nice dude. Like I said, a bit of a mixed bag! I will say, I loooooved Blair Baker and Emily Shaw's dual audiobook narration. Their voices were perfect for this material. They play off of one another well and kept me engaged throughout the audiobook with their fast-paced, snappy, fun narration.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meryl Wilsner, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

What starts out as a very steamy friends-to-lovers tale transitions into a story of growth and maturing into adulthood by figuring out what you want and going for it.

Ever since she was ostracized at school after admitting to a crush on a girl in the third grade, pansexual Elsie has made an effort not to make waves. That included the time her best-friend-for-life Ginny asked her to the homecoming dance, rejecting her even though it was what she really wanted. Ginny (she/they) has spent a decade and change pining for Elsie, telling herself she's fine with it just being a friendship; she'll take as much of Elsie as she can get. That is, until Elsie breaks up with her fiancé Derek when he decides to spring a wedding on her after two years of her avoiding setting a date.

Derek insists Elsie go on the honeymoon, and suggests she bring Ginny, who quits her job when her boss won't give her the time off. While on the honeymoon, Elsie decides that what she really wants (and has always wanted) is Ginny and their love affair begins. However, at the end of the week, their mutual anxieties about their burgeoning relationship undermine it, with Elsie blowing up once she finds out Ginny quit her job, and they lose not only their romantic relationship, but also their friendship.

The final act is both of them figuring out who they are separate from each other and working towards new personal life-goals and professions. After a month, with significant changes, they come back together in a pretty-Hallmark-y conclusion.

This is the second Meryl Wilsner book I've read, and like the first (Mistakes Were Made) the heat in this book was intense, with graphic description of sex once our two protagonists finally give in to their feelings for each other. I generally don't have much a reaction when I read sex scenes in books beyond noting the style and level of explicitness, this definitely had me pulling at my proverbial collar and sighing and pulling at my neck as I closed my eyes. It's a lot, and very much themed as explicitly queer. This takes up a sizeable portion of the middle of the book, and satisfyingly does not let up.

However, I did feel like the interpersonal conflict between the two leads in the last act felt somewhat artificial. I'm not necessarily against the idea that these two would separate at the end of the "honeymoon" out of fears or emotional stagnation, I felt that using it as a catalyst for growth into adulthood felt rushed and flat. It was great to see them come back together, but I felt this element didn't make sense, especially when they could have been supports to each other through that initial growth, and external conflicts instead of a relationship conflict driving them apart.

Narration: Amazing. I loved the dual narration and felt like the voices and performance matched their respective characters perfectly. Honestly, the quality of the audiobook was a major high point for me for this book.

Content: I love Meryl Wilsner. They will continue to be an auto-read author for me. Friends to lovers is my favorite trope. Unfortunately, this book just didn't land with me. It actually had me defending a man ?? Elsie ends her engagement at the start of the book and he kindly goes out of his way to suggest she still go on the honeymoon HE planned and he went through the effort of changing his ticket to her bff Ginny, that was his idea to take her. Yes these characters act immature and honestly it makes sense since they are 24ish so there was a lot of messiness I was fine with, but it was just a step too far for me when they are making fun of him and barely discussing this long relationship of Elsie's while they are on said honeymoon. And Elsie never spoke up during their relationship so I don't see why it was so heinous for him to plan a wedding and honeymoon when Elsie never corrected him about being in love, for all he knew it was smooth sailing having communicated with her directly checking in about it throughout the years.

The spice was fun. I didn't mind they spent a lot of the trip exploring that. I even enjoyed the side plots of Elsie's place in her family business and Ginny's work. Overall, I am happy to have read this I just feel overall lukewarm about it. If you want to give it a try and enjoy audiobooks, definitely go the audio route. Thank you to SMP for the eARC and Macmillan audio for the ALC.