Honeymoon for One

by Portia MacIntosh

*Shortlisted for RNA Romantic Comedy of the Year* 'A hilarious, roaringly fun, feel good, sexy read. I LOVED it!' Holly Martin 'This book made me laugh and kept me turning the pages. A nice easy-flowing rom com!' Mandy Baggot When disaster strikes, paradise calls... As a published novelist, Lila Rose has been writing about fictional weddings all her life. But disaster strikes on her own big day when she hears her philandering fiancé, Daniel whispering sweet nothings to someone else. With her dream day shattered, all Lila wants to do is run and hide, so she decides to fly solo on her own honeymoon. When Daniel arrives in the resort with his new squeeze, Lila strikes up a 'showmance' with hot new movie star, Freddie Bianchi. Freddie is perfect for the part and Lila soon relaxes into her leading lady role. But as truth starts to merge with fiction, could real love be in the air? A sizzling holiday romance, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Sophie Ranald's Sorry Not Sorry. What readers are saying about Honeymoon For 'A feel good, funny and well written book. I read it in 2 days and enjoyed every second!' A.L. Michael 'This is a heartwarming fun story, perfect for several hours of pure escapism.' Jessica Redland 'A perfect summer escape sort of a book, it transported me to San Valentino, to some excellent Italian food, a large number of porn star martinis, and some simply wonderful scenes. I enjoyed every last momentof this book.' Rachel Gilbey 'The perfect summer read. Light, funny, so well written - laugh out loud funny- loved the story, the characters and the setting' NetGalley reviewer 'It has everything you need for a good time in the pages. Definitely a great summer read.' 'Riotously funny. I was giggling, smiling and laughing along at so many of the fabulous lines.' 'Great story, wonderful characters and an idyllic setting.' 'A summer of fun and Pornstar Martinis.'

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance

276 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2019

About the author

Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.

From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.

Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

Find out more at www.portiamacintosh.com

Reviews

[Lisa B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was everything I love in a good romantic comedy. I found myself smiling throughout the entire book. A swoon worthy romance with loveable characters. Perfect summer read!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for an early ebook copy in exchange for a honest review.

[Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 stars to Honeymoon for One

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lush, provocative, and fun!

Honeymoon for One is a charming, uplifting tale that takes you into the life of the sweet, heartbroken Lila who after being bamboozled on her wedding day travels to the idyllic San Valentino couples resort where she embarks on a honeymoon alone that includes scrumptious food, delicious cocktails, unexpected visitors, and a neighbouring guest who is practically perfect.

The writing is crisp and light. The characters are charismatic, clever, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring tale full of life, love, heartbreak, friendship, introspection, palpable chemistry, hilarious games, sizzling drama, awkward mishaps, and steamy romance.

Overall, Honeymoon for One is a comical, passionate, engaging tale by Collins that will certainly make you smile, chuckle, and dreamily swoon.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Karsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s not to love about a fake dating trope?! Extra points for the mmc being a famous actor 👏🏻

Enjoyed this very much. It would’ve made a perfect beach or vacation read.

My only gripe is that it was fade to black! And I don’t mean that in a shaming-clean-roms way. What I mean is, there are SEVERAL scenes that feature a large purple dildo. It’s talked about heavily, as is sex in general… it felt like being teased the entire time! I was ready for at least one spicy scene after so much dildo talk. But nada. This is a very small gripe, thankfully, and didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment, but man not even one scene! 😂

Anyways, 4/5 stars hahah

[L Cherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just a good simple read.
The romance was a sweet slow burn once the awful, cheating, almost husband gets kicked to the curb. There is nothing over the top with the story, but I did really enjoy listening on audible.
Great narration.

[lk714 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I already know I don't care for this author but her books are quick to read and I have a 2021 book goal to meet.

Once again, too many descriptions/words/details. Here is a sentence: I walked in and, seeing his suitcase next to mine, resented that I packed it for him.

The end, right?

Nope. That scene took the author 14 PAGES! She sees the suitcase, remembers buying things for it, remembers buying things for her own, remembers him not being in involved with either, remembers packing his, remembers packing her own, wonders what he thought while she packed it, says what she thought while packing his, says what she thought while packing hers, thinks about what he must have actually been thinking knowing what she knows now, and then circles back to resenting it.

Quickly followed by the same long journey about looking at herself in the mirror that includes how she looks now, how she looked moments ago, how she looks to other people, what people tell her she looks like STARTING FROM WHEN SHE WAS A KID, how much makeup she put on, how much is left, and how she buys better quality more expensive makeup now.

