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Месец под вишневия цвят
Шарлот се готви за перфектната сватба и още по-перфектния меден месец. Но когато годеникът й споделя, че има съмнения за тяхното бъдеще, тя няма друг избор освен да отмени щастливото събитие.
За първи път от години Шарлот е сама и е решена да се справи – като започне с едно неповторимо пътешествие до другия край на света.
В Япония тя изкачва хълмовете на планината Фуджи, пее от сърце в караоке клубовете, бори се с маймунката, която иска да открадне слъчевите й очила и изцяло се потапя в красотата на екзотичната култура. Да преоткрие себе си се оказва по-лесно под пъстрите цветове на вишнените дръвчета...
За първи път от години Шарлот е сама и е решена да се справи – като започне с едно неповторимо пътешествие до другия край на света.
В Япония тя изкачва хълмовете на планината Фуджи, пее от сърце в караоке клубовете, бори се с маймунката, която иска да открадне слъчевите й очила и изцяло се потапя в красотата на екзотичната култура. Да преоткрие себе си се оказва по-лесно под пъстрите цветове на вишнените дръвчета...
223 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2020
14 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
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April 3, 2021
What do you do when you need a thrilling adventure in a country you’ve long dreamed of visiting but have no currently realistic way of actually going to?
Well - you read a book, of course!
The book is dedicated “to anybody in need of an armchair adventure”, and thanks to author Lucy Dickens, I just had the most wonderful, calming, lovely, vicarious immersion into the culture, people and places of Japan and savored every moment! It was just what I needed before my family and I jump into a slightly less relaxing and enjoyable adventure of packing up and moving this month.
Charlotte has been with her fiance, Matt, since they were school children, and they’ve never known an existence without the other. Now three weeks before their wedding, followed by their planned month-long honeymoon tour of Japan, Matt presents this brilliant option to Charlotte:
“... how about we take a week off … a pre-wedding break … a holiday from each other … a week off from our relationship, to sow some wild oats, to make sure that we’re doing the right thing?”
*Record scratch* Um. What?? Needless to say, this suggestion is NOT received favorably by his wife-to-be, and Charlotte puts a literal break in their wedding plans. Broken heart aside and life dreams smashed to pieces what does she decide to do?
Duh … go on her honeymoon minus her honey!
What should have been a month of celebrating the beginning of her new life as a married woman, and her upcoming internship at travel magazine Adventure Awaits in pursuit of her goal to be a travel writer, her honeymoon instead becomes a journey of self-discovery in this foreign land, a la Eat, Pray, Love style. In Japan, this is called ‘ikigai’, which means finding your purpose and living happily. By its nature it’s flexible and fluid, changing with each day and experience that comes.
It took me a short minute to get invested in Charlotte as a character, and I couldn’t really relate to her “decision by sibling committee” way of making major decisions, since that’s not my own experience with my siblings, but despite that, she grew on me quickly. It was fun to journey alongside her as she experienced the color, lights and sounds of busy Tokyo and Harajuku, and immersed herself in the natural beauty of the ocean, bamboo forests, cherry blossoms, Japanese gardens, temple shrines, hot springs and mountains in places like Kyoto, Ishigaki Island, Hiroshima and Nagano. Don’t even get me started on the food. I want to eat it all.
Those are some of the places she went, but I’ll leave the joy of discovering her specific adventures - which range from fun and light-hearted to more thoughtful and contemplative - to those who choose to read this. Her experiences in each place and what she learned about the Japanese ideas of life are what made this such a fun and delightful book to read, and one with some added meaning and depth. Those thinking it’ll be a fluffy romance will be disappointed. It’s not absent altogether, but it’s barely there, and I really appreciated that. It wasn’t about Charlotte finding her meaning in a man, it was about her finding the meaning and joy of being herself and creating the life of adventure she’s always wanted. First stop, Japan. Next stop … who knows? Adventure awaits!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to NetGalley, Rand0mHouse UK/Cornerstone and author Lucy Dickens for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It will be published May 27, 2021.
Well - you read a book, of course!
The book is dedicated “to anybody in need of an armchair adventure”, and thanks to author Lucy Dickens, I just had the most wonderful, calming, lovely, vicarious immersion into the culture, people and places of Japan and savored every moment! It was just what I needed before my family and I jump into a slightly less relaxing and enjoyable adventure of packing up and moving this month.
Charlotte has been with her fiance, Matt, since they were school children, and they’ve never known an existence without the other. Now three weeks before their wedding, followed by their planned month-long honeymoon tour of Japan, Matt presents this brilliant option to Charlotte:
“... how about we take a week off … a pre-wedding break … a holiday from each other … a week off from our relationship, to sow some wild oats, to make sure that we’re doing the right thing?”
*Record scratch* Um. What?? Needless to say, this suggestion is NOT received favorably by his wife-to-be, and Charlotte puts a literal break in their wedding plans. Broken heart aside and life dreams smashed to pieces what does she decide to do?
Duh … go on her honeymoon minus her honey!
What should have been a month of celebrating the beginning of her new life as a married woman, and her upcoming internship at travel magazine Adventure Awaits in pursuit of her goal to be a travel writer, her honeymoon instead becomes a journey of self-discovery in this foreign land, a la Eat, Pray, Love style. In Japan, this is called ‘ikigai’, which means finding your purpose and living happily. By its nature it’s flexible and fluid, changing with each day and experience that comes.
It took me a short minute to get invested in Charlotte as a character, and I couldn’t really relate to her “decision by sibling committee” way of making major decisions, since that’s not my own experience with my siblings, but despite that, she grew on me quickly. It was fun to journey alongside her as she experienced the color, lights and sounds of busy Tokyo and Harajuku, and immersed herself in the natural beauty of the ocean, bamboo forests, cherry blossoms, Japanese gardens, temple shrines, hot springs and mountains in places like Kyoto, Ishigaki Island, Hiroshima and Nagano. Don’t even get me started on the food. I want to eat it all.
Those are some of the places she went, but I’ll leave the joy of discovering her specific adventures - which range from fun and light-hearted to more thoughtful and contemplative - to those who choose to read this. Her experiences in each place and what she learned about the Japanese ideas of life are what made this such a fun and delightful book to read, and one with some added meaning and depth. Those thinking it’ll be a fluffy romance will be disappointed. It’s not absent altogether, but it’s barely there, and I really appreciated that. It wasn’t about Charlotte finding her meaning in a man, it was about her finding the meaning and joy of being herself and creating the life of adventure she’s always wanted. First stop, Japan. Next stop … who knows? Adventure awaits!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to NetGalley, Rand0mHouse UK/Cornerstone and author Lucy Dickens for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It will be published May 27, 2021.
