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Out & About #2
Honeymoon Sweet (Out & About)
Doug is a cheese pizza kind of guy. A honeymoon cruise around the Caribbean is the most adventurous thing he’s ever done. Going on that honeymoon alone is unthinkable, but here he is, with a luxury suite and a broken heart.
Tripp is a hopeless romantic. He’s in a sinking relationship that’s been taking on water for months. He’d throw in the towel if he had one, but he’s naked and locked out of his room.
No one should be on a cruise alone, and Tripp has a simple solution: he and Doug will pretend to be husbands and enjoy everything a week of sea and sun has to offer. But as the days and nights heat up, can a cheese pizza kind of guy be brave enough to give love a second chance?
Honeymoon Sweet is a 63k contemporary MM romance. It’s sweet enough to require a trip to the dentist, and hot enough you’ll need a swim to cool off when it’s over. HEA guaranteed.
Tripp is a hopeless romantic. He’s in a sinking relationship that’s been taking on water for months. He’d throw in the towel if he had one, but he’s naked and locked out of his room.
No one should be on a cruise alone, and Tripp has a simple solution: he and Doug will pretend to be husbands and enjoy everything a week of sea and sun has to offer. But as the days and nights heat up, can a cheese pizza kind of guy be brave enough to give love a second chance?
Honeymoon Sweet is a 63k contemporary MM romance. It’s sweet enough to require a trip to the dentist, and hot enough you’ll need a swim to cool off when it’s over. HEA guaranteed.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2020
59 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
May 19, 2020
3.5 Stars!
I thought this was pretty cute.
Never quite felt the connection between Doug and Tripp. Maybe a bit more towards the end, but they were already in love by then. :) Didn't quite feel authentic to me.
Preferred the second half once Doug finally "let-go" (ish) of being left at the alter. And liked how it all ended.
Nice addition to the series.
I thought this was pretty cute.
Never quite felt the connection between Doug and Tripp. Maybe a bit more towards the end, but they were already in love by then. :) Didn't quite feel authentic to me.
Preferred the second half once Doug finally "let-go" (ish) of being left at the alter. And liked how it all ended.
Nice addition to the series.
April 12, 2020
I really enjoyed book one in this series but Honeymoon Sweet was an absolute delight which gave me a massive smile all the way through.
Allison has taken a familiar trope, the fake husband/boyfriend, and given it a cute little spin with two characters who are perfectly suited for each other in every way.
we met Doug in book one, he's the Out and About Queer Festival Programme Director, and when we pick up with him, he's setting off alone on his Honeymoon cruise after his fiance failed to show and sent a text instead.
Tripp is an absolute darling, Doug bumps into him literally naked and locked outside his cabin after a row with his workaholic boyfriend. There's an attraction but Doug's a mess and Tripp's with someone but things develop both quickly and organically and the two find themselves in a fake marriage and on their honeymoon.
What follows is joyous, as they fall in love over snorkeling, white water rafting and shared breakfasts.
There wasn't a bit of this book that didn't work for me, from the realistic way the conflict point arose and the conclusion to it. The Epilogue is as sweet as the title.
I hope there's more to come in this series.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
Allison has taken a familiar trope, the fake husband/boyfriend, and given it a cute little spin with two characters who are perfectly suited for each other in every way.
we met Doug in book one, he's the Out and About Queer Festival Programme Director, and when we pick up with him, he's setting off alone on his Honeymoon cruise after his fiance failed to show and sent a text instead.
Tripp is an absolute darling, Doug bumps into him literally naked and locked outside his cabin after a row with his workaholic boyfriend. There's an attraction but Doug's a mess and Tripp's with someone but things develop both quickly and organically and the two find themselves in a fake marriage and on their honeymoon.
What follows is joyous, as they fall in love over snorkeling, white water rafting and shared breakfasts.
There wasn't a bit of this book that didn't work for me, from the realistic way the conflict point arose and the conclusion to it. The Epilogue is as sweet as the title.
I hope there's more to come in this series.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
December 23, 2020
Honeymoon Sweet is a light, steamy read featuring two men left at the altar (Doug, literally; Tripp, metaphorically), a cruise version of the Newlywed Game, pina coladas with extra umbrellas, and a very naughty tryst in a cabana.
Doug and Tripp are a great couple, and even though they fell in love at lightning speed (during a week-long cruise), I wanted to believe in their HEA (the epilogue definitely helped).
Overall, this book was a nice surprise! I've never read anything by this author, but I'll happily check out the next book in the Out & About series.
Doug and Tripp are a great couple, and even though they fell in love at lightning speed (during a week-long cruise), I wanted to believe in their HEA (the epilogue definitely helped).
Overall, this book was a nice surprise! I've never read anything by this author, but I'll happily check out the next book in the Out & About series.
November 19, 2025
B- / 3.5 stars rounded up.
This month's Change of Plans TBR Challenge prompt led me to Allison Temple's Honeymoon Sweet, a cute fake relationship contemporary romance in which two guys, both abandoned by their partners while on a week-long Caribbean cruise, end up spending the time together and falling in love. This makes for something of a whirlwind romance, it’s true, but it works, and the author adds depth to the story by skilfully interweaving moments of melancholy and self-reflection with humour and tenderness.
Doug Freeman did not expect to be going on his honeymoon on his own - but his fiancé dumped him via text fourteen minutes after he was supposed to have been walking down the aisle. There’d been no explanation or attempt at a proper apology. Just “Never mind – I’m sorry”. So now here Doug is, forty-eight hours later - having been persuaded by his mother and sisters to go on the cruise and treat it as a kind of reset - heading along the corridor from his suite, when he encounters a naked man. Doug can’t help but notice the guy is hot – he might be in a bit of a funk, but he’s not blind - before admonishing himself and asking the man if there’s anything he can do to help.
Tripp Gillingham persuaded his workaholic boyfriend, Liam, to take a week-long cruise so they could spend some quality time together, but a delayed flight, missing luggage and then a flaming row because Liam had already broken his promise about not working on holiday somehow finds Tripp standing on the wrong side of their cabin door in his birthday suit. He’s wondering how he’s going to get back inside when the guy who just walked past him stops, retraces his steps and offers to help. Tripp gratefully follows “Doug, Douglas, Dougie” as he’d called himself, to his suite, in which, Tripp realises, everything is laid out for a couple. Doug, who seems oddly downcast for someone clearly on his honeymoon, lends him one of the two bathrobes hanging in the closet, and Tripp goes on his way.
It’s not until the next day – after he and Liam have had yet another row, this time while standing in the corridor outside Doug’s room – that Tripp finds out why there’s no second Mr. Doug on the ship. He’s appalled and furious that someone could behave so badly towards such a nice guy and offers Doug a shoulder to cry on (literally) – which is, Doug admits, the first time in quite a while anyone has shown him such kindness. Tripp then heads off in search of Liam, knowing where he’s going to find him (the business suite) and what he needs to do (break up with him); being honest, he’s known for a while that their relationship was only about good sex and shared rent – he’s just been fooling himself it could ever be anything else.
Later that day, Tripp catches up with Doug again and over lunch suggests that they spend the rest of the cruise together, doing whatever activities Doug has planned - and that they could pretend to be married for the rest of the week. Not married married (not that Tripp wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal with Doug) more like travel-buddies who share meals and hang out. Doug needs cheering up and Tripp is just the man for the job – besides, he likes Doug and wants to make him feel better.
