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Honey moon
Like her spiritual sister, Bridget Jones, Honey is a single Londoner with a taste for unattainable men, funky outfits, and a self-deprecating sense of humor. Unlike B.J., however, Honey's saga of self-realization starts off with her engagement to a wonderfully sweet and likeable fiancé, Ed. On her "hen night," the British version of a bachelorette party, her girlfriends ask her to retell the story of the night she met the love of her life, and Honey begins to describe her first meeting with a man who is definitely not Ed.
Actually, the love of her life happens to be a Hollywood film-writer named Alex who she met in a restaurant seven years earlier. After a perfect night of soul-mating, a dash to the airport, and a postal strike, Alex was never heard from again, leaving Honey just enough rope to hang herself on what ifs until Ed came along. Now, with the wedding plans rolling, Alex surfaces again, and Honey struggles to match fantasy and reality and find the true love of her life.
Though Honeymoon can feel distastefully coy in its moments of self-consciously produced stream-of-thought sequences, author Amy Jenkins mixes in enough humor and romantic suspense to make the reader swallow it. Honey is entertaining, if not always likeable, and the cast of eccentric friends will make you smile as you flip through the pages as fast as your fingers allow. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 11, 2021
This was another book that's been on my shelf for years and I actually really enjoyed it. Some fun facts for you to start with... Amy Jenkins devised the series This Life and wrote several episodes. This book was the second biggest debut novel of the year when it came out, selling over 250,000 copies! Who knew? This passed me by at the time.
Anyway, the book... Honeymoon centres around a man and woman who meet several years after their first rendez-vous when they find themselves in neighbouring hotel rooms on their respective honeymoons. Despite having only spent only one night together, Honey believes that Alex was the love of her life, the one that got away.
What ensues is a combination of soul searching and borderline mad cap capers. The limits of reality are really pushed with the helicopter scene, but I think it's pretty well written and the characters are realistic in their reactions (most of the time) even if the scenarios are far fetched. I also really enjoyed how 90s in tone this book was - it really conjured up the decade, though I can't quite put my finger on how. Definitely better than some so called chick-lit - not particularly fluffy, entertaining and memorable.
Anyway, the book... Honeymoon centres around a man and woman who meet several years after their first rendez-vous when they find themselves in neighbouring hotel rooms on their respective honeymoons. Despite having only spent only one night together, Honey believes that Alex was the love of her life, the one that got away.
What ensues is a combination of soul searching and borderline mad cap capers. The limits of reality are really pushed with the helicopter scene, but I think it's pretty well written and the characters are realistic in their reactions (most of the time) even if the scenarios are far fetched. I also really enjoyed how 90s in tone this book was - it really conjured up the decade, though I can't quite put my finger on how. Definitely better than some so called chick-lit - not particularly fluffy, entertaining and memorable.
July 17, 2012
A quick, easy, but pointless read, with stupid and very unlikeable characters.
April 22, 2020
I was familiar with the BBC television series, “This Life”, which followed a group of young lawyers and was known for the scenes of drug taking and casual sex. But I had no idea that Amy Jenkins, who helped create the series, went on to write novels and, having picked one up, I wouldn’t have realized there was a link, as there was no drug taking and not as much sex as the title might suggest.
The title of “Honeymoon” has a double meaning, as the lead character, Honey, is on her hen night, preparing to marry a man named Ed. However, in the back of a stretch limo that evening, she recounts the story of the night she met The Love of Her Life, an American called Alex, who spent a single night with her some 7 years previously, without them ever sleeping together, and flew back to America the next day and never contacted her again. But the memory of that night has never faded and whilst Honey’s life may have moved on, her heart never did. That immediately becomes a problem on the first night of her honeymoon, when Honey discovers that the room next to hers in the hotel is occupied by Alex and his new wife.
Early in the novel, it appeared that “Honeymoon” wasn’t going to be anything more than standard chick-lit fare, with Honey recounting the love of her life just before her wedding, but then the tone of the book took an unexpected turn. From here, there were moments where Honey related hers and Ed’s story in the method of a magazine column or article and then she started getting E-Mails from the long-lost Alex. Her job came into play a little more, as did her relationship with her best friend Della and her sister Ven and the pace of the novel picked up along with the changes of tone and it became a little more interesting.