March 15, 2021
3.5 звезди, за да бъда максимално коректна. Приятна книга, позитивна, засищаща глада за пътешествия и опознаване на нови дестинации. Признавам си, че преди да прочета "Месец под вишневия цвят", Япония не стоеше толкова нависоко в списъка ми с желани места, които искам да посетя един ден, но да разгледам страната през погледа на Шарлот се оказа интересно и зареждащо преживяване. За тези, които ѝ се чудят на книгата, нека направя уточнението, че историята не е романтична - просто разказ за една жена, която преоткрива себе си чрез авантюристичния си дух и страстта си да пътешества из света.
May 24, 2021
3.5
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon follows a jilted bride as she ventures out onto her honeymoon in an act of self-discovery. Charlotte aka Charlie, calls off her wedding when her fiancé starts having second thoughts. They were meant to be heading off on a month-long honeymoon in Japan, and newly single and slightly clueless on what to do ahead of a writing internship beginning in a month, Charlie sets off on the trip alone in an attempt to find herself.
There are some beautiful descriptions of the Japanese landscape woven into this book, and a real sense of adventure is given through our following of Charlie's escapades. I felt as though this was not only an ode to the single female but also a love letter to Japan and its beautiful architecture, scenery, activities, heritage and food. It is told through diary-style entries - which later come to feel like the videos Charlie makes for her Instagram followers - to show an introspective journey of self-love as she navigates around Japan. It's immersive, and a treasure to read during a time when travel has not been possible. One of my favourite aspects of a story is the ability to transport you to an alternative reality and to take you on a journey, which the author does so well here. The protagonist is authentic and enthusiastic, and a relatable tourist as she ventures through vividly described Japanese points of interest like blossom fields, and tea ceremonies.
I am so glad her fiancé Matt wasn't a huge part of the story itself, as I found him incredibly frustrating and found myself eye-rolling at some of the interactions with him as they felt a tad cringe-inducing and almost put me off reading more. There were times too that I found Charlie needed to be further fleshed out as a character as some of her motives and actions are a bit repetitive and predictable, and at times the pacing felt disjointed - venturing from one location to another quite abruptly or flitting from flashback to present with little warning. In spite of this, if you're looking for a cosy read to curl up with for an afternoon, reading this one will be very freeing and also give you a sense of wanderlust. Lucy Dickens has written a humorous and beautifully handled portrait of heartbreak and bouncing back. It's got soul searching, a warm, positive upbeat tone and even a trip to Tokyo's Disneyland, so it's a sweet and uplifting read if you're looking for escapism.
Unlike The Lucky Escape which I also read recently which has a similar concept, this had a more feminism-centric plot and I LOVED that there wasn't really a romantic premise to the story apart from the descriptions of Charlie's failed relationship and her growth from this. Instead, there was a sense of forming a relationship with yourself, learning the time to know who you are and what your priorities in life are. There's also a clear focus on family bonds with charming and heartwarming descriptions of Charlie's interactions with her supportive gaggle of siblings.
*Huge thank you to Random House UK and Cornerstone for my gifted copy in exchange for this review, which I am posting on Instagram this week!
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon follows a jilted bride as she ventures out onto her honeymoon in an act of self-discovery. Charlotte aka Charlie, calls off her wedding when her fiancé starts having second thoughts. They were meant to be heading off on a month-long honeymoon in Japan, and newly single and slightly clueless on what to do ahead of a writing internship beginning in a month, Charlie sets off on the trip alone in an attempt to find herself.
There are some beautiful descriptions of the Japanese landscape woven into this book, and a real sense of adventure is given through our following of Charlie's escapades. I felt as though this was not only an ode to the single female but also a love letter to Japan and its beautiful architecture, scenery, activities, heritage and food. It is told through diary-style entries - which later come to feel like the videos Charlie makes for her Instagram followers - to show an introspective journey of self-love as she navigates around Japan. It's immersive, and a treasure to read during a time when travel has not been possible. One of my favourite aspects of a story is the ability to transport you to an alternative reality and to take you on a journey, which the author does so well here. The protagonist is authentic and enthusiastic, and a relatable tourist as she ventures through vividly described Japanese points of interest like blossom fields, and tea ceremonies.
I am so glad her fiancé Matt wasn't a huge part of the story itself, as I found him incredibly frustrating and found myself eye-rolling at some of the interactions with him as they felt a tad cringe-inducing and almost put me off reading more. There were times too that I found Charlie needed to be further fleshed out as a character as some of her motives and actions are a bit repetitive and predictable, and at times the pacing felt disjointed - venturing from one location to another quite abruptly or flitting from flashback to present with little warning. In spite of this, if you're looking for a cosy read to curl up with for an afternoon, reading this one will be very freeing and also give you a sense of wanderlust. Lucy Dickens has written a humorous and beautifully handled portrait of heartbreak and bouncing back. It's got soul searching, a warm, positive upbeat tone and even a trip to Tokyo's Disneyland, so it's a sweet and uplifting read if you're looking for escapism.
Unlike The Lucky Escape which I also read recently which has a similar concept, this had a more feminism-centric plot and I LOVED that there wasn't really a romantic premise to the story apart from the descriptions of Charlie's failed relationship and her growth from this. Instead, there was a sense of forming a relationship with yourself, learning the time to know who you are and what your priorities in life are. There's also a clear focus on family bonds with charming and heartwarming descriptions of Charlie's interactions with her supportive gaggle of siblings.
*Huge thank you to Random House UK and Cornerstone for my gifted copy in exchange for this review, which I am posting on Instagram this week!
July 26, 2020
Guess what? I read this book in one day!! It was such an interesting read. I never have a long time relationship or a real relationship lol but I can connect to the main character, Charlotte aka Charlie hah xD It was fun reading how Charlie trying to rediscovering herself during her honeymoon that she went alone. She cancelled the weddding because her stupid fiance gets cold feet asdfhhkll I'm pissed off!!Her fiance suck!! I loved following her journey to Japan. It make me feels like I was there and make me wanted to go to Japan too. Ohh ohhh and I loved her relationship with her siblings!!
Thank you Netgalley for The Broken Hearts Honeymoon ARC!
Thank you Netgalley for The Broken Hearts Honeymoon ARC!
September 25, 2020
Charlotte after calling off her wedding decides to go on what supposed to be their honeymoon by herself, little she knew that this trip would change her life completely.
The story narrated in first person by the main character is presented as an introspective diary with some flashbacks to her life which help underline Charlotte growth throughout the book.
The book is set in Japan, and the author has been describing every single place and presented the culture of this country in such a wonderful way that I wished I could be right there experiencing that adventures with the protagonist.
Perfect for people looking for a light hearted read!
The story narrated in first person by the main character is presented as an introspective diary with some flashbacks to her life which help underline Charlotte growth throughout the book.
The book is set in Japan, and the author has been describing every single place and presented the culture of this country in such a wonderful way that I wished I could be right there experiencing that adventures with the protagonist.
Perfect for people looking for a light hearted read!