What follows is a cute, mostly light-hearted romance between two guys who, although they meet at the worst possible time, are nonetheless perfectly suited to each other. The writing is deft and displays a real lightness of touch as the author reveals what makes these two men tick and develops their emotional connection.
Tripp is, well, a trip! He’s charming, funny and delightful, he never takes himself too seriously and he is thoroughly invested in making sure Doug has a good time. His obvious fondness for Doug and the ridiculous pet names he comes up with are stupidly adorable, and the story is full of playful, silly banter and real affection. Tripp is definitely a life-and-soul-of-the-party kinda guy, but beneath that is someone who worries about ever being enough, someone who is is so desperate to fall in love that he thinks every boyfriend is The One until real life catches up and things crash and burn. He does worry, of course, that he’s repeating his pattern with Doug, and still struggles to trust himself and to trust that he’s enough, but deep down, he knows that this time it really is different and that he’s never felt like this about a guy before.
At the beginning of the story Doug is understandably subdued, and I appreciated that his sorrow is neither magically waved away or allowed to overwhelm the story. Even though the romance takes place over a very short space of time, the author allows time for both characters to do a bit of soul searching, and for Doug to look back over his relationship with Calvin, to see the cracks developing in a way he hadn’t noticed and to realise that maybe it wasn’t what he thought it was. He can see now that he had allowed himself to be carried along by life instead of actively taking part and making his own decisions for the past few years – but knowing that and breaking the pattern are not the same thing, which leads to a bit of frustration towards the end of the book when he seems to be retreating back into old habits.
I’m not generally a fan of insta-love, but even though Doug and Tripp fall in love incredibly quickly, Honeymoon Sweet mostly worked for me. The premise, as with a lot of fake relationship stories, has to be taken with a pinch of salt and a roll of the eyes, and I did want to give Doug a kick up the arse a couple of times, but the strong characterisation, their ‘rightness’ as a couple, and Tripp’s irrepressible joy and humour helped me to see past the negatives. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a low-angst love story with depth, humour and heart.
This month's Change of Plans TBR Challenge prompt led me to Allison Temple's Honeymoon Sweet, a cute fake relationship contemporary romance in which two guys, both abandoned by their partners while on a week-long Caribbean cruise, end up spending the time together and falling in love. This makes for something of a whirlwind romance, it’s true, but it works, and the author adds depth to the story by skilfully interweaving moments of melancholy and self-reflection with humour and tenderness.
Doug Freeman did not expect to be going on his honeymoon on his own - but his fiancé dumped him via text fourteen minutes after he was supposed to have been walking down the aisle. There’d been no explanation or attempt at a proper apology. Just “Never mind – I’m sorry”. So now here Doug is, forty-eight hours later - having been persuaded by his mother and sisters to go on the cruise and treat it as a kind of reset - heading along the corridor from his suite, when he encounters a naked man. Doug can’t help but notice the guy is hot – he might be in a bit of a funk, but he’s not blind - before admonishing himself and asking the man if there’s anything he can do to help.
Tripp Gillingham persuaded his workaholic boyfriend, Liam, to take a week-long cruise so they could spend some quality time together, but a delayed flight, missing luggage and then a flaming row because Liam had already broken his promise about not working on holiday somehow finds Tripp standing on the wrong side of their cabin door in his birthday suit. He’s wondering how he’s going to get back inside when the guy who just walked past him stops, retraces his steps and offers to help. Tripp gratefully follows “Doug, Douglas, Dougie” as he’d called himself, to his suite, in which, Tripp realises, everything is laid out for a couple. Doug, who seems oddly downcast for someone clearly on his honeymoon, lends him one of the two bathrobes hanging in the closet, and Tripp goes on his way.
It’s not until the next day – after he and Liam have had yet another row, this time while standing in the corridor outside Doug’s room – that Tripp finds out why there’s no second Mr. Doug on the ship. He’s appalled and furious that someone could behave so badly towards such a nice guy and offers Doug a shoulder to cry on (literally) – which is, Doug admits, the first time in quite a while anyone has shown him such kindness. Tripp then heads off in search of Liam, knowing where he’s going to find him (the business suite) and what he needs to do (break up with him); being honest, he’s known for a while that their relationship was only about good sex and shared rent – he’s just been fooling himself it could ever be anything else.
Later that day, Tripp catches up with Doug again and over lunch suggests that they spend the rest of the cruise together, doing whatever activities Doug has planned - and that they could pretend to be married for the rest of the week. Not married married (not that Tripp wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal with Doug) more like travel-buddies who share meals and hang out. Doug needs cheering up and Tripp is just the man for the job – besides, he likes Doug and wants to make him feel better.
What follows is a cute, mostly light-hearted romance between two guys who, although they meet at the worst possible time, are nonetheless perfectly suited to each other. The writing is deft and displays a real lightness of touch as the author reveals what makes these two men tick and develops their emotional connection.
Tripp is, well, a trip! He’s charming, funny and delightful, he never takes himself too seriously and he is thoroughly invested in making sure Doug has a good time. His obvious fondness for Doug and the ridiculous pet names he comes up with are stupidly adorable, and the story is full of playful, silly banter and real affection. Tripp is definitely a life-and-soul-of-the-party kinda guy, but beneath that is someone who worries about ever being enough, someone who is is so desperate to fall in love that he thinks every boyfriend is The One until real life catches up and things crash and burn. He does worry, of course, that he’s repeating his pattern with Doug, and still struggles to trust himself and to trust that he’s enough, but deep down, he knows that this time it really is different and that he’s never felt like this about a guy before.
At the beginning of the story Doug is understandably subdued, and I appreciated that his sorrow is neither magically waved away or allowed to overwhelm the story. Even though the romance takes place over a very short space of time, the author allows time for both characters to do a bit of soul searching, and for Doug to look back over his relationship with Calvin, to see the cracks developing in a way he hadn’t noticed and to realise that maybe it wasn’t what he thought it was. He can see now that he had allowed himself to be carried along by life instead of actively taking part and making his own decisions for the past few years – but knowing that and breaking the pattern are not the same thing, which leads to a bit of frustration towards the end of the book when he seems to be retreating back into old habits.
I’m not generally a fan of insta-love, but even though Doug and Tripp fall in love incredibly quickly, Honeymoon Sweet mostly worked for me. The premise, as with a lot of fake relationship stories, has to be taken with a pinch of salt and a roll of the eyes, and I did want to give Doug a kick up the arse a couple of times, but the strong characterisation, their ‘rightness’ as a couple, and Tripp’s irrepressible joy and humour helped me to see past the negatives. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a low-angst love story with depth, humour and heart.
September 1, 2023
Aptly named, incredibly charming m/m hurt-comfort story of moving on and finding the person that is your perfect fit.
The writing is truly great, flows so well and chock full of cute banter, silly observations and abundant adoration. Tripps fondness for Doug is so stinking adorable and the pet names are plentiful and swoony. The playful, slow build up to intimacy is absolute perfection. The first half is all about the connection and then the second half gets spicy. Little angst, very little drama, light, easy, fun read. Relationship focused, we don’t get deep into anything other than the two main characters, but that’s all you need with this one, really great, highly recommended.
Tropes are insta love, hurt-comfort, cruise, left at the alter, m/m, HEA.
