Renee has moved back to Guernsey and reconnects with childhood best friend Flo, who has returned suddenly from London. They are thrust together, sharing a flat and a workplace.
Told from alternating points of view, this explores the girls moving messily into adulthood. Both characters are flawed and it is sometimes hard to like Renee as she is brash and possibly overbearing. My favourite character was actually Aunty Jo who is struggling with menopause and her husband's fear of it.
An easy read.

I loved cat lady so was really excited to be invited to read her latest offering. In "Honeybee," we catch up with best friends Renée and Flo who are back on Guernsey. The book captures their messy transition into adulthood, dealing with failed dreams and personal struggles.
This book is perfect for fans of contemporary women’s fiction and for those who enjoy books that mix the authors humour with real-life challenges.

Ah dawn o’porter does it again. I find it very hard to summarise the storylines of some books and yet they’re absolutely gripping when you read them, and Honeybee is no different. Dawn writes about life really, and does it with such empathy and authenticity. I loved the characters in the story and the wide range of topics covered, from grief to alcoholism, an affair, small island vs big city. It has it all and was a dream to read- thank you.

FROM THE COVER📖

For best friends Renée and Flo, adulthood isn’t the party they expected.
Renée’s dreams of being a writer are going nowhere. Flo’s hiding a secret shame. They’re both failing in work and love.
Why did nobody warn them? Why does adulthood feel less like freedom, and more like a trap?
Careening from one disaster to the next, and learning to spread their… wings, Renée and Flo must uncover the secret to living their best lives.
But maybe we never stop growing up. And maybe they’ll survive the course – if only they stick together.


REVIEW ⭐️

I have read all of Dawn’s books, all of which I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this and reconnecting with Renee and Flo of whom I remembered fondly from Dawn’s previous two books featuring them, I did read Paperplanes and Goose in my twenties and I did find them more like YA fiction but I still connected with the plot and characters am sad to report that is book still reads very much YA fiction, it very good YA fiction perhaps I was expecting as the girls had aged the writing would be more mature it sadly really was not he case.

The story is a dual POV from both female leads told in the first person, and a couple of letters between the two that give a bit of background detail.
Having grown apart since school, Renee and Flo find themselves back on their home island of Guernsey and decide to flatshare. Both have to try and navigate adult relationships and life in the place where they grew up as well as this reignited friendship
They both have problems, but sometimes it felt fake and weird to read, I just didn’t get the full reason for either of their struggles if am being honest. If anything it was like bringing them back for the sake of it rather than having a story to tell.
At times it was all a bit forced and quite cringy to read. Dawn’s writing style is very upfront and in your face and that has made me laugh out loud in previous books but I wasn’t feeling it so much here. It just felt a bit over the top. It was really gross in places and it didn’t really add to any messages she was trying convey like it was used in previous in her books. The humour was a bit hit and miss. I wasn't convinced O'Porter fully succeeded in mixing the humour with the serious topics of belonging, alcoholism and grief, furthermore neither character felt like they were dealing with these struggles in a real way it was just too extreme one minute then completely slap stick the next. A lot of it didn’t flow and the connections didn’t match. The characters were very one dimensional while it was nice to read about familiar characters like Aunt Jo, even here she was used a sounding board to discuss menopause, again this wasn’t written well or dealt with the care and respect it deserves it was very stereotypical and while it was refreshing have a broad spectrum of female ages struggling with various stages of womanhood, and especially the menopause none of it seemed real. For book that I think the mean purpose was to empower woman did the exact opposite there was far too much focus on looks, weight and what both characters worried about the most was what men thought of them. I get it was set in the early 2001 but really even for the time it was set in was poorly written, it read like very bad YA. I certainly would not pass this book on to my young nieces it would send the completely wrong message. The writing was too mixed up, there was no addressing the real wrongs both of the main characters partook in.
I could have enjoyed the double POV alternating between Renee and Flo, but they share the same tone, so I couldn’t differentiate the two voices. So the book ended up being a bit monotonous and boring, it was very immature, the characters has not grown up at all, it was borderline ridiculous to be honest.
Renne in particular was awful she was outrageous, rude and far from a decent sisterhood type of woman, her reaction to being in London was utterly cringe and very poorly written.

It pains me to write this review as I have always enjoyed Dawn’s work but this was massive let down of which I don’t think would have published if wasn’t for the of her famous name and previous success novels. This has been rushed and is a mess.

