Book Review: HONEYMOON ALONE

Title: Honeymoon Alone

Author: Nicole Macaulay
Publisher: 4B Pub

Pages: 211

My GoodReads Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lucy Gray, a 26-year-old teacher of 3^rd grade students, is still unattached. Matron of honour at the ‘80s themed wedding of her older sister, Marian, who is obsessive compulsive, Lucy tries hard and fails to overlook the pity of her relatives at still being unhitched. Her ploy to invite colleague Ian to pose as her boyfriend and stave off the nosy questions of her relatives backfires when Ian makes out with her cousin at the wedding.

A psychic at the wedding tells Lucy that she must pay attention to the signs. When Marian forgets to cancel her second option honeymoon arrangements, in London, Lucy sees it as a sign to take a chance and sets out on a vacation to London. Armed with a fake ID, she goes to London, posing as Marian Gray, pausing to inform her mother only moments before the flight takes off.

Predictably, there is confusion and chaos. Mother Dolores, who presides over the writing of an entertaining blog on the happenings in her large family of husband and five children, berates her youngest daughter on the blog with the whole family chiming in. It is Lucy's father who encourages her to strike out by saying, You don’t win the Super Bowl Championship games by sitting on the sidelines.

When Lucy reaches the hotel in London, she finds out that the hotel is strictly meant for honeymooners, and she lies to say that her husband is coming later. The lie comes true when Cary James, an old classmate now taking acting classes in London, shows up at the hotel to take advantage of Lucy’s single status in a honeymooners’ hotel.

Lucy tells us, They say you’re never prepared for the honeymoon to end but Lucy’s might end before it has even begun, when Oliver, concierge at the hotel, gets suspicious. While Cary and Lucy make up a fictional romantic history, Oliver, it seems, is developing some feelings for Lucy.

Meanwhile, police get a tip-off that a couple of thieves have checked in at the hotel. These thieves have been robbing hotels and have recently added murder to their crime resume. When Lucy gets mixed up in the case, her deceptions threaten to unravel her secret. But after days of lying, can Lucy bring herself to tell the truth?

The story is told in the first person present tense PoV of Lucy. I had picked up this book hoping it would be a light read, after the non-fiction book I had just finished reading and I was quite pleased with the choice. This romance book had several LOL moments, as when Lucy checks into the hotel. I also loved the idea of a blog for the family.

It’s hard to tell what book this year is set in, but I liked the lead character’s fondness for the ‘80s. It was such a great decade.

I liked Lucy. She has a pleasant, fun style that makes me think she’d be a hoot to hang out with. London, through her eyes, isn’t bad either. I liked her way with words and her sense of humour, and the fact that she is independent and doesn’t need a man by her side, either in London or in Paris. The vacation helps her discover herself.

Lucy loves the I Love Lucy sitcom character, Lucy Ricardo and ABBA, both pop culture icons that I like too. There is always time for more ABBA in my life.

She teaches 3^rd grade because she feels that it’s a definite turning point in growing up. It’s a pivotal year.

This was a good, fun romance with just the right touch of mystery. I enjoyed this one.

(I read this book through Edelweiss.)