The writing is truly great, flows so well and chock full of cute banter, silly observations and abundant adoration. Tripps fondness for Doug is so stinking adorable and the pet names are plentiful and swoony. The playful, slow build up to intimacy is absolute perfection. The first half is all about the connection and then the second half gets spicy. Little angst, very little drama, light, easy, fun read. Relationship focused, we don’t get deep into anything other than the two main characters, but that’s all you need with this one, really great, highly recommended.
Tropes are insta love, hurt-comfort, cruise, left at the alter, m/m, HEA.
May 12, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I absolutely adored Honeymoon Sweet by Allison Temple. The second book in her Out and About series, this novel definitely reads like a standalone and is just terribly funny and delightful. I wanted to wrap Tripp up and keep him forever and the magic he creates for poor Doug by turning a disastrous affair into a beautiful vacation is enough to make Tripp one of my all-time favorite characters. It isn’t that Tripp had no flaws, but he certainly had both self-deprecation and unadulterated happiness in spades. He is the best friend and the love of your life all rolled into one. He never takes himself too seriously and he is genuinely invested in making Doug as happy as possible. I think between the incredibly funny nicknames Tripp comes up with for Doug and his listing reasons why he always seems to be getting himself into trouble romantically, I could not stop myself from falling in love with him.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I absolutely adored Honeymoon Sweet by Allison Temple. The second book in her Out and About series, this novel definitely reads like a standalone and is just terribly funny and delightful. I wanted to wrap Tripp up and keep him forever and the magic he creates for poor Doug by turning a disastrous affair into a beautiful vacation is enough to make Tripp one of my all-time favorite characters. It isn’t that Tripp had no flaws, but he certainly had both self-deprecation and unadulterated happiness in spades. He is the best friend and the love of your life all rolled into one. He never takes himself too seriously and he is genuinely invested in making Doug as happy as possible. I think between the incredibly funny nicknames Tripp comes up with for Doug and his listing reasons why he always seems to be getting himself into trouble romantically, I could not stop myself from falling in love with him.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
August 8, 2020
It was a sweet read but it just didn’t blow my socks off.
dnf
February 25, 2023No. @18%
MCs kiss while one of them still hasn’t broken up with his boyfriend that is on the same ship. 🤷🏻♀️
MCs kiss while one of them still hasn’t broken up with his boyfriend that is on the same ship. 🤷🏻♀️
June 5, 2020
Tripp is flaky, and Doug is a bit wishy washy. Neither is perfect, but from their first meeting (a naked Tripp in the hallway), they are perfect for each other.
Doug is understandably sad after having been dumped at the altar. Throughout the book, he realizes escaping marrying Calvin isn’t a bad thing. Unfortunately Doug can sometimes be slow to make decisions and lets life carry him along instead of actively participating. He is a little maddening in that respect toward the end of the book, but he finally grows a backbone and decides to chart his own course.
Tripp is a trip. He is in love with love and wants desperately to find the ONE. He has kissed a lot of frogs on the path to finding his prince. After meeting someone, he paints a rosy picture of their HEA, moves in with them after only a few dates, and watches the fantasy relationship crash and burn 2hen real life catches up. While it starts the same with Doug, he realizes the feelings are different. This time they are real.
I liked the first book the best, but this one is cute, funny, and lighthearted. I would definitely continue reading the series.
Doug is understandably sad after having been dumped at the altar. Throughout the book, he realizes escaping marrying Calvin isn’t a bad thing. Unfortunately Doug can sometimes be slow to make decisions and lets life carry him along instead of actively participating. He is a little maddening in that respect toward the end of the book, but he finally grows a backbone and decides to chart his own course.
Tripp is a trip. He is in love with love and wants desperately to find the ONE. He has kissed a lot of frogs on the path to finding his prince. After meeting someone, he paints a rosy picture of their HEA, moves in with them after only a few dates, and watches the fantasy relationship crash and burn 2hen real life catches up. While it starts the same with Doug, he realizes the feelings are different. This time they are real.
I liked the first book the best, but this one is cute, funny, and lighthearted. I would definitely continue reading the series.
May 11, 2020
A fun and sweet story.
Honeymoon Sweet is a nice and fluffy insta-love type story that made me smile a lot while reading it. There are some sad parts (Doug was left at the altar) but they are quickly overshadowed by all of the fun stuff. While this is book two of the Out & About series it is a standalone story.
One of the things that attracted me to this book is that the majority of it takes place on a cruise. My hubby and I discovered cruising about 6 years ago and I've now lost count of how many we've been on since then. All of the descriptions of the cruise were pretty darned accurate. I was happy that none of the scenes involved both guys getting into the shower at the same time because I could never see that happening based on the ships I've been on. LOL
The activities that Doug and Tripp get up to on the cruise brought back a lot of happy memories I have of cruising (I'm not talking about the sexy time!). I love the scene where they participate in the traditional Newlywed Game; that is always so much fun to watch on a cruise.
The story also touched my heart. I felt bad for Doug being jilted at the last minute with no explanation coming from his fiancé. Tripp was such a sweet and sexy character. He really got into his role of temporary husband to Doug. He always falls fast and hard for guys and it's never turned out well for him so he's really leery of the feelings he's having for Doug. Tripp knows it's more and different from anything he's ever felt for a guy before but he's afraid to trust himself.
This really was a great, mostly light-hearted, book with a fantastic setting and characters that I found very likeable.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Honeymoon Sweet is a nice and fluffy insta-love type story that made me smile a lot while reading it. There are some sad parts (Doug was left at the altar) but they are quickly overshadowed by all of the fun stuff. While this is book two of the Out & About series it is a standalone story.
One of the things that attracted me to this book is that the majority of it takes place on a cruise. My hubby and I discovered cruising about 6 years ago and I've now lost count of how many we've been on since then. All of the descriptions of the cruise were pretty darned accurate. I was happy that none of the scenes involved both guys getting into the shower at the same time because I could never see that happening based on the ships I've been on. LOL
The activities that Doug and Tripp get up to on the cruise brought back a lot of happy memories I have of cruising (I'm not talking about the sexy time!). I love the scene where they participate in the traditional Newlywed Game; that is always so much fun to watch on a cruise.
The story also touched my heart. I felt bad for Doug being jilted at the last minute with no explanation coming from his fiancé. Tripp was such a sweet and sexy character. He really got into his role of temporary husband to Doug. He always falls fast and hard for guys and it's never turned out well for him so he's really leery of the feelings he's having for Doug. Tripp knows it's more and different from anything he's ever felt for a guy before but he's afraid to trust himself.
This really was a great, mostly light-hearted, book with a fantastic setting and characters that I found very likeable.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
May 7, 2020
As first meetings can go, Doug and Tripp's was one of the top most hilarious I've read about. Maybe it wasn't that hilarious for the two men involved in the scene, but it did start off incredibly the high quality of humor for the rest of the book.
Doug and Tripp couldn't have met at a better, or worse?, time in both their lives, with Doug recently left at the altar and Tripp at the last treads of his relationship with Liam. So, neither was looking for a fling on the cruise and definitely didn't expected to connect with each other as strongly as they did. They'd only intended to spend time together, just to not be alone and lonely among the other laughing, joyful passengers. Because really, after the embarrassment of Tripp flashing his backside and Doug ugly crying on Tripp's shoulder, and with seeing each other at their worst out of the way, it meant that everything happening next was bound to be only fun.