Every thought of the MC needs a background and it really doesn't...

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance author Lila Rose couldn’t write a more dramatic scene than what transpired on her wedding day. After discovering her fiance, Daniel, cheating on her, she leaves the venue without a word. But she doesn’t stay down for long. With her honeymoon pre-booked, and seeing no reason why it should go to waste, she jets off to a remote resort in Italy. It’s perfect. She’ll hide out, write her next novel, and find a way to start over. However, when Daniel shows up with his new partner, Lila enters a “showmance” with her villa neighbor and actor Freddie Bianchi. It’ll make Daniel jealous and it’ll be a nice distraction … she just never expected it to feel so real.

San Valentino just might be the most romantic getaway on earth. Built as the premier destination for couples, it features so many date night amenities it’s practically saccharine. Yet under all of those romantic resort features, author Frankie Collins (who also writes as Portia MacIntosh) has packed a delicious amount of tension and drama.

All of this rests on Lila Rose. Genuine and engaging, Lila first appears on what is supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She has her reservations, and her practical view on marrying Daniel is somewhat wistful. However, after finding out that he’s been cheating on her, practicality is tossed to the wind. Brought to one of the lowest points in her life, her immediate instinct is to run and hide. Yet her fleeing instinct has an adventurous streak, and her bold decision to head off to Italy hints at later daring escapades.

Oh, but Collins knows how to rub salt in a wound, and just when it seems like Lila might be finding a new normal, Daniel and his out-in-the-open mistress show up. But these are the types of surprises Collins excels at. Not obvious but always natural, her choices twist the plot in tantalizing directions. Just when it seems like everything might wrap up in idyllic Italy, she finds a new nugget to mine that ultimately leads to a solid path to a stronger ending.

All of this emphasis on a cheating ex is not to suggest there’s a lack of romance or fun. At its core, it’s wickedly funny. And though Lila hopes to find peace in order to meet the deadline for her newest novel, she can’t help but get caught up in the charm of her villa neighbor, Freddie. They meet with a cute misunderstanding, and from there it’s a whirlwind of charm as the two agree to pose as a couple in front of Daniel. Though their connection builds around spite, the utterly sweet Freddie exhibits such a devotion to Lila it makes for a unique and compelling relationship.

For a rollicking read with a bit of bite, it doesn’t get any better than Honeymoon for One. For added fun, do as Lila would and pair it with a martini on the beach.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.

Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...

[Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost DNF when the groom showed up at their honeymoon with his mistress trying to make his ex feel bad for leaving him at the altar. And then he got a room next to hers?????? He’s got a nerve 😤 and I’m not meek and mild.

But I was cooking and cleaning the house and I didn’t want to interrupt what I was doing to choose another audiobook so I kept listening to it. There was no real surprises in this book, it was fairly predictable, Lila’s ex annoyed me to no end and I have no idea why she put up with all of that. But I finished it. 3 star to me for that! ☺️

[Beebee Bonsai · Rating 1 out of 5]

An Audible review:

Unfortunately the narrator tried to use my eardrums as a cheese grater. She read this like it was story time at the kindergarten.

Sadly, the story was juvenile as well. I have no idea how this book can be popular or get good reviews. The only good thing was that it was in the Plus Catalogue so I didn’t have to pay for it.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMGGGGG that was really CUUUUTTEEEE I kept laughing and swooning with Lila this was sooo amazing
The story follows Lila who discovers that her Fiancée is cheating on her .. with her friend .. on their WEDDING DAY !!, so she breaks down and decides to go on the honeymoon she planned for both of them alone, in an island in Italy, and there she meets Freddie, he is a movie star looking for some time alone .. but when they meet there will be a lot that will keep them stuck together in this hilarious story about moving on and love
I can't express how much I loved this book, it reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's books, specially (Can You Keep A Secret ? ) it was sooo good

[Laura Snider · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, funny story. The main characters were strong women, and the author managed to give them their “happily ever after” without requiring them to sacrifice their strengths. So many stories force women to give up the best of themselves in compromise for love.

The story does follow the trajectory of a romance in formulaic precision, but it’s a romance, so that’s to be expected. There are a few issues that if you think too deeply into could become plot holes, but again, it’s a romance. It’s meant to be light hearted and fun. Don’t ruin it by intense scrutiny. Save that for more serious books, and you’ll have yourself a grand time with this one.

