Does anybody ever actually fall in love with their worst enemy? The “enemies to lovers” is a ridiculously common trope in romance novels, but when I think of my own personal nemeses, the idea of cuddling up to them is utterly repulsive. But sure, let’s suspend disbelief. Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners requires a lot of that anyway, since the plot relies on a couple of whopping coincidences.

Olive and Ami Torres are identical twins, but while Ami seems to enjoy a never-ending run of good luck, nothing ever seems to go Olive’s way. However, when Ami’s picture-perfect wedding ends in chaos—the seafood buffet makes all the guests, save the two who didn’t partake, violently ill—she demands Olive go on the all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Maui (a sweepstakes prize that can’t be rescheduled) in her stead. The only other person who didn’t get sick, besides the allergic-to-seafood Olive, is Ethan Thomas, the brother of the groom. (He’s always felt buffets were unsanitary, so he’d opted for the chicken plate.)

Olive and Ethan’s relationship got off on the wrong foot when they first met, though of course both of them are ridiculously attractive, so it seems inevitable that putting them in close proximity on a romantic 10-day trip to Hawaii will cause sparks to fly. However, there are a couple of complications. First, Olive’s new boss and his wife just happen to be staying at the same resort (she’s starting a new job right after the trip), so immediately Olive and Ethan have to pretend they’re actually a couple. And then it turns out Ethan’s ex-girlfriend is also there, along with her new boyfriend. (Shades of Noël Coward’s “Private Lives”!)

I read most of The Unhoneymooners in the wee hours of the morning during a bout of jet lag, and it was really the ideal light, uncomplicated read for that particular circumstance. It’s a fun book if you can roll your eyes and get past the big coincidences.

UNHONEYMOONERS was another fun read by Christina Lauren. This story was full of witty banter and family drama. The trope is enemies to lovers. I enjoyed Olive and Ethan’s interaction and was entertained by their love-hate relationship.

There is just something about a Christina Lauren novel – they never fail to fill me with this bubbly giddiness and by the last page I just feel like I’m a freshly uncorked, overflowing champagne bottle of love and happiness. The Unhoneymooners is absolutely no different.

Their books to me are like You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman… I could go on, but you get the idea. Those movies that when they’re on TV, you have to watch them. Just seeing the title makes your heart do a little squeeze. That’s how I feel just seeing the cover of one of their books. They’re instant classics, immediate additions to my bookshelves, and books I will always enjoy going back to re-read.

Is this book full of what-are-the-odds-of-that-ever-happening situations? Yes. Did I care? Nope. It was adorable and lovely and I loved every second of it. Even when I was fuming. And that’s something else that has to be mentioned – the writing duo that is Christina Lauren can really write. These are romance novels. They are feel good chick flicks in book form. But they’re so well done, well written, well rounded. They’re sweet, sexy (though this one significantly less so than I’m accustomed), and never fail to evoke real emotions out of me.

Olive is a flawed character that I really enjoyed getting to know and watch grow. Ethan is a complete dream boat (one that almost sunk) and I fell head over heels for him. The two of them together were magic. Their banter was everything. There are few things I love more in a book than really great witty banter and these two had it in spades.

The emotional journey that it took me on was rather surprising, especially considering a large portion of the book was pretty fun and mostly carefree. But these authors are really great about making you fall in love with their characters, making you completely emotionally invested, and playing you like a fiddle.

I highly recommend this and all other Christina Lauren books. I’ve yet to read one that I didn’t enjoy and The Unhoneymooners is just perfect going into summer.

Sadly another C-Lo book that I did not finish. I’m in the minority, I realize, but this story just didn’t grab me at all. I found myself skimming until I decided not to waste any more time.

this was super fun and typical christina lauren rom-com style
the chemistry was A+ and i loved all the awkward situations the characters got themselves into. It was full of all the romance tropes that I love; enemies to lovers, fake dating, there's only one bed!!
i will say there was some annoying drama added in at the end BUT overall I did really enjoy this and it reads super quick!

I started this book on the train to Paris and had read 85% by the time we'd pulled into the station. I was mad I had to stop! I’ve read a lot from this genre, and this story just has that certain je ne sais quoi that sets it apart. Perhaps it was the laugh-out-loud dialogue and awkward situations, the tropical setting that had me longing for summer, the complex sibling relationships that felt so real, how Olive & Ethan both experienced so much personal growth, or the presence of two of my FAVORITE tropes (hate-to-love and fake dating). Whatever it was, I’m HERE FOR IT! It’s a delightful rom com, but there are some deeper themes that I loved discussing with Kelly once she’d read it, too.

