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!

I equate Christina Lauren with romance which is why I was surprised and disappointed by The Honey-Don't List. Carey and James were unwilling assistants following their married employers on their book tour, and their employers were a mess. I was more interested in the married couple's dysfunction and how Carey worked to keep their scandals away from the public. Even though Carey was an interesting character, I thought that Christina Lauren could have uncovered more. It's hard to describe this as a romance since it played such a secondary role to the overall story. It's sad that I cared more about the couple that was in desperate need of a divorce instead of the budding romance between James and Carey. The Honey-Don't List was entertaining and a quick read, but don't expect an all encompassing romance.

Melissa and Rusty Tripp are basically Chip and Joanna Gaines... but like, extremely toxic. Carey, Melissa’s assistant, and Rusty, an engineer for the Tripps’ design show (but basically Rusty’s glorified assistant), are tasked with babysitting their two idiot bosses. They need to make sure the couple gets along publicly while they are on their marriage advice book tour.

I don’t know what else to write about this one. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it... it was just kind of meh for me. I didn’t like any of the characters that much (there just wasn’t any depth there), and the story was okay. It felt like a pretty disorganized book to me, and think it could have done much better with some good editing. I enjoyed the format of the normal chapters mixed with tweets, articles, and chapters from the Tripps’ book. It was also a really quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an early copy of this book for an honest review.

It's pretty much impossible for me to not like a Christina Lauren book. They've proved themselves time and time again. Their streak continues with The Honey-Don't List.

This is going to be said a lot, but you can't read this book without immediately thinking of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Carey and James work for Melissa and Rusty Tripp - HGTV darlings who are set to take over the world. They have a home decor store, a tv show, a book about their perfect marriage, and a soon to be released Netflix series all riding on their brand - a down-home couple in love, designing perfect spaces together. Only the whole thing is kind of a sham. Melly and Rusty barely talk, Melly wrote the entire book, and Carey, Melly's overworked assistant is the one doing all the design work while getting none of the credit.

Carey has been working for the Tripps for 10 years, so she can't help but look at Melly and Rusty through rose-colored glasses. They're like surrogate parents to her. James joins the staff shortly before their national book tour under the pretense of being a structural engineer but ends up being treated as Rusty's assistant much to his dismay. Carey and James’ relationship starts out quite prickly, but when the two accompany the Tripp’s on a book signing tour, they find themselves bonding over their shared quest to keep the Tripp's marriage problems under wraps.

I enjoyed The Honey-Don't List. I think it could have been about a hundred pages longer. - I wanted more cute moments between Carey and James to really build their relationship. Their romance felt a little rushed between all the drama of the Tripp's situation. I thought both Carey and James are great characters - I'm always into a buttoned-up man who turns out to be secretly swoon-y. I also could have done with some retribution for the Tripps...they're kind of the worst.

The Honey-Don’t List is a first for me from duo Christina Lauren and it was like HGTV gone bad. Melly Tripp is Joanna Gaines meets Regina George. Loved by all , but has a nasty real-life personality. There’s a Chip Gaines-esque character as well (Rusty Tripp), but he’s pretty much what you’d expect if Chip drank a lot of beer and was fed-up with all the antics. Even though he makes some mistakes, you actually feel kinda bad for him and he’s quite likable, I think.

Carey has been with the Tripps since she was a teen. She’s brilliant, but her life revolves around Melly and only Melly. Melly provides everything Carey needs and makes her life a living hell. James thought he was being hired on as an engineer for the Tripps' show, but in reality, he’s Rusty’s handler.

Of course the future of the Tripps’ career depends on their new book about having a great marriage and their new show on Netflix, but you know that’s where all hell is going to break loose. Rusty is an unhappy loose cannon, Melly is controlling and self-obsessed, and they loathe each other. Cary and Jimbalaya are somehow supposed to chaperone them, keep them out of the media, and fix it all. As you might expect, this all makes for a great romcom drama. Easy read and highly enjoyable.

I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

The Honey Don’t List is a contemporary romance about two assistants of famous DIY show personalities who are stuck together on a trip despite their dislike of each other. I really enjoyed this book, like I do all of Christina Lauren’s books! I do wish that it was a little slower of a burn before the official relationship was created, though I understand it still provided the needed drama afterward. I like when the couples don’t get together for the first time until later in these hate-to-lovers romantic trope books. ⁣
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I also kept picturing the book’s two reality stars as Chip and Joanna Gaines (though I’m guessing the blonde. etc. characteristics were to set Melly apart from Joanna as much as possible)... but I hope they have a better marriage than the fictional characters do. Those two were obnoxious but also the perfect contrast to the two main characters and their developing love story. ⁣

I’m a fan of Christina Lauren and was excited to read The Honey Don’t List. This one follows in their writing style and there are some very steamy scenes. The character development is amazing and I’m always left feeling like I really know them. The main couple Carey and James are that enemies to lovers follow that can be found in all the Christina Lauren books. Since the story also goes into the relationship that Carey and James have with their employers Melly & Rusty we learn about them as well. I wish there was more about Carey and James as a couple. Melly & Rusty could be a book all on their own. The focus was almost more on the working relationships and the parts with Carey & James romance was rushed at times.
Overall a sweet romance! In my top 3 Christina Lauren favorites.