January 14, 2021
This book was amazing and I really enjoyed everything about it.
The story focuses on Charlotte, who is a very real and down to earth character, with real struggles and flaws.
Charlotte’s wedding plans fall through and she decides to go on their month-long honeymoon on her own - all the way to Japan!!
Japan is a huge part of this book and I loved finding out all about its culture. It was beautifully written and honestly felt like I had escaped to Japan.
This book doesn’t focus on a love story or romance but more on Charlotte’s journey, both her physical one to Japan and also her emotional one.
A wonderful, heartwarming adventure and I loved it.
The story focuses on Charlotte, who is a very real and down to earth character, with real struggles and flaws.
Charlotte’s wedding plans fall through and she decides to go on their month-long honeymoon on her own - all the way to Japan!!
Japan is a huge part of this book and I loved finding out all about its culture. It was beautifully written and honestly felt like I had escaped to Japan.
This book doesn’t focus on a love story or romance but more on Charlotte’s journey, both her physical one to Japan and also her emotional one.
A wonderful, heartwarming adventure and I loved it.
May 2, 2021
Наивен и повърхностен, но пък чаровен поглед върху Япония и нейните красоти. Главната героиня се отправя на едномесечно пътешествие-мечта, за да излекува разбитото си сърце и да се отдаде на приключенския порив, който цял живот е пренебрегвала. Макар Шарлот да ми беше изключително досадна, ми допадна фактът, че историята ѝ беше посветена на откриването на себе си, вместо на любовта. Разтоварих се приятно и си набелязах местенца, които би ми се искало да посетя някой ден.
September 13, 2021
What would you do if your fiance suggested you take a week-long break three weeks before your wedding?
Yeah, I would have lost it. But, our lovely protagonist Charlotte, takes a different route. We follow Charlotte, after the whole break fiasco, as she goes on their honeymoon alone and embarks on the quest to lose-find herself.
Charlotte was such a sweet soul. If I were in her situation, I would have totally handled the situation differently. Her ex-fiance Matt is such a little weasel.
Although I expected this to be all about love, it actually isn't. Sure, there is that element in the beginning and towards the end, but mostly this is a story of self-discovery. When Charlotte goes to Japan, she starts the journey of discovering who she really is. Having been with Matt all her life, she realised she didn't know how to live life on her own, what she really wanted from life and who she was all on her own.
If you love Japan or like to travel, you'll be thrilled with this book. The majority of this book shows her travels throughout Japan, what she sees, tastes, feels and experiences. It's a neat way to learn more about Japan if you don't know anything.
I loved the tone of this book, because Charlotte was hilarious. While in Japan, she, of course, meets someone and engages in a night of fun and a little bit of making out. It was adorable!
Who would like it? If you love romance, stories about self-discovery, Japan, books about travel.
Yeah, I would have lost it. But, our lovely protagonist Charlotte, takes a different route. We follow Charlotte, after the whole break fiasco, as she goes on their honeymoon alone and embarks on the quest to lose-find herself.
Charlotte was such a sweet soul. If I were in her situation, I would have totally handled the situation differently. Her ex-fiance Matt is such a little weasel.
Although I expected this to be all about love, it actually isn't. Sure, there is that element in the beginning and towards the end, but mostly this is a story of self-discovery. When Charlotte goes to Japan, she starts the journey of discovering who she really is. Having been with Matt all her life, she realised she didn't know how to live life on her own, what she really wanted from life and who she was all on her own.
If you love Japan or like to travel, you'll be thrilled with this book. The majority of this book shows her travels throughout Japan, what she sees, tastes, feels and experiences. It's a neat way to learn more about Japan if you don't know anything.
I loved the tone of this book, because Charlotte was hilarious. While in Japan, she, of course, meets someone and engages in a night of fun and a little bit of making out. It was adorable!
Who would like it? If you love romance, stories about self-discovery, Japan, books about travel.
April 21, 2021
Приятна , разтоварваща книга. Не мога да кажа , че успя да ми въздейства. Нито имаше нещо кой знае колко драматично, нито кой знае колко любопитно. Прилича ми малко на пътепис.
Най-после една героиня , която избра да следва своя път , вместо да се тръшка до безкрай за приключилата си връзка.
Най-после една героиня , която избра да следва своя път , вместо да се тръшка до безкрай за приключилата си връзка.
July 24, 2020
Great empowering read for the genre, it’s such a great read, seeing a character on their journey of self growth and worth, learning to love herself over running off to find a man to heal herself. This brings me to the other journey Charlotte takes, to Japan, I loved the fact Lucy has clearly researched her story well, because I Love Japanese culture and I haven’t been, but Lucy made me feel like I have, I felt immersed in this book. With a year most of us can’t travel or won’t be willing to or be able to afford it, books that are well written, well researched are a treasure and they make me feel so much happier, even if I’m only travelling in my armchair. I highly recommend this to take you away, well for the books journey anyway.
Please not this relates to the e-book as the paperback will now be published on 1st April 2021
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Please not this relates to the e-book as the paperback will now be published on 1st April 2021
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
March 11, 2021
I loved this book!
Charlotte calls off her perfect country wedding (because her fiance turns out to be a jerk) and leaves for her one month honeymoon in Japan on her own. I already love her!
This is not the usual rom-com /chick lit read (I must add fortunately!), it's a story of self discover: the honeymoon is an actual journey, but also a journey of self discovering during which Charlotte learns to be on her own, to understand who she really is and what she really wants.
The second main character of this book is Japan and so well described that you want to leave for Japan immediately, too! I love travel books and I also love Japan, so I guess this was the perfect combination for me, but I think this book is highly enjoyable by anyone, really.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte calls off her perfect country wedding (because her fiance turns out to be a jerk) and leaves for her one month honeymoon in Japan on her own. I already love her!
This is not the usual rom-com /chick lit read (I must add fortunately!), it's a story of self discover: the honeymoon is an actual journey, but also a journey of self discovering during which Charlotte learns to be on her own, to understand who she really is and what she really wants.
The second main character of this book is Japan and so well described that you want to leave for Japan immediately, too! I love travel books and I also love Japan, so I guess this was the perfect combination for me, but I think this book is highly enjoyable by anyone, really.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2021
Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. The below opinions are my own.
This story follows Charlotte who embarks on a solo honeymoon trip to Japan after she breaks off the engagement with her fiancé. She doesn't want to lose out on the non refundable trip costs and she's also wanted to visit Japan for a long time.
I've always wanted to travel to Japan for a long time and I could do a bit of arm chair travel with this book. The Japanese culture is explained well in this book and I felt as if I was also experiencing the same things as Charlie.
It was fun reading about Charlie's adventures in Japan and especially in Tokyo. It was very realistic and the camaraderie between Charlie and her siblings was heart warming. They are but fleeting characters in this novel as it focuses only on Charlie. People who have already visited Japan can reminisce with this novel and it encourages others to want to visit Japan.