The novel is never perfect, however, as it contains some of the failings typical of the genre. There is an overabundance of characters and sub-plots, most of which weren’t necessary and made things a little confusing. Theresa was one of these, who appeared at the start and the end and whose relationship to anyone else I had forgotten about in the middle. The whole situation with Honey’s job and Mac, her boss, seemed to serve only to artificially create tension between her and Ed, which didn’t seem to serve much purpose in driving the plot along and the romantic sub-plot between Mac and Della and the part of Honey’s back story which introduced Paul and New York served no obvious purpose and the whole character of Paul could have been missed out without losing much.
Strangely, however, whilst most of the events were largely unbelievable, particularly the James Bond style escape from New York and whole coincidental reappearance, “Honeymoon” was an emotionally honest novel. Whilst the plot devices are frequently horribly artificial, the emotional responses to the situations the characters find themselves in as a result are well written and come across as appropriate and genuine. On the emotional scale, this is one of the better chick-lit novels I’ve read. It’s a shame that the rest of the novel had the failings it did, as “Honeymoon” ranges from the emotionally sublime to the plot device ridiculous.
As far as debut novels go, this isn’t a bad novel and it wouldn’t put me off reading Jenkins’ later novels, although I would hope for some improvement further down the line. For all its failings, it’s a decently paced and extremely readable novel, it just contains a few too many elements that stretch credulity a touch too far for me to take it seriously.
The title of “Honeymoon” has a double meaning, as the lead character, Honey, is on her hen night, preparing to marry a man named Ed. However, in the back of a stretch limo that evening, she recounts the story of the night she met The Love of Her Life, an American called Alex, who spent a single night with her some 7 years previously, without them ever sleeping together, and flew back to America the next day and never contacted her again. But the memory of that night has never faded and whilst Honey’s life may have moved on, her heart never did. That immediately becomes a problem on the first night of her honeymoon, when Honey discovers that the room next to hers in the hotel is occupied by Alex and his new wife.
Early in the novel, it appeared that “Honeymoon” wasn’t going to be anything more than standard chick-lit fare, with Honey recounting the love of her life just before her wedding, but then the tone of the book took an unexpected turn. From here, there were moments where Honey related hers and Ed’s story in the method of a magazine column or article and then she started getting E-Mails from the long-lost Alex. Her job came into play a little more, as did her relationship with her best friend Della and her sister Ven and the pace of the novel picked up along with the changes of tone and it became a little more interesting.
The novel is never perfect, however, as it contains some of the failings typical of the genre. There is an overabundance of characters and sub-plots, most of which weren’t necessary and made things a little confusing. Theresa was one of these, who appeared at the start and the end and whose relationship to anyone else I had forgotten about in the middle. The whole situation with Honey’s job and Mac, her boss, seemed to serve only to artificially create tension between her and Ed, which didn’t seem to serve much purpose in driving the plot along and the romantic sub-plot between Mac and Della and the part of Honey’s back story which introduced Paul and New York served no obvious purpose and the whole character of Paul could have been missed out without losing much.
Strangely, however, whilst most of the events were largely unbelievable, particularly the James Bond style escape from New York and whole coincidental reappearance, “Honeymoon” was an emotionally honest novel. Whilst the plot devices are frequently horribly artificial, the emotional responses to the situations the characters find themselves in as a result are well written and come across as appropriate and genuine. On the emotional scale, this is one of the better chick-lit novels I’ve read. It’s a shame that the rest of the novel had the failings it did, as “Honeymoon” ranges from the emotionally sublime to the plot device ridiculous.
As far as debut novels go, this isn’t a bad novel and it wouldn’t put me off reading Jenkins’ later novels, although I would hope for some improvement further down the line. For all its failings, it’s a decently paced and extremely readable novel, it just contains a few too many elements that stretch credulity a touch too far for me to take it seriously.
August 23, 2012
I need to say straight off that this story has cheating in it - I know that a lot of American readers in particular won't read stories like that - though they'd be missing a treat with this one.
