This is not a love story. There is not a hero or heroine nor a traditional happy ever after in sight. Instead, it is a fascinating and insightful exploration of the aftermath of an illicit affair that ends only as a result of one person’s death. About life, grief and dysfunctional relationships. The narrative, which is written solely in verse, totally and thoroughly captured my attention. The poetic pages made the style pacey and will probably allow many to read in one or two sittings which really is very satisfying. I was hooked on the telling as the layers of the story peeled away to reveal the depths of the plot. I probably should not have liked Ana, the main female character but I did. Something about her that made me warm to her. I felt for her. I didn't agree with her actions but I definitely felt sympathy and that is the mark of a great story. 'Here is the Beehive,' takes the reader through the eye of the storm, a bird’s eye view of being the other woman, instrumental and fully immersed in another's life but unable to grieve fully because the relationship is enacted completely behind closed doors. The story explores what would happen if?? What if I had to grieve for someone that I was not supposed to grieve for. How would that feel? How would I be?

'Here is the Beehive,' marks Sarah Crossan's first step into the adult fiction market. Already an award-winning author, Crossan has a unique style that makes her storytelling fresh, compelling and totally inspiring. This particular story and the protagonist at its heart may not be to everyone's reading tastes, no doubt about it BUT I practically inhaled it. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful, lyrical writing that told me such a sad tale. There's something about the writing of this author, I could not turn away. I could not stop reading despite the terrible decisions and life choices of the main protagonist. A highly anticipated novel of 2020 for me simply because I adore the writing style of this author and I am so happy to say that I was not disappointed at all. A unique and thoroughly well written novel, I wholeheartedly recommend.


Note: Written in verse | An affair drives the story arc | Contemporary Fiction

I love the style of Sarah Crossans' writing, the use of free verse makes her books very readable. I'm a big fan of her young adult books, 'Toffee' and 'One' are particular favourites at my school. I had high hopes for her first adult book, but I just didn’t engage with the characters in the same way and I didn’t have much sympathy for them.

Wow! This is a short but powerful story that I read in one sitting. Told as a stream of consciousness from Ana as she deals with the grief of losing the man she was having an affair with. She takes us back and forth from present day to memories of the two of them. The intensity of her grief and confusion is heartbreaking to read.
I absolutely adored this story and it will stay with me for a long time.

This was a bit hard to get into because of the writing style whist is like a poem, but once I got used to it I couldn't help but be immersed in Ana's affair. Ana as a character is not likeable but her emotion is raw, though quite disturbing. I really felt for her and the grief she couldn't confide in anyone about.

It's a sad story. Ana has a beautiful family but has put the to the side in order to live the adulterous life she wants. I feel like Here Is The Beehive isn't to be read for the story but rather for the writing which expresses the pain, suffering and love.

The story is given through the past and present so you can see how Ana and Connor's relationship was. I don't think the separation was done well as sometimes it was hard to differentiate between past and present when reading a new paragraph.

Here is the Beehive is the deep story of the affair between Ana and Connor, both married, told by Ana after she finds out he has been killed in an accident when his wife makes an appointment to see her regarding Connor's will. As Ana reflects on their relationship we learn more about Ana, the breaking down of her relationship with her husband, the strange relationship with her mother, father & sister but we also get to know Rebecca, Connor's wife.

Sarah Crossnan's style of writing makes words feel like they have more meaning, this may be due to the lack of them and she manages to tell an intense story within just a few pages.

She portrays the highs & heartbreak of an affair, along with the lies told on both sides.

At the very end when Ana is finally honest with herself and her husband and you are left with a feeling of hope.

I was given a copy of Here is the Beehive by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

I have never read a book like this, it was completely unique and I loved it.
Ana and Connor have been having an affair for three years when he suddenly dies. Ana has to deal with no one knowing her grief. He book is written like thoughts from her mind. No paragraphs or sentences and it works perfectly. You are swept along by Ana’s story and the emotional rollercoaster caused by Connors death. Gradually you learn more about her life before and during the affair. As you follow Ana through her grief journey you feel all her emotions and your reactions to the revelations.
Thanks to Bloomsbury publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#HereistheBeehive #NetGalley

My teenage daughters love and read Sarah Crossan so I wasn't sure this was a book I'd enjoy. Its short enough so I read it in one sitting, I was totally engrossed in the story, really gripped my attention. I did find the dialogue hard to follow at times and would have like a bit more insight into the characters but its definitely a book I'd recommend.

Beautiful book, I was drawn to it instantly as a Netgalley request because of the beautiful cover and the style of writing which isn't often done.
I found it to be a quick read, which was a shame as I enjoyed it so much I wanted more of it.
Also thought provoking and kept making me change my mind about who I'd side with. At times Ana was so horrible and unlikeable, but then you'd see it from her perspective and feel a bit sorry for her, I'm hoping there was some ambiguity in the ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.

Dark, emotional drama in verse.

Crossan always hits a nerve, though before this it's always been solid Young Adult fare, issues and characters. Her knack of writing in verse seems to suit her subject matter and the difference to usual styles is soon forgotten as you become embroiled in her stories.

