This book was a true delight to read, like the Netflix movie "setting it up" mixed with a home renovation couple that we all see on TV and in magazines. It was refreshing to see a main character who doesn't come from an upper middle class background with a college degree. I loved watching her confidence build with some support from romantic lead James. This book was funny and sexy, definitely the kind of book you want to be cuddled up with in these times.

Are you a fan of HGTV and home remodeling? Then, this is a book for you! Carey and James are personal assistants, or engineers, for the famous home remodeling TV and book publishing couple, Melly and Rusty. As Carey and James are tasked with keeping the couples infidelity and image from imploding during a book launch tour, Carey and James realize that there is more than meets the eye with both their work and personal lives.

A different way love is found! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read

Loved this slightly different story of two people thrown together in close quarters who find that they just do not want to live without each other. They are both attractive and quirky people who are thrown into a situation that is so far out of their control that the only thing they can do is to find a little happiness in each other.

4 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Carey and James are assistants for Rusty and Melissa "Melly" Tripp, a husband/wife duo who have taken the home renovation world by storm.  After Rusty is caught in a compromising position, the two assistants must cancel their own plans at the last minute to accompany the Tripps on their book tour, which is meant to set the stage for the announcement of the couple's Netflix reality show. While the rest of world is fooled by the Tripps, Carey and James are given the almost impossible task of hiding the Tripps' crumbling marriage from the world.

This is only my second book from this author duo, and while I did enjoy it, I couldn't help but compare it to Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. I absolutely adored that book last year and found it absolutely hilarious. The Honey-Don't List does not feature as many rom-com tropes and it wasn't nearly as funny as Josh and Hazel. The romance actually took the backseat to the drama of the Tripps and had a more serious tone most of the time.

I am not a huge fan of reality TV, but I will admit I've watch my fair share of Chip and Joanna Gaines' show on HGTV. The fictional duo featured in this book were obviously modeled after the Gaines, and it was a nice change up for the terrible boss to not be a high powered exec in an office setting.

The beginning of the book takes its time, but the romance between the assistants and the climax of the story are rushed. This was a 3.75 star book for me, but I rounded up to 4 stars on Goodreads because it did help me push through a reading slump! If you want more romance and comedy from a book, you may not fully enjoy this one. But if you are like me and don't mind a lighter romance, then I encourage you to give this one a chance!

DNF at 40%.

I’m sorry but no. In my honest opinion, Christina Lauren has been going downhill since The Honeymooners, which is utterly frustrating.

In this scenario, we get the enemies to lovers teaser. However, you have to trudge through the bs that is the failing marriage of Rusty and Melissa Tripp who’ve been created in the image of Chip and Johanna Gaines. This whole farce of a marriage with cheating spouses and delinquent rich kids that needs to hold up false pretenses for the sake of reality TV is for the birds. You can keep it.

Yes, I’d love to see what happens to James and Carey because there is so much potential between them, but I’m not willing to continue to trudge through the remaining 60% of this book to see if it actually happens or not. Do readers a favor and get rid of the reality TV sideshow because while it may be an escape for some people, some of us find it cheap and uninteresting.

This will post on the site Romance Reviews Today: http://romrevtoday.com/

THE HONEY-DON’T LIST – Christina Lauren
Gallery Books
ISBN: 978-1-98212391-8
March 24, 2020
Contemporary Romance

On the Road in the Western USA – Present Day

Carey Douglas has worked as an assistant to popular remodeling and home design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for ten years, but few people know what really goes on behind the scenes. Namely, that the Tripp marriage is on the rocks. With the release of their latest book, which happens to be about marriage and relationship advice, a book signing tour is about to take off from their home base in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Already Carey is dreading it. She will have to keep Melissa and Rusty on track by making sure they act happy with each other. That won’t be easy. Luckily, she has the help of Rusty’s assistant, James McCann. Or, maybe James will prove to be a distraction for Carey.

James has a degree from MIT and working as an assistant to a remodeling and home design duo should be beneath him, but he’s up a creek after his last job ended in scandal. Not that he was part of the scandal, but he can’t put who he worked for down on a resume without getting “that look.” He hopes to either move up the chain with the Tripps or move on, whichever comes first. But right now, James has to join Carey on the book tour escorting Melissa and Rusty, all the while hoping that the married couple doesn’t come to blows with each other. James and Carey form a friendship, which soon leads to something neither expected…a mutual attraction. How will things work out on a tour bus trip all through the west coast and back to Wyoming?