Thank you Gallery Books and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a quick and fun read. A lighthearted workplace romance. Carey Duncan and James McCann don’t really know anything about each other. When tasked with traveling with the power couple they work for, the close quarters create opportunities. Their banter was witty and watching them fall for each other was endearing.

I really enjoyed this book. Its a great romantic comedy with a bit more depth than the other books of theirs. I didn't find it quite as funny as the others but I still chuckled a bit and I really loved the characters that were created. I also felt like they had really great development. Overall I think it was a great book and if you've loved their past books this one is definitely worth checking out!

4.5 I loved this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy! Carey has worked for Gaines-like couple Melissa and Rusty Tripp as Melly's assistant since she was 16. James, a genius engineer, is just starting as Rusty's assistant after a disastrous last job. As they start on a road trip from hell for the Tripp's book tour, Carey and James have to figure out how to keep Mellie and Rusty from killing each other and it turns out to be hilarious and touching and hot and lovely! The depth of character is wonderful and I love the growth too. It's fun and romantic and highly recommended!

I became a Christina Lauren fan after reading The Unhoneymooners last summer. I loved the premise for The Honey-Don't List, especially in an age where millennials (myself included) love living vicariously through HGTV shows. Unfortunately, this book fell a bit flat for me. I found that the two main characters (Carey and James) fell for each other pretty early on in the novel, preventing from much of a build-up in their relationship. Alongside this, I felt like there was too much focus on the Melly and Rusty's marital issues and banter, taking away from the romantic relationship that formed between Carey and James. With this being said, it was still an enjoyable read that I'd recommend if you're looking for a light-hearted story to mix in with some heavier books on your reading list.

I’m always looking forward to reading a book by Christina Lauren. This duo can bring the smiles and the sexy out very easily.

As soon as I saw The Honey-Don't List as an option to request it, I was requesting away and happy to dive into it.

The plot involves Carey Fern Duncan and James Westman McCann helping a well-known HGTV couple, Melissa and Russell "Rusty" Tripp. The Tripp's have become quite successful between their popular stores, Comb+Honey, the upcoming launch of their new book, and their new TV series, New Spaces.

Carey works for Melly who is the designer half of the Tripp's couple. At first glance, everyone believes Carey is just Melly's assistant but the truth is that Carey is the one who has been designing for them the whole time. From the first window decor on their first store to now. Carey has been working for them since she was sixteen. One of the reasons why she does not want to leave her job is because she has a medical problem requiring good insurance.

James, an MIT graduate, gets hired as an engineer but he soon realizes that his real job is to become Rusty’s assistant. He’s frustrated with the position but he can't quit since he’s starting over after his last job was a disaster.

Then, there is a big secret. No one knows that the perfect TV couple can’t stand each other in real life. They're nothing but a sham. Melly craving the media attention and Rusty following any skirt that crosses his path. And you guessed it, our hero and heroine are assigned to keep them in line and to avoid the truth coming to light before their TV show debuts or before they kill each other.

This was a fun and fast read. I liked that the heroine had a disability and how the hero reacts to learning about it. There was good banter but not as much as I've seen in these authors' prior work.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The set up of this book was unique. It starts out interview style. At first I was confused about the line of questioning, but I caught on a few chapters in. Carey and James are both personal assistants to reality home improvement couple, Melly and Rusty. As the story unfolds, the reader gets to know more about the main characters as well as the supporting characters that are integral to the story. This is listed as a romance book, and it is, but I feel it was more light suspense. There were instances where I wanted to skip to the next interrogation transcript to find out what the heck was happening. To be completely honest, I reread the first chapter twice just to make sure I was understanding what was going on. I was a bit disappointed in how the plot played out. There is a HEA, but it's eventual happening fell short for me.

I've been a fan of Christina Lauren's books since what feels like the beginning. I'm talking their Beautiful Bastards days. Lately, they started focusing more on stand alone books and with how quickly they are being released I honestly cannot keep up. But I was fortunately enough to get this arc and I was pumped to jump back into one of their stories.

The Honey-Don't List is quintessential Christina Lauren. They give us one cute couple (and maybe one not so cute one), nice banter, an interesting story line and a lovely romance. It was exactly what I wanted this book to be. I flew through it, and enjoyed every minute.

I've already mentioned the cute couple, but I will mention it again. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book. Christina Lauren can do no wrong when they create their characters. Carey was a relatable character and I enjoyed reading her story, especially how strong she is, and how open she is about her therapy. James was also a sweetheart. I love how their relationship unfolded.

While I wouldn't rank it as my new top favorite Christina Lauren book, it is probably within the top 5! If you are a long time Christina Lauren fan, or new to them, this book is definitely worth checking out. If you love cute stories and are a fan of contemporary romances, this book is for you. If you want a quick escape from reality, this book will certainly work.

I absolutely adored this story. Parts of this felt like they were a real celebrity couple and I was reading about them in People Magazine..

Carey Duncan has been working with the Tripps' (Melissa and Rusty) since she was 16. Now she and Rusty's assistant, James, are stuck babysitting the couple while they are out promoting their book tour.

Both Carey and James are manipulated and stuck into their positions. Commiserating over their helplessness, Carey and James become close. But the closer they become the more things start to fall apart for the Tripps'.

Can Carey and James keep up the shame and keep their jobs? And what about Carey and James together?

Definitely one-click this emotional, funny read.