Loved the reality show romance style! And how each character really came alive. Just one more hit for the fabulous Christina Lauren duo!

The thing about any book from Christina Lauren is that you get hooked almost immediately. The characters are warm and zany and the story draws you in. Touching, heartfelt,- knowing there’s going to be a happy ending doesn’t detract from the total satisfaction the reader gets from the story.
This time , we are treated to a delightful romance that develops between the two assistants of a famous couple: no, not actors- think Chip and Joanna Gaines in ten or fifteen years , but less likable and less talented. It seems like an unlikely story, which it is, of course. But it’s so much fun!
Don’t miss it!

eBook provided for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Honey-Don't List" is only my third read by Christina Lauren, but it's my least favorite of the three. The story sounds so promising from the blurb -- behind the scenes of an HGTV power couple faking it for fame and an
(kinda) enemies to lovers romance between said power couple's assistants? On paper, this is my kind of drama. But something about the way Christina Lauren deliver this story doesn't live up to the vision.

Carey and James aren't really enemies, but coworkers who haven't had a chance to get to know each other. Their feelings for each other felt real but rushed in attempts to keep up with the drama of their bosses, The Tripps, imploding relationship.

I enjoyed this for sure, but I didn't feel glued to it the way I have their other novels. (I couldn't even remember who some of the side characters that come back at the very end were). Carey and James's relationship is sweet and warm, but ultimate because of the story's passing "The Honey-Don't List" is a 3 star read for me.

When you read the blurb on this one - you practically salivate with the potential deliciousness of it all, right?

And I felt like, for the most part, Christina Lauren delivered on that deliciousness. Not so much in the romance department - although the romance between James and Carey was super sweet and adorable - but in the sort of "ripped from the headlines" storyline of what goes on behind the scenes for "America's Favorite Couple" and the media hype that follows them.

This was a fun and interesting read. I loved Carey and James - and maybe would have liked to have done a deeper dive on their relationship. I loved their banter and the way their feelings sort of snuck up on them. But I felt like they got lost in the drama of the chaos going on around them sometimes.

To that end, I think I would have liked a little more comeuppance for the Tripps. Man, those two caused my anxiety to flare more than once. And while there were some scenes that were incredibly touching toward the end, I felt like Carey never got her due, and - well, neither did Melissa. After all the drama, I felt like I needed a little more satisfaction in the closure.

Where the closure REALLY satisfied? Was with James and Carey. I absolutely adored their ending. All the butterflies and heart eyeballs and swoons I could ask for and so - in the end, this was a little uneven, perhaps, but still a super satisfying read for me! ~ 3.5 Stars

A very well written fun book. I enjoyed the characters , but wish there was just a little more between them. The story was unique and interesting. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC !

This was a sweet story. I just wanted a little more connection to the characters and a little more romance to the story. It is different than what I was expecting. Still a good story and the writing style is seamless between the two of these authors. I will still be looking forward to reading more from them.

A fun, solid romance! Two assistants are tasked with maintaining the image of their married employers - but there is definitely trouble in paradise. The two main characters are believable, and their chemistry feels natural. While it's not a standout hit, it is definitely a solid entry into the genre.

(Reviewed for Shelf Awareness, review runs shortly after publication date, summary below is not final review)

The Honey-Don't List follows two relationships, one imploding rather spectacularly and the other forming amidst the wreckage. It's an unusual format which may not work for all readers but worked brilliantly for me. At the start of the novel, we're teased with a few transcripts from police interviews - something bad happened and we don't know what, but our young love interests were not responsible. The narrative then backs up to set the stage: two assistants--one with the celebrity couple for over a decade and the other barely two months in--are tasked with not only making sure the book tour and show launch go smoothly, but also managing a couple who've been bitterly fighting, cheating, and generally hating each other for a long time.
The romance grows slowly, with more focus on the characters' career and life arcs than in many romance novels, but definitely impacting both character arcs in a significant way. Especially when contrasted with their bosses, Carey and James are protagonists to root for.

Side note: Carey has a disability called dystonia, which impacts her ability to maintain control of her hands and causes her pain. Her relationship with her boss, Melly, is affected by her need for flexibility regarding medical care and insurance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

As per usual, Christina Lauren wrote a fun and heartfelt romance novel that I couldn't put down. The chemistry between Carey and James was electric and I loved how James helped Carey realize she needed to stand up for herself against her bosses.

I adore Christina Lauren. Every single one of their books sucks me in and I can't put them down. Every time. "The Honey-Don't List" was no exception. The romance sizzled, James was the cutest nerd there ever was, Carey was so relatable and interesting, and the HGTV nightmare couple they worked for just added fantastic drama that was believable and necessary for the characters' development, alone and together. I only wish I could have seen more of what James and Carey were able to do together, but I know it's always a little better to keep the reader wanting more. :) I miss this book already and I can't wait for the next Christina Lauren novel!

I was super pumped for “The Honey-Don’t List” when I received an ARC back in October! I was going in with great expectations, even though I wasn’t a fan of their last book, but I still had major hopes and then ...

This story is centers around home makeover couple, Melissa and Rusty Tripp and their two assistants, Carey and James. With a massive empire, a new TV show and book about marriage being released this power couple seem to have it all, except one minor problem they absolutely hate each other. Their assistants have the awful task of keeping these “love birds” from killing each other all while making sure the public thinks they are America’s power couple.