THE HONEY-DON’T LIST is a cute and funny tale about life on the road. Carey has been with Melissa and Rusty since she was sixteen, and now ten years later, she knows as much as Melissa does when it comes to room designing. However, she remains behind the scenes because she really needs the health insurance due to a medical condition she has. The last thing Carey wants to do is upset Melissa, who is self-centered. Rusty, meanwhile, can’t keep his pants zipped, which only angers Melissa. The marriage is rapidly falling apart, but in order to sell books and promote a new television series, they have to pretend they’re happy. Unfortunately, things don’t work out the way everyone wants it to…

James and Carey work together as a team, though they barely know each other despite working alongside each other for the past several months. James is a caring person and sees the good in Carey, even if Melissa still treats her badly. Carey tends to keep a part of herself hidden from others, but he senses things about her that prove to be true. She is not used to trusting people and it takes a few chats talking to each other before she trusts James. Add in that they’re attracted to each other—knowing that their employers might frown on their fraternizing—they don’t know where things between them will go.

It’s a roller coaster ride for readers in the hilariously funny THE HONEY-DON’T LIST. You will laugh and you will cry. Don’t miss this fun tale.

Patti Fischer

t this point, anything Christina Lauren writes is an auto-read for me. They write female characters that are unique, strong, and loveable. The male characters are always adorable, respectful, and lovely. The dialogue is snappy, and the romance is swoony. So I was pretty excited to get a chance to read an ARC of The Honey-Don't List, and I was not disappointed.

The way I've been describing this book to people is "Set It Up" meets "Fixer Upper" (although if I ever find out that Chip and Joanna are anything like the characters in this book, I will cry). Also "Set It Up" plus "Fixer Upper" is the combo I never knew I always wanted. Bless you, Christina Lauren and your fabulously creative minds.

Carey and James are the assistants to Melly and Russ, the beloved stars of an HGTV renovation show. Little does America know, Melly and Russ can't stand each other. So as they head out on a book tour, it's up to their already overworked assistants to make sure they keep up the healthy marriage charade. As Carey and James begin to spend more time together secrets are revealed, and their feelings for one another begin to grow. Like most CLo books, I read this in about two sittings, because it's too fun to tear yourself away from. I highly recommend checking this out.

The description drew me in. There have been remodeling shows on TV that we later have found out the hosts did not like each other.

I liked how Carey and James planned to work together to keep their jobs. I also enjoyed the blossoming relationship between them.

I found this an entertaining read and plan to add this author to my reading list.

ARC received from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Overall, I didn’t connect with the characters or story like I have with past CL books. BUT, it was still super cute! A nice escape in the time of Corona. ;)

James and Casey’s connection was sweet, albeit a tad too insta-love for my liking. I was hoping for more of a hate/love relationship before they jumped into things. That pool scene, though - swoon!

There was way too much focus on Rusty and Melissa’s marriage. I get that was the driving force of the plot line to keep everything moving forward, but for two supporting characters it was too much. Also a lot of gaps that I would’ve liked more background on. The ending left me wanting - I was hoping for some more solid resolution with a few things.

I am a huge fan of books by the writing duo known as Christina Lauren. Two of my favorite books of all time, Love and Other Words, and Roomies were written by these ladies. I love these two books so much because they're beautifully written and gut-wrenching and can make you laugh one page and cry the next. This means that I hold books by CL to a higher standard. Unfortunately, The Honey-Don't List didn't live up to those standards.

This story had a couple things going against it for me, through no fault of the authors. I'm not a fan of books about "famous" people: rock stars, movie stars, TV personalities. It's just not my thing. I think a lot of the things in pop culture that fascinate most of our population are trite and shallow. I don't care who dated who, or who cheated on who, or who was caught at the grocery store without makeup, or how many pounds so-and-so has put on. Secondly, I'm not obsessed with home improvement shows like a lot of people are. This book is about famous people on a home improvement show!

It was well-written, as all CL books are, but it lacked that gorgeous word play that can be found throughout many of their books, including the two favorites I mentioned earlier. I read this book on my iPad, and I hardly highlighted any phrases, which is the sign of a good book for me. I finished it just to finish it, not because I really cared that much about how it turned out. It definitely lacked the angst and conflict of an excellent CL story. There was a moment in Love and Other Words where I literally had to put the book down and go take a break for a few days. (The same thing happened with Dating-ish by Penny Reid.) This book had none of that. I don't want that in every book I read, but usually there is a sense of urgency and drama in a CL book, and this time, there wasn't.

By no means will this stop me from reading books by these great authors. But perhaps I should lower my expectations a bit for their next one, because I hate being disappointed that they're not as good as my two favorites.

