Author: Janey Fraser
Two couples, one honeymoon destination, and enough secrets to end both marriages. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell. How can one honeymoon cause so much trouble? Much as Emma loves Tom, she would never have got married if he hadn’t insisted. But with Tom sick for the whole week, shouldn’t she at least take advantage of the entertainment? Winston married Melissa after a three-month whirlwind romance. As a breakfast TV fitness star, he’s anxious to keep things private. But the arrival of Melissa’s two children soon puts paid to that. Rosie arrived at the Villa Rosa homeless and pregnant when she was just seventeen. Now, sixteen years later, she runs the place. However, the appearance of Winston throws her into confusion. He might not remember her, but she has never forgotten him… By the end of the week, none of their lives will be the same. But how will they cope after the honeymoon is over?
After the Honeymoon is a novel by Janey Fraser. While this publication is out in June 2024, I saw it was previously published back in 2014 according to Goodreads. I am not sure if they are two versions of the same novel or the same novel republished, but I just went by the newer version that I read. This story follows multiple couples on an island in Greece, which was a lovely setting and easy to picture as an escape for the reader. The first couple is Emma Walker and Tom who have two children and were gifted a week on the island. Rosie is the owner of the cottage, Villa Rosa, along with her son Jack where the couples stay. The other couple is TV workout host, Winston and his new wife, divorcee Melissa who has two teenagers of her own.
There is a lot of chaos that comes from the different stories coming together. The pacing was really slow at first as the writing did not initially capture my attention. It did eventually get a lot better where I became more invested in the story and characters. I think there are elements that could have been omitted, but the overall story was nicely done. I did like how all the individual characters and their stories came together. I think this novel doesn’t stand out a ton in the large crowd of similar novels, but it was well worth the read. Overall, I think I will continue to read more from the author in the future.
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Embla Books, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
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