Hazel Bradford is awkward, lacks a filter and really just wants to find her person. Josh Im first meets Hazel in college and their first few encounters definitely leave an impression on him. Several years in the future, they meet up again by happenstance.

Josh discovers his long-term girlfriend has been cheating and wants nothing to do with dating again. Hazel and he devise a plan to set each other up on double blind dates and the mayhem that usually ensues from their plan is fun to read. Everyone around them can see what's happening, but they're both oblivious to what's right in front of them.

This was a fun, cute read. If you're looking for something fun and funny and mostly lighthearted, I believe this would fit the bill.

3.5 stars- This is Christina Lauren doing what they do best: providing a fun, sparkling romantic comedy to an audience with modern sensibilities and low tolerance for some of the old skool romance trope BS. Yes, there are twinges of manic pixie dream girl in this, but I think by the end, the authors have subverted a lot of the toxic parts of that trope. I'm a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope, and this definitely delivered. It's great to see authors who can consistently deliver in their chosen genre and I'm tickled to see rom coms making such a big come back. Viva la romcom!!

I stumbled upon Christina Lauren's work last year when another author mentioned them. In that year, I've devoured their work, both in ebook and audio form, and just adore their writing style. When I saw the blurb for this book I couldn't WAIT to get my hands on it. This book had me laughing out loud, sighing, swooning and smiling so hard. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, and I've already re-read it. This is absolutely one of my favorite reads of 2018.

From the moment I met Hazel in this book I had instant fondness for her. She made me smile. This is the type of woman everyone NEEDS to have in their life. She's a constant source of support and brings a healthy dose of FUN to everything she does. She's confident in who she is-a trait that I so admire-but she also guards herself a bit. I loved getting to peek inside her head.

Josh Im. How can I describe how much I love him? Can I marry a book boyfriend?? If I could I'd marry this man in a heartbeat. He's sexy, sweet, kind and funny. He GETS Hazel. He just gets her. He isn't looking to change her or mold her into anything but who she is and that's just beautiful.

These two definitely have sparks flying between them, even though they firmly insist they're just friends. These two, even when on hilariously fun double blind dates have this tether that exists between them. Watching them figure things out was so immensely gratifying.

I love the supporting characters in this story-from Hazel's mom, to Josh's family and friends, I just enjoyed meeting them. In fact, I wouldn't mind a story about Josh's sister...just saying. But these characters really just enhanced Hazel and Josh.

The writing here is superb as always. I was engaged the moment the book began and I didn't want it to end. I thought the pacing was perfect; there was no drag in the story at all. The premise of this book was unique and fresh and I loved the spin Christina Lauren put on it. This book was fun and sweet and made me grin. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it.

Hazel is a handful. She's a bit eccentric, and says whatever pops into her head. Josh is more conventional and steady. Hazel met Josh in college, where she left a lasting impression. Josh has always thought of Hazel as the quirky girl that says, and does, weird things. When they run into each other years after college, they start up a friendship. They agree they are not at all compatible for each other, so their new friendship involves setting each other up on dates.

Told from alternating viewpoints, Hazel and Josh both share perspectives of their relationship. Two great characters. Hazel is hilarious with her no filter personality, but she is also kind and caring. Josh is charming, lovable, and has a clever dry humor.

Enjoyable, positive characters. I especially liked that family was important in their lives. A fun story of friendship, a parade of bad dates, and, just maybe, finding love. The only thing that felt a bit off was the ending. Still, it was a fun and highly entertaining read.

A hilarious contemporary romance. Humorous, upbeat, and sexy.

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I know I'm often on the fence between stars, and I'd really like to give this a 3.5 rating. It is a typical romcom with the quirky (but traditionally beautiful) woman and the amazing man who dance around being best friends and NOT romantically involved with each other. I think we all know how this will end up. That being said, there was a lot of sex (strictly R- rated - nothing that will shock your grandma) and language.

So, if you enjoy this sort of thing (which I do, in small doses), this was fun and the characters were enjoyable late-20's cis, straight people with strong work ethics who like to drink and have sex. But wow, when I put it like that, maybe it only deserves a 3. Did I mention it was fun? And that I'm feeling generous?

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Josh and Hazel are everything I need in a modern day romance. Their chemistry isn’t based in opposites attract— they compliment each other perfectly. Kudos to Christina Lauren for knowing and describing the difference.

The writing duo have won me over time and again with every new release— Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating followed suit. I was most impressed with how touching and heartfelt this story comes across.

It would be a mistake to skip this book. There is so much emotion packed into the pages, I was disappointed when I came to the last page— a true mark of greatness.

Having just finished Roomies by the same author, I was expecting more steam in this book, but I still enjoyed this friends to lovers story, especially because the characters genuinely respected each other.

