Olivia fled her abusive marriage to return to her hometown and take over the family beekeeping business when her son Asher was six. Now, impossibly, her baby is six feet tall and in his last year of high school, a kind, good-looking, popular ice hockey star with a tiny sprite of a new girlfriend.

Lily also knows what it feels like to start over when she and her mother relocated to New Hampshire it was all about a fresh start. She and Asher couldn't help falling for each other, and Lily feels happy for the first time. But can she trust him completely?

Then Olivia gets a phone call Lily is dead, and Asher is arrested on a charge of murder. As the case against him unfolds, she realises he has hidden more than he's shared with her. And Olivia knows firsthand that the secrets we keep reflect the past we want to leave behind ­­and that we rarely know the people we love well as we think we do.
Another great book couldn’t put this down totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton
I just reviewed Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan. #MadHoney #NetGalley

What an astonishing read this is! There are not enough stars in the world to convey how much I adored this read.
Firstly, you cannot tell at all that this book is co-authored. The transition is seamless and they both write in the same style, it is very well done.
The plot for 'Mad Honey' really feels like old school Picoult and that is when I loved her books the most. The plot is a tough one, and reminded me of 'Nineteen Minutes'. There are distressing and upsetting scenes but none of it is there to be sensational, all of it is integral to the plot and what an outstanding plot it is.
There are the usual twists I have come to expect from Picoult as well and they really turned the book on its head and meant the reader suddenly saw things completely differently. I also love how Picoult weaves in the facts about bees and honey, this aspect of Picoult's books always sets them apart from others for me.
The characters are also fantastic, they are strong, realistic and tell the story perfectly. For long time fans of Picoult there are some returning characters in this book and yes I did scream in delight.
'Mad Honey' is another outstanding, special read from Picoult and Finney Boylan. If you read one book this year, make it this one. I could not have loved this anymore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy.

What a fabulous novel! Just when I thought I knew the direction this one was taking, I was proved wrong and the twists just kept coming.

Olivia has had to start over, after fleeing her abusive marriage and returning to her hometown to take over the family beekeeping business with her son Asher. Now in high school, Asher is a popular and well adjusted teenager with a girlfriend.

Lily also knows what it is like to start over, when she and her mother relocated to New Hampshire. Then she met Asher and fell in love, starting a new beginning together.

The future looks bright for both of them but then one day Olivia gets a call - Lily is dead and Asher has been arrested on suspicion of her murder. As the case unfolds, secrets come to light and a whirlwind court case begins that will undo both families.

There was just so much I loved about this one! Olivia's family that came into the story were intriguing, along with her past and the beekeeping side was fascinating. The timelines of now and then worked so well and I love a courtroom drama, which it had too. I want to share so much more about this story but I can't, due to spoilers. It's one I highly recommend.

Another fantastic book by Jodie Picoult!! I’ve read all her novels and this one is a real must read. This story is centred around teenagers Lily and her boyfriend Ashur, both carrying family baggage around. When Lily is found dead and Ashur found at the scene of the crime, he becomes the prime suspect. As Ashur’s mum left his dad as he was abusive, she has to consider the possibility that perhaps her kind and thoughtful son has the same temper his father displayed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this thought provoking ARC.

My favourite style of Picoult book, with crimes, court trials and characters who are real and flawed and interesting. Interwoven with fascinating information about bees! This is a real must read, it kept me hooked right to the end. The coauthoring worked really well and gave the characters two distinct voices which added to the enjoyment.
Thank you for this arc

I have been such a big fan of Jodi's work for such a long time. Ever since the first time I picked up my sister's keeper I have been absorbed in all of her books. Reading the ones that came before and all the ones that have come after. I feel like I get absorbed into the very pages and the essence of the books seep into my soul. The books that I love the most are always the ones that make you think, ones that open up discussions and beg you to look at the world in a different light and to try to walk the footsteps of someone who is completely different to you. I am also really fascinated by people, what they do, how they think, what makes us who we are and makes us do the things we do. What makes us stand out from society and why society are so ensnared by old points of view of what should make up a person, how a person should act and how they should live their lives. Which Is so outdated and wrong it's really disturbing why people still believe these outdated things. I think I find it so fascinating because I don't fit into the normal mould and for a long time I was fighting q world where I didn't fit in and trying to be someone I wasn't. Now I'm proud to be who I am and I am proud of all the people who are also different who stand up and say I am who I am.

