There was so much to love in this story. The friends to more, the relationship between this group of friends—their interactions, their game nights, their banter—and the fact that they went into this online dating app together, attempting to grow up and date and go outside of their comfort zone. I love this writing duo for their romantic comedies, their wit and humor, their amazing story telling that shines through again and again.
Millie is a bit closed off in her emotions but she is a GREAT friend to her best friends—4 guys—Reid, Chris, Ed and Alex. They love her for who she is and have never asked for anything more. Until they all decide to create profiles for a dating app that will help them find dates and Millie's fake account is matched with Reid, her best friend she had a half-night stand with, someone who has started to mean more to her than just a friend.
I have to admit that while I loved all of the guys, and most especially Reid who I felt was the most open and emotionally mature of the group, I didn't love Millie. I understood some of her gripes and hang ups about opening up and exposing her feelings, but I didn't love the lying to the one person who meant so much to her. And when things come out in the open, I didn't love how some of the guys played a role in continuing the lie and how fast things seemed to wrap up in the end. I just wanted more. I felt sad for Reid who I felt just deserved more.
After reading Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, maybe I had high expectations because I just loved that book so much. This one was definitely fun and held my interest, but I felt like it could have been so much more coming from this writing duo I love so much.

There is a reason that Christina Lauren is a favorite amongst romance readers. They get it right every single time, and My Favorite Half Night Stand is just another shining example of why that is. They took a popular sub-genre (friends to lovers), put a modern spin on it, and gave us characters we wished to befriend and cheer for. They turned something that could have been predictable and expected into a story that was fresh and captivating.

Millie and Reid are best friends within a group of friends who all work together. While everyone is tight, Millie and Reid are especially close. Until one night, that friendship turns into a tipsy hook-up. Deciding not to let this “misstep” get in the way of their plans to find dates for an upcoming event, Millie, Reid, and the rest of their group create online dating profiles. It's all fun and games until Millie matches with Reid...and he has no clue it's her.

There was a lot to love about this story, but I think the best thing Christina Lauren did with these characters was to make their female lead as flawed as she was. Too often in romance novels, it's the men who are emotionally detached, but not in this story. To put it bluntly, Mille is a hot mess. She really struggles to open herself up to people, especially those closest to her. It turns out to have a major effect on her relationships. I don't want to give anything away, but the way Reid did not allow himself to be treated like a doormat or a second choice was high up on my list of favorites parts as well. This was not an easy love story. Generally, books that follow a deception storyline are automatic no’s for me. But there was something very different about the way it was presented in this book. I just loved it!

My Favorite Half Night Stand is a story that was perfectly thought out and executed. It had plenty of romance paired with non-stop laughs and true chemistry between both lovers and friends. I could not walk away from this book and read the entire story in one sitting. It has cemented a spot on my top reads of 2018.

What an entertaining group of friends! I loved the main couple but I loved the group of friends just as much. The fact that they all decided to join a dating app so that they would have a plus one for a work event was pretty comical.

Sometimes I struggle with a friends to lovers story because you gotta get that transition just right to be believable. I admit, at first I thought things were just a little too easy, but the more we learn about Millie and Reid the more believable these two were.

This is the third book I've read from this writing duo and after finishing this book, it made me think about why I've loved all three so much. I realize they have been like a sneak attack. They start out light, funny and very entertaining. Then as the story progresses, I start to see a subtle shift to a more serious side that just pulls me right in.

It surprises me to get that serious look into these light and funny characters and I love when a book surprises me. This was a fun story and I can't wait to see what these authors bring next.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
3.5 stars

Friends, this is a hard review to write. I have turned into such a Christina Lauren fangirl this year, but I wasn't a huge fan of this book. My problem might be that I just expected so much more from this amazing duo.

I liked the set up, I really like the concept, even the characters started out interesting to me. Also part of the dialogue is through IM which I found to be so cool. This is how we converse now! Even the online dating talks were interesting because I'm sure so many people have been there before. And of course, the writing is magnificent as always.

