4 ‘Crazy Hazie’ Stars!

”When Josh tells this story he makes sure to mention that before I threw up on his shoes, I charmed him with a dazed ‘You are the hottest guy I’ve ever seen, and I would be honored to give you sex tonight.’”

I love Christina Lauren and I loved this book! This was such a fun read that I didn’t want it to end.

Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Dating stars Josh Im and Hazel Bradford. Josh is quiet, reflective, calm, sweet, you know, “normal.” Hazel is one of the best heroine’s that I’ve come across in a long time. She is wild, spunky, hilarious, inappropriate, crazy and sweet.

This book is a friends to lovers romance that was super sweet in all the best ways. Josh and Hazel originally met in college, where their paths crossed in some pretty hilarious ways. They meet again years later when they are more established in their lives. Josh has a thriving physical therapy practice and Hazel is an elementary school teacher with a menagerie of pets. Hazel has always had a crush on Josh and Josh has always enjoyed her brand of crazy.

This book takes us through some hysterical hijinks involving these two, peppered with some very sweet and spicy moments too. This was such a great read and I know I will remember these two characters for a long time.

💋

I have been wanting to read Christina Lauren for a long time, but just have not gotten to reading a book of theirs yet. So, when I had the opportunity to read Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, I jumped at the chance and I am so glad I did! This was such a fun friends to lovers romance and I devoured it!

Hazel loves to live in the moment and apologizes for nothing. She was a female character you could not help but love. She was strong, full of life and so unique and usually did not care what others thought of her. Josh on the other hand was more reserved, but such a likeable character. He was sweet and caring. When you first meet them, they seem worlds apart, but somehow become friends. I loved their journey so much! It was fun and quirky.

I enjoyed reading Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren and look forward to reading more of their work. Not sure what took me so long, except timing.

This is the 1st time I've read one of Christina Lauren's books and I can honestly say I LOVED this book. There wasn't anything I didn't like about it. It's funny, quirky, sexy and a whole lot more. This is going to a tough book to beat, I could not put it down,

The blurb really made me smile so I knew I needed this and to simply put it, this is hilarious. Genius. Beautiful.

Hazel is just a scream! She actually made me out of breath reading her!!! In her words,
'I tend to be too chatty, too silly, too exuberant, too random, too eager.Too Hazel-y.” I was worried she might grate on me but she didn't, she was just so genuine that I loved her.

And Josh, his dry wit had me smirking. Their friendship, their love, just them! 'We have nowhere to go but up.'

I picked it up to read a few chapters before bed and I nearly finished in 1 sitting (a girl's got to sleep!) But I had a smile on my face from start to finish.

You need this book in your life. It is one hell of a pick me up!

The awesome pairing that is Christina Lauren has done it again with this friends to lovers romance. The story is a wonderful combo of silly, sweet, sexy, and laugh out loud hilarity. Everyone should have a Hazel in their life. That one friend who's full of spunk, completely inappropriate, absolutely lacks a filter, and loves those close to her with all her heart. She's a hot mess all the way around and such a fun character. Broken down, this one is typical of most friends to lovers romances. Josh and Hazel are just friends, free to be exactly who they are and just have fun together until something changes. But the way the story is delivered kept me turning pages for the next bit of crazy this pair would get up to. The attraction is obvious, at least to the reader, and the chemistry between them is off the charts even when neither of them realize it. On the surface, the off-the-wall Hazel and oh, so sweet Josh seem like complete opposites, but inside, where it counts, they are absolutely perfect together. With a few fun twists and even a little bit of angst, this one is another must read from these authors.

I laughed at all the right places just as I smiled and swooned at others. The seamless flow that is Christina Lauren always blows me away.

It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s cute, it’s sexy, and it’s everything that’s right with a Christina Lauren book. Josh and Hazel balance each other out in this game we call life. Hazel is the perfect character. Her quirky sense of style, thoughts on life, and love make her one of my all-time favorite heroines. Josh was just as great with his down to earth attitude. He centered Hazel in such a way that brought out the best both her and him. Opposites do attract.

I have yet to meet a Christina Lauren Book I didn’t like. They create storylines that grab you and take you along for the ride. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a must. Their epic adventures are priceless.

Are you tired of alpha assholes, bazillionaires, practically perfect people and virginal damsels? Then this book could be for you. This is my first Christina Lauren book but it definitely will not be the last, because on the merits of this one book I’ve decided to read everything they have ever written.