This was my first Christina Lauren book, and noe I have to go read everything they’ve ever written. Hazel was such a fun heroine - quirky but earnest. And hot damn, those sex scenes! Will definitely purchase this one for my library.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.

I’ve had some mixed reviews with the Christina Lauren books I’ve read so I’m never really sure what to expect when I pick one up. However, I do know that there will be some addicting writing that will make the book hard to put down and Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was exactly that.

Hazel. I’m having a hard time deciding on my feelings towards her. Since I have recently been binging old New Girl episodes on Netflix, I’m going to compare her to Season 1 Jess. They really leaned into the whole “adorkable” angle and sometimes she was a little unbearable. In later seasons she was still quirky, but in a more endearing way. In some parts of this book Hazel was kind of aggressively quirky in a Season 1 Jess kind of way. But in others, she was just a little odd and cute. I didn’t find her character all that consistent throughout the story. Even though she often stated that she knew she was a lot to handle and she wasn’t going to change for anybody, I also got the feeling that she felt kind of sorry for herself about it and wished she could? There were times I felt like she was trying to be different for the sake of being different. Then there were other times where she seemed pretty normal. As you can see, I still feel a little conflicted about it. Overall, I think she could be a little unbearable at times, but I mostly enjoyed her.

I was a much bigger fan of Josh. He was so funny and sweet and I just adored him. I liked how protective he was of Hazel. Even though he could come off uptight about a lot of things, he seemed to be the perfect amount of laid back to be able to go with the flow with Hazel. I liked his relationship with his sister and his parents, as well. We get a little bit of information on Korean culture from him, but I would’ve liked a little more.

I’m a fan of the Friends-to-More trope so I shipped Josh and Hazel. However, I wish it would’ve taken a little longer for them to really fall for each other. We get both their POVs which means we find out basically right away that Hazel has always had a thing for Josh and then Josh pretty quickly starts to like her, too. However, they both think they’re wrong for each other and they’re both unsure how the other feels and by getting both POVs it kind of takes away all the tension. It just kind of made me annoyed with both of them. There were still some really cute and romantic scenes, though (and several graphic scenes I could’ve done without, but I’m sure other readers will appreciate).

Overall, I enjoyed Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. It was cute, funny, and I shipped the romance. However, Hazel was kind of hard to take at times and there wasn’t a moment where I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen next. While the story utilized one of my favorite romantic tropes, Friends-to-More, it also employs one of my least favorites (I’m not going to say which since it’s too spoiler-y) and I have to say that dampened my overall enjoyment a bit. I do definitely recommend this one to Romance fans, though, especially Christina Lauren fans.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars

I thought this book was a delight — I loved that there was a diverse love interest, and that the main character had a personality beyond her looks. I devoured this book in about a day, and it was the perfect light read that still held my attention. One negative, though, was that I felt like the ending to the book was very abrupt! I would have loved a few more chapters before the flash forward — I wasn't ready to be done with Josh & Hazel!

6 Stars | TOP REC

The smart wittiness and pure romance of Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating made for a truly unforgettable love story. One that showcased the beauty of finding that person who loves you for you, the serenity of a friendship that fits comfortably, and the courage to let your heart fall. Christina Lauren’s writing highlighted the subtle nuances of personality and connection in a fresh and invigorating manner—a perfect blending of humor with sweet, and exploding with a beautiful sensuality.

The draw lies in the eccentric and carefree heroine that lacks a general filter but loves with every piece of her soul. Hazel shaped the brevity and lightness in the story, easily allowing readers to effortlessly find her charm and idolize her individuality. This instant connection I felt to her as a character—one so unlike myself—made me fall so much deeper for Josh and the simple way that he celebrated her. Their friendship needed little time to develop as it came across clearly and grew with each failed blind double date—as did the hilarity—and was as effortless as their budding attractions to each other. There is profound skill in manufacturing a genuine friendship that develops into an all-consuming chemistry with the power to bring the reader into the emotion and physical appeal of it, an expectation that this writing duo not only met but far exceeded.

With its feel-good banter and irresistible romance, Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was a spectacular love story with this duo at the top of their writing game. I was enraptured by its every word and the complexity to its cast of characters, and consumed it with a voracity—a friends-to-lovers trope done so very beautifully and uniquely. For lack of more words, this story is simply a must-read.

