Honeybee is one of those kinds of books that perfectly encapsulates the struggles of being a woman in her 20’s. O’Porter stole my heart with Cat Lady and has once again, stolen it with this fantastic, relatable read.

Womanhood is hard enough, but finding your place in the world as a young 22 year old living on the tiny island of Guernsey is not easy. Renée and Flo’s struggle in adapting to adult life whilst simultaneously dealing with grief and the pressures of the world of work are written in a way that will have you both laughing and crying.

The age old question of “am I supposed to have my life together by now?” or “should I just continue to live my best life?” seems like the main premise of the story but of course, O’Porter dives deeper into the chaos and difficulties of the main characters lives, having you relating and empathising throughout.

Love, work, adulthood, friendships. It isn’t as easy as it looks. Flo and Renée navigate rekindling their years-long friendship whilst attempting to handle the bumps in the road. But can they stick together and be honest with each other to help weather the storm?

This was a 5 star read for me, without a doubt. It had me crying, laughing out loud and gasping in shock at the plot twist thrown in. It also had me wanting to hold my loved ones that little bit tighter and tell my friends I loved them. I didn’t expect a book to put me through the emotions that it did. So round of applause Dawn, you created yet another masterpiece!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in return for an honest review!

As a fan of all Dawn's previous books, I was excited to read this book and I was not disappointing. The highs and lows of your twenty and finding you way in life. Heartbreaking at times and so so joyful in others. Would recommend.

I adored this book. I loved the complex, messy characters and the ups and downs of their life. I thought it showed how you can sometimes miss what’s right in front of you when you’re having fun with flow’s drinking, even though it was so obvious to the reader. It’s a brilliant coming of age story. The only negative for me what that I don’t think the ending with flo getting help for her drinking was very realistic. It was very sudden, she just stopped of her own accord as if it was the easiest thing.

Well done Dawn, a humorous book that had me laughing out loud! Loved Flo and Renee and the way their friendship spanned over many years! With lots of good and bad times! Definitely a holiday read!

**advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
This is actually the third of the “paper aeroplanes” series, although for some reason it’s not being marketed like that (at least on Amazon). I’ve read and loved the previous two books and was a little disappointed that a third one wasn’t in the works - thankfully after picking this up I realised what it was.
That said, you probably could read this as a stand alone novel as there’s enough backstory provided (without overwhelming the current narrative) to understand motives and plot.
I really enjoyed this - the two girls are, over the course of the books, growing up and sometimes it’s heartwarming and sometimes it’s cringe and sometimes it’s concerning. These books should appeal to any women who remember those awkward teen and young adult years, where you’re trying to figure out the world and where you fit into it. There’s something really truthful and honest - sometimes brutally honest - about womanhood, growing up and how difficult it all can be.
O’Porter really gets to the heart of these characters and they feel very real.

Thank you to the publisher for this one! I have loved all the books I've read by Dawn O'Porter so as soon as i saw this one on Netgalley I knew i needed to read it! This book was amazing, I loved Flo and Renee so much! They both faced different challenges in their lives and i loved reading them face them all. Reminds me not to be down that my life isn't altogether yet. A great book!!

Two old friends find themselves back on the island of Guernsey, not only living together but also working together.

Both in their early twenties, the girls are already navigating what life is like as a 'grown up' and making mistakes along the way. At times I found this uncomfortable reading, neither girl has got their life together and do make mistakes along the way. But then I remember that I was in my twenties once and started to find this very relatable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book in a very long time that I stayed up to read.

HONEYBEE follows the stories of Renée and Flo as they investigate their own identities when they both end up back in their hometown (or rather, home island) of Guernsey. Each with their own demons to battle and mistakes to make, one of the things I loved most was their friendship and, honestly, all the female friendships in this book were top tier.

But, make no mistake, this is not a fairytale story. Dawn O' Porter tackles bad parent-child relationships, grief, menopause, marriage, alcoholism, and the after-effects of real-world traumatic events - oh, and what to do when you cut your own fanny when experimenting with a bit of pube-topiary. (Hoping that doesn't get this review flagged).

