This book was a fun setting and followed the expected romance arc and plot points we romance readers expect. The character development fell a bit flat for me outside of their sexual growth. The amount of sex scenes exceeded my personal spice: plot ratio preference but I can see where the story would really speak to an individual grappling with their own romantic and sexual exploration and identity. I appreciate what the book celebrates but wish to have seen more growth outside the proverbial bedroom.

Meryl Wilsner knocked another out of the ballpark. In this dual POV and dual narration, we explore the evolving relationship between Ginny and Elsie. They have been friends since their sophomore year of high school, barely keeping the friendship intact after Ginny asked Elsie out to a school dance, and Elsie declined. In " My Best Friend's Honeymoon, " Wilsner beautifully navigates the relatable quandary of 'I don't want to ruin our friendship with romance.

At this stage in life, Elsie has just graduated from college and is engaged to her college boyfriend. She is in for a massive surprise when he arranges their wedding and honeymoon without her input or knowledge. It's no surprise that his attempt goes over like a lead balloon.

While it is also not surprising that Elsie decides to bring her best friend, Ginny, on the honeymoon, the sparks they make as they allow Elsie to make all her own decisions for the week are nothing short of surprising for both individuals.

Wilsner touches on so many things in her stories, and this one was no different. We see Ginny, a non-binary person with a best friend, the biggest LGBTQ+ ally ever - Elsie. Elsie is a femme, a self-described pansexual. Elsie's fiance, while a bit of a doofus, is the biggest supporter of his fiance and her best friend, and you can't help but fall in love with his constant attempts at inclusivity and tenderness. We also have the journey of self-discovery and balancing self-love and love for another - boundary-keeping.

The honeymoon that was intended for Elsie and her now estranged fiance becomes a testing ground of sexual fantasy between Elsie and Ginny both. Even though it is a "first" for Elsie with a woman, there are many "firsts" for both partners. Wilsner touches on sexual activities that may be considered taboo in a very thoughtful and lovely way.

Emily Shaw and Blair Barker both narrated this story and did a stupendous job. I was especially touched by Elsie's "daintiness" mixed with self-assuredness and strength—a real powerhouse of emotions. This was evident in the narration and grew as the story continued.

I am not sure that there is a Wilsner book I haven't recommended, and I won't start with this one; that's for certain. I am in love with both Ginny and Elsie, and I hope they continue to live happily ever after.

My first book by this author. This one is a spicy queer romance in the Caribbean! I love a tropical setting. This one was a best-friends to lovers story line. Apparently these best friends have crushed on each other for awhile. Elsie who is engaged breaks things off and a week later is on a plane to the Caribbean for her non-refundable honeymoon with her best friend Ginny. On this honeymoon, you get lots of spice from Ginny and Elsie who dive right into their relationship. In the end, I'm not sure I was totally there for their journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved that Jenny was them they and her pronouns were respected throughout the book. I did not see them being in love with their best friend coming so that was a great plot twist. The storyline was great. The sessions and scenes were blazing in the best way as possible. One scene was a little much, but the rest was great. I was sad when they were not together overall the book was great. I would absolutely listen to this one again. The narrator was good and kept me engaged.

Meryl Wilsner’s My Best Friend’s Honeymoon is a spicy queer romance that follows lifelong best friends Elsie and Ginny as they embark on a non-refundable honeymoon after Elsie calls off her engagement. With Ginny in love with Elsie for years, the trip quickly becomes an opportunity for both to explore their feelings in a tropical paradise. What starts as a fun getaway takes a steamy turn as they engage in passionate encounters, drenching each other in desire.
While the romantic chemistry between the two is undeniably hot—think steamy, thigh-clenching moments—there's a glaring lack of substance in their emotional development. The narrative rushes into physical intimacy, but it takes a backseat to genuine conversations about their feelings until a third-act conflict arises, which feels stretched and somewhat unbelievable. The story's pacing suffers due to this, leaving readers yearning for a deeper exploration of their relationship beyond just hooking up.
Despite these concerns, Wilsner evokes strong representation through Ginny, a non-binary main character, and captures the complexities of friendship and desire. However, Elsie’s indecisiveness and lack of backbone left me frustrated, as did the reliance on miscommunication tropes. Coupled with unclear flashbacks and shifting POVs, the pacing kept me from fully embracing the narrative.
Overall, while My Best Friend’s Honeymoon offers an enjoyable and fiery jaunt into queer romance, it falls short of delivering the emotional depth I was hoping for. If you’re looking for a light, spicy rom-com with adorable characters, this book may still hit the spot; just don't expect it to dive deeply into the relationship's richness.

