📚🎧 BOOK REVIEW! 🎧📚

The Honeymoon by Rona Halsall
Genre: Thriller / Length: 298 pages
Narrator: Naomi Frederick (she was EXCELLENT! 🤩)
Audiobook pub date: June 14, 2024 by Bookouture Audio

Thank you to @netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the advanced audiobook recording!

Synopsis:
Chloe, a physical therapist in Brighton, UK, has had a string a bad relationships until into her practice walks Dan Marsden, with his mom who becomes her patient. Their whirlwind romance quickly becomes a wedding within two months of knowing each other and Chloe cannot believe her dream has come true. Dan surprises her with a honeymoon venue change to Menorca, staying a remote villa. Though this was not exactly what Chloe had envisioned, things seem ok until her new husband insists that they live their lives in the UK behind them and stay in Menorca forever.

From that point on, Chloe begins to wonder if she really knows Dan at all, and a series of bizarre, thrilling, and scary events take their lives on a rollercoaster that bring each of their past secrets to light... How far will Chloe go and what (or WHO) is she willing to ignore or sacrifice to maintain this possible facade of happiness??

Opinion:
There was A LOT of gaslighting in this story. I mean, SO much! Chloe was a very empathetic main character, but her inner thoughts and decisions were very frustrating throughout. I actually thought that the author did a pretty good job of leading you on different tangents that eventually turned out to be dead ends or unimportant. The ending was satisfying and I found myself often questioning motives of pretty much every character other than Chloe until the very end.

What really added to my enjoyment of this one was the narrator. She was easy to listen to and I was never distracted by her voice when she voiced the male characters (which sometimes annoys me with female narrators). I actually think that this book definitely is a good one for the audibook listener over the physical book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It all seemed perfect...a strong, caring man, a marriage, an idyllic honeymoon setting...until he changes the destination at the last minute, and regrets begin to creep in. Red flags are everywhere but it still seems a bit surreal. I don't know that twisty or thriller would ultimately describe this quick read, but it was enjoyable enough to see how the story would unfold. The narrator captured the characters with ease.
I'm interested enough to go back into Halsall's long list of suspense stories and see what I've been missing from this NYT Bestselling author.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Thanks to #NetGalley for this one! Psychological thriller with amazing cover art! I was seeing all kinds of red flags as this honeymoon trip was getting started and the red flags kept coming but the author still threw a whole handful of twists in at the end after I thought I had this one figured out.

I was drawn in by the cover and synopsis of this book. The narrator did a great job.
This book follows Chloe who has a terrible self image and lacks confidence. She's always been made to feel like everything is her fault and she's a terrible person by her Brother and Sister as well as her Grandmother, however she's always been a caregiver putting everyone before herself. She is a Physical Therapist and meets Dan who brought his mom in. They quickly marry after a brief romance and then things get weird. They leave for the honeymoon of Chloe's dreams to somewhere she's always wanted to go but when they arrive that is not where they are. The confusion, lies and questioning begin.

This book then moves even faster as Chloe is questioning if she made a mistake, experiences some weird stuff from Dan, makes a trip to her grandma's to check on her, back to the Honeymoon and then all these strange stories that Dan keeps telling her. Dan made her question everything but because she had no self confidence she was wishy washy in almost all the decisions she was trying to make to get out of there and be safe. Come to find out they are both holding secrets but as those secrets get shared they realize lives are in danger. As the book moved on there were a bunch of twists and turns and more mysteries that came up. Then at the end more shocking revelations. If you like a book that moves quick and has you guessing who did what then you will probably like this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

I was drawn in by the synopsis and had high hopes for this book. The suspense built up nicely, but I didn't find it particularly enjoyable in the end.

Chloe hastily marries Dan, despite only knowing him for a short time. He seems perfect and is head over heels for her, while she is deeply in love with him too.

However, both partners are hiding secrets from each other, and one of those secrets could put their lives in danger.

It was a quick read and the pacing was good, but I was expecting more from the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC of this book.

Chloe and Dan have gotten married after a short, whirlwind romance. Heading to their honeymoon, Chloe is expecting a relaxing vacation, but she is immediately concerned when Dan has rebooked the location of their honeymoon and has no intention of leaving.

