My first book by the authors and I must say I was completely pleased. Now I know why there is always so much hype surrounding the names Christina Lauren. Looking forward to reading more of their work. I enjoyed this book from start to finish.

Absolutely loved this book! A perfect read for vacation and relaxation! I loved the characters and thought it was fresh and fun! Thank you!!!!

All the heart eyes!!

Olive and Amy are identical twins but that’s where their similarities end. Amy is confident and blessed with luck where Olive considers herself one of the most unluckiest people on earth. Amy even won a free wedding and honeymoon for her and her dream guy but that’s when her luck comes to an abrupt end. Nearly everyone at Amy’s wedding gets sick from the free seafood buffet except for the two people who avoided it—her sister Olive and the grooms brother, Ethan.

Amy and her new husband find themselves hugging the nearest toilet and unable to go on their non-refundable honeymoon so they urge their siblings to take the trip. Olive and Ethan are a bit apprehensive because they cannot stand each other but who could pass up a free trip?
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The UNHONEYMOONERS was one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time. I haven’t ventured too far into the romantic comedy sub-genre but this book has turned me into a raving Christina Lauren fan. I bought a few more books written by the dynamic duo and cannot wait to read them.

Full of witty dialogue and loveable characters, I thought this book was perfectly executed. THE UNHONEYMOONERS touches on serious topics such as anxiety, body image issues, family drama, and communication issues while managing to keep it light with laugh out loud, snarky humor. This book was a breath of fresh air, kept me hooked and left me feeling giddy. I highly recommend it for anyone in need of a fun, feel-good read. Thank you @gallerybooks & @netgalley for this lovely book (available 5/14).

I love Christina Lauren’s books, so I was happy to get my hands on this one ❤️ The characters are lovable and laughable, the setting is gorgeous (even though I’m not there), and of course the romance is sizzling and satisfying! I would have loved a bit more plot and character development BUT overall I can’t wait to purchase this for my library and recommend it to patrons!

Christina Lauren books are one click for me. I don't even have to read the synopsis. While I enjoyed the book, I didn't completely fall head over heels for it. I think my standards are just huge when it comes to this duo.

I love Olive she's relatable, quirky and fun. I think Ethan is where it fell short for me. I think I saw the Jerk side of him that I was supposed to see. I just wanted more swoons from him. Maybe a little more chemistry. The banter between them was on point though. Banter is one of my favorite things to read and, these two authors always deliver.

Do I recommend? Absolutely. You can never go wrong with Christina Lauren.

A cozy romance that is perfect for the beach or a rainy day. While predictable at times there are some surprises and it is funny. It is an unusual close family that we all can love and identify with members of our own family.

Loved this! Funny, touching and emotional. Great characters. Could’ve been cliche-ridden, but was not. Thank you for a diverting and entertaining read!

I've been in a bit of a reading slump recently and it's been frustrating, but when I was granted an ARC of Christina Lauren's highly-anticipated new book, my slump was finally broken. This book was really entertaining, and I'm so grateful that it got me out my seemingly endless reading slump. The story was fun and funny and the characters were witty and snarky, but something about it just didn't totally do it for me. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters, and much of the story felt forced.

Olive annoyed me, Ethan could have used a lot more depth, and the enemies-to-lovers trope felt a little too convenient and forced. The conclusion felt rushed and too neat, but it worked for the type of story this ended up being. I also could have used a little more steam in the sex scenes, instead of the fade-to-black tactic the authors decided to use in this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and read it pretty quickly, but it was by no means their best work. Fans of Christina Lauren's other novels and readers looking for a quick, fun, light book should definitely pick this up, but keep your expectations lower than you think.

I really enjoyed this romance read! When Ami and Dane’s almost entirely free wedding full of giveaway wins, including a seafood buffet, causes all of the guests to get sick, her twin sister Olive and Dane’s brother Ethan have the opportunity to go on their 10-day trip to Maui! Some deception is involved, but the two embark on an awesome vacation (even though they’re enemies) and sparks fly. But tensions arise with a surprise visit from a new boss, an ex-girlfriend, some big lies & some new secrets.

I loved this book because it was a good romance! However, in the first half of the book, I found a few passages were very similar to Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game - and it may have just been similarities in this hate-to-love trope but since I’d recently read THG, those similarities bothered me (calling each other fake names, his big smile she’d never seen before that makes her heart squeeze, a paint ball scene). However, the second half bore no resemblance at all so perhaps it was a matter of coincidence, but still worth noting.

4.5 STARS

I felt like I was getting into a funk. I picked up The Unhoneymooners. It’s enemies to lovers. I laughed out loud many times. The banter is great. The characters were intriguing. I just had a good olé time. The sexy time was fade to black, which was a little disappointing. Overall, it was a good read.




I voluntarily read an early copy.

