The Honeymoon Mix-Up

Sapphire Isle #1

by Frankie Fyre

The perfect storm. A fake marriage weathered to last. When her fiancée leaves her at the altar, Basil Jones’s picture perfect life turns upside down, but nothing can stop her from enjoying her honeymoon—not even the luxurious island resort’s strict “couples only” policy. Basil’s vacation and her six-figure wine deal with the resort's owners are riding on her finding a fake wife ASAP, and her sights are soon set on tall, dark, and gorgeous Caroline. If only she knew Caroline had eyes on her first… Caroline King never stays in one place—or in a woman’s bed—for too long. After risking her career in the past, the emotionally detached private investigator created two always finish a job and never mix business with pleasure. But when she gets roped into a false marriage with her breathtakingly beautiful target, she finds herself teetering the line of not just one but both rules. Basil always gets what she wants—but Caroline’s professional reputation is on the line. As Basil and Caroline’s attraction blazes like the island sun, both women struggle to fight delicious temptation while protecting their secrets—as well as their hearts—on the most romantic honeymoon island in the world.

Each book in the Sapphire Isle series can be enjoyed as a stand alone.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Lesbian Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published July 6, 2023

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

**'Creativity first begins with ideas/thoughts NOT just any make up ideas, those real ones. And those are sometimes what makes a very good story..'

Okay read!
Good concept -- while a bit messy, funny at times with a rushed ending but it's still a readable story!

[lauraღ · Rating 2 out of 5]

My toxic trait as a fake relationship enjoyer is the fact that if the basic premise, the reason why the couple needs to pretend to be fake dating/engaged/married doesn't make sense, then I won't be able to stop thinking about it. And in bad cases, it can really ruin the experience for me. And alas, that was me with this book. The nonsense reasons behind them pretending to be married weren't the only things that proved a barrier to enjoyment, but it was a big part. Seriously, I read the line about the resort kicking you off the island if they find out you're single (and they won't make you pay the full price, so they're losing money) and my stupid brain just snagged on that and didn't let go. It's so silly as a business model! Caroline's PI job and the details of it were annoyingly nebulous, so much so that it was obvious what it was going to be. So many details were skimmed over, like both their past relationships that had affected them so much. They have to share a room but we don't even get the first few nights of that, just a bunch of hard cuts to the next day. And I just really wasn't feeling the chemistry. Their 'banter' felt more like bickering and I wasn't endeared. This needed to be longer, because we got so little depth to these characters.

I'll stop here before this review just descends into a list of nit-picks. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to, or as much as I've enjoyed the author's previous shorts/novellas. I'm kinda kicking myself for finishing it in the first place, but I always live in hope, and this did have its moments where I thought I would really start enjoying it. Alas, I didn't. I will say, this has great reviews from other readers, so if you're interested, please do give it a go. <3

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sapphire Isle is the perfect setting for a new romance series.
Caroline, private investigator and a love 'em and leave 'em kinda gal. She's focused on her current case but there are temptations in the way. Basil's fiancee duped her and now she needs to find a fake wife pronto to secure a lucrative wine deal at a couples only resort. She wants what she wants!
The attraction and humor between the main characters is mixed well with heat and some bumps along the way to a HEA.
Frankie Fyre's latest is a quick satisfying read and I look forward to what comes next.

[Kexx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t ‘get’ the begining, who left who and clearly money, ‘the deal’, was more important than love. Then another, WTF?? Confused? Totally, and no love for characters.

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Loved it, had a smile on throughout, It’s light and funny and steamy and did I mentioned I loved it? Definitely recommend a read

[Kate Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: 4.5 Stars
Format: Digital
Series: Sapphire Isle Book 1
Steam Level: Steamy

I read this for the 2025 Sapphic Book Bingo reading challenge for the prompt Set on an Island.

This is the first book by Frankie Fyre I’ve read and it was a bunch of fun! I wish I had read it sooner.

