SWOON SWOON SWOON. Meryl Wilsner NEVER missed. I am a sucker for a friends to lovers trope but Meryl really does it better than anyone else. I always appreciate a slightly farfetched but still semi realistic queer focused rom com. I will never stop loving this genre and it was GREAT to see some additional diversity hit the market. 5 stars!! Can't wait to but a physical copy of this one.

Loved this book! It gave off people we meet on vacation vibes and I loved it! I have never read anything by this author before and I was an immediate fan!

Two best friends, one pansexual the other nonbinary have been inseparable since meeting over a decade ago. For years, one of them has quietly harbored romantic feelings for their best friend, while the other, though subconsciously sharing the same feelings, was too afraid to risk their bond.

When an engagement falls apart, the two friends decide to take the planned honeymoon trip together, setting the stage for their relationship to evolve in unexpected ways. However, just as their connection begins to deepen, a betrayal of trust threatens to fracture their once unshakable bond.

The author skillfully crafts diverse and engaging characters, balancing emotional depth with moments of levity and humor that bring their journey to life.

This story of love and self-discovery is perfect for anyone looking for a heartfelt and meaningful read.

Wilsner absolutely nailed it with My Best Friend’s Honeymoon! The characters were complex and interesting, but real and complicated in the best ways possible. The tension and chemistry between the main characters was great, and really leant itself to the relationship building. Best third act breakup execution I’ve ever seen! An unputdownable read!

3.75 stars from me but rounding up for the sake of this review! The beginning of this book really hooked me. I loved all the tension and pining happening between Ginny and Elsie and I was really excited to see where it went. Unfortunately, it just lost steam for me after a while. Once they started hooking up it felt a little one note and the end felt rushed. Overall, I did have a fun time in some places. Great start that just fizzled a little too early for me.

This book started off strong and I was really enjoying it until it became more smut than plot; that is just not something I enjoy. I had such high hope as I have enjoyed this author’s other books.

4⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Well this book took a direction I wasn’t expecting but not in a bad way.
I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

What I was taken aback by was the spice. I just wasn’t expecting it as it ended up being a good portion of the book. I enjoyed watching the relationship of 2 best friends change over a vacation that should have been a honeymoon for Elsie and her now ex fiancé. Elsie brought her best friend Ginny instead.

I liked the nonbinary representation. I also enjoyed that Ginny was a larger individual but it wasn’t focused on. You only know that from a mention about a seatbelt extender on an airplane. It was a great way to write a character and not make it a huge part of their personality like some authors are doing right now.

I definitely liked the plot part of the books over the spice as it’s just too much and doesn’t serve a purpose other than to have spice for spice sake. In general o don’t enjoy that. But o was able to skim through easily.

This book comes out April 29 2025 so get it on your TBR!
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I never thought that my demisexuality would hinder my enjoyment of a book, but here we are. Long story short, I needed more buildup of the emotional connection. I get that they were friends since elementary school but I wanted them to romantically connect and have a slow burn before they had sex. Because of that, the sex wasn’t particularly enjoyable for me personally even though it technically was the dynamic I enjoy reading about. However, I do appreciate the moments of aftercare, I feel like we never see that in books. Overall it was good but didn’t blow my socks off (but that’s generally quite hard for me).

These two had me SWOONING! And panting! Meryl Wilsner does it again, and they NEVER MISS!!! The cover alone had me salivating before even hearing the concept. Sometimes, I struggle with friends to lovers because I'll think, "How haven't we realized this attraction already?" Well, in this instance, there is a tenth-grade rejection that leaves you friend-zoned for ten years even though you BOTH have feelings and just need to talk it out. And I must say, it makes sense! I loved Elsie and Ginny's friendship (solid foundation for a relationship), but more than that, I love their love! It's so beautiful to see two people be fully known and understood in a romance novel. I was kicking my feet. There is a part of me that feels bad for the ex... even though I can't remember his name. Maybe I don't feel that bad? And I typically hate a third-act breakup, but it SO works here. These two have been attached at the hip for forever, so they actually needed time apart to re-center themselves before returning to their relationship. And it was a significant time apart! I enjoyed seeing them work on themselves before coming back together; it made their reunion all the sweeter.