Designer Carey Douglas has worked for Melissa and Rusty Tripp for ten years, from a small town shop to HGTV megastardom. Her ideas are the heart of the show and she gets no credit, she works 24 hour days for Melissa and gets nothing but stress. She's looking forward to a well earned weeklong vacation as the married couple travel the West Coast to promote their book on how to have a happy marriage. The problem? The couple can't be near each other without fighting. Now Carey is stuck on the tour with engineer/assistant James to try and keep the reno world's favorite couple from killing each other, and their brand.

Remember the movie America's Sweethearts? In public, John Cusak and Catherine Zeta-Jones were the world's perfect couple. In private, they were a disaster and it was up to Julia Roberts and Billie Crystal to keep the fiction going. Take that idea and blend it with HGTV renovation shows with cute married couples and you have an idea of The Honey-Don't List. Only worse. Poor Carey Douglas has been working for the Tripps since she was 16 and pretty much sees them as her second family. But now Rusty is an alcoholic womanizer who doesn't seem to care if he gets caught and ruins the brand image, and Melissa is a tightly wound, abusive perfectionist. Carey is loyal despite the insane hours, the constant stress, and the fact that all the ideas and designs are hers and Melissa is taking all the credit. That's what you do for family, right? It takes newcomer James McCann to make her confront the situation as it really is- and to look at the changes she might want to make so she can actually have a life.

James came onto the show as an engineer and was instantly made Rusty's assistant. Great job if that means working on projects, lousy job when it means picking up his dry-cleaning. He resents the role and sees it (and Carey) as beneath him- until he's forced by the show's Powers That Be to join the Tripps' road tour and realizes just how much work Carey does as Melissa's assistant. It's the first time the two have really been around each other and they go from not really liking each other to very definitely liking each other. I enjoyed how their relationship moved very naturally- there was no insta-lust, no I-hate-you-now-love-you. It was two people locked in a stressful situation working together to contain the complete dumpster fire that is their bosses' marriage, and discovering each other, and themselves along the way. Having worked in stressful jobs with abusive bosses, I have to say that I thought Christina Lauren hit the nail on the head with Carey's conflicted relationship with her job (and Melissa). At what time do you have to emotionally disconnect from something you built, knowing the situation will never get better? When do you acknowledge that you owe yourself something before the job and the people doing nothing but taking from you? James helps Carey allow herself the confidence to stand up for herself, which was both sweet and empowering. Of course he messes things up too, and there isn't smooth sailing for Carey and James, but where would be the fun in that?

The Honey-Don't List has the humor, wit, and occasional wackiness I've come to look for from Christina Lauren (The UnHoneymooners). It's a sparkling, fun read and perfect to lift your mood at any time! A must-read!


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Wow! Christina Lauren are some of my favorite authors. And I have to say this book didn’t disappoint. I love the chemistry between James and Carey as soon as they finally opened their eyes to see what’s in front of them. The pool seen, loved it!

Carey has been working at this job since she was 16 years old. It’s safe. She does what she loves but doesn’t take the credit. It didn’t bother her because she never realized she was being used. She needed this job so she just did it. She was always thinking,
would she do if she didn’t have it?

James (Jimbo hahaha) had been working at a company that was stealing from employees, so when it crashes he was left with nothing. How can he build his resume when no one would give him a chance. So when an engineer job piped up for Honey-Comb he applied. What he didn’t realize when he excepted the job that he was going to he someone’s assistant.

And that’s where they meet. Carey and James were both “assistants” to 2 of the most popular home decorating duo. They kept their heads down and did what they were told until one day they were thrown in a situation they didn’t want to be in. That’s when they saw each other for the first time.

I recommend this book and other from these amazing authors. They are amazing and the way the write is beautiful! I received this ARC for my honest review and opinion.

Book Info
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: March 24th 2020 by Gallery Books (first published March 10th 2020)
ISBN 1982145218 (ISBN13: 9781982145217)
Other Editions (5)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB
From the New York Times bestselling author behind the “joyful, warm, touching” (Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author) The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on the verge of superstardom. There’s only one problem: America’s favorite couple can’t stand each other.

James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was originally hired as a structural engineer, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. The last straw? Both he and Carey must go on book tour with the Tripps and keep the wheels from falling off the proverbial bus.

Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together…

From the “hilariously zany and heartfelt” (Booklist) Christina Lauren comes a romantic comedy that proves if it’s broke, you might as well fix it.

My Thoughts
In reality television perception is everything, in Melissa/Melly and husband Russell/Rusty Tripp's case the current secret to their "runaway” success.

As this story proves there is no sanctity in reality television or whole hearted amount of creativity in this case being rewarded to the correct person.