This being said I haven't particularly liked the last few books by Jodi sadly. I just didn't gel with them and I didn't think that they lived up to her previous books. However this book Jodi is back with a bang. As a co author on this amazing book. I really need to read books by Jennifer to because if this book is anything to go by then they will be amazing too.

This book is centred around lily and her boyfriend Ashur. Both of whom have had troubling up bringings but for completely different reasons and both of them are trying to fit into a world where they long to be who they are. Lily is Trans and is trying to come to terms with this in a world that isn't very forgiving, is judgemental and whom osteracis those who are different. But lily knows who she is and is proud of it. Even if she does keep things guarded and close to her chest. But lily is dead Ashur has been found at the scene of the crime and is been trialed for her murder. But did he do it?

I have to say that I had placed it althougher in my head before it was revealed and I knew what had happened to lily before it was played out in the book. But I will say that it didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book one little bit.

There has been so much research and time spent looking and understanding how people feel who are transgender and how they try to navigate and fit into the world. I think that it is written sensitivitly and with great power.

This is an amazing book. I loved it.

I’m a huge Jodie Picoult fan and mad honey didn’t disappoint.
This book had ALOT going on! - in true Jodie style we are thrown into a world full of twists and turns and I did not see most of them coming. Thought provoking and intense I thoroughly enjoyed the whole storyline and couldn’t put it down.
Lily and Asher are a teenage couple and the story flits between then and now for both lily's story and Olivia, Asher’s mum. Lily is dead and Asher is the number one suspect…
I don’t really want to give too much away as I think this book is best read with no pre- conceptions. I can say that I feel I learned a lot that I didn’t previously know about a few subjects and Lily is a character I grew to love.

As a long time fan of Jodi’s, I was over the moon to receive a copy of Mad Honey. This is her newest novel and one with a difference, as it is the second one that Jodi has chosen to co-write (I especially enjoyed the true story of how the plot and collaboration came about!)

The novel is centred around Olivia, a single mum to her 18 year old boy Asher. Single through choice, after she left an abusive marriage 12 years earlier to settle in her parents’ old house. Asher has recently met Lily, new to town and now newly his girlfriend. Lily and her mum have just started afresh - new town, new job, new school. Lily feels happy and content for the first time in a long time.

But their worlds fall apart when Lily is found dead and Asher is later arrested for her murder. It will take an old friend from some of Jodi’s previous novels to help to unpick the facts of the charge against Asher, along with some typical gasp-out-loud twists you can expect from a Jodi novel.

I completely devoured this book. It engrossed me and shocked me and made me cry. I know that this book, just like Jodi’s previous novels, is one I will return to again. Would highly recommend. A brilliant book.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review.

5 stars! Challenging, thought-provoking yet packaged in that eminently readable Jodi Piccoult style that’s as comforting as a rustcoloured Afghan blanket your grandmother crocheted in the 70’s. Enjoy!

Mad Honey is simply stunning. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m torn between what I can and can’t write in this review, because I wouldn’t want to ruin any of the plot twists and reveals for you.

Written seamlessly by two authors the story is captivating, intriguing and brutally honest. At times painful but ultimately enlightening.

It made me think, deeper than I ever have, about what being a woman means. It broke my heart in places yet it also opened me up to new ideas.

Mad Honey isn’t published until the 15th November, I was lucky to get an ARC copy from NetGalley but I’d encourage you to pre order and I will be bigging this up again at release date.

It’s a book that will stay with me, as will Lily, Asher and those amazing bees.

I always describe Jodi Picoult as a guilty pleasure. As a 39 year old male, I am not sure I should enjoy her writing but I do and I am not going to do it guiltily anymore.

What I enjoy about her writing is that she deeply researchers all her novels and they can be very educational as well as enjoyable (I know more about bees now than I ever thought I would).