I don't expect much reality when it comes to domestic thrillers.; however, this one was so far outside the realm of possibilities that it distracted from the story. I was more focused on how unconcerned Chloe was that her new husband had taken away her phone, passport, bank cards, etc. and how willing she was to patiently wait for an explanation.

Throughout the book, more and more is revealed around Dan. Chloe quickly flips from anger at his lies (primarily in her head, rarely expressed to Dan) to love for her husband simply because of the way he looks at her.

This one wasn't for me, but I can see how someone who is looking for a fast paced and quick read would enjoy this. I listened to the whole audiobook on a plane ride, and it made the trip go quickly.

I enjoyed the narrator, Naomi Frederick, and would listen to more books that she narrated.

Chloe had a world wind romance when she met Dan, she was sure he was the perfect man for her. A short courtship followed by a dream wedding and a honeymoon on a sun drenched island. Dan jokes that he’d like them to stay there forever and as the honeymoon goes on he becomes increasingly adamant that they should remain, in fact, he won’t let her leave. The writing is excellent, and done in such a way that it's very easy to read. There's a rather chilling plot, beginning with Chloe's whirlwind marriage to the man of her dreams and a honeymoon that takes her away from her physical therapist job and caring for an ailing grandmother who would rather she didn't. Her longed-for honeymoon could put things right; that is, until Dan pulls a last-minute hustle that takes her to a place she didn't know they were going and doesn't want to be. Then, for reasons he doesn't want to reveal, he insists that they stay there. Forever. The Honeymoon is Rona Halsall’s latest thriller. Chloe’s experience is every newlywed’s nightmare and we get to see her situation turn from bad to worse. You may find yourself being frustrated with Chloe. Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

The Honeymoon
Rona Halsall

🌟🌟🌟🌟

On the surface, this was a thrilling and exciting wild ride of a relationship from start to finish and I was completely hooked.
But, you definitely have to hold on to your frustration with the situation and suspend belief for the entirety of the plot!

From the moment Chloe met Dan, they were inseparable.
Engaged in around a month and married almost instantly.
She knew he was the one!
But how much can you really know someone in such a short space of time!?
And will Chloe love to regret her hasty leap of love!?

Well, I'm sure you can tell, given this is a psychological thriller that *spoilers* she will regret it!Hugely!

There is so much going on in this storyline that it becomes hard to keep up with all of the lies and deceit - but as much as I wanted to shake Chloe and get her to realise what she was doing, I was also totally immersed in everything that was going on.

I quite liked our main characters at first.
Chloe was trapped in her past and that feeling of guilt from letting her mum down, meant she now had the huge weight of responsibility to take care of her gran.
I felt really sorry for her especially given the way her siblings treated her and never shared any of the burden.
When she met Dan, he seemed like the perfect guy and I could definitely feel the love between them.

But as soon as things started to get strange, I was a bit lost as to why Chloe wouldn't question more things - instead she let it go.
I'm not sure many people would have even set foot on that plane in the first place!?

The storyline, although a tad unbelievable, was still really well worked through and I loved all the little twists and turns - especially the very ending - but I did suspect some of the twists before they happened.
Still, one that I couldn't put down as I had to know how this ended.

A great, quick, exciting and fast-paced read - perfect for a rainy weekend or holiday read - but I'd definitely recommend not taking on your honeymoon!!



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

This fast-paced domestic thriller had me racing through the pages! The premise of Chloe meeting her dream man, Dan, only to find paradise turn into a nightmare on their honeymoon, was deliciously chilling. The plot unfolded with constant tension and suspense, with twists I never saw coming. Naomi Frederick's narration added another layer of intrigue to the story.

However, the characters became a bit of a hurdle for me. While I disliked both Dan and Chloe, it was mainly Chloe who got under my skin. Her constant need to rationalize Dan's behavior and disregard her gut feeling left me frustrated. There were moments where I found myself yelling at the audiobook, pleading with Chloe to wake up and see the red flags. Having a character I couldn't fully root for did take away a bit from the overall experience.