That particular jewel has to be explained by reading the book but once you do like me perhaps there will be blame placed squarely across the board on the shoulders of those whose falsehoods carried on for too many years and also some on the shoulders of the one who let this happen and continue for those years in the first place.

What to some may have been a routine assignment with their employers soon proved to be disaster in the making for Carey Douglas and James McCann, in some respects anyway.

The road trip that started off with basically Carey and James as strangers soon became a journey of discovery on both their parts.

A discovery that brought them both to the realization that not only are they mutually attracted but also they both deserve more than working nonstop at the beck and call of Melly or Rusty Tripp.

However on the heels of that revelation there are secrets that James holds back from Carey, secrets that of course explode in his face at the most inopportune time.

This is a story of how life spins out of control without one quite knowing how to stop it, a story of one woman’s quest for more and more power while losing sight of what was really at stake by her doing so, a story of a man married to this same woman who has finally had enough of the roller coaster that never ends.

It is also a story of the two young people caught in the situation with their employers that they find themselves unable to grasp control or contain the inevitable fallout at the end.

A sometimes fun, sometimes funny, sometimes infuriating look through the lens of a writer whose work is dead on no matter how much some people beg to differ at her approach or resolution.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

They never let me down. Just when you think it doesn’t get any better. I love everything about this story.

I struggled with this one. Man, that pains me to admit. *peeks through my fingers* Actually typing those words out was physically difficult, because I respect the work of these authors and I'm a huge fan of some of their other work. However, I don't sugarcoat, I don't ever pad my reviews and I strive for honesty above all else.

The writing is solid, you're not going to find a poorly worded sentence or dangling participle in the whole shebang...on that level it is incredibly well put together. Where my disconnect stems from, I think, is that the book itself is kind of slowly paced and there's this quasi-mystery that is thrown in...but then everything wraps up super abruptly at the end at the book. A lot of emphasis is placed on the relationship/management of Melissa and Rusty Tripp versus on the hero/heroine James/Carey and their love story. Again, this is just my opinion...but that's where I had trouble relating and connecting with this one.

I appreciate the review copy I received from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster in advance of its release and I will definitely read more from these authors because I do very much enjoy their other work, even if this story didn't hit for me. 3 stars.

I’m absolutely here for anything CLo writes, so I don’t even read the synopsis any longer.

I loved Carey and James. They’re both fantastic people in a crap situation and I loved reading them {sort of} get to know each other. Melly and Rusty were the biggest self-centered jerks and I didn’t care about their plot thread at all.

Plot wise, it was okay. I wanted more of Carey and James together and away from the job situation. At times it felt like they didn’t know each other at all and the leap from irritation to like to love didn’t quite mesh for me.

Overall, it was the characters that kept me reading, but the story felt like it was missing something.

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

I am so disappointed in this book! I really enjoyed The Unhoneymooners by these authors last year so I was expecting to be charmed again but this book is awful. It has none of the fun to be found in their other book. The characters are also very thin and the romance is a bore, as is the book. The only reason I managed to actually finish this book is because I really hate leaving books unfinished but it took a lot of forcing myself to get through a chapter at a time in each sitting to finish. The characters may be reluctantly stuck on a road trip with their bosses but the authors will make the readers want to jump off at the next stop too and never pick up this book again!

The chapters alternate POV between James, the straight laced engineer and Carey, the more quirky assistant. Neither character is very interesting or a fun read unfortunately. If anything their feuding married bosses are the only characters that actually seem interesting. I wish I could have written a review that this book was what the description claims it to be but there’s certainly no charm to be found here or even a love story for that matter. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this book will entertain you if you happen to be stuck inside! I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect book to real while in social isolation. Feel good and entertaining! I love these authors. They always seem to leave me with a smile on my face.

this was my favorite CL title, I decided to request it as per the mention on the indie next list. Great read for the fun of it in troubled times. I think satire is
the biggest strength of the writing duo and with all probability they do post it note storyboarding quite well too. I wasn’t that much a fan of the rom com assistants falling in love
aspects but it didn’t take away from the Chip and Joanna fable which was most comical. Four stars in its category and for diverting me from the state of the news, in some states, at least

The Honey-Don't List is not your typical Christina Lauren book. I had a bit of a time getting going with this one but after reading more about the characters it was easy reading. This story brings Carey and James, two assistants to a couple struggling to keep their fame afloat. The couple, Melly and Rusty, are headed on tour to promote a marriage book while theirs is falling apart. Carey and James are tasked with babysitting and craziness ensues! I really did like Carey and James together and overall this book was a good one.