In this novel, Asher and Lily are in a loving relationship. Asher moved to New Hampshire with his mother after she left an abusive marriage to Asher's father and when Lily turns up dead and Asher is arrested, Asher's mother wonders if the same violent streak of her husband has been passed down to her son.

It is a hugely entertaining novel, and Picoult does what she always does - tackles a major societal issue with knowledge, compassion, heart with a healthy dose of entertainment and great writing.

Massive thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another book that I completely devoured. It's co-authored but, despite reading how it was written, it's impossible to spot the different writing in the novel.
Asher and Lily are teenagers in love. Both have moved to the area after starting again, living with single mothers. But some secrets about their past are just too hard to escape from.
When Lily is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Asher turns from witness to suspect and his mother Olivia wrangles with her natural love and instinct to defend him, with her knowledge of the genes within him.
I learned so much through reading this book, whilst never preaching. A gorgeous read, with an ending that was entirely unpredictable.
'Sometimes making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it'.

What a brilliant read, I really loved this novel so thought provoking .Olivia left an abusive relationship and takes over her family's small farm where she becomes an apiarist and looks after her small son Asher. They have a special relationship Asher does well at school and is captain of his ice hockey team and with his girlfriend Lily things seem to be going well but after Olivia receives a call from him things are set to change forever. I was engrossed in this story which was told in alternate chapters by Olivia and Lily and was so beautifully written that I could really empathise with the characters and the secret that eventually comes out and is central to the story. Don't want to give anything away except to say this is a must read book and I highly recommend it

Another stunner by Picoult and her co author Boylan. I am a massive Picoult fan so many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book. A powerful, emotional and educational read that will keep you turning the pages. When young couple Asher and Lily meet it appears that Lily has finally been given a second chance of happiness. Overall they are in love and happy. But Lily hasn't been honest with Asher and is struggling with how to tell him she is transgender. Asher lives with his mother Olivia who left her violent husband and is raising him alone and farming bees. When Lily is found dead and Asher is arrested it is Olivia's worst nightmare. Could he have his father's violent tendencies. A brilliant book that touches on an important topic and you relate to both the mothers in the book. A huge sense of loss ,discovery and recovery in this book. Absolutely brilliant.

Overall rating: 5.5/5 (an extra 0.5 because I learnt so much about bees and beekeeping)

One of the BEST books I've read in 2022! I am confident that this book will be a SENSATION when it releases!!!

I kid you not, I INHALED this book. I finished it in less than 12 hours and that too because of my humanistic needs of eating and going to the washroom.

I am utterly blown away by this wonderfully written story. This book will gut wrench you when you're least expecting. It's a small town murder mystery teeming with emotions. It's filled with love, tragedy, suspense, unmeasurable strength, and societal issues. This book will have you hooked from the very first page. Throughout the story, you'll feel that it's predictive and you know where the story is going but BAAAAAAM! At every twist and turn, you will feel that you've been hit by a bus! I thought I figured out the mystery while reading but man oh man was I incredibly WRONG!

The story is narrated by Olivia and Lily alternatively with a switch between timelines.

Olivia escaped an abusive marriage 12 years ago with her little 6 year old boy, Asher. She takes over her family's bee farm and tries her best to be a wonderful parent to Asher. Asher is now 18 and irrevocably in love with Lily, the new girl.

Lily is finally happy after a really long time of battling with her own demons. She is young, beautiful, and madly in love with Asher. She keeps her demons buried in the past but when Asher showers her with love and care, Lily begins to lower the walls she so desperately built around her. But can she trust Asher with her deepest secret?

However, Olivia's world turn upside down when she gets a call from the panic stricken Asher from the police station saying that Lily is dead. Thus, begins Olivia's fight for her son's innocence. But does she, herself, believe her son's innocence?

THIS IS A MUST READ OF 2022!