[Michael Damen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a fun, light read and was intrigued by the book’s very attractive cover art and by the book’s positive Goodreads rating (over 4 stars). I also liked the premise of someone going forward with their honeymoon alone after finding out that their betrothed is a faithless scoundrel. I also enjoy the whole Notting Hill star/commoner trope. I therefore had pretty high expectations.

The set up was quite good. The wedding was well planned and I liked how Lila applied her rom-com author’s sensibilities to avoid problems and mishaps. How does any bride not insist on hidden wedding dress pockets? The revelation of Daniel’s “spineless” betrayal with Eva, his lack of enthusiasm for Lila and the wedding, and Lila’s reaction to it all was interesting and well done.

But I would have liked more of a description of how Lila’s departure was handled by her best friend Allie and how the guests reacted. I was also left curious about the details of what happens when a wedding is canceled at the last minute (what happens to all the reception food and drinks?).

Nevertheless, it was quite believable that Lila Rose would leave without a confrontation with Daniel and that, especially as an author who can write anywhere, she would go ahead with the pre-booked honeymoon that was in her name and which she had planned without any input from Daniel.

The scenes in Italy were also enjoyable and I liked how she first met her villa neighbor, a 50 Shades of Grey type actor named Freddie Bianchi. But then the author added a gallon of vinegar (Daniel) to the punch bowl. I simply did not buy the idea of Daniel going to the same place in Italy. It’s inconceivable that he didn’t know she had gone there first. And I REALLY didn’t buy the shameful idea of him taking Eva, and I REALLY REALLY didn’t buy the shocking idea of Daniel staying with Eva and taking the villa next to Lila.

And Lila’s refusal to insist that Daniel and Eva leave and go somewhere else and, instead, her willingness to socialize with them was simply too much. It played into the stereotype of British good manners being more important than expressing real emotions, like so many old Monty Python skits.

The story would have been so much better if neither Daniel nor Eva ever showed up in San Valentino.

And their presence just tainted everything about what might otherwise have been an interesting rebound relationship for Lila.

Ugh.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second I saw the cover and title for this book I suspected strongly that I would love it. I was just so intrigued, who is going on a honeymoon by themselves, and based on the gorgeous colours just what hot and exotic honeymoon destination is it!

Well those questions are all answered within the first couple of chapters, so i can easily say that Lila, an hour or so before getting married to Daniel, over hears him talking to one of her friends and it is clear they have been having an affair. In her rush to get away, she decides to go on honeymoon by herself as after all its been paid for.

Well the destination would be been perfect for a honeymoon, not so much for a single person. It is an island resort called San Valentino in Italy, and its catered purely for couples - including the spa treatments and the bicycles. It sounds idyllic but not that fabulous for someone trying to get over their recent betrayal.

I took to Freddie on our first meeting of him, and my opinion of this rather sexy man improved scene after scene, and it was clear even if Lila couldn't work out what was going on, that I was definitely falling for the man!

There are so many moments that had me giggling and smiling throughout this book, and everything ramps up a great when there are some assorted extra people at the resort that Lila was really not expecting to see, which leads to some even more memorable scenarios.

Honeymoon For One really is a perfect summer escape sort of a book, it transported me to San Valentino, to some excellent Italian food, a large number of porn star martinis, and some simply wonderful scenes. I enjoyed every last moment of this book.

If you are a fan of Portia MacIntosh you will 100% enjoy this book too!!

Thank you to Boldwood Book and Netgalley for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Pooja (Penningtales) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Boldwood Books in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.