And it most definitely was fun. When I didn't laugh out loud, I had a smile plastered on my face, because even when Doug and Tripp were having their moments of insecurities, or were questioning their life choices, the author soon followed with some joke or shenanigan... or with a kiss or rump between the sheets, just to lighten the mood. I liked the fact that, even while the two men enjoyed the romantic locations of their trip - and each other, of course - they took the time to look inside themselves, to try to build their self trust and consolidate their self esteem. It made it so that when they disembarked the cruise ship, they might have been insecure of the possibility of a future together, or questioning how long-lasting their feelings truly were, buy they never doubted how much they were worth or deserved. And, of course Doug deserved Tripp, and Tripp deserved Doug.
Honeymoon Sweet has a healthy dose of lightness to it, with amazingly weaven moments of sadness, introspection with fun, tenderness and the most steaming chemistry. I loved how Doug and Tripp found each other and how their relationship developed, and I absolutely loved every page of this sweet, funny and emotional story.
Doug and Tripp couldn't have met at a better, or worse?, time in both their lives, with Doug recently left at the altar and Tripp at the last treads of his relationship with Liam. So, neither was looking for a fling on the cruise and definitely didn't expected to connect with each other as strongly as they did. They'd only intended to spend time together, just to not be alone and lonely among the other laughing, joyful passengers. Because really, after the embarrassment of Tripp flashing his backside and Doug ugly crying on Tripp's shoulder, and with seeing each other at their worst out of the way, it meant that everything happening next was bound to be only fun.
And it most definitely was fun. When I didn't laugh out loud, I had a smile plastered on my face, because even when Doug and Tripp were having their moments of insecurities, or were questioning their life choices, the author soon followed with some joke or shenanigan... or with a kiss or rump between the sheets, just to lighten the mood. I liked the fact that, even while the two men enjoyed the romantic locations of their trip - and each other, of course - they took the time to look inside themselves, to try to build their self trust and consolidate their self esteem. It made it so that when they disembarked the cruise ship, they might have been insecure of the possibility of a future together, or questioning how long-lasting their feelings truly were, buy they never doubted how much they were worth or deserved. And, of course Doug deserved Tripp, and Tripp deserved Doug.
Honeymoon Sweet has a healthy dose of lightness to it, with amazingly weaven moments of sadness, introspection with fun, tenderness and the most steaming chemistry. I loved how Doug and Tripp found each other and how their relationship developed, and I absolutely loved every page of this sweet, funny and emotional story.
August 21, 2022
Książka była słodka, bez dwóch zdań.
Jednakże muszę przyznać, że zupełnie nie siadły mi ani nie przekonały mnie okoliczności tego romansu i tej miłości.
Doug i Tripp spotkali się na statku wycieczkowym. Doug, po trzyletnim związku i dosłownie wystawieniu do wiatru przez swojego przyszłego męża przy ołtarzu momencik wcześniej, wybrał się samotnie na rejs, który miał być ich podróżą poślubną. Tripp wylądował tam razem ze swoim chłopakiem, z który mieszkał i był od roku. Związek pierwszego był zdecydowanie toksyczny, jego narzeczony, który pod płaszczykiem troski, był typem kontrolującym i usiłującym zmienić Douga na model idealny według niego. Związek drugiego był raczej kumplowski z korzyściami, czyli seksem i dzieleniem się opłatami za mieszkanie - rejs miał być ostatnią szansą na jego uratowanie.
Tripp był zakochany
Nie za bardzo uwierzyłam, że Doug był gotowy na kolejny związek. Że Tripp - który był chronicznie uczulony na samotność i przez 10 lat na palcach jednej ręki można by policzyć, ile w sumie miesięcy nie był w związku - że tym razem zakochał się naprawdę (aaaaa... zapomniałam dodać, że partner, z którym przyjechał na rejs niezmiernie wygodnie zniknął na drugi dzień, bo jednak związek okazał się nie do uratowania 😉)...
I choć wiem, że jestem w zdecydowanej mniejszości, to nie przekonała mnie ta książka - nawet jeżeli to przecież fikcja, a tam zawsze wszystko jest możliwe, to nawet insta-love powinna mieć jednak jakieś ręce i nogi...
Jednakże muszę przyznać, że zupełnie nie siadły mi ani nie przekonały mnie okoliczności tego romansu i tej miłości.
Doug i Tripp spotkali się na statku wycieczkowym. Doug, po trzyletnim związku i dosłownie wystawieniu do wiatru przez swojego przyszłego męża przy ołtarzu momencik wcześniej, wybrał się samotnie na rejs, który miał być ich podróżą poślubną. Tripp wylądował tam razem ze swoim chłopakiem, z który mieszkał i był od roku. Związek pierwszego był zdecydowanie toksyczny, jego narzeczony, który pod płaszczykiem troski, był typem kontrolującym i usiłującym zmienić Douga na model idealny według niego. Związek drugiego był raczej kumplowski z korzyściami, czyli seksem i dzieleniem się opłatami za mieszkanie - rejs miał być ostatnią szansą na jego uratowanie.
Tripp był zakochany
Nie za bardzo uwierzyłam, że Doug był gotowy na kolejny związek. Że Tripp - który był chronicznie uczulony na samotność i przez 10 lat na palcach jednej ręki można by policzyć, ile w sumie miesięcy nie był w związku - że tym razem zakochał się naprawdę (aaaaa... zapomniałam dodać, że partner, z którym przyjechał na rejs niezmiernie wygodnie zniknął na drugi dzień, bo jednak związek okazał się nie do uratowania 😉)...
I choć wiem, że jestem w zdecydowanej mniejszości, to nie przekonała mnie ta książka - nawet jeżeli to przecież fikcja, a tam zawsze wszystko jest możliwe, to nawet insta-love powinna mieć jednak jakieś ręce i nogi...
May 11, 2020
Honeymoon Sweet is a beautiful, feel good insta-love romance by Allison Temple. The second book in her Out & About series, it's perfectly delightful.
Doug and Tripp are two men who both thought they were happy. Ends up they were both wrong. One was left at the altar. The other is suddenly realizing that his relationship is one that is really only friends with benefits. The result is a fake fiance relationship story that is charming as can be.
This is a story of learning the importance of being friends first, before starting a relationship based on only sex. This aspect is well explored and well developed. It's a story of learning a lot about oneself, resulting in a significant amount of self growth.
Doug and Tripp are two men who could easily fall in love, but it doesn't seem possible. Or real. After all, can you trust insta love?
The writing style is fantastic, instantly pulling the reader in, and keeping them intrigued throughout. The storyline and character development is both entertaining and riveting. There is plenty of humor, including some ridiculous nicknames that had me laughing throughout.
Honeymoon Sweet is a romance of self reflection and self growth. Allison Temple had me soothed and happy throughout this story of second chances at love. This story of finding someone who loves you as you are is perfect when you're in the mood for a easy, yet fulfilling read.
Doug and Tripp are two men who both thought they were happy. Ends up they were both wrong. One was left at the altar. The other is suddenly realizing that his relationship is one that is really only friends with benefits. The result is a fake fiance relationship story that is charming as can be.
This is a story of learning the importance of being friends first, before starting a relationship based on only sex. This aspect is well explored and well developed. It's a story of learning a lot about oneself, resulting in a significant amount of self growth.
Doug and Tripp are two men who could easily fall in love, but it doesn't seem possible. Or real. After all, can you trust insta love?
The writing style is fantastic, instantly pulling the reader in, and keeping them intrigued throughout. The storyline and character development is both entertaining and riveting. There is plenty of humor, including some ridiculous nicknames that had me laughing throughout.
