What an absolutely hilarious book! I chuckled the whole way through. There's just a little bit of mystery with the snippets in-between chapters, which made me want to finish the book to see what it was referencing. Loved the interactions between James and Carey, Melissa I wanted to beat over the head and Rusty just made me laugh. All in all an enjoyable read, totally recommend!

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this book! I love seeing strong women emerge and that’s what Carey does here.

Carey is the assistant to a design team. Having been with them since she was 16, she doesn’t feel worthy of more than being referred to as the girl who schedules Melly’s meetings. Meanwhile, it’s her eye and idea for design that is the base of the brand her employers have propelled into a TV show and big bucks.

James is an engineer who comes to work for Rusty, the husband of the design team. He’s come from a company that went down in scandal so, even though he’s serving as an assistant and not an engineer, he’s happy to have the job for his resume’.

Everything starts coming apart when the four head out on a publicity tour to promote a new show and book. Carey and Janes come together as assistants and then as a couple.

I really enjoyed this book!

This was my first time reading Lauren's work and
Honey let me tell you -
From beginning to end The Honey-Don't list kept me entertained
Plenty of "Oh no you don't" temper tantrums tossed about with a few hilarious "oops"' incidents all wrapped up with some powerful "See me" moments.
I felt for Carey she put so much of her life into Mel and Rusty's career. Sure she made good money but the cost was high both emotionally and physically.
Despite Rusty's faults I liked him. Mel on the other hand needs to be brought down a peg or two.

The chemistry between Jimbalaya and Carey is a bit of dump and go
Carey stays to the sidelines, hides in the shadows
When they both do collide it is a bit like an "AH HA" moment
They were always within proximity but never really saw one another
When they do? It is an instant attraction they both decide to feed.
One time - feed the need and all - should be simple they are both adults.
The opposites attract theory is definitely in play here

Carey has always worked for the dynamic duo that is Melissa and Rusty Tripp.
It is all she has known. Carey is literally the train that keeps Melissa's life on track. In front of the camera, she has it all together but behind the scenes? She is a complete disaster.
Can't blame the girl when at home it's time to let it all go.
I found this little quirk endearing when it came to her character.

Jim... What can I say about him? Mr. Perfection. He was hired as an engineer and to assist Rusty.
He is NOT an assistant - just wanted to clarify that (eye roll here) -
I appreciated Jim's slightly arrogant attitude in the beginning, he was still struggling with where his life had landed him. I would be a bit bitter too.
As the story progressed and Mel and Rusty slowly implode Jim drops his walls and the man we see is
A nerdy, handsome, quirky sense of humor and attentive
- husband material right there.

Jim and Carey are charged with keeping Mel and Rusty in line and the truth about their marriage off of social media.
It's only ten days
About two weeks
Surely it can't be that hard, right?
Let the circus begin -
So glad these are not my monkeys!

Ms. Lauren has written a character you would love to just tell her where to go. Melissa Tripp went through a personality change the minute the family store took off. Now she is so busy trying to stay on top, she has gone from Dr.Jekyl to Mr. Hide. Caught in her crosshairs is her husband Rusty, her assistant Carey Douglas and Rusty's assistant James McCann. Carey has been with the Tripp's since the beginning. She has an eye for detail, that has you envisioning her projects. James has been with them a couple of months, hired to be engineer more than an assistant. On the bus tour, James and Carey rely on each other to the point they have feelings for each other. Trying to keep the Tripp's on schedule was just about impossible. Then Typhoon Melissa comes through and everything is ruined. Can they all find their way back to the beginning where things were simple?

3.5 stars: There is nothing wrong with this book, I just didn't love it as much as some of the author's earlier works. It's well-written and has an unique plot, and I did enjoy James POV, however, the chemistry was lacking a real connection and it seemed slow in some parts. Mostly importantly, as least for me, is that it lacked the laugh out loud, roll on the floor, sexy back & forth dialogue that I've come to love when reading these authors previous books.

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance! This is exactly what you need if you are looking for a feel good vibe with a great mix of humor and heart. I especially loved the opposites attract, enemies to lovers, co-worker storyline. The reality series atmosphere also seemed fresh and current. Bonus points for the leading lady’s journey towards empowerment and fulfillment, a sexy and thoughtful leading man, and a storyline dealing with the challenge of a chronic physical condition. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

📖 BOOK REVIEW⠀📚
BOOK: The Honey-Don't List
AUTHOR: Christina Lauren
@christinalauren
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
Published: March 24, 2020
https://amzn.to/39SkuDw

This was my first Christina Lauren book. And I really did enjoy it. It was a fast read, deep characters and a way of making you both in love with the situation, and hating it at the same time (because who wouldn’t want to be on a tour bus traveling?) But the reason I gave it 3 stars is because it was too short for me. I know this is probably not going to be part of a series and I just wanted there to be more to the story. See more in the attached video!