The book releases on 15 November 2022

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book! Quite apart from the thrilling rollercoaster ride as we dip in and out of the complicated lives and relationships of Olivia, Asher and Lily, I learned so much about beekeeping and (without wishing to give away any spoilers) the issues surrounding gender and sexuality which many people face. Written by two very talented authors, the narrative moves seamlessly between the characters and just when we think we are reaching a conclusion we are hit with another twist that leads us down another avenue of tension and discovery. We are shown so many facets of the challenges facing young people finding their place in life; dealing with love, loyalty and friendship against a background of prejudices, jealousies and possessiveness. Clear your diaries, you won't want to put this one down!

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan and was thrilled to be given an advanced copy of Mad Honey to read months before it's release. Mad Honey, despite being co-written with Jennifer Boylan, feels just like Picoult's early novels that made me fall in love with her writing. The returning characters will thrill any Jodi Picoult fan and I can't wait to discuss this with everyone I know when it's released.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Jodi Picoult is back to her best writing self sign Mad honey. I will be disappointed I did not really enjoy her last book but this one she is back to her best and the addiction of Jennifer Finney Boylan to give life and heart to Lily made this heartbreaking read feel totally honest and relatable. My heart broke for all of the characters who were all damaged in their own way and I fell in love with Lily and her story. I also loved the interwoven story with the beekeeping and the history around those as I found it fascinating and the recipes at the end were an added bonus. Who knew mad honey was a thing. This book is perfect and everyone should read it.

I’ve been a huge fan of Jodi Picoult’s for years and was so excited to see this new release, Mad Honey, co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan.

The story is told from two perspectives: Olivia, a former victim of domestic abuse raising her son Asher at her family home and running her beekeeping business, and Lily, a new student and Asher’s new girlfriend.

When Lily is found dead at the foot of the stairs, Asher is accused of her murder and we follow Olivia and her family as they move through the trial process. While Lily’s story tells of her past before moving to New Hampshire and delves into her growing relationship with Asher.

There are so many twists and turns to this mystery (I definitely did not see that ending coming and I suspected everybody!) and the story explores some real hot topics (LGBTQ+, abuse, abortion, etc) which were both insightful and moving at times.

I found that I really connected with the two main characters, seeing them grow and change as the narrative progressed.

The story is also beautifully interwoven with factual information on beekeeping, which was unexpectedly interesting!

A must read for all Jodi Picoult fans!

I love Jodi Picoult and some of her earlier books are amongst some of my favourite books of all time and this had the same feel to them so I loved it. It is well written with charcaters that are well developed and an interesting storyline that is intriguing, mysterious, twisty and morally gray. I loved it.

Having enjoyed some of Jodi Picoult's earlier books such as The Pact and Nineteen Minutes, but not having enjoyed some of her more recent ones so much, I'm glad I gave this one a try. It felt like a return to all that I loved about her earlier books, and it was a gripping and thought-provoking read.
It focuses on a teenage couple, Asher and Lily. Lily dies, and Asher is charged with her murder. The story is told from two perspectives: Olivia (Asher's mother) who tells of the aftermath of Lily's death and her son's trial, and Lily who tells the back story of her relationship with Asher.
The story is full of suspense and draws you in. It was interesting to consider the situation from the different characters' perspectives. It touches on a lot of difficult and complex issues but it is sensitively done. Definitely worth a read!

This is a powerful and moving read with characters that you take into your heart as their lives are blown apart by a tragic event and you begin to see the fractures that they had carried with them in life revealed. A teenage boy is charged with the murder of the girl that he had appeared to love the most and the families of both the victim and the defendant are laid bare. The timeline moves between past and present and we hear different viewpoints as we piece together the events of the book and question what we know and believe.
The two authors have blended styles well and there is no break in the fluidity of the narrative and I will certainly be sure to read more by both authors. The theme of bees and honey weave through the book and run parallel with events - I found it surprisingly interesting!
This book raises emotional and hard-hitting issues and makes you look at the impact of family, relationships, trust, betrayal, love, respect, friendship and acceptance, strength and adversity. It is about all that is good as well as all that is toxic and leaves much to consider about mankind and how we treat one another. As a parent, it made me think about my role and my children and vow to try and make the world a better place for their future. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors for the opportunity of reading Mad Honey.

There’s being gripped by a book and then there’s wanting to hurry up and finish every activity that you are doing so that you can pick your book back up. I was thinking about this book so much throughout the day and was so excited to get my hands back on it!

Mad Honey switches between Lily, a high schooler who has recently relocated to Adams for a fresh start, and Olivia, a beekeeper living back in her childhood home. When Lily falls in love with Olivia’s son Asher, things should be perfect, but when Olivia gets the call that Lily is dead and Asher has been taken in by the police for questioning, everything unravels.

It was such a special and powerful book to read. I loved how small fragments of the characters are gradually revealed until we build a complete picture of each. We jump between the past and current day which means we get lots of insights into the back stories of the characters and can understand and connect with them more.

This book was just beautifully written and I enjoyed the way the beekeeping journey was interwoven into the story too. You would not know this book was written by 2 authors, it just flowed seamlessly. Congratulations to Jodi and Jennifer for collaborating on such a spectacular book.

What a fabulous and thought provoking book. Realistic and likeable characters and a major plot twist kept me hooked. Told from multiple view points the story flicks back and forwards between past and present building a layered and engaging story. I can’t say too much without giving away the twist but boy did it come out of the blue. Complex and difficult issues are handled with sensitivity and may just lead to some people becoming less prejudiced - one can hope. Thoroughly recommend.

What a special book

This was a good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not get enough of.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good story!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I have read most of Jodi Picoult's books and have always found them to be thought provoking, compassionate and well researched. This was no exception.. It explored young love, sexuality, abusive relationships, trust, identity, self worth and much more. These were interwoven with a court room case and the life cycle of the bees. The ending was not as I expected and fitted with all the twists and turns throughout the case.
I loved that each character told the story from their own perspective and not always in a chronological order. Lily & Asher had a lovely relationship as two teenagers experiencing first love. when something happens! A typical Jodie Picoult style of story where you are challenged to think for yourself. Where do your views lie? Who has your sympathy and understanding? How much did you already know of the issues raised?
I can highly recommend this book. It should be read by all, particularly those who can be narrow minded. The story is well written by the two authors and it is not at all obvious that they each wrote the story from a different characters perspective. I only learnt this when reading the commentary at the end.

Another amazing book from this wonderful author. Brave topics sensitively but intensively handled. The theme of beekeeping helps keep the story flowing without becoming too bogged down and draws some amazing analogies. The flips in timeline allow the full story to gradually unfold. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

I really adored this story of love, bees, honey and a right to be who you want to be.
Asher has fallen in love with Lily, she is his world. When Asher finds Lily dead at the bottom of her staircase he becomes the main suspect and soon ends up on trial.
Olivia is Asher’s mum, having fled an abusive marriage she has taken over her families bee hives. There is a lot of information about bees in the book, how they make honey, how they survive, their mating and feeding and looking out for the queen. I loved all this! It’s woven so wonderfully through the narrative.
The book is told in parts, of before Lily died and now. The lead up to what happened through Lilies eyes and the present with Asher and his family trying to prove his innocence. There is a big reveal halfway through the book so it’s hard to really say too much as it would ruin the plot, but I found this to be a tender, thoughtful book. A belief that we all have the right to live as we are and the lengths we go to to become our true selves
It’s perfect for teens to read too.

#MadHoney #NetGalley

I loved this book and read it in a day. I’m often wary when I see that a book is co-authored but learning that the novel came about because Jennifer Finney Boylan tweeted that she had dreamt that she and Jodi Picoult wrote a book and that then Jodi had contacted Jennifer to ask what their book was about!
The story of Olivia, Asher and Lily was compelling enough but the way that the beekeeping scenes were intermingled with the plot was clever and made for fascinating reading. The scene where Asher, Olivia and Lily were harvesting the honey in the barn was just perfect.
As a mother with adult children I could empathise with everything that Olivia said and thought. Doubt however small is part of the frailty of the human psyche and is far more authentic than a parent who believes everything their child says without any analysis or objective thinking.
I was so happy to read the section at the end of the book where Jenny and Jodi discuss how they decided to collaborate and how they created the story, one taking Olivia’s voice and the other Lily’s. At no point did the novel feel disjointed.
My only tiny criticism was the final plot twist revealed at the very end. Somewhat unbelievable in my eyes but it’s not taking away any stars for such a fabulous novel overall.