Despite the character frustrations, this was still a gripping read.**

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The author of The Bigamist, Rona Halsall, returns with another twisty psychological thriller about a woman who marries a man she has known for a short time to find herself on a honeymoon that was not as planned when things begin to turn sinister, and nothing is as it appears. #CoverLove

About...
Chloe, a physical therapist in Brighton, is taking care of her grandmother due to guilt after a mishap, and her mother died years earlier, always blaming herself.

Then comes along Dan, a good-looking, charming man. He sweeps her off her feet in a quick, whirlwind romance and marriage two months later. She knows nothing about this man or his past, which she soon will discover. A cautionary tale.

The plans were for a romantic tropical honeymoon getaway to the Maldives. Dan changed the plans without telling her, and now they are off to some faraway island—not what Chloe expected.

Then Dan talks about staying on the island rather than returning to Brighton. What is going on? She has her grandmother, her career, and her apartment. Soon, she gets caught up in a web of secrets and lies, with Dan saying he's trying to protect her, hiding her phone and passport, and controlling her to keep her safe. He will not let her leave.

Safe from what and from whom? He is very vague, and soon, she becomes afraid of this man. Who is the man she married? She may have to follow his plan until she figures out how to escape this madness.

My thoughts...
THE HONEYMOON is twisty and intense, almost like a locked room thriller; however, there is a big mystery surrounding Dan and Chloe's past which will keep you turning the pages (or glued to your AirPods) to solve this mystery. The author keeps you guessing as to where she is taking readers. Trust no one! A spine-chilling captivating cat-and-mouse domestic suspense popcorn thriller. There is also a final wicked twist that will have you smiling!

Audiobook...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by the talented Naomi Frederick for a suspenseful and lively performance.

Recs...
For fans of the author, and those of of K. L. Slater, Keri Beevis, Sheryl Browne, and Daniel Hurst.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy for review purposes.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 14, 2024
June 2024 Must-Read Books
June Newsletter

Reading Between the Wines book review #48/130 for 2024:
Rating: 3 ½ 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Honeymoon
Author: Ron Halsall
RELEASES on June 14, 2024!!!

Sipping thoughts: Getting married is supposed to be one of the best times of your life but not as fun as the honeymoon! Unfortunately for Chloe, her honeymoon is probably one of the worst times of her life. I could not believe the things she had to go through in such a short period of time. Is Dan the conniving crazy man that he appears to be or is something else happening behind the scenes.

Cheers and thank you to @BookoutureAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheHoneymoon.

#TheHoneymoon #RonaHalsall #BookoutureAudio #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Fast-paced and leaving no room for boredom, The Honeymoon paints us a protagonist who is desperate to belong somewhere and be loved, making her vulnerable to ill-intentioned people to take advantage of in any way, like her Dan, her new partner, perhaps?

I wanted to shake Chloe SO badly, but I am also grateful that Halsall didn’t overdo her naivety/vulnerability to controlling people too much, since that would have made for a worse reading experience, to be honest. I would have been annoyed the full book with her; like so many books before this, the plot would have relied solely on the MC’s dumbness. Very happy that this wasn’t exactly the case here.

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really like the plot twist here, but I also didn’t hate it; it was more of a “uhhh ok? moving on, I guess…” moment. I felt like there were situations and characters that were just thrown in for the sake of red herrings, but they didn’t really connect to the story at all, or they were just randomly there. Maybe some people don’t mind it when tiny loose ends aren’t resolved, but it kind of downgrades the rating of a book for me. Nothing crazily bad, though! I still liked Rona Halsall’s writing enough to check out if something else of hers picks my eye.

I just finished The Honeymoon by Rona Halsall. The plot was pretty interesting and had some nice twists that kept me hooked. However, I found the main female character really annoying. Her decisions and behavior were frustrating and made it hard to stay fully engaged. Despite that, the story itself was intriguing and suspenseful, so if you’re into psychological thrillers, you might still enjoy it. Overall, it’s a decent read but not amazing. 3 stars.