Sometimes the flashbacks disrupted the plot but it was nice to read how Charlie used this trip and social media to inch closer towards her dream job. I love hoe she falls in love with herself and how she discovers who she is when she is alone.
A delightful heartwarming read!
This story follows Charlotte who embarks on a solo honeymoon trip to Japan after she breaks off the engagement with her fiancé. She doesn't want to lose out on the non refundable trip costs and she's also wanted to visit Japan for a long time.
I've always wanted to travel to Japan for a long time and I could do a bit of arm chair travel with this book. The Japanese culture is explained well in this book and I felt as if I was also experiencing the same things as Charlie.
It was fun reading about Charlie's adventures in Japan and especially in Tokyo. It was very realistic and the camaraderie between Charlie and her siblings was heart warming. They are but fleeting characters in this novel as it focuses only on Charlie. People who have already visited Japan can reminisce with this novel and it encourages others to want to visit Japan.
Sometimes the flashbacks disrupted the plot but it was nice to read how Charlie used this trip and social media to inch closer towards her dream job. I love hoe she falls in love with herself and how she discovers who she is when she is alone.
A delightful heartwarming read!
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August 15, 2022Не мога, да дам звезди на тази книга. Надявах се да се насладя на една интересна и завладяваща обиколка на Япония, но не ми се получи.
September 28, 2020
Firstly, huge thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The beautiful cover with sakura and Mount Fuji caught my attention, and when I read that this novel was pretty much my dream (the travelling Japan for a month bit, not the marriage being called off bit!) I was dying to get stuck in.
As the name suggests, The Broken Hearts Honeymoon, follows Charlotte in the wake of breaking off her engagement. Not wanting to lose out on a non-refundable trip that she has wanted to do since she was a child, she decides to go on her honeymoon to Japan by herself. After being in the same relationship since she was a teenager, she thinks that this trip would be the perfect place to find herself and her own place in the world as a single woman.
I liked Charlotte as the protagonist of the novel and felt that her reactions to her relationship breaking up, and making the decision to still go on her honeymoon, believable. I enjoyed how enthusiastic she was about experiencing as much as she could in Japan, and as a tourist she was really relatable too. I also really liked the relationship she had with her siblings, especially her younger brother Benny. Due to the plot of the novel, Charlotte is the only character you’re really able to form a bond with as most other characters only make fleeting appearances. Despite her being a good protagonist, I think she could have been more developed as there were a few instances where her actions and thoughts felt repetitive.
There were many moments in the novel where I got excited reading about Charlotte’s adventures, especially at the beginning in Tokyo, as I have done a lot of that myself so it was lovely to experience these things again through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. It’s because of this that I think people who have been to Japan may connect with this book more as they are able to reflect on their own experiences and project onto Charlotte as, at times, it feels more like an informational travel book rather than a novel. That isn’t to say that other people won’t enjoy the novel, as I think Charlotte could make anyone excited by the prospect of travelling anywhere.
Additionally, I found the use of flashbacks to be quite unnecessary and felt that it disrupted the pacing of the novel at times. Whilst it was nice to learn more about Charlotte and her past, I feel it didn’t add a whole lot to her current story as it had already been explained well already. I did enjoy the use of social media and emails through the novel, they were nice little reminders that there is a world outside of her travelling which gives you another dose of reality whilst reading this novel and also how her adventures were personal but were also helping her take steps towards achieving her dream job.
Overall, I think due to my own experiences I am a little biased. The novel was a nice read that had me reminiscing a lot on my own travels to Japan and gave me several new places that I want to discover myself when I next visit.
The beautiful cover with sakura and Mount Fuji caught my attention, and when I read that this novel was pretty much my dream (the travelling Japan for a month bit, not the marriage being called off bit!) I was dying to get stuck in.
As the name suggests, The Broken Hearts Honeymoon, follows Charlotte in the wake of breaking off her engagement. Not wanting to lose out on a non-refundable trip that she has wanted to do since she was a child, she decides to go on her honeymoon to Japan by herself. After being in the same relationship since she was a teenager, she thinks that this trip would be the perfect place to find herself and her own place in the world as a single woman.
I liked Charlotte as the protagonist of the novel and felt that her reactions to her relationship breaking up, and making the decision to still go on her honeymoon, believable. I enjoyed how enthusiastic she was about experiencing as much as she could in Japan, and as a tourist she was really relatable too. I also really liked the relationship she had with her siblings, especially her younger brother Benny. Due to the plot of the novel, Charlotte is the only character you’re really able to form a bond with as most other characters only make fleeting appearances. Despite her being a good protagonist, I think she could have been more developed as there were a few instances where her actions and thoughts felt repetitive.
There were many moments in the novel where I got excited reading about Charlotte’s adventures, especially at the beginning in Tokyo, as I have done a lot of that myself so it was lovely to experience these things again through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. It’s because of this that I think people who have been to Japan may connect with this book more as they are able to reflect on their own experiences and project onto Charlotte as, at times, it feels more like an informational travel book rather than a novel. That isn’t to say that other people won’t enjoy the novel, as I think Charlotte could make anyone excited by the prospect of travelling anywhere.
Additionally, I found the use of flashbacks to be quite unnecessary and felt that it disrupted the pacing of the novel at times. Whilst it was nice to learn more about Charlotte and her past, I feel it didn’t add a whole lot to her current story as it had already been explained well already. I did enjoy the use of social media and emails through the novel, they were nice little reminders that there is a world outside of her travelling which gives you another dose of reality whilst reading this novel and also how her adventures were personal but were also helping her take steps towards achieving her dream job.
Overall, I think due to my own experiences I am a little biased. The novel was a nice read that had me reminiscing a lot on my own travels to Japan and gave me several new places that I want to discover myself when I next visit.
July 24, 2020
First of all, many thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy.
Charlotte "Charlie" and her long time boyfriend, Matt are planning for their wedding and she is excited to spend their three week honeymoon in Japan! But then, their wedding is cancelled when Matt starts having second thoughts. They cannot cancel the honeymoon either that Charlie end up going to this Honeymoon tour to Japan--alone to fulfill her childhood wish.
Having lived in Japan during the early days of my childhood and my two years ago visit to Japan, reading this book brought me some fresh memories of Japan. Of course, I have not visited Hiroshima or Nagano or the islands around Japan but still brought me memories of my childhood in Japan, particularly the part about Disneyland, which I have visited million times, when I was living in Japan.. The middle parts till the end was based on Japan itself--the vivid descriptions of the places particularly when Charlie goes hiking and visiting Kyoto makes the reader feel as if they are in Japan. That they too are in enjoying this adventure with Charlie. The description of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking in the woods also made the reader feel as if they are also doing these activities with Charlie.