Honeymoon Sweet is a romance of self reflection and self growth. Allison Temple had me soothed and happy throughout this story of second chances at love. This story of finding someone who loves you as you are is perfect when you're in the mood for a easy, yet fulfilling read.
May 8, 2020
Just like it's title suggests, this is a sweet whirlwind romance.
Doug is on his honeymoon alone after being stood up on his wedding day. Tripp is very close to the end of his relationship, even before he boards the cruise ship, when Doug stumbles across Tripp naked outside his cabin door. A friendship and connection quickly begins to build as Tripp offers to keep Doug company for the week once he becomes single.
This was an easy read. My heart went out to Doug as he comes to terms with all that has happened and the end of a relationship that was supposed to be his future. His attraction to Tripp surprises him but he can't deny how good it makes him feel. Tripp has always had a habit of quickly falling for guys that are unsuitable but Doug ticks all of his boxes....except living in different cities and only spending a week together. No one has ever been so adorable and endearing as Doug though.
There's a lot of fun and sweetness to be had with this romance, a lot of cute nicknames are thrown around that makes them both smile. Definitely a recommended read.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Doug is on his honeymoon alone after being stood up on his wedding day. Tripp is very close to the end of his relationship, even before he boards the cruise ship, when Doug stumbles across Tripp naked outside his cabin door. A friendship and connection quickly begins to build as Tripp offers to keep Doug company for the week once he becomes single.
This was an easy read. My heart went out to Doug as he comes to terms with all that has happened and the end of a relationship that was supposed to be his future. His attraction to Tripp surprises him but he can't deny how good it makes him feel. Tripp has always had a habit of quickly falling for guys that are unsuitable but Doug ticks all of his boxes....except living in different cities and only spending a week together. No one has ever been so adorable and endearing as Doug though.
There's a lot of fun and sweetness to be had with this romance, a lot of cute nicknames are thrown around that makes them both smile. Definitely a recommended read.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
May 4, 2020
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is a playful romance with heart and a little depth. The tropes are a little tired but the characters are immensely likeable and the writing is solid. I’ve read this basic story before but the quirky, relatable characters make this book feel fun and fresh.
The first half of the book takes place on the cruise that should have been Doug’s honeymoon. After a series of entertaining but fairly implausible mishaps, strangers Doug and Tripp find themselves pretending to be a newlywed couple. Honestly, the plot isn’t terribly solid but the chemistry between Tripp and Doug is wonderful. While some of the story is silly, there’s enough honest introspection for both men to feel real and very lovable. There are a couple of fabulously steamy scenes, some laugh out loud moments and a few sweet and tender scenes. My only wish is that the second half of the story - after the cruise - was as strong as the first half. I feel like the plot wanders a little after the cruise and the plotting isn’t quite as tight at the end.
This is a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still manages to feel like a satisfying read. It’s a perfect holiday read and a perfect escape from reality.
This is a playful romance with heart and a little depth. The tropes are a little tired but the characters are immensely likeable and the writing is solid. I’ve read this basic story before but the quirky, relatable characters make this book feel fun and fresh.
The first half of the book takes place on the cruise that should have been Doug’s honeymoon. After a series of entertaining but fairly implausible mishaps, strangers Doug and Tripp find themselves pretending to be a newlywed couple. Honestly, the plot isn’t terribly solid but the chemistry between Tripp and Doug is wonderful. While some of the story is silly, there’s enough honest introspection for both men to feel real and very lovable. There are a couple of fabulously steamy scenes, some laugh out loud moments and a few sweet and tender scenes. My only wish is that the second half of the story - after the cruise - was as strong as the first half. I feel like the plot wanders a little after the cruise and the plotting isn’t quite as tight at the end.
This is a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still manages to feel like a satisfying read. It’s a perfect holiday read and a perfect escape from reality.
May 6, 2020
Honeymoon Sweet is the second book in the Out and About series and features Doug, who we met in book 1 (Work/Love Balance) and Tripp. The two main characters spend most of a week-long cruise masquerading as newlyweds when, after cheeky meet cute, they both find themselves in need of companionship, fun and a bit of escapism.
The plot isn't exactly original, but Doug and Tripp are so charming and engaging that the fake partners trope totally works for them. Doug is a very straight forward, ernest man (he's cheese pizza) whilst Tripp is more spontaneous and free spirited. Both men think there are reasons why pursuing a future together after a whirlwind week at sea still riding the coat tails of two failed relationships isn't the wisest thing, which does try to balance the instalove a little bit.
There's humour in Honeymoon Sweet (I especially love the awesome nicknames) as well as fluffy romance and, once Doug and Tripp decide they can't keep their hands off each other, a whole lot of heat. So if you're all about insta on the high seas...and at some great sounding shore excursions, this is the book for you. 4*
An ARC was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.
The plot isn't exactly original, but Doug and Tripp are so charming and engaging that the fake partners trope totally works for them. Doug is a very straight forward, ernest man (he's cheese pizza) whilst Tripp is more spontaneous and free spirited. Both men think there are reasons why pursuing a future together after a whirlwind week at sea still riding the coat tails of two failed relationships isn't the wisest thing, which does try to balance the instalove a little bit.
There's humour in Honeymoon Sweet (I especially love the awesome nicknames) as well as fluffy romance and, once Doug and Tripp decide they can't keep their hands off each other, a whole lot of heat. So if you're all about insta on the high seas...and at some great sounding shore excursions, this is the book for you. 4*
An ARC was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2020
I LOVED the first book in this series, so when this one came out I one-clicked it so fast! I love Allison’s writing because it’s so witty and smart, and I get completely engaged and sucked in with her characters. Doug and Tripp grabbed me from the start and kept me up late having to see their story through. I loved their chemistry together and the quick friendship they developed. There were super hot sexy times (toys!!), but there was tenderness too. I appreciated how Tripp realized how different Doug was from the previous men he dated. I loved how their HEA unfolded, it was so them and I couldn’t have picked a better way. This was a great read, and I couldn’t recommend it more!
October 20, 2024
I liked that one of the MCs way a hairy, tubby, balding and bearded bear if a man and that the author didn’t shrink away from the messy emotions back and come from a recent break up. I also really liked the acknowledgment that most cruise ship stops are strange, ghettoized, artificial environments. The author managed try to book that was sweet without being artificially saccharine. This is my first book by the author, and I will definitely be reading more.
May 10, 2020
Honeymoon Sweet is such a lovely story. I devoured it in one day. Allison Temple has set up such a great conflict here. Tripp and Doug meet on a cruise, one that they were both meant to take with their significant others. Tripp is there with a boyfriend who can't step away from his work, and Doug's fiance just became an ex. Neither of them is looking for love when Doug runs into a naked Tripp in the ship's corridor, but they can't avoid it. The story is fun, heartwarming and very sexy.
May 15, 2020
Honeymoon Sweet is the second book in the Out & About serie and was my first book by Allison Temple and I really liked it. It was well written and I really liked Doug and Tripp. It's a very sweet story.
May 17, 2020
Really good book! I read it straight through in an afternoon. Really sweet
May 23, 2020
Really enjoyed this. Loved their personalities and chemistry.
October 19, 2024
4 stars
Holiday fun!
It starts off rocky. Doug has been left at the altar, with only a text message from his ex, and has been convinced to take his honeymoon cruise alone. Tripp is on the cruise with his boyfriend, but things are at a breaking point, and it doesn't take long until the boyfriend jumps ship. I wasn't totally sold on Tripp initially, but that didn't last long.