I listened to this as a audiobook and maybe that’s partially why I gave it two stars but I often got confused with the timeline. My biggest issue with this book was the lack of communication. There was no growth for the characters out side of sexual growth. Elsie breaks off her engagement to her fiancé who she realizes she doesn’t actual love. He lets her go on the paid honeymoon with her best friend Ginny and they end up basically on a sex trip. The description of their resort was 10/10.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Meryl Wilsner delivers a heartfelt and spicy romance with "My Best Friend's Honeymoon," a story that flips the classic honeymoon trope on its head. When Elsie calls off her wedding, she finds herself on a non-refundable Caribbean getaway with her lifelong best friend, Ginny—who happens to have been in love with her for over a decade. Cue the mutual pining, steamy revelations, and personal growth we all crave in a queer romance.

The “best friends to lovers” trope is done justice here, with a dash of mutual pining and a sprinkling of miscommunication to keep the tension alive. Elsie’s journey to finding her voice and figuring out what she truly wants is equal parts frustrating and satisfying. Ginny, with their supportive nature and patient love, is undeniably the star of the show. The chemistry between them sizzles, and the spice? Next-level.

While the pacing feels unconventional, it adds a refreshing touch of realism. The third-act breakup is painful but serves as an emotional turning point that allows both characters to grow individually and as a couple. The non-binary representation is beautifully handled, seamlessly woven into the narrative without over-explaining.

This book is a celebration of self-discovery, supportive love, and asking for what you truly deserve. A perfect summer read! 🌈✨

Edited to add info on the Audiobook - I was provided by NetGalley as well: the narration was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed how the characters were brought to life by the performance of the narrators. Blair Baker and Emily Shaw brought emotion and depth.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy of this novel.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Whew! What a spicy little friends to lovers romance. 🥵

Elsie has finally come to the realization that she cannot marry her fiancé, but even though she broke up with him, he tells her to take their non-refundable honeymoon trip anyway, and to take her best friend with her. (Seriously, I felt kind of a lot bad for him, poor guy. 😂)

I really, really loved the vacation part of this book, with all those romantic tropical getaway vibes. I loved Elsie learning to ask for what she wants, and then getting exactly that. 😘🔥

I will say the back half of the books was definitely a bit weaker for me. While I understand that there was some important character development that needed to happen, it happened in a way I didn’t feel quite worked for me, but that said, that final scene was very cute, and I loved where the characters ended up.

Audiobook notes: I thought both narrators did an excellent job! Both felt distinct enough, but also seamless with their shared voices. 👍

What this book is giving:
✅ Romance
✅ Dual POV
✅ Best Friend’s to Lovers
✅ Nonbinary MC
✅ Non-refundable Honeymoon Trip

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

I really liked the premise of this story, but the smut level and overly descriptive smutty scenes were more than I had bargained for. I love a good romance, but personally prefer a slightly more closed door romance. As part of the LGBTQ community, I appreciate the representation, but also already feel that so much of our society is focused on hypersexualizing us, so I had wished the spice wasn’t quite so… spicy. Overall, loved the idea and the dynamic.

I went into this book with a little bit of excitement as I love a good friends to lovers trope but this fell a little flat for me. The third act breakup wasn’t great because for what it was I wouldn’t end my relationship let alone my best friendship over it. But I was entertained which is why I gave it 3 stars still.

2.5/5
Two best friends go on a honeymoon together and it turns into a whole lot more... but not in the way I was hoping. This one was tough to get through. I didn’t expect so much plot-less smut and really wanted more actual relationship or character development. Ginny was great (huge piner energy), but Elsie? Kinda the worst. She got more unlikeable the further I read. Cute concept, just not for me. 😬💔 Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I did not care for this book at all. The storyline was obnoxious and the characters unlikeable. I couldn't get into it and wouldn't recommend it.

You’ll probably enjoy My BFF’s Honeymoon if you’re into…
• friends-to-lovers
• tropical destination romance
• f/nb pairing with LGBTQ+ rep
• spicy scenes
• second chances

It’s playful, queer, & while some of the drama felt a little forced and certain character choices didn’t always feel okay with me, it still delivers a fun, beachy escape with heart and heat.

If you’re in the mood for a tropical romance with emotional growth and queer joy, this might be your next vacation read.

