First of all let me say that this might be my favorite Christina Lauren story... I abso-freakin-lutely LOVED this book!!! Hazel is a nut, I want to be her BFF so bad. And good LAWD, Josh is the BEST Asian book boyfriend that I've ever read! As an Asian American, this kind of representation in a genre and community that rarely writes stories that include people of color like me or mixed race relationships, a book like this means a lot to me on a personal level. Christina & Lauren NAILED his character. He was broody, sexy, intelligent, respectful and just basically all around swoon worthy! 😍 I might have peed myself a little in the scene where Hazel's ring tone of Khai's "My Neck, My Back" started playing... LOL, DEAD! This story is not only smokin hot, sweet and funny but for those of us with dating woes, it's 100% relatable, Go. Run. Click. Now. You need this book in your life.

This was sooo good. I simply devoured it. I love Christina Lauren’s books. For me, these authors always bring it home with their sweet and sexy originals stories. It’s not a fluke I love them since The Office, they just never disappoint.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is definitely in my top list this year and one of my top favorite CL books. They are just the best at the friends to lovers trope. This one has major Beautiful Player (Will & Hannah) vibes!!!! And BP is my all time favorite CL book, so you can imagine how excited I was about Josh + Hazel’s story.

Like I said, I was hooked from the get go. These two characters, along with some secondary ones were all so fantastic and likeable you can’t help but root for them. I loved the entire story of Josh and Hazel, their evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers was just perfection.

Hazel and Josh knew each other from college. They were merely acquaintances, Josh was at one point Hazel’s TA, but they had some embarrassing history, mostly on Hazel’s part. Years later, they see each other at a party and it turns out that Josh is Emily’s (Hazel’s BFF) brother. From then on they formed a beautiful friendship that eventually turns into so much more. And the rest you need to read it to find out.

Hazel is just something else, she’s my kind of girl, quirky, weird, over the top, no filter. But at the same time she was vulnerable, and such a good, special friend. And Josh (Jimin), Josh was simply everything. Completely loved him and his relationship with Hazel and his family. He’s a man’s man, loved him.

There were so many things I loved about this book. There’s so many funny moments combined with so many sweet moments. Not too mention some super sexy times! And that epilogue, my heart, it was everything I wanted and more! Needless to say, I absolutely recommend!

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Dating is a fast paced, super funny friends to lovers story. Hazel is a wild, unfiltered, unique women who simply gets into funny situations and says the craziest things. Josh is more laid back and quiet. Who’s says opposites don’t attract haven’t met these two.

4.5 Stars!

What do you get when a quirky woman and a straight-laced man become more than friends? A hilarious love story that provides a ton of entertainment. Josh and Hazel's Guide To Not Dating is a romantic comedy by Christina Lauren. They are a writing team that never fails to disappoint with their savviness, emotional highs, and passion for the written word.

Third grade teacher Hazel Bradford has been a bit weird all of her life, an eccentric trait that she inherited from her delightful mother. She is a very good friend, has five distinct pets, and typically says whatever is on her mind. As a result, her dating life suffers because after a few dates, her unconventional behavior tends to be a real turn off. Then Josh Im comes back into her life and he finds her idiosyncrasies quite endearing.

Josh is a successful physical therapist. He and Hazel met back in college, and at the time Josh found her to be a tad annoying. Now years later, he finds out that Hazel is his sister's best friend, and as a result they become good friends. So much so in fact, that they decide to set each other up on dates. They date as a foursome and each gathering is funnier than the last. Their time together evolves into much more and they eventually fall in love.

Josh and Hazel's Guide To Not Dating is quite a page turner. I love romantic comedies and this book was a laugh-out-loud roller coaster ride. This story is chock full of fun, steamy scenes, and two characters that I enjoyed getting to know. The authors pour passion into their writing and as a result, their characters are well-developed and full of intensity. Since Josh's character is Korean, I liked how the authors intertwined his family's traditions into the plot. This book should definitely be added to your TBR list.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Utterly beautiful. Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is a celebration of love - love of self, of friends, family, pets, and the one you're meant to be with for the rest of your life..

I seldom fall in love with both characters equally strong. I usually prefer the hero over the heroine with a few special exceptions. With Josh and Hazel, I did and it's a credit to the writers that they created their MCs with so much facets to their personalities

I adore Hazel. She's a lot to take and has no filter, no chill whatsoever. But she wouldn't change for anyone just to be datable because being herself is enough. She's enough. I believe it when Em says, "Hazel is the best person I've ever known."

