Honeymoon Phase by Amy Daws Book Review: A Friends-to-Lovers Romance That Will Melt Your Heart
- Joao Nsita
- 6 hours ago
- 10 min read
This is the time of year when we instinctively begin to turn inward, to seek out warmth, comfort, and the soul-deep satisfaction of getting lost in a truly great love story. And in the vibrant, ever-evolving world of modern romance, there is no trope more beloved, more comforting, or more full of delicious, pining angst than "friends-to-lovers."
The conversation around romance novels has never been more powerful or more mainstream. On social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the #BookTok and #FriendstoLovers aesthetics are a dominant and joyful force. We see a global community of readers celebrating the heart-stopping tension of a slow-burn romance, the joy of a "marriage of convenience" trope, and the rugged, cozy charm of a "lumberjack" hero. The trend is clear: we are all hungry for stories that are not just steamy, but are also deeply emotional, witty, and full of heart.
This is your definitive, in-depth guide to one of the most anticipated and most heartwarming romance novels of 2025: Honeymoon Phase by the brilliant Amy Daws. This is more than just a book review; it is a deep dive into a story that so perfectly and so masterfully captures the magic of the friends-to-lovers trope that it is, without a doubt, a contender for the best romance book of the year.
We will take a journey into the rugged, charming world of the Mountain Men Matchmaker series, exploring the hilarious and heartfelt story of a man who is so hopelessly in love with his best friend that he is willing to become a lumberjack just to marry her. So, get your coziest blanket ready, and prepare to fall in love.
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The Premise: A Friends-to-Lovers Story with a Lumberjack Twist
Amy Daws has a unique and brilliant talent for creating romances that are both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply, profoundly moving, and Honeymoon Phase is a perfect, five-star example of her genius. This is the third book in her beloved Mountain Men Matchmaker series, and while it can be read as a standalone, it is a richer and more satisfying experience if you have already fallen in love with the world she has built.
The story follows the feisty and fiercely independent Addison "Roe" Monroe. Roe is in a bind. She is a woman who has sworn off romance, having already experienced a lifetime of tragedy. But when she discovers that she must be married in order to inherit her late father's beloved lumberyard, she comes up with a desperate, and slightly unhinged, plan: she is going to go to the local lumberjack competition to find a husband.
Enter Luke, her best friend, who has been secretly, and hopelessly, in love with her for years.
In a moment of pure, romantic desperation, Luke makes her a counter-offer: a marriage of convenience. He will be the husband she needs to save her lumberyard. But Roe, who is terrified of mixing their deep friendship with the messy, complicated, and often painful, world of romance, refuses. And so, in a grand, and slightly insane, gesture of devotion, Luke decides that if she wants a lumberjack, he will become one. He enters the competition himself, determined to prove to her that he is the only man for the job. This kind of authentic connection is a key to a healthy partnership, a theme we explore in 8 Signs of a Healthy Relationship.
The Review: Why Honeymoon Phase is a 5-Star Must-Read
Honeymoon Phase is, quite simply, a masterpiece of the contemporary romance genre. It is a book that so perfectly and so masterfully balances a huge, beating, emotional heart with some of the wittiest and most hilarious banter you will ever read.
1. The Ultimate "Friends-to-Lovers" Pining
If you are a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, this book is your holy grail. The pining in this story is so deep, so palpable, and so beautifully, and often painfully, written that it will make your heart ache in the best possible way. Luke is not just a man who has a "crush" on his best friend; he is a man who has been in deep, unwavering, and unconditional love with her for years. The story is a beautiful, slow-burn exploration of his attempts to show her that their friendship is not a barrier to a romantic relationship, but is, in fact, the perfect, and most powerful, foundation for one. For a deep dive into the psychology of this beloved trope, the official Psychology Today website has some fantastic articles on the nature of attraction and friendship.
2. A Masterclass in Witty, Signature Banter
One of the greatest strengths of an Amy Daws novel is her signature, laugh-out-loud, and incredibly clever, dialogue. The banter between Luke and Roe is a work of pure, comedic genius. It is fast, it is witty, and it feels incredibly, authentically real. It is the way that two people who have known, and loved, each other for years would actually talk. The book is filled with hilarious, running gags (including the constant, and very funny, references to Luke's "cock," a pet rooster named after a certain, famous, professional wrestler) that make the story feel so rich and so lived-in. This is a key part of building a lasting connection, a theme explored in 10 Habits of Couples Who Stay Deeply in Love for a Lifetime.
