While I enjoyed the story as a whole, fair warning going in, this is not your typical CLo book. Starting off with quite the shocking twist, you'll be drawn in immediately out of curiosity, yet stay for the developing friendship between Carey and James.

Watching the interactions between Rusty and Melissa are painful, but necessary for the storyline. Both characters are atrocious, and I often found myself wanted to throw my book. The main characters are entertaining, but I definitely need a romcom after this one.

I love the quirky romances that Christina Lauren writes. They are different and interesting and always keep my attention.

I felt kind of mixed with this book, there were things I really enjoyed but I also struggled a bit with the fact that it felt like the focus wasn't always on the relationship between Carey and James. It was still an entertaining read, but not my absolute favorite.

I have a love/hate realationship with this author(s)
When I love their book I love it HARD
And when i Dont i really just dont.

This was more dont.

MAre~Slitsread

The Honey-Don't List is perfect for fans of Fixer Upper and Set It Up, this story is about the assistants to a couple that seem to be headed toward their own ruin. However, love blossoms from mutual despair and the desire for a better work environment. This book was adorable, funny, and above all.. absolutely lovely.

I enjoyed this novel but don't find it appropriate for my student population. It was a quick, light bit of fluff. Definitely a beach read.

Christina Lauren's The Honey-Don’t List follows two assistants working for a celebrity couple whose marriage is falling apart. Remodeling and design duo Melissa and Rusty Tripp are beloved by fans, but tensions begin to rise on a tour for their upcoming Netflix show. Assistants Carey and James are tasked with keeping the two focused—easier said that done when crammed together in a tour bus.

I really liked the structure of this book and the inclusion of transcripts and text messages. It added to the feeling that all of the characters were under a microscope and helped build the tension. I also loved the exploration of Carey's dystonia, and Rusty's aggravation over the commodification of everything that him and his wife once loved.

I'm a longtime Christina Lauren fan, though this book isn't a particular favorite for me. I found that the tension of the Tripps sometimes overshadowed the romance growing between Carey and James and I wanted a bit more focus on that. Still, this is the 25th book that the writing duo behind Christina Lauren have written together and I am here for the next 25!

Have you ever read a book that unfolded like a soap opera? The Honey-Don't List was that book for me. Once I started, I couldn't stop. The endless drama was ridiculously addictive, and so was the story's heroine - Carey.

I loved Carey! She possessed one of those personalities where you just had to be her friend. She had a disability, which is why I wanted her to succeed even more. I loved how James was there to put everything in a better perspective. They made such a great couple.

My only gripe about this story was how it all ended. I felt it was a bit lacking because we don't see how the couple progressed through life together after that massive debacle. I felt like I became so wholly invested and would have enjoyed it more if I knew more.

Cute. Funny. All the ingredients for a great Christina Lauren novel. Please keep feeding me more awesome reads like this one!

As with all Lauren books I loved the light hearted fun. Laughs, love and fun. A read to brighten your day no matter how bad it may be.

This one grabbed me and sucked me in from the very first chapter. I loved the story and characters. Carey had good character development and growth. James was amazing and supportive. Possibly one of my favorites this year. I was laughing out loud and rooting for the MC’s the whole way through.

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Christina Lauren for the ARC to review. This book in my opinion was lukewarm at best. I thought with the detective questions at the beginning, it would have been some type of murder plot. Was not all together disappointed with the way the story line went. But was very disappointed in the overall ending. Good thing it was a quick read.

I'm not a huge DIY TV show fan, but I am a huge Christina Lauren fan so I snapped this book up as soon as it was available. You know, nearly two years ago. But that was right before everything went sideways with the pandemic and my reading became horribly broken. I just kept skipping over it when I'd think about what I wanted to read. I am happy that ARCtober finally pushed me to read it. It was a fun read, but not one of my favorites of theirs. There were just too many unlikable side characters for me. I was often left questioning why the male and female MCs didn't just quit. It left a bad taste in my mouth. Sure, there were some funny and romantic moments. And even some steam. But mostly I found it unsatisfying, possibly because they reunited so close to the end of the book so I didn't feel like I got the resolution I really wanted and needed. Regardless, it was a decent way to spend a few hours of audiobook time. I typically find CLo's books rereadable but I don't think this is one I'll grab to reread.

I ended up not finishing this book. I honestly didn’t care about the characters at all and found myself zoning out while reading. Definitely not the duo’s best work but I will always continue reading from them.

I really had high hopes for this one. The premise was freaking amazing and once I figured out all the pieces it was no problem to finish this in one sitting. But the problem was...a few things. The center of this book really was around Melly and Russ and their disastrous marriage. But the entire thing just didn't feel full, finished or polished. I could've forgiven a lot of this with a kick ass epilogue to see in what direction Carey decided to take with her career and how James fit into that. There's always next time I guess.

As a romance, The Honey Don't Lis did not satisfy me. It wasn't that I found James unlikable so much as unnerving. He was immediately protective of Carey, which made me feel uncomfortable, and seemed to fall for her almost immediately. This isn't to say he didn't have good reason to fall quickly -- Carey is fantastic. Her disability is not immediately disclosed, and comes up naturally within the story, which I really loved. I found her decision to stay in a difficult job because the insurance is good immediately relatable.

The story, more so than the romance, is what I enjoyed. Carey and James are assistants to celebrity designers Melissa and Rusty Tripp. When a new affair of Rusty's is discovered, Carey and James do damage control by accompanying their employers on their book tour. The premise felt current and believable. However, The Honey Don't List's ending felt abrupt, and I could never really get over the fact that James was instantly ready to (basically) die for Carey. The transition from "annoyed coworker" to "soppy in love" could have been smoother.

This is my first book by this author. This was an easy funny romance read. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book! I absolutely adored the characters and the story. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Girls. I can't believe this is our 25th book together. Congrats us!! But seriously ladies, bravo. You have completely taken the ability to grab me as a reader, connected me to the characters and led me through journey after journey, rapt with care, love, friendship, laughs and more. So I start this review with a thank you. Because of you I am able to escape the day in and day out of mom life, of wife duties, and of the stress of being a school manager to 300+ middle schoolers and staff that suck the life out of me (with love). I am able to unwind within the worlds you create and breathe outside of the realities I can find myself suffocating in. Bravo ladies. I owe you.

Now for this little gem of a story. Two of my loves have collided and had a little book baby, and I adored it. HGTV and romance. CHECK PLEASE. The slow burn of these two figuring out who and what they want. The sprinkled in angst that holds my heart in a vice and the absolute friendship and family that has a way of creating itself within the walls of the fiction fortress built for us in the pages. In this uncertain world we live in being able to escape for a few hours was the perfect distraction. I loved it. Per usual. Cute, easy to read with all of the aspects we have come to love from the amazing duo Christina Lauren. xo

3.5 stars

I really liked this one. Carey and James had fantastic chemistry that made them feel special. Melly was a horrible person and Rusty was a dope, but Carey and James were the stars. I do wish it was longer and a few more things were resolved, but all in all, a solid CLo book for me.