And Josh, he's perfect in a way that's still accessible. He accepts Hazel for who she is, is not embarrassed by her, and best of all, loves her for her unique qualities. He's thoughtful and sensitive and perfect for Hazel. I fell for him as easily as Hazel did.

Their journey from friends to lovers is so natural, so inevitable that I could only sigh when it finally happened.

I love, love, love the writing of this book. There's wit and humor and also depth that's not angsty or over-dramatic. Just enough for my tears to flow in appreciation. I adore the secondary characters: Em and Dave, Aileen, Mrs. Im, Winnie and Hazel's other pets, even the disastrous dates. And, I absolutely appreciate that Josh has a POV. Loved seeing the events through his eyes. Too many NA stories only have one POV, usually the heroine's, and while I like a select number of them, I prefer the dual narration.

Did I mention that this is multicultural? I really liked how Christina and Lauren were able to include the Korean culture so seamlessly in the story through Josh and Em, their relationship with each other and with their parents, and with the food and conversations. Yay for diversity and inclusion.

This summer I seem to hit the reading jackpot. I have loved the last two books I read by Christina Lauren, but Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is totally a new favorite. I love kookie, quirky heroines, and Hazel was all that and more. And I just adored her.
“…he got a goofy chatterbox daughter who wanted to raise chickens, sang Captain and Tennille in the shower, and worked at the pumpkin patch every fall since she was ten because she liked dressing up as a scarecrow.”

Hazel knows she is different. She is just like her mom and marches to the beat of her own drum. She is a perfect “Ms. Frizzle” to her third graders, she’s loud, fun, messy creative and adorable.
“I realize that finding the perfect person isn’t going to be easy for me because I’m a lot to take,” she says, “but I’m not going to change just so that I’m more datable. At the end of the day, being myself is enough. I'm enough.”

The first time she met Josh Im was in college when she threw up on his shoes. She was crushing on her gorgeous TA but all she did was embarrass herself more and more around him. Now it’s years later and she is at her new best friend Emily’s party and it turns out Josh is Emily’s sister. After another embarrassing encounter, Hazel decides she is going to be Josh’s best friend. As much as she has a crush on Josh, she knows she isn’t compatible with the calm, strait-laced, neat Korean man.
“Do you know how many guys like to date the cute wild girl for a few weeks before expecting me to chill a little and become more Regular Girlfriend?”

Because they are friends now, Josh and Hazel decide to set each other up on dates.
“What if I set you up with someone, and you set me up with someone, and we went out together?”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. No games, no expectations. Double blind date. Just for a laugh.”

The series of dates was so much fun! You can feel the love between Josh and Hazel start to morph from friendship to maybe something more.
“But was I right?”
She’s breathless, hair wild and face flushed and how has nobody seen how crazy and fucking amazing she is? I decide right there to make sure somebody does. “Yeah, Haze. You were.”

I loved how Josh never tried to change one thing about her. Never tried to tamp down her energy and exuberance. He was like the calm to her storm and these opposites were perfect for each other.

“You’re second only to a unicorn as far as best friends go, Josh Im.”

This may be one of my favorite friends-to-lovers books ever. I loved all of the characters and just picture Emily and her husband watching these two dance around each other from the sidelines. I also loved the family aspect. They both have great moms, and I loved how Christina Lauren wrote about his traditional Korean mom without making a big deal about it.
“I tend to be too chatty, too silly, too exuberant, too random, too eager.” She spreads her hands. “Too Hazel-y.” She is all of these things, but it’s actually why I like her. She’s entirely her own person.

Likes:

•My cheeks hurt from smiling the whole book.
•Hazel was quirky and fun and so freaking lovable.
•Josh’s close Korean family.
•You really felt the friendship build and the mutual love develop.
•Hazel is just one of those people who is ALWAYS adorably happy.
•She makes no apologies for having 20+ sexual partners.
•She knows exactly who she is and won’t change for anyone.
•Their blind dates just kept getting better.
•Josh was never a man-whore.
•Some good sexy times to balance it all out.
•Awesome epilogue.

Dislikes:

•There was a twist right at the end that just seemed so unnecessary and almost didn’t fit in this book, then it was resolved very abruptly.