What if in one moment of instant recognition you met the guy you knew you were destined for? What if he felt the same way? Problem is - you - the woman - are already entrained in a relationship and the guy is about to jet off to another country. Promises to stay in touch don't seem to come to fruition and eventually - you decide you will get married to the longsuffering Ed. Except - that other guy, the one you think really is the one - won't quite leave your head. And when you both end up in the same place on honeymoon - something's going to give.
I liked the characters, the one liners, the interwoven plot threads. Yes, sometimes some people needed a good slap but there was a life lesson in here that's very valuable.
I really enjoyed it. It's light and fluffy but better written than others of its kind.
What if in one moment of instant recognition you met the guy you knew you were destined for? What if he felt the same way? Problem is - you - the woman - are already entrained in a relationship and the guy is about to jet off to another country. Promises to stay in touch don't seem to come to fruition and eventually - you decide you will get married to the longsuffering Ed. Except - that other guy, the one you think really is the one - won't quite leave your head. And when you both end up in the same place on honeymoon - something's going to give.
I liked the characters, the one liners, the interwoven plot threads. Yes, sometimes some people needed a good slap but there was a life lesson in here that's very valuable.
I really enjoyed it. It's light and fluffy but better written than others of its kind.
May 11, 2019
Honey has doubts about her nice suitable man, she has doubts about commitment. And she still carries a torch for the man she calls the Love Of Her Life. Alex, someone she spent only one night with, seven years ago now. A perfect night. A night that makes her soul glow when she tells the story. A soul mate night. Seven years on, with the memory of that night relegated to the realms of pure fantasy, Honey marries Ed, her nice suitable man, and unbeknown to her on the other side of the Atlantic, Alex marries another woman. As fate would have it, Honey and Alex do meet again. But what happens if they meet completely by coincidence, on a balcony in New York - even if they are both on their respective honeymoons.
For me this book is abit confusing to know the storyline of the book. As honey was being confusing about which man she really want. I'll be quite honest that the book, i wont suggest this to my friends as it really not that good
For me this book is abit confusing to know the storyline of the book. As honey was being confusing about which man she really want. I'll be quite honest that the book, i wont suggest this to my friends as it really not that good
October 3, 2013
The review of the front of the book said that it is a "very enjoyable, fast, fun book". It certainly was fast, the story flew along and although there were some funny moments I'm not sure I really enjoyed it.
Spoiler alert - The characters and the storyline were just a bit too unbelievable and silly for me and perhaps, if I'm honest, a bit irritating... Alex seemed to have become a completely different person when we met him for the second time (and another one entirely in his emails) and Honey was just too flakey for my liking. I can't believe Ed would put up with all of that and stick around!
I thought Della, Ven, Mac and Theresa had potential to be quite interesting but their characters weren't really developed.
It was ok is really as far as I can go.
Spoiler alert - The characters and the storyline were just a bit too unbelievable and silly for me and perhaps, if I'm honest, a bit irritating... Alex seemed to have become a completely different person when we met him for the second time (and another one entirely in his emails) and Honey was just too flakey for my liking. I can't believe Ed would put up with all of that and stick around!
I thought Della, Ven, Mac and Theresa had potential to be quite interesting but their characters weren't really developed.
It was ok is really as far as I can go.
October 13, 2022
3.5- it’s honestly basura, but it’s how i wanted to escape on my hour long metro rides. two complaints are that it wasn’t smutty at all and the main character’s name is honey. but here are some quotes to prove its worthiness (one quote per star):
“They [men] were like limp slices of white bread and as my tastes grew more sophisticated I found myself preferring a sturdy loaf.”
“… you should know that i’m a Scorpio and at times of stress I have to get into water. i can’t string together two thoughts until i’ve gotten into water. it’s like baptism or something.”
“Seeing him in the bath reminded me of Dad in the bath and how his bits used to float to the surface like carrots in a stew. I’m surprised it didn’t put us off for life.”
“They [men] were like limp slices of white bread and as my tastes grew more sophisticated I found myself preferring a sturdy loaf.”
“… you should know that i’m a Scorpio and at times of stress I have to get into water. i can’t string together two thoughts until i’ve gotten into water. it’s like baptism or something.”