What a gripping Thriller! Nothing is what it seems! Leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end! Where you run into another twist! Loved the ending! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so gripping and had so many crazy things happening. I was in awe of everything that happened in this book because every time I thought I knew what would happen I would find out I was dead wrong. I really like how there were many layers to this story and how the events of the book played out. There were so many times I thought Chloe would end up being the villain and was glad with how her story ended.

There’s so many twists and turns in this book which keep you hooked throughout.
The storyline was about so much more than just a honeymoon!
There were parts where I gasped at situations Chloe, the main character got into and other times I was so frustrated at her that she’d put herself into them!
There were family rifts and rivalry stories going on in the background as well as the main plot of the scary new husband.
In real life I’m sure I would have ran for the hills at the first hurdle with the red flags waving and never go back but she seemed to be unable to do that for most of the book and he kept drawing her back in with his fake charm.
The book had a satisfying ending with loose ends tied up although it seemed a little rushed to me.
I did really enjoy this book though and got through it in a day.
Rona is a new author for me but I’ll definitely be looking out for more from her as I really liked her story telling style.
It flowed very easily and I looked forward to getting straight back to it when I had to stop listening for meals/school runs etc.
The audiobook narrator was extremely good too.

Overall, the story was good start to finish. I found myself screaming at my phone to Chloe "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!" I felt a sense of frustration by her decisions. Initially, I did not like this story line, but as it progressed, I felt like that how I was supposed to be feeling. It was a ball of emotions unraveling from start to finish. There were many characters I wanted to hate and ones I wanted to love. I felt the paranoia, and a sense of something really bas is about to happen

The Honeymoon by Rona Halsal this is about a woman clo who Marys Dan they go on their honeymoon which was supposed to be her dream honeymoon to the Mall -D’s and instead went to Mallorca because he changed it. This is just the first of many major things he will change and it’s all in the name of keeping Cloe safe and Cloe just needs to be a quiet submissive wife and let him do his man job. OK I have just spent hours listening to this book so I’m not going to waste much time giving a summary I will say the narrator did an awesome job. I have read many books by this author and love her books with their twist and surprises but sadly I gave this one three stars. Although everything does move quickly but it’s not resolved it just adds more questions and not on the edge of your seat questions it’s just like hashing and rehashing the same old what are you keeping me safe from? Theres one twist in verythe beginning of the book around the fifth chapter that is like a wild twist but it’s never spoken of again now having said that as I said I love this author‘s books and there’s this one isn’t a new one from her I don’t feel as bad as it this was a new release because then I would question what happened to all her talent. Clearly this was written in early days and some people do love the book and I feel this book could’ve been three different Novelas because it goes from Dan being possessive and controlling the next phase could be a mystery and a third a murder story either way I gave it three stars I love the narrator and still love this author I’m just going to steer clear of her early books. I want to thank Bookoucher audio for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Talk about a bad honeymoon! Chloe meets Dan and the first part of this book really focuses on that aspect. I understand why it is important, but it just felt a little slow. Quickly Dan and Chloe decide to get married, and he wisks her away for their honeymoon. Once on their way, Chloe learns that Dan has changed their plans without her knowing. As time goes on, more secrets about Dan come out and he honestly just appears to be downright scary. He does not seem to be the same good, honest, loving man that Chloe fell in love with... Is he?

I really enjoyed this book! thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me early access to this for an honest review! Lots of twists and turns and RED FLAGS. My curiosity as to what Dan was hiding, whether or not he was really telling the truth, Chloes safety, and how she would cope really had me going to the end. I enjoyed the twists and did not see any of them coming.

Chloe feels she's finally found the perfect man in Dan and after a whirlwind two month courtship they marry and head off on their honeymoon. But unbeknownst to Chloe, Dan has changed their itinerary from the Maldives to an isolated island in Spain. Chloe is disappointed but does not want to rock the boat, especially on their honeymoon. But then Chloe starts to notice other oddities and controlling tendencies in Dan she begins to question her decision to marry so quickly. This was an interesting slow build thriller that kept my attention even though Chloe's back and forth mindset regarding Dan made me a little crazy. I really liked the ending, justice is served. Recommended for fun. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture Audio for a chance to listen/read an ARC copy of this audio book.