So, even though I'm gushing over this book, I still giving it 3.5 stars... why? I think it is because I have such issues with Millie. She didn't handle things right, and yes she does grow and get better, but at times I thought she was super thickheaded. She didn't feel like a 30 year old, but someone who should still be in her early 20s. Really, all of the characters felt younger than they should have been, yet older since they had such a hard time with their dating profiles. There was just so many disconnects.
Another thing is a praise open communication, which totally didn't happen here-- in fact it is the main conflict in this novel, so I should have known I was going to have problems with it. I could understand Millie's ability to be more open online, I get it, but :/

I think 3.5 stars is the lowest I've rated a Christina Lauren novel. I will definitely read whatever they write next and hope this was just an outlier.

I’m always here for a Lo and C book and I love a BFF to more story.

I liked Millie and Reid and their group of friends. She’s closed off and he’s a bit of a marshmallow and their interactions were fun. I loved all of the scenes of the group together and definitely wanted more.

Plot wise...I found it a bit lacking. I wasn’t a fan of the catfishing slash lying, especially when other people found out. With so much emphasis on the dating site, I think I was expecting more humor {even though that’s more of the Josh + Hazel storyline} than feelings.

Overall, it was a quick read and I did enjoy it. Maybe it’s because I recently read J+H and I might be obsessed with it? Logically, I know that every book they write shouldn’t be the same but there was a bit of a spark that was missing for me.

**Huge thanks to Gallery Books for providing the arc free of charge**

My Favorite Half-Night Stand (Kindle) by Christina Lauren This is a great friends to lovers story and I am thankful to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. Millie Morris (professor at UC Santa Barbara with a interest in serial killers) Reid Campbell (professor there also) Alex, Ed and Chris all part of the friend group work there also. Millie and Reid and the guys join a dating web site to find dates for an upcoming event. Millie and Reid have a couple or three half-night stands.. and the fun begins...I won't say anymore and give away the story...but who is Cat? there are a lot of feelings, laughs, some tears, soul searching all leading a very HEA.... I really enjoyed this book.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Happily Ever After Witty Wonderful characters Entertaining Great world building Easy-to-read Page-turner Funny Original

*HAPPINESS*

Emotionally compelling friends-to-lovers romance filled with snark, humor, and lots of love.

Millie, a university professor whose specialization is female serial killers, is emotionally available. She is good at keeping people at bay by only sharing what’s on the surface. She is close friends with a group of guys: Reid, Ed, and Chris. Although these men are her closest friends, they don’t know much about her. Millie is closest to Reid and after a drunken night, they have sex. They decide they are better off friends and try their best to go back to “normal.” Except they both have feelings for one another and don’t know how to navigate a romance without putting their friendship at risk.

Needing dates for a commencement ball, the four friends try a dating app. Reid is matched with his ideal girl, except that Reid doesn’t know the girl who has caught his attention is his best friend, Millie as Millie made an account using her middle name, Catherine. This, of course, leads to some drama and pain, but also lots of laughter and love.

I really felt for MIllie’s character. Christina Lauren does a great job of building her walls and then gradually taking them down. Her intelligence shines through in her witty remarks and banter. Once she lets her emotions out and the reader gets to know the real Millie, it’s hard not to root for her. Millie and Reid have great chemistry and their characters complement one another.

I liked the style of My Favorite Half-Night Stand. The narrative is told from Millie and Reid’s POV’s, along with some group text chats and dating app messages. Not only did I get a feel for the dynamics of Millie and Reid’s relationship, I also got to see how the group worked as friends. I really enjoyed their energy and loved the ways they played off of each other.

The plot is a bit predictable, but the quirky loveable characters and the writing make up for it! I was surprised I got so invested in these two! This is an easy, light read that left me feeling happy!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review.