“Seeing him in the bath reminded me of Dad in the bath and how his bits used to float to the surface like carrots in a stew. I’m surprised it didn’t put us off for life.”
August 10, 2010
I love the book. I love the story of it. Well, except her name is actually Honeymoon. Honey would be okay but not Honeymoon. Apart from that, the book was refreshing and sweet. It's a story about Honey, about to get married but not really confident that Ed is the one.
Would you rather left your husband and escape with someone that you think he's love of your life even after 7 years? Well, I would probably ends up like Honey too if I were in her shoes. She thought that Ed would never be someone that she really love. He just her escape boat or maybe her last resort to be on the safe side. It may sounds not cool, but the story is actually focusing on a woman's decision before she regrets of what it would be if she just let the opportunity escape even if she has to hurt somebody.
I especially love the ending, very sweet. It is kind of expected and I thought I might be wrong. Seriously, I believe love at first sight. Since it happened to me. But I never believe to have my dream guy because I don't. The book tells you that too. You probably would think the same as I am if you read the book. I found it very sweet, funny and sometimes hilarious, fast pace with a focus on love that either because you want him to be or someone who really wants you. This is a book that will show you about soul mates, romance and destiny. What's more, you will enjoy and love the book!
Would you rather left your husband and escape with someone that you think he's love of your life even after 7 years? Well, I would probably ends up like Honey too if I were in her shoes. She thought that Ed would never be someone that she really love. He just her escape boat or maybe her last resort to be on the safe side. It may sounds not cool, but the story is actually focusing on a woman's decision before she regrets of what it would be if she just let the opportunity escape even if she has to hurt somebody.
I especially love the ending, very sweet. It is kind of expected and I thought I might be wrong. Seriously, I believe love at first sight. Since it happened to me. But I never believe to have my dream guy because I don't. The book tells you that too. You probably would think the same as I am if you read the book. I found it very sweet, funny and sometimes hilarious, fast pace with a focus on love that either because you want him to be or someone who really wants you. This is a book that will show you about soul mates, romance and destiny. What's more, you will enjoy and love the book!
April 7, 2010
SPOILER ALERT:
I reference the end of the book in my review.
While I am giving this book 5-stars, I don't want to give the impression that this is a great work of literature. From an objective viewpoint, this book is junk food for the brain. But what a wonderfully, fun piece of fluffy chick lit! I devoured this quick read on a rainy day when I was feeling blue.
Jenkins use of current cultural references draws you into the story of Honey and makes you feel connected to her and all her faults. The plot plods in points and the story is sometimes trite, but the character development is quite good and the snappy dialogue actually made me laugh out loud. The age old tale of the quest for finding one's soul mate struck a chord with me and I was spellbound as Honey follows her heart without any regard for the consequences. Once Honey and Alex have run away to Mexico, the story starts to drag. But I realize this actually serves a purpose - the discomfort you feel is the uneasiness that Honey starts to experience when reality intrudes upon her dream of true love. When I reached the end, I felt such a sense of relief. I knew that like, Honey, I had also made the right decision about what to do when you meet the "love of my life."
While I am giving this book 5-stars, I don't want to give the impression that this is a great work of literature. From an objective viewpoint, this book is junk food for the brain. But what a wonderfully, fun piece of fluffy chick lit! I devoured this quick read on a rainy day when I was feeling blue.
Jenkins use of current cultural references draws you into the story of Honey and makes you feel connected to her and all her faults. The plot plods in points and the story is sometimes trite, but the character development is quite good and the snappy dialogue actually made me laugh out loud. The age old tale of the quest for finding one's soul mate struck a chord with me and I was spellbound as Honey follows her heart without any regard for the consequences. Once Honey and Alex have run away to Mexico, the story starts to drag. But I realize this actually serves a purpose - the discomfort you feel is the uneasiness that Honey starts to experience when reality intrudes upon her dream of true love. When I reached the end, I felt such a sense of relief. I knew that like, Honey, I had also made the right decision about what to do when you meet the "love of my life."