Filled with heart, laughs and more than a couple wince-inducing moments, this is a book for anyone in their 20s who has no idea who they want to be or feels like they should have it all figured out by now. Dawn O' Porter simply does not miss.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for my advanced ecopy. I have loved and laughed out loud with all previous Dawn O'Porter books I have read so was looking forward to reading this one. The book takes a look down memory lane with Flo and Renee from Paper Aeroplanes (which I haven't read) when they are reunited again 6 years after leaving school at 16. They have both moved back to Guernsey and decide to move in together. The book bought back feelings of nostalgia from that time as I was also at secondary school then. This book follows them as they navigate grown up life and getting jobs (at the same marketing firm) It is a love story but between friendships with a few problems and f ups along the way. I did enjoy reading this and will be recommending to others.

I will never not love a book by this author! This book follows Renee and Flo from Paper Aeroplanes (fun fact: I read that book by the same author when I was the age Renee and Flo are in this story!) as they return to their home island of Guernsey and try and navigate their way through their rekindle friendship, as well as adulthood and everything that brings with it.

I found the main female characters in this book (Renee, Flo, Aunty Jo) very relatable - particularly Renee. I also loved how the book was very humorous but ultimately dealt with some very serious themes such as alcoholism, grief, relationships and the menopause. I like how Renee wants to be a writer and promises to include some of the things that are mentioned in this book in her own story. Set in 2001, it also gives that perfect amount of early 00s nostalgia.

If you like Dawn’s books already, you will love this! If you’ve never read anything by her before you can start with this one, you don’t need to have read Paper Aeroplanes first!

Side Note: This book should also be a tourist board advert for Guernsey, it sounds like a beautiful place!)

Dawn O'Porter does it again.
This story of two friends who fell away from each other, and then are flung back into each other's orbit through no wish or will of their own, but sheer circumstance, has no peaks and troughs of drama, but simply proves that drama doesn't need to be great or stormy to have power.
Dawn writes so well of the ease with which life can suddenly go horribly wrong, and how friendships can bring you back from the edge, her understanding of human nature - and of the pressures of growing up on a tiny island where everybody knows your name - is clear in every paragraph.
Can't wait for the next one!

Although I read the book very quickly I can’t say it’s my favourite Dawn O’porter novel. It tackles some tough topics, mental health, menopause, dealing with Alzheimer’s , aging, promiscuity and alcoholism as well as men’s attitudes to women and extra marital affairs. They were portrayed well and with kindness. The main characters were lifelong friends and it covered how friendships change and grow as we age.. humorous in places, serious in others and very sad in places, my heart ached for many of the characters.

Kindly and sensitively written however I really couldn’t warm to the characters like I have in this authors other books

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Honeybee follows the lives of Flo and Renee, from O’Porters YA series ‘Paper Aeroplanes’, as the navigate the shift into become adults.

I was hooked on this book and devoured it in one sitting - there’s just something so compelling about Dawn O’Porters writing that pulls me in every time. I can’t say I loved either Flo or Renee, they were messy, chaotic and made questionable choices - but I feel like that was the point. You also still couldn’t help but root for them.

It made me forever grateful for a tame time in my early twenties and even more glad to be in my comfortable thirties.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper Fiction for the ARC.

There are three main characters in this story; Flo, Renee and the island of Guernsey.
But all of the supporting characters are just as colourful.

Flo and Renee are old school friends who drifted apart but found their way back to each other again in their 20s. They first became friends through adversity; the loss of a parent and they are clearly very different girls on first introduction and yet they care for each other deeply, whilst also arguing, as friends do.
They lose each other at the beginning of their 20s but are thrown together again a few years later to the point that not only are they best friends again but they are working together and living together; the recipe for a potentially stressful friend relationship that already has baggage from the past. So, their relationship is tested to the full.
On first introduction, Renee is a total flirt, hates being an adult and she just wants to continue having fun by getting drunk and sleeping around and not caring about the outcome of her actions and how it affects those around here, i.e. Flo. Flo is more reserved and sensible; work oriented. But she has a fun side that Renee likes to pull out of her. But there is a dark side to Flo, which Renee discovers. And then the roles become reversed and Renee must become the adult. At this point, I fell in love with Renee. At first, she appears to be a selfish friend but during times of trouble, you could see the lengths Renee was prepared to go, to help those in need.