4.75 stars

Gosh, I had a huge grin on my face as I read this book! Lila and Freddie were simply adorable!
Lila is all set to marry Daniel, her boyfriend of five years. He's a safe bet, being financially stable and not prone to dramatics, despite what her best friend Ali thinks. But on the morning of her wedding day, Lila discovers he’s been cheating on her with her friend, Eva. Horrified and devastated, she leaves the venue, and since their honeymoon was already paid for, she decides to go on it alone to hide away and sulk in misery. Only she bumps into Freddie, a new movie star unbeknownst to her, who accidentally catches her in embarrassing situations much to his amusement. To make matters worst, Daniel arrives with Eva, his new partner, and move into the suite next door. So when Freddie suggests he and Lila pretend to be a couple to level the playing field and annoy them back, Lila takes him up on his offer. She has noting to lose and everything to gain. But as they play pretend, Lila finds how much of herself she was compromising to be with Daniel and finds herself developing very real feelings for Freddie. Does he really like her back? Or is he just a really good actor?
Lila and Freddie’s cute-meet(s) were hilarious! Though Lila was oblivious to his movie star status, thinking he’s just a barman (and later pool boy), it’s made quite obvious to us through Freddie’s subtle reactions. It left me grinning, gasping, and even burying my face in my hand right alongside with Lila.
Lila is a brave woman. Finding out your fiancé is cheating for almost a year on your wedding day is tough, and seeing them together constantly for days on end would be a nightmare. But she pulls through without growing bitter towards love or couples. I liked her friendship with Ali, a clever foil to her friendship (or lack of) with Eva. I especially loved all her interactions with Freddie. They make me smile so much. Despite coming from different social centres, countries, and financial backgrounds, they complimented each other so well. With Freddie, Lila realized she almost settled for less that she deserved, sacrificing things that made her happy for Daniel and getting almost nothing in return.
Freddie is an absolute sweetheart. Despise being a new star, he’s pretty down to earth. Wanting to escape his new found stardom, he goes away on a vacation only to end up alone and bored until he meets Lila. Her not recognizing him was undoubtedly a breath of fresh air. I love how charming and caring and fun he was, always making Lila smile. But most importantly how respectful, giving Lila the space she needed to grieve, but always having her back when she needed him. What a gentleman! I think I might’ve fallen in love with him right alongside Lila. I do wish we got to see his point of view, but I understood why we didn’t, that would’ve taken away the mystery of whether or not his feelings are genuine. Still, I feel the author did a brilliant job getting his feeling and thoughts across clearly.
Their banter was so much fun to read! Even when they were upset with each other. This passage literally made me laugh out loud:

“What happened?” Arnold asks.
“I tried to kill her,” Freddie says.
In perfect synchronization, both Victoria’s and Arnold’s jaws drop.
“Usual couple stuff,” I say, deadpan, before quickly clearing things up, so they don’t call the Carabinieri. “He accidentally nearly fed me something I’m allergic to.”
The second these words leave my lips, I realize just how daft they sound.
“I can’t believe you think I still think about Daniel,” I say to Freddie.
“We’re literally taking part in a competition against him, just so we can win,” he reminds me.
“Which you have been more than happy to take part in,” I point out.
“And then today... ‘Oh, Daniel. Oh, Daniel. Daniel, you’re my hero.’”
“Is that suppose to be my voice?” I ask him. “You sound like Dick Van Dyke.”
“So do you.”

I also want to mention Ali, Lila’s best friend. She’s a wild party girl who hides her age. After the whole incident with Eva, I’m glad the author included Ali, having her end up joining Lila on her honeymoon. At first, I’ll admit I wasn't too happy since that would cut into Lila time with Freddie, but having Ali join them only brought Lila and Freddie closer. And most importantly, it showed how a true friend should act compared to Eva, since I hate reading girl-on-girl hate. I also liked the little character arc Ali got with her views on marriage and herself changing after meeting Marty, without changing who she is at her core.
I hated Daniel, Lila’s ex, which means he was a good antagonist. I liked how he was a regular, every day guy and not made out to be some evil asshole. I’m glad Lila realized how unhappy he made her, how she deserved better than settling for him.
And lastly, I just have to mention Kevin and Jen, the random couple Freddie and Lila meet in their group therapy session. They made me literally laugh out loud with their dynamic (with him obsessed with Lord of the Rings and her plain annoyed) and it was wonderful to get an deeper insight into their problems and to learn all worked out for them too. I loved how the author ties this back to Lila and Freddie, reminding Lila that all relationships are work. The two people involved have to be willing to put in the effort.
It’s funny, with this being a romance novel, but I feel I should also mention the world-building here. San Valentino, the resort island off the coast of Naples, felt like such a real honeymoon destination, I actually looked it up multiple times and found nothing. (Someone please correct me if I’m wrong!) Also, I love the Italian cuisine, words, and phrases dropped about throughout the novel. It really filled me with nostalgia and wanderlust.
I did have a couple small, tiny problems, which stopped me from rating this 5 stars. I found some sentences awkwardly worded and had to reread them to fully grasp what the author was getting at. But I think that could be because of my Canadian English and with this being written in British English. I also felt, with all the blatant hints to sexual acts (with the sex toy gift, loud moaning though paper thin walls, the erotic film) I felt pretty surprised and admittedly a little disappointed their intimate scene was fade to black. Oh wells. At least their kissing scenes were pretty hot.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book! I would definitely recommend it if you’re in a mood for a romcom and a light, summer read. I will definitely be checking out more works by this author. Thank you so much to Frankie Collin, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for this opportunity.