March 2, 2012
Was fairly enjoyable, would be an OK beach read - found I could relate to things in this book - The One and The Other One and the scenario although a little over the top was not that far away from a situation I once found myself in. Some of the other people in the book were irrelevant and annoying though and the name 'Honey Moon' irratated me alot - there wasn't much depth to it in some ways, and I think it run out of steam towards the end - all wrapped up a little too easily and conveniently - but there was alot of wit, it moved along nicely and some really good observations - hence the 3 stars - meaning I am not sure how I feel about - 50/50!
February 9, 2009
The entire plot of this story was so pointless. I actually read this book twice as I read it, hated it, put it back on my shelf to return to the library and then spotted it a few weeks later and thought "This synopsis doesn't sound familiar, I must not have read this one yet" and started reading. Then on the LAST PAGE I realised that I'd read the book already. What a waste of time! I've read many chick-lit books but this one is just truly awful.
September 3, 2014
I'm not always the biggest fan of chick lit on the basis it usually bares no resemblance to reality... And this book was just the same. I heard it was due to become a film, but doesn't seem to have done. The number of coincidences and chance meetings was ridiculous, as was the actions of half the characters, but it was a bit of light hearted fun, which fingers crossed will be nothing like my own honeymoon!
unfinished
February 16, 2011Just past halfway, I gave up on this. I didn't like Alex and I didn't like Honey. So I didn't care if they got together or fell off a cliff!!!
January 15, 2017
"A very enjoyable, fast, fun book" Daily Mail
Sorry Daily Mail, I found no fun and no enjoyment while reading this book.
Sorry Daily Mail, I found no fun and no enjoyment while reading this book.
August 8, 2019
I certainly expected this to be a better book. Oh well, it was my choice to stick it out to the very last page. All I can say is, I'm happy it's over.
October 22, 2024
I thought about finishing this book, and keeping it to donate to a local second hand store, but then it really sunk in what I'd just read for the past 156 pages (skimmed the rest VERY quickly), and I threw it in a trashcan instead. I want to spare as many people as possible whatever this was.
I probably should've known as soon as it became clear that the main characters name is "Honeymoon". is that even legal to name your kid that? are her parents dying really the only trauma she has? no bullying at school or nothing? she never thought to change it?
whatever. her character sucked more than her name, believe it or not. her treatment of Ed is abhorrent, while obsessing over a guy she met ONCE, SEVEN years ago? obviously she never should have quit therapy, while Ed desperatly needs to start. my man, have some self-respect. she literally left you after you GOT MARRIED, to fuck some guy she calls the love of her life? THAT IS NOT YOU, WHOM SHE JUST MARRIED BY THE WAY? and then she dares to come back to call you the one? no. full stop. go away, get rid of her and find yourself a backbone.
god do I hate the cheating trope, especially intertwined with some soulmate bullshit. your soulmate is never someone elses partner, and I hate that chick-lit makes this a thing. the love of her life also a married man by the way. he sent her a bunch of weird-ass emails she never read, maybe she would've dropped this illusion faster, maybe not. probably wouldn't.
this whole experience gave me an aneurysm.
I probably should've known as soon as it became clear that the main characters name is "Honeymoon". is that even legal to name your kid that? are her parents dying really the only trauma she has? no bullying at school or nothing? she never thought to change it?
whatever. her character sucked more than her name, believe it or not. her treatment of Ed is abhorrent, while obsessing over a guy she met ONCE, SEVEN years ago? obviously she never should have quit therapy, while Ed desperatly needs to start. my man, have some self-respect. she literally left you after you GOT MARRIED, to fuck some guy she calls the love of her life? THAT IS NOT YOU, WHOM SHE JUST MARRIED BY THE WAY? and then she dares to come back to call you the one? no. full stop. go away, get rid of her and find yourself a backbone.
god do I hate the cheating trope, especially intertwined with some soulmate bullshit. your soulmate is never someone elses partner, and I hate that chick-lit makes this a thing. the love of her life also a married man by the way. he sent her a bunch of weird-ass emails she never read, maybe she would've dropped this illusion faster, maybe not. probably wouldn't.
this whole experience gave me an aneurysm.
May 23, 2025
DNF at 40%.