Quick Thoughts:
- I (along with every other queer woman in the world) want Sapphire Isle to be real
- Quilliam needs his own book
- There were times I wanted to shake Caroline despite how much I loved her
- It would have been so easy to make Basil really annoying and unlikable but Frankie Fyre threads that needle wonderfully. I ended up loving her the whole book
- The author must be a Chip Skylark fan, was I humming that dang song all day
- I will never look at photo booths the same way again
- I actually really liked how the author handled Victoria. I was prepared to be annoyed the whole book
- The Sapphic Olympics were a hoot and I actually enjoyed them, when in so many books these small events like this don’t add to the story at all and just take the reader away from the couple’s story
- Caroline’s family gathering cracked me up
- At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Lynn and Mae but I ended up adoring them
- The only reason I knocked off half a star is that there needed to be another pass made to catch more of the missed quotation marks and dialogue formatting. There were times I had to reread sections to get who was talking and which lines were supposed to be dialogue. But the story itself was so good that I only knocked off that half star or it would have been a full five stars

Overall I had a lot of fun with this. Were parts predictable? Absolutely. Did it take away my enjoyment of the book? Absolutely not. I now see why people recommend this book. So much fun. I can’t wait to see how Frankie Fyre’s writing career progresses.

[queer_aussie_reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good fake romance? Or a one-night-to-forever love story? Frankie Fyre’s latest release, The Honeymoon Mix-Up, has a bit of both, and Fyre’s ability to put an original twist on these popular tropes has resulted in a sweet holiday rom-com style story.

Basil gets dumped at the altar but has a business deal she planned to close on her honeymoon, so she still heads to Sapphire Isle, a women’s only holiday location. Once there, she is told it is a couple’s only retreat, so she needs her wife to show up or she needs to head home.
Caroline arrives at Sapphire Isle with a job to do. As a PI, she isn’t sure who her target is, but while awaiting instructions, he gets dragged into Basil’s attempt to stay on the island. After agreeing to act as her fake wife, Caroline discovers Basil is her target and must do her job while fighting the intense chemistry building between them both.

There is potential to be a heap of miscommunication angst, but the story is written to avoid this. Instead, the romance seems to build almost naturally, even as both MCs fight it. Caroline and Basil are both intriguing, and all I wanted was a HEA for them. The side characters (especially Quilliam) rounded out a really fantastic story. The Honeymoon Mix-up is the first book by Frankie Fyre I’ve had a chance to read, and it has left me excited to see what else she has out there.

I received an ARC from the author for my honest review.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars - A sizzling, fake relationship romance with a twist, set in a fictional beach island in Thailand called Sapphire Isle.

While 'The Honeymoon Mix-Up' was a solid debut (plus I really love the book cover), the development of the attraction between the two protagonists, Basil and Caroline, felt slightly rushed. Nevertheless, the characterization of the two women was skillfully executed, allowing me to connect with them individually; and over time, their romance gradually won me over.

Also, the story arcs of the secondary characters were positively compelling, too. And the author's vivid descriptions painted a picturesque setting, immersing me further in the narrative.

Overall, this is a delightful story for a debut novel—showcasing the potential of this new author. I look forward to reading the next book/s in the series!

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fake relationship story. With a bit of a twist. Basil's fiance' leaves her at the altar. She decides to go on her honeymoon alone and take care of wine business while there. But, there has to be a couple in the rooms or you have to leave.
After the non wedding, Basil met and drunkenly slept with Caroline. Caroline is a private investigator and has to track someone for a client. Lo and behold, she ends up at the same resort as Basil. And they end up pretending to me on their honeymoon.
This is a cute, fun story, as I wrote earlier, with a twist. You will enjoy it! It's hot and fun! So worth 5 stars!