I love Meryl Wilsner books. When a new one appears before me, it immediately goes to the top of my TBR. This book was no different. There’s a decent bit of spice, which is well written and natural in the story. I feel like people are obsessed with enemies to lovers, but there’s something to be said for friends to lovers.

Absolutely was not expecting to fall in love with this friends to lovers story. The character growth as well as the discovery in this book is absolutely unmatched. It’s a love story for the ages no matter who you are, or how you identify this story screams love is love, no matter who you are.
I will not be over this story for weeks to come. Els & Ginny will live rent free in my head. Hands-down 10 out of 10 recommend do not miss reading this love story. there’s enough family drama backstory second chances in the spice, oh Lordy the spice. The spice spare no expense. *fans myself*

There’s no such thing as a bad Meryl Wilsner book. This was a slower burn than their last 2 books but spicier than STTA. And wooo the spice was spicin’! 🥵 A love a good friends-to-lovers, especially one that’s borne out of years of pining. Elsie did mildly annoy me at first, but honestly everything I disliked about her are the traits I identify with the most so I’m not going to examine that too closely, maybe tbd with my therapist at a later date. I was so ridiculously into Ginny. Seriously, they are the best book crush I’ve had in a while. I swooned throughout the entire book and then it got to ✨THAT SCENE✨ (you’ll know it when you get there) and there was no going back.
Every single book by Wilsner has been a 5🌟 read for me, and this was no exception. I hope they keep writing the cutest, spiciest queer love stories forever. 🌈💕

Meryl Wilsner’s My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is a witty, steamy, and unexpected romance that takes you on an unforgettable ride. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the story explores love, friendship, and the complexities of attraction with humor and heart. Wilsner’s engaging writing and fresh take on romance make this a must-read for fans of fun, modern love stories with plenty of twists!

Another great, cheesy queer romance novel! Maybe I read it too fast, but the plot felt like it moved very quickly. However, there was enough time for me to empathize with the characters, while also judging their lack of communication for the sake of salvaging their friendship! The inclusion of a nonbinary MC made this novel unique to me since it talked about gender within the context of the character, and not as a mandatory afterthought.

Overall, I recommend this book and will probably read again!

Cute premise, but I didn't feel like we got to know the characters at all. Most of the time, they felt like cardboard cutouts to prop up the mid-book smut montage (which was great, don't get me wrong. Wilsner sure knows how to write romance and it was this book's saving grace).

My Best Friend’s Honeymoon follows Elsie and Ginny, childhood best friends who are thrust into Elsie’s non-refundable honeymoon trip after Elsie called off her wedding. As the vacation progresses, they begin to realize the magnitude of their feelings for each other. But with the end of the trip looming large, Ginny and Elsie must confront their friendship with one another in uncomfortable ways and risk their relationship in the process.

I really loved Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner, so I jumped at the chance to read this immediately, but I was a bit let down by it. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book — I loved the traveling and vacationing in the Caribbean. I thought the tension and chemistry between Elsie and Ginny was the best during the honeymoon, and it was downright thrilling to read about these longtime best friends grappling with their feelings for one another and what that meant for their friendship. I found their romance to be convincing and natural, especially with the little flashbacks we get of their dynamic as teenagers.

However, I was really conflicted that the honeymoon was only half the book, even if that. For a title that’s called My Best Friend’s Honeymoon, I was expecting a little more of it. It goes by so fast that it feels a little jarring, and you’re left asking, “That’s it?”. I also felt like the tension and chemistry between Elsie and Ginny kind of fizzles out after the trip, and it really impacted my enjoyment of the second half of the book. I thought the character development was great during the second half of the book, but I also wasn’t necessarily expecting that out of romance novel, so it kind of threw me off a bit to spend so much time away from Elsie and Ginny’s relationship.