I think this struck a good balance with the "out of their comfort zone" trope, which sometimes seems condescending or patronising, but here felt natural. I enjoyed how , and then later that it was .
The play with nicknames in this was wonderful. They span from utterly ludicrous (butter dish, squeegee) through cute-but-quirky (woodchuck, sweet pepper) to downright-adorable (buttercup, lily pad). And these are just the ones I wrote down, there are dozens of them in this book.
The resolution felt kind of right, but also was a bit more drawn out than I think it should have been.
Holiday fun!
It starts off rocky. Doug has been left at the altar, with only a text message from his ex, and has been convinced to take his honeymoon cruise alone. Tripp is on the cruise with his boyfriend, but things are at a breaking point, and it doesn't take long until the boyfriend jumps ship. I wasn't totally sold on Tripp initially, but that didn't last long.
I think this struck a good balance with the "out of their comfort zone" trope, which sometimes seems condescending or patronising, but here felt natural. I enjoyed how , and then later that it was .
The play with nicknames in this was wonderful. They span from utterly ludicrous (butter dish, squeegee) through cute-but-quirky (woodchuck, sweet pepper) to downright-adorable (buttercup, lily pad). And these are just the ones I wrote down, there are dozens of them in this book.
The resolution felt kind of right, but also was a bit more drawn out than I think it should have been.
June 12, 2020
This book is just delicious cotton candy vacation fun. A little strange to think about cruise ships these days, but how were any of us to know? An escapist delight.
April 16, 2020
Oh this book! I tell ya, there’s something about Allison Temple’s writing that gets me every time! “Honeymoon Sweet” is book two in her “Out & About” series. I was book one “Work/Love balance” and really enjoyed it, but this one I loved even more!
We being with Doug who is on his honeymoon cruise. The issue is that he’s on it alone because his partner Calvin left him at the altar … by sending him a text message that said: “never mind”. Ouch: my poor heart. Doug went on the cruise anyway. What could it hurt? He had a schedule booked with his ex in mind and a lovely honeymoon suite with a balcony.
On the first day of his cruise, Doug discovers a naked, gorgeous man in the hallway near his room. His name is Tripp and he is grateful to have Doug rescue him and lend him a robe. Tripp had a disagreement with his boyfriend Liam. When Liam stormed out, Tripp followed him only to have the door close and strand him in the hallway.
It’s just the beginning. Tripp is really unhappy with his relationship and the final straw is Liam working all the time… it’s a cruise! It was supposed to fix things… but as fate would have it, it does just the opposite and makes Tripp realize their relationship is over.
Through an amusing twist of events, Tripp offers to be Doug’s fake cruise husband. Why not? They can just have fun, go to all the events and there’s a pull-out couch in Doug’s fancy suite. I know you have probably read other books with this type of plot…but this one is definitely worth reading. I liked the idea that these two men were both at a bit of a loss and thought that maybe by cheering one another up, they might be able to salvage a great trip.
What did I like about this novel? The characters!! Tripp is a fun-loving, quick-witted, bundle of joy and I loved his character. He was funny and charming from the moment he was introduced and I could totally see why Doug would be drawn to him. Doug was interesting in a completely different way. He was really hurt by what happened and the emotions in the novel were palpable. There had been a lot of loss in Doug’s life and I have to admit that I teared up a couple of times. It was very real and believable!
I also really enjoyed the banter between Tripp and Doug as they got to know one another. It was really amusing when they got into odd little situations because – for obvious reasons – they didn’t know things about each other.
The sex scenes were steamy, well-written and happened at the perfect time in the novel!
This is a great book and a good second installment in the series! I will definitely continue to read this one!
We being with Doug who is on his honeymoon cruise. The issue is that he’s on it alone because his partner Calvin left him at the altar … by sending him a text message that said: “never mind”. Ouch: my poor heart. Doug went on the cruise anyway. What could it hurt? He had a schedule booked with his ex in mind and a lovely honeymoon suite with a balcony.
On the first day of his cruise, Doug discovers a naked, gorgeous man in the hallway near his room. His name is Tripp and he is grateful to have Doug rescue him and lend him a robe. Tripp had a disagreement with his boyfriend Liam. When Liam stormed out, Tripp followed him only to have the door close and strand him in the hallway.
It’s just the beginning. Tripp is really unhappy with his relationship and the final straw is Liam working all the time… it’s a cruise! It was supposed to fix things… but as fate would have it, it does just the opposite and makes Tripp realize their relationship is over.
Through an amusing twist of events, Tripp offers to be Doug’s fake cruise husband. Why not? They can just have fun, go to all the events and there’s a pull-out couch in Doug’s fancy suite. I know you have probably read other books with this type of plot…but this one is definitely worth reading. I liked the idea that these two men were both at a bit of a loss and thought that maybe by cheering one another up, they might be able to salvage a great trip.
What did I like about this novel? The characters!! Tripp is a fun-loving, quick-witted, bundle of joy and I loved his character. He was funny and charming from the moment he was introduced and I could totally see why Doug would be drawn to him. Doug was interesting in a completely different way. He was really hurt by what happened and the emotions in the novel were palpable. There had been a lot of loss in Doug’s life and I have to admit that I teared up a couple of times. It was very real and believable!
I also really enjoyed the banter between Tripp and Doug as they got to know one another. It was really amusing when they got into odd little situations because – for obvious reasons – they didn’t know things about each other.
The sex scenes were steamy, well-written and happened at the perfect time in the novel!
This is a great book and a good second installment in the series! I will definitely continue to read this one!
May 11, 2020
The beginning of this story finds us smack dab at Doug and Tripp’s meet-cute, and it is exactly that. Unfortunately, the timing is off...or is it? Tripp can’t help himself with his desire to help Doug, and Doug...well...he’s just the best thing this side of sliced bread, and before long, Tripp finds his circumstances have changed and he offers to accompany Doug for the rest of the cruise. Sure, offering to be someone’s fake husband, so Doug doesn’t have to spend the rest of what should have been his honeymoon explaining things to people, or looking so dejected and alone, is just being nice, but will the lines between what’s fake and what’s real blur? That’s the question I was dying to find out.
This is the first book I’ve read by Allison Temple, and I can assure you, it won’t be the last. She had me hooked from the beginning. From the meet-cute, their internal struggles about the connection they were both feeling towards each other, albeit its horrible timing, to the final chapter; I was gripped. The way they connected...it was both beautiful and fun to watch unfold throughout the story and love, love, LOVED Tripp's nicknames for Dougie Doug.
Tripp and Doug are characters you will fall in love with. You won’t be able to help yourself. Doug has been through some tough times, emotionally, and has lost himself. Tripp sees that, and he decides to make it his mission to allow Doug the space he needs to truly be himself. I wanted to hug Tripp for that. I wanted to hug Doug every time he allowed his true self to shine through. His rediscovery was...well, I smiled a lot. Let me just leave it at that. Tripp has his own dialogue, in his head, on how he’s handled past relationships, but he didn’t try to one up Doug. He made this all about Doug, but by doing that, he gained so much more than he planned for.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but it is part of a series. Doug’s place of employment is the connection between the stories, and towards the end, you catch a glimpse of the characters from the first book. While it isn’t necessary to have read the first one, reading this book will make you want to.
