Olive and Ethan do not like each other. Their siblings are getting married and they are forced to spend time together. She thinks he’s pompous, he thinks she’s a pessimist.

But it’s hard for Olive to feel otherwise. She feels that her twin sister Ami got all the good luck. Her sister is known for winning prizes. When she got engaged, she made it her personal mission to get as many freebies as possible.

And on Ami’s wedding day, every single person except Olive and Ethan gets violently sick from the seafood buffet.

The honeymoon was a prize and if Ami doesn’t go, there’s no getting it rescheduled. She insists that Olive goes and pretends to be here. Meanwhile, Ethan’s brother recommends that Ethan take his place.

Suddenly these two people who can barely tolerate each other’s company are on their way to Maui together. To the honeymoon suite, to their fake honeymoon.

Things get even more complicated when they both run into people they know at the resort.
Rather than their original plan of going in two different directions, they have to spend time together pretending to be in love.

The more time they spend together, the more ridiculous their activities get. And the more they start to wonder why they hate each other...if they hate each other...and if maybe they actually like each other.

Cute story. Funny. Likable characters and a nice plot. I felt bad for how some of the characters treated Olive. But she seemed self aware enough to realize when they were judging her unfairly.

I got to read an early edition of this e book from NetGalley. Thanks!

"Books are life, they are brain food, they bring joy, and relief, and connection."

This quote is actually from the Acknowledgements section of the book but it was too important not to include. This writing duo gets it, they understand how magical books can be and how lucky they are to do what they do.

The Unhoneymooners was a riot. It was sweet, with some heat 😆 The plot may sometimes be a little far fetched and situations not completely feasible but it was still a great, fun, light and feisty read. The plot sounded very similar to The Hating Game (which I did not like at all) but this book was everything that that one wasn't! The tension was believable, the chemistry was completely evident, and the characters were likable.

This is my third book by them and one thing I've noticed is they excel at developing their characters. You truly get to know the characters and begin to care for them!

Thank you @netgalley and @gallerybooks for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Almost with amazing regularity, these authors write some of THE BEST couples in romance. So far, I've adored all of them, and Olive and Ethan are one of their best to date. This is real talent. Creating characters that mesh so well with each other, that it feels effortless.

I'm a HUGE fan of enemies to lovers. The animosity, the tension, and the banter is what makes me come back for more. Combine this trope with brilliant writing and unique subplots - and you got yourself a winner.

Olive was delightful.

Spunky, sassy and never lost for words, Olive owned my heart! Supposedly she had the worst luck ever, poor girl, and some of her stories were hilarious but also kinda sad. The claw machine incident was my favorite - you'll know when you get to it. But all of the bad luck didn't bring her down, she had an attitude that could have conquered everything.

Ethan was a gem!

Level headed, well balanced, and just the right amount of alpha to keep Olive grounded, he was her match. Ethan was boyfriend material - no question asked. He was adorable, extremely supportive, and just an all-around good guy.

Olive's bad "luck" finally took a break when she was forced to go on a honeymoon with her "enemy" Ethan. Interestingly enough, those two really clicked well - especially personality wise - when they both started opening up. And from there on I was in LOVE with them. Olive and Ethan were #couplegoals. They were like yin and yang. And their time together felt effortless. I'm truly honest when I say this -  I was JEALOUS of how easy and comfortable their relationship was. Beautiful, touching, funny - they had it all.

It's really astounding how well these authors write their couples. They are always down to earth, charming, genuinely likable, funny and smart. A CL couple is by far my most favorite of all. Always well balanced and just awesome in everything that counts. I know I'm gushing, but I have a real crush on Olive and Ethan. That's just fact!!

There was only one subplot that rubbed me the wrong way. And that's more a personal preference than anything else, but it almost ruined the last 1/3 of the book for me. The resolution felt satisfying but I'm just not happy that it happened in the first place. But that's just me.

Except for that  I adored this book. And the cover is beyond gorgeous!! My most favorite CL cover so far and I can't wait to get my fingers on a paperback copy, it's a MUST to have one on my bookshelf. *heart eyes emoji*

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Threahold, Pocket Books for letting me read an advanced ebook copy of The Unhoneymooners. I think this is my favorite Christina Lauren book so far. I just absolutely love Olive and Ethan. Their chemistry was amazing and I adored their love-hate relationship.