The story does take a more serious turn near the end, but I loved how it grounded the story in reality. You can spend a practically perfect week in paradise, but you’re still going to have to come back to the mess you left at home. And that was one of the most emotional aspects of the story for me! The Unhoneymooners is my new favorite Christina Lauren book, and I’m already planning on re-reading it soon. Toss this one in your beach bag this summer — you won’t regret it! I'm So Obsessed With It.

This is a fun, sexy story of Olive and Ethan who after a disasasterous turn at a wedding reception take their respective siblings' honeymoon. They leave as enemies and might return as something completely different.

This was a really fun romance! My first Christina Lauren. I'm not someone who usually gravitates to stories where romance is the main storyline. Sometimes the stereotypical romance tropes got on my nerves...but I think people who really enjoy romances will love it. The characters were fun and the chemistry flowed well. I loved the overall storyline!

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

A fun summer read about two people who take their sibling's honeymoon reservation on Maui. Olive and Ethan have known each other for a couple of years, that they are each others archnemesis. Is it smooth sailing on Maui? Will it last? Funny and serious read. Enjoy

Loaded with crisp dialogue that found me wishing for Christina Lauren’s gift of gab when doling out my own comebacks! The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren had me laughing out loud at the two main characters (Olive and Ethan) as they find themselves thrown together by bad fortune… or perhaps good fortune after all?

Is it a little predictable? Sure… But, you don’t care! You just keep turning the pages happily as the characters find themselves in one funny circumstance after another.

It is sort of like how every once in awhile I want a Twizzler. You know, those red long strings that I am convinced are made out of spare rubber tires? I can’t really explain why I have one occasionally, but I do. They are just fun.

Well, that is what this book is. It’s my ”Book Twizzler”!

I just loved their snappy repartee! Reminded me of my fave classic black and white film pairings where the focus was on the characters’ rat-a-tat dialogue prior to a good (but not super-explicit) romp in the sack.

Don’t be shocked… just start reading!

It is a perfect choice for a fun read on the beach, by the pool, or wherever you like to grab some book T.I.M.E.!

FUN FACT: The author, Christina Lauren, is actually two gal pals who love to write together. Makes me feel a little better that it takes two heads to come up with this delicious dialogue when I am in my throes of jealous “why couldn’t I have thought to have said that?” moments!

✨😎✨A big thank you to Christina Lauren, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

There isn’t much that’s better than a romantic comedy where the comedy is abundant and completely effortless. The Christina Lauren writing duo are indisputable queens at delivering exactly that, every single time.

When everyone at Olive’s twin sister’s wedding gets food poisoning from the reception buffet, she ends up going on the honeymoon trip with the best man. Who is also the groom’s brother. And her nemesis for the last two years. For some reason unknown to Olive, Ethan despises her. Actually, the feeling is mutual.

So having to take a romantic trip to Hawaii together isn’t ideal. But what Minnesotan in their right mind would pass up a tropical vacation in the middle of winter? All they have to do is stay away from each other. Which sounds easy enough...until they both run into people they know, and lies are told.

"Together Ethan and I are above-average intelligent people, so why are we so stupid together?"

Hijinks ensue, and also the most witty, hilarious banter you will ever have the pleasure of reading. I don’t even like the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this story was delightful. And have I mentioned hilarious? These talented authors crafted a story without using the usual tactics most authors use (and makes me bonkers): the characters have a sudden epiphany that changes their mind, and then having them lament over and over how the other person won’t ever return their feelings. There wasn’t a single cliched part of this book, and it was so refreshing!

But it wasn’t all fun and games. Once they get home, Ethan and Olive are faced with a difficult situation, and things fall apart as quickly as they came together. It was the perfect conflict to give the missing drama to their relationship. The first 65 percent was them clashing and sparring (the BEST part of the book!), then another 20 percent of them falling in love. All of it was great. But no relationship gets to happily-ever-after without some bumps and bruises. I loved how the drama was brought in organically, realistically, and resolved without over the top angst. These were adults, and behaved as such. It was fantastic!

The only downside to this book was that it ended too soon. It’s always hard to say goodbye to fun, lovable characters and I would have loved a more extended ending and epilogue.

Christina Lauren has earned a spot on my automatic read list. Their writing is sharp and clever, and the plots are fun and unique. I’m not sure what each author brings to the table, but between the two of them they make a complete package that delivers storytelling perfection.

* a HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Whenever you feel the urge to read a romantic fun story, you can always amble over to the aisle where they keep the Christina Lauren Books. These ladies always seem to get romance and comedy right and their latest book is no exception to that.

