This is a book that will keep you riveted with interest or completely turn you off if you fall in the bit of a prude category. It is tale told by both parties, in separate chapters, from their point of view. It goes from an accidental college encounter to becoming friends much later. He is straight laced and she is a very open and spouts forth what she's thinking, and acts, without considering the consequences. They become friends who try setting up each other on very bad double dates untill they become friends with benefits. But all is well that ends well.

I have rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

FINAL DECISION: Quirky and sweet contemporary romantic comedy. I read this one on a whim and ended up loving the story between two opposites. It was cute and fun and just perfect for a couple hour escape.

THE STORY: Hazel Bradford is a lot to handle. Chaos follows her everywhere, she doesn't have a filter and she has a habit of doing or saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. She met Josh Im in college when she vomited on him at a party. Ten years after college, the two meet again and Hazel is determined to be Josh's best friend. After a bad breakup, Hazel convinces Josh to agree to go on a blind date with Hazel. Well, they would each set the other up with someone and they would double date.  The two have no interest in one another, but somehow their dates don't work out and the attraction between Hazel and Josh keeps growing.

OPINION: Some books you just have to approach with an open mind and an open heart. Not that everyone would love this book if they did, but I know that I had to be open to this book to enjoy it.

Hazel is a lot to take in. She is a whirlwind -- chaotic, intemperate, brash. But she also is completely open to loving other people. She cares deeply. The chaos and her inability to censor herself would be something that might annoy me greatly -- until I saw how caring she is. She wants to love so much that she opens herself up and is hurt again and again. And yet she keeps caring for others. And that is what makes her who she is.

She is desperately aware that people are attracted to her, but that she becomes too much and people expect (or want) her eventually to tone down. But she doesn't. Although Hazel is confident in herself, she also doesn't believe that she has any chance with Josh.  She dubbed him "Perfect" as in the model for the perfect guy. Her caring for him makes her want to be close to him, but because she doesn't believe he can be for her, she instead wants to be his best friend.

Hazel and Josh begin a friendship that is funny and sweet at the same time. She brings color and imperfection into his life. Josh brings some order into Hazel's. Josh, however, is always completely accepting of Hazel. He may not understand how her mind works, but he doesn't criticize her or try to make her into someone else. Hazel is a force of nature and Josh is the calm in the storm.

The two end up on a series of terrible dates (with other people) which end up being an odd courtship between them. I loved the humor and the pure acceptance between these two.

This is the first Christina Lauren book I've actually read. I have a bunch on my TBR list and own a bunch, but I have always set those aside to read something else. Why did I decide on this one? Because the hero is Korean American. I thought the interracial romance was handled well.

My only complaint about the story was the ending and the epilogue. I'm not a fan of leaving obvious story points unfinished and them coming back in the epilogue to give answers. I love epilogues, but personally prefer that the story be complete without it and then have the epilogue as a bonus. But that is a quibble with what was a wonderful, light and fun romance.

WORTH MENTIONING: The story is told in alternating first person points of view.

CONNECTED BOOKS: JOSH + HAZEL'S GUIDE TO NOT DATING is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to help prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

4.5 Stars

UMM..... THIS WAS SO GOOD!!

I told myself I wouldn't read anymore Christina Lauren because I thought <a href='https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2421837638?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1'>Roomies</a> was a bit bland and not up my alley, but this one just sounded cute so I broke my own rule and WOW I'M SO GLAD I DID THIS IS A NEW FAVORITE OF THE YEAR!

The main thing I love about this book is the main character. She's cute and quirky and fun without every trying too hard to be ~different~. She's authentically weird rather than being a manic pixie dream girl, and she's aware of it, AND she's proud of it. She reminded me of Jess from New Girl, which is my favorite show of all time because I love her character so much. That, combined with the fact that she also reminded me of Lucy from <a href='https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2099191444?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1'>The Hating Game</a> made me love her. Her dialogue was always so great--hilarious without EVER being cheesy. She was so refreshing and unlike any character I've read before. Hazel also really validated a small part of me that's insecure that I'll never find anyone because I'm too weird. I've never read a book like this before, like I was receiving a gentle pat on the back. Two thumbs up.