OMG SO GOOD! I devoured these 400 pages and am buying every book she’s ever written as soon as this review is written! I heard great things abt this book, but as someone who at 34 has been married 14 years and with my husband more than 18 years, I thought I’d not enjoy or relate to a book abt online dating. But this book is not just some Sex and the City version of swiping right! This book is about friendship and love and finding ourselves and being whole, honest and communicative in relationships of all kinds, especially in romantic relationships. Abt how being whole on your own before getting involved is so much better than relying on “your other half” to create that sense of completion in yourself. It’s also abt not having to be perfect in order to be loved. It’s so witty and fun and OMG. Again. Thanks SO MYCH NetGalley! I LOVED THIS BOOK!!

This was a very enjoyable read about friends-to-lovers-to-friends-to-it’s complicated relationship.

Millie is a college professor who has a group of four guy friends. They have the sort of relationship that a woman might wish to have with four guys but I’ve never observed in real life. They hang out all the time and have their own secret jokes. Things begin to change when Millie sleeps with Reid, the guy she regards as her best friend. It’s an enjoyable, sexy half-night stand, but then they try to go back to being friends.

Meanwhile, the friends agree to go online to find matches to take to a black-tie gala at their university. Through a series of twists, Millie ends up pretending to be Catherine who matches up 98% with Reid. Writing messages to each other she finds that she can open up in a way she can’t do in person. She’s been tightly closed up personally since her mother died when she was a child.

Poor Reid is in the position of having occasional sex with his best friend, but also feeling a connection with his online match. And Millie is torn up because she knows she’s deceiving the guy she likes and admires more than any other. She’ll have to learn how to open up emotionally if she’s not going to lose the possibility of the best thing that could ever happen to her.

There is not bad guy in the book, just funny people who need to find their way to one another and not wreck all the friendships involved.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I loved this book! Christina Lauren very very rarely ever disappoint and this was no different. I am a sucker for a friends-to-lovers that is expertly filled with humor. Their take on dating apps was hilarious but also had a lot of heart. It was surprisingly light on the sex scenes but still kept me turning the pages and wanting more. I really loved the characters and want books about ALL of the them now. The male friends group they create is so real and so vibrant. I loved Millie. She was incredibly lovable and you want to have her back for everything.

Overall, I would read this book again! I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things that Christina Lauren excels at is writing characters that are utterly adorable, likable and so easy to connect with. I would have given anything to be part of this group of friends. They had so much fun playing boardgames, meeting for lunches, going out for a drink or celebrating intimate birthdays. Since they were such a tight knit group, they also decided to go online dating to get themselves a date for an upcoming event - which ended in all kinds of emotional turmoil.

It was entertaining to see the differences between Millie's take on dating and the guys. And of course it didn't take long until 'Catherine', Millie's secret persona, complicated everything. I understood where Millie was coming from. !I also commiserated with her on why she was the way she was. lI just could have told her from the very beginning that lies never end well, and much of the heartache she went through could have been prevented. (That's were my pragmatic and logical side comes into context.)

I also must mention that CL has a knack for writing incredibly charming and swoon worthy heroes. Reid, as well as Josh in JAHGOND, were characters I would have loved to call my own. I'm impressed and awed by how dreamy all of CL's heroes are, because Reid was all kinds of awesome!

My Favorite Half-Night Stand was a wonderful friends to lovers novel with lots of laughter, witty and smart dialogues and a cast that I would have loved to know in RL. So, if you love the friends to lovers trope, and you love to laugh - grab this book asap!! And any lover of CL won't regret picking up My Favorite Half-Night Stand. I'm already looking forward to the next book.

My Favorite Half Night Stand by Christina Lauren

I really enjoyed this contemporary friends to lovers romance. It was sweet, funny and touching.

First, Reid. What an adorable man. Helping without being asked; Supportive of his friends and close with family; Not afraid to discuss his feelings and emotions. Knowing what he wants. A true catch.

Next Millie. She learned to keep to the superficial at a young age when her mother got sick. “Don’t bother her” with the details was the guiding principle. Does anyone really care when they ask “how are you?”. No. They don’t.
Ok maybe close friends or family might care. But if you’re in the habit of “Fine, and you?”, you would understand Millie. Trusting enough to open up takes work. And faith in the other person. Millie actually hit a little too close to home for me.