I also like how the author has explained the Japanese culture in detail, so the reader can get to know more about the Japanese culture. Particularly about the tea ceremony and kabuki performance. I know not many people are familiar with the Japanese culture so I am glad that the author has written it in detail and the reader can experience the culture without having going to Japan. The story was funny in some ways, as Charlie is trying to learn some Japanese phrases for her to get around the place. Some parts of the story was emotional and heartbreaking, particularly the parts when Charlie is feeling lonely during the honeymoon tour, though in the end, she does her solo adventure around Japan. I also can understand Charlie's feelings in the book.
The book was well written but I kind of wished there was an epilogue after the chapter was over--like maybe fast forward to six months or a year later with Charlie working in the travel magazine. I would be curious as a reader to know what Charlie is planning to do, once she returned back from England. I felt some parts are bit overexaggerated, but maybe that's just me. To me, some parts of the chapters were a bit confusing--one minute Charlie was in another place and all of a sudden, she seems to be in a different place. I don't know whether it was a typing error but that made me confused at times.
Overall, this is a good book, adventurous and for those who never been to Japan, this book might be perfect
Charlotte "Charlie" and her long time boyfriend, Matt are planning for their wedding and she is excited to spend their three week honeymoon in Japan! But then, their wedding is cancelled when Matt starts having second thoughts. They cannot cancel the honeymoon either that Charlie end up going to this Honeymoon tour to Japan--alone to fulfill her childhood wish.
Having lived in Japan during the early days of my childhood and my two years ago visit to Japan, reading this book brought me some fresh memories of Japan. Of course, I have not visited Hiroshima or Nagano or the islands around Japan but still brought me memories of my childhood in Japan, particularly the part about Disneyland, which I have visited million times, when I was living in Japan.. The middle parts till the end was based on Japan itself--the vivid descriptions of the places particularly when Charlie goes hiking and visiting Kyoto makes the reader feel as if they are in Japan. That they too are in enjoying this adventure with Charlie. The description of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking in the woods also made the reader feel as if they are also doing these activities with Charlie.
I also like how the author has explained the Japanese culture in detail, so the reader can get to know more about the Japanese culture. Particularly about the tea ceremony and kabuki performance. I know not many people are familiar with the Japanese culture so I am glad that the author has written it in detail and the reader can experience the culture without having going to Japan. The story was funny in some ways, as Charlie is trying to learn some Japanese phrases for her to get around the place. Some parts of the story was emotional and heartbreaking, particularly the parts when Charlie is feeling lonely during the honeymoon tour, though in the end, she does her solo adventure around Japan. I also can understand Charlie's feelings in the book.
The book was well written but I kind of wished there was an epilogue after the chapter was over--like maybe fast forward to six months or a year later with Charlie working in the travel magazine. I would be curious as a reader to know what Charlie is planning to do, once she returned back from England. I felt some parts are bit overexaggerated, but maybe that's just me. To me, some parts of the chapters were a bit confusing--one minute Charlie was in another place and all of a sudden, she seems to be in a different place. I don't know whether it was a typing error but that made me confused at times.
Overall, this is a good book, adventurous and for those who never been to Japan, this book might be perfect
July 24, 2020
First of all, many thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy.
Charlotte "Charlie" and her long time boyfriend, Matt are planning for their wedding and she is excited to spend their three week honeymoon in Japan! But then, their wedding is cancelled when Matt starts having second thoughts. They cannot cancel the honeymoon either that Charlie end up going to this Honeymoon tour to Japan--alone to fulfill her childhood wish.
Having lived in Japan during the early days of my childhood and my two years ago visit to Japan, reading this book brought me some fresh memories of Japan. Of course, I have not visited Hiroshima or Nagano or the islands around Japan but still brought me memories of my childhood in Japan, particularly the part about Disneyland, which I have visited million times, when I was living in Japan.. The middle parts till the end was based on Japan itself--the vivid descriptions of the places particularly when Charlie goes hiking and visiting Kyoto makes the reader feel as if they are in Japan. That they too are in enjoying this adventure with Charlie. The description of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking in the woods also made the reader feel as if they are also doing these activities with Charlie.
I also like how the author has explained the Japanese culture in detail, so the reader can get to know more about the Japanese culture. Particularly about the tea ceremony and kabuki performance. I know not many people are familiar with the Japanese culture so I am glad that the author has written it in detail and the reader can experience the culture without having going to Japan. The story was funny in some ways, as Charlie is trying to learn some Japanese phrases for her to get around the place. Some parts of the story was emotional and heartbreaking, particularly the parts when Charlie is feeling lonely during the honeymoon tour, though in the end, she does her solo adventure around Japan. I also can understand Charlie's feelings in the book.
The book was well written but I kind of wished there was an epilogue after the chapter was over--like maybe fast forward to six months or a year later with Charlie working in the travel magazine. I would be curious as a reader to know what Charlie is planning to do, once she returned back from England. I felt some parts are bit overexaggerated, but maybe that's just me. To me, some parts of the chapters were a bit confusing--one minute Charlie was in another place and all of a sudden, she seems to be in a different place. I don't know whether it was a typing error but that made me confused at times.
Overall, this is a good book, adventurous and for those who never been to Japan, this book might be perfect
Charlotte "Charlie" and her long time boyfriend, Matt are planning for their wedding and she is excited to spend their three week honeymoon in Japan! But then, their wedding is cancelled when Matt starts having second thoughts. They cannot cancel the honeymoon either that Charlie end up going to this Honeymoon tour to Japan--alone to fulfill her childhood wish.
Having lived in Japan during the early days of my childhood and my two years ago visit to Japan, reading this book brought me some fresh memories of Japan. Of course, I have not visited Hiroshima or Nagano or the islands around Japan but still brought me memories of my childhood in Japan, particularly the part about Disneyland, which I have visited million times, when I was living in Japan.. The middle parts till the end was based on Japan itself--the vivid descriptions of the places particularly when Charlie goes hiking and visiting Kyoto makes the reader feel as if they are in Japan. That they too are in enjoying this adventure with Charlie. The description of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking in the woods also made the reader feel as if they are also doing these activities with Charlie.
I also like how the author has explained the Japanese culture in detail, so the reader can get to know more about the Japanese culture. Particularly about the tea ceremony and kabuki performance. I know not many people are familiar with the Japanese culture so I am glad that the author has written it in detail and the reader can experience the culture without having going to Japan. The story was funny in some ways, as Charlie is trying to learn some Japanese phrases for her to get around the place. Some parts of the story was emotional and heartbreaking, particularly the parts when Charlie is feeling lonely during the honeymoon tour, though in the end, she does her solo adventure around Japan. I also can understand Charlie's feelings in the book.
The book was well written but I kind of wished there was an epilogue after the chapter was over--like maybe fast forward to six months or a year later with Charlie working in the travel magazine. I would be curious as a reader to know what Charlie is planning to do, once she returned back from England. I felt some parts are bit overexaggerated, but maybe that's just me. To me, some parts of the chapters were a bit confusing--one minute Charlie was in another place and all of a sudden, she seems to be in a different place. I don't know whether it was a typing error but that made me confused at times.
