Synopsis

Honeymoon Alone is told through the lens of Lucy Gray – a third grade teacher who’s 26 and has never really been away from home. Her family is overbearing and her latest romantic interest ditches her publicly for her own cousin. She’s in a rut and on a whim (and the advice from a wedding psychic) she decides to spend her holidays in London – getting away and discovering who she can be without all the noise of her family and her life. She meets a cast of interesting characters at the exclusive honeymoon resort she winds up staying in. Some little white lies and big misunderstandings create quite the tangled web that threaten everything, as Lucy begins to wonder if she’ll ever get her life right.

Review

When you live your whole life (so far) in a sheltered fashion, there might come a time when you do something crazy…like take your sister’s discarded honeymoon and break free from the parental chains.  Ok, maybe you do some of this on a whim thanks to the advice of a psychic at your sister’s wedding, but something has to spur you into action!

I applauded Lucy for her decision to escape her home when a hotel in London calls to confirm her sister’s reservation.  A reservation that wasn’t going to be used because her OCD sister booked two honeymoon options.  Two!  But what better time to put that passport to use than a Christmas getaway.  Her friend Mary encourages her to go and even contacts a classmate of theirs to meet her at the airport and be a point of contact.  It works out to both of their advantages since the hotel is for honeymooners only (and there is no Mr. with Lucy) and Cary’s roommates turn out to be his worst nightmare.

I applaud Lucy’s gumption to take herself on a tour of London and see the usual touristy sites plus so much more. She has been held back thanks to an overbearing mother and older brother.  In fact, when she manages to “lose” her phone and disconnects from those ties is when she really blossoms.  We are able to peek into the frantic thoughts of her family through blog entries.  Apparently, the whole family can blog to let others know what is happening.  I suppose that is easier than making a bunch of phone calls.

Lucy manages to keep Oliver, the nosy concierge, at bay regarding her “husband” and why she is doing so much on her own.  But is he more than nosy?  Could he be smitten with Lucy?  Or is there something more “sinister” at play?  The only way to find out is to read the book.

This book had me laughing at many turns and I had a hard time putting the book down.    I wanted to know what secret Oliver was hiding, who the Honeymooners were, and would Lucy’s family learn to take a step back and let her live her life.  There are a few heart-stopping moments near the end but nothing too scary.  The story is also about finding your own path and looking out for yourself because your family may not know what is best for you despite their best intentions.

As a child of the 80s, I had to share this line with you…I didn’t mark more for some reason, I think I was enjoying the book too much.

“I’m an 80s themed mess.  My hair is crimped.  Crimped.  I look like a bottle of grape soda in my purple, polka-dotted dress complete with shoulder pads.”

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Nicole Macaulay received her MFA from Emerson College in Writing and Publishing. She worked at The WB Television Network, E! Entertainment and The Hallmark Channel. She does brand marketing for one of the largest US travel operators, Collette. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband and four children.

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