I have just finished reading this book in two sittings. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The characters were well drawn and believable, though I did find Jemma a bit hard to follow at times and found that I had very little sympathy for her.

Unfortunately I did guess the ending a while beforehand, however I put this down to my insatiable appetite for thrillers and not that the ending was obvious.

My only reason for not giving this book 5* is that I found it dragged a bit in places and that the ‘present day Jemma’ chapters got a bit samey.

Overall a good read. I received a free copy from netgalley.co.uk in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last. Wow! I absolutely loved this story about newly-married Jemma setting off on her long-planned honeymoon to a luxury resort in the Maldives with her new husband - only for her new husband to disappear without a trace. Told mainly from Jemma's point of view with the exception of a couple of short, necessary chapters from other characters this is a thrilling and dark read with twists and turns aplenty and an absolute genius of an ending. I fear saying too much will spoil for readers so will simply say "Read This Book!" Many thanks to publishers and Netgalley for advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This just did not hold my interest due to the story line being so slow it was almost in reverse.
The characters were unlikeable and the plot was far fetched.
Worst book of the year so far.

Good holiday read with an ending that I wouldn't have predicted!

Absolutely loved it - this book has it all - romance, intrigue and mystery. Fab read. I read it in a few days, just needed to know how it was all going to end! Great!

Jemma's Husband, Jamie goes missing whilst on their honeymoon and basically the book switches betweeen their story up to his disappearance and the present day search.

I really didn't like Jemma she was very manipulative, I didn't warm to her at all.

4 stars from me for this one as the ending was a little strange!

Maybe not one to read on one's honeymoon!!

Very imaginative...

Waiting for the other shoe to drop...

An unputdownable, gripping book that made my stomach churn and set my teeth on edge in sympathy with the heroine even though I found Jemma quite unlikeable.This is definitely not a feel-good book, but somehow irresistible and very cleverly plotted. Will gladly read more by this author.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley in return for an honest opinion

Twisty, right from the outset. And what a plot twist right at the end!!! I read a lot so often guess the twists even if there's red herrings thrown in there but this one genuinely shocked me. I finished it in one day and will recommend to friends. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

Fabulous storytelling almost ruined by a multitude of unpleasant characters.

The Honeymoon is very well written; its narrative is compelling, scenic descriptions are breathtakingly beautiful and the twists of the plot are impossible to anticipate.
The unreliable narrator effect is masterfully employed, the theme of paradise island honeymoon setting playing host to the most unhappy of newly-wed couples and a honeymoon from hell unfolding are fabulous concepts.
The depiction of the Maldives as a luxury honeymoon destination is amazingly realistic, as is the tumultuous portrayal of a emotionally intense relationship parked for too long on the knife edge of love-hate .
The atmosphere of tension, disappointment and the turmoil of a marriage off to a rocky start are conveyed well.
So many elements of this novel are almost perfect.

But the characterisation is absolutely appalling, it spoils the dialogue and detracts from a great narrative.
Jemma the leading character is self centred, a chronic complainer and her voice represents a perpetual whine, loudly proclaiming 'ITS NOT FAIR !!!'
One of this world's eternal malcontents, she is always wanting what is not and never takes time to appreciate the life she has. Her preference is simply to inhabit a constant state of blatant ingratitude.

It is difficult to associate this deeply irritating, neurotic, highly unstable woman with anything positive. The sordid element of sexual involvement with both brothers added a whole new dimension to the already lengthy list of reasons to dislike the character.
Such poor characterisation of the story's main character is deeply problematic for the entire novel.
Jemma bears little resemblance to a sane adult woman in the 30's age range, her petulant idiocy would be more suited to a teenager.
She is not remotely admirable in any way and impossible to either like or relate to- unless a member of the production team of The Jeremy Kyle Show (or a past contestant).
Nor is she fascinating enough to inspire strong reader reactions of chilling horror or a hate.
The most likely reader response is simply to stop reading, start looking for a headache remedy and then consider donating the book to a local charity shop.

