ACK, y’all! This book just left me in a state of “Squee! Squee! Triple Squee!”

I’ll try to coherently share what that actually means, but suffice to say that my heart is so happy right now after all the fluttering and swooning and double time racing it’s been doing. I went into this book a little apprehensive because enemies-to-lovers is a trope that doesn’t always work for me. There was no need to worry, though. While I definitely think it’s a true enemies-to-lovers tale, the antagonism is doled out in equal measure and it’s smart, witty, and biting in a way that doesn’t quite make it mean and, indeed, sometimes feels a little bit like foreplay.

And it’s funny. Funny in a smart way, which is my exact favorite kind of funny. The chemistry between Olive and Ethan was sparky in an almost palpable way. But it was the banter that stole the show. It was impossible for my heart not to attach itself to them, even as they engaged in verbal sparring matches. They were adorable, unexpectedly sweet, and so much fun to read!

I also loved the added layer of the family dynamic(s) here. I adored Olive’s overwhelming and often overbearing family, and found her relationship with her sister to be authentic and touching – even as it occasionally frustrated me (as is the way of sibling relationships). I also loved how they supported each other, lifted each other up, and cheered each other on. It was just an extra special layer in this already special story and I loved it so much.

I loved everything, really. I had so much fun reading this book. I fell crazy in love with Olive and Ethan’s love story, and I didn’t want to put it down. I laughed with them, I ached for them, and was ultimately rewarded with one very happy heart and a giant lovesick grin. An easy five stars.

5 hug-my-kindle worthy stars!!!!

I loved The Unhoneymooners so much. It took everything that I love about reading romance books and executed it with such perfection and then some. A good enemies-to-lovers trope is my jam, and Olive & Ethan’s relationship had me so giddy. From their purposeful play on each other’s names to their I hate you (but I want you), and all the frowns and eye-rolls in between, I was so hooked!

Ethan Thomas may just be my number one book fella now. He is...so yummy and hilarious. But, you know what? Olive may just be my ride-or-die book heroine now too. I love a great growth, self-reflection, and self-discovery story. Olive’s just felt especially real and inspirational.

Christina Lauren are my auto-buy authors. But this one is right up there among my favorites!

Apparently I have this weird pattern with Christina Lauren's books, where I'll like one release and then completely adore their next one. The Unhoneymooners continued this tradition, and fortunately, it landed on adore. Also, similarly, I love their books that have hate-to-love/general dislike/enemies-to-lovers (The Unhoneymooners, Wicked Sexy Liar, and Dating You / Hating You, respectively). If you love a good hate-to-love romance, you'll definitely love this one!

I adored Olive! She really is the best, and I loved following her point of view. (Side note: I think I liked this book even more because it only had one POV. Personally, I just like a singular narrative.) She's judgmental and pessimistic as hell, which I highly relate to, honestly. I liked how the authors went into how people sometimes ignore what she says because they just think she's being negative. This happens to me all the time!

One of the points of contention with her family is her feud with her sister's fiance's brother, Ethan, who, incidentally is the love interest. He apparently disapproved of her food choice at the fair when they first met, and she's disliked him ever since. Despite this, they have so much chemistry together. The banter! The inability to act like they like each other (until they really do)! Wits collide as they try to mask their hate for each other, and it's hilarious to read.

The plot is so fun! There's all sorts of antics as Olive and Ethan struggle to pretend they're together, if not just so they won't get kicked out of the resort, but also to save face as they continually run into people they know. Thus, we get the "fake married" trope in the middle of the "hate-to-love," which, if you truly know me, are two of my favorite tropes.

Olive is Mexican-American, and although I am not, as a PoC, I very much related in all her family's antics. Her cousins are some of her closest friends, and they're all so there for her, supportive through and through.

I will say though, and I'm not sure if I am the one to say it, that there was, at least very borderline, presence of the "fiesty Latina" trope. I'd invite you to look for some #ownvoices reviews on this.

It was nice to see that the deal breaker towards the end of the book was something that wasn't between them; it was more how they reacted to issues having to do with two of the people they're closest to. This goes back to people dismissing Olive's opinions because of how pessimistic she is, but I lowkey hated that Ethan refused to even entertain the notion that she was right. There was a lot of character development in Olive during this, but less so on Ethan's part, in my opinion.