This latest book moves in a different direction, for a different audience, and shows Crossan's ability to cross genres with aplomb.

A story about infidelity, grief and choices. Connor and Ana were conducting a passionate affair, a meeting of minds, for three years, until his sudden death. With the secret of the affair still shielded, her lover's widow is now a client of solicitor Ana, and the jealousies and curiosities of the past three years remain close to the surface as Ana shows us the pain of loss and love that isn't allowed to be openly acknowledged. We see scenes of the couple as well as Ana's bland home life with husband and family.

It feels as though you're inside this affair, though Ana is never someone you can fully warm to. I found some of the most affecting moments those between her and her family, with the innocence of childhood rhymes giving a new spin on the titular rhyme (one I didn't know).

With various layers to unwrap, Ana's story made me feel as though I was going through a wringer, the upset and tension, the darkness and despair, hate and anger, so vividly conveyed in a sparse verse format.

I finished this emotionally drained. Needing sunshine and chocolate. Very engrossing, intoxicating story and protagonist.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.

I have not read many books written in verse but Here Is The Beehive is a brilliant example of how that style can really serve a purpose in the story being told. The fragmented style of Ana's thoughts, emotions and memories made her sense of loss and loneliness so believable and relatable that my heart broke for her numerous times.

This book does not condone infidelity but actually shows the full impact of an affair, on the couple themselves and those around them. While Ana and Connor find love and happiness together, they also find pain and sadness. All of these conflicting emotions were portrayed beautifully and the depictions of grief were particularly powerful.

Both Ana and Connor were dislikeable in many ways but so very human. While the book is short, by the end I felt like I knew both of them so well and the little details about their lives we are slowly fed throughout the book are very cleverly plotted to give the reader this full picture by the end.

I would highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more by Sarah Crossan. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'Here is the Beehive' tells the story of Ana, who finds her self grieving over her lover's sudden death. A book about adultery and guilt, and about grieving in secret. Wonderfully written in poetry-form that kept me captivated from the beginning. Crossan manages to craft a story where you can relate to both Ana and Rebecca, without condoning adultery.

I loved 'The Weight of Water' and 'One' YA-books also in poetry form by Sarah Crossan, so I was curious about her first novel for adults. She didn't disappoint at all!

Here is the Beehive is the profoundly sad tale of a doomed love affair between Ana and Connor, both married to other people. Beginning at the end of the affair, Ana learns of Connor’s death via a call from his wife Rebecca, and from this point onwards I was blown away by the outpouring of emotion that never diminishes in its intensity.

Told in five parts, in the voice of the ‘other’ woman Ana, Here is the Beehive is a very quick read. It’s written in an original style with short sharp sentences so that the exquisite prose almost reads like a poem. The staccato type sentences reminded me of a single knife wound inflicting harm over and over again , every word slowly ripping apart these relationships. The writing style may take a few pages to get used to and the timeframe does jump around but do persevere because it’s worth the effort.

Slowly,the reader learns of how Ana and Connor first meet. We hear snippets from their time together, the impact their affair has not just on themselves but their family life too and last but not least how Ana deals with news of Connor’s death. Her only link back to her lover is through Rebecca, which is perhaps the most troubling aspect of this storyline which the reader gradually discovers. Ana’s voice is full of raw emotion, her grief palpable with her lament “I never got to say goodbye” echoing through the short narrative. I felt as if I was sinking into despair alongside her, acknowledging her anger and hurt and even her resentment towards husband Paul and Rebecca. She’s a woman unhinged, with behaviour reflecting her jealousy, questioning Connor’s commitment to their illicit relationship and bemoaning its abrupt ending.

Ana’s grief and her deranged, erratic behaviour following Connor’s death is just one aspect of the complicated mess she finds herself in. Although neither condemning or condoning the love affair there is an implicit understanding of the destructive nature of Ana and Connor’s relationship and how nothing good is likely to come of it. Everyone ends up collateral damage in a scenario like this for once you’ve taken that first step onto the path of adultery, as Ana and Connor realise, it becomes virtually impossible to slam on the brakes. Whilst both parties are equally culpable, and are weak individuals for embarking on this slippery slope to nowhere, it’s noteworthy how I still felt one person shouldered more blame. Will you side with either Ana or Connor or maybe neither?? Perhaps your loyalties will automatically lie with Paul and Rebecca?
For me personally the saddest aspect is the erosion of Ana’s self esteem and mental wellbeing. Heart rending are her words “I wanted you to tear the world to shreds to get to me. I wanted to be chosen.” We all want to be loved, to be the centre of someone’s universe and to find yourself in a situation like Ana’s where that love has no right to exist is excruciatingly painful. How do you let go of a love that was never meant to yours in the first place?