Small Summary:
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…
*****
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

Christina and Lauren are great at creating believable, entertaining conflict and they do some of their best work in this regard in their latest book. With that said, while I’ve never disliked one of their books, I wasn’t wowed by this one as I have been with Love and Other Words or The Unhoneymooners.

It was entertaining for sure and the Melly/Rusty conflict and the hint of something more dramatic at the end occurring pulled me in, but the romance between our two main characters seemed a little random, with no foundation to it. Even when it was all over, I just didn’t really buy it.

It was a sweet HEA as expected but I came away not fully connected with any of the characters or fully believing their connection to one another beyond the physical.

All in all, this probably ties Twice in a Blue Moon for my least favorite of theirs but I did still enjoy it.

If you love Christina Lauren you will love this book. If you've never read anything by Christina Lauren you will love this book. Every time I read a Christina Lauren book I know there will be conflict between the hero and heroine, I will be crying and laughing at some point in the story and the Happily Ever After will be worth the wait.
I loved this book, James and Carey are assistants to a Joanna and Chip Gaines like couple.who are perfect on the outside but a nightmare behind the scenes. Cary has been there for 10 years but James is a new addition to the mix. Initially, they don't get along but once James sees what is happening behind the scenes he realizes that Carey is the one that is getting things done without any credit or appreciations.
While the Tripps' marriage falls apart before the readers eyes we see James and Carey coming together.. Their attraction is obvious and that makes things even sadder when they fight. It is interesting to see the way a woman and a man are treated differently in business, making Carey's situation even harder. All the turmoil makes the ending even sweeter.

This is only my second Christina Lauren book (I'm pretty sure) and I really liked it. It was a fairly light romance with some rom-com feels. Some people compared it to Set it Up on Netflix. I recently watched that movie and really liked it. I see the connections-especially in the overworking of the female assistant characters-but they are their own thing.

Carey and James were both good, likable characters. They have good chemistry and cute interactions. Carey felt more developed and had a better character arc than James. It wasn't a big issue, but an observation.

Carey has a medical condition which added to the story and felt well-done. One of the author's has a family member with the same condition. It was something I had never heard of, but caused me to do some research after finishing. It also added to why Carey put up with all the crap at work. There were also emotional reasons and combined, her decision felt very real.

There was a small "Now and Then" element to the storytelling. The "now" was police interviews. Initially, I liked it and felt it built up a nice amount of tension that kept me engaged. But the ending was underwhelming-it didn't fully work when it all came together.

I enjoyed my time reading this and need to move Christina Lauren up on my TBR.

This book is not quite what I expected. I guess I am still stuck on the older writing style of the laugh out loud romantic comedies from this fantastic duo, Josh and Hazel is one of my all time favorite books, where this is a little more serious and not as funny as I was expecting. That's not a bad thing, it's just not what I was expecting from this book, which I guess threw me off some.

This book is well written, has great characters and the premise of the story is one that is both unique and engaging. However, I just wanted it to be funnier. This set-up had so many opportunities to just laugh out loud, but sadly I didn't. Again, I think that is because of my expectations going into this book. I think I am going to have to just realize my favorite romcom duo is changing their style to something a little more contemporary and stop going in with preconceived notions of the book.

Did I like the book. Yes, of course it's written by two fantastic writers. Did it deliver everything I was looking for? Here is where those pesky expectations got in the way, and because of that I felt that this book was just a little flat for me. I really wanted some belly laughs. Do I recommend, if you want a contemporary romance sure. If you are looking for a laugh out loud romcom, eh.

Christina Lauren books have become must reads for me over the last few years and The Honey-Don't List is no exception. Carey and James are the assistants to a famous DIY couple about to embark on a big book tour. The trouble is that the couple are not at all what they seem like on their HGTV show. I loved this book- it was fresh and fun and kept me interested from page one. If you are looking for a light, entertaining read, this is the book for you!

Fun, quick read about a dysfunctional home renovation couple (Melissa and Rusty Tripp) and their assistants trapped into wrangling them on a promo tour. I loved Carey and James' budding romance but I didn't get enough of it─the book focused more on the out-of-control Tripps and what Carey and James have to do to keep them in line. That being said, The Honey-Don't List is a fun escape with humor, heart and just a touch of heat.

Thank you Gallery Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.

After reading The Unhoneymooners, I’ve been hooked on Christina Lauren. They were the reason I started reading rom-com and I will always be grateful. I believe in them but the last two books I’ve read by them been meh.
There’s definitely were funny parts in this book. There were things that I really enjoyed like the tweets. But the storyline was okay.
I don’t understand why there were pieces of the Rusty and Melly book added in the book. I didn’t care for Rusty and Melly relationship at all. Sadly I felt the same for James and Carey as well. It was a struggle to finish it.

