A fabulously written book by two authors but you can’t tell where one ends and one begins. A great subject explored sensitively.

I’ve enjoyed reading plenty of Jodi Picoult novels in the past, often finding them to be thought-provoking in their exploration of controversial topical issues. Although it’s really difficult to say much about it without spoiling the book for readers, it’s safe to say that fans of Picoult will not be disappointed and that I think Boylan will be gaining quite a few new followers.

I was initially attracted to Mad Honey by the promise of lots of bees (which I love!). At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Olivia – a single mum who fled her abusive marriage with her son, Asher, when he was six. Olivia has returned to her hometown and has taken over the family’s beekeeping business. Readers are treated to in-depth commentaries about the care of hives and their bee colonies, which I found fascinating.

Now in his last year of high school, Asher is a kind, good-looking and popular ice hockey player with a bright future ahead of him. Asher’s girlfriend, Lily, has recently moved to the area after her and her mother have also moved with the hope of a fresh start. She and Asher are perfect for each other and Lily finds that this is someone who she can finally trust with all her secrets. Lily is an intelligent girl and enlightens us with a wealth of knowledge about bees, their folklore and literary history.

Just when things seem to be fitting together perfectly, Olivia gets a phone call – Lily is dead, and Asher is arrested on a charge of murder. As the case against him unfolds, she realises he has hidden more than he’s shared with her. And Olivia knows firsthand that the secrets we keep reflect the past we want to leave behind – and that we rarely know the people we love well as we think we do.

Mad Honey is a suspenseful novel which is full of twists and turns. I wasn’t sure how well this collaborated novel would work, but I was amazed to find out, in the notes at the end, that Jodi Picoult had written the sections about Olivia whilst Jennifer Finney Boylan had penned those attributed to Lily. The result is a seamless telling of two women’s stories which are both equally heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a compelling, page-turner of a read which featured some genuinely jaw-dropping moments. A clear five stars from me.

A must read, this is another of Jodie’s informative and educational reads a lot with an excellent storyline, this time with the added bonus of Jennifer Boylan co authoring insights.
I was lucky to hear them talk about the writing process, which added to the excellent read. I then bought my own copy as well.

I absolutely adored this book! There were times when I felt like it was moving a bit slowly but as you keep reading you appreciate and understand why it’s going into as much history as it is.
Olivia is such a relatable character and you just want to give her a big squeeze from the start.
I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend! I’m so glad that the ending was as it was.

This was, in a word, fantastic. I was hooked right from the premise before I even started reading and the book and writing itself did not disappoint. I even forgot that it was written by two people until I got to the end and the acknowledgements reminded me, the writing so seamless that it was impossible to tell. A remarkable story that i’ll be recommending to everyone for quite a while.

I have read all of Jodi Picoult's books but found this one to be a difficult story. I almost gave up on it but glad I persisted as it improved greatly when it got to the courtroom drama. Something that JP does brilliantly.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC

I haven’t read any Jodi Picoult’s books for a very long time and haven’t even heard of Jennifer Boylan, so didn’t really know what to expect. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Well written, poignant, heartbreaking and even shocking in places, this book grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go till the last. A love story, a murder mystery, a courtroom drama - this book has it all, at the same time including many difficult topics, written with realism, dignity and sensitivity. I know that the characters and the story will stay with me for a long time. I also loved the little interludes about bees and honey, and the last few pages (don’t want to spoil!) were a great touch.

What a thoughtful, impressive book! I've always loved Jodi Picoult and this is one of her best. It covers some really interesting issues and the characters were really well done. I enjoyed the setting too and felt fully immersed in the novel. If I could change one thing it would be the length - I felt it could be edited a little more to cut it down a bit as some parts were a little long. Otherwise, a great book.

Picoult has always had a talent for bringing social and political issues to light with her books. I remember reading many of these as a teenager and finding them engaging and informative. Eventually, the formula of issues, courtroom, more issues, twist, became a bit tiring for me and I’m now finding I haven’t read a Picoult novel in over twelve years or so.

<i>Mad Honey</i> is written by both Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, yet the narrative is so smooth it’s difficult to realise this is written by more than one author. Despite the issues, courtroom, twist formula still being very much in effect, here the twist comes in the middle and forces you to reconsider everything you’ve already learned about the characters.