Another good read from Dawn. Will recommend to others.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

As teenagers Flo and Renee were best friends. Along came university for Flo and a move to Spain with her dad and his new family for Renee, so inevitably they drifted apart. A regrettable disagreement a few years ago meant that the pair hadn’t been in touch for some years, so it was a surprise that they should both return home to Guernsey to attend the funeral of a classmate, especially one that neither of them liked. Now in their early twenties with both of them at a loose end, and with their own reasons for returning to the place they thought was behind them, Flo and Renee soon get back into the groove of being best friends, there for each other.

This was a story of friendship with a lot of casual sex, excessive drinking and bad behaviour. Flo trying to be a grown up, Renee not quite there yet. I liked Lillian and Aunty Jo, and felt they could have been given bigger roles. For me Flo and Renee were a wee bit boring, too much same old, they needed to be older, to have had more back story. The darkness of the alcoholism and grief didn’t quite gel with the humour. At times the situations were very cringy!

Not a favourite for me by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins.

Renee and Flo have been best friends since secondary school and now they find themselves back on the island they grew up on, ready to face it as adults.

I really loved revisiting these two from 'Paper Aeroplanes' and 'Goose'. Their story is still a bit wild but so readable and natural. O'Porter has such an engaging way of writing and this book is no exception, it ebbs and flows in a way that makes it quite difficult to put down!

The content has moved on from the more YA content of the first two stories, and I don't think it matters if you haven't read the first two... I think if you have, you're further invested in the characters but this story is contained in itself too.

It's easy to read in it's style and although it contains themes of alcoholism and death it's not a pessimistic or depressive book. I really enjoyed it, it isn't as twisty or powerful as The Cows or Cat Lady but it's worth a read!

I let out a little squeal when my request was accepted for Dawn O'Porter's upcoming book! She's not only one of my favourite people (gutted that - but understand why - she's taken a step back from Insta) but also one of my favourite authors. Cows & So Lucky are a couple of my favourite books, so go read them if you've not already!
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Honeybee tells the story of two young best friends who end up back home on the small island of Guernsey. Adulthood hasn't quite started how they both imagined it and so trying to figure out who they are and what they want from life is the aim.
Flo has come back from London, taking on a new role at the marketing company she's been working for. But she's secretly battling inner demons and her way of trying to deal with them? Alcohol. Things are slowly spiralling, but she has it all under control. Right?
Renée has finally given up on building a relationship with her Dad and left him & his new family in Marbella, ready to start working on her goal of becoming a successful writer. It's harder than you think though, to become this hotshot writer she dreams of!
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The story is a dual POV from both female leads, letting you into their individual perspectives as they both work hard to love each other through the hard times, yet figure out what they want from life.
There are some properly hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments, and I absolutely loved Renée!
As is the way with Dawn's writing, the female characters (all of them!) are unique and just, brilliant! Quirky, down to earth, loveable, relatable. And I feel a special mention should be made of Aunty Jo & Lillian, who both made me smile and wish that all women have role models like these two in their lives.
It was also refreshing to have a broad spectrum of female ages struggling with various stages of womanhood, and especially the menopause.
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Another cracking book from Dawn O'Porter! Funny, heart-warming, and just a little bit special. If you've loved her previous books, you'll love this. I can kindly recommend this when it's published in September!!

Flo and Renee, who used to be best friends, are both back on Guernsey and, after a brief reunion, living and working together.
My first impression of Renee is that she was disorganised, chaotic and careless. Flo, on the other hand, was a capable office manager, sensible and professional. Well, first impressions are often wrong! I was more drawn to the two older women in the story, Aunty Jo with her bee hives and Lillian, still working in her 80s and wearing gorgeous clothes. Flo and Renee both struggled with unresolved issues relating to their parents, which in the case of Flo and her mum, annoyed me. I did feel Flo should try to see things more from her mum's perspective, and make more of an effort. The "ham sandwich " incident at a restaurant was cringe- city. The humour was a bit hit and miss. I wasn't convinced O'Porter fully succeeded in mixing the humour with the serious topics of belonging, alcoholism and grief.

I always really enjoy Dawn O’Porter’s books so I was very excited to get an advanced copy of her latest book Honeybee! 🤩

The book focuses on best friends Flo and Renee. We first meet them in their school days where they are feeling trapped inside their home island of Guernsey and are desperate to spread their wings and find out who they really are. We meet them a few years later at the age of 22 where they are both feeling pretty disillusioned with life as an adult. Their friendship has drifted although a funeral of an old school acquaintance brings them back together again.

