My only complaint is that this book was over too soon!! I have loved everything that I have read by Meryl Wilsner and this is no exception! Elsie and Ginny friends to lovers story is fantastic (and friends to lovers isn't even my go-to trope) and the story still leaves space for them to have their own independent personal growth at the same time which is phenomenal. It was also HOT... I certainly knew going in it was going to be spicy but this went above and beyond! I am forever waiting for Meryl's next book to come out.

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner is a spicy, sunshine-filled romance with an important message about learning to advocate for your own happiness. The premise is irresistible—two best friends, a non-refundable Caribbean honeymoon, and years of buried feelings coming to light. It's the kind of setup that practically guarantees fun, angst, and a hefty dose of steam.

Wilsner shines in crafting chemistry between Elsie and Ginny. Their bond feels genuine and heartfelt, and watching them navigate the shift from friendship to something more is a treat. The nonbinary representation through Ginny is refreshing and handled with care, adding depth to the romance. Plus, the tropical setting adds an indulgent layer of escapism—cocktails, beaches, and passionate revelations abound.

That said, the story doesn’t always stick the landing. Elsie’s journey of self-discovery feels rushed, with significant character growth crammed into a single week. Ginny’s motivations and internal conflict could have been explored further to balance out the romance. At times, the pacing left me wishing for a bit more time to let the emotional beats sink in.

If you’re in the mood for a steamy, tropical friends-to-lovers romance with meaningful representation, My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is worth a read. While it doesn’t quite reach its full potential, it delivers enough heart and heat to leave you smiling.

Ginny and Elsie's story is a sweet and entertaining one. Elsie discovers that there is nothing wrong with asking for what she wants, and that it isn't selfish to want things for her life in the first place. I enjoyed this relatable story about best friends turned lovers—or were they in love all along?! 


Thank you to NetGalley for making the advance copy available; I am certain this "Readers’ Most Anticipated Books of 2025" will be a fan favorite when it comes out on April 29th!

I loved the premise of this book, but I almost quit reading it because of the tense it's written in. But I am glad I pushed through because the story is great. (And - heads up - the book is very explicit.) Also... can we talk about the cover? I love it.

But now I want to book a trip to St. Lucia?

I am sorry to say I didn’t love this one. It was cute but the characters were shallow and there just wasn't any depth. It felt juvenile to me. I might be too old to be the target audience!! They got together too fast and it was too much relentless spice for me. Weird pacing. Positive was good and thoughtful representation.

I thought this book was well written, however there are were a few things I would have enjoyed a little better. I think the main character was a little annoying, I know she's suppose to be getting what she wants. I think the idea this world revolves around her and everyone else is suppose to comply is what what irksome. I do think the storyline felt believable, I've read Mistakes Were Made and Cleat Cute so I'm familiar with their writing. I think since those were so strong this one wasn't as good.

First off I want to say thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC.

I had such high expectations for this book! Meryl Wilsner has done no wrong in the past. And I’m not really saying this book was a complete miss for me but it just wasn’t what I was expecting…

The flip from friend to sex was so abrupt that it felt unnatural, and the conflict seems so out of character for the MC. The story just left me feeling like something was off/missing.

Won’t say I regret reading this book, just left me wanting something different.

Meryl Wilsner’s “My Best Friend’s Honeymoon” presents an intriguing twist on the romantic comedy, mixing themes of friendship, love, and desire in an unexpected honeymoon setting. The story centers on Jo, who is invited on her best friend Katie’s honeymoon after Katie’s marriage takes a turn. What follows is a complicated emotional journey where Jo grapples with romantic feelings that blur the lines of loyalty and attraction.

Wilsner’s writing is engaging, with witty dialogue and a strong focus on character development, particularly Jo, who feels relatable and genuine. The chemistry between her and the other characters is palpable, and the slow-building romantic tension adds depth to the story. However, the pacing can be uneven, particularly in the latter half, where the focus on emotional exploration slows down the plot.

While the book does a solid job of addressing complex relationships and the nuances of emotional boundaries, at times it feels a bit too messy in its handling of these themes. The romantic drama occasionally teeters on being a bit contrived, and some readers may find the central conflict a little predictable.