Josh and Hazel met one night in college when Hazel might have puked on his shoes just after offering to sex him up. It is now years later and Hazel is still a wild and crazy hot mess, but she is a completely respectable one as a third grade teacher. I completely fell in love with this character on page one and Hazel just got better as the book went on. The girl has a menagerie of pets in a tiny apartment and each one has a better name than the last, I mean she has a rabbit named Janice Hoplin. I want to be Hazel’s friend in real life.
I tear off a chunk of pancake and carefully feed it to the dog.
“Don’t spoil her,” Hazel tells me over her shoulder.
“Hazel. The dog you don’t want me to spoil is wearing a Wonder Woman T-shirt.”

Josh is the perfect straight man to Hazel’s wild woman. He has a nice respectable job, family and just found out his girlfriend is cheating on him. No better time for Hazel to enter his life and be the bestest best friend he has ever had. He has no idea the ride he is in for.
Hazel groans in jealousy. “You get to talk about cores all day, and working things nice and deep. I would never get any actual work done.”
“I mean, I occasionally get to tell people to take their pants off, but it’s rarely the people you want to see naked from the waist down.”

Hazel’s pretty sure she is undatable in Josh’s eyes, well most men’s eyes, she is a lot to handle and usually doesn’t have a filter on her mouth. But what if they helped each other date. So, the plan begins to go on double blind date they set up for the other. What could possibly go wrong? Well nothing for you, the reader, because it is one crazy fun adventure after another.

Sure, you know they are going to end up with one another eventually, it was inevitable but the journey is so much fun. Hazel is her own woman and proud of the crazy character she is. I loved that she didn’t conform to the world around her and marched to her own beat. Even the lack of filter is adorable in her character.

The story is told from both Josh and Hazel’s PoVs which made the story even better. I really like knowing where each person is emotionally; in a story like this, it definitely makes it more fun. Hazel is definitely the kind of character that worked her way into my heart
We met up in person for venting over coffee and became immediate fast friends. Or, maybe more accurately, I decided she was amazing and invited her to coffee again and again until she agreed. The way Emily describes it: when I meet someone I love, I become an octopus and wind my tentacles around their heart, tighter and tighter until they can’t deny they love me just the same.

I’m with Emily on this and Hazel didn’t even have to buy me coffee.

So recap, fantastically funny, completely cute, silly smart, uniquely quirky and just a dang good time in a book. When you need some laughter in your life pick this up.

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Is there anything better than a Christina Lauren novel? Maybe but the truth of the matter is, when you open one up all thoughts of anything better are long gone because you just know that whatever is written inside, is going to be a real treat and far better than anything else you could have planned for the day.

I have to say, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating just might be my favorite Christina Lauren book to date.

It was so much fun, Hazel, was just so much fun. And I'm pretty sure I need someone like her in my life.

Josh and Hazel's budding friendship was just...perfect. I loved every single second of the relationship they built with each other. From the quirky blind dates to the just hanging out watching TV. These two were so much fun to see and be able to get inside their heads. I truly read this in one sitting in a couple of hours and was so sad when it was over.

I wish I would have prolonged it a little bit longer and made it last but I couldn't help it, I just adored these two and couldn't get enough of them.

Truly an outstanding read that I loved every single page of.

*I was provided an e-ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Gallery Books for the opportunity.*

This review was originally posted on the day of publication, 4 September 2018, at 12 AM Pacific Daylight Time on my blog here: https://readysetandread.blogspot.com/2018/09/book-review-josh-and-hazels-guide-to.html

This summer, I started reading more romance novels. Before the summer, I read romance novels here and there, but never actively kept up. After reading Roomies and Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren and loving them, I had to request Josh and Hazel's Guide on NetGalley. I was delighted when I was approved, and thank goodness I was! At the time of finishing the book, and now months later, Josh and Hazel's Guide is one of my favorite from the author duo.



If you have been following my readings tastes these past years, you won't be surprised when I say that I love romantic tropes. That is, if they are done well. Josh and Hazel aren't love interests right away. Instead, they are best friends who set each other up on blind dates. Combine the "best friends to lovers" trope with Christina Lauren's magnetic writing and hilarious blind dates, and you've got a wonderful novel.