The Down and Dirty:
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by the writing duo of Christina Lauren is a 2018 Top Pick for sure. It was a fresh, funny, adorable modern friends-to-lovers/opposites attract romance that will absolutely stick with me. Hazel is one of my favorite characters ever and I loved how Josh never tried to dim her light. This is one book I can’t wait to re-read in audible format when it comes out because I totally want to hang out with Hazel more!


Rating: 5 Stars, 4 Heat

Once I started this, I could not stop! Josh and Hazel’s adventures are interesting and fun. But I was on pins and needles wanting to find out how how it would all work out. I’m not normally a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, but some authors really get it right.

Hazel is quirky and Josh is more than just her straight man: he’s the one who thrives on her brand of adventure. And, of course, the fact that these two are as opposite as two people can get is one of the best things about the book. They seem to wade into each other’s lives without knowing what’s happening. It is such happy, joyful read. Even when these two are unsure of each other, they are still the best of friends.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren is a cute adult love story that I enjoyed. Josh and Hazel met in college, when Hazel propositioned him, but he did not take her up on. Now ten years later Hazel discovers that Josh is her best friends brother. Hazel is very out going and quirky, Josh is very conservative. Josh is in a long distance relationship, and they find themselves hanging out enjoying each others friendship. And the story grows from there. If you are looking for a fun and sweet contemporary romance give this book a shot, you won't be disappointed.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

I loved this book. For so many reasons. But, the biggest reason I adore it as much as I do is Hazel's lack of a filter and the hilarious things that come out of her mouth.

Hazel knew Josh in college. Fast forward to some years later, and she meets him in a totally coincidental way. The two end up in this weird sort of friendship, where they flirt but don't flirt, and eventually they decide they should set each other up on blind dates.

Hazel is crazy fun and amazing. She's totally out there, and I absolutely loved it! She has a whole slew of animals in her house, with funny names. When there's something on her mind, chances are it's going to come out of her mouth, without a second thought on her part. She's goofy and she has a good heart and when she loves, she's all in, head over heels, hopelessly devoted to the person. I felt such a connection to her because she's kinda sorta like my soul sister. I loved every minute of this book because she's such a wonderful character! I laughed at her quips, cringed for her, cheered for her ... seriously, she's crazy amazing.

Josh is awkward, in a cute way. He's endearing and he hasn't exactly had the best luck with the ladies along the way. I could tell Hazel made him uncomfortable, but I could also see he was starting to get smitten with her. They're polar opposites, but they compliment one another and they make such a good pair.

I couldn't stop reading this book once I got going. It flowed along so easily and the humor, sweet moments, and drama laced into the plot only made it even better. Christina Lauren always create such amazing characters, and the secondary ones in Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating play just as important of a role in things as the two main ones do.

Honestly, this book had me laughing all the way through. It's by far one of the most enjoyable reads I've had this summer.

Five stars to this novel!

4.5

Christina Lauren keep hitting it out of park for me over the past year, first with Roomies and a few months ago with Love and Other Words.

I immediately loved that Josh and Hazel were completely different from the hero and heroine in the above mentioned books. Hazel's "wild child" quirkiness was more endearing than irritating and Josh's laid-back go with the flow attitude complimented Hazel more than anything else despite Hazel thinking this would be the exact reason why they wouldn't work out as a couple.

The string of blind dates that ensue between them only cement the fact that Josh and Hazel are truly the pair that is meant to be together although it takes both of them some time to actually admit it to themselves, let alone each other.

I don't want to say that the story is predictable because that sounds a bit too harsh, but it does follow a certain familiar pattern set forth by other contemporary romances. What really makes Josh and Hazel stand out is the idea of not changing who you are for someone else. Hazel has struggled with relationships in the past because they can't handle her extremely outgoing personality. To see Josh not bat an eyelash when Hazel does, wears, or says something "crazy" is something she's not experienced before, but it also makes her think that because of his cool and calm personality, they would not be a good fit relationship-wise.

I really loved that even though it takes a bit to admit it to himself, Josh never seriously pictures himself with anyone besides Hazel...especially after a drunken night of sex that is the ultimate game-changer in the relationship.

For all the places where the story veered into predictability, Christina Lauren definitely pull out all the stops when it comes to the ending. I was riveted to the page seeing how things would ultimately work out, if they would, between Josh and Hazel. What happened was this story ended up being a quirky, sweet, heartening romance.

Adding this one to the list of winners for the writing duo.

It seems Christina Lauren are determined to make a liar out of me. With every new novel they have released this year I’ve proclaimed it to be my new favourite, and alas, here I am once again about to make the same claim.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is the insanely addictive, belly-clutching laugh-out-loud romance that is a major coup of a read for all friends to lovers, opposites attract aficionados.