The narrative is written from two differing perspectives - Olivia, mum and beekeeper, and Lily, who is the girlfriend of Olivia’s son. Olivia’s story begins and moves forward, whilst Lily’s begins and travels backwards chronologically. I found this quite jarring, but once I realised the direction we were going, I found it to be a really effective way to convey Lily’s story, and to build her character.

And although we had a twist in the middle, it wouldn’t be Picoult if there wasn’t a twist at the end. Vaguely predictable, and feeling very rushed, I don’t believe it had the impact it was intended to have, and I was disappointed. I can’t remember if most Picoult twists are shoehorned into the finale in this way or not, but it could’ve been done with some more care.

It seems a lot of reviewers have a problem with the LGBTQ+ focus in this book. Perhaps those reviewers should consider why that is. I didn’t, and never will, have a problem with this - my problem was very much with the bees. It was interesting to begin with, but once I really got into the plot I became infuriated with the swarms of bee information battering my head from all sides. I skipped quite a bit of it, sorry bees.

An enjoyable one nevertheless, and an important exploration into a life which is probably much different from your own. The struggles and obstacles in this life are important to understand and analyse, particularly if it leads you to understand and analyse yourself.

I have to say I really enjoyed this one even though it was a bit long.

I am not sure that this collaboration was that fruitful. I could clearly see where each author had their input and it was clear to me that Jodi Picoult's parts were what kept me on the edge of my seat and what absorbed me most. Jodi, as an author always captivates me with the intricacies of her characters and the way her character's have a passion or a hobby in which they're very knowledgeable. It always makes her character so real and relatable.

I loved the topic of bees, wild life and honey. It was perfectly woven into the story although I have a slight regret for it to not have been used in a more instrumental way (if you've read the book and mad honey part you know what I have in mind as a plot twist).

The parts that I wasn't as much of a fan was Lily's POV. I felt like it dragged towards the end and became repetitive and a bit patronising, trying to explain in details what is what (if you know you know, don't want to put any spoilers here). In some ways those part felt almost as if they were trying to educate maybe a younger audience in the way it was repeated even though the rest of the book seemed way more subtle and nuanced.

The ending was a bit underwhelming in my opinion. I do think that the plot twists in the first half of the book were way more impactful than the resolution of this book. Not that I didn't enjoy it but there could have been a more dramatic ending.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it even though it was a bit long in some parts. A few less chapters from Lily's POV wouldn't have hurt. Loved the recipes mentioned at the end of the book, all using honey. Jodi Picoult's writing is exceptional and she manages to make honey and bee trivia interesting and gripping. I would recommend it if you want a slower courtroom drama mystery.

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read in advance. Love all of jodis novels and this didn’t disappoint. Highly recommend for all Picoult fans

Jodi Picoult does it again. I absolutely loved this book. I also loved that it really showed off the talents of Jennifer Finney Boylan, I hadn't heard of her before but that lady can write! Once I looked into her background it did give me some inkling as to what the "twist" would be, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the novel at all. I loved learning about the bees and how they work. I also loved Asher his response to Lily's big secret showed a maturity far beyond his years and I would love to think that when a revelation was made like this in a relationship that others would have the same response. Unfortunately, I fear that this is a very rare occurrence. This book really made me think. You honestly don't consider that someone would have to spend the rest of their lives worried about telling others about her past. My friends daughter is gorgeous and appears to have life figured out, but reading this made me completely reconsider what she must be thinking and how hard things must be for her.

This book took me quite a while to get through it, but it's worth the effort and will surprise you, educate you and will move you to tears along the way.
A wonderful, beautifully written story that will stay with you and touch your soul. I highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

I requested this book purely on the cover and title, without knowing much about it. Wow - what a book. It was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, keeping me guessing and fully engaged. It's fairly long but I read it in two days as I couldn't put it down, staying up well past my bedtime on a work night.

I fell immediately for all of the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I loved the different time perspectives, and the different character perspectives, which made this really well rounded, but each perspective was so different and individual that it wasn't at all confusing as sometimes books of this kind can be.

