As usual from this writing duo, likable characters, good story with a very ripped-from-the-grocery-store-magazine-headlines theme, and kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the morning. It may not be my favorite of their books but I was glad to read it as my first book of the new year. I am a long time fan of Christina Lauren and will read any thing they write. I read this via NetGalley.

I’m a HUGE fan of Christina Lauren books and I have yet to read one that I didn’t like. While this one wasn’t my favorite, I still enjoyed the story and appreciated the uniqueness of the plot. While there were some serious HGTV/Chip and Joanna vibes going on, the couple and the storyline were completely different. All of the characters had big personalities, which made it entertaining, and I especially liked James — I’m a sucker for a sweet, somewhat nerdy leading man. There was something about this story that felt a bit different from their other books that I’ve read, but I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was. I think it was just a bit less light and comical than their others (more drama than rom-com, I think). I’d give it around 3.5-4 stars!

This was a quick, light read about what could be going on behind the scenes of a popular home improvement show. Carey is the assistant to Melly Tripp, half of the husband and wife design team of the show. The book starts as the popular show is going off the air after five seasons and a book tour is starting. A book about marriage while, ironically, the marriage of Melly and Rusty is falling apart. Joining the tour is Rusty's assistant, James. Drama ensues, romance blossoms, miscommunications occur, and the whole thing goes up in flames. Check out this book if you want a fun, rom-com type read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Maybe my expectations for the Christina Lauren duo are too high, but The Honey Don’t List just misses the mark here. Whereas their other books have mostly been bitingly witty and endearing, this fictional take on a Chip/Joanna Gaines-ish couple feels flat and lifeless. Carey and James are assistants to Rusty & Mel Tripp - owners of a vast home renovation empire that is poised to release a new book and show. On the eve of furthering their huge empire, a PR disaster threatens it all...and Carey and James are dragged along on the Tripps’ PR tour to make sure their imploding marriage isn’t leaked.
What happens can be predicted - embarrassing situations, Carey and James and their growing attraction, meh meh meh. I usually see this writing team deliver engaging dialogue and well crafted sexual tension in their rom coms, and here, Carey & James’s relationship feels rushed, forced, solemn. The plot just isn’t that amusing, and the ending is just okay. Compared to The Unhoneymooners and their other books, this is an unfortunate disappointment. 2.5 star read.

Christina Lauren has wrote another fresh romance book. And it definitely sound promising to read.

The Honey-Don't List will bring in new fresh characters that will shake things up. And they definitely do. Let's start off with Carey. Carey has been longest assistant that the Tripps family has dealt. And that means Carey knows so much but gets no little. I kinda feel sorry for her that I do not blame when she finally steps up and distance herself away. I won't give too much deet but you will find out as you read. And you will definitely understand especially my distaste for the Tripps and kinda to James too. I really though that James will bring in more. But nope he did not. He kinda disappointed me. I wanted him to step up more especially with Carey but she is really the glue to everything but gets unnoticed. I really though James will be there for her but he does not at all. And don't get me started on the Tripps because that's another story.

The Honey-Don't List seems a good story but it felt a little rushed. I just wish it had more to it. Little more depth to the story-line.

3 1/2 Stars

It wasn’t bad. The story and characters we’re mostly likable. I felt the story was a bit flat especially at the end.

A good story, and I enjoyed seeing the background lives of the "famous" married duo (though I thought the focus was too much on them and not enough on the romance/lives of the MC/LI!)

Definitely prefer the brighter moods of Unhoneymooners and Josh & Hazel that are more rom-com style than contemporary romance, so this is a matter of taste.

This was my first Christina Lauren novel. I have heard nothing but praise for all of their other novels so I went into The Honey Don’t List with high hopes, and I found it to be an engaging story. However, the progression was fairly predictable and I found it lacking anything to make it stand out from a typical rom-com in my mind. There was nothing I disliked about it, but I have a feeling I will forget it pretty quickly. I would give it a solid 3 stars. It was well written and I enjoyed reading it, but it was just lacking that wow factor for me.

I really liked this book until the end. It seemed that everything wrapped up way too quick and you think something major happens when you find out what actually happens is so less important. I feel that this was rushed into trying to be the next big thing.

Carey Douglas has spent the last ten years of her life working behind the scenes for America's favorite home renovating couple, Melissa and Rusty Tripp. In that time, Carey has gone from a 16 year old country girl working the register at their first store, to secretly helping them build their design empire. Now, as the Tripp's are about to embark on a book tour and launch a new TV series, Carey is facing her most challenging job yet: making sure no one figures out that these design darlings can't stand each other.

James McCann has been knocked down a few pegs on the employment totem pole. He went from working an engineering job to running errands as Rusty Tripp's assistant. So, after he and Carey find his boss in a very compromising position with someone who's not his wife, the last thing he wants to do is be forced into going along on a book tour to make sure things go smoothly. With the pair having their own reasons why they have to stick this job out, Carey and James vow to keep their bosses' secrets to themselves. But they soon realize that instead of trying to fix what's already broken, they could try building something new together.

As much as it pains me to say it, out of all the Christina Lauren books I've read, this was my least favorite. There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with it, it just lacked that signature magic the duo usually have. The story itself was alright, the relationship between Carey and James was fine but wasn't really anything to write home about. Honestly, it took me almost half the book to even really get into it. Despite not falling for this one as much as I have their others, I'd still recommend if you're a fan.