Josh was also SO sweet and mindful and generous and he's the perfect love interest. The dynamic of (sorta) enemies to friends to lovers was also a great slow burn. The pacing of this is exactly what I look for in romance and I would read every book Christina & Lauren write if they do it similar to this one.

As always, Christina & Lauren were really mindful of representation, feminism, and healthy relationships. The love interest and most prominent side character in this are Korean, and their culture was discussed at multiple points in the book (I'll link some ownvoices reviews discussing the rep if I see any once this comes out). However, there were a few times that Hazel would fetishize Koreans because she sexualized Josh's Korean name and the way he sounded when he spoke Korean, but there's only two occurrences of that at the beginning of the book. Lastly, there's a lot of candid talking about sex, including discussion about consent and bleeding and other good stuff. Also, there's a lot of fighting back against slut shaming and women being able to do what they want, which I think was great. I just love how the characters in Christina Lauren book will encounter a problem in the relationship or with sex and literally say, "Hey, let's talk about this" rather than avoid each other childishly. SO GOOD! (and yes, that's how low the bar is in romance books to be considered good, people.)

I was warned that the ending of this might be something I'm not into, and I gotta agree that this veered a sharp left at the end. I haven't decided if I liked it or not, but it was definitely *cough* a choice. I'd have to talk about it in a spoilery review. But if this would've ended differently, I probably would have given it 5 stars.

Definitely add this to your TBR if you're looking for some healthy romance that has equal parts cuteness and steaminess. I adored it thoroughly.

I absolutely love the books I have read by Christina Lauren. The books are well written with fun plots that are out of the ordinary. This is true of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. Josh and Hazel are great, fun, complicated characters who do not see how perfect they are for each other because they are almost extreme opposites. They embark on a plan to find each other the perfect match but none of the blind double dates end up well and some are just hilarious. Some head knocking will have to happen if Josh and Hazel want to find the perfect match.

Delightful! The authors do an amazing job with characterization: you feel like they could walk off the page and be standing next to you. Also, Hazel is the person we all wish we could be-joyful and eccentric. Definitely recommended!

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. It's an entirely different brand of fantastic than, say, Love and Other Words or Beautiful Bastard, but it is fantastic nonetheless and I loved every single second. This story is adorably sweet, hilariously funny, achingly romantic, and it squeezed and tugged at my heart strings in that pleasurable, painful way I adore. I swear, this friends to lovers romance gets better and better and better as the story moves along. I never expected to feel all the things I was made to feel in this unconventional love story but with each turn of the page I grew more and more immersed. I don't know how they do it but Christina Lauren continues to blow my mind every single time.

This book gives off serious Will and Hannah vibes!! Hazel is awkward and adorable and she's self diagnosed as undatable. I actually cringed every time she spoke at first. I laughed aloud over what I initially thought was an unfortunate case of bad luck but later realized it was actually a refreshingly joyful case of Hazel being unapologetically herself. Josh, though, is a bit straight laced. He's the calm to Hazel's storm, and with the two being so obviously incompatible, they've placed each other firmly in their respective friend zones. The slow burn between these oblivious friends is such a sweet one, but it's rife with humor and sharp witty banter that had me laughing out loud as often as I swooned over their chemistry.

This has to be the single most refreshing friends to lovers romance I've read. It doesn't fit into a neatly packaged box of predictability and cliches, nor do the colorful characters within it. This is as much a story about love as it is about embracing your quirks, about never allowing anything to dim your sparkle, and finding the person that'll appreciate every part of you. This story made me laugh, it made me cringe, it stung my heart at times and, in the end, it left me smiling from ear to ear. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is SO MUCH FUN. It's light and sweet, SMOKING HOT and hilariously entertaining. Readers are going to just DIE over this couple. I can't even get over them myself. Christina Lauren is KILLING IT with romance in 2018 and Josh and Hazel are up there in my list of TOP FAVORITES.