Honestly, could be an honest mistake since I read the Swedish translation of this book. But apart from the absolute horrible translation I found the whole budget sex-and-the-city-esque vibe a bit cheap. I could not follow the MCs reasoning. Perhaps its the poor translation or perhaps its beacuse of the dated london lingo - I could be very wrong about it all. I could however not force myself to read it past 40%. Skipped through and read the ending.
The whole story is confusing, MC is dull, all conversations feel bloated and like filler. I dont care for any of it. Its a book about cheating on your partner with an old flame...but you go back to your partner at the end anyways? Get out of here.
Honestly, could be an honest mistake since I read the Swedish translation of this book. But apart from the absolute horrible translation I found the whole budget sex-and-the-city-esque vibe a bit cheap. I could not follow the MCs reasoning. Perhaps its the poor translation or perhaps its beacuse of the dated london lingo - I could be very wrong about it all. I could however not force myself to read it past 40%. Skipped through and read the ending.
The whole story is confusing, MC is dull, all conversations feel bloated and like filler. I dont care for any of it. Its a book about cheating on your partner with an old flame...but you go back to your partner at the end anyways? Get out of here.
July 11, 2022
This is a quirky and nicely-written novel with a really irritating, childish and selfish heroine. Which is a bit of a nuisance really. Honey is incredibly self-centred and very cruel to poor Ed, the man who loves her. If I was him, I would have left her long ago. I had no idea why Ed still kept running after her, to be honest.
That said, there are some good issues dealt with, particularly the effect of sudden loss on a family - and Honey does at least redeem herself at the end, but for me it's too little and too late. Run, Ed, run!
That said, there are some good issues dealt with, particularly the effect of sudden loss on a family - and Honey does at least redeem herself at the end, but for me it's too little and too late. Run, Ed, run!
September 18, 2024
I kept waiting for something to happen. The storyline summary enticed me to read the book. Although Alex was ‘the love of her life’, and ‘the one’, I did not like the character…. at all! He seemed to be the one aimlessly going through life, not Honey. I struggled to finish but was happy with how it ended. Meh…. 🫤
February 5, 2022
Well written chic-lit with a nice dose of comedy in between the thirty something existential angst regarding which one is the one, and a touch of Crystal Gail 'Never been to me' moments. Light, fluffy and engaging. Good beach read.
January 14, 2020
Umm what can I say? Not sure what I even read to be honest and I think 3 stars is generous......
May 3, 2020
Not my cup of tea!
April 17, 2022
The idea of "The One" is haunting me. I was not ok with the end. It somewhat broke my heart...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 15, 2023Another book with self-centered whore as heroine.
December 31, 2023
A hectic, outlandish, fun read.
Read
February 2, 2025Dnf. Writing style did not work for me at all.
February 10, 2017
If an empty bottle could write a book, this vapid, whiny, irritating assemblage of slapped-together letters would be it.
There is nothing nice I could say about this book, save that the cover is a lovely brilliant, Southern Hemisphere pink.
There is nothing nice I could say about this book, save that the cover is a lovely brilliant, Southern Hemisphere pink.
March 19, 2010
I have expected more but it was nevertheless entertaining. The book is about a woman who finds herself married to a man who is not her type at all and keep wondering what would have happened if the Love of Her Life (a man she has spent one night with) would have contacted her after their brief meeting. And when she is on her honeymoon, she bumps into the man who is also on his honeymoon...
For me, the book is about missed chances and the "all that glitters is not gold" feelings.
For me, the book is about missed chances and the "all that glitters is not gold" feelings.
April 13, 2013
Okay I think THIS really is my fave girly book of all time. Again, read years ago in my twenties and set firmly in the 90's, I think it still reads well today as a cute exploration of love and lust and the difference between what you think you want & what you really want. I love the "love of my life" story Honey tells at the start and from there it's a rollicking ride with interesting diversions along the way. It won't change your world but it sure will brighten up a gloomy day.
April 4, 2013
Randomly pulled this from the shelf at a bookstore and thought "beach read," and it is.... but the very best kind. You just fall into the story and fall in love with the characters and the dilemma that must be resolved. I enjoyed this so much that over the years I search "Amy Jenkins" just to see If she had a second novel in her.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews