MY BEST FRIEND'S HONEYMOON

An island resort vacation allows longtime best friends to realize and act on their deeper feelings for each other.

Elsie Hoffman has not been sure about many things in her life, but when her fiancé surprises her by planning their whole wedding and setting the date for one week away, she realizes she doesn’t want to marry him and breaks it off. The planned honeymoon is nonrefundable, so Elsie decides to go on it with her best friend, Ginny Holtz. Even before Ginny figured out their gender, they’d fallen in love with Elsie. In high school, they asked Elsie out, but Elsie said no. Ginny kept on loving Elsie while telling themself friendship was enough. At the Caribbean resort, Ginny tries to help Elsie figure out what she wants in life and find the courage to go after it by setting a rule that Elsie gets whatever she wants on this vacation, but only if she asks for it. Elsie admits to herself that what she wants is Ginny, and their trip turns into a series of sexual encounters. When the honeymoon is over, though, the pair have to figure out how their lives fit together back home, particularly as they each pursue their professional aspirations. Wilsner’s fourth queer romance delivers high heat but suffers from uneven pacing and slight conflict. Elsie and Ginny learn about their sexual preferences through open communication as they explore new territory together. Outside of the bedroom, though, there isn’t much development of them as a couple; there is some individual growth in the latter part of the book, but it feels more tacked on than integral to the story.

Super spicy but lacking a robust romantic relationship arc.