This book....THIS BOOK!  By far my favorite read this year.  Only 320 pages..............I could have read 1000 pages of Josh and Hazel.  The writing duo of  Christina Lauren just get better and better with every story they tell.  Josh and Hazel though for me, by far knock all the others out of the way.  Make room you guys, cause Josh and Hazel will steal your heart!

"Sort of" friends from college, they meet again 10 years later and the hilarity and sweetness ensue.  Josh is calm, reserved, introverted, Hazel, is quirky, clumsy, kind, she walks to the beat of her own drum.  Maybe she's a bit zany and "out there" but she does it with a loving spirit.  Hazel is a breath of fresh air in Josh's otherwise mundane life.  And well for Hazel.....Josh is just the most beautiful man she's ever known.  He brings the stability that Hazel needs.  As their friendship blossoms, so do they.  Together, they learn just how much the other brings out of them.  Josh slowly starts to see what life is like through Hazel's eyes and while he's determined not to ruin their friendship, he can't help feel something.

The things that Hazel says when she's nervous are some of the funniest things I've ever read.  I was embarrassed for her a few times, yet found myself laughing out loud all the same.  Poor Josh....

I can never say enough wonderful things about Christina Lauren.  Their stories are ones I can see on the big screen.  Every story feels personal, and every character so very real.  It's an amazing partnership, I'm always waiting to see what's coming next.  If you read nothing else this fall, you have to read Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating.  You won't be disappointed!

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader’s Copy of this book *

Josh and Hazel were charming, fun, and I enjoyed their story. This title has a lightness to it, even in the more serious times, that really feel like you are swimming in a bit of champagne as you are reading, bounced around on the bubbles.

I enjoyed this aspect of it. Hazel's flightiness, and her willingness to say just about anything, and do just about anything, that ended up making her the life of the party, but also, at least in her mind, un-dateable for Josh.

Josh, however, has different ideas, and sees her for all of who she is. And, I think that is the appeal of this title, that she is herself and Josh loves her anyway...maybe even always has.

The writing in this was strong. It definitely takes a balance and a precise story arc to have a character as off the wall as Hazel remain appealing and not get tiring. But, that was, I think, part of the charm of the book. You realize that Josh absolutely can love Hazel for who she is, because you do as a reader.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Really loved this book and being able to tell Christina Lauren in person. Podcast link on Womenwithbooks.com, and all my social media: http://traffic.libsyn.com/womenwithbooks/WWB_Ch.28_-_Christina_Lauren.mp3

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the first Christine Lauren book I've read. It won't be the last. This book was hilarious. Usually I don't get comedies - I suppose my comedy meter is off or something.

So this book features Hazel and Josh. They knew each other in college but are re-acquainted years later. Hazel is hilarious. She doesn't hold back what she thinks and poor Josh is so reserved. I don't know if he knows how to take her sometimes.

They make a great combination of friends, or non friends, or non dating best friends. HA! See...it's a bit crazy. Some of their non dates are the worst!

You wait for them to get a clue about their non dating status the whole book. As smart as these two are it takes a few others to screw in their light bulb.

Lighthearted, exuberant and fun, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is the latest romance release by author duo Christina Lauren. As a fan since the start of the Beautiful series, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d want to read this new one. It’s not as steamy as that first series, but just as entertaining.

Hazel Bradford and Josh Im have an interesting history. In college, they constantly ended up in awkward situations from their first meeting at a party (where a drunken Hazel threw up on Josh’s shoes) to that time she was dating his roommate (some sights can’t be unseen) to Hazel’s attempt to write Josh, her TA for an anatomy class, an excuse for not having a paper ready after dental surgery. That note ended up framed on Josh's wall.

Several years later, Hazel crashes into Josh’s orbit once again when it turns out that her new friend Emily has a brother –and it’s Josh. Of course it’s Josh. Perfectly normal Josh. The opposite of loud, unfiltered, joyful Hazel. Due to circumstances, they end up as roommates and since dating each other would be absurd (right?), they double date, finding prospects to introduce to the other party. But the more time they spend together, they deeper their friendship gets, the clearer it becomes that maybe their perfect partner is closer to home than they realize.

What a delightful opposites attract romance! Hazel comes by her eccentricities naturally, with her mother having shown her that being true to oneself is the key to being happy. She knows that she’s quirky and unfiltered and that men find her dateable only for short periods of time, up to the point where they realize she’s not going to change for them and become more socially acceptable. She’s okay with that. In return for true friendship she gives her trust and unfailing loyalty. But she believes that while she and Josh can be friends, really good friends, he’s too good for her and doesn’t contemplate more with him until their relationship undergoes some changes and they have sex. Drunken sex at first, then really good sex, and well, that’s where things get a teensy bit more complicated.

