Book Review: Dancing With Bees by Anna Maynard

Dancing With Bees is the outstandingly entertaining debut novel from Australian author Anna Maynard.

 

Sunny Moritz thinks at 33 she really does need more meaning in her life. She decides to start with saving the bees and will keep her own beehive. Through email  she connects with Al, the man with all the information to get her started. When Al arrives he is a perplexing mix of mysterious Antarctic scientist and sexy player full of confidence. Someone Sunny definitely should not fall for.

I originally thought this was going to be a friends to lovers romantic comedy and although it does have these qualities there are also some deeply emotional elements within the story such as death by cancer and attempted suicide.

 

Dancing With Bees is a story that will make you laugh-out-loud and make you cry. Some parts were lots of fun while others were profoundly heartfelt with themes of misunderstandings and reconnection. 

 

I found Sunny a bit annoying, however I enjoyed her growth and how she decluttered her life and started doing more meaningful things with her time and doing what gave her joy. 

 

Dancing With Bees was an emotional roller coaster; funny, sad, meaningful with a touch of spice. 

Dancing With Bees is the whole package! 

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 1st April 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance 

Pages: 320

RRP: AU$32.99 (paperback)

Source: Uncorrected proof from the publisher