Overall, this is a good book, adventurous and for those who never been to Japan, this book might be perfect
July 8, 2020
I just finished reading The Broken Hearts Honeymoon and my heart is filled with love, joy, hope and a streak for adventure. Maybe for me, this adventure starts with just moving forward?
‘We can’t try again? Just one more time?’
‘That wouldn’t be moving forward, that would be moving back.’
Epiphany: Sometimes moving forward means letting go of something that doesn’t serve you so that you can free yourself enough to find what does.
•••
I think I found Charlotte and her beautiful adventure Within (while she sought out to find or rather reconnect back with her Ikigai), and Without (travelling through Japan) at this time so that, I could experience and transform and learn so much just sitting in my armchair (more like lying in bed). This book was my therapy, my push against the tides so that now, I can finally ebb and flow with new energy!
“It’s all just fear holding me back, fear of the unknown, but isn’t it fear and the unknown that makes something an adventure?”
•••
Many times while reading this book I completely forgot Charlotte, I replaced her, walking through her instead of with her. The adventures were so real and tangible and so were the epiphanies. I cannot thank my ability (our ability) to imagine with such realism enough, because I don’t know when I will physically go to Japan but I feel like I have already been there.
I resonated deeply with Charlotte’s innate desire to be free. Sometimes we get so lost in the roles we play becoming attached to our identity in a relationship, to our various identities in their various contexts, that we forget who we are and what we want. The journey inward seems to be that of unlearning, peeling back our various layers and this is the path that I have taken to for a while now, the journey back to me.
”Wabi-sabi is...it’s like when something is broken, like in my case my heart, it's not viewing it as finite, or even as a bad thing. It's about putting it back together into something beautiful.”
Lisa Dickens Aka Lisa Dickenson is an; authentic to her emotions, effortless with her expression and drags you into her world kind of writer. She is one author who seems to reflect who she is through the books she writes, and I love that because I feel like I know her, as well as I know the characters that she writes as.
‘We can’t try again? Just one more time?’
‘That wouldn’t be moving forward, that would be moving back.’
Epiphany: Sometimes moving forward means letting go of something that doesn’t serve you so that you can free yourself enough to find what does.
•••
I think I found Charlotte and her beautiful adventure Within (while she sought out to find or rather reconnect back with her Ikigai), and Without (travelling through Japan) at this time so that, I could experience and transform and learn so much just sitting in my armchair (more like lying in bed). This book was my therapy, my push against the tides so that now, I can finally ebb and flow with new energy!
“It’s all just fear holding me back, fear of the unknown, but isn’t it fear and the unknown that makes something an adventure?”
•••
Many times while reading this book I completely forgot Charlotte, I replaced her, walking through her instead of with her. The adventures were so real and tangible and so were the epiphanies. I cannot thank my ability (our ability) to imagine with such realism enough, because I don’t know when I will physically go to Japan but I feel like I have already been there.
I resonated deeply with Charlotte’s innate desire to be free. Sometimes we get so lost in the roles we play becoming attached to our identity in a relationship, to our various identities in their various contexts, that we forget who we are and what we want. The journey inward seems to be that of unlearning, peeling back our various layers and this is the path that I have taken to for a while now, the journey back to me.
”Wabi-sabi is...it’s like when something is broken, like in my case my heart, it's not viewing it as finite, or even as a bad thing. It's about putting it back together into something beautiful.”
Lisa Dickens Aka Lisa Dickenson is an; authentic to her emotions, effortless with her expression and drags you into her world kind of writer. She is one author who seems to reflect who she is through the books she writes, and I love that because I feel like I know her, as well as I know the characters that she writes as.
July 20, 2020
When was the last time you read a romance novel about a character falling in love - with herself?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon follows Charlotte on her honeymoon, with a catch – she’s taking her honeymoon tour to Japan by herself after her fiancé decides he’d rather sow his wild oats. Charlotte sets out to rediscover her love of travel while putting herself back together after a decade long relationship.
•
Lucy Dickens has written a lovely, warm story about self-discovery and adventure. Charlotte’s voice is hilarious, and I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times. Charlotte’s relationship with her family is wonderful, and her struggles, romantic and otherwise, felt so real all the way through.
•
Now let’s talk travel. Most of this book is set in Japan, and Charlotte does everything she possibly can, from the streets and sights of Tokyo to scuba diving in Ishigaki to staying in a monastery. Inspired by the gorgeous descriptions, I found myself Googling monuments, cultural sites, and cities all the way through, and folks, I’ve never left a book wanting to visit more. Dickens has presented us with a beautiful portrait of Japan from a tourist’s point of view, and I discovered so much through this story.
•
Charlotte is the type of respectful traveler we should all emulate. She researches the cultural and religious sites she will be visiting and memorizes the customs and appropriate ways to pay respect. She works on not normalizing her own experiences vs. the new, and so many more little things. It was so heartening to read about Charlotte’s journey and take a few notes along the way.
•
I can’t wait for travel to be unrestricted again (when it is safe to do so, and not a moment sooner). In the meantime, if you’d like to go on a journey of love, heartbreak, and what happens next, all while experiencing Charlotte’s travels through Japan, I would highly recommend picking up The Broken Hearts Honeymoon. I give this delightful read four stars out of five!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon is available now as an e-book and the paperback is out July 23rd! Thank you to Arrow, Cornerstone, and @netgalley for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
•
Follow me on Instagram @whatalexreads for book reviews, recommendations, and more!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon follows Charlotte on her honeymoon, with a catch – she’s taking her honeymoon tour to Japan by herself after her fiancé decides he’d rather sow his wild oats. Charlotte sets out to rediscover her love of travel while putting herself back together after a decade long relationship.
•
Lucy Dickens has written a lovely, warm story about self-discovery and adventure. Charlotte’s voice is hilarious, and I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times. Charlotte’s relationship with her family is wonderful, and her struggles, romantic and otherwise, felt so real all the way through.
•
Now let’s talk travel. Most of this book is set in Japan, and Charlotte does everything she possibly can, from the streets and sights of Tokyo to scuba diving in Ishigaki to staying in a monastery. Inspired by the gorgeous descriptions, I found myself Googling monuments, cultural sites, and cities all the way through, and folks, I’ve never left a book wanting to visit more. Dickens has presented us with a beautiful portrait of Japan from a tourist’s point of view, and I discovered so much through this story.
•
Charlotte is the type of respectful traveler we should all emulate. She researches the cultural and religious sites she will be visiting and memorizes the customs and appropriate ways to pay respect. She works on not normalizing her own experiences vs. the new, and so many more little things. It was so heartening to read about Charlotte’s journey and take a few notes along the way.