Along with the fun banter, friendship and romantic discovery, there are some great family relationships that feel true to the characters and the story. Hazel and her mother are close, and can talk about everything, including dating and sex. Josh is Korean and there are several scenes with his sister Emily (both of whom have anglicized their names but still use their Korean names when alone and with family) and his parents that show their close knit ties. At the beginning of the story, Josh is in a long distance relationship (short lived) with a woman who never made an effort to get to know his family. Hazel is the complete opposite, having already become fast friends with his sister and endearing herself (in her usual awkward way) to Josh’s mother who takes pleasure in providing food for them both.

Friends to lovers is the relatively easy part, but deciding to go all in and commit to something more takes courage. The latter part of the story has a few surprises on the way to a happy ending, and a truly joyful epilogue that will leave you smiling. I highly recommend this romantic comedy and can’t wait to see what this author duo has up their sleeves next!

Review has been posted on Amazon. As part of a blog tour with Gallery books it will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter on Sep 7th.

OMG!!! Yes this book was amazing! It was so engaging! It made me laugh, cry and laugh more. Loved it!

Hazel is the most eccentric character I have ever experienced. Because of her lack of verbal filter and plethora of pets, most men don't get to know Hazel and the big heart she has. Through a series of disastrous events, Josh Im doesn't have the best impression of Hazel, but Hazel has always had a secret crush on him. The two reconnect when they discover that Hazel's best friend is Josh's sister. When the two move into together because Hazel's apartment gets flooded, she turns Josh's orderly world upside down. The two decide to go on a series of blind double dates to help each other find the one, but eventually recognize the love they have for each other. This is a super, sweet love story where opposites truly attract.

Blog: The Life & Times of a Book Addict.
Date Posted: September 6, 2018.

REVIEW:

Josh comes from a pretty close knit Korean family and has more of a traditional background. He’s pretty even-keeled, a little reserved/serious, but also has a dry sense of humor. He is also a physical therapist and has a business there in Portland. His personality, loyalty, and easy friendship with Hazel had me falling in love with him right alongside Hazel.

Hazel, a third grade school teacher is not what you might expect when you first meet her. She has absolutely no filter and is pretty straight-forward. She usually says the first thing that comes to her mind, but isn’t rude about it. She has the biggest heart, sweet, super easy-going, loves to be happy and make friends. Essentially she is a giant social butterfly. And I loved her to pieces!

This book took me by surprise. I’ve been in a little bit of a book funk lately. Sometimes it’s taken me awhile to get really into a book. So when I started this one, I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. Actually I didn’t just like it, I kind of fell in love with it. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was a great story about friendship, love, and not changing who you are to suite others around you. I loved Hazel and Josh. I want to have friends like these two! I’ve always enjoyed reading, but this book…I had so much fun getting to know Hazel and Josh and watching their friendship grow and develop. The other characters like Dave, Emily, Hazel’s mom and Josh and Emily’s mother all added to the story and made it that more special. I lost count of the number of times I laughed. I ended the book with a big smile on my face. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone I knew about it.

In short, go check out Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating!


RATING: 5 out of 5.

This was hands down the best friends to lovers book I've ever read. Witty and genuine, it felt very real, very natural. Dialogue was so realistic amongst all the characters that Hazel and Emily would have a conversation that I'd have with my bestie, too. The opposites attract trope was nothing stereotypical, and was so well done that you coulda see the exact moment they clicked and just became perfect for each other. My favorite Christina Lauren book. Having just finished it, I already want to read it again.

Christina Lauren is easily in my top 10 most beloved authors. This author duo knows how to write romance, and write it well. Each new release of theirs brings something unique and fresh to the genre, and Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is no different. Josh and Hazel stole my heart in their hilarious, adorable friends-to-lovers romance. If you love entertaining books with well-written characters that are utterly relatable, you definitely need this book in your life!

I love quirky heroines, and you don’t get any more quirky than Hazel. She looks at the world a little differently than other people, and Josh understands her in a way few others do and adores her all the more for it. Josh is her perfect match, the steady stability to Hazel’s wild ways. They’ve known each other for a decade since college, but after reuniting, their friendship grows even stronger. You can absolutely feel the strength in the foundation of their friendship, and I love how that friendship slowly grows into an epic love.

As much as I love alpha heroes, it’s the quiet, dependable heroes that always get to me. Josh’s support and adoration for Hazel is one of the best parts about this novel. In addition to that, Christina Lauren did a fantastic job at authentically writing about Josh’s life as a Korean-American. As an Asian-American myself, I couldn’t help but appreciate how seamlessly the authors wove Korean culture, from the language to the food, into the story.

