Member Reviews
This is my first book by Phoebe MacLeod and I like it! Funny characters, it’s very good!
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the book!
Ugh! I’m sorry but I had to DNF this book too early in. I just couldn’t force myself to read any further. It was boring and lost me 30% in. I needed to stop because it felt like wasting my time reading this.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.
I always feel awful when I dnf an ARC but sometimes I have to. I thought this was rather boring and over written, When things get to exaggerated in a story that wants to be beliveable I loose interest and that was the case here.
I like this book but I didn’t love it. In my opinion, it wasn’t too different to other romance reads and I thought the writer didn’t spend enough time on the actual theme of the story – the ‘borrowed’ honeymoon.
It wasn’t until nearly half way through the book do we see Charley meeting Ed. MacLeod spent the previous time of the novel establishing Charley’s character and going to great lengths to explore her separation from her long-term boyfriend. In the lead-up to her going on holiday with her parents, I think MacLeod gives unnecessary page space to describing her going to work, shopping for new clothes, when this could have been focussed on the meeting with Ed.
The time in Antigua passes too quickly. One minute Ed and Charley are bumping into each other, the next, they are taking their newly-established relationship to the next level. Suddenly, Ed is leaving Antigua and Charley is left on holiday with her parents. In this way, I didn’t feel connected to their relationship and was not convinced by their feelings for one another. After all, they barely knew each other and were very quickly considering the next step after the holiday. It certainly felt like a speedy relationship that moved too fast to be believable.
The last third of the book was back in England and I found this section of the story to lose pace. It was not as interesting and, if I am honest, rather too predictable. I felt a bit of book ‘deja vu’ and repeated plots from similar stories in the past: satellite characters prevent new relationships from developing and the rush to reconnect with one another. Furthermore, I think the writer focussed too much on describing the reality television show that Ed is involved with, especially the other contestants. I didn’t care in the slightest about them and was frustrated that not enough attention was being paid to Ed and Charley.
I enjoyed this book for the simplicity of the plot, even if there were opportunities it could be developed. Charley is a generally likeable character, although I could not believe how out-of-touch she was with technology and found this aspect of her personality difficult to accept. Also, I think she was a bit naïve when it came to trying to connect with Ed and think she could have seen the issues, rather than allowing her best friend to get involved.
I think this book makes for a great summer read because it offers pleasant escapism. It was also a great way to cool down from a hot heatwave, considering this book starts on Christmas day! (Fear not, it was only the first few chapters set in December, there is plenty of sun that follows.) Although I was not too convinced by the main relationship, it was an easy-going read with few complications.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a good quick romance - I was immediately involved in this story. The ridiculousness that is Charley's ex is horrible - in these stories you want the ex to get his comeuppance and he does which is satisfying
Based on the pace of the beginning of the story - the meeting and development with Ed could have been longer - had a little bit more juice to it
It felt a little fast. All in all, I liked the length. I do wish it wasn't a fade to black - I feel like this story could use a proper spicy moment
So a tropical island honeymoon and a jilted bride/groom are quite well worn tropes. The art of the writer then is to make them fresh and undertaking the planned honeymoon trips/experiences is not quite fresh enough.
That said, this was a fun, quick read in the chicklit genre - short enough not to get bored with it, with the necessary mishap to help input a little tension, and the required HEA.
There was not enough depth between the main characters for this story to be believable. The insta love, mid way through the book was eye rolling. There was not enough build up as well, causing me to lose interest in the book.
Someone Else's Honeymoon by Phoebe MacLeod is a cute and quick read. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times (which I love in romcoms). Although it was a little slow at parts I am overall happy that I read this one!
This was a cute, quick read. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times (which I love in romcoms). Although it was a little slow at parts I am overall happy that I read this one!
I loved this. It made me chuckle a few times which I was not expecting! I will definitely recommend this to friends and family.
What a fun plot for a book this was. I found myself being able to get through this book really fast as I just wanted to see where it was going.
I did enjoy the first half of the book more so than the second if I'm being honest. I just found the beginning I could relate more to the characters and we were really getting to know them. The second have was more details as in what was going on. I think I just got a little overwhelmed with keeping up with it all.