[Pascale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw someone talking about this book on tik tok and it seemed like a fun plot so figured why not give it a go! Loved this book! It was the right amount of romance/comedy and generally enjoyed the book from start to finish!

[Annika · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf this was so bad oh my god

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather adored this book, especially the narrator!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

bridget jones core -
the narrator Karen Cass ate this up

[Mara Lopreiato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Umm not sure if this was YA but it would’ve been cute if I was like 14.
Still a funny cute story

[Nicole Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute romcom!! THE FADE TO BLACK THO? 💔😮‍💨 overall, fun & cute 🥰🫶🏼

[Chris Challinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Great Book by Portia McIntosh
THIS IS MY OWN PERSONAL REVIEW!
NO SPOILERS, NO INFO ABOUT CHARACTERS STORYLINE, and
NO "free copy in return for"

I oppose spoilers when undeclared. Particularly from a few who get carried away with their reviews! Those who have a free copy and take on a role of professional critic, telling readers the story within their review!

Every book I've read by this Author, Portia Macintosh, has been a joy to read.
Unlike many other authors, the endings are never transparent within the first few pages.

Honeymoon for One has quite a few comical moments when I literally giggled out loud!

Each Chapter goes to either reminisce old memories, describe the now in great detail and sets different scenes for the story. All kept me wanting to find out more.

I really enjoyed this book and felt a little sad when the book finished.

I would recommend this book.

Hopefully, this review will pique interest with no need for any spoiler or characters names.

[Lady Brunett · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFed :/
I wanted to like this book, I so wanted to...
I will say that at times I actually did like it as the writing is good and the two main characters actually has chemistry so the romance has potential. However, there is just too much profanity and this sort of humor throughout the book that I just felt disconnected with it and after a while I didn't feel like continuing with the story. I wanted to read a fun, funny, lighthearted, sweet story that I would connect with the characters and care for them, but for me this one ended up not fitting the bill. It had the potential to, but as of a little less than half way through - I stopped trying.
I don't like to badmouth any author and I know some people like this type of books, but this one wasn't for me.

[KathyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first story by Portia MacIntosh and I was pleasantly surprised. The main characters (Lila & Freddy) were likable characters and the story provided quite a few laughs even with the unbelievable plot. Sadly the sex scenes were fade to black which was disappointing. Lila and Freddy had great chemistry so I would have like a little more detail since I'd consider it a rom-com. It's not a "clean read" so I was expecting a little more heat.

With all that said, I found this book very entertaining. I'm definitely interested in reading/listening to more from this author.

** I listened to the audiobook which was very well done. The narration by Karen Cass was great.

[Baiba Loves Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uhhh this book was so annoying i dnf‘ed it somewhere in the middle.

So our main female lead hears her soon to be husband talking to his lover - she finds out he was cheating and leaves on the honeymoon alone, but he turned up with his lover there and is all annoyed that she left the wedding and like he was gonna merry her and bla bla bla, like he didn’t do anything wrong. And she starts thinking she overreacted… i just wasted 19 days of my life trying to finish this book and I’m glad i dnfed it.

[Johanna Lehto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite fun to listen to when I was cooking and doing other house choirs.. The narrator was good and made it really enjoyable to listen.

For the story itself: No, it wasn't a masterpiece. However, I really respect the author for making me laugh with this fun and dramatic romcom novel. I truely enjoy 'Honeymoon For One' through and through.

I will for sure look up more of her books in the near future!

[Zoë · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can tell when I'm all out of Audible credits as slush like this ends up filling my ears for a day or so. Free with Audible membership and sliiiighly better than listening to my own tricky thoughts.

As romances go, it's not terrible but it's pretty clichéd and forgettable. Bubble gum for the brain - harmless enough, but don't swallow, discard when done.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice light romance with humor

[♏Vanessa♏ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great romcom

This was so funny, romantic and, at times embarrassing (for the mfc, but I got second-hand embarrassment).
I got the book because the audio is free with cat plus and the book on ku. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was and I just couldn't put it down. The story was really funny, a bit cringy at times, but romantic too. I
The narration was outstanding. Karen Cass was perfection here. 100% recommend.

[nour ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

This book was VERY similar to her other book, “Going Overboard,” except the latter was waaay better than this one. (Not sure if her other books are just as similar as these two).
I’m not that big of a fan with this one and I don’t think there was enough rage against Daniel. The shifts in accents were annoying and a lot of scenes were close to giving me — or did give me — second hand embarrassment.

[Erin Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me laugh out loud a lot! 🤣🤣