A wonderful wedding, and an all expense paid honeymoon to Maui, and yes, love is in the air as we begin this story of Olive and Ami, twin identical sisters, who while they look exactly alike have the most diverse personalities. Ami is a contest participator winning everything from bridesmaids dresses to a trip to Hawaii for she and her new husband. Problem is at her "free" seafood buffet at her reception, that table of seafood became a table of horrors as all who imbibed became violently ill including the new bride Ami and her new husband, Dane. The only two people not to be ill were Olive and Olive's sworn nemesis Ethan, who is Dane's brother. Needless to say these two hate one another with a passion but are finally convinced by Ami and Dane that one does not let a vacation in paradise go to waste.

Off Olive and Ethan go to Maui, at each other's throats, dreading the next seven days spent together. As you could probably guess, they come to an understanding, one that is reached as lies, innuendo and totally misunderstandings had previously happened between them. They make efforts to get to know each other, learning that what they thought about one another was not necessarily what reality was. All come together in this charming book that sparks the notion that you can hate the one you love.

If you are looking for a book to while away the hours while enjoying a sweetly told story that has people who thought they were connected find out they weren't and those who felt disconnected from each other find that they have made something special between them, then this might be the one for you. Cute, funny, sassy and totally one to add when in the mood for a little bit of charm thrown together with a sprinkle of lovable characters. This book is a recipe for fun.

Thank you to Christina Lauren, Gallery Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren features Olive Torres and Ethan Thomas as they go on their sibling’s honeymoon because the happy couple and everyone else that attended the wedding got serious food poisoning and couldn’t go on their non-refundable trip. Olive and Ethan don’t even like each other for reasons that neither of them is aware of but that is not going to stop them from going on this trip…for free.

Once they land in Hawaii, things get really complicated when they both have to pretend to be together …they get really good at pretending to be together, so good that it soon starts to feel like they’re not pretending anymore. The trip brings out some truths between the two of them and when they return home, the party is still going but other things outside of their love bubble complicate things for them and Christina Lauren did their magic with bringing the drama. Olive and Ethan had to work for their happy ending and I thought everything was handled well.

Rowena: This was a fast read for me and I really enjoyed the whole thing. What about you, Ames?

Ames: It was a quick read for me too! I got swept right up into Olive and Ethan’s story so I wanted to see how it all worked out. I love that they went from enemies to lovers. One thing that just made me so happy was how Ethan purposely got Olive’s name wrong so then she started to do it too. I thought them calling each other by different names was too funny. Oscar…LOL The set up of the book was very well done too, the forced proximity really made Olive and Ethan see each other in a new light. There wasn’t anything forced about how their minds change over time.

I liked how the characters were built up too. Olive was the unlucky twin but she still had a go-getter attitude and wasn’t too woe is me. So I really felt for her when her sister and Ethan didn’t believe her at the end of the book. Jerks. LOL.

What did you think?

Rowena: I had the same thoughts toward Ami and Ethan at the end…and the way that Ami confronts the big bad and Ethan shows up and you can just feel how sorry he was toward Olive? Man, Christina Lauren did a great job of writing that scene. It pulled at my feels and I was so Team Olive through it all.

This was such a work of fiction, a little over the top with certain things (the lucky and unlucky twin thing is one thing that comes to mind) but I didn’t care about any of that. This book entertained the socks right off of me and I enjoyed getting to know Olive and Ethan, seeing them work things out between them since they spent so much time hating each other. They came together in a believable way and Ethan’s grand gesture had me smiling from ear to ear. So good.

Ames: See, I don’t know if I would have forgiven Ethan so quickly. Maybe I’m just a petty bitch and would have held on to my hurt for a bit longer but I thought it was too easy. Mind you Ethan did redeem himself…so it must just be me. haha!

I really liked Olive’s character. She hated lying to her new boss and she couldn’t lie to save her life! She did jump to conclusions quickly but Ethan always called her out on it so I liked that he balanced her that way. And I like that she eventually comes clean. She has integrity.

You know what I realized? The whole running into your ex with their new partner in Hawaii was very Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Remember that movie?

Anyway, I really enjoyed The Unhoneymooners. It made me laugh, it was definitely steamy and it was full of good characters. Even the extended family members were fun and added to the story. Olive had herself a little journey of self-discovery throughout the whole thing (especially around her career goals) so I feel like this one just checked all the feel-good boxes.

Rowena: Haha, you’re right. This movie was so Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I forgave Ethan a lot sooner than I thought I would because I knew that he was sorry and he got me with the, “I’ll spend the rest of my life being sorry for this” line so yeah, maybe it was just you. LMAO!

Olive was the highlight of this book for me. I loved her, her family support system and I loved her relationship with her twin sister. It wasn’t perfect and I was annoyed with Ami at first but man do they really come around for me. This book was definitely funny but I could have used for some more steam. I think there was like one sex scene in the entire book, I didn’t know that I needed more of those but it wouldn’t have hurt this book.

Christina Lauren did their thing with this one and I’m glad that we read this one together. It was a lot of fun and I’ve come to expect these kinds of stories from the Christina Lauren duo. I give this one 4.25 out of 5 stars, you?

