Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for the ARC of The Honey Don’t List.

Carey Duncan And James McCain Both work for the remodeling home Gurus the Tripp’s.
Carey has worked for the Tripp’s for 10 years every since she walked in the the store at age 16 and got her first job. James started with the Tripp’s two months after his recent job went under for embezzlement.
The two act as assistants for the Tripp’s. On screen the Tripp’s are the couple everyone wants to be but off screen they are the shit storm we all want to avoid. Carey and James are both dragged on the book tour to help keep the peace and the image of the Tripp’s as if there are no problems in the lives of America’s favorite couple.
We all know of a couple aren’t meant to be theirs no helping the cause. Along the way Carey and James start to develop feeling for each other, but when career promotion and career choices get in the way the Tripp’s love for each other may not be the only relationship on thin ice.

Little disappointed when it came to this book. After reading the Unhoneymooners and laughing my way through the whole book I had high hopes that this book would have me rolling. I laughed at a few parts in the beginning but after that it was just straight seriousness.

The book was more about the relationship of the Tripp’s then the main characters Carey and James. I would like to have seen more love development through the story of the two characters.


Ease of reading: A
Memorable Characters: A
Originality: B
Read Other Books By This Author: Yes I would
Would I Read Again: Probably Not

This was a fun book to read. It felt like I was getting a behind the scenes look at a home renovation shows. Do they do all their work and design? Do they really have such a solid marriage? It was a interesting look at what fame can do. However in among all that was a budding romance. I loved Carey and James. I liked their banter at first and later I loved the way James took care of Carey. I enjoyed that there was some accident that happened and you got tidbits as you were reading. The Twitter comments were fun. I like that you were seeing how social media played a part of what was going on with Melissa and Rusty.

I really enjoyed the end of this book. I thought for sure there was going to a different outcome but was very happy with how it came about.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Galley Pocket Books. All opinions expressed are my own.

loved this steamy, engaging, cheeky, and entertaining novel! I really enjoy Christina Lauren's books, and this one does not disappoint. Inspired by HGTV show power-couples, told from the angle of the right-hand assistant to the star, woven in with an awesome love story. Much drama and conflict, very believable and hard to put down. Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for the early reader copy. All opinions are my own.

this was my first Christina Lauren book, but definitely not my last. Based on a fictional developer/designer couple and their two assistants, it’s a fun frothy read that offers more depth than you’d expect.

Like all Christina Lauren books, this was a fun adorable read. I loved the characters - James is a total swoon worthy sweetheart and Carey is a heroine you can't help but root for. The Tripps give me major Chip and Joanna Gaines vibes (if they were totally different behind the scenes and who knows maybe they are). I felt the pace of the book was good. It's well written with well developed characters. It was funny and charming.

Carey has worked for Melissa and Rusty since she was 16, managing, assisting, and more importantly, doing a lot of the actual home improvement layouts and drawing technical things. James, a college graduate, comes on the scene, ostensibly hired as an engineer, but, in reality, he is a babysitter for Rusty. James and Carey work together to keep the lid on two immature, out-of-control bosses. They fall into like, and then into bed. James is offered a gigantic promotion within the company, which causes Carey, rightfully so, to shun James. The whole story reminded me of some of the home remodeling series on television. Funny in places, but other places not so much. There was a lot of the book that was spent dealing with the immature bosses; both James and Carey are determined to not rock the boat.

I usually enjoy books by these ladies, but something just didn't work well for me on this one.
I liked the assistants but was hoping for more on them that the Tripps....
but still you're a huge Christian Lauren fan give this a try! Just because it wasn't my favorite doesn't mean it won't be yours!!!

3 stars from me
*Recv'd a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was my second Christina Lauren, after reading Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating in 2019. I'm relatively new to reading any romance books, so I figured trying another from an author I enjoyed would be a good way to continue easing in.

The story takes place from the alternating points of view of Carey and James. They are the respective assistants of a wife and husband home re-design team that has gotten famous over the years from a television show. However, behind the scenes, the husband and wife actually hate each other. This set-up felt fresh and unique, though whether it's actually interesting would probably be up to the individual reader. Personally, I found the overarching story more compelling than the developing romance between Carey and James. I enjoyed the book, but the romance felt a little rushed.

The Honey-Don't List is such a fun book. This is the second book I have read by these writers and this one did not disappoint. The story follows Carey and James who are assistants to home remodeling celebrities who have let fame and fortune get in the way of their former happy life. The heart-warming, fun book is easy to read and will not by my last by Christina Lauren.