I have really enjoyed several of Jodi Picoult's previous books and was intrigued to read her latest offering given that it was co-written with Jennifer Finney Boylan. I wasn't sure how it would feel with two different authors writing alternate chapters but I was pleasantly surprised it was done seamlessly.
The book tackles several different sensitive and challenging social issues , typical of Picoult's usual style, but there is so much more to this with great character development, an intriguing plot and several twists and turns and the odd bombshell along the way. This book really did keep me gripped from beginning to end and left me reflecting on many of the issues raised for quite some time after I finished it.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book

I love Jodi Picoult books and this did not disappoint. I loved the references (and learnt lots about) to bee keeping and honey. As is usual in Picoult’s novels, the plot centres around a trial but also explores the characters affected by the murder. As a parent, it made me consider various scenarios and how I would react.

I was really intrigued by the idea of Jodie Picoult co-authoring a book and how that works logistically. I soon forgot it had been written by two people once I started- it is absolutely seamless, so it was interesting to then read in the author’s notes how it did work.
Anyway, I digress. The book itself. ABSOLUTELY phenomenal. With most books I feel like it is fairly easy to guess where the story goes, it’s not often I’m surprised. Picoult’s book, and this one, are the exception to the rule. I was constantly surprised, astounded, saddened, amazed, and enthralled by the twists and turns that this novel took. I won’t spoil it, but it absolutely has made me think about tolerance for those living amongst us and I particularly loved the exchange Olivia had with Elizabeth- a very useful dummies guide for us all to bear in mind to avoid clumsily hurting people we encounter with our naivety. Beautifully written and I’m sad it’s finished.

Another triumph from Jodi Piccoult, together with her co-author.

The writing style was easy to read so that I raced through this court room drama.

The book covers the story of Olivia, as her son is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Lily, after deep seated secrets are uncovered.

The story is narrated through the voices of two characters: Olivia, as she comes to terms with events and tries to support her son through the trial, even while having doubts about his innocence, which are entirely based on her own personal history with her son’s father; and Lily, the victim herself, in the events leading up to one fateful night.

As ever, detailed descriptions include the legal system, and also the process of bee keeping, Olivia’s profession.

The book includes themes around domestic violence as well as gender. I found it both enlightening and thought provoking.

All in all it’s another top class read from one of my favourite authors- I wasn’t sure I would like it when I learned it was co-authored but it was brilliantly put together and Olivia and Lily’s stories blended perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review, it’s a solid five stars from me ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Jodi picoult has smashed it again!
I’ll be honest, I didn’t actually realise until I had finished this book that it was written by both Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, however that just goes to show how seamlessly it was written that I couldn’t notice. I read at the end that they each wrote one of the characters and I think that’s a fantastic idea.
I went into this book not reading what it was about at all so each little twist was a complete surprise for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I don’t want to give anything away, but I love Lily’s character and I think it was really clever that we got to know her and then found out what we find out about her, it helps to educate people and show that it shouldn’t be a defining characteristic.

Olivia and her son, Asher, move from Boston to New Hampshire to start their lives over. Asher falls for Lily and within months she is found dead. He is subsequently questioned by the police and without warning their newly-constructed lives begin to fall apart. Asher protests his innocence but he has secrets and Olivia, although fiercely protective of him, has doubts.

Wow! What a powerful read but not an easy one to review without giving too much of the plot away. I welcome it when a book makes me challenge or review my perspective on certain situations and ‘Mad Honey’ does just this because, about half-way through, there is an bombshell turn of events which changes the whole dynamic of the story and stops you in your tracks. Jodi Picoult’s novels are not afraid of dealing with topical, emotive subjects and this book is no exception.

Analogies were cleverly drawn between bee-keeping and certain elements of the book so as a plus I also learnt a lot about the fascinating rituals of bees. Certain events in the book mirrored the life of bees so seamlessly that I can only imagine the amount of research that went into making this happen.