Overall, “My Best Friend’s Honeymoon” offers an enjoyable, if somewhat imperfect, exploration of love and friendship, with moments of humor and emotional depth, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential.

Thank you for the advance read!

My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner is a spicy, feel-good romance about two lifelong best friends, Elsie and Ginny. When Elsie's fiancé plans their wedding and honeymoon without consulting her, she calls off the engagement and ends up on a non-refundable honeymoon with Ginny instead. As they soak up the sun and explore beautiful destinations, Elsie and Ginny's bond deepens, and they begin to question their long-standing platonic relationship. Their journey is filled with humorous moments, emotional revelations, and an exploration of new feelings and desires. Wilsner's writing is engaging, and the chemistry between Elsie and Ginny is palpable, making this a delightful and heartwarming read.

I’m a huge fan of anything Meryl writes and My Best Friend’s Honeymoon did not disappoint. I always appreciate when the main characters develop personally on top of their relationship developmen. The personal growth Elsie and Ginny both had to do to make their relationship work was wonderfully written. It was more than a standard friends to lover book. I found myself rooting for both Ginny and Elsie independently as well as rooting for the relationship. Plus, I have a theory-the cuter the cover on a romance book, the spicier it is and this book helped prove my theory, correct.

4.75 rounded up to 5 stars

Having absolutely loved Meryl Wilsner's other books, I had pretty high expectations for this one and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. After her fiance surprise plans their wedding and honeymoon for a week away, Elsie realizes that it's not the life she wants and breaks up with him instead. Since the honeymoon is nonrefundable, Elsie takes her long-time best friend Ginny instead. On this not-honeymoon, Ginny decides Elsie needs to both figure out what she wants AND be bold enough to ask for it and so they decide they'll do anything Elsie wants, as long as she asks for it. What could go wrong??

As someone who also has a hard time figuring out what I want and how to ask for it, I deeply related to Elsie defaulting to whatever felt like the path of least resistance. I loved seeing the ways she grew in confidence and conviction. I want a best friend like Ginny, who struck the right balance of support and challenge. They also had their own journey, figuring out how to prioritize their own desires and make their own path in life.

I loved the pacing - there was just enough tension built before Elsie and Ginny's relationship turned sexual/romantic and they didn't rush through the third act breakup in order to get to the happily ever after.

Elsie's finacee plans their entire wedding without her knowledge and she ends up breaking up with him, realizing she doesnt want to get married to him. Elsie ends up taking her non-binary best friend, Ginny, on the trip with her to an all inclusive resort that caters to non-cis couples. While there Ginny and Elsie take things beyond friendship, but can this new relationship last at home?

It was a good premise, but I did not like Elsie. I thought that she was callous toward Ginny and said some really nasty things to them. The best part of the book was when they returned home in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Just based off the cover of this book I didn’t realize what I was getting into. Lesson learned! I started this book this morning and finished within 12 hrs. I have a lot of opinions.

The sex scenes were very graphic. As many reviews also said chapter 18 was a lot. I almost got to a point of wanting to skip forward which I have never done during a book.

The characters had no real connection & it felt forced. Both of them came off annoying & immature.

I didn’t like the ending it was so abrupt. Some chapters were so long and some were so short. Very confused!

Thank you NetGalley & SMP for the eARC.

I loved the backstories on the characters and the two main characters themselves!

My issue was with how the plot lacked because of all of the sex scenes. The romance moved way too fast- I feel the author was too focused on the spice rather than developing the story.

That being said, I will definitely pick up more by them!

I didn’t read the synopsis of this book before beginning. It was an easy read. I just didn’t find it interesting.

This story was good !
Loved the character and world development.
Also enjoyed reading about a nonbinary character
Hoping for an epilogue to show them being happy after they are together as a couple.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

*3.75 stars*

This book is lighthearted but does contain a small amount of possibly triggering content. There is a scene that contains homophobia where a slur is spoken and a scene with unintentional misgendering where the character is corrected.