Overall, The Unhoneymooners is one of my favorite of Christina Lauren's books. It's hilarious and fun, and it made me miss Hawaii so much. If you like the fake dating/married or the hate-to-love trope, I definitely recommend this book! Pick it up on May 14 for witty banter, fun antics, and a wild ride from start to finish.

**This review will be posted on my blog, Magical Reads, on May 11th.**

I haven't read too many Christina Lauren books, but I know they can sure write a good romance. When I read the synopsis for this one and heard some good things from early reviews, I couldn't resist picking it up!

Olive and Ami are twins and are opposites when it comes to luck; Ami has it all and Olive has none. When Ami's wedding comes up, Ami is determined to win everything in her wedding, from the dress to the honeymoon. When the buffet goes awry, though, and everyone but Olive and Ami's husband's infuriating brother, Ethan, get food poisoning, the newlyweds send their siblings on their honeymoon in their place. Attempting to get along for a sun-filled vacation, Olive and Ethan find themselves running into people from their lives back home and have to pretend to be a newly-wed couple who are head over heels for one another. While the two can't help but bicker, they slowly learn more about each other and realize they may have made some pretty big misconceptions about one another...

I really love hate-to-love romances, so I was ALL OVER Olive and Ethan's romance. I literally laughed out loud during this book and was obsessed with the banter between the two characters. There were such little details about what they would do to push each other and I was smiling throughout most of this book. I also think the fake marriage aspect of this book made things that much more entertaining because they got to see another side of each other and realize that maybe they didn't really hate each other that much.

Since this book did take place in Maui, away from the characters' real world, Olive and Ethan could forget everything and focus on their confusing feelings for one another. This book definitely made me crave summertime and a few hours on the beach. Since they were on vacation, there weren't too many slow moments because there as always something new for Olive and Ethan to do and argue over.

Overall, this was such a fun hate-to-love romance that also dealt with familial relationships. I do wish we got a little more steam since most scenes ended up being fade to black. I would have also loved this book even more if we had some of Ethan's POV. He was just so sweet and I would have loved to see his perspective on things that happened. As it is, though, The Unhoneymooners is a fun romance that will have you laughing out loud!

this was an ok book not the most bestest i have ever read but just ok. I probable woult go out of my way to read anything else by this author

4.5 stars!

Olive's identical twin sister, Ami, is getting married to Dane. Ami is the type that seems to have all the good luck and Olive?.... well, she has no luck at all. Here is the twist... everyone who attends the wedding ends up with food poisoning, except for Olive and Dane's brother Ethan.

Because the trip was free, Ami implore Olive to use it but to remember that she has to pretend to married to Ethan. Here is the thing... since the day they met, Ethan and Olive can't stand each other.

As they spend more time in Hawaii on the honeymoon, they discover that they've both been misguided in their perceptions of the other. Olive always though Ethan was attractive but his arrogance out weighed that for her, until she realized it was a shield in a way. They decide to see if this relationship can work once they are back home. This is where it gets interesting.

So can they last or was it just a vacation fling? Definitely one click this hilarious, swoon-worthy read.

I have been such a huge fan of Christina Lauren and their brand of funny, swoony romance. The Unhoneymooners is just another 5 star example of their absolutely amazing novels. I completely fell in love with Olive and Ethan's hysterical banter and funny antics. This story made me laugh out loud as only this dynamic duo can do. 

When frenemies and co-bridal party members Olive Torres and Ethan Thomas decide to go on their respective siblings honeymoon they could never have expected the commotion that a trip to Hawaii would cause. 