Now Millie needs to learn to open up.
It’s not a smooth transition for Millie, but it seems easier via letter or email.

Worry, tears, and satisfaction got me to the end.
I would rate this 4.5 but you can’t do half stars. Thinking about the depth of characters, their traits and their clear delineation, pushed the rating up.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I also purchased a copy for sharing.

Right away I have to mention that I have loved everything written by Lauren Christina. My Favorite Half-Night Stand is right up there with their other books!
It is a funny and imaginative novel bringing to life the story of dating in the times of online partnering and all it entails.
Five professor friends, Millie, Ed, Reid, Chris, and Alex are all dateless for the big Dean’s Banquet-a plus-one affair. They contrive as a group to try online dating to find someone to bring. All the guys get responses (especially after Millie writes their bios) but Millie is at zero responses…until she creates her alter-ego and gets connected with Reid (who has had a connection to Millie since they met.)
Needless to say, it all goes awry for Millie as she continues her alter-ego communication with Reid. After all, the best laid plans of mice and of men do go astray!

My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren tackles the ups and downs of online dating and the fine line between love and friendship in their 22nd novel together.
Millie Morris and her group of best guy friends are no strangers to the single life. As professors at UC Santa Barbara, there’s not much time for serious dating. But when a black-tie gala is in the works at the university, the pressure is on to find a plus one. A group sign-up to a dating service seems like the best idea, and with some help from Millie everyone is good to go. There’s just one small problem...
Reid Campbell is Millie’s best friend. And after a night out with the guys, it turns out he might be something more. The only problem is that even though Millie can talk to him, she can’t really talk to him. That’s where “Catherine” comes in. After her original profile is inundated with unsolicited photos and some real jerks, Millie creates a second one to weed out the worst and be a little more open. And when “Catherine” ends up getting a 98 percent match with Reid, well, Millie is finally able to talk with him for real. Too bad she can’t help the jealousy she feels for her counterpart when Reid starts falling for Catherine on an emotional level, while wanting to be with Millie on a physical one.
As it stands, Christina Lauren hasn’t written a book that I didn’t want to read. These ladies can command a plethora of tropes and manage to make them interesting every time. My Favorite Half-Night Stand takes one part friends-to-lovers and one part mistaken identity to create the perfect blend of romance (with a dash of angst to keep you on your toes). It’s not often that an author can convey the frustration of a character’s choices and still leave you rooting for them. I think it makes for a much more realistic reading experience, making Reid and Millie seem like people I’d meet in real life. Any contemporary romance fans will definitely enjoy this book, so I definitely recommend you to check it out!

Anything Christina Lauren writes is amazing. Her writing keeps you captured from beginning till the end of the book. She creates characters that you can easily relate to and this book was no let down. Such an easy read and I didn’t want it to end.

A big thanks to Simon and Schuster CA for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Millie is one of the guys. The book starts off celebrating at Reid’s house playing Monopoly and drinking. Soon enough, Millie and Reid end up alone and one thing leads to the next. They’d never thought of each other this way and they don’t want to ruin their relationship. Meanwhile, their University has a gala coming up and no one has a date. Join along to find out how these men and Millie find dates in 21st century style. Will Millie end up with Reid in the end? (of course you knew I had to ask!)

Ah, what a cute, joyous read! I needed a good pick-me-up! The book was quick to jump into the story line. I wanted a little more development there as I knew where the plot was going as soon as it started. Millie’s relationship with the guys was refreshing for me to read and it was such a fun adventure to jump along and follow. My Favorite Half Night Stand is everything you want in a contemporary romantic comedy novel and more! The ending was just what I hoped it would be.

4/5 Stars

I tried hard to get into this book, but couldn't. ... however, my sister picked up my Kindle and read the entire thing in a day, and loved it! So it may not have been my cup of tea, but will appeal to others.

This was my first book by this author duo. I have to say that I adored it! I loved our flawed characters, and the way that they incorporated online dating. It reminded of me of how and when I met my husband. (We met online.)
I will be picking up more titles by this pair, and I look forward to it!