3. A Deep, and Deeply Respectful, Exploration of Grief
This is not just a light, fluffy, rom-com. Honeymoon Phase is a book with real, emotional depth. Both Luke and Roe are grappling with their own, profound, and very different, experiences of grief. The book is a beautiful, and incredibly compassionate, exploration of the messy, non-linear, and deeply personal, nature of healing. It is a story that understands that grief is not something you "get over," but is something that you learn to carry, and that the love of a good partner can be a powerful, and very necessary, light in the darkest of times. This kind of authentic connection is a key to a healthy partnership, a theme we explore in Communication in Relationships: The Key to a Stronger Bond.
4. The Perfect "Found Family"
One of the most beautiful and most heartwarming aspects of the Mountain Men Matchmaker series is the rich, and beautifully realised, "found family" at its heart. The way the entire, chaotic, and deeply loving, Fletcher clan immediately, and unapologetically, enfolds Roe into their family is one of the most beautiful and most moving parts of the story. It is a powerful and wonderful reminder that the family we choose can often be just as, if not more, powerful as the family we are born into. The show’s focus on a powerful family is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Family Movies of All Time.
[Visual Suggestion: A cozy, rustic, "cabin-core" living room, with a group of friends and family, laughing together around a warm, crackling fire.]
5. The "Marriage of Convenience" Trope, Perfected
The "marriage of convenience" trope is a classic for a reason, and this book is a perfect, and very modern, execution of it. The "lumberjack competition" is a brilliant, and very funny, plot device that forces our two, stubborn, protagonists together. But the true, genius of the story is in what happens after they say "I do." The "honeymoon phase" of their new, and very "fake," marriage is a beautiful, and incredibly romantic, exploration of two, best friends who are living in a state of forced proximity, and who are slowly, and beautifully, breaking down each other's walls. This is a key part of building a successful, professional life, a theme we explore in 9 to 5 and Beyond: Work-Life Balance for the Modern Woman.
The Mountain Men Matchmaker Series: A World Worth Getting Lost In
While Honeymoon Phase is a fantastic, and very satisfying, standalone, the reading experience is made infinitely richer by reading the previous two, and equally brilliant, books in the series. The Mountain Men Matchmaker series is a true, "BookTok" phenomenon, a series that is celebrated for its incredible, interconnected world and its cast of lovable, and very grumpy, mountain men.
Book 1: Nine Month Contract
The Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Surprise Pregnancy, Forced Proximity
The Gist: A story about a grumpy, reclusive, and very famous, novelist who, after a one-night stand, finds himself in a "nine-month contract" with a beautiful, and very sunny, geologist. It is a masterpiece of the "grumpy/sunshine" trope.
Book 2: Seven Year Itch
The Tropes: Second-Chance Romance, Single Dad, Grumpy/Sunshine
The Gist: A beautiful, and very emotional, "second-chance romance" between a grumpy, single-dad, park ranger and his high-school sweetheart, who has returned to their small town after seven years.
The series is also famous for its incredible, and very "on-trend," cover art. The beautiful, illustrated, and "retro" style of the covers is a huge part of the series' aesthetic appeal. For a deep dive into the rise of the illustrated romance cover, the official New York Times website has a fantastic article.
And for fans of the series, the good news is that there is more to come! The next book, Bad Boy Era, which will tell the story of the final, and most mysterious, brother, Everly, is already one of the most anticipated romance books of 2026. This kind of authentic connection is a key to a healthy partnership, a theme we explore in 8 Signs of a Healthy Relationship.
The "Book Boyfriend" Report: Why Luke is a 5-Star Hero
In the world of That Love Podcast, we know that a great, romance novel is often defined by the quality of its "Book Boyfriend." And Luke, the hero of Honeymoon Phase, is, without a doubt, a 5-star, top-tier, and absolutely unforgettable, hero.
He is the Ultimate, "Golden Retriever" Best Friend: He is a man who is so deeply, and so patiently, in love with his best friend that he is willing to do anything to make her happy, even if it means just being her friend.