Even so, I still enjoyed this book, and I’d still recommend it to someone looking for a queer friends to lovers storyline. It also features a nonbinary main character in Ginny, which I haven’t read a lot of, but I found it to be great representation. Elsie is also Jewish, which I also haven’t read a lot of in contemporary romance, so that was nice! Overall, I thought this was a great addition to Wilsner’s body of work, and I’d like to revisit it sometime in the future to see how my opinions change over time.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of My Best Friend’s Honeymoon. This book what more or less what I expected from the authors other books. Similar to those, there wasn’t as much setup of the characters and relationship in a deeper way as I would have liked before all of the sex scenes began. In this particular book, I would have liked a little more character moments and adventure breaking up the many sex scenes as well. I really enjoyed the third act with the characters finally exploring more of their life and dreams outside of each other, and wish that was balanced a bit more with the first half of the book. That said, overall this book delivered on what I expect for the author— characters I can root for, lots of spice, and satisfying character growth. I’d recommend overall.

Thank you so much for the ARC!

I didn’t love the first half of this book as I didn’t truly feel any connection between them, platonic or romantic. But once they went to the honeymoon together, I was able to feel it more! At time it was confusing to know which point of view the chapter was in as there were a lot of “Ginny did this and Elsie did this.” It would take me out of the story a lot to figure out whose head I was in. But I loved everything else about this story. I liked that their codependency was acknowledged and they worked through it in a healthy manner. It was great rep and made me realize I need to read more books with fat mc’s and non-binary mc’s.

4.25/5. Releases 4/29/25.

The Vibes:

—friends to lovers but good this time

—fun (of the sexy variety) in the sun

—let's ruin the friendship

Heat Index: 8/10

The Basics:

Ginny and Elsie have been best friends since childhood, so when Elsie cancels her wedding and is offered the chance to go on the honeymoon anyway, she immediately takes Ginny with her. While in paradise, the two give in to an attraction that's been broiling under the surface for years—but it's for the vacation only. Right?

The Review:

I am a hard sell on friends to lovers—and this is absolutely how to do it. Ginny and Elsie's intimacy springs off the page immediately... on an emotional level. And then it springs off the page on a physical level. VERY much so.

In a lot of ways, this is a pretty straightforward character piece. It reminds me of an onscreen romcom. You do spend most of the book on this island vacation with Ginny and Elsie, peppered in with some character building work surrounding Elsie's family, their past... And then the big question: How do you make this work at home? Should you?

This was initially advertised to me as a bi awakening book—it's not. Elsie is pansexual, and fully aware of her identity. However, she's only been in a serious relationship with a man, and there really is a sense that she's finally able to explore her queerness with Ginny. Not just in that Ginny isn't a man—they're AFAB nonbinary and use she/they pronouns—but in that the resort they're at... is specifically queer-friendly. (Why did Elsie's straight male fiance book this resort? The explanation is rather hilarious.)

And here's the thing—there's a lot of potential for some weird power stuff to happen, right? Because Ginny has wanted Elsie for years, whereas Elsie is given the opportunity to do "whatever she wants"... with what she wants being Ginny. But Wilsner writes Ginny as both vulnerable and strong; I never felt like they were being taken advantage of. For that matter, their chemistry and emotional intimacy with Elsie is there from the start. It's the physical intimacy that progresses to get there.

The Sex:

Speaking of... there is a lot of sex in this book. And it gets a little creative, too—you have a ton of dirty talk, plus a four-finger special (an attempt was requested for five but come on now), and Forbidden Peach Emoji Content.

Basically, it's super hot and I have zero notes there.

While this reads very much like a slice of life book, the emotional stakes and growth keep it from being too "sunny happy". It kept me hooked all the way through—quite a feat for friends to lovers!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Best Friend's Honeymoon offers a touching yet lighthearted exploration into queer friendship and the limitations that keep romance from blossoming. It's full of angsty dynamic and spectacular smut. For me personally some of the character motivations felt weak, and I found it hard to connect to Elsie in particular, but I can still see myself recommending this title to those in search of best friends to lovers queer romance or people interested in prominent nonbinary main characters where being nonbinary isn't the main plot point. A book worth reading for many, but not necessarily a book for me!