I absolutely adore the writing duo of Christina Lauren. I've been a fan of their writing for quite some time now and could not wait to get my hands on their latest release. From the moment I heard about Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, I just knew that this book was going to be a ton of fun. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint.  Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is absolutely one of the cutest stories I've read in quite some time. I thought the characters and the story was so refreshing and so unique. I couldn't help but fall in love with Hazel the moment I met her. I mean she was just such a hot mess. She was awkward and so quirky. She rambled when she got nervous and was just the cutest thing ever. I would love to have such a free spirited friend! And then there is Josh. Josh is Hazel's ideal man. The poster boy for perfection. He is without a doubt the most loyal guy and man can he ever make you swoon. Together these two should not have worked. I mean they were completely, totally, 100% opposites, but you know what they say, opposites attract. I loved watching these two fumble their way through friendship, awkward double dates and the potential for something more & amazing.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is the highlight of this girls reading week. It was fun. It was entertaining. It was well written. It made me swoon. It made me fall in love. And it kept me with a ridiculous smile on my face the entire time. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is the kind of story that will melt all your troubles away. You can't help but fall for these characters and their story. You won't be able to put their story down and can't help but devour all the pages. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating gave me all the feels and kept me begging for more. I loved getting lost in Hazel and Josh's story.

This is one of the best romances I've read in a very long time. Hazel's wackiness could have worn out the reader, but it didn't. There was just enough common sense to save her. The chemistry between Hazel and Josh is obvious... to everyone but them! The situations are hilarious, and I kept wanting to read more, only stopping when it got to late to keep my eyes open. I'm looking forward to more books from this writer!

Hazel feels that she will never find the perfect man for her.
She believes herself to be to much for any man. That is until Josh.

Enjoyable read! This book was a lot of fun. Hazel's quirky nature and Josh's calm, sweetness were a great match. It's pretty low conflict and there's a tropey twist near the end, but a fast, entertaining read overall.

On Monday I saw Christina Lauren post about this book on Instagram and asked if there were ARCs. That same day I requested it on Netgally, got the eARC, and then proceeded to stay up until 6 a.m. reading it. Yeah, it was that good. And I have a problem, but that’s neither here nor there.

Anyway, this novel is told in the dual POVs of Josh and Hazel, and I love them both but I might love Hazel just a tiny bit more. She was hilarious. I literally laugh out loud at so many points because of the things she did and said. I also shook my head a few times and said, “Oh Hazel,” but with the same kind of fondness Josh had for her. Hazel’s just the best.

Then we have Josh and my God he definitely tops the book boyfriend list. As Hazel likes to say he’s “the blueprint for Perfect.” First of all, I love that he’s Korean and that his culture was explored in this book. We got to see his Umma (mom) who was constantly cooking food for Josh and his sister, Emily, and then of course also Hazel, who’s also Emily’s best friend. (Side note: All the food descriptions made me hungry and want Korean BBQ) Christina Lauren did a good job exploring Josh’s culture and traditions and I loved getting to see that in this book.

Now, Josh and Hazel together. They were so cute and funny, and I loved that they spent the majority of this book setting each other up on pretty awful double blind dates. The number of times I wanted to jump into the book and yell at them, “Why are you wasting your time? The love of your life is right there!” was a lot. That said, I love a good slow burn and this book totally gave me that and while I always expect a happy ending from Christina Lauren this book still managed to surprise me.

Thus, I must highly recommend this book and I’m truly mad you have to wait until September to read it because ALL I WANT TO DO IS TALK ABOUT IT. Alas, that’s just how this goes. But preorder it so you can get it immediately and we can gush about Josh and Hazel as soon as the book comes out. K, thanks!

I LOVED this book! I love anything Christina Lauren writes. I laughed, I cried, my glasses steamed up! I would recommend this to friends, family and everyone else. I am such a Hazel!

Oh, I loved it!! Hazel was a fantastic character, and I didn't want to put the book down!! Christina Lauren are a great team!

LOVED IT (per Christina Lauren usual). Josh and Hazel's relationship tugged on my heart strings and had me reading at every possible minute until I finished this. They were lovable, funny and meant to be. Anxiously waiting for my next Christina Lauren book now....

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I think the authors did an awesome job creating a character that was unlike any other that I have known but also making her relatable, kind and completely one of a kind. I really like Josh I love the fact that he comes to love all of Hazel's eccentricities and differences. I also enjoyed the fact that Hazel completely loved who she was as a human. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a cute, fun summer read. I loved Hazel! She’s likely one of my favorite book characters ever.