Jodi Picoult’s characters come alive on the page and I was completely invested in what happened to them. Lily’s character in particular was beautifully crafted. Superb writing played with my emotions and I found myself in the strange position of empathising with all of the characters at one time or another. My opinions and views were in a constant state of flux.

If I had to have one criticism, it would be that one particular aspect of the book’s conclusion, although very satisfying, was a little rushed. This is a tiny negative about what is a really great read.

The authors’ notes at the end are not to be missed. Their collaboration worked brilliantly and created a fabulous novel. Highly recommended!

One of my books of the year 10 * if I could. A book quite unlike anything else- in such a good way.
Olivia has inherited her mothers house and her fathers bees. Bees, for anyone who knows them, can tell us so much about life- they are truly fascinating creatures. In this story, Olivia tells part of it through them. Her eighteen year old son Asher, has been seeing Lily for a few months. When a surprise goes wrong and they don’t speak for a few days everyone thinks it's teenage angst. Olivia has had her own issues with Asher's father from whom she is now divorced. When Olivia gets a call from the police station, things have drastically changed and maybe even their whole lives.
In the blurb this book is described as compelling and wow! It most certainly is. There’s something not only about the plot but the style of writing that keeps the pages turning so very easily. I quickly took to Olivia and her predicament and that fear of what to do, who to all, what is happening etc. Halfway through there’s a twist and wow! This took my breath away as it was so unexpected. A book about life and what it may throw at us and of being who we truly are, not restrained by others or popular thought. Of learning from those little winged creatures who are always one step ahead of us humans and of life that can give us a real buzz both good and bad. A brave, beautiful, powerful stunner of a read.

)(rest of links on publication)

Another page turner from Jodie Picoult. It's been a long time since I've read a book that made me want to find out more asap. Once again Picoult has taken a topical subject or as in this case a couple of topical subjects, marital abuse and transgender and crafted them into a well written novel with twists along the way.
I had not realised that the book was co-written until the very end, the writing was seamless. Her research is always so through and as well as enjoying the fiction I also learnt a good deal along the way of the world of bees.
Picoult is a true story teller and I particularly liked the drama of the court room scene. All the characters were very well portrayed. The story unravels little by little as different characters continue the narrative and this made me want to keep reading on and on. I finished the book in a few days which is not my usual reading regime. I thoroughly recommend reading it.

Wow! What an amazing book!!
Would love to read more from the author.
Thankyou netgalley for the Arc!

Olivia escaped an abusive marriage taking her son Asher with her, to the farm where she grew up to find safety and give her son his best chance at a good life. When Asher falls for Lily it seems as though life is going their way, until Olivia gets a phone call that changes all of their lives.

Wow, this is such a moving and thought provoking book on a subject that I really knew nothing about. Its told from both Olivias and Lily’s points of view, and although at first I thought it felt a bit odd that Lily’s is going backwards, it really does make sense when you get into it. I like the analogy of the bees and relationships. The story telling is excellent and at no point are there two egos pulling against each other by either author, it all reads seamlessly. A definite must read

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Jodi Picoult is one of those authors where I know it’s going to be a good read whenever I pick up one of her books. Always a solid writer, and this one was absolutely no exception.
The story deals with some hard topics which the author had no hesitation in taking on.
Written with all of her usual depth and clear research, this story shines.
Beautifully written with “real” characters, this is one of my best reads so far this year.
This is a story that will stay with me long after I finish the last page.
Highly recommend this one.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc.
All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

This is the first Jodi Picoult book I have read and I was absolutely engrossed from the start.

I felt really invested in the characters and felt they were believable. I liked how each chapter was told from a different character perspective and at different points in time. I also enjoyed learning about bees along the way.

I will be going back to seek out some of her previous books now.

Wow!! What a book!! I’m a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and this book blew me away!! I’m still feeling lost now that I’ve finished it

This was, for me, a real return to form. I absolutely loved Picoult’s early work - her courtroom dramas - and this was like going back in time. Superbly crafted (with some characters I loved already), fantastic dialogue, complete suspense. In fact, I’m now going back and reading all of my old favourites.

As usual, Picoult has chosen themes and her research shines through.

Cannot recommend more highly.

