Mad Honey: A Novel

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Alternatingly heart-pounding and heartbreaking. This collaboration between two best-selling authors seamlessly weaves together Olivia and Lily’s journeys, creating a provocative exploration of the strength that love and acceptance require.”—The Washington Post
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • PEOPLE’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.
Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him completely. . . .
Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in Ash, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of October 2022: If you are looking for a book that will give you all the feels, look no further, Mad Honey is an emotional, empathy-filled novel that will also provide more knowledge of bees than you ever thought you needed. The novel isn’t just about bees, this story has teen love at its core, but also contains a heavy dose of parental love, sacrifice, and the sanctity of secrets. The quote: “There is no set of rules that dictates what you owe someone you love. What parts of your past should be disclosed?”, contains the novel’s foundational question. This novel started with co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan dreaming about writing a book with co-author Jodi Picoult. Boylan wrote about the dream on Twitter—Picoult responded LET’S DO IT!—Mad Honey was born. Fans of Picoult will see her signature writing elements, weaved through the novel. There is an important story here—Mad Honey will delight readers who like to learn about new and different experiences while being taking on a journey. — Kami Tei, Amazon Editor