•
I can’t wait for travel to be unrestricted again (when it is safe to do so, and not a moment sooner). In the meantime, if you’d like to go on a journey of love, heartbreak, and what happens next, all while experiencing Charlotte’s travels through Japan, I would highly recommend picking up The Broken Hearts Honeymoon. I give this delightful read four stars out of five!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
The Broken Hearts Honeymoon is available now as an e-book and the paperback is out July 23rd! Thank you to Arrow, Cornerstone, and @netgalley for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
•
Follow me on Instagram @whatalexreads for book reviews, recommendations, and more!
September 9, 2020
Charlie and Matt the quintessential high school sweethearts, joined at the hip all through to adulthood. Now, they are going to take their relationship to the next level and are due to get married in three weeks. sounds perfect doesn't it?
Brace yourself for ominous background music:
Matt has a proposal for his sweetheart : "A holiday/break from EACH OTHER to "sow some wild oats" and confirm that getting married to each other is the RIGHT THING TO DO. All this happens during a dinner with friends, how ROMANTIC! Poor Charlotte's heart plummets and she is suddenly having identity crisis. Well, obviously Matt was her other half for the last decade and more and she couldn't imagine herself or her life without him .
So, she CALLS OFF THE WEDDING BUT GOES ON THE HONEYMOON, ALONE.
Charlotte always wanted to be a travel writer and one place she was agog to visit was JAPAN. Thats where she was supposed to be honeymooning, but after the bomb Matt dropped on her, she decided to still go by herself and this honeymoon turned into a SOUL SEARCHING AND SELF LOVE EXPERIENCE.
This book reminded me of EAT, PRAY , LOVE at times and it was great as I love that movie. The first half of the book was a page turner, immersive but after that the story had unnecessary details going on for pages. So I have an amalgamation of the good and not so good moments with the book.
What I liked about it:
- Soul searching, empowering
- Relatable protagonist and scenarios
- Positive and inspiring
- vicarious JAPAN travel
-
What I didn't like:
- Abrupt and unnecessarily long winded flashbacks
- character development was shallow
- it felt like reading a travel journal for JAPAN more and novel less
- probably a short epilogue about when she returns back to UK.
Nonetheless, its a sweet and uplifting book perfect for in between intense reads.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an e ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-
-
Brace yourself for ominous background music:
Matt has a proposal for his sweetheart : "A holiday/break from EACH OTHER to "sow some wild oats" and confirm that getting married to each other is the RIGHT THING TO DO. All this happens during a dinner with friends, how ROMANTIC! Poor Charlotte's heart plummets and she is suddenly having identity crisis. Well, obviously Matt was her other half for the last decade and more and she couldn't imagine herself or her life without him .
So, she CALLS OFF THE WEDDING BUT GOES ON THE HONEYMOON, ALONE.
Charlotte always wanted to be a travel writer and one place she was agog to visit was JAPAN. Thats where she was supposed to be honeymooning, but after the bomb Matt dropped on her, she decided to still go by herself and this honeymoon turned into a SOUL SEARCHING AND SELF LOVE EXPERIENCE.
This book reminded me of EAT, PRAY , LOVE at times and it was great as I love that movie. The first half of the book was a page turner, immersive but after that the story had unnecessary details going on for pages. So I have an amalgamation of the good and not so good moments with the book.
What I liked about it:
- Soul searching, empowering
- Relatable protagonist and scenarios
- Positive and inspiring
- vicarious JAPAN travel
-
What I didn't like:
- Abrupt and unnecessarily long winded flashbacks
- character development was shallow
- it felt like reading a travel journal for JAPAN more and novel less
- probably a short epilogue about when she returns back to UK.
Nonetheless, its a sweet and uplifting book perfect for in between intense reads.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an e ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-
-
January 1, 2022
Totally transported me to Japan. Such vivid descriptions that I felt was though I was a part of the story, feeling what Charlie was feeling and seeing everything she was.
It was a wonderful trip to Japan that was a way of Charlie, firstly not losing out on all the money spent on her honeymoon, but also a trip for her to discover who she may be, now she is no longer with her fiancée, and only boyfriend ever!
There were so many memorable experiences that I loved reading about, it's hard to know what to tempt you with - while taking in places in Japan that you may have heard of, in addition to the unfamiliar.
Japanese customs and way of life all rang true to me and it is clear a large amount of research must have gone into this book.
It was a joy to experience Charlie doing things things such as forest bathing, karaoke, snorkelling, visiting temples and so much more.
I was totally gripped by this story and Lucy Dickens is a fabulous author. I adored this book and it made me want to jump on a plane from my poolside location of Tenerife to Japan!
Thank you to Arrow and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It was a wonderful trip to Japan that was a way of Charlie, firstly not losing out on all the money spent on her honeymoon, but also a trip for her to discover who she may be, now she is no longer with her fiancée, and only boyfriend ever!
There were so many memorable experiences that I loved reading about, it's hard to know what to tempt you with - while taking in places in Japan that you may have heard of, in addition to the unfamiliar.
Japanese customs and way of life all rang true to me and it is clear a large amount of research must have gone into this book.
It was a joy to experience Charlie doing things things such as forest bathing, karaoke, snorkelling, visiting temples and so much more.
I was totally gripped by this story and Lucy Dickens is a fabulous author. I adored this book and it made me want to jump on a plane from my poolside location of Tenerife to Japan!
Thank you to Arrow and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
September 24, 2020
Charlotte after calling off her wedding decides to go on what supposed to be their honeymoon by herself, little she knew that this trip would change her life completely.
The story narrated in first person by the main character is presented as an introspective diary with some flashbacks to her life which help underline Charlotte growth throughout the book.
The book is set in Japan, and the author has been describing every single place and presented the culture of this country in such a wonderful way that I wished I could be right there experiencing that adventures with the protagonist.
Perfect for people looking for a light hearted read!
The review will be posted on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads
The story narrated in first person by the main character is presented as an introspective diary with some flashbacks to her life which help underline Charlotte growth throughout the book.
The book is set in Japan, and the author has been describing every single place and presented the culture of this country in such a wonderful way that I wished I could be right there experiencing that adventures with the protagonist.
Perfect for people looking for a light hearted read!
The review will be posted on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads
December 19, 2022
Heartwarming adventure story! This is the story of Charlotte, and her journey of self discovery in beautiful and exotic Japan, when she decides to take her honeymoon ALONE after her fiance breaks up with her and the wedding is canceled. There were so many vivid descriptions of places to visit, I am inspired to add Japan to my own travel bucket list! Thank you Netgalley, Random House UK and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now
April 6, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
“Яж, моли се и обичай”, но в Япония. Книгата не беше лоша, но една идея по-ниско ниво от спомената друга. Имах по-големи очаквания в описанието на храната и местата. Не усетих желанието да ям, нещата които опитва главната героиня или да посетя всички забележителности, които описва. Все пак ме накара да се разровя за различни неща свързани с японската култура и беше прекрасно четиво на фона на всички цъфналите дървета навън.