I started this book last night and could not put it down. I was rooting for Olive and Ethan so much. The problems they faced were very real especially the part with their siblings. I thought it was handled very well. I was also very proud of Olive for standing her ground.

Overall, this book just amazed me. My type of romantic comedy exactly. I will be buying an actual print book when it is released.

For me Christina Lauren is always a hit or miss. "Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating" and "Autoboyography" are two of my favorites!!! But every other Christina Lauren book (including this one???) kind of.......sucks. I'm so sorry. For myself. Because I JUST WANT MORE JOSH AND HAZEL! Unfortunately this story wasn't written with nice pacing, or characterization, or anything that was J+H. I felt nothing for these characters.

A full review to come on my blog !!!

The Unhoneymooners is the newest one from Christina Lauren and man did they deliver again. Ami and Olive are twin sisters and the book begins at Ami’s wedding to Dane. Dane's older brother Ethan has always had a particular disdain for Olive since they met and now they are forced to interact as best man and maid of honor at the wedding.

When food poisoning spreads like wildfire, Dane and Olive are the only two spared as they opted not to eat from the buffet. With everyone incredibly sick, it becomes abundantly clear that Ami will not be going on her honeymoon she won and there’s one problem, it’s nonrefundable. Ami begs Olive to go and Dane urges Ethan to take his spot. Despite their dislike of one another they both decide to go figuring they could each enjoy a nice vacation once there separately. They arrive in Hawaii determined to each enjoy the vacation of their dreams, however they find circumstances keep forcing them together and it’s a thin line between love and hate...

I read this in one sitting and I loved it. CLo is perfect at building tension at just the right pace to keep you invested and waiting for it to just explode. I completely related to Olive and her insecurities about herself. I often have a running inner dialogue in my head and it really shed light onto how wrong our first impressions can be. Ethan had times where he irked me but in a completely realistic and flawed way. His devotion to his brother ruined the “perfect” image in my head of what I wanted him to be. At first it bothered me but then I thought about it more and really realized just how accurate it was. People don’t always make the decisions that we hope they do. They disappoint us and make mistakes. People screw up when we’re hoping they are better than that. When I reflected on it more I really appreciate the level of realism that CLo infused into the characters in this book. I can’t wait for this one to come out May 14th, 2019. Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel, Gallery Books and Christina Lauren for the advance copy for an honest review. I loved it!

Really, really enjoyed this one! The first half is super funny. Ethan wasn’t exactly loveable to me but I think he’s incredibly realistic for most men. In the beginning I didn’t see the plot twist coming and that never happens for me! Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

This is the book I have been waiting for! Christina Lauren has quickly become one of my go to authors. Whenever I’m in the mood for a laugh or just a really sweet story, I know I can always count on CL to bring on the feels!

This story is about Ethan and Olive. Ethan’s brother and Olive’s sister get married. Unfortunately at the reception, everyone gets sick except Ethan and Olive. The bride and groom insist they take the honeymoon and go on vacation. Ethan and Olive don’t get along too well and don’t really like each other so when they go on a fake honeymoon, what could go wrong? (Or right?)

I absolutely loved Ethan and he may be one of my favorite male characters written. He was so sweet and genuine and he totally made me swoon. Olive was hilarious! I didn’t like how she always assumed the worst out of people but her thoughts were so funny throughout the story and I kept laughing out loud! This has to be one of the funniest reads. The writing flowed really well and I felt that everything happened in the story, the way that it should have. No unnecessary drama. It all led up to a fantastic epilogue and I loved every word!

This story doesn’t come out until May but PREORDER IT. You will not be disappointed and you will devour every single word, just like I did!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for sending me an early reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet book filled with a decent love/hate relationship and a fair amount of humor but it wasn’t as good as some of the authors other books.

Christina Lauren's latest book is a hilarious story of two enemies who are forced to share a honeymoon package together in Hawaii. Olive Torres is her twin's exact opposite: Ami wins lots of paid contests, including several funding her entire wedding and honeymoon, while Olive is more likely to have disastrously bad luck. When some bad seafood sends practically the entire wedding to the hospital, Olive reluctantly agrees to use Ami's honeymoon package so as not to waste a nice vacation. There's a catch though: the groom's unfortunately healthy brother Ethan, who is Olive's worst enemy, is coming along as well. When a series of coincidences leads Olive and Ethan running into new bosses and old exes, the two are forced to pretend that they might not hate one another after all.