I enjoyed this story immensely as I felt both Ethan and Olive were endearing and just laugh out loud funny. They were so different but there differences were where they shined. Ethan, a germaphobe and shy numbers guy was so funny in his adorkable awkwardness. Likewise, Olive was just as enchanting as her bluntness and inner sarcastic diva paired with her chemistry with Ethan was an altogether plus. Overall this was another win for this author duo and I look forward to more from them in the future! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula

I love Christina Lauren's books! They are not only well-written but laugh out loud funny too. Olive's identical twin sister is getting married and Olive is happy but a bit sad to be "losing" her. When everyone gets terrible food poisoning from the reception buffet - except for Olive (allergic to shellfish) and the groom's brother, Ethan (thinks buffets are germ infested) - things become complicated. Olive and Ethan decide to go on the honeymoon since it's prepaid and it's hard to resist Maui. Although they've despised each other since their siblings began dating, they decide that they can avoid each other to enjoy several days in paradise. Unfortunately, a hilarious chain of events has them interacting with each other more than they planned. Lots of humor, an underlying issue with the groom, and slow burning romance make this a great read.

I have been a HUGE fan of Christina Lauren since the BEAUTIFUL BASTARD series started. Unhoneymooners is an enemies to lovers - rom-com that had me spitting out my drink multiple times. While I love the fact that this isn't a heavy book, I was a bit disappointed in the plot, for the simple reason being that it should have had more to do with the main characters Olive and Ethan. Their chemistry was just okay to me. It wasn't over the top or explosive, and that could be because of what I am used to. With that said, I am happy with how this author choose to forgo the sexy times that were descriptive. To me, it just made more room for Olive and Ethan's story. I will say that Olive and Ethan's banter is some of the wittiest I have ever come by. It was fluffing fantastic. It made the story that much more intriguing. Add in the family dynamic, and it will easily sweep you away,

Being 32 years old, Olive thought she would have her life together. Olive " Ollie " is pretty much the unluckiest person known to mankind, from her career, to her not so love life. The one thing she does have, is a one of a kind personality. She has belief in herself and is not ashamed of who she is. She is witty, and clever, and the best dang sister known to man kind.

Ethan is quite the opposite of Olive. He has a thing for numbers, honestly anything to do with math, and a career he enjoys. He is germophobe, and likes to keep disinfectant with him almost every where he goes. He comes off as shy, and is not very talkative.
He seems to embarrass pretty easily, and it's quite hilarious when it happens.

When Olive and Ethan get the chance to take a free 10 day vacation, they agree to put aside their mutual hatred. But to be able to keep up lies that are told, they have to do more than put the mutual hatred aside. Can Olive and Ethan move on from the past?

*I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin. Wherever she goes, mayhem seems to follow. By contrast, her sister Ami like a lucky penny. She even got her entire wedding planned by winning free stuff! Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man aka her nemesis soon to be brother-in-law, Ethan Thomas.

Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.

I adored this book! The premise is hilarious and makes for fun reading. This writing due excels at characterization and humorous banter. The developing romance is realistic and heartfelt. Perfect for readers of contemporary romance and those who enjoy the writing of Molly Harper and Sophie Kinsella.

Loved the premise of this book. Ethan and Olive are mortal enemies yet their siblings are getting married and they are the best people. When everyone gets sick at the wedding and they are each offered the honeymoon they decide to take it. Sparks fly and assumptions are put to rest. But when secrets are shared about their siblings marriage, do they have what it it takes to make their new relationship last? This was a fun, sexy rom-com that I've come to expect from the uber talented duo of Christina Lauren. Sure I may have had to suspend some disbelief a few times throughout the book but it didn't deter from my enjoyment of it or my love for the couple, especially Olive.

Yet another escapist delight from Christina Lauren!

This sort of felt like they read The Hating Game and thought, "we can do better." They did - this was a great reworking of the enemies-to-lovers trope.

This was SUCH a fun read! totally loved it, and can't wait to read more from CLo. One hope for the future is that they will elevate writers of color instead of just writing from the POV of a writer of color.

People claim that love to hate relationships in books are overdone and overrated. I, on the other hand, love them and this book is the reason why I do so much.

Christina Lauren is two authors that get things right in romance novels. The witty banter, the seduction, and everything in between are just perfect when they come together. They make it so easy for you to instantly fall in love with their characters.

The thing that shocked me was that there wasn't much sex in this one. Usually, they go into detail and this one didn't which was surprising. But it didn't take away from the love/hate story between Olive and Ethan.