As of September 3rd, I've read several of Christina Lauren's books. This includes:

Beautiful Bastard
Beautiful Stranger
Roomies
Autoboyography
Dating You / Hating You

I read all these books this year, so while I'm not a long-time fan of Christina Lauren, I am now familiar with their work. All five of the books, except for Autoboyography (which is a gem!!), are adult romance novels. It is without question that Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is my favorite adult romance novel from the writing duo. I don't know about favorite all the time, but it would be a very tight race between Autoboyography and Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. Out of the list, Josh and Hazel's Guide stands out to me. Yes, I recommend all the books, but Josh and Hazel's story has been the closest to perfection for me.



What makes Josh and Hazel's Guide stand out was the perfect balance among drama, romance, comedy, and more emotional moments. With other romance novels, the never ending drama and non-stop sex scenes can grate on my nerves, the humor doesn't work, etc. Surprisingly, and much to my pleasure, Josh and Hazel's Guide worked perfectly for me. There were times I was laughing out loud and other times where my heart ached for Josh and Hazel.


There is only one teeny tiny speck that detracts from what would be a five-star book, and it happens near the end of the book. There is a revelation, and if you read the book you will know what I'm talking about, that I found to be cliche. I think Hazel should have been immediately upfront about it once she found out, instead of waiting for reassurance. Then, what happened after was just too cheesy for my taste. It felt too...perfect? Tidy? Thankfully, there was an epilogue that did warm my heart and left a much better taste in my mouth.


Besides the revelation in act three, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was a compelling, heartwarming, and laugh out loud romance novel. If you are new to the romance genre, new to Christina Lauren, or a lover of one or the other (or both!), I recommend this book to you. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is one of my favorite books of the year, and I know that I'll be rereading this in due time.


With that, I give

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

4.5 out of 5 Flowers!

No matter how many novels of theirs I read, Christina Lauren’s ability to infuse their stories with freshness and verve, time and time again, never seizes to amaze me, but it is their singular brand of wit and heart that keeps me coming back for more. Their latest offering is a delicious case of opposites attracting, set in the prickly world of modern-day dating, where the plot takes the ‘friends to lovers’ trope and flips it on its head by telling the story of two people who remain adamant they are not dating, regardless of how much everything they do or feel says otherwise. The writing is delightful—clever and engaging—but, as always, the characters steal the show as their endearing quirks and indomitable spirits shine through on every single page. This is one of those wonderful books that will leave you sighing and swooning and smiling and cursing yourself for not being a slower reader.

Continue reading review » https://natashaisabookjunkie.com/2018/09/03/review-josh-and-hazels-guide-to-not-dating-by-christina-lauren/

4.5 sweet, lighthearted....Josh + Hazel gave me all the warm and fuzzies. Hazel was such a spitfire, I loved her quirky style and thoroughly enjoyed her being too Haze-yy. And Josh was the sweetest, most adorable B alpha. Once Hazel became the one his love for her gave me the cheesiest grin. CL is an auto buy author for me its another winner in their court.

I absolutely FLOVE Christina Lauren. Their books are out of this world amazing but Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was absolutely incredible. I seriously had a smile on my face from ear to ear and could not stop reading! I loved Josh Im and Hazel Bradford so much and loved the way the authors showcased a beautiful love, friendship and the idea of unequivocal acceptance. This story was just so fantastic. I laughed, I teared up and could not stop rooting for this fantastic couple.

The minute I started this story I was hooked and then when I really met Hazel, I fell in love with her and her sass and humor. God, she was such an outstanding heroine. She was confident and sassy and had no qualms about being herself. She was quirky, blunt and different but that was what made her who she was. I seriously had a crush on her the entire time. And Josh?! Lord!! He is my new favorite Christina Lauren hero as he was just brilliant. This was a slow burn romance and the way he loved Hazel just touched my heart. He loved her as a friend at first and then fell in love with the woman that she was, quirks and all. He accepted who she was and felt like she was the perfect woman for him. More importantly, he didn't ever want to change her and thought that she was made for him.

Gah! The wit, banter and swoons in this story were glorious. I loved everything about it and seriously can't wait for more! I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren Book Review
A sweet, funny & heartwarming story about two college friends who couldn't be more opposite. Years later, they are both in Portland (YAY!) & start to hang out. But no dating, no way. (wink!)

Vulnerability Hangover
Hazel Bradford is the very definition of what a vulnerability hangover could be. Have you heard that expression? One of my favorites, Brene Brown, talks about it in many of her books. Have you ever overshared at a party? Have you crept out on a limb only to regret it later? I feel like this after I leave most social situations. I say, "Damn, Sarah - why did you say that?" This my friends is a vulnerability hangover.