This book is brimming with characters that are exasperatingly inane, toxic or just plain loony. The only decent character seems to be Sasha, a friend of Jemma, whose role is very minor.
Veronica is a vicious old hag, alternating between icy civility accompanied by barbed jibes and open verbal warfare masquerading as a little maternal concern delivered in supercilious verbal intonation.
Dan is portrayed for years as an idiot; at best a very cold fish, at worst such a hopeless boring loser.
It's confusing to interpret his feelings for Jemma, his whole behaviour towards her is so lukewarm.
The weird way he handled the break up after years in a relationship with Jemma fed the idea that he lacked the guts to formally end things in the way that an outraged lover would- just cutting off all contact without a row or any words at all.
A gutless cold fish to the end, an idea reinforced by his swift return to the ex-girlfriend his mother adored. But then years later his little plot to disrupt Jemma's marriage gives rise to little but reader incredulity, such decisive action being so out of character for him.
The only conclusion I was able to reach was that Dan is just as much a crackpot as Jemma, maybe they do deserve each other after all.
Jamie was so calculating, charming and highly functional yet such a selfish jerk, with a limited veneer of sophistication mixed in with attractive looks.

The psychotic criminal unearthed in the conclusion of the novel was probably the best developed character of the horribly annoying lot. Evil... very disturbed and a menace to both public health and Michelin ratings yes.
Also a character in great need of some recalibration of his moral compass.
But still a vast improvement on the novel's other characters- both main and minor.

I would probably have rated this story higher if the missing spouse roles had been reversed.
Jemma being the missing one instead of her husband holds so much appeal- as the one left alone on the honeymoon she was nauseatingly erratic and tangential.
So many more possibilities if she was the bride who disappeared on honeymoon, leaving Jamie alone to pick up the pieces and embark on a quest for answers.
The novel would be vastly improved under this scenario, with the reader discovering what happened to a missing Jemma: accident, murder, suicide or did she run off with her husband's brother.

3.5-4 stars. This book started really well and I was hooked from the beginning. However as the story progressed and we learned more about Jemma, she became more and more unlikeable to the point I was actually hoping she would be guilty.

The first quarter of the book hooks you in, the second quarter drags a bit as you just want to know a bit more about what's going on, the third quarter Jemma gets annoying and you start to wonder about her, the last quarter saves the book, getting everyone's viewpoint.

The twist is a bit of a 'what?!' moment and I'm not sure if I loved it or hated it.

I would recommend this book though as it's a book to divide people and start debates!

A paradise island, a handsome and loving husband, should all add up to an idyllic honeymoon but for Jemma, what should have been a wonderful start to married life very soon dissolves into the holiday from hell.

The Honeymoon is a really clever psychological suspense story and such is the creativity of the writing that even though I actively disliked the main characters, I couldn't help but want to know what happened to them, and more especially what happened to Jemma's husband, whose disappearance and Jemma's reaction to this forms the core of the novel.

Throughout the story there are twists and turns aplenty and a huge jaw dropping moment that took me completely unawares and made me so surprised that I had to tootle off to make a restorative cup of tea.

If you like convoluted suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat then The Honeymoon will certainly appeal, perhaps, just don't read it if you intend to honeymoon in the glorious Maldive islands any time soon 😁

The Honeymoon by Tina Seskis. What a jolly good read. Jemma had mentally planned the perfect 5 star honeymoon in the Maldives. No one could have imagined the horror when her new husband disappeared. It had me hooked from beginning to end.

Well I wasn't expecting that ending! I started out not too sure about this book but very soon became engrossed in both the story and the characters. Really good read, just don't read it if you're on holiday on a remote island! Excellent!

I consider myself to be a very lucky blogger at the moment.  I have read some BRILLIANT novels over the last couple of weeks, this one included.  The Honeymoon by Tina Seskis has been eyeing me up from the bookcase for a little while now.  Occasionally it gave me the odd wink and come-hither look but I had to be strong and stick to my blog tour reads.  Not the case now, of course!  Now I can pick and choose what I read and when I read it.  And oh my gosh, I'm so glad I picked The Honeymoon.

Jemma and her husband have finally made it down the aisle and have jetted off to the exotic Maldives for their once in a lifetime honeymoon.  Except there's a problem.  Jemma's brand new husband has gone missing.  The blushing bride has somewhat vague memories of the last time she saw her beloved thanks to the delicious and abundant cocktails available on demand.  And oh boy, she certainly demanded!  Paradise starts to look a little more sinister, particularly when Jemma's mother in law arrives to stick her venomous claws in.  What happened to her husband?  Was Jemma anything to do with his disappearance?  If only she could remember....

