This was a fun little story, but it made me think I watch too much HGTV. Now every time I watch a show, I wonder more about the real lives behind the stars. This was a good glimpse, and I really liked it!

This was cute and fun to read. I really like this authors style. I love to read these books in the summer when I can enjoy the nice weather as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for providing a review copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a quick romance novel to enjoy, this novel gave me Lifetime TV vibes in book format.

A couple becomes famous for designing smart small living spaces that brings them an audience and a publishing deal.

Their latest novel is all on the success of their partnership and marriage, but behind-the-scenes is quite a different story.

In short, this couple is a hot mess.

When they have to go on tour, their assistants go with them to help supervise the “messaging and brand,” while finding immediate chemistry with each other.

As the HGTV couple’s marriage starts to fizzle, the reader follows along with the relationship that isn’t fizzling.

I am loving how romance novels are starting to really embrace characters with real health challenges (i.e. “Get a Life, Chloe Brown"), and appreciated how they weaved this into their story.

These real-life challenges added a little more depth to this novel, while keeping it sweetly satisfying.

I was really excited for this book, but the book fell pretty flat once Carey and James got together. I did enjoy their relationship and their love/hate thing going on in the beginning.

The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren was a fun little romance that pulled me in right away. Poor Carey. I couldn't imagine working in her situation. You never knew what would set Melly off. Okay... You usually did know, because practically everything set her off.

I kinda wish we could have focused on the build up of Carey and James' romance a bit more. They were super cute. I would have loved it if their romance wasn't so rushed. Much of the emphasis was on Melly and Rusty, so the story was mostly about them but from the point of views of Carey and James. With that being said, the characters and their situations were so well written. I felt like I was walking on eggshells around Melly too, and I'm just the reader. It was zany, and fun, and will even make you cringe a few times.

Started but have not finished at this time, do not plan to resume reading at this time but hopefully will finish in the future. Hoping to try again from the beginning soon as I typically love CLos books.

I'm a huge Christina Lauren fan, but I wasn't crazy about this book so I didn't want to review it and hurt their sales in any way.

Loved the book. Also very much enjoyed the characters. It held my attention from beginning until he very end of story. Great book!.

Christina Lauren did it again! An assistant who has worked for a famous couple for years and an engineer with a streak of bad luck have to survive a book tour with their bosses. This book is funny, chaotic, and attention-grabbing from the very beginning.

I love home renovation shows so I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis for this book. Think Flip or Flop, with lots of off screen drama. While I enjoyed the premise, it almost felt like the romance played second to it, leaving me wanting more. The book is fun and easily bingeable but I found myself missing the angst, witty banter and humor I enjoyed in some of their previous books.

I liked Carey and James and their chemistry. I enjoyed their relationship and how James helped her see the truth of her situation, as an outsider with fresh eyes. The dual narration in the audio was great and I couldn't help but enjoy the train wreck of watching the Tripps' marriage implode - #sorrynotsorry

The Honey Don’t List is the first novel I’ve read by the writing duo Christina Lauren. This book was a pleasant change of pace from my usual genre. Carey Douglas works in the remodeling industry alongside do it yourselfers Melissa and Rusty Tripp (Think Chip and Joanna Gaines). The problem? The Tripp’s despise each other. Soon they embark on a whirlwind for their new show and Carey along with hottie James the engineer must do everything in their power to not only keep the peace, but also keep the secrets! I thought it was a cute story and I enjoyed and could relate to all the characters. Christina Lauren has a unique writing style that I found refreshing. I look forward to reading more of their novels.

Christina Lauren is one of my favorite writing duos. I devour every single book they release and can't get enough of their stories. Unfortunately, I DNF'd THE HONEY-DON'T LIST. I'm not sure what it was but I just couldn't get into this book at all. :(

was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I am always so excited for a Christina Lauren book. I was thrilled to be approved for this titleS It was so sweet, fun, and I loved it! I was very invested in the characters and their stories. This is a must read for those who enjoy rom coms and I will be recommending it to my friends. I will always buy and read their books. Thanks again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Christina Lauren's books have always bene hit-or-miss for me and, sadly, this one is a miss. Where these authors usually succeed for me is in the development of their main characters and real, complex, well-developed characters with personalities and quirks and issues, and then they throw them into a relationship that just WORKS. The two characters' faults and quirks and issues just exactly fit the other person's faults and quirks and issues. And all along the way, I laugh. Christina Lauren can write some serious romantic comedy.

All of that is what I hoped for from The Honey-Don't List. And it just did not happen.

This book is about a woman being mentally and verbally abused by her employers. She is gaslighted and devalued and it made me sick to read it. The male lead sees what's happening, but doesn't have a lot of options with which to help her.

The "romance" is never fully developed. It remained shallow and felt like it was on the back burner to the toxic work environment- elements of the book.

And where is the Christina Lauren signature humor? Nowhere to be found. I didn't find a single moment of this book to be funny. And then the book ends without wrapping up so many of the issues and plot holes. I was enraged when I closed the cover.

Hopefully Christina Lauren gets back into the swing of genuinely funny, heartfelt romcom, because I cannot read another book of theirs if it includes the triggering, depressing content this one does.

A fun, mindless romance featuring some long-suffering assistants to some Gaines-esque fixer upper tv stars with a volatile marriage. This one wasn’t my favorite from Christina Lauren, but it made for a quick, entertaining read.

The Tripp’s are a famous social media couple who are the perfect couple to the public, but are actually falling apart behind closed doors. Then along come their work assistants who take on a little more than they bargained for with their latest assignment. The dynamic duo Christina Lauren never disappoints their audience with a wonderful woven story involving romance, with a light and easy read.

I loved the Honey Don't List! Christina Lauren are some of the best rom-com writers in the game, and they don't disappoint with this love story. There were scenes where I literally laughed out loud. I enjoyed that the burn wasn't too slow and that it wasn't a true "enemies to lovers" love story. Pick this up, you won't regret it!

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2021 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2021/02/2021-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

This thinly-veiled Magnolia send up wasn't my favorite (and neither are the obvious inspirations!), but it was a very fun romance.

This book is for anyone that watches home improvement shows and wonders what could be happening behind the scenes.