[Felicia Davin]

Don’t you wish you were vacationing on a tropical island with your beautiful wife? I do. I wouldn’t even care if we were faking being married in order to stay at a lesbian couples’ resort. I might care a little bit if it turned out my beautiful fake wife was actually a private investigator hired to tail me, but honestly if we’d been through what Basil (white, femme, uptight, ambitious, trying to close a business deal with the resort) and Caroline (Black, masc, laidback, funny, just trying to get paid for the PI work she’s starting to have serious doubts about) had been through, I’d probably forgive her. This is silly and heartfelt and very sexy.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely comedy. Lots of misunderstandings and some drama with a laughing twist.

[Anna Wood-Gaines]

DNF was a bit annoyed about everything in this book 😂

[Kit McAlear · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was delightfully terrible lol

3/5

[mili · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/10

I wish i liked this one tbh

I just cant really do instant love i guess

Felt no chemistry between the characters

[Lez_be_readin_ya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being left at the altar. Sucks right? Well then imagine meeting someone and having some incredible sex, now that sounds better. The next day is your flight to Sapphire Isle is the next day - your honeymoon destination.... the only problem is, when you get there you find out that the place you are staying at is for couples only... now you need to find a 'wife' to stay. Also... one of the reasons you are there is to get the deal of your career and get the promotions you have been working hard for a long time... This is Basil's life.

When Basil thought things couldn't get any worse the woman she has a one-night stand with - and also the woman she ghosted, is who she bumps into when she is so down on her luck and needs someone to pretend to be her wife, she has only one option but to ask ask her to be her pretend wife. Will things ever get better or is Basil doomed 😕

When Caroline gets a call after a night of incredibly intense sex, she is asked to go to Sapphire Isle for a job (she is a private investigator) she is gobsmacked when the woman who's ghosted her turns up asking if she will pretend to be her wife. Only after agreeing to this does she find out that her target is none other than Basil... can things get any worse?

Caroline and Basil's connection is fire and their sexual tension is palpable. Will they give In to temptation, or will they only ever have that one night of intense passion in Seattle?

Side note Lynn's Hedgehog Quilliam is so fucking cute and makes me want to have a pet hedgehog 😍

This book is hot, funny and brilliantly written. I am extremely excited for more from Frankie and can't wait for the next book In the series. I highly recommend this book. Also, don't forget to read the bonus Epilogue it's absolutely worth it 😈

Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[queer_aussie_reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good fake romance? Or a one-night-to-forever love story? Frankie Fyre’s latest release, The Honeymoon Mix-Up, has a bit of both, and Fyre’s ability to put an original twist on these popular tropes has resulted in a sweet holiday rom-com style story.

Basil gets dumped at the altar but has a business deal she planned to close on her honeymoon, so she still heads to Sapphire Isle, a women’s only holiday location. Once there, she is told it is a couple’s only retreat, so she needs her wife to show up or she needs to head home.

Caroline arrives at Sapphire Isle with a job to do. As a PI, she isn’t sure who her target is, but while awaiting instructions, she gets dragged into Basil’s attempt to stay on the island. After agreeing to act as her fake wife, Caroline discovers Basil is her target and must do her job while fighting the intense chemistry building between them both.

There is potential to be a heap of miscommunication angst, but the story is written to avoid this. Instead, the romance seems to build almost naturally, even as both MCs fight it. Caroline and Basil are both intriguing, and all I wanted was a HEA for them. The side characters (especially Quilliam) rounded out a really fantastic story.

The Honeymoon Mix-up is the first book by Frankie Fyre I’ve had a chance to read, and it has left me excited to see what else she has out there.

I received an ARC from the author for my honest review.

[Maya Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not know what it is — perhaps I have become desensitized to it, or maybe I just am in such a mental state at the moment — that I am actually…pretty okay with the third act of this book?

Like, I generally loathe breakups because (for the most part) there is some miscommunication / misunderstanding that causes conflict. That is not the case here!!