But, we’re all supposed to be vulnerable right? People now equate vulnerability with strength. When we're open and honest about our true feelings and who we truly are, it makes us stronger, right?

Hazel is a Butterfly
Well, in that case, Hazel is one of the strongest people out there. But unlike most of us, Hazel has no chill. I mean, none whatsoever. No vulnerability hangover here. Hazel is Hazel & that's it. Take her or leave her, she will be Hazel ALL DAY. That’s one of the things I really love about her character. She is zany as hell. She's also honest, kind & follows her heart. I really love her wild nature & free spirit. That being said, I know she can be a lot to deal with.

Can We Talk About Josh?
Let’s talk about Josh. Josh is a gem. Quickly, Hazel re-enters his life and takes over in all regards. There’s not much air left in the room when Hazel is here. But, oh, Josh! (Insert heart eye emoji here!) Josh is patient & so sweet & thoughtful. Remember, he’s nursing his own broken heart. This is a time where he can be selfish and really just focus on himself. Instead, he welcomes Hazel into his life (as friends, duh!) with open arms.

Josh is so freaking sweet. We all need a Josh. This man will search through the couch cushions to find a remote. That's love if I ever heard it. He also can read Hazel. And when another person is super rude, Josh quickly comes in & tells them to f*ck off. Josh is intuitive & he is a listener. Maybe he & wild child Hazel are meant to be together after all?

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! Y'all already know after reading The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang that I’m super into romance novels. I love, love, love this one. Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating has just enough sex to make it a bit steamy, several laughs & lots of tender moments. Immediately, I want to read everything by Christina Lauren. So my question is do you have any favorites by Christina Lauren? If not, give me some more sweet romances, please!

Special thanks to Christina Lauren, Gallery Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

This book made me laugh! Like, a lot.

The story is told from the perspective of the two main characters, Hazel and Josh, and Hazel is a riot. She’s one of those people who many of us would probably find exhausting in real life—a free spirit who isn’t afraid to be herself (fine) but whose behavior is sometimes extreme (hmmm) and who can’t control what comes out of her mouth (uh-oh). Hazel is too much for a lot of people, and she’s afraid she would be too much for Josh, aka Mr. Perfect, the brother of her best friend and a very normal guy. So, she resolves that they should be best friends, ignoring any attraction she feels for him. But the more time Josh spends with Hazel, the less sure he is that he only wants to be friends . . .

I liked the way the romance between Hazel and Josh developed, with the two of them spending a lot of time together as friends first. That friendship involves things like meeting each other’s families and going on a series of spectacularly unsuccessful blind double dates, which allows their relationship to develop very naturally into more. The story does get bogged down a bit in the very common romance trope of them not being willing to be honest about what they feel, but thankfully that doesn’t drag out too long.

Readers looking for a laugh-out-loud contemporary romance should definitely pick this one up.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I found a new favorite author to stalk! Ok two, because Christina Lauren is actually a writing duo, and I’m so serious when I say I’m obsessed with this book. I’m ordering their backlist and devouring them first chance I have. If someone doesn’t make this into a rom com movie it’s a big mistake. HUGE. Because this was one of the most witty, cute, charming and hilarious books I’ve read in ages.


This is told from both Josh and Hazel’s point of view and while Josh is my new book boyfriend (you guys I usually don’t even do the whole book BF thing, I broke my own rule for him, swoon worthy fictional man) I’m totally in love with Hazel as well. She is a quirky, big hearted and incredibly endearing woman and he is basically her polar opposite. The best part of their pairing was that Josh just gets Hazel, he doesn’t get embarrassed when she’s the only one dancing like a maniac at a concert, in fact he embraces her exactly as she is and I just seriously can’t get enough of that attitude. This world needs more of that type of acceptance and total lack of judgement.

The friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites, I love the mounting tension and heightened chemistry that is evident between two people claiming to be just friends when clearly they are so much more than friends. Christina Lauren blends the perfect combination of sweet, sexy and funny and I loved watching Josh and Hazel fall in love. And that final chapter? Don’t know if I’ve ever read anything more perfect in my life, turned me into a total mush ball. Must read for romance fans!!

Josh and Hazel in three words: Spicy, Adorable and Endearing.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Seriously adorable. Friends to lovers troupe.
Hilarious one liners and repartee. Hazel is quirky and pretty. Josh is handsome and serious. Together, they are best friends. And then more.
Alternating chapters between Hazel and Josh.
A bit sexy. A bit sentimental. A bit quality family values.
A full romantic romp.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and then purchased a copy to share.