I did enjoy the book and I really liked Charley and Eds characters, as well as the other side ones especially Mads. She was fun and so honestly.
My first book by Phoebe and I'd love to check out her others!
This book was so adorable. I loved the characters, especially the loyalty of Mads the BFF in the story. She was amazing. I love the growth of the main character! She was great. I liked this book a lot! I would recommend it as a fun summer read.
It can be the smallest thing that makes our minds up; so when Charley's boyfriend of 10 years gives her an eco-friendly electric toothbrush for her Christmas gift, she realises he doesn't know her at all.
This was a lovely, heartfelt, and uplifting romance novel. With easy-to-read characters and a narrative that will make you smile.
MacLeod writes with ease and gives us a novel you can escape with and take away with you as a holiday read.
There were places this novel made me laugh out loud or simply made my heart flutter, and I could genuinely see scenes of this novel in real life; as the realisation with the toothbrush on Christmas Day happened to me but with a perfume.
This is my first novel by this author and it won't be my last.
This was one of my favourite romantic comedies of the year. I had never read a Phoebe McLeod before but I will definitely read more. This is such a funny, relatable read. The characters are well written which makes them easy to root for. Also as this book is based around a dating/marriage show it is very fitting for the current generation. This is a great summer read and the characters and their personalities jump off the page. I love how genuine the friendships/family are throughout the novel. This book has a great friendship to lovers storyline, I was hungry for more and I am crossing my fingers for a sequel.
#netgalley #SomebodyElsesHoneymoon @bookandtonic
@rachelsrandomresources @phoebemacleod21
I was looking for a fun read but unfortunately this wasn’t it. The characters are shallow and I almost DNF’d but made it to the end. Not worth my time.
I enjoyed this light-hearted read which zipped along at a pace and had a warm and uplifting feel. For a start, you get to escape with Charley from her broken romance, to the sunshine of the Caribbean. The story is laced with a gentle humour which is created through the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Through the reactions of Charley's ex, you sense the absurdity of some of his lifestyle choices which he seemed to take for granted should apply to Charley as well. As the story develops, you can see her coming out of her shell and working out how she will live her life in the future.
Without publishing any spoilers, anyone who enjoys reality television, will enjoy a certain part of the story. You certainly see how the facade which some people put up is far from the truth. With a witty plotline and some appealing lively characters, this is an ideal holiday read for anyone looking to escape to the sun.
In short: romance and humour in the sun.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
This is a cute book that started out promising but then really slowed down until over half way through. I am not a DNF reader but I came perilously close. It was okay from the half way point on but I’m not sure if the rebound to the end was worth continuing it. This book has promise as some parts were quite entertaining. Charley’s Christmas morning breakup with her boyfriend was humorously written and once Charley meets Ed things really pick up but I’m not sure if that is enough to entitle this book to be considered as good as some of the other enjoyable romcoms out there.
A cute and fun book! Easy and quick read, would be perfect for a holiday. I did find it a little hard to get into and difficult to understand the characters motivations. But overall it was a light and cute read.
Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book. I made it about half way, but stopped because I just wasn't connecting with the characters and it didn't draw me in like I hoped. I felt there was a lot of detail including that wasn't necessary - I did not need to have several chapters about the details of working in a dental office. I made it almost halfway through the book and still hadn't met the love interest.
If you're looking for a light hearted romance, this might be for you. However, even though I hate DNF'ing a book, I had to do it with this one.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review :)
Funny, charming, and overwhelmingly relatable. Someone Else's Honeymoon features a main character trying to find and re-define herself after a breakup. When she goes with her parents on a vacation to Aruba (all-inclusive) and accidentally sits in the beach chairs for the Honeymoon Suite guests, she is greeted by a man from her favorite reality TV show: Married Before We Met. The two form a fast friendship, and our main female character finds that his bride left him at the altar, but he is not really that sad. This book was funny and so overwhelmingly relatable for those new adult readers still trying to find themselves and not to be defined by their relationships. This is a rom-com for the Gen Z crowd!