Olive has always been unlucky - in her career, in love, and life in general. When Olive’s twin sister, Ami, gets married, everyone in attendance gets food poisoning - except for Olive and the groom’s brother, Ethan. Ami comes to terms with the fact that she and her husband won’t be able to go on their honeymoon, and asks Olive to go in her place. Suddenly, Olive doesn’t feel so unlucky anymore. The feeling doesn’t last long, as she realizes there’s a catch - Ethan is taking his brother’s place on the honeymoon, and he and Olive don’t exactly get along. A few days into their vacation, Olive and Ethan realize that they’ve misunderstood one another, and slowly start to fall for each other. Unfortunately, before long, complications threaten to tear them apart.
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As usual, this amazing writing duo had smiling from ear to ear with every turn of the page. Ethan is my definition of a perfect love interest - sarcastically funny and seriously misunderstood. Olive is so relatable, and I found myself rooting her on during every situation she found herself in. Together, they made a super fun couple - their antics had me cracking up! I also really appreciated the great family dynamic, as it reminded me a lot of my own. If you’re looking for a light, fun romance to pair with a mai tai on the beach - this is the perfect choice!

This was another cute contemporary romance from Christina Lauren. I didn't love it quite as much as Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating but that book is pretty hard to beat for me. While Josh & Hazel told a friends-to-lovers story, The Unhoneymooners was based around an enemies-to-lovers story, one of my favorite romance tropes.

Olive & Ethan cannot stand each other (or so Olive thinks) - so when circumstances conspire, in a ridiculous and HILARIOUS way, for them to take a honeymoon together, it seems like a bad idea from the start. Add in new bosses, ex-girlfriends, a phony marriage, couples massages, etc. and things get both hilarious and steamy very fast. Olive & Ethan start to get over their longstanding animosity and maybe think they could work this thing out only to come back from their idyllic Maui vacation to an absolute s***storm. While this turn surprised me a little, as I'm used to stories ending at the HEA, Olive & Ethan have a few more storms to weather first and I appreciated watching their relationship mature through some really difficult challenges.

I think Christina Lauren is (are? how do you phrase this with multiple authors and one name??) only getting better - I love the direction I see their books going, with a lot more real-life situations and comedy. Grab this one for your beach bag this summer (just try to not laugh too loud by the pool).

Christina Lauren does it again! This is the fourth book I’ve read by this witty writing duo and, you guessed it, the fourth book I’ve loved.

Olive Torres has always considered herself to be unlucky. It’s her twin sister Ami’s wedding day and Olive is down on her luck again. She’s just been laid off from her pharmaceutical job, she’s wearing a horrid green bridesmaid dress, and to top it all off, she’s forced to interact with the groom’s brother and best man, the swoon worthy Ethan Thomas.

In an unfortunate twist of events, everyone at the wedding comes down with food poisoning...everyone except for Olive and Ethan, that is. Since her sister’s Hawaiian honeymoon package is non-refundable, Olive and Ethan agree to a ceasefire so that they can claim the trip, posing as newlyweds for 10 days in Maui.

I absolutely adored this enemies to lovers story. The banter between Olive and Ethan had me laughing out loud non-stop. Their constant bickering was hilarious, the angst was palpable and their chemistry was off the charts. Olive and Ethan are such relatable characters and I was rooting for them from beginning to end. This book is a must read romantic comedy!

Also, bonus points to the authors for the Harry Potter references!

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books, and Christina Lauren for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was sitting in the car, reading The Unhoneymooners, waiting for my son, and laughing my head off. This book is so funny, and romantic. I was also reading late winter in Ohio so the Hawaiian backdrop was delicious.

Olive and Ami are identical twins but very different people. Ami is so lucky she's able to put on her wedding for a mere $1,000 thanks to sweepstakes and raffle prizes that allowed her to have an excellent venue, a wedding planner and a fabulous seafood buffet. Olive is not so lucky. If anything can go wrong it will, from the "Skittle green" (free) bridesmaid's dress to having to supervise the groom's brother/ best man who she hates. The one thing that did go right was Olive's allergy to seafood - it saved her from the horrible illness the entire wedding party and guests contracted from the elegant buffet. Groom Dale becomes very ill with the bride and guests following soon after, but the despised brother, Ethan, has a serious aversion to buffets so is also unscathed. Olive and Ethan find themselves on a (free) flight to Hawaii for an all -expenses- paid honeymoon since the bride and groom can't leave the bathroom for a few weeks. Not only will Olive have to pretend to be newly-wedded to Ethan, but she'll have to keep up the pretense for 10 days. Ethan is VERY handsome, if a little grumpy, and through their forced companionship she gets to know him a lot better and discovers he's not so bad and they actually have more in common than she thought.