OK, Christina Lauren is my new favorite romance author. Like...she just hits me right in the heart and makes me feel all the feels. Hazel is amazing and strong and I just immediately connected with her (because what woman has not gotten a little tipsy and done something that embarrassed someone she was with? mine might have involved leading a casino shuttle in a round of "Copacabana") and the way she talked about Josh, and then reading his own thoughts... I mean, who doesn't love him? This book was so well paced, the characters so well written, I just loved every minute of reading it. More, please.

I loved this book! The humor is off the charts and the characters memorable to say the least. Hazel is a force to be reckoned with and her relationship with Josh is priceless. Hazel says whatever comes to mind and most people can't handle it but those few who understand her joyful take on life are constantly amazed. Laugh out loud funny and hard to put down - this book is a must read!

4.5 stars

Deemed undateable early on, two people reunite in friendship and bad dates to find an unexpected connection.

Hazel Bradford is a woman who lives her life to the beat of her own drum. Quirky, impulsive, awkward and spewer of word vomit, she knows her faults, but refuses to change for anyone. As such, she's happily single and aware that her goofy ways keep her from a long-term relationship.

Josh Im is the opposite of everything Hazel represents. He is the brother of Hazel's BFF, Emily, and all too fondly remembers how he came to know Hazel in college, involving a series of unfortunate incidents. When the two cross paths at a barbecue, Hazel reinserts herself into his life as things begin to fall apart for him.

"I feel like I have a lot to apologize for," I admit, "but I can't be sure I won't be constantly exasperating you, so maybe I'll just wait until we're elderly."

While she suffers from "food in mouth" syndrome, I loved Hazel's confidence in who she was and how she worked to please others. As Josh's moods begin to spiral downward, she forces him to get back into the field, with a series of double blind dates. The dates themselves are epically bad, with each one worse than the next, but Hazel and Josh seem to relish the time together, often joyfully recounting bad memories of each date.

As much as the two address how opposite they are and unfit to date one another, it is clear how well they work together. So, it was surprising that the biggest obstacle for them, is actually Hazel herself.

"We both know Hazel is a butterfly. I think you have the power to take the dust from her wings."

How their relationship evolves is far from normal. Like Hazel, it is impulsive and a bit awkward. As both are desperate to maintain their friendship, neither shares how their feelings are changing. There are rocky parts, as new people come into their little bubble, but this thankfully isn't drawn out, so the angst is minimal. And I loved how Josh handles Hazel's surprise - it was unexpected and really sweet.

I really enjoyed this friends to lovers story. It had the perfect mix of humor, sweet moments and a little heat. If you are looking for a light and fun read, check this out!

5 stars!!

“The world seems full of men who are initially infatuated by our eccentricities, but who ultimately expect them to be temporary.”

Josh and Hazel have known each other since college when she vomited on his shoes. Hazel was the wild child and Josh always liked her but thought she was a bit too much.

Now years later the two of them meet up again and become the best of friends. Knowing they are both undate-able for each other, they set out on a series of double dates each more unfortunate than the last. But they might be having more fun with each other than anyone else….

“When I meet someone I love, I become an octopus and wind my tentacles around their heart.”

It took me until the end of chapter 1 to realize I had been smiling the entire time I had been reading. Throughout reading this book I would continue to find myself smiling and laughing out loud. Sometimes I was laughing so hard I had to put the book down before diving right back in. To say I loved this book is an understatement, and it came into my life exactly when I needed it.

Christina Lauren is an author duo who only get better with every new release. How is that even possible? Most authors tend to go downhill, get boring or deliver the same book with a new cover. Not these two!!! They’ve cemented themselves into a favorite author spot for me, and I know they are automatic one click authors.

Josh and Hazel are characters I loved equally, but for very different reasons. I loved Hazel’s bright inner light, her eccentricities, and how she was aware she was different from everyone else but was unwilling to change for anyone. I loved how Josh got Hazel and accepted her, never wanting to change her. He’s more a stoic type, but the kind that will quietly be beside you through everything.

This book is going into my best of the year list! I LOVED IT! It’s a special story and I really do hope reader’s everywhere will pick it up and enjoy it even half as much as I did.

“He doesn’t need me to change or pretend to be someone else. He’s my person. He’s my best friend.”

ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley. All/any quotes in this review came from an advance unedited copy and may be subject to change in the final product.