I had a huge book hangover after reading this book. In fact, I procrastinated reading it after I hit 37% because I knew I wouldn’t want it to end. Once I got to 87%, I put it down for an hour because I REALLY, REALLY didn’t want it to end. This book has won a permanent place on my TBRA (to be read again) list. I highly recommend it be added to yours. You won’t regret it.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement.***
This is the first book I’ve read by Allison Temple, and I can assure you, it won’t be the last. She had me hooked from the beginning. From the meet-cute, their internal struggles about the connection they were both feeling towards each other, albeit its horrible timing, to the final chapter; I was gripped. The way they connected...it was both beautiful and fun to watch unfold throughout the story and love, love, LOVED Tripp's nicknames for Dougie Doug.
Tripp and Doug are characters you will fall in love with. You won’t be able to help yourself. Doug has been through some tough times, emotionally, and has lost himself. Tripp sees that, and he decides to make it his mission to allow Doug the space he needs to truly be himself. I wanted to hug Tripp for that. I wanted to hug Doug every time he allowed his true self to shine through. His rediscovery was...well, I smiled a lot. Let me just leave it at that. Tripp has his own dialogue, in his head, on how he’s handled past relationships, but he didn’t try to one up Doug. He made this all about Doug, but by doing that, he gained so much more than he planned for.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but it is part of a series. Doug’s place of employment is the connection between the stories, and towards the end, you catch a glimpse of the characters from the first book. While it isn’t necessary to have read the first one, reading this book will make you want to.
I had a huge book hangover after reading this book. In fact, I procrastinated reading it after I hit 37% because I knew I wouldn’t want it to end. Once I got to 87%, I put it down for an hour because I REALLY, REALLY didn’t want it to end. This book has won a permanent place on my TBRA (to be read again) list. I highly recommend it be added to yours. You won’t regret it.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement.***
May 11, 2020
This was a very honeyed tale of two men that each manages to pick a very obviously wrong life partner. Doug has been cruelly stood up at the altar and received his kiss-off in the form of a text message (Ouch) from his jerk of a fiancé while he was standing waiting for him, surrounded by family and friends. This has crushed him and, understandably, he is filled with self-doubts. Calvin, who is now his ex, had managed to constantly leave little cruel putdowns that also wore away at Doug’s confidence.
As the title implies, he is still taking his honeymoon cruise alone at his family’s firm insistence. I can’t imagine how torturous this would be by the constant reminders of being alone on a romantic getaway that was to mark the start of your new life, but in fairness to Doug, he was so stunned he just listened to his family’s advice.
Tripp is just like Doug in the romantic department. He always picks the wrong guy. He also tends to fall quickly and gets hearts in his eyes thinking this is the one while ignoring obvious signs that they are just so bad for him. His current loser boyfriend is just plain cold and inconsiderate to Tripp’s needs. On the same cruise that Doug is on, Tripp has had enough of his workaholic lesser half Liam and has decided to call their relationship off. He runs into Doug onboard and it is a really cute and a bumbling encounter that had me chuckling just envisioning it. Both feeling the unhappiness of their love lives, they decide to pair up and support each other for the remainder of the cruise. Since Doug is so lost and sad, Tripp offers to be a buffer to all the meaningful and pesky vacationers asking him awkward questions. The solution is he will pretend to be Doug’s husband. It did seem unnecessary at first but I realized how much Doug was struggling and this unusual relationship helped him cope with his loss.
The description of the cruise and the activities were very vivid and I felt I could have been on the ship with them. As the days pass the two bond quickly. I really am not a fan of instalove but Ms. Temple is a wonderful writer. I would have liked a little more time to have elapsed for their relationship to deepen but all in all, she made me feel they were a real couple after only a week. If you enjoy sweet, light and fluffy reads you will be in for a huge treat with this charming and yes, steaming standalone book. I hope you enjoy being on the cruise with Doug and Tripp. Happy Reading!
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.***
As the title implies, he is still taking his honeymoon cruise alone at his family’s firm insistence. I can’t imagine how torturous this would be by the constant reminders of being alone on a romantic getaway that was to mark the start of your new life, but in fairness to Doug, he was so stunned he just listened to his family’s advice.
Tripp is just like Doug in the romantic department. He always picks the wrong guy. He also tends to fall quickly and gets hearts in his eyes thinking this is the one while ignoring obvious signs that they are just so bad for him. His current loser boyfriend is just plain cold and inconsiderate to Tripp’s needs. On the same cruise that Doug is on, Tripp has had enough of his workaholic lesser half Liam and has decided to call their relationship off. He runs into Doug onboard and it is a really cute and a bumbling encounter that had me chuckling just envisioning it. Both feeling the unhappiness of their love lives, they decide to pair up and support each other for the remainder of the cruise. Since Doug is so lost and sad, Tripp offers to be a buffer to all the meaningful and pesky vacationers asking him awkward questions. The solution is he will pretend to be Doug’s husband. It did seem unnecessary at first but I realized how much Doug was struggling and this unusual relationship helped him cope with his loss.
The description of the cruise and the activities were very vivid and I felt I could have been on the ship with them. As the days pass the two bond quickly. I really am not a fan of instalove but Ms. Temple is a wonderful writer. I would have liked a little more time to have elapsed for their relationship to deepen but all in all, she made me feel they were a real couple after only a week. If you enjoy sweet, light and fluffy reads you will be in for a huge treat with this charming and yes, steaming standalone book. I hope you enjoy being on the cruise with Doug and Tripp. Happy Reading!
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.***
May 19, 2020
3.5 stars
Doug and Tripp were both on vacation, but neither expected to end up alone. Tripp's effort to save a relationship that he couldn't accept was no good to keep and Doug's effort to salvage something from his life before it seemingly fell apart came together and gave them both a chance at the kind of happiness they'd always wanted.
I liked Doug's sensitivity and how most of his perspective throughout the story focused on accepting and coming to terms with the reality of his relationship, how it ended, and what he wanted for the future. Along the way it was easy to fall in love with Tripp and his enthusiasm, understanding, and authenticity. Tripp's perspective was a bit...not shallow, but not too deep either because he didn't really realize the truth about his own behaviors until his best friend pointed it out to him just before the grand gesture was made, and not by him either. They eventually did get to the place where they should be, it just took a bit for all the pieces to come together.
There was a definite slow burn in terms of actual physically doing the deed and I liked that. It would have felt unnatural and unbelievable for them to jump into bed before their heads were in the right place. When they did get there it was suitably steamy. Sometimes it got in the way of having the mature discussions about their future that they needed, but that was down to Tripp and his moments of cowardice. Doug was all in and I loved that about him, but mostly that he didn't let the surprise at the end of the cruise set him on a path away from Tripp. The writing kind of suggested that it did once they went home, but it was actually pretty obvious that his physical responses were proof of his commitment to Tripp and not his past. One exception would be the cafe scene, that was a little disjointed for me, but it got Doug moving so it wasn't all bad.
This story had a soft and cute vibe all the way throughout and while not super deep, it was deep enough to be believable, that they'd actually have a real shot at a forever happiness. It fit with the first story and sets a good tone for the series to continue from here as well.
Doug and Tripp were both on vacation, but neither expected to end up alone. Tripp's effort to save a relationship that he couldn't accept was no good to keep and Doug's effort to salvage something from his life before it seemingly fell apart came together and gave them both a chance at the kind of happiness they'd always wanted.