This book has it all as as far as I’m concerned. A courtroom drama, a plot which makes the reader question their thoughts and beliefs and really credible characters. I have read most of Jodi Picoults novels and even though this is co-written it is as good as all of the rest. Thought provoking and a page turner. Brilliant!

Mad Honey feels and reads like Jodi Picoult’s earliest novels, and that’s not a bad thing. On the contrary, it’s what made this book such a fabulous read. This book is a collaborative effort with Jennifer Finney Boylan, but it has all the hallmarks of a Picoult classic, tough controversial topics, legal court room scenes, moral dilemmas, traumatic scenes that will pull on your heartstrings.

Mad Honey is a mesmerizing and devastating family drama centred around the sudden death of teenage Lily, and the subsequent arrest of her boyfriend Asher. The story is told largely from the POV of Asher’s mother and partly by Lily. These characters give a voice to subjects that are often concealed and kept secret. The story moves fluidly between past and present, allowing the reader to gain an insight into the characters’ life’s, you learn of their hopes and dreams, and you experience their struggles, trauma, pain and heartbreak.

When I’m reading a book, that’s a collaboration. I’m normally able to work out who's written what, but the authors compliment each other and have created a seamless narrative that feels like a single voice has written it, something that is rarely accomplished in writing collaboratives. Rich in research and information, I found the parts about bee keeping fascinating. Mad Honey is a soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind. Highly recommended.

I love Jodi picoult style of writing anyway but this was a great book. Jodie’s themes are normally obvious from the outset but this one saved the theme until halfway so a really good twist when court room dialogue can be a bit dry.

A gripping read and beautifully written, I was captivated from the first paragraph when Olivia was describing her dreams of her future child "Each vision was a bead on a rosary of future memories; I prayed daily". The information about bees and bee-keeping was engrossing, I learned so much and the court room drama was Picoult at her best; excelling at what she's so good at.

Bees weren't the only thing we were educated about but without giving away a major plot twist I can't go further, the only thing I will say is that I never felt lectured only educated and always in a gentle way which moved the story forward effortlessly.

Honey bees are the background throughout this extremely good book, but it is about more than bees.
The three main characters are Olivia, what has happened in her life to take her back to her childhood farmstead as a bee keeper.
Her son Asher, and Lily, his girlfriend and her story.
It is a powerful, compelling and thought provoking book.

I found this book absorbing. It is the first book I have read that was written by two authors, and wow this bold novel was such an interesting read. Sensitively portrayed, it certainly helped me understand a little better some very sensitive gender identity issues. With bee keeping running through the whole of the book I found it informative, with many interesting facts dispersed throughout, about bees and more.
I loved some of the one-liner sentences, and reading the epilogue from both authors found where a few of them came from. It was very interesting reading the authors reasons for writing the book.
I cannot go to much into the storyline as it would ruin it, and it is a book that should be delved into by the reader themselves.
The characters are easily understood.
For me it was a real page turner, and I have gleaned some interesting facts. I didn’t have an opinion about some of the books storyline before reading, but I now see things clearer, and hope it makes me a better person because of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an e-book copy. Opinions are my own.

Lily is new in town. Town is old to Olivia, who grew up here and now raises her son here. Their stories intertwine in ways I cannot go into, but ways that will have you utterly gripped.

It's hard to talk about much of the plot without giving it away, and as a reader I enjoyed it so much I won't risk taking away a moment of that for other readers. I've read other reviews that say this book throws in too many issues or 'hot topics' but I found it all so organic I heartily. disagree.

Considering it is written by 2 authors, it is so fluid and natural to read. It takes issues and rights head on and educates the characters as it educates the reader. I enjoyed this book on so many levels; it really had me gripped.

I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to read this - the two write seamlessly together.

This is Jodi Picoult,writing with Jennifer Boylan, back to her best.I haven’t enjoyed her last two books as much as her previous books, as I felt she had changed the style and format, but this is a great book.She always manages to tap into what people are currently discussing,and without giving anything away,this is exactly what this book does.Although there are two authors,it’s hard to know as the styles fit so seamlessly together.
I could not stop reading this-highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for honest review which reflects my own opinion.