First of all, I LOVE that this book has a non-binary lead. I've found that there is great trans representation when it comes to YA novels and less when it comes to adult books, so that was an immediate win for this book. I love that this is a lighter romance novel, and that there is adequate focus on Ginny's identity while also giving them an identity outside of being non-binary. Both Elsie and Ginny are fully-developed characters, and I really enjoyed that aspect of this book. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, and I'm glad we were shown scenes that didn't just revolve around Elsie and Ginny's romance.

The plot set-up was good, and the fear from both of them about bridging the gap from friends to lovers was well done. While there was that fear of the dreaded "what are we" for both characters internally after they bridge that gap, Wilsner didn't make that the focus of the novel, and they both communicated their feelings quickly.

I thought the sex scenes were well done too! They were detailed and veered into kinky, so they may not be for everyone, but I was a fan. I also always love when characters communicate boundaries and ask for consent, which they did!

What I wasn't a big fan of was the conflict between Elsie and Ginny. The initial reasoning felt very contrived, and after the good communication they had up to this point, it didn't align with what we were told about the characters. While I understand the underlying issue about why the conflict happened, I didn't think the specific issue warranted such a big reaction, which was acknowledged in the book.

I think they both made healthy choices and communicated well, but it also felt like the conflict was dragged out just a bit too long. Because of where it happened in the novel, it felt as if the book was split in half which made it feel disjointed when comparing it to the first part of the book. The ending of the book also was a bit rushed as a result of this.

But overall, I enjoyed the book! I liked Elsie and Ginny as individuals and as a couple, and I feel like they were reasonable but also showed growth. The LGBTQ+ (which should include the P) representation was stellar, and I'll definitely be looking more into this author's works!

Elsie Hoffman calls off the wedding that her fiancé planned for her as a surprise. He offers her the non-refundable honeymoon and she takes her best friend, Ginny Holtz. Ginny wants to help Elsie speak up for herself and offers to do anything during the week as long as Elsie asks. It starts with a hike, swimming and snorkeling but soon takes a more personal tack.

Elsie and Ginny are still figuring out adulting. Elsie has always known she would work for the family hardware store and I like the storyline of her trying to get her dad to hear her ideas for improvement. Ginny likewise is still figuring out what they want to do. They took the first job offered out of college but it isn’t their passion. Elsie is pan but has only been with her college boyfriend/fiancé. Ginny is a nonbinary lesbian. Ginny has had a crush on Elsie but settled for being a best friend after Elsie turned them down when asked to a high school dance. I love that Ginny is described as being solid or sturdy sized but is never shamed for it.

To celebrate the New Year I treated myself to this book by Meryl Wilsner. I have given her five stars previously for both “Mistakes Were Made” (Oct 2022) and “Cleat Cute (Sept 2023). They both care for each other so it is hard to see so much internal struggle about being more than friends, after the fact. The story is light and not overly angsty. And I do appreciate the heat Wilsner brings, especially in a mainstream publication. I like that the cover fits the book. And I found it very quick to read and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.

After the delight that was Cleat Cute, I was very much looking forward to Wilsner’s follow up novel, My Best Friend’s Honeymoon. Sadly, I found myself utterly disappointed.

This book was just…not good. The character development was severely lacking, as was chemistry between the two mc’s. I thought perhaps it would get better once it got to the steamy part, but if anything it got worse. It was at that point that I gave up and stopped reading.

Still a Wilsner fan, but this one wasn’t for me.

I want to be able to give 3.5⭐️ because I did enjoy this way more than I thought I would. Ginny was the star for me here. Yes, they’ve been “secretly” pining after Elsie for a decade or more but they are such a good person and friend and sounding board.

Elsie I found really hard to like. She knows (on some level anyway) that she is responsible for the path of Ginny’s life and remains a very selfish person with her own feelings. It’s easy to stick up for the people we love but neither of them know how to be honest with themselves out loud.

The spicy scenes were pretty steamy and it was an abrupt transition from best friends with pent up feelings to ALL IN. But i was able to accept that they have had many years of lying to themselves before the floodgates open. Could have done without the period scene but, no judgement.

This was the first book of Meryl’s I’ve read and the first f/nb story as well. I would read others as I think the writing was well done and the element of humor worked.