Ames: I’m giving the Unhoneymooners a 4.25 out of 5 as well.

This story started off a little slow for me but once the honeymoon was over, things really picked up. Christina Lauren has another perfect Rom Com on their hands that details, love, mistakes, forgiveness, sisterhood, family sticking together, friendship. I honestly enjoyed this one and the ending wrapped up very well. I don't want to spoil anything, but definitely grab a drink of choice, head to the beach or pool and enjoy every page.

Ethan and Olive inherit a honeymoon. Ethan’s brother, Dane, and Olive’s sister, Ami, get married. And everyone at the wedding came down with food poisoning, except for Ethan and Olive. So, they end up going to Maui. Wonder how well this is going to work out? Ethan and Olive HATE each other!

Y’all! This read is absolutely adorable! I fell in love with all the characters, especially Ethan. Ethan and Olive have such a unique relationship. They start out despising each other. It is so bad…they won’t even speak. They can hardly stand to be in the same room together. Well, of course this leads to a relationship….I mean it is a romantic comedy. And a definite comedy it is! With all the family, quips and innuendos, I busted out laughing more than once! Plus this story does some strange twists and turns!

This would be a fantastic read to take on a trip. This story is completely engrossing and easy to get lost in. Don’t miss this!

5 stars for The Unhoneymooners! This might officially be my favorite by the Christina Lauren duo!

One of my go-to tropes seems to be “hate-to-love” and I’m here for it! I loved the whole storyline of this book, from the twins dating brothers to the made-for-movies trio of a lifetime based on a lie.

Olive and Ami Torres, were both strong women in their own right and I loved that the authors embraced a curvy character with Olive. Ethan is my new book boyfriend and I’m obsessed with the banter between he and Olive.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

I very much enjoyed this latest release from CL, but once again, this seems to be another case of a "women's fiction" book where the heroine was treated somewhat unfairly by her family as part of her path to "personal growth" (although in this case, it certainly wasn't horrible like it is in some WF books I've read lately). I'll admit, this drives me batty – not everyone has to survive an emotionally/verbally abusive spouse or douchey family members to make a significant change in their life and I wish that more books didn't fall back on that as a plot device.

That being said, I do love a good enemies-to-lovers story and this is certainly one. There's a ton of delicious sexual tension but not a ton of "sexytimes" (if that's something you're looking for/not looking for). I liked the Olive and Ethan and I thought it was interesting to see how their perceptions clouded their relationship before they were able to get out of their own way. All-in-all, another solid offering by CL.

3-3.5 Stars
Olive and Ami Torres are identical twins but that's about as far as the similarities go. They are nearly complete opposites. Ami has been blessed with incredible luck and Olive? Not so much. She's about as unlucky as you can get.
When Ami manages to finance her entire wedding (and honeymoon) by winning contests, Olive is happy for her. The only part she is not happy about is that being the maid of honor, she has to walk down the aisle with the best man - the groom's older brother Ethan - who just so happens to be Olive's sworn enemy. Well, that and the hideous bridesmaid dress she has to wear.
Dreading her walk down the aisle with Ethan, Olive powers through because she only has 24 hours to pretend to tolerate Ethan...until everyone at the wedding ends up with food poisoning from bad shellfish. Everyone that is, aside from Olive and Ethan. Ami and Dane insist they take their place on their 10 day honeymoon in Maui. 10 days to pretend to be newlyweds on a romantic all-inclusive getaway? How hard can it possibly be? After all, they'll barely have to see each other...

The Unhoneymooners is a funny, sexy, and quick read. It's no secret that I love rom-com's, especially enemies-to-lovers stories so I was excited to read this. I did enjoy it - in fact I flew through it - but...I wouldn't necessarily call Olive and Ethan enemies (although she refers to him as her archnemesis). Of course their mutual attraction quickly morphed into an almost immediate dislike thanks to a MAJOR misunderstanding from their first meeting but even so, I never quite felt as if they truly hated each other.
That being said, I loved the banter/snark between them and there was definitely a good amount of sexual tension - especially that massage scene! Seeing them pretend to be in love was both hilarious and incredibly awkward but Ethan was SO good at it.

With the exception of the epilogue, this is told through Olive's perspective. Considering this is considered an enemies-to-lovers romance, I would have preferred a dual POV. Olive's misinterpretations of his words, facial expressions, etc.- and there are MANY - just aren't quite enough.

I read this in early May but I'd say The Unhoneymooners would make for the perfect summer read!

I think I missed what other readers saw in this book. I’m a huge fan of these ladies but something missed the mark with this book.
I get that the characters are of Hispanic background but I don’t need a “chica” every few sentences. None of the women I’ve been around say that every few seconds.