This story has a very Joanna and Chip Gaines vibe. I actually didn’t hate that - I felt it was an interested approach to maybe not everything is what it seems. However, I felt this book was just very anti-climatic for me. While there were steamy scenes, I felt it was poorly placed in the story to rush the plot along.

The four main characters were okay, but I felt their character development had nothing unique about it. I also found myself not loving or hating any of the characters.

Overall- this is super fast-paced book and at one point I saw I was at 95% and I couldn’t understand why the story was over already. I felt the plot was a great idea, but just extremely rushed. Unfortunately, overall this was a miss for me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pub: 3.24.20

This was adorable! Major Fixer Upper vibes from The Honey Don’t List, with lots of characters you want to root for and some you’re more than happy to root against. Christina Lauren is definitely a must-read author

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 Stars

Guys. Guys! GUYS!!! This is my favorite book but this duo yet! It's funny, sweet, and even had a moment where I teared up because of how everything went down. Plus, the heroine shares my name, how could I not love her? I also liked James even though he's not my 'normal' type of book boyfriend.

The writing is great as always, flows fast and makes you never want to put the book down. It's also cool that interview/book snippets/twitter stuff are in the book. That's a cool little bit that usually made me laugh and smile but also kept me wondering... just what the heck is going on? I won't go into spoilers so I'll leave that there. You'll see when you read.

This is so much better than Twice in a Blue Moon which I know some people didn't like but I did like. There are sex scenes in here but they're glossed over pretty quickly. I'm just glad it was there, if I read an adult romance, I expect adult content. Otherwise, I'd just read a YA or something.

The tension is strong with this one. Not the sexual tension but between the couple that our MCs have to babysit. You just never know what is going to happen next.

I do have two small nitpicks... parts of the ending just kind of didn't work for me. When things are starting to wrap up with the couple that Carey has spent ten years with... I just wanted more personally. Other than that, I loved this novel so much! It's so cute!


Wil go live on my blog: 2/26/2020

This is one of those books that wasn't really what I was expecting. In fact, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the direction this was taking, until the next thing I know, my nose is buried in my kindle cause the drama became very fascinating.

What I wasn't expecting, was for this book to feel more about Melissa and Russel's drama, and less about Carey and James romance. Melissa and Russel were like a train wreck that you just can't stop watching and I gotta say, I was riveted to it all.

While Carey and James didn't really feel like a romance until almost the end, the authors still had me swooning all over them when it was all said and done. So all in all, I enjoyed it. It may not have been what I thought it was going to be, but the writing was fantastic and this author duo really knows how to capture your attention.

I'm always excited to read a Christina Lauren book, but I have to say I was a little disappointed in this one. The premise was good--think Chip and Joanna Gaines but they can't stand each other and their marriage is just for show, so they need their assistants to make sure they don't kill each other--but the story itself was just ok. I found myself more interested in Rusty and Christina's relationship and marriage than I was with James and Casey's budding romance. This book didn't pack the same punch I'm used to getting in a Christina Lauren rom-com.

The pros: I will never not love a Christina Lauren book. "The Honey-Don't List" was no different, and it still had that classic Christina Lauren feel.

The cons: This one was missing something for me. I love romance novels, especially when I'm feeling particularly stressed out or bummed out and my brain can't focus on anything "serious" -- and Christina Lauren is a go-to. But something about it didn't quite land. Maybe it's because I'll compare every Christina Lauren book I ever read to "The Unhoneymooners," or maybe I just couldn't connect with the characters. I really loved the two leads, but the ancillary characters didn't really do it for me.

★★★ (3.5/5)⁣⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵 by Christina Lauren⁣⁣
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Another ChLo installment proves to be cute, fast paced, and entertaining! ⁣⁣
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James (an engineer/assistant) and Carey (assistant of 10 years) are both working for the mega design and TV stars Rusty and Melly Tripp, world renowned for their rock solid, playful marriage and stellar home makeovers. When news gets out that the marital bliss isn't as dreamy as it seems, it falls on the assistants to ensure they stay together and land a second season of their show. ⁣⁣
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Although this was my least favorite of their books so far, it is worth a read if you are a fan. The plot outside of the romance was interesting and the conclusion was so satisfying. ⁣⁣
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BUT, the romance (which should be the shining star in a ChLo book) seemed forced, pushy, and way too rushed. I was a little disappointed! ⁣⁣
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It is nothing like 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, but I had a good time reading it! ⁣⁣
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I really wanted to love this book. I've enjoyed many of Christina Lauren's other books - the characters, the chemistry, the story, etc. but this one lacked a connection with any of those. I felt like it took awhile to get in to the story, and I never felt any connection to the characters. For me, it didn't feel like there was any depth to them and I really didn't feel the chemistry between them like I usually do with this duo authors characters. Sadly, I'm disappointed this one fell short for me. I will still happily read the next book though... because not every book can be an all-star.

I was so excited to get a copy of this book, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. I struggled to get through most of it and I just didn't connect with the characters.

Try as I might, I didn't connect with this book as much as I'd hoped I would. It was a bit too light and fluffy for me. I guess I'm just not a chick-lit romance novel fan--although I know that many readers are and there are lots of people who will enjoy this, I prefer my romances dramatic and sexy and grounded in reality. But I appreciate the hard work that the writers put into this and wish them all the best!