Special thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

Overall, this was a cute queer/lgbtqia+ book. I do agree with some of the other reviews that said this book went too fast at some times. I definitely did not hate this book though. I also enjoyed the audiobook narrators and I found both of their voices to be quite pleasant. Definitely a cute read for the summer for sure!

best friends forever, secretly pining for each other, go on a honeymoon together and fall in love. recipe for a perfect summer rom com right?

if you go into this expecting an easy breezy bingable beach read you will have a fantastic time! there's lots of LGBTQ+ rep, a friends to lovers arc in a sunny place, a little dose of "how do you figure out your place in the world and what you want to do with your life???", and a HEFTY dose of spice (warning: extremely hot!!!)

the only thing I found this missing was a genuine connection between our characters that I could feel. the spice was spicin', but it really felt more like a freinds with benefits situation than long unrequited love finally being reciprocated on booth ends. but! as I said this was very bingable and perfect for an easy beach read.

thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this alc!

Meryl Wilsner continues to knock the romance genre out of the park. I loved Elsie and Ginny so much! They made me laugh out loud several times, and I was SO HOOKED that I listened to this whole book in one day. I'm only mad it wasn't longer!

This is 3.5, but it is rounding up for audio performance.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for the free advanced audio copy.

First, props to the cover for featuring a plus-sized NB person—we need more of that!

This narration is FANTASTIC. It is a dual narration by Blair Baker and Emily Shaw. The narration is full of emotion, significantly increasing my enjoyment of this novel. Both narrators have a huge range, reflected in their performance. Despite having two “female”-sounding narrators, I was never lost in the story and enjoyed how the POV alternated.

Ginny and Elsie are best friends, but Elsie is engaged. When Elsie calls off her wedding, they end up on a prepaid honeymoon.

As a side note, as he is barely in the novel, how Elsie strung along her ex and then barely addressed how she almost ended up married was a bit disappointing.

I also loved the friends-to-lovers (but secretly been pinning since high school) trope. It was well done, and they seemed to be friends genuinely. And share a believable connection.

This was a bit of a slower buildup, but when the spice hits, IT hits. It was tender, exploratory, and fun! I loved how into these were into each other! I loved how they communicated about their wants. Unfortunately, this was the only communication.

Yes, they are 23 and young, but there is so little communication about real life or their relationship. The resolution was just too simple for me; it felt like there was barely a conflict.

I enjoyed the little queer community Ginny connects with, and I am glad they added the arc with Elsie’s family because we needed some growth!

Overall, I enjoyed the positive plus-size NB rep, the spice, and the island resort. However, I wish there had been more character development.
would recommend the audio for a fun lighthearted, spicy read.

You might like this (I thought it was just fine). The plot of friends to lovers on vacation together is fun.

Meryl Wilsner’s books are possibly not for me. I love to read as many queer books and authors as I can but I guess I can’t love all of them. I think it’s their writing that I just don’t vibe with, the stories are good I just end up annoyed by the POV and structure of the books.

Audiobook specific, I liked both of the narrators and it was well done.

If you love friends to lovers romance then look no further. Elsie is engaged to be married to a super great guy. The problem is that he's so great he decides to take some stress off her plate and plan their wedding without her. It's at this point that Elsie realizes she cannot go through with the ceremony. Her ex is kind enough to send Elsie on their non-refundable honeymoon with her best friend, Ginny. Ginny would do anything for Elsie. She's been in love with her best friend for as long as she can remember but has never acted on it since a heartbreaking rejection in their younger years. Now, they are headed to a tropical all-inclusive destination where anything could happen.

I enjoyed the message behind this one. Wilsner demonstrates that it's good to speak up for what you want and not to settle for less. That being said, this book just wasn't for me. Even knowing Ginny and Elsie had known each other for years and years, the romantic side of their relationship simply progressed too fast for me. I love a slow burn and this is not that. I sadly never felt the chemistry between these two. I do believe there will be many out there who will enjoy this one, though. The spice positivity is great. The setting was wonderful as it provided a great escape from everyday life.

Pick this one up if you enjoy a romance with a ton of spice intermixed with sweet moments. The dual narration in the audio version is great. Both narrators brought to life these fantastic characters and made you fall in love with them. While the romance in this one wasn't for me, I will for sure be looking for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I was excited to read My Best Friend’s Honeymoon because of the much needed non-binary representation in romance novels. But Ginny fell a little flat for me in the way they were portrayed. I almost wish that Ginny had not been the one harboring a long time crush just to break from the stereotypes that so many people have about trans and non-binary folks. I have to give it to the author, I imagine it can be hard to write a nonbinary character with depth and also with care and I do think that they did a great attempt at this.

The sex scenes were less about the depth of the connection and seemed to overpower the story line. It didn’t bother me too much, but just wish there was more substance and more story to go with them.

I do like that the third act conflict didn’t happen when I imagined it would and it did keep me on my toes there.

3/5⭐️ for me