The Honeymoon: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller (Totally gripping thrillers by Rona Halsall) Kindle Edition

People never cease to amaze me on how mean and hateful they can review a book. I am not going to trash an author just because something is not my cup of tea. Some of the best books I have ever read was trashed on reviews.This is my second book by Rona and I found it very entertaining and plenty of twists and turns. I thought there would be a different ending and I was wrong. I like that! I have thoroughly enjoyed both and plan on reading all of her books.Don't let someone's opinion keep you from enjoying Rona's books!

Good story... unnecessary crude language

Plot twist — Review is my own, as an independent buyer, not in exchange for a free book.I’ve read all of Rona’s books and this one is definitely my least favorite. It did keep me wanting to see what happened, so three stars for that. But that was more out of a kind of tepid curiosity, not because it was gripping and compelling.It was a frustrating read for most of the book — the main character’s questions/thoughts/anxieties on a continuous and very annoying loop. Steady streams of neurotic consciousness. If anyone as massively clueless and naive — at her age — really exist, I’ve been lucky enough not to have met them. I mean, who would marry a jobless man they knew absolutely nothing about, and had no real plans beyond the wedding day ... including not even talking about where they were going to live after the honeymoon? And who would just keep going along with all of the weirdness and constant unanswered questions? Lust can cause a lot of trouble sometimes, sure, but this was too over-the-top. And even with a few descriptions of their supposed attraction towards each other, I never got a sense of any real chemistry there. Certainly not enough to blow everyone’s worlds up.It’s hard to share more without major spoilers, so I’ll just say: the twist was ridiculous to me, as well as events afterwards. Nothing flowed well, was one bit believable, or made much sense .... although, since I felt no connection to any of the characters, I really didn’t care how it ended. Janelle was the only character that I liked, and she wasn’t really a big part of most of the story.This just felt like way too amateur of a book for an author as talented as Rona. She has and can do so much better. But I’m grateful it wasn’t another missing kid book, or book about 3-4 childhood friends with a huge secret that comes back to haunt them later. At least it was somewhat of an original concept.

The honeymoonI finished this book in a day. It was definetly a page turner. Beautifully written and is one that keeps the reader on edge. I Simply loved it!!!

A little drawn out and I had trouble really getting into it. Good twist at the end.

I feel as though I keep writing the same review, for the same book. Is there a ghost writer somewhere, secretly writing Not-Quite-the-Same-but-Similar plots for psychological thrillers, using the same tired, cardboard heroine as the protagonist? I have to meet this author! I want to get in on this game! Does it make money?"The Honeymoon" is at least readable. It appears to be edited (although I noticed a few grammatical errors), and the writing was smooth , the narration crisp. Here we have Chloe, our tepid heroine, drabbing it up as a physiotherapist by day, whipping-boy by night (this is metaphorical. She goes home to a snarly displeased grandmother. Chloe is not a prostitute), complicated family dynamics perfunctorily added to dump in usual baggage. In swoops Dan--cue dramatic entrance theme--who sweeps Chloe off her feet by being incredibly tall and big, and I mean really, REALLY big, because Halsall mentions Dan's size (now, now; I meant his HEIGHT) about a hundred times in the novel.Apparently height is an enthralling feature, because Chloe is SMITTEN. She agrees to Dan's proposal, and is hastily married within a month, despite knowing nothing about him. Actually, Chloe and Dan know nothing about each other. At ALL. The only thing that Dan knows about Chloe, apparently, is that she wants to honeymoon in the Maldives. That's the ONLY thing she has ever dreamed about in her life. That will bring to life her every wish and fantasy.When she and Dan race to board the plane after their quick and small wedding, she suddenly realizes that the honeymoon location that Dan has arranged is not the Maldives, but...Menorca? Certainly Dan wouldn't rearrange the one thing that he knows would crush her happiness during their first days together as a married couple...would he?Strangely enough, Dan did. And that's only the first of some very strange things that Chloe is about to find out.*Minor spoilers*Now while this seems like the beginning of a very enticing thriller novel, I could not recommend it wholeheartedly. First of all, the characters are laughably stereotyped and lukewarm. Chloe herself makes such searingly idiotic decisions, that I found myself wanting to pat her absentmindedly on the head, offer her some tea, and allow her to pick up where she left off, just to see what awful decision she would make next, merely to keep the trainwreck going. Chloe flutters through each horrible revelation about her situation with the decision-making capabilities of a backward twelve-year-old. When Dan's darker motivations become clearer, she still hangs on with dim hope, eagerly cradling her youthful lust and love for him, absurdly assuming some pristine reasoning on his part. Halfway through the novel, she allows some of her family members, who have NEVER had her best interests at heart, to give her advice(!).Chloe has no backbone, and she becomes tiresome after several chapters. She remains a static character; she is caught in a horrifying web of events that would make another, more interesting protagonist howl and break chains, question circumstances, grow up. But Chloe? No.As for the enigmatic Dan, is he a perpetrator himself, or a victim of his own circumstances? You have to read the novel to find out. I only recommend this novel as extremely light reading, if you read quickly, and if it's inexpensive. It's well-written, and the style won't drive you crazy, but the characters will. There are no surprises. If there are, they are awkward, deus ex machina-type of arrivals, suitable only for bailing out Chloe and her low-thrills adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is definitely a page turner. I was enthralled and couldn’t put it down. It has all of the elements necessary for a psychological thriller...murder, mystery, intrigue, suspense, romance, and family. It speaks to our human need for love, connection, survival and forgiveness.

This book was somewhat confusing. I don’t know if it’s because the author is English and maybe it’s a different sense of humor? I felt the heroine was easily taken advantage of and not as savvy as I expected someone from modern days to be. She’s a bit weak and the story was kind of scattered. I finished it and the ending was satisfactory.

It gripped me, but I didn’t like the plot, didn’t like the guy at all.

Era buena la idea pero se hace muy tedioso por que todo el libro estás con el "amiga date cuenta". No me encantó.

This book is responsible for me rushing out to buy another two by the same author, (when I say rush out, what I really mean by that is two speedy clicks of my keyboard) all of which I’ve since read. Well, what an explosive read that was? Talk about tense! I was on the edge of my seat all the way through reading this – dying to know the outcome but at the same time dreading it coming to an end because then my relationship with these intriguing characters would be over. Although naive, I can forgive the main character Chloe for rushing into marriage, as I love the whole concept of a ‘whirlwind romance.’ Of course, as soon as Chloe finds out they are not honeymooning in the Maldives, which is what her husband, Dan, had promised her – the alarm bells rang in both our heads. But Chloe wants the marriage to work so she ignores the gathering evidence that emerges which points at the fact that nothing is as it seems. But, like Chloe, I hoped for the best. The story kept me guessing all the way through and, again like our protagonist, couldn’t make up my mind about Dan. Was he telling the truth or is he just a controlling, manipulative bully? Loved the honeymoon villa scenes where the pace really picked up. Such a tense read with a fantastic finale. Dan might be ‘too good to be true,’ but this book is deserving of all those five-star reviews.

i really enjoyed this book.. went through it very fast ..

Had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book. Absolutely thrilling and suspensful.