I love Christina Lauren's books and have read every one faithfully. However, these last two missed the mark a bit in developing character nuances and relationships. Don't get me wrong, this book was great; I finished the entire thing in a weekend, and it kept me entertained, but I don't feel like their voices and humor shine through as much. This a good book and we already have it on order.

Christina Lauren have done it again ... this book was such a fun read . Behind the scenes of a fixer upper kind of show including a couple ala Chip and Joanna Gaines and their assistants. This book was graciously provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Carey and James are adorable and this new book by Christina Lauren is exactly how I wanted to start my new year! Fun, flirty, romantic with heart.... I know what I will get when I grab the latest story by this duo. In this particular story, Carey and James work for the Tripp's who are America's new favorite home improvement duo. Unfortunily, they have started to fall apart and it becomes James and Carey's job to keep them in line on their new marriage success book tour. This was a fun read and I will continue to pick up anything by this creative duo!
Thanks netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this romance, built around the idea of a fictional Chip and Joanna Gaines. Was it is as heart-wrenching and unpredictable as some of their other novels? Not quite. But was it still a fun, engaging, quick read, with a unique storyline? For sure! I will absolutely look forward to reading everything else they continue to write.

Rusty and Melissa Tripp have created a home renovation empire (think Chip and Joanna Gaines). Behind the scenes, their relationship is crumbling and everything they've built is on the verge of being ruined. They are on a cross-country tour to promote their new book and their latest reality TV show. It is up to their two reliable assistants, James and Carey, to keep the peace and make sure the facade does not crack.

Being an HGTV fan, I loved the premise of this. As with all Christina Lauren books, this one is well written and the plot is well thought out. There is a lot of detail and you get sucked into the stories of both the primary and secondary characters.

Here is where I struggled with the book. The story is supposed to focus around the two assistants, James and Carey. They start off wary of each other but then are forced together as they work to deal with the drama of their bosses on the bus tour. The way the book is written, James and Carey almost fall to secondary characters. There is much more emphasis on Rusty and Melissa. I felt torn by this book. Readers are supposed to be invested in James and Carey but they really are overshadowed by Rusty and Melissa.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

I may have stayed up past midnight to finish this in one sitting. I loved The Honey-Don't List! I'm a big HGTV fan and recently stopped by all things Magnolia so this book was so much fun to read!

When the 2 assistants (/lead engineer) of a famous couple are made to go with them on a marriage book tour (as their marriage may be falling apart) this lovely romantic comedy shows some of the not so glam parts of being an assistant.

The characters were fun (loved Rusty) and I just couldn't put the book down!

Such a fun book! This one stayed with me for a few days after reading. This book really dives into the world of home improvement shows and combines that world with an interesting romance. I really enjoyed Carey and how devoted she was to her work and how she continued to live the only life she'd ever known. I connected with her character and enjoyed seeing her learn to think independently and change her thoughts and patterns. Christina Lauren rarely disappoint and this is another one to add to my favorites list!

The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren is a fun romance novel that dives into the fun (and not so fun) parts of being on television and working as a celebrity. The dialogue is great, and the characters are pretty developed. There are a couple that I almost love to hate, and then there is the blossoming romance between Carey, the amazing and talented assistant and James, another assistant/engineer on the show. The feelings switched from dislike to romance fast between these two, while sparks of another kid are going off between the beloved television couple that the assistants work for.

Now the four of them are on a tour together and anything could happen (and does!) I really love how the author, Christina Lauren introduces the reader to Carey's medical condition. Matter of fact and sensitive at the same time, it opens up this reader's understanding to special challenges Carey faces and why insurance is such a huge deal to her. Well done!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books publishing for this digital advanced reader copy for me to read and enjoy! As always, my opinions are my own!

Loved this title! In the Pinterest/HGTV DIY world we live in, it is easier to see this as lore fact than fiction. It was a rollicking good time, introduction to a condition I was not familiar with, and in trademark Christina Lauren fashion, dialogue and chemistry that cannot be beaten!

Honey Don't List is the first book I've read by Christina Lauren, who I discovered are actually friends who write together. Anyone who watches any of the make over shows on HG-TV will enjoy this story, which at times seems like a behind the scenes peek at what really goes on. Funny and romantic, Honey Don't List is an enjoyable read. I want to thank Net Galley and Gallery Books for an early copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have read several Christina Lauren books, and while I enjoyed the quirky romance that developed, this story fell a little flat for me. It is a take on Chip and Joanna Gaines but with a failing marriage, and every time I would get really interested in the budding love story of Cary and James, the story would take the reader right back into the negative relationship. Overall it is a quick easy read that’s enjoyable.