Flo is struggling with her mental health and has some serious issues with alcohol. Renee is also struggling to find her place in the world. Can they be the person that each of them needs to get each other through the tough times?

I love books about female friendship because it really is one of life’s more complex things! Dawn O’Porter explored that complexity really well and showed the highs and lows that friendship can bring, particularly in your twenties. Flo and Renee were a classic case of opposites attract, with Flo being the more serious one and Renee being the more flighty, laid back one. I wasn’t massively keen on Renee’s storyline with Ben. I thought Ben was a coward! But apart from that, I did really enjoy this book and found it very relatable.

I love love love Dawn O’Porters writing style and books. She gets female characters and friendship…….however this one fell short

A lot of it didn’t flow and the connections didn’t match. The characters were very one dimensional.

The book still had Dawn's classic humour and warm, I would recommend reading if you've read the rest but don't start with this one.

A massive thank you to HarperCollinsUK and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thankyou to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advance copy. Honeybee is about 2 women, Renee and Flo, who grew up together on Guernsey but have since lost contact. They meet again at a funeral and decide to move in together.
This story is definitely inspired by Dawn's own life with a mother who died when she was a child, her life growing up on Guernsey and her sister, who I think inspired Renee's Auntie.
Typically for Dawn, this book is funny and doesn't hold back. The sex and language are fairly graphic, but that's fine with me. It may put off others, though. It seems every book these has a menopausal woman chucked in for good measure. And like the character says in this story, it needs to be talked about, but I wasn't sure what it had to do with anything really.
As well as funny, I also found the story quite moving. The women are dipping their toes in adulthood and finding it hard. There are many themes, alcoholism, bad parenting, infidelity, and loss of a parent. It's gritty.
Well done, Dawn, another cracker!

Another wonderful offering from Dawn O'Porter.
The story focuses on friends Reneé and Flo, as they return to their home in Guernsey.
Both characters were equally relatable and frustrating in their own ways, and I loved reading about them as they navigated the new dynamics of their relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, with some laugh out loud moments along the way. I have since found out their are other books about Reneé and Flo - I will absolutely be seeking them out!

Gutted to say this didn’t live up to my expectation. I loved the Cat Lady by the author, so I was expecting the similar humour and quirkiness, but this book wasn’t it. It is not a bad book, but I expectee something different, I guess, so other people might like it. The friendship between the two girls is lovely to read about. I did like that.

I could have enjoyed the double POV alternating between Renee and Flo, but they share the same tone, so I couldn’t differentiate the two voices. So the book ended up being a bit monotonous.

All in all, 3 stars. I recommend this to readers who love books about female friendship!

Agggh, I wanted to love this book because I really enjoyed Lucky Cow, but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's an age thing? I'm in my late thirties and the characters are twenty-two, so I just didn't connect with them. I'm gutted, because I was really looking forward to reading this, and I would definitely still read anything by Dawn in the future.

I'm a fan of Dawn O'Porter and was excited to get the chance to read this book early. Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as the others, it felt a bit like bringing them back for the sake of it rather than having a story to tell.
It's still an enjoyable read but not one of her best books.

Honeybee by Dawn O'Porter is a funny and heartwarming read about friendship and how it changes over time.

I love Dawn's books and got to read her new one early! It was okay, but not amazing. Two friends, Renee and Flo, are in the story, and I liked how they were close since they were kids. They both have problems, but sometimes it felt fake and weird to read. Dawn's writing is usually funny and bold, but this time it wasn't as funny. It seemed a little too much. I finished the book, but it wasn't my favourite.

I really enjoyed Dawn's other books but I have to admit that I am surprised its now that she's bought Renee and Flo back.

Paper Aeroplanes and Goose were only ever lukewarm for me, but I wondered if that was Dawn getting into her stride as a writer. Now Honeybee has appeared a few books in, I realise that I'm not that invested in the characters.

We meet them again aged 22 and they still are perhaps a bit too young. I wonder if late 20s they may have felt more relatable. Like the setting, but this didn't quite do it for me.

I am a huge fan of Dawn’s books and was happy to receive early access to her new one. However, I feel pretty mixed about Honeybee. Renee & Flo are childhood friends and I enjoyed the dynamic of their relationship. Both have their flaws but I felt at times it was all a bit forced and quite cringy to read. Dawn’s writing style is very upfront and in your face and that has made me laugh out loud in previous books but I wasn’t feeling it so much here. It just felt a bit over the top. Overall, I enjoyed the read but it just wasn’t stand out for me.