Rather, we spend the whole book learning and loving Basil and Caroline and, for all the foreshadowing (that is: for how obvious the impending conflict would be), I kind of still loved it? 😆

This was at points cute (unbearably so), sensual, and kind of cathartic; I love the theme of late (this book and “Reality in Check”; the theme of my reading the past few days, at least) that characters can overcome what amounts to grooming for a position in a family business and take life for themselves!! Self love and all that!!

[JP Munroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Honeymoon Mix-Up by Frankie Fyre is a joyous book filled with humour, chemistry and a sense of real connection. The alternating first person point of view makes it feel fast paced without ever being rushed. Fyre’s narrative style has an energy which is infectious. The chemistry between the two MC’s leaps off the page and I felt a genuine connection build through their various (and varied) interactions. The locations are wonderful, the secondary characters are hilarious (don’t get me started on Quilliam) and the story kept me interested until the very last word. This is sapphic romance at its very best and the perfect summer read. I loved it!

[Raven (the.readingraven) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I wish I would have read it during summer, it would be a perfect beach read! It's funny, has a nice dash of spice, it's short and sweet. It also has tropes I really enjoy, such as fake dating and one-bed trope. I love books with dual POV, so that was a plus for me. I also really liked our characters, some of our side characters kind of stole the show for me! I'm excited for a sequel, hopefully, we get to see the little hedgehog again!

[Talya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read with amazing age, sexual orientation and diverse racial representation. It was refreshing to read a romance between two women NOT in their 20s - as is the norm for most stories I’ve come across thus far. All that said, the connection the characters share left more to be desired for me. The attraction is undeniable, but the emotional connection was rushed and not very developed on-page. Overall a fun romance read but not the best I’ve come across sadly.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

May contain spoilers at the end:

What a ride! I was so excited to receive this arc but I didn’t know I was going to read it so quickly! I could hardly put it done! This author knows how to captivate you and to keep you wanting, no needing, more. From start to finish this book held my attention and interest. I love a fake dating trope and this book did not disappoint. The MCs have amazing connection and chemistry. The spice is just right and so well written 🥵. Can’t wait to read the bonus epilogue!

This is definitely a book to reread time and again for the destination, the chemistry/spice and the falling in love 😍.

The bonus ep is so sweet and super hot 🥵!!

[Kim Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books of all time and is now on my read again list. I laughed so hard throughout the book. Basil and Caroline's love story is hot, sweet and funny. Did I mention HOT? Set on an island paradise with nothing but women, lesbian women!!! This was my first book by Frankie but it won't be my last. Oh and there is a cute hedgehog and who doesn't love hedgehogs. Ok well maybe one person lol. You have to read this book, you won't regret it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cleo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I wanted to enjoy this Sapphic romance set at a couples only queer resort more than I did. I had trouble suspending disbelief about the (far-fetched even by romancelandia standards) set up and more importantly, I didn’t care that much about the couple. I cared more about Caroline than Basil and I still think she could do better. I kept waiting for Basil to take more responsibility for her failed engagement and it never came.

It’s by a new to me author and I liked her voice, but this book wasn’t for me.

[Kristyn Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

soooooo sweet. I loved the setting, I loved the reason for the fake-dating. I do think their careers were kind of a side-plot instead of the main plot (which they were supposed to be) but honestly I don’t care. it was a great rom-com, very likable characters, happy ending. what more could a girl ask for?

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet, well written and perfect level of spice 😏

you wont regret reading this one. it was a nice read with perfectly placed funny quips and Frankie’s not afraid to bring the heat. chefs kiss.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Renate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish the lesbian island in the book was real.rip

[Jess Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and sexy

A sweet, sexy, and very messy at times, one night stand to fake dating to lovers story. It had some good humor and a bit of angst and makes me want to travel to Sapphire Isles with my wife if only it existed!

[yare · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a bit slow at first but it picked up and then it was great! i did get confused during some dialogue parts. i think i was having a difficult time keeping track of who was talking.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

felt pretty neutral about this book, i think it seemed interesting but the execution wasn’t all there.