I’m not normally one to revisit books but I’d happily read this again and again. I absolutely loved the ambiguous ending simultaneously wondering what was next for Ana and Connor if death hadn’t interrupted this affair? Would marriages be torn apart and what does the future hold for Ana and Paul? I was left in awe of the beautiful prose depicting Ana’s experience of the loss of a love she cannot openly grieve for and couldn’t stop thinking about all those caught up in this toxic affair long after I’d read the last words. Casting aside any moral judgement the author has pinpointed the destructive nature of such liaisons and one woman’s complete unravelling with razor sharp precision. This novel may sound as if it’s outside your comfort reading zone but if that’s the case I urge you to be brave and pick up this book as your next read. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Sad and haunting.
How to grieve when you can't acknowledge lovers death.
Disturbing story about an affair, highs and lows of illicit love.
Two married people are attracted to one another and proceed to have a relationship, all the good times are tinged with guilt and bitterness.
Characters were not particularly sympathetic but they were honestly described.
Strange way of writing kept you hooked and involved.

This is Sarah Crossan’s first adult novel and I am a huge fan of her unique writing style whereby she writes in verse. Here Is The Beehive is told from the perspective of Ana, who is struggling to come to terms with the unexpected death of Connor, a man she has been having an affair with for the last three years. He has left behind a wife, Rebecca and three sons and Ana discovers he has died when Rebecca calls the law firm where Ana works as they are the executors of his will. Ana now finds herself alone in her grief, for a man who nobody else knows she has lost.

I found myself constantly re-evaluating my feelings towards Ana as the story progressed and her feelings of loss, confusion, heartache, hidden grief and upset all come through so strongly thanks to Sarah’s powerful writing. The verse style allows for certain words and parts of sentences to really resonate and the placement of the lines on the page allowed me to pause and reflect as I was reading. It was really effective having the narrative constantly switching between Ana in the present back to all of the different moments she shared with Connor too.

It was brilliant to be shocked by certain little twists and reveals of information about Ana’s life which I just didn’t see coming. It was so incredibly clever and these new details provided real pause for thought on my own opinions towards Ana and the choices she made.

I also liked the way several verses from a rhyme called ‘Here Is The Beehive’ are used in a particular section of the book and the symbolism this provides when thinking about the turn Ana’s own life could take based on her current actions and thought patterns.

I couldn’t put this book down, reading it in just one day and would therefore recommend this book to everyone!

I have long been a fan of Sarah Crossan's YA poetic and original novels so approached this adult one with great anticipation. The style and quality of storytelling did not disappoint. It is a miracle how Crossan conveys so much emotion just from the clever placement of a few words on page. This is poetry genius that is ultra accessible. My only regret is that I was not a fan of the protagonist in this storyline. She was not very likeable and I felt little sympathy for her plight. Crossan made all of the other characters she was hurting so sympathetic and likeable - well maybe that was the point, maybe she deserved her fate.

This was said to be a story portraying love, loss and family life but to me it failed to cover these topics very well. I could not get into any of the characters as there was not enough information given at any time to really understand them. The short staccato style broke the This was conceptually a great idea for a book but I felt that it had no flow to it. I appreciate the short staccato poetic style may be what a lot of readers may. like but I personally found this disjointed and inhibited the readability for me..

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.

This was my first foray into verse fiction! I'm not a fan of poetry but did enjoy this style of writing. It also meant I seemed to read faster.

This book is about marriage, infidelity, loss, death. Showing the grass isn't always greener, but of course its never that simple!

My favourite quote:
"How can we know which days will be the turning points? So long as we live, we gamble. Red. Black. Put it all on Number 11."

I am going to read some of the author's YA fiction now, as they cover important topics.

It was the title that attracted my attention to request this story. The sentences were concise, the actual tale short and I felt that I learnt very little about Ana's family - her husband and two children. They were incidental in her life because she was consumed by her love for Connor - their stolen hours, nights, weekends. During those periods she pushed the boundaries with Connor, wanting him to leave his wife as she was more than ready to leave her husband. They split up and rekindled their affair often - unable to keep away from each other until he suddenly died and she still could not walk away.
This was compulsive reading!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sarah Crossan/Bloomsbury Publishing for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Although I loved the writing style and found Here is the Beehive very compelling to read, I found that the timelines became quite muddled in places and could’ve been more clearly defined. The characters, whilst remaining quite unlikeable throughout, were well fleshed out and despite the ending not being the most satisfactory, it remained true to the story.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Crossan's previous work but I am only familiar with her young adult work. When I saw that she had written an adult book in verse, I was immediately excited and raced over to NetGalley to request it at once!

The story is about a woman, Ana Kelly, who is grieving the death of her lover. If you're looking for an uplifting, joyful book then this isn't what you're looking for. The protagonist makes a litany of ridiculous decisions and felt entirely unlikable. As a married woman with children, she doesn't seem to care about her family at all. It's not a story about good people who really deserve happiness and that's what makes this even more difficult to read.

I actually enjoyed how the book was written in verse. It really lent itself to the style of book, it ebbed and flowed along with the romance perfectly. The writing is exceptional, Crossan is obviously a talented writer and even makes you want to empathise with unlikeable protagonists.

There are lots of flashbacks in the story and it certainly doesn't glamourise cheating. In fact, it shows how destructive cheating is to their families, friends, and ultimately themselves. I was concerned initially that it was going to try and show cheating in a positive light.

It's not an easy read and I had trouble rating and reviewing this. It's a painful, horrible and heartbreaking read but it's a well written one.