If you’re a fan of rom-coms and friends-to-lovers, I can’t recommend this book enough. Josh and Hazel’s story is fresh, genuine, and romantic. Christina Lauren left me with a smile on my face by the end of the book, but that’s no surprise for me. They’ve been knocking their 2018 releases out of the park, and I already can’t wait for more from them!

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was full of hearts, flowers, and swoon. It was overflowing with everything I love about romance. It personifies romance. I was reminded just why I love this genre so much.

It's not often you can read characters that are truly relatable. Josh and Hazel are just that. Josh is his own special brand of stoic mixed with sweet. His redeeming qualities are too numerous to name. I simply loved him and everything he represented. He had not one single flaw, which is usually so unrealistic, yet it felt completely right.

But Hazel. Oh Hazel. She is what makes this book so outstanding. There is nothing better than a female character who completely embraces who she is. Not just for a bit or only lets herself go when it feels safe to. Hazel isn't afraid to show the world who she is from the start. She embraces her own brand of crazy, and to hell with anyone who doesn't fall in line. You can not truly appreciate the wonder that is Hazel just from reading a book blurb or review. She needs to be experienced. Let me just tell you... The world would be a better place if we were all a little more like Hazel.

For so many reasons, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Dating is one of my top reads from 2018. This book is just full of feels, and you are going to love getting lost inside the pages. Make sure you carve out a few hours before you start, because you won't be able to put it down.

I chose to read this book in the hopes that it would distract me from a really bad day. Historically, CLo has always been there for me.

There was A LOT of build up about this book online, lots of squeeing and freaking out over it. While I did not squee, Josh and Hazel surely helped to soften the blow of a craptastic few days.

Why? Mainly because Josh and Hazel loved each other for exactly who they were, not who they could or should be but just as they were and always had been. Their friendship and relationship was such a pleasure to read and experience. Josh's acceptance and love of Hazel was so pure and sweet, not to mention sexy as hell. Kudos to Hazel for not settling for a guy who would dim her light.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was a pleasure to read and just what I needed.

*copy provided by publisher

I’m always excited when I hear about a new novel from Christina Lauren. Every single one is different and surprising. This novel sort of reminded me of a Korean Drama. It was quirky and comical. It’s also written in my favorited point of view, first person.

The authors did a great job of creating wonderful characters. I loved Hazel’s personality, how spunky she was. She is strange and different and she knows it, and doesn’t change for anyone. Josh is amazing. His personality was brought out slowly which I liked. It was like getting to know someone slowly and the more I knew, the more I liked him. He’s caring, protective and accepted Hazel and her strangeness.

I think this novel was a bit slow for me in the beginning but it picked up. Regardless it was still witty and different. It made me laugh, which I love to do in romance novels. I recommend this novel to those who want to read something fun but still romantic.

An advance complimentary copy of this book was supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Holy forking shirt, I’ve died and gone to heaven! Not only is Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating one of THE BEST books of the year, it’s by far my new favorite from Christina Lauren (and I’ve read a lot of their books). When I love a book this much, I find it so hard to put my feelings into words–I feel like Hazel would appreciate an interpretive dance or a hand-painted macaroni diorama instead.

Speaking of Hazel, she’s an eccentric, quirky, and adorably lovable heroine. But the best part is, she’s completely unapologetic about it. I love that she didn’t plan to, or even want to, change herself for a man to fall in love with her. She wanted someone who would love her because of who she was and that was that. The authors’ approach to a woman like Hazel is so delightfully refreshing and I want more characters just like her.

Josh is literally the complete opposite of Hazel: he’s grounded, she’s a free spirit; he’s a realist, she’s a dreamer, and so on. For Josh, being friends with someone with such a big personality may have been overwhelming at times, but he just accepts Hazel for who she is and rolls with it. He’s a man of few words, but his self-assured strength and unwavering supportiveness are the things that make such an amazing hero.

Needless to say, I read the entire thing with a grin I couldn’t contain, both from the non-stop humor and the sheer bundle of joy that is this story. The characters are so endearing, the writing so stellar, and the story so dreamy, it grabbed me by the heart and wouldn’t let go. I could probably ramble on for about ten more paragraphs, so I’m going to stop myself and just tell you, READ THIS BOOK!

The college years are a time of transition—a time to grow up, to learn to be responsible, and to figure out who we really are. But in Christina Lauren’s Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, when two very different college classmates bump into each other years later, they find that the only thing that’s changed is their compatibility...