Christina Lauren is back again with another great book! I am in awe of how many books they get out in a year, and so thankful that there are so many because I love reading everything they write! My rating for their newest book is a 3.75 out of five stars.

This book is hilarious. It has Christina and Lauren's signature humor, a relatable main character, and a great romance. I love the friend group portrayed in the book. They're all involved in academia and are passionate about their careers, and they're super funny and close with each other and always support one another.

"Is it possible we're all enabling each other to die alone? Are we turning into a weird celibacy cult?"

Main character, Millie, is obsessed with serial killers and is writing a book about female serial killers, and teaches criminology at a university. I was so excited learning this about Millie because I, and so many of my friends, are obsessed with learning about serial killers and murders and creepy things of that nature. I wish we got to see more of her research and career in the book because there wasn't enough to completely satisfy me!

Millie is an interesting character. She's super bubbly but doesn't go deep with any of her friends, she's very surface level because of some issues from her past. The surface level friendship hurts Millie and Reid who definitely have chemistry, because Reid wants (and deserves) more from Millie.

"I'm lonely. I'm lonely because I don't tell people what I need or what I want, and then get hurt when they don't figure it out on their own."

I was intrigued with how Christina and Lauren were going to pull of the catfish aspect of the story, and think they did a good job making it seem v realistic. This was such a fun book to read, but I had to give it a lower star rating than most of Christina Lauren's other books is because of the angst. There's nothing wrong with the angst in this story, it's just something I personally am not a huge fan of. I think this book will be relatable to people who have tried to online dating thing, but it still feels awkward. If you don't have a problem with angst/enjoy reading books that are somewhat angsty I think you will enjoy this one a lot!

"Trying to be cool about banging your best friend is a lot harder than I would have anticipated."

I think Christina Lauren wrote another great book, and I can't wait to read whatever they write next! Let me know your thoughts on the book if you've read it, or if you're planning on reading it soon!

As readers, we are always excited about welcoming a great new author into our world, which is why I am so ecstatic to have found Christina Lauren. My only regret is: why didn't I learn of her earlier?

Like Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, which I reviewed here back in September (you can read the review here), the characters in My Favorite Half-Night Stand have foibles and eccentricities that make them understandable, completely human, and lovable. Online dating has been the subject of books, movies, and TV shows, but in the hands of Christina Lauren, it is fresh and so very appealing.

Millie, a professor who's an expert on female serial killers, fits in with her group of guy friends. She doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve, in fact, her feelings are very deeply hidden from everyone, including herself sometimes. The guys have always accepted her as she was.

The beginning of My Favorite Half-Night Stand reminded me a little of a TV show I loved, which probably few people saw because it was tucked away on TBS called My Boys, and one of the actors has the first name of "Reid" so maybe the authors saw and liked the show too, or it could just be a coincidence. Poker may have been traded for Monopoly, but the drinking and jokes are there as well as the friends aspect. Millie is truly friends with these guys regardless of their gender, which is, here we go again: refreshing. That's where the similarity between the TV show and book end. The guys in My Favorite Half-Night Stand are all scientists, which, again is such a nice change of pace from the norm.

Millie and Reid, the guy she's been closest to, have a "half-night stand," and things begin to change, as you would expect them too. This brings me to the next thing I love about Christina Lauren. In the two novels I've read, the guys never act like jerks. They are good guys and any falling out aspect between the couple comes out of a misunderstanding, not out of the hero being jerky. How many novels have we read and wondered: why would she ever tolerate such behavior, much less want to get back together with him? None of that here. It's plainly obvious why she would want to get back with Reid.

Lastly, My Favorite Half-Night Stand is well written, intelligent, funny, compassionate, and definitely one of the best, if not the best romance I've read all year. If there were plot holes, I didn't see them, in this novel where the storylines are all nicely tied together at the end. This is the kind of novel you pick up, become immediately immersed in, and then don't want to put down when life calls.

If you like fresh, intelligent romantic comedies, this one is definitely for you!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.