I loved hearing about the island, Dawn makes the essence of the place truly alive and as big as the characters within it.
Renee is a large personality; a big fish in a small pond. And yet when she travels from her home in Guernsey to London, she becomes completely lost and overwhelmed. Whereas the reserved Flo opens up more in a very busy noisy London; the anonymity amongst strangers, suited her better.
We got to experience Renee’s feelings of anxiety around London. And with the inclusion of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this added an extra level to the girls experience as seen from the streets of London, as well as with the other characters living in a much more settled island, away from potential terrorist threats, though the story does touch on Guernsey’s role during WW2 and how it was occupied by German soldiers.

The novel touches on experience of the menopause, PMT, promiscuity, alcoholism and mental health, amongst others. I found this created more empathy towards the characters; it also made them more real, 3-dimensional and complex.
A very enjoyable read, thought provoking, warm hearted, funny and relevant.

I really enjoy the compelling style of Dawn O’Porter’s books, I find them so hard to put down and this one was no different- albeit chaotic.

This book follows Renee and Flo, two girls who were teen-hood best friends growing up on the remote island of Guernsey. Both girls had ventured off the island into adulthood but circumstances found them both home at the same time. This book follows them as they navigate early adulthood, the adjustment of their relationship following their previous falling out and confronting the difference that were much easier to overlook when they were younger. This book see’s both girls go through challenges and in places push the self destruct button on their own lives.

From the outset I could tell this book was going to be completely chaotic (in the best way), the dual POV meant we quickly got to know both characters and the intricacies that make them who they are. I really liked how both MC’s had very different voices despite the things that made them similar- I thought this contrast really added to the impact of the depth of the story.

I liked the set up of the story and I found a lot of the exploration of growing up and how it makes you feel really relatable and did really enjoy those elements of the story. I didn’t find the humour fit in with this one quite as much as in O’Porter’s other books and at times it pulled me out of the story a little as I just didn’t feel as though it fit the voice of the characters. I think I would have liked this book to be a little longer as the last third felt a little rushed and that was the only element that didn’t feel as the realisations just came a little too convenient.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I found the writing very engaging and easy to read however it definitely isn’t my favourite by this author.

Being a huge Dawn O’Porter fan I was so excited to read Honeybee. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I think this is definitely a ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ situation. I just couldn’t settle into the story as much as I have done with Dawn’s previous titles. I have given this three stars as I am sure many people will love this one as much as I enjoyed Cows and Cat Lady.

I always love Dawn O’Porter’s books and re-read Paper Aeroplanes and Goose in anticipation of starting Honeybee. It was great to have the opportunity to catch up with Renée and Flo again and to see what they are doing as adults. The book was written in the same relatable style however I found myself not liking the characters as much as in the previous books. Overall it was an enjoyable read for the nostalgia, but it’s not my favourite Dawn O’Porter book.

Witty and tender, this is a feel-good novel that I can guarantee will make you yearn to visit Guernsey! The setting is perfect, and the characters are vibrant. A really great summer read about female friendship.

"Honeybee" by Dawn O’Porter is a deeply moving and beautifully crafted novel that captures the complexities of life, love, and self-discovery. O’Porter’s storytelling is both poignant and engaging, drawing readers into the rich inner world of her characters. The protagonist's journey is depicted with raw honesty and emotional depth, making her experiences profoundly relatable and impactful. O’Porter's writing is infused with wit and warmth, balancing the heavier themes with moments of genuine humor and tenderness. The vivid descriptions and keen insights into human nature make "Honeybee" a truly immersive read. This novel is a testament to O’Porter’s talent as a writer, offering a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is heartwarming. "Honeybee" is a must-read for anyone looking for a story that beautifully explores the intricacies of human relationships and personal growth.

Renee and Flo have been friends for years but a falling out means they have not spoken for a few years. Being adults is not what they expected. On Guernsey Renee dreams of moving to London and becoming a writer. Flo has left London and has a secret that she is ashamed of and has returned home to work from the Guernsey office.

They reunite at a funeral of someone they went to school with but despite not liking the person particularly it shows them how short life can be. Something both women are acutely aware of.

Can their friendship last the distance and the fact that both women are opposites. Flo, shy and retiring. Renee, outgoing and fun.

This book was so good. Once again Dawn O’Porter has knocked it out of the park. It had funny moments, poignant moments and cringey moments but is written in such a raw and compelling way. I loved Renee’s character and her I don’t care attitude. Flo was a bit unlikeable at first but she grew on me and when the story unfolded I did feel sorry for her. A 5 ⭐️ read