Please don’t hate me but I still love the duo and I will continue to read their books.

The Honey-Don't List is the first book I have read written by the writing duo known as Christina Lauren. I had no extra expectations except thinking it would have a young refresh vibe to the writing style. It did have that, along with two likable main characters who are in miserable working conditions. However, their bosses are another story. Being narcissistic out of control, maybe big stars if they can pull it off, they steal the book and not in a good way.

James McCann finds himself working with Carey Duncan as she tries to save the empire that Melissa and Rusty Tripp have built. I get why she stayed; these two appalling people had become like family to her after ten years. Still James and Carey were better than that. It took away from their developing romance to deal with the older couple in the story. More Carey and James, less Melissa and Rusty.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Carey Duncan has worked for Rusty and Melissa Tripp since she was 16. She has dedicated the past ten years to this couple as they built their TV brand. They are like Chip and Joanna Gaines in the public eye but behind the scenes they can barely stand each other. James McCann was hired as a structural engineer to help Rusty but now he is stuck babysitting him to make sure he doesn't do anything embarrassing and he sticks to the script that he and Melissa still have the perfect marriage. When Carey and James are forced to go on the publicity tour with Rusty & Melissa they find themselves bonding over the secrets they are keeping for their bosses and begin building something special of their own.
This was a fun, light read. I was really rooting for Carey and James, and Melissa was one of those characters you love to hate. I liked the police interviews throughout. It added a little extra drama to the rom-com. If you like chick lit then this one is for you.

Check out a full review on our blog, www.acourtofbooksandbrews.com

The Honey Don't-List had me hooked immediately. So much so that I devoured it in 24 hours. It is a delightful and charming read. I really enjoyed the alternative points of view between Carey and James. It always help to understand the characters a bit more. It was fun watching these two great people maneuver through some sticky situations. Because they were stuck with each other on the trip with the Tripps (lol), they quickly bonded and learned to help and lean on each other.

With many thanks to netgalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Lauren give us a clever and fun read with The Honey-Don't List. With the popularity of HGTV and home improvement shows, especially those with couples involved in the projects, they picked a relevant and timely topic and gave it a "what-if" twist.

The main character is our heroine, Carey. She is the long time assistant of home improvement couple Melissa and Rusty Tripp (who seem to be fashioned a bit after Chip and Joanna Gaines). Along with these three is a new assistant, James. He is technically supposed to be an engineer but has been serving as Rusty's assistant to try and keep him "reigned in". When the wheels start to fall off of the "happy facade" that the Tripps are portraying, Carey and James are tasked with following them more closely on their press release tour to be sure that they always look like a happy couple when others are around. Along the course of their trip, Carey and James have the opportunity to get to know one another better and find that there is actually a lot to like. Their attraction grows and becomes more noticeable to others on the tour as well, including the Tripps.

Of course, things don't go smoothly. The Tripps have a lot of issues they aren't dealing with and those problems surface at the worst times. Carey and James simply can't keep that storm reigned in because it's been brewing for far too long. When the situation comes to a head, emotions are tested, secrets come out and trust is broken. The real question is how it will shake out for everyone once the dust settles.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Christina Lauren for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Honey-Don’t List felt very pointedly like a fictional recounting of Chip and Joanna Gaines. The story centers around Melissa and Rusty Tripp, celebrity interior designers, and their respective assistants, Carey and James. I really enjoyed the world this story was set in, and the way the toxic addictiveness of celebrity was portrayed. With book and tv show deals on the line, character incentives often blurred lines. Carey is our protagonist, who has been working for the Tripps since she was a teenager. I liked the way her character’s arc was set up. Her job with the Tripps is all she’s ever known in her adult life, and she feels conflictingly loyal and trapped in her position supporting Melissa. Her motivations juxtapose well with those of James, who didn’t sign up to be in an assistant position, and is immediately looking for ways to move himself up the ladder, despite being new.

I loved The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, and I was expecting to eat up the romance in this book as eagerly as I did with this previous work. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel a believable buildup between Carey and James. The romance seemed to me to come out of nowhere — I didn’t have time to root for them! Even once it was established, I didn’t feel the passion I was hoping for.

The majority of the book takes place during the Tripps’ book tour, which was a unique plot element and made for a lot of drama given the close quarters of traveling together. Tensions between the very much no-longer-in-love Tripps are increasingly fraught, and their assistants are forced to go to greater and greater lengths to keep up public appearances. Unfortunately, I wasn’t grabbed by this one, but I’ll still be keeping an eye out for the next Christina Lauren installment!