Review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

Cute story. This was not my favorite by this duo but it was a fun read. I adored Hazel’s personality. The sweet and slow burn of Josh and Hazel falling in love was just right.

If you are a fan of quirky heroines, you will love this book. I could actually visualize this as a movie, which says a lot about the story. Well done.

I really enjoyed this book! Hazel was amazing and seriously someone I would love to be best friends with. Josh was so nice and just such a good guy... he was the only guy Hazel ever encountered who accepted her for exactly who she is. This book is the story of two people who think they're wrong for each other, but wind up being a perfect match.. This was my first book by Christina Lauren, but it wont be my last. It was a great story!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

My face hurts so much from this HUGE smile I am wearing, and the happy tears -- they just keep coming. You know what? It's all perfectly OK, because it speaks to what a fun and delightful experience reading this book was.

From the beginning, I knew this was going to be a very satisfying rom-com. Hazel had that feel of an old-school rom-com heroine, and I thought she was hilarious. But Hazel wasn't just there to be the funny guy to Josh's straight man. Although Hazel owned her crazy, she saw how it could be off-putting, and struggled with her own insecurities regarding people being able to put up with her being too Hazel. I will not pretend that my heart didn't ache a little for her every time these thoughts polluted her mind, and I wish I could reach out and hug her.

I liked the way Hazel set her sights on something, and worked to make it happen. She wanted Josh Im to be her best friend, and she sort of made that happen. She was able to "insert" herself into Josh's life at a moment when he really needed a friend, and although they were almost polar opposites, they complimented each other in the best ways.

Watching Josh grow to embrace Hazel's crazy was a beautiful thing. Every little step he took toward that HEA made my heart grow and expand exponentially. And my goodness! What isn't there to love about Josh Im? He was described as being extremely attractive, but he was also driven, successful, kind, considerate, smart, a good brother, a wonderful son, and a great friend. This girl had permanent heart eyes when it came to Josh Im.

The dates Josh and Hazel went on were a source of hilarity in the book, but at the same time, they were painful for me, because I just wanted Josh and Hazel to be together.

But it all didn't matter, because that ending was perfection. Crap! Happy tears are rolling down my cheek just thinking about it. I may never stop smiling.

Once again, I would like to thank the awesome Christina Lauren for such a wonderful experience. I laughed, I swooned, I smiled, and I shed the happiest of happy tears for Josh and Hazel.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is another terrific read by the queens of rom com, authors Christina Lauren. I laughed out loud and was moved by this story and it’s quirky, eclectic cast of characters. Especially Hazel and her self-deprecating humor.

Authors Christina Lauren use such vivid and descriptive language when creating their amazing characters and their world. josh and Hazel are no exception. The situations they got themselves into were hysterical, sweet, and sexy AF.

Hazel is simply adorable. I wanted to die for her when she shares her college mishaps. Oh the embarrassment! But she never let it get her down. She is a sassy character who not only marches to the beat of her own drum, but she creates her own symphony. She could be frustrating and even a little annoying but I could forgive those times because she made up for it with her caring heart and hysterical antics.

Josh needed hazel in his life and I loved watching him realize it.

Their attraction is off the charts. The banter is funny, sarcastic and filled with innuendo. They just couldn’t get out of their own way.

The alternating POV is my favorite. I love being in the characters’ heads.

This book is another hit for the dynamic duo of rom com. Definitely recommend. Cannot wait to see what’s next from authors Christina Lauren.

So good...so funny...so addicting.

This book made me smile while reading and laugh out loud and shed a tear or two at the same time!

Christina Lauren has once again hit this one out of the park.  These two loveable characters will sneak into your heart and take residence!

Hazel is one of my favorite characters that I have read lately.  She's a self-admitted "hot mess" and she lives up to this characterization without exception.  As a third grade teacher, she's the perfect person to lead those 7-8-year-olds, they love her for who she is which isn't always the case with people her own age.  Everyone LOVES Hazel but men often don't "get" Hazel or they expect her to change and well - she is who she is which is one of the reasons I absolutely LOVE and ADORE her.   We all need a little Hazel in our lives.

Then there is Josh - the opposite of Hazel, the well mannered, put together, some may say "perfectionist".

In college there are a few unfortunate interactions between Josh and Hazel but once college ends they don't see each other anymore until... Hazel's friend from school is actually...JOSH.

Their friendship is rekindled and it's really only that - FRIENDS.  Josh helps Hazel out - Hazel helps Josh out and that's when the real fun begins!  The "adventures" that Josh and Hazel experience together will make you laugh out loud and not want this book to ever end.