It tells the story of Hazel Camille Bradford and Josh Im. Hazel is best friend to Josh’s sister, but that isn’t their only connection. They’ve had a bizarre friendship has spanned 10 years every since Hazel threw herself at Josh with hilarious consequences in college. Placed firmly in the friend zone, Hazel has been nursing her crush every since.

“I always though I caught you in… a phase." His left eyebrow makes a fancy arch. Apparently you’re just like this.”

Although complete opposites, they are alike in their hopelessness when it comes to love. Prone to a bright idea or two they decide to be each other’s wingman on double dates with the aim of talking the other up to potential suitors as well as critiquing any non favourable attributes.

The result is as hilarious as it is emotionally engaging. Hazel is not only a standout character in the book, but one from my whole year of reads thus far. Just like the novel itself she’s vivacious, wears her heart on her sleeve, and never is susceptible to a dull moment.

“I can say without question I’ve honestly never known anyone else like you."

Although I stand guilty of sounding like a broken record, I say with conviction, this is my favourite Christina Lauren read to date… until the next release ;)

4.5 Fun Flirty Fabulous Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

This! Book! What an absolutely adorable sweet and funny romcom with the perfect amount of steam and sizzle🔥


Hazel is being added to my book BFF list and might even have earned the top spot!!! Hazel is a friend you want by your side and somebody you wish you were more like... she had such a fabulous sense of who she was and was not willing to compromise herself for anyone... she had a heart of gold and a tremendous passion for life.... she was also loud, eccentric, and had an unusual fashion sense.... As somebody who is too concerned with what everyone else thinks, I really need some Hazel in my life and in my personality... and Josh? Well he wasn’t too bad either...😉

This was probably one of the absolute best friends to lovers books I have ever read... convinced that they are completely wrong for one another, and after Josh is cheated on and ends a two year long relationship... josh and Hazel begin setting each other up on blind dates.... most of these blind dates were disastrous and hilarious... I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit throughout this book.... I mean we’ve all been on bad dates, so this part was so tremendously relatable and a lot of fun!

Also really loved how important family was in this book... Hazel had an equally eccentric mother, and the bond between them was undeniable... josh’s family was equally fabulous, I loved how accepting they were of Hazel.... i’d also really love Josh‘s mom to cook some Korean food for me!

Beautifully told with some pretty darn amazing characters! This book had it all... humor, romance, friendship, family, pets, food, and sizzle! Absolutely recommend to fans of this writing team, and if you aren’t a fan already pick this book up and you will become one!

*** many thanks to Gallery Books for my copy of this fabulous book ***

oh, well now this was just freaking adorable. i kept hearing about it, only good things of course! that it was hilarious, adorable and their sexiest book yet.. now i haven't read all of CL's books, but i've read a few. and sometimes my humour doesn't fit with other peoples, so i was a bit worried about that but had nothing to fear. it WAS freaking hilarious. the word that comes to mind with this book is delightful. Hazel was a freaking delight. I adored her. So many times, the weird quirky girl in books comes across pretentious or vain, but not Hazel. She was so realistic and wonderful and I adored her. I also liked Josh, of course, but I love how he liked and accepted her. Seriously, freaking delightful. It was funny, I laughed so many times, I covered my face in secondhand embarrassment a couple of times, I felt the dagger-through-the-heart feelings a couple of times, I felt all the things. it was steamy as all get out and i loved it. You really felt their friendship grow and then develop into more. And that epilogue? My heart. It's dead. Killed. So freaking adorable I might have gotten a bit teary. Maybe. Okay, definitely.

Highly, highly, highly recommend. I don't keep ARCs, so I'll be buying this one for sure so I can re-read it one day.

I just love these ladies writing. They make every story come to life in a way that not many can. This latest book is a perfect example of that.

I laughed, I swooned and I just consumed this book. My smile was there the whole time I read this book. I got to read this one at a time when I just needed something light and heart-warming. I tend to go for the angsty, darker, heavier books and it's nice to cleanse my palate with a book like this one.

While I may not rave about every book these ladies put out, I do enjoy them a lot. The Bastard series is still my favorite and the second one would be the Wild Seasons series. I just like those stories a whole lot more but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy all their books. I really recommend giving this one a try.