He is a "Manly" Man with a Soft, Gummy-Bear Heart: He is a rugged, and very capable, "mountain man" who is also incredibly, and deeply, in touch with his own emotions.
He is Not Afraid to Be Vulnerable: The scene in this book where Luke finally, and completely, puts his heart on the line is one ofthe most beautifully written, and most emotionally devastating (in a good way!), declarations of love that you will ever read. It is a masterclass in the power of a vulnerable, and deeply honest, hero.
He is a Great Communicator: Luke is a man who is not afraid to talk about his feelings. This is a key part of building a successful, professional life, a theme we explore in Things to Give Up for Personal Growth and Success.
Luke is a hero who is both the perfect, romantic fantasy and a surprisingly, and beautifully, realistic portrayal of a genuinely good man. This is a key part of building a lasting connection, a theme explored in 10 Ways to Bullet-Proof Your Marriage.
Conclusion
Honeymoon Phase is a truly special, and utterly unforgettable, romance novel. It is a book that will make you laugh out loud, it will make you sob, and it will leave you with a deep, and very real, sense of warmth and of hope. It is a perfect, and beautifully crafted, "friends-to-lovers" romance that is a masterclass in witty banter, in deep, emotional connection, and in the power of a truly, and deeply, swoon-worthy hero.
This is more than just a book; it is a feeling. It is the feeling of a cozy, winter's night, of a warm, crackling fire, and of a love that is so deep, so true, and so powerful that it can heal any wound. It is, without a doubt, one of the best romance novels of 2025.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Honeymoon Phase by Amy Daws about? Honeymoon Phase is a "friends-to-lovers" and "marriage of convenience" romance. It follows Luke, who, in a desperate attempt to stop his best friend Roe from marrying a stranger, enters a lumberjack competition to win her hand and her inheritance.
2. Is Honeymoon Phase a spicy romance novel? Yes, Amy Daws is known for writing romances that have a perfect blend of a deep, emotional story and open-door, "spicy" scenes. This book is a wonderful, slow-burn that leads to some very satisfying, high-heat moments.
3. Do I need to read the other Mountain Men Matchmaker books first? While you can read Honeymoon Phase as a standalone, the reading experience is much richer if you have read the previous two books in the series, Nine Month Contract and Seven Year Itch, as you will have a deeper connection to the beloved, recurring, secondary characters.
4. What is the "friends-to-lovers" trope? The "friends-to-lovers" trope is one of the most popular and beloved in the romance genre. It follows the journey of two characters who have a deep, and often long-standing, platonic friendship, and who, over the course of the story, begin to develop romantic feelings for each other. For more on this, the official Goodreads blog often has fantastic articles on popular tropes.
5. What is "BookTok"? "BookTok" is the name for the community of readers and authors on the social media platform TikTok. It has become an incredibly powerful force for book discovery and has been instrumental in the recent, massive surge in popularity of the romance genre.
6. What is a "Book Boyfriend"? A "Book Boyfriend" is a term used by romance readers to describe a fictional, male, romantic hero who is so perfectly written, so charming, and so swoon-worthy that he is considered to be the "perfect man," and readers (jokingly) fall in love with him.
7. I love "grumpy/sunshine" romances. Is this book for me? While the primary trope is "friends-to-lovers," this book, and the entire series, is a fantastic choice for "grumpy/sunshine" fans. The heroine, Roe, is often the "grumpy," closed-off one, and Luke is the warm, "sunshine" character, which is a fun and modern twist on the classic dynamic.
8. Are these books available as audiobooks? Yes, all of the books in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series are available as audiobooks on platforms like Audible. They are known for their fantastic, and often very funny, duet-style narration.
9. What is a "marriage of convenience" trope? This is a classic romance trope where the two main characters are forced to get married for practical, non-romantic reasons, such as for an inheritance (like in this book), for a visa, or for a business deal. The central, romantic tension of the story then comes from the two, "fake" spouses, who are living in forced proximity, as they begin to develop very real, romantic feelings for each other.
10. What is a "found family"? A "found family" is a popular and beloved storytelling trope, particularly in the romance and fantasy genres. It refers to a group of unrelated people who, through their shared experiences and their deep, emotional bonds, create their own, new, and deeply supportive, "chosen" family unit.
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