Christina Lauren just keeps getting better and better, and their writing seems so effortless and fun, so it’s always a blast to read them. I devoured this one in one sitting and caught myself laughing out loud to throughout the book. This is the perfect book to read if you enjoy enemies to lovers, or if you enjoy vicariously experiencing dream vacations :)

If you are looking for a book that will crack you up with a dash of a love story on the side, this book is for you! Olive and Ethan's story is so hysterical! At points I was laughing so hard laying in bed, I was shaking the whole thing!
Olive could be me with the amount of luck she has. I can sympathize! I honestly didn't like Ethan in age beginning but he quickly won me over.
The Unhoneymooners is quirky, playful, and downright fun!

I have to say that the first thing I LOVED about this book was that it took place in Minnesota (part of it). Being from Minnesota I could relate to the cities, colleges, and places used in the book. The book begins with Olive helping her twin sister Ami pull off her dream wedding. Out of the twins Olive considers herself the unlucky one. Her luck was about to turn around though all thanks to her seafood allergy. The entire wedding party minus her and one picky groomsmen Ethan came down with food poisoning due to the seafood at the wedding. Ami and her new husband Dane are too sick to go on their honeymoon to Maui and because Olive is her twin they decide to sub her in (I mean she looks the part at least). Seems like a great plan until Dane's brother Ethan, who Olive can not stand, decides to go in his brothers place. Olive and Ethan have to learn how to deal with each other for the sake of a good vacation but they end up doing more than just dealing with each other, they may even decide they like each other. There were many twists and turns and kept me as the reader excited all the way until the end.
An ARC was received via Net Galley for an honest review.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

I was excited to see this book, something new from my favorite writing team. When I began reading I wasn’t loving it as much as I had hoped. Maybe it was the fact that this book was different from their other recent books since it only had one point of view until the epilogue. Yet, once I finished it, I really liked it in the end. I fell in love with Olive, Ethan and the Torres family. Diego needs a book!

The Unhoneymooners has elements of other recent books I’ve read and enjoyed. Enemies to lovers, paintball scene (The Hating Game); Made up names to annoy each other (My favorite part of The Duchess Deal); taking a honeymoon without the bride/groom after a disastrous wedding (Down for the Count by Christine Bell).
But The Unhoneymooners was original all on its own. The poisoning of the entire wedding reception was an unique and different way to get Olive and Ethan together for their story to develop. The characters were fresh. The dialogue was witty and authentic. The drama was based upon the very real impulse to believe and protect your siblings. The forgiveness was all love and acceptance, highlighting our ability to change. I would recommend this book.

Of their most recent books, my favorite is My Favorite Half-Night Stand. Loved that group of friends. Their IMs could have been book all by themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Took me one (snow day) to finish this. Oscar and Elmo, I mean Olive and Ethan will not let you down with their witty dialogue and simmering attraction. There were a few parts that seemed pretty far fetched and had a lot of unlikely things happen but was able to get past that and really enjoy this book. Just when you think the HEA is around the corner another twist gets thrown in and you have to keep reading (darn!). I think I have only read one other book by Christina Lauren. I've already checked another of her books out from the library so gotta go!

I read this entire book in one sitting. I always enjoy Christina Lauren books! This one was much more "tame" than their previous romance books and that surprised me. A longer review will be posted closer to publication.

In The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, As Olive Torres dutifully ticked lines off her twin sister Ami's mile long to-do list, she had no clue her unluckiness would rub off on the perpetually lucky bridezilla, er--bride-to-be. Everything about the wedding (which was mostly free thanks to Ami's winning streak with contests) was planned out to the Nth degree. Including the (free) seafood buffet. Which in hindsight might not have been a good idea, considering the food was unknowingly riddled with bacteria causing food poisoning of apocalyptic proportions. Well, to everyone present at the wedding except maid of honor Olive and best man, Ethan Thomas.