Hang with me, folks, because this one’s going to get a little gushy…

Holy crap, I loved this book. I mean, I love this book with a gushy, impossible, fangirl-y type of love I’ve up until now reserved for Jensen Ackles (aka: Dean Winchester, aka: my future second husband). If you want to go ahead and skip reading this review to go 1-click the book, I’d totally understand, and you’d be doing the right thing. It’s that good. But just in case you’re still reading, here’s what I loved:

Hazel:
Hazel, the heroine, is the quirkiest romance heroine I’ve ever read. She’s like Bridget Jones times ten, but without all the self-doubt and insecurities. She’s a true wild child, but that’s not what I love most about her. What I love most about Hazel is that she’s totally unapologetic about who she is. She knows that her quirkiness is a turn-off to some people, and if those people don’t want to be around her, she’s cool with that. She didn’t need them anyway. Hazel is 100% true to herself and she’s happy. She doesn’t need a man or love to “fix” her or “tame” her, which makes her totally badass.

Josh:
Josh, the hero, is pretty much Hazel’s polar opposite. He’s a little uptight, sedate, and professional to the extreme most of the time. But while he finds Hazel to be (in the beginning) a little exasperating, he accepts her for who she is and learns to appreciate and love her quirks, because he knows that underneath all the crazy fun, Hazel is a kind-hearted, generous, beautiful person.

Also, Josh is Korean-American. I’ve been harping on how romance needs to be more diverse FOREVER, so seeing a proud Korean American romance hero was a real joy for me.

Laughed until I almost peed my pants:
Especially in the beginning, this book is FUNNY, y’all. I can’t stress that enough. Don’t read it in public. You’ll either snort laugh or pee your pants, and it’s really hard to recover from doing either in public.

These are few of my favorite tropes...
(Extra points to you if you sang that subhead in your head to the tune from The Sound of Music. All you kids in the reading audience might just have to go look that one up).

This is a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. Josh and Hazel really get to know each other before jumping into bed together, and there are few tropes I love more than slow-burn and friends-to-lovers.

So, if all that doesn’t convince you to give this one a read, I really don’t know what will. And if you don’t read it, well, I feel kind of sorry for you. You won’t know what you’re missing!

Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley at no charge.

Would you believe this is my first Christina Lauren book? It seems like everyone I know loves them but I’ve been kind of afraid to fall down a backlist rabbit hole. I actually picked up Josh and Hazel because the blurb reminded me of Selfie, just without the age gap. (And that was before I knew that Josh was Korean-American.)

That’s not the worst summary ever. The heroine is a hot mess and the hero is more reserved, just like in the show. And in both cases, the characters are just so charming! I loved the way Josh and his sister, Hazel's best friend, understood and accepted Hazel. And their blind dates are comedy gold.

There's just this one (totally spoilery) thing that happens and no one says, "But I thought you said..." or "Wait, how did that happen?" and that's driving me nuts. (But I think it's just me because no one else has mentioned it yet.)

Still I really enjoyed Josh and Hazel. It was the perfect comfort read to break me out of a reading slump. I'll definitely be reading more from Christina Lauren.

4.5 stars

My first thoughts: fun, sexy and warm! I have always been a huge Christina Lauren fan and this adorable and funny story is another winner.

Hazel is quirky and just a fun heroine. She was never embarrassed by her personality and has the perfect job: an elementary school teacher. Josh and Hazel have known each other since college but become best friends when Hazel finds out that Josh’s sister is actually her friend Emily!

"In summary, I am superb at making an ass out of myself. At the outset, this should explain how I have successfully never dated Josh Im: I have made myself entirely undatable in his presence."

Josh and Hazel, being the best friends that they are, set each other up on terrible blind dates that of course go hilariously wrong. Can’t these two see they are perfect for each other?!

“You like animals, huh?”
“I like babying things. I swear I want, like, seventeen kids.”
I freeze, unsure whether she’s being serious. Her mouth curves up in a thrilled arc.
“See?” Her index finger aims at her chest. “Undatable. I like to drop that one on the first date. Not that this is a date. I don’t really want seventeen kids. Maybe three. If I can support them.”

I loved that Josh is Korean American and the authors don’t simply drop that in as a plot device. His traditions are woven into the plot seamlessly. This is a character-driven novel, and there are not a ton a burning hot scenes but the chemistry that Josh and Hazel have is quite electric. Josh is smart, sexy and caring, and slowly comes around to the fact that he actually is very attracted to his best friend Hazel.