I loved this book.  It was so easy to read and incredibly hard to put down.  I loved the flashback sequences where the reader is given an insight into Jemma's relationship with her then fiance.  I have to say, what a weird relationship it is!  At points I wanted Jemma to throw her hands in the air and walk away from it all.  I loved Jemma you see.  Although her neediness to get married did irk me somewhat at times.  But a lot of us have been there, eh girls and boys?  Just waiting for the other half to propose...

There are so many suspects, so many possibilities on the table that you can't help but turn amateur detective.  I had a number of suspects in mind along with the thought that he may have just decided to do a runner!  What I didn't expect was that ending.  What a shock, I had never considered THAT as an ending.  OK, maybe it's a smidge far fetched but who cares - it was AWESOME and completely appealed to my darker side!

Would I recommend this book? Most definitely.  It's got bucketloads of lovely suspense, a couple of rather large twists which will knock you for six and a leading lady I couldn't help but love (I'm not sure you're supposed to by the way but I like to break the rules!).  Seskis's writing is very compelling and I will be making a point of reading more from this author in the future.

Five out of five stars.

I chose to read an ARC of The Honeymoon.  The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I heard many great reviews about this book, and I was very happy when I got approved on Net Galley. One thing I noticed now, after reading the book, that the blurb is written very creatively, and to find out why you will need to read the book.
The main character in this novel was Jemma. She is a girl, living in London and looking for love. With help of her friend, she finds a boyfriend, and the relationship starts. Jemma gets married and goes on a dream honeymoon, one night, while Jemma gets completely drunk, her husband disappears, and nobody can find him on this little island. The thing is, Jemma can’t remember what happened that night.
This novel is filled with very amusing and unique characters. I really liked their personalities, all except for Jemma. I did not like her decisions, and her personality was not pleasant to me. However, I loved the way Seskis used her in this novel, it was brilliant. I loved the way she manipulated Jemma’s character, in order to create suspense and different moods in the book. The story was told from different perspectives, and that made the book more enjoyable, as I sometimes got tired of Jemma’s “Where is my husband gone?”.
The narrative of this book was very interestingly designed. The quite boring investigation was backed up with a story from Jemma’s past, making the whole story more appealing. This book is divided into four parts, and every part finished with unexpected, course-changing turns and twists, which left me pleasantly baffled. Moreover, every part had a different structure to it, making this novel better with every page.
For the writing style of Tina Seskis, I can give nothing less than fantastic. She is an incredibly gifted writer who knows how to keep the reader hooked and interested. I strongly believe that she can make any book a gem to the readers. Seskis made the chapters short and to the point, which kept me glued to this book, I was “eating” chapters one after another, not because I wanted to, it was because I needed to.
Here I have a confession to make, while I was checking how many chapters there were in the book (85 in total), I accidentally saw, what I shouldn't (it was in capitals… hard to miss…). The ending of this novel was absolutely shocking and unexpected, and I loved that the author allowed the characters involved to tell it from their perspectives. So , to conclude, there were some things which didn’t work for me, but overall, I strongly recommend this book to everyone, you simply need to experience this wonderful way, through which Tina Seskis is sharing this story, it is unique, clever and masterful, and I will be reading her work in the future for sure.

A gripping storyline with a tense pace. Many thanks for the ARC.

After planning your wedding for months, every bride deserves her honeymoon. Time to relax, find each other and prepare for your lives together.
This was a gripping read that was really thrilling and I couldn't wait to see where it went! Recommended.

Trouble in paradise.
I was looking forward to this book after having enjoyed Tina's first novel, One Step Too Far (4.5 stars), but I didn't find this one as gripping and I easily spotted the first twist. Admittedly, I didn't predict the denouement, but I didn't feel that it was very believable.

Newlywed, Jemma, has only been on her keenly awaited luxury honeymoon for a few days, when her new husband disappears without trace. Has he drowned? Has he adopted another identity and somehow left the island? Is he hiding somewhere? His mysterious disappearance draws the Maldivian police and then the British police, in a man-hunt that eventually makes the papers and becomes big news.

As we learn the background to the marriage and the seven and a half years that led up to it, we start to understand events and see things in a clearer light. But the husband was not a very likable character and although I was rooting for Jemma, I can't say I particularly liked her either. My favourite character was Jemma's awful, caustic mother-in-law, she was a true classic.

I'm sorry to say that this was disappointing after my high expectations, and a bit of a slow read, hopefully the other book by this author, still on my shelves, A Serpentine Affair, will be as good as her first.

I found this book to be too repetitive - so little seemed to happen in the present day chapters and it became tedious. Also the twist at the end was completely mad!