While the wedding party and guests all feel like they're knocking on death's door, the new bride and groom try to push Olive and Ethan into taking their prepaid honeymoon to Maui together, posing as newlyweds. Only there's one big problem: they can't stand to be in the same room at the same time, let alone spend ten sun-soaked days in each other's company pretending to be blissfully in love. But for a chance to take a dream vacation? Olive is willing to try if Ethan is. Surprisingly, after some bumps in the road, she has to admit that it's...tolerable spending time with her nemesis. And it has Olive wondering if maybe she's pegged Ethan wrong all this time.

Oh, the humor and oh, the heart! Christina Lauren put an entertaining spin on an enemies to lovers trope, set it (mostly) in a tropical paradise, and threw every awkward situation at our hero and heroine. The result? Pure unadulterated magic.

I do love me some CLo, especially their rom-coms which tickle me to no end. It always impresses me that this duo writes so seamlessly together. You would never know it's a pair of best friends and not a single author who creates these laughter-inducing characters and plots. But for as much as I giggle my way through their books--I just adore their sense of humor--I know CLo will also find a way to bring emotional depth to their characters, keeping the story grounded and relatable. That was certainly true for Olive and Ethan's wild ride to romance.

One of the things I most enjoyed--aside from the kickass bantering CLo is known for!--was that our main characters were both in their early to mid-thirties. That meant Ethan and Olive brought with them some baggage from previous relationships and had real life experiences to base their opinions on when it came to what they wanted. I loved laughing and sighing along as their views on each other changed drastically while on the b-e-a-utiful island of Maui. Let's just say that things weren't always what they seemed over the years since Olive and Ethan met, and it was a series of unfortunate events that led them to the sarcastic verbal battles everyone came to expect between them.

The sub-plot of Olive's twin sister Ami and her new husband Dane was also quite interesting. It was in the background of Ethan and Olive's journey which at times created some static between all four of them as one would expect with two siblings (Ethan and Dane) dating two siblings (Olive and Ami). There were a few moments I wanted to give some of them a good shake (lol) but overall I think things ended in a plausible way with HEAs all the way around in one way or another. And I think readers will get a huge kick out of Olive and Ami's Mexican-American family, who were all loud, loving, hilariously nosy, and wonderful people who only wanted the best for each other.

Witty, uproariously funny, and ridiculously sigh-worthy, The Unhoneymooners was Christina Lauren at their rom-com best. This standalone will be perfect for newbies to the duo's writing or for superfans. Either way, you'll be sure to have a fantabulous time.

It’s no surprise that I am writing a five star review for another Christina Lauren book. This story is going to be THE BOOK of the summer, I can already see it! It’s the perfect escape to get lost in while reading poolside or on that road trip across the state. Even though I read it in the dead of winter (while a polar vortex was happening up north), it left me feeling giddy for long, hot tropical days.

Olive & Ethan are every bit hilarious & sweet. Their sexy banter & irresistible chemistry kept the story moving right along. I loved the strong sense of sisterhood & familial bonds in this one. It cradled the story at just the right moments. Hawaii has always been on my bucket list, but now thanks to CLo I may need to look into a fake honeymoon to make it happen!

I really enjoyed this ARC from NetGalley! It made me laugh several times at the sarcasm and dry humor between Olive and Ethan! I love an enemies to lovers tale with a few side story surprises thrown in! I was hoping the sister’s story would get justice by the end, and I absolutely loved how it was handled! I would definitely suggest!

This book was so incredibly funny! The story will take you on a wild ride that you will enjoy every second of. The writing was so good. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

This was fine. By that I mean it was better than 90% of the contemporary romances I've encountered, but it's far from my favorite Christina Lauren book. I definitely appreciate a heroine who is imperfect (for example Rachel, the protagonist of my favorite contemporary romance ever, Something Borrowed), but the incident that sparked Olive's dislike of Ethan seemed like an obvious misunderstanding/a little contrived. The villain of the piece was obvious from the get-go. That said, the authors excel at creating appealing male love interests and the depiction of Olive's search for what she really wants to do with her life rang true. I also appreciated Olive and Ami's large family - often characters in romances seem to live in bubble devoid of other connections, and it's nice to read one where characters have connections beyond themselves.