"My head is a mess. I slide my phone onto my nightstand and collapse back on the bed. Hazel sounds fine today. Which is good. I should be glad that she’s the same Hazel she was when she woke up yesterday. But I’m not the same Josh."

This author duo are a powerhouse and they are excellent writers. So there are no plot cliches here, just some very smart characters and a wonderful romantic comedy that is a fun, quick and very satisfying read. I love a good Epilogue and this one was amazing! If you love an “opposites attract” romance, then you will fall in love with Josh and Hazel.

(With thank to the publisher for a review copy.)

If you have read any of Christina Lauren’s work, you know you are going to get a well written Rom Com and that is just what this is. I have read most of their work, and rate this book as high as any I have read. It was a joy to read, and in fact, I stayed up way too late to read this all in one sitting. Josh is a typical, low key, by the book kind of guy, but what makes him lovable is that he is truly entertained by Hazel. She is a whirlwind, a mess, a person with no filter, but who is so friendly and good hearted that everyone should want to be her friend. This book had a great slow burn, a wonderful storyline and if you like good romantic contemporary, this book should be one hour definite TBR list.

Christina Lauren delivered another feel-good love story that will leave you warm your hearts. This time, it's between a free-spirited, no filter Hazel and a stoic, no-nonsense Josh.

Josh and Hazel met each other in college. And Josh witnessed firsthand some of Hazel's penchant for outlandish behavior. Hazel's crush on Josh remains unrequited. They reconnected again through Emma, who happens to be Hazel's best friend and co-worker. This time, they're older but one thing remains true, at least for Hazel, Josh Im is still her unattainable ideal, and as much as she'd love Josh to see as more than a friend, Hazel is content. She also wants Josh happy. So when Josh's long term relationship ended, Hazel volunteered to guide Josh back into the dating world.

It become very clearly quite immediately that Hazel would steal everyone's heart in this book. She's zany and without any filter whatsoever, and I loved her. Despite being written as a crazy fun character who says what's on her mind without any second thoughts, Hazel is a capable and responsible adult. Free spirited doesn't equal a hot mess or incapable of holding down a job and I liked how the authors respected Hazel's character to give her complexity. She is a character with hopes and dreams and she's damn good at her job!

And then of course, there is Josh Im. Serious and quiet, he's the exact opposite of Hazel on paper, but as the reader will soon discover, Josh and Hazel actually have a lot more in common than people think. I adored Josh. His patience and his understanding, and the way he came to value Hazel for who she is was amazing to read.

If you love the opposite attracts type of stories, I highly recommend this gem. I adored the heck out of this book and its characters. Two thumbs up!

Christina Lauren’s books are some of my favorites; specifically, Roomies, Dating You/Hating You, and Love and Other Words. So I was especially excited to read Josh and Hazel. Friends-to-lovers is such a fun trope and is definitely one of my favorites too. While it was a great light and fun summer read, unfortunately, this story just missed the mark for me.

While Hazel was relatable at times, she almost felt like a caricature, especially at the beginning. I know people who are scatterbrained and kooky, but Hazel felt too over the top, too unrealistic. Maybe there are people like her in real life and I just haven’t come across anyone like that, but it still felt like she was a “character” if that makes sense.

I did think her tendency to verbally vomit everything was relatable and funny. And I appreciated that she did what she wanted and didn’t care what other people thought of her.

There is something I did empathize with Hazel on. As a single woman, I completely related to Hazel’s insecurity that she would be “too much” for someone. I don’t know about other people, but I have a similar insecurity. Will anyone really like me for me long-term? Or will they eventually tire of dealing with me and my anxiety, my depression, my severe indecisiveness, and my hypochondriac tendencies? I could empathize with Hazel on that level, even if I felt her character at times was too much of a character and not a real person.

Josh as a hero was wonderful. His and Hazel’s friendship was fun and supportive and nonjudgmental. What a friendship should be, right?

I guess I just felt like something was missing. The meat of the story was lacking. It was like I needed something bigger that was keeping Josh and Hazel apart other than just themselves and their worries and insecurities.

I was talking to another reader and we were questioning whether these writers who publish multiple books a year, if it actually hurts more than it helps. While I would love to consume as many of my favorite authors’ stories as possible, I would rather have to wait between releases and have the books be amazing, then the writers rush through them.

Even though this wasn’t a 5 star read for me, it won’t deter me from reading more Christina Lauren in the future. I’ll just be sure to keep my expectations in check.