I liked this a lot! Contemporary romance is probably the genre I grade most harshly, and this book is really successful! The characters are fun and likable, the chemistry is real, but the obstacles keeping them apart don't feel excessively manufactured or unrealistic. I loved the conceit of two platonic friends setting each other up on blind double dates. Hazel was a little too manic-pixie-dream-girl for me at times but I liked some of the insight into that trope. The idea that calling her embarrassing Is the worst sin, because she likes herself - you can be embarrassed but she won't be and it's on you not on her, is really thoughtful. And I loved that Josh was a superhot Asian dude. I just saw a preview showing of the Crazy Rich Asians movie and superhot Asian dudes definitely exist and don't get much portrayal in mainstream romance, so I appreciated that.

Fantastic! Hazel is a lot to take. She is fun, quirky, a huge personality. Josh is definitely more reserved. They had several unfortunate encounters in college where Hazel definitely made an impression on Josh. Fast forward several years and they meet again at Hazel's best friend's and Josh's sister's house. Their budding friendship is laugh out loud funny.
Thoroughly enjoyable.

3.5 stars

Josh + Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating is a fun and entertaining read. Perfect for the beach. But I will be honest and say it didn’t WOW me.

Overall I truly enjoyed the storyline and the characters the authors gave us. I just thought the pace of the story was slightly on the slow side and there was an aspect of the storyline that I didn’t particularly like. I didn’t think it needed to be in the story. But I am sure I am in the minority here and many others will LOVE this book.

Josh + Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating is a standalone romantic comedy. It’s a friends to lovers story told in Dual POV.

What I absolutely LOVED about this book was the heroine Hazel. I love her name to start, but she was a fun and quirky heroine. She didn’t care what others thought of her and she didn’t believe in using a filter for what she had to say. I laughed out loud so many times all because of Hazel. Even though Josh was her complete opposite, I thought they were the perfect match. Josh was the stable to Hazel’s wild side.

Josh + Hazel’s story starts out in College where they met and Josh got to see Hazel’s quirky side. Hazel was smitten with Josh in College but since she was labeled undatable nothing ever came about it. Fast forward several years and they end up bumping into each other at Hazel’s friend Emily’s BBQ. Not knowing that Josh is Emily’s brother. What we get over the course of the rest of the book is the building of a beautiful and unexpected friendship that eventually turns into so much more.

If you are a fan of RomComs and friends to lovers stories, then you should pick this book up. I think many will enjoy this book.

4.25 stars

(loved it more than Roomies)

I truly enjoyed this book. Since the beginning of 2018 I have now read Christina Lauren's latest four book releases and I have honestly enjoyed them all. And after Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating the author couple is on my auto-buy list.

This book was wonderfully entertaining. Not a rom-com per se, but funny nevertheless. Hazel had me cracking up non-stop. Her incapability to filter her words and thoughts always resulted in lol moments. She definitely knew how to break the ice. Alone she was a lovable hazard, but Hazel combined with Josh - together they were BEAUTIFUL. Even though they were different, they somehow clicked. They made sense. And most of all there was nothing fake about Hazel and Josh. Their friendship and chemistry felt genuine.

I always say I love quirky characters the most. And Hazel confirmed that tenfold. There is NOTHING better than a story with a quirky and unique character that changes the status quo and delivers a unique and fresh personality that will stay with you for a long time.

Now Josh was the dependable one, and his quiet and solid personality was in an understated way decisively HOT. When he spoke I smiled. I don't know why, but the quite types are the ones that do it for me more than any other. And he got Hazel in a way only a few ever did. I should also mention that he made my heart go all soft and gooey - what can I say he was swoony. He also was of American-Korean decent and his family including his sister were incredibly lovable characters. Authentic Korean lifestyle and culture was weaved throughout the story, which delivered a rich and diverse background and added to the overall vibrant and entertaining story.

The story in it's entirety was fresh and wonderfully satisfying. At the end there was a side plot I wasn't all too enamored with and could have done without, but all in all I adored this book.