Summary

This book follows the story of Olive, who is incredibly unlucky in literally everything. Whether it be work, love, or winning the lottery. Okay, nobody is really completely lucky with that, but you get the point. Her twin sister Ami is the complete opposite; lucky in everything, getting her wedding free by entering contests, and that includes the honeymoon! But when she and her new husband get food poisoning, Olive gets the opportunity of a trip of a lifetime; to Hawaii, on the honeymoon her sister was supposed to attend. She tags along with the groom's brother, Ethan, who uncharacteristically isn't her favorite person. Over the course of their Hawaiian paradise, they realize that maybe there is more to their relationship that they had ever considered before.

Likes

I loved this book. First, I want to do a quick shoutout to the cover because it's absolutely perfect to illustrate this story and really makes me want to go to Hawaii right now. I liked Olive and Ethan as main characters. Olive was a strong main character and she felt really genuine, and awkward, so she was definitely relatable. I mean, pretending to be married to your sister's husband's brother isn't the easiest or most comfortable thing to do, but hey it was a free vacation! Her luck definitely began to look up once she got this vacation and I found myself SQUEE-ing and rooting for her. Ethan was also a likable main character. He gave off that I don't really care vibe but you could tell that he really did care. And that was so sweet. There were so many ironic moments in this book that I was like oh come ON how could this be happening?! Truth be told, coincidences do tend to happen and this book was full of them but they worked for the story. I felt like the development of Olive and Ethan's relationship was filled with raw emotion and progressed naturally, which made it that much more satisfying. I love a slow burn and it was amazing when it finally came to fruition.

Dislikes

I can't say I disliked much about this book! My only point would be that I felt like Ami and Dane's relationship felt like a side note to the book and it was strange to have some drama included with it at the end. I think that it ended up working well for the arc of the story and there was a resolution, but I was expecting everything to be puppies and unicorns after they returned from the vacation. But, of course, I think it gave representation to the fact that life is truly a rollercoaster and it can go up for a while, and then back down, and that is so unexpected. But that is the beauty of it.

Recommendation

I would recommend this to fans of CLo and those who enjoy cute ironic romcoms!

THE UNHONEYMOONERS BY CHRISTINA LAUREN BOOK REVIEW
A wedding buffet gone awry. Everybody is sick! The bride’s sister & the groom’s brother will make sure the Honeymoon is not wasted. Too bad they can’t stand one another. Surely, they can fake it for a while, right?

FAKING IT IN PARADISE
I do love the enemies to lovers trope, so I’m expecting full on Christina Lauren hilarity mixed with some hot & heavy back & forth between Olive & Ethan. The usual awesome anecdotes are there. My favorite was when Ethan asks Olive if she can chew quietly & she exclaims It’s humid in this room & I’m congested! Like how can you not love authors who write lines like this?

You’re in paradise with someone you don’t like. So, of course, there is tension. But, I wanted a bit more heat to match the tension. Ethan & Olive meet some other characters at the resort (like her future boss) & I could have done without that aspect. It didn’t add much to the story for me. Also, Ethan & Olive run into some REALLY heavy stuff once they are back from the trip. I totally wasn’t expecting the story to take a deeper turn here, but it definitely added some darker turmoil.

BRING ME THE HEAT
I would definitely call The Unhoneymooners romance light. And you know what, that is totally okay. While I’ve grown accustomed to really liking the steamy stuff (hello, Jenny Holiday!) that’s not for everyone. The Unhoneymooners is a great go-to if you’re newer to the romance genre.

THE VERDICT
I am Into This book. So far, Christina Lauren hasn’t let me down. Read this if you’re looking for a rom-com with some family drama that’s lighter on the sexy time.

Special thanks to Christina Lauren, Gallery Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

This was amazing! I loved the characters, the humor, the setting...everything! I laughed out loud at several parts, which is very rare for me. I will recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you, @gallerybooks & @NetGalley for providing this ARC for an honest #bookreview 📚

So naturally, being the ever Christina Lauren lover, I leapt at the opportunity to read #TheUnhoneymooners! I have to say my feelings on this one are a bit mixed.

First of all, LOVE the concept! If you are a fan of The Hating Game, you’ll like the love-to-hate dynamic with our main characters, Olive and Ethan. The fact that these two wind up on a luxury vacation to Hawaii together when they can’t stand each other is pure gold!
However, certain events of this book are rather troubling and I feel like some issues are not fully addressed. And what’s disappointing for me is that these aren’t little problems but major plot points. And instead of being resolved satisfactorily, they are given the equivalent of a hand wave.
I wanted to like this one more than I did. I think all the elements to make this book fantastic were there, but it felt unfinished, i.e. sexual tension with no payoff & bad behavior too easily forgiven.
But all the hallmarks that CL does well are here: Witty banter, great side characters and oodles of Harry Potter references 👍🏻 I definitely love Olive’s family!

In the end, it was ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me this time around.
🖤Katie

This was fun and I really grew to love Olive and Ethan. The angst and their constant arguing made me laugh out loud. I loved their little jabs and hidden jokes between each other. Overall this is a solid contemporary romance.

I will add that the entire Hispanic aspect didn’t work for me. The authenticity overall in that aspect was lacking. I do think it’s wonderful authors do try and bring diversity to their books but it’s just a tough sell when they’re not of that ethnicity.