“Яж, моли се и обичай”, но в Япония. Книгата не беше лоша, но една идея по-ниско ниво от спомената друга. Имах по-големи очаквания в описанието на храната и местата. Не усетих желанието да ям, нещата които опитва главната героиня или да посетя всички забележителности, които описва. Все пак ме накара да се разровя за различни неща свързани с японската култура и беше прекрасно четиво на фона на всички цъфналите дървета навън.
August 18, 2020
Really enjoyed travelling through Japan with Charlotte - this book has fired up my wanderlust and also made me want to go to Japan!
December 15, 2025
Cute story about self discovery set in Japan. Fun and easy to read.
June 10, 2024
I could see almost anyone else reading this book and thinking it’s almost unbearably cheesy but for me, a soon-to-be-married, young, travel-loving female (who recently went to Japan and loves a good “find yourself” story) - I ate up almost every word. I’m 10000% the target audience for this one. I found the humor to be funny and I loved the descriptions of the different places the MC travelled to in Japan. This was a really enjoyable read!
October 14, 2020
Firstly, huge thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The beautiful cover with sakura and Mount Fuji caught my attention, and when I read that this novel was pretty much my dream (the travelling Japan for a month bit, not the marriage being called off bit!) I was dying to get stuck in.
As the name suggests, The Broken Hearts Honeymoon, follows Charlotte in the wake of breaking off her engagement. Not wanting to lose out on a non-refundable trip that she has wanted to do since she was a child, she decides to go on her honeymoon to Japan by herself. After being in the same relationship since she was a teenager, she thinks that this trip would be the perfect place to find herself and her own place in the world as a single woman.
I liked Charlotte as the protagonist of the novel and felt that her reactions to her relationship breaking up, and making the decision to still go on her honeymoon, believable. I enjoyed how enthusiastic she was about experiencing as much as she could in Japan, and as a tourist she was really relatable too. I also really liked the relationship she had with her siblings, especially her younger brother Benny. Due to the plot of the novel, Charlotte is the only character you’re really able to form a bond with as most other characters only make fleeting appearances. Despite her being a good protagonist, I think she could have been more developed as there were a few instances where her actions and thoughts felt repetitive.
There were many moments in the novel where I got excited reading about Charlotte’s adventures, especially at the beginning in Tokyo, as I have done a lot of that myself so it was lovely to experience these things again through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. It’s because of this that I think people who have been to Japan may connect with this book more as they are able to reflect on their own experiences and project onto Charlotte as, at times, it feels more like an informational travel book rather than a novel. That isn’t to say that other people won’t enjoy the novel, as I think Charlotte could make anyone excited by the prospect of travelling anywhere.
Additionally, I found the use of flashbacks to be quite unnecessary and felt that it disrupted the pacing of the novel at times. Whilst it was nice to learn more about Charlotte and her past, I feel it didn’t add a whole lot to her current story as it had already been explained well already. I did enjoy the use of social media and emails through the novel, they were nice little reminders that there is a world outside of her travelling which gives you another dose of reality whilst reading this novel and also how her adventures were personal but were also helping her take steps towards achieving her dream job.
Overall, I think due to my own experiences I am a little biased. The novel was a nice read that had me reminiscing a lot on my own travels to Japan and gave me several new places that I want to discover myself when I next visit.
The beautiful cover with sakura and Mount Fuji caught my attention, and when I read that this novel was pretty much my dream (the travelling Japan for a month bit, not the marriage being called off bit!) I was dying to get stuck in.
As the name suggests, The Broken Hearts Honeymoon, follows Charlotte in the wake of breaking off her engagement. Not wanting to lose out on a non-refundable trip that she has wanted to do since she was a child, she decides to go on her honeymoon to Japan by herself. After being in the same relationship since she was a teenager, she thinks that this trip would be the perfect place to find herself and her own place in the world as a single woman.
I liked Charlotte as the protagonist of the novel and felt that her reactions to her relationship breaking up, and making the decision to still go on her honeymoon, believable. I enjoyed how enthusiastic she was about experiencing as much as she could in Japan, and as a tourist she was really relatable too. I also really liked the relationship she had with her siblings, especially her younger brother Benny. Due to the plot of the novel, Charlotte is the only character you’re really able to form a bond with as most other characters only make fleeting appearances. Despite her being a good protagonist, I think she could have been more developed as there were a few instances where her actions and thoughts felt repetitive.
There were many moments in the novel where I got excited reading about Charlotte’s adventures, especially at the beginning in Tokyo, as I have done a lot of that myself so it was lovely to experience these things again through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. It’s because of this that I think people who have been to Japan may connect with this book more as they are able to reflect on their own experiences and project onto Charlotte as, at times, it feels more like an informational travel book rather than a novel. That isn’t to say that other people won’t enjoy the novel, as I think Charlotte could make anyone excited by the prospect of travelling anywhere.
Additionally, I found the use of flashbacks to be quite unnecessary and felt that it disrupted the pacing of the novel at times. Whilst it was nice to learn more about Charlotte and her past, I feel it didn’t add a whole lot to her current story as it had already been explained well already. I did enjoy the use of social media and emails through the novel, they were nice little reminders that there is a world outside of her travelling which gives you another dose of reality whilst reading this novel and also how her adventures were personal but were also helping her take steps towards achieving her dream job.
Overall, I think due to my own experiences I am a little biased. The novel was a nice read that had me reminiscing a lot on my own travels to Japan and gave me several new places that I want to discover myself when I next visit.
July 20, 2020
2.5 stars- rounded up for Goodreads. I struggled with this novel. I think the main issue for me was the flash backs which seemed to be heavily featured but seemed to be parachuted in. Instead of being brought in by them, I was forced out by both the content and the change in formatting on my device- not a good combination no matter how I try to spin it.
I also struggled with liking Charlotte and the timelines of her doing things- I had too many moments where I had to circle back because it seemed like she was time traveling with the speed from place to place. I think a bit more of feeling out the experiences than checking them off a list would have made the story more fluid. I find it to be nearly impossible to finish a book if I’m not on the same team as the main character.
In theory I should have loved everything about this. I love women’s fiction, I adore travel, by all accounts it should have been a home run. I hope that many others enjoy is but I found it was not for me.
DNF @ 35%.
I also struggled with liking Charlotte and the timelines of her doing things- I had too many moments where I had to circle back because it seemed like she was time traveling with the speed from place to place. I think a bit more of feeling out the experiences than checking them off a list would have made the story more fluid. I find it to be nearly impossible to finish a book if I’m not on the same team as the main character.
In theory I should have loved everything about this. I love women’s fiction, I adore travel, by all accounts it should have been a home run. I hope that many others enjoy is but I found it was not for me.
DNF @ 35%.
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