While I definitely enjoyed Love and Other Words I've really missed the tried and true romance Christina Lauren write. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was such a fun, compelling read that gives me the feeling only one of their books can. The banter between the characters is something I constantly look for in other books and rarely am I able to find it. I think Josh and Hazel's banter was especially fun and flirty just because they're so opposite each other. Deeper than an "opposites attract" romance, one of the biggest reasons they were so easy to root for was the mutual respect that they had between them as friends, and they don't lose that respect just because they're sleeping together. I also love that Josh isn't yet another white male lead. Christina Lauren have grown so much as authors and I'm so happy to see them explicitly diversifying their works (because I think that the older series can obviously be interpreted in a way that the characters aren't white, but again that's interpreting and not stating explicitly)(and also HUGE props and congrats with the Roomies changes and adding an important story that needs told within their work). As always, I look forward to the next book they'll be putting out (My Favorite Half-Night Stand I believe). Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Josh and Hazel!!! So honored to have been allowed to review this book as it is in my top favorites for the year. Christina Lauren are my favorite writing duo and they knock it out of the park 99% of the time. I *think* this might be my favorite book of theirs.

Hazel is so quirky and fun. She's a complete breath of fresh air with her awkward interactions, complete inability to filter herself and how hilarious she is (sometimes unintentionally). I just fell in love with her immediately. May authors write an awkward female but this book does awkward at it's best. Hazel is hard to keep up with sometimes but she has an amazing heart and I love the way she loves so fiercely. Once you're loved by Hazel, you can never get away which our hero, Josh, finds out pretty quick.

Josh is also amazing. He's kind of quiet, very responsible, and also a bit in denial over his relationship with his current long term girlfriend. I actually loved that he started off with a girlfriend because the friendship between he and Hazel is almost more beautiful than their love story. He's really the perfect calm to her storm. And together, they both teach each a lot about friendship and love.

So let's just give a round of applause for Christina Lauren who continue to churn out amazing work. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The writing is crispy, there is a fantastic balance of humor and sexiness, it's a light read and yet you still feel so much for the characters. Can't wait to see what these authors come up with next!

Actual rating... 4.5 stars.
Let's start by my saying... I love Christina Lauren... And this offering from the writing duo did not disappoint.
What I Loved: everything!! The characters (how can you not love Hazel?!?!), the setting, the storyline.... THE ENDING!!
What I liked: the journey the characters take
What I hated: can't say I hated anything!!
What to listen to while reading: Kasey Musgraves 'Biscuits'

Chirstina Lauren has knocked it out of the park with this novel. It is sweet, hilarious and downright swoony. One of their best romance novels yet.

This was my first Christina Lauren novel and they DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I am all giddy with feels and how much this book spoke to me. It was so refreshing to see a quirky girl being herself and NOT APOLOGIZING for being who she is. I love how real the characters were and how their problems are problems we see in real life. It helps you rationalize what each person was thinking. I want to see more the secondary characters and I hope there will be more of these wonderful people. The story line was intense in and out the bed room. I super loved this book.

While I love Christina Lauren's book... this one wasn't a huge hit for me. I struggled with Hazel's character. I know she was supposed to be quirky, but at times, I found her super annoying, She was a little too old to act like an immature teenager.

I know I am going against the grain with this review, but I didn't love this one as much as other Christian Lauren books, I am sad to report.

Let me begin with how sweet this book was and the so many laugh out loud moments were amazing. I really loved Hazel, she was wild and crazy and so dang lovable. Josh was adorable and lovable, he was also very sweet. This was a really good book and highly recommend it.

I laughed at Hazel's antics all the way thru the book. She really is a fun girl. Hazel and Josh met in college. Hazel was funny, silly and wild. Josh is serious, conservative and just doesn't know what to think about Hazel. After they both graduated from college, she becomes a grade school teacher and he is a Physical Therapist. Hazel is Emma's best friend, but Hazel does not know that Josh and Emma are brother and sister.. Tabitha is Josh 's cheating, no good girlfriend. Hazel encourages Josh to go and talk to Tabitha before they break up but it didn't work. They get to know each other and despite the differences, they become best friends, especially when Hazel's apartment floods and she needs a place to stay.. They don't date each other, but fix each other up on blind dates, disastrous blind dates Since they are best friends, this is how they try to find each other a date. After about seven dates and sleeping together, they worry about how it will affect their friendship. Hazel has no filter on her moth and says what she thinks. Can Josh love Hazel's strange but endearing behavior? What about the ex-boyfriend that Josh accidentally fixes Hazel up with? Once they figure out they love each other, it is a uphill battle with secrets and misunderstandings. Loved this book, much. I received this book from Gallery and Threshold Books for a honest review and no compensation otherwise. 5+

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was EPIC. A beautiful friendship turns into a burning romance, this is one of my favorite kind of tropes. I absolutely adored Hazel and Josh from the start and continued to love them until the very last word in this book. Both of them amazing in their own ways and perfect for each other! It was truly a beautiful love story that I think everyone should read. Christina Lauren know how to do it!