I'm usually fairly good at preempting what is going to happen in books, but this kept me on my toes the whole way through, and I really couldn't guess where this was going to go.

There are some really dark topics within this book that I don't want to touch upon as I don't want to give any spoilers, but it felt like these had been dealt with sensitively. I'd be interested to read reviews from Own Voice readers to see how they felt these topics had been dealt with as I have no personal perspective.

The trial was heart wrenching and difficult to read, and made me think how I would react in this situation as the mother of two sons.

One of the best books I've read this year.

Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. I loved this book from beginning to end. Asher and Lilys relationship is sweet, loving and beautiful as well as being hard and tumultuous. When Asher is arrested under suspicion of Lilys murder the book is harrowing and has all the feels. A definite read for anyone.

It was really interesting to read about the origin of Mad Honey, that being a dream Jennifer Boylan had which she shared with Jodi on Twitter and voila, Mad Honey was born.

It is a testament to their friendship and writing skills that this book reads seamlessly and you would never know it was co-authored.

As with all Jodi Picoult books, the subject matter will challenge and arouse discussion. We have a crime, a mystery and a storyline that is informative and thought provoking without ever patronising or being preachy.

Asher is a popular and talented young man who is living with his beekeeper Mom, Olivia. He has fallen in love with a young woman, Lily. Each chapter alternates between Olivia and Lily and we move from present day to a few months before the main focus of the story. With each chapter we gain a deeper insight into each woman's life and the events that have shaped them.

A gripping story with passion, sensitivity and heart that I hope will also challenge some of the extreme bigotry that is making life so difficult for so many.

Bees, abuse, gender and death.
I have learnt so much from this enthralling novel, I do not want to give the twist in the plot away, so my review is not as full as it could be.
Main character is Lily, a girl who has suffered at the hands of her Father and is redeemed by her awesome Mother Ava.. Boyfriend Asher is a handsome all rounder, charismatic and caring, again bought up by a strong, resourceful Mother Olivia. How Asher and Lily fall in love is beautifully described, the teenage angst and the secrets they keep from one another add such depth to the novel.
The research into bees and gender reassignment comes over well.
Book is full of interesting characters who show their emotions and preconceptions through their words and actions.
Thank you to Judy and NetGalley for the ARC.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is one of those books you never forget - quite an astonishing read. The book centres around two single-parent families: Olivia - a beekeeper - and her son Asher, and Lily and her mum who have recently relocated to the area. Lily and Asher fall for each other and all is well until Lily is found dead and Asher is arrested. The story unfolds throughout Asher's trial in typical Picoult fashion, uncovering layers of secrets with many twists and turns you just don't expect. An unputdownable read and one I will be sure to recommend.
WIth thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Its been a while since I last read a Jodi Picoult book so this one was a bit of a treat! In the past I have found some of the courtroom  coverage of her stories a little intense, but this one has just the right blend of back story and court case.

Co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan, Mad Honey has a slightly different feel, jumping between the story from the viewpoint of different characters, before and after the main event.

Mad Honey tells the story of teenage boyfriend and girlfriend, Asher and Lily. After a falling out Asher goes to Lily's house to make up with her. However, when he finds Lily dead  at the bottom of her stairs he is arrested, suspected of her murder. Did Asher kill her, or did something else happen to his girlfriend?

There are lots of clever twists to this story so I can't say much more about the plot! It is cleverly written and covers some difficult,  but important topics. A great collaboration from Jodi and Jennifer!

This was so good. It's up there on my list of all time favorite books. It reeled me in from the start and I couldn't get enough of it.

The writing was fantastic and in Picoult's usual style despite being co-authored. I loved that Finney Boylan wrote Lily's chapters so that Lily's voice felt authentic and it came from someone with experience in that background.

It's a stunning read that I couldn't predict. The courtroom scenes were all excellent and my heart was broken for Olivia and her struggle. Asher was a good character too and the POVs from Olivia and Lily kept us guessing about him.

I thought the discourse on gender was excellent and it really made me think about what it is to be a woman and what makes a woman a woman. The commentary about hysterectomies etc was really well done and thought provoking. I liked what Lily and her Mom said about how just not being a man or being belittled by men can make you a woman.

Really great read.