I liked Doug's sensitivity and how most of his perspective throughout the story focused on accepting and coming to terms with the reality of his relationship, how it ended, and what he wanted for the future. Along the way it was easy to fall in love with Tripp and his enthusiasm, understanding, and authenticity. Tripp's perspective was a bit...not shallow, but not too deep either because he didn't really realize the truth about his own behaviors until his best friend pointed it out to him just before the grand gesture was made, and not by him either. They eventually did get to the place where they should be, it just took a bit for all the pieces to come together.
There was a definite slow burn in terms of actual physically doing the deed and I liked that. It would have felt unnatural and unbelievable for them to jump into bed before their heads were in the right place. When they did get there it was suitably steamy. Sometimes it got in the way of having the mature discussions about their future that they needed, but that was down to Tripp and his moments of cowardice. Doug was all in and I loved that about him, but mostly that he didn't let the surprise at the end of the cruise set him on a path away from Tripp. The writing kind of suggested that it did once they went home, but it was actually pretty obvious that his physical responses were proof of his commitment to Tripp and not his past. One exception would be the cafe scene, that was a little disjointed for me, but it got Doug moving so it wasn't all bad.
This story had a soft and cute vibe all the way throughout and while not super deep, it was deep enough to be believable, that they'd actually have a real shot at a forever happiness. It fit with the first story and sets a good tone for the series to continue from here as well.
May 12, 2020
5 Stars
If you are looking for a sweet, low angst read, then this is the story for you. My usual reads consist of high angst, high drama stories, but occasionally, I need a story that makes me laugh and not cry. This story fits that bill to a tee.
Our main characters, Doug and Tripp, meet under the most spectacular conditions. Well, maybe spectacular for Tripp and a heartbreaking for Doug. What a perfect start to the cruise Tripp is on with his boyfriend when Tripp gets locked out of his cabin without a stitch of clothing on. Enter Doug who rescues Tripp and brings him to his cabin, which just happens to be the honeymoon suite on the ship. Except Doug is on this cruise by himself as he was left standing at the altar by his fiancé. Tripp finds himself drawn to Doug and eventually parts ways with his self-absorbed boyfriend. As Tripp and Doug become more involved throughout the cruise, you start rooting for the whirlwind romance to take flight and find its way to a happy ending. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard, as I did with the antics these two get up to. The nicknames Tripp comes up with for Doug are side-splittingly funny. I think though, the part that made me giggle-snort the most was the “gift” Doug’s sister arranges to be left in the suite. The sexy times continue in a private beach cabana and throughout the cruise.
I found this book to blend the humor, sexy times and angst perfectly. I loved the nuances that Allison wove into Doug and Tripp’s characters. I found them extremely relatable and a highly plausible couple as their strengths and weaknesses brought out the best in each other. The question remains, will our guys find their happy ending after the cruise is over? Well, I need to leave some details for you to discover for yourself when you pick up this sweet story.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement. ***
If you are looking for a sweet, low angst read, then this is the story for you. My usual reads consist of high angst, high drama stories, but occasionally, I need a story that makes me laugh and not cry. This story fits that bill to a tee.
Our main characters, Doug and Tripp, meet under the most spectacular conditions. Well, maybe spectacular for Tripp and a heartbreaking for Doug. What a perfect start to the cruise Tripp is on with his boyfriend when Tripp gets locked out of his cabin without a stitch of clothing on. Enter Doug who rescues Tripp and brings him to his cabin, which just happens to be the honeymoon suite on the ship. Except Doug is on this cruise by himself as he was left standing at the altar by his fiancé. Tripp finds himself drawn to Doug and eventually parts ways with his self-absorbed boyfriend. As Tripp and Doug become more involved throughout the cruise, you start rooting for the whirlwind romance to take flight and find its way to a happy ending. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard, as I did with the antics these two get up to. The nicknames Tripp comes up with for Doug are side-splittingly funny. I think though, the part that made me giggle-snort the most was the “gift” Doug’s sister arranges to be left in the suite. The sexy times continue in a private beach cabana and throughout the cruise.
I found this book to blend the humor, sexy times and angst perfectly. I loved the nuances that Allison wove into Doug and Tripp’s characters. I found them extremely relatable and a highly plausible couple as their strengths and weaknesses brought out the best in each other. The question remains, will our guys find their happy ending after the cruise is over? Well, I need to leave some details for you to discover for yourself when you pick up this sweet story.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement. ***
June 2, 2020
Reviewed by Jen of Diverse Reader
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Honeymoon Sweet by Allison Temple is just that…so sweet. This was a sweet, make you smile read for me.
Doug is a man of simple tastes, give him a cheese pizza, chicken, or a Cesar salad and he’s a happy man. Doug has had a rough few years, he lost his dad and was then left at the altar. After his mom and sisters convince the shy man to go on his honeymoon alone, Doug finds himself on a cruise he’d planned to the last detail…without a husband.
Tripp is a hopeless romantic in a hopeless relationship. Going on a cruise with his very distracted by work boyfriend is a last-ditch attempt to salvage a doomed relationship. Day one finds them fighting and Tripp accidentally locked out of their room in the buff. This is how Doug finds the attractive man. Doug doesn’t know what to do, but he can’t leave the man looking so distraught. Lending a helping hand to the beautiful stranger begins a friendship that leads to them being fake husbands. What these two men find is that their fake relationship is the best relationship either has ever had. But the cruise comes to an end and reality is waiting for them at the dock. Now they have to walk away and decide whether to settle or reach for something more.
This is my first book by this author but won’t be my last. This really was the sweetest book. Doug is so gentle and lovable. Tripp is fun, charismatic, and longs for real love. I found myself aching for Doug and then cheering his bravery. And Tripp…I just loved him from the moment we meet him. These two are so different on the outside, but what they have in common is the stuff you build a life on. I love a good “fake it till you make it” book and this is a great one. It’s full of heart and has a coming into your own vibe that I love. I read this and went looking for more from this author on Amazon. It just made me feel good and that’s so important right now. I highly recommend this one.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Honeymoon Sweet by Allison Temple is just that…so sweet. This was a sweet, make you smile read for me.
Doug is a man of simple tastes, give him a cheese pizza, chicken, or a Cesar salad and he’s a happy man. Doug has had a rough few years, he lost his dad and was then left at the altar. After his mom and sisters convince the shy man to go on his honeymoon alone, Doug finds himself on a cruise he’d planned to the last detail…without a husband.
Tripp is a hopeless romantic in a hopeless relationship. Going on a cruise with his very distracted by work boyfriend is a last-ditch attempt to salvage a doomed relationship. Day one finds them fighting and Tripp accidentally locked out of their room in the buff. This is how Doug finds the attractive man. Doug doesn’t know what to do, but he can’t leave the man looking so distraught. Lending a helping hand to the beautiful stranger begins a friendship that leads to them being fake husbands. What these two men find is that their fake relationship is the best relationship either has ever had. But the cruise comes to an end and reality is waiting for them at the dock. Now they have to walk away and decide whether to settle or reach for something more.
This is my first book by this author but won’t be my last. This really was the sweetest book. Doug is so gentle and lovable. Tripp is fun, charismatic, and longs for real love. I found myself aching for Doug and then cheering his bravery. And Tripp…I just loved him from the moment we meet him. These two are so different on the outside, but what they have in common is the stuff you build a life on. I love a good “fake it till you make it” book and this is a great one. It’s full of heart and has a coming into your own vibe that I love. I read this and went looking for more from this author on Amazon. It just made me feel good and that’s so important right now. I highly recommend this one.
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