What a cute story. Olive has lived a life opposite of her twin Ami. Ami seems to have all the luck. Ami win's all the prizes, gets all the boys, seems to have all the luck. Whereas Olive, seems to be the exact opposite, klumzy, just lost her job, and the worst luck ever.

Queue Ami's wedding where Olive has to spend the weekend with Ethan, the Best Man and sworn enemy. Let the games begin. An allergy to shellfish and an OCD aversion to buffets has Olive and Ethan avoiding the seafood buffet and are the only two to not contract food poisoning at the wedding. Not willing to let the free honeymoon go to waste, they both decide to set aside their differences temporarily to enjoy the free vacation. From there the fun begins.

This enemies to lovers story had chuckles, a great story, a good hero and heroine and boy do the tables turn in the end. Does Olives luck change? Can someone so unlucky finally be lucky in love? Pick up this book and find out!!! You won't be sorry.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Olive and Ethan were great characters and I found the setting parts in Maui to be very enjoyable. I liked that it was bit more like an old school romance novel presenting all but the epilogue from Olive's point of view.

For me there were a many setting flaws about the Minneapolis/St.Paul area, almost like the Twin Cities research done only via Google. I would go into to them all but lets just say description of the MN State Fair not accurate and it would be very unrealistic to find an affordable one bedroom apartment in Dinkytown (a 3 block x 3 block mainly commercial retail/food district) in October/November when the U is in session, especially a building with a 51 year old upstairs neighbor. Also, the Cub Foods conversation was just cringe worthy.

One star lost due to the Twin Cities setting issues and generalization of Minnesotans/beach proposals in Hawaii.

The incredibly talented Christina Lauren duo does it again!!! I could not put it down all night until my eyes were physically closing - and even then I woke up thinking about the story and excited to finish it!!
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of their next release, The Unhoneymooners, and boy did I fall in love with the characters they created once again! This was a love story, but it was also about how we make our own luck in this crazy world. I completely fell in love with Olive and Ethan and their relationship. This one comes out May 14, but you’re gonna want to pre-order it now!!

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Lauren has done it again! This author duo is quickly becoming a favorite of mine -- they always strike the perfect balance of fun, sexy romance and emotional realness and The Unhoneymooners was no exception.

Olive has always been the unlukcy twin compared to her sister Ami, who seems to win everything - including an all-inclusive honeymoon to Maui. But when disaster strikes to everyone who ate at the (free) reception buffet, Olive ends up on the honeymoon with her new brother-in-law's brother, Ethan, who she happens to despise. Determined to enjoy the vacation as far away from each other as possible, things don't necessarily go as planned as there are misunderstandings, bosses and exes to contend with.

This was such a charming, fun read. I love how even when there are similarities between Christina Lauren's novels they are still unique enough to not feel redundant. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down and binged it in one night. The characters are always interesting to get to know as the story unfolds and I'm already looking forward to the next book by Christina Lauren!

4.5/5

Another book to add to my Superior Enemies to Lovers shelf! The night I picked this up, I ended up reading 250 pages all in one sitting and staying up until 7 AM. The plot of this is SOOOO addicting and seeing Ethan and Olive's shenanigans unfold and their combative personalities play out was so entertaining and hilarious. Christina Lauren have this unmatched writing style where everything they say is fun and funny without being cheesy or unrealistic. Her characters reflect this writing style and are always so two dimensional with hilarious dialogue and such messy lives that still make you envy them and put yourself in their shoes because they end up in such unglamourous yet adorable relationships. I giggled and laughed and cried multiple times while reading this, which partially may be because I was on my period, but also it was just the perfect read for someone who loves really candid characters and witty dialogue.

The ~island adventure~ part of this book, which I would have rated 5 stars, immediately got a bit glossed over for the last half of the book to be about family drama, which was still fine but clearly I prefer the angst and sexiness lol. Despite my gripe about the family drama, I really liked that Olive was Mexican, and accordingly, her big family was very present and supportive. On the note of representation, Olive was also described as being "curvy," which was mentioned a couple times.

The issues I had with this were all so minor and could almost be posed as just a list of personal preferences that I wish were in the book, but they still culminated enough to make me feel like this book wasn't quite a 5 star read. For it to have reached that 5-star quality, I would have liked . . .
1. Olive and Ethan's closeness to not have been spurred by a "make my ex-girlfriend jealous when she sees us" trope
2. The conflict in the last half of the book to be spread out more evenly throughout the entire book; it seemed like the first half was fun and games and the last half was really heavy on the emotion.
3. More sexiness. The only sex scene was skipped over and I'm disappointed Christina Lauren didn't deliver on the steamy side of this book.
4. Ethan to not defend a shitty person? idk, I know it's supposed to be one of his character flaws, but it made him slightly less attractive.

Basically, the reason I marked .5 off is because I'm selfish and I wanted this book to be the way I was expecting to be lol. Nevertheless, it still ranks up there with Josh & Hazel and Sweet Filthy Boy, which I loved! And once again, the more I read by Christina Lauren, the more I'm convinced that they can do no wrong.