You can imagine what happens next, but what makes this novel unique is the witty, well-constructed dialog and well developed plot. There are many laugh-out-loud moments and lots of pop culture references (which I love!), but there's also poignant drama as Olive comes to terms with what she learns about herself, as well as sordid details of her sister's new marriage.

The Unhoneymooners was a terrific read - very entertaining and lots of fun. It will be a PERFECT beach read, or fireside read, or anywhere read. I plan on checking the other books by this talented writing team as soon as possible..

Olive’s twin sister Ami is getting married. It seems as though strokes of luck are always in Ami’s favor. Ami is the sister getting married. Olive is the MOH who is single, newly unemployed, and stuck wearing a hideous bridesmaid dress.

To make matters worse, the best man, Ethan, is her nemesis. He’s rude, condescending, and a habitual eye roller.

When everyone at the wedding gets food poisoning except Olive and Ethan, Ami’s non-refundable honeymoon to Maui is up for grabs. But the catch is: Olive and Ethan have to pretend to be newlyweds.

It seems as though the trip is doomed from the start, but eventually Ethan’s true qualities begin to surface, and Olive begins to see him in a new light.

Their “unhoneymoon” takes readers on Olive and Ethan’s adventures and misadventures, and the ride is absolutely hilarious! I typically don’t do rom-coms, but I flew through this read because I couldn’t put it down!

Predictable? Yes. Lacking in entertainment? Definitely NOT.

I can’t wait to get a hard copy of this book!

Olive and her twin sister, Ami, couldn’t be less alike. Ami is organized and structured, frugal and methodical. She’s hit every single expected life milestone at exactly the “right” time. Olive, on the other hand, seems to have a knack for getting it all wrong. She’s scattered and a little crazy, always meaning well but somehow constantly finding herself in less-than-ideal situations. Ami may be ready to settle down with the love of her life, Dane, but Olive is still just trying to get by and figure out what she wants out of her job, her relationships, and, most importantly, herself.

So it’s a cruel twist of fate when Ami’s perfectly planned wedding goes incredibly, horribly wrong. Only two guests are left standing after the seafood buffet unleashes its wrath: Olive…and Ethan, Dane’s insufferable older brother. Despite their deeply felt mutual irritation with each other, Olive and Ethan finally agree to go on Ami and Dane’s (non-refundable) dream honeymoon, while everyone else hugs porcelain back at the hotel. The two may not get along, but they figure they can handle two weeks in paradise, sharing a hotel room at night and going on their own separate adventures during the day. Inevitably, things don’t go according to plan, and, by the end of the trip, they begin to see each other in a new light.

When I say that I love books by (the writing duo that is) Christina Lauren, I mean I LOVE their books. They are fun and light—fluffy, yes, but still refreshingly creative and unpredictable. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and My Favorite Half-Night Stand are two of my favorite books from 2018.

I was really expecting to adore The Unhoneymooners, but, sadly, this one fell flat for me. I was intrigued by the Olive-Ethan non-honeymoon set-up, but the execution of the story, especially after the pair return from Maui, is clunky and disjointed. I felt like I was reading a bunch of different novels shoved into one. For example, I had a hard time understanding and believing Ethan’s relationship with Dane. Olive’s job situation jumps all over the place and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I also didn’t like how extended family is basically non-existent in the first half, but then plays a huge role in the second half of the book. Don’t even get me started on that ridiculous ending, yikes.

I’m just so sad to say that this book had no flow. It still made me smile at parts, and it wasn’t a horrible way to pass a few hours. But ugh, I expected so much more. I’m still ride or die Christina Lauren, but I hope the next book is more solid.