A easy read a little slow moving bur did have a somewhat good story line and sweet romance.
Carey and James really doesn't like each other but circumstances chages all of that.
Voluntarily reviewed

This was a fun and quick read by this duo! Of course, I was reminded of Chip & Johanna while reading! It is fun and flirty and I will continue to read their books! Thank you!

This book is so much fun. Anyone who enjoyed The Unhoneymooners will absolutely love this one. I found myself giggling more than a few times and I genuinely enjoyed this lighthearted and fast read. Christina & Lauren did a fantastic job of making a guilty pleasure book with just enough steam to feel risqué and enjoyable.

I would recommend for fans of: Liane Moriarty, romantic comedies, The Devil Wears Prada, HGTV, & Fixer Upper.

Another great read from Christina Lauren! While this wasn’t one of my favorites, I still enjoyed the more unique storyline and the relationship between the 4 main characters. I thought that the story itself mirrored real life HGTV too closely though. It was hard to picture Melissa and Rusty as their own unique characters instead of comparing them directly to some of HGTV’s best known power couples. The relationship between James and Carey also seemed to develop seemingly out of nowhere, but I liked the fact that there was open communication between the two, as well as following along with Carey’s journey to self empowerment. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm so happy to say that I could totally see Christina Lauren working their magic in this new upcoming novel! The sparks were flying between Carey and James, the two main characters. I really liked their personalities and how good they were at helping each other out.
The storyline was also quite interesting and pretty unique: it's not everyday that you read about the failing long marriage of two home renovators and their two assistants trying to fix it.
The book definitely explored some themes that aren't usually found in romances, such as abusive employers, employer-employee dynamics and also dystonia, a motor disorder.
As always, I cannot wait to read more by this amazing writing duo!

The Honey-Don’t List is the newest novel from Christina Lauren, aka besties Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings.

Carey and James are assistants to Melissa and Rusty Tripp- the darling duo of HGTV. The workplace enemies are thrust into forced proximity on a tour bus. As they’re coming together, the Tripps are imploding, and keeping them together will be the hardest job of all.

I really enjoyed the aspect of Carey’s dystonia and Lauren’s explanation of why it’s important to be inclusive in romance, as well as what it means to her family personally.

What I didn’t enjoy- this felt like they straight up ripped off Chip and Joanna Gaines and asked what it would look like if they hated each other. When I explained to my 13 year old what I was reading, even she said it sounded like a play on Chip and Joanna. Rusty and Chip could be twins based on their descriptions, actions, and demeanor.

I think most HGTV fans will like this, but some may be fussy since it seems reminiscent of the network’s darlings.

I also didn’t enjoy that there wasn’t really a simmering. The romance between Carey and James was full of heat, but it went from cold as ice to flaming hot too quickly. It made it a little unbelievable, even with the explanation that they’ve known each other for months and their current situation was making them (mostly James) take more notice.

I also didn’t feel parental vibes between the Tripps and Carey (they stepped up for her when her own family couldn’t/wouldn’t), except for very small instances.

It was a fun, easy read that I’d easily give three stars to. This was my first novel by Christina Lauren, and I would be curious to read more and see if I liked them better.

**I was generously provided an ARC of this novel by NetGalley and the publishers. The opinions are my own.**

Such a fun and entertaining read! I'm always a sucker for CL books and this one was no exception. I definitely didn't get quiet as sucked in as usual and the characters weren't quite as loveable as I'm used to, but it was still a lot of fun. It isn't the best from CL but I still would definitely recommend it if you're a fan of their books. Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for am honest review.

Christina Lauren does it again with their fun romance flair married with hilarious scenarios. If you are fan of binge watching HGTV like me, you will definitely enjoy the shenanigans of the behind the scenes look at what it takes to pull a show like that together. We are treated to dual POV's of Carey and James who are struggling to keep their bosses' "America's Sweethearts" together while on a book tour of their home design book. The dynamic of the two reminded me of the beloved 'Hating Game'' - opposites attracting which I love!

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Christina Lauren’s newest novel, The Honey Don’t List. Just as I anticipated, The Honey Don’t List is funny, engaging, complicated and entertaining all wrapped up into a novel. Main character, Carey Douglas, has been an assistant to the famous home design, now celebrity couple Melissa and Rusty Tripp. She finds herself aboard a bus bound to cross the US for book signings, along with Rusty’s new assistant/engineer James McCann, a man that she cannot seem to get along with. Their cramped quarters feel even smaller as the Tripp’s marriage begins to crumble; surrounded by infidelity, aggression, general tension and distaste both Carey and James are forced to take on roles they never imagined. In a desperate attempt to keep the Tripp’s marriage intact, at least for the twitter followers and book sales, Carey and James find themselves discovering each other’s strengths. In typical fashion Christina Lauren fashion, this book is both witty and lovely. Even long after I turned the last page, Melissa, Rusty, James and Carey continue to be on my mind!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A truly disappointing read, especially after Twice in a Blue Moon.

This book had all of the makings of one of my favorite reads of 2020 - Fixer Upper vibes and romantic tension between co-workers who don't like each other very much. So why can't I even remember the names of the romantic leads of this "romance"?

I was more interested in the implosion of Melly and Rusty's marriage behind the scenes of their carefully-crafted social media life. The story was really more focused on the much telegraphed self-destruction of their relationship than anything that the MC's were doing.

There was no sexual tension between the main love interests and their closed door sex scene didn't help things. I have no idea why they end up together especially after the stunt he pulled with her freaking livelihood.

Where has the passion from Josh & Hazel gone? Are the authors now writing Women's Fiction with unsatisfying and barely explored romantic relationships that miss the mark?