This is a perfect rom-com with some great life lessons. Carey is a good person. But she lets people use her and take advantage of her. James was another annoyance in her stressful life. Through their trials and tribulations of dealing with the crazy Tripps, James helps Carey realize her worth and helps her stand up for herself. A great beach read!

I loved the premise of Christina Lauren's 'The Honey-"Don't' list but the execution was scattered. It was sometimes funny but dealt with serious issues like workplace abuse and health issues. I didn't appreciate the language or the graphic sex. All of that could be gone and there would be a lovely little love story. This was the first I'd read by this writing team so I might go check out more of there work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you to Gallery Books for the gifted copy! I'm always excited to read a new Christina Lauren book, as they always put me in a good mood. This one had a fun premise and seemed to be loosely based on Chip & Joanna Gaines (if they didn't have the perfect marriage). However, the real protagonists in the story are Carey and James, who work for home design superstars Rusty and Melly. Carey and James desperately try to save face for Rusty & Melly, who are facing marital troubles while trying to launch a new show and book. Meanwhile, the two coworkers fall in love and struggle with the decision of whether to stay aboard the sinking ship that is Melly and Rusty's home renovation empire.

I enjoyed this book, and the behind the scenes view it showed of dealing with celebrities. However, the childish antics of Melly and Rusty became grating as the storyline progressed, and I wanted them to just resolve their issues or move on. On the other hand, Carey and James' relationship moved a bit too fast and seemed unrealistic. It was a little too perfect from the get-go. I did like the awareness the story brought to dystonia, a disorder I had no previous awareness of. I love when a book teaches me something about the lives of others.

This was a quick, enjoyable rom-com read that will keep you entertained!

I don’t think Christina Lauren is my brand of romance. This is my fourth attempt at their books, and I chose this one on NetGalley for the plot – it does sound super cute, but in practice, falls flat.

Carey is an assistant to incredible home design team (and husband and wife) Melly and Rusty Tripp. They’re beloved by many, and wildly successful, but what most people don’t know is that their relationship is falling apart. With the help of the other assistant (who’s supposed to be their engineer), James, she just has to keep them from ripping each other part for one week, during their book tour for a guide on marriage, of course.

In such close quarters, James begins to notice a lot of the things Carey has been trying to hide about herself: her dystonia, the fact that she’s been doing all of Melly’s designs for a decade, that fact that her relationship with Melly is emotionally abusive… he sees it all, and begins to love the person that shines through her tough situation. But the two are both stuck in this job, for different reasons, with this god-awful couple. Working love in around that proves more difficult than they expected.

Like I said, plot sounds heckin’ cute. The Tripps give off a sort of Gaines’ vibe, obviously, but their marriage is clearly way more of a disaster. I liked the complexity of Carey’s character and her situation with Melly, but James fell flat in comparison. I couldn’t picture either of them (Carey or James) in my mind as real people, but funny enough, the Tripps were clear as day. I think there was something deeper here, or an opportunity to make the plot more intricate and well-connected, that was very clearly lost. I think many romance authors miss that opportunity, but the best romcoms I’ve read in recent years are those that can focus in on that. It makes their characters more real to the readers.

The plot was also kind of dull. There was no real arch or build-up, likely because the conflict relied on you understanding the deeper, inner workings of these characters and why what they did was so untrustworthy, but because it lacked that, the story arch was more of a mild bump in an otherwise straight line. It made reading through it slow and grueling, and I kept avoiding picking it up, which is very unlike me.

These are my biggest complaints. Having read the acknowledgements, it sounds like the Christina Lauren duo knew they were a problem, but somehow this book will be reaching bookstore shelves by March 24 anyway.

CLO! Can I call them a beloved author duo? I think so. These two women are (and always will be) auto-buy authors for me. I mean, they introduced me to the new contemporary romance genre. They made me a fan. When The Honey Don't List popped up on Netgalley, I rushed to request it and squealed when I saw I was approved. The premise promised a good time. That's just it. This book had "promise."

Carey and James work for a massively successful home renovation team and married couple, Melissa and Rusty. Their successful business, Honey+Comb reached national stardom with their TV show and other business deals (think, Chip and Joanna Gaines). When the couple heads out on the road for a book tour and to promote their newest Netflix show, it is revealed that Melissa and Rusty are divorcing. To make matters worst, all of them are stuck on a bus together bearing the storm of a failed relationship and must keep public eyes from knowing the truth. Even though the team is struggling to find ways to cohabitate, Carey and James feel their own chemistry ignite.

Now, I love a good home renovation show, including the one this novel seems based on, Fixer Upper. The novel began with...promise...and built a funny world in this arena. It was kind of fun to see some of the similarities and have a scandalous look at the behind-the-scenes. The concept was super cute. The characters were very "CLo" with a bit of steam and sorrow. I enjoyed learning about Carey's background that shaped her perceptive on the job. I even enjoyed a little gasp about 20% through with a tiny plot twist (no, I won't give it away). There were touching and sweet moments between Carey and James as well, including a swimming scene that made me fall in love with the nerdy book boyfriend. There were also hints of CLo humor with Tweets, interviews, and even police reports thrown in the mix.

But, I had a few issues with the plot after all. There was very little romance between Carey and James or the focus just wasn't on them. Most of the book was about Melissa and Rusty, which would be fine but there was NO romance between them. Just hate. I also got a bit tired of the premise because it seemed too familiar and similar to Chip and Joanna, and you just don't need to make their story impure. Sorry. There were times the plot was slow and I felt like I was reading for a long time only to see that I was less than 50% done with the novel. It certainly wasn't the typical novel I have read from them. I have no complaints about the lack of steam or slap-stick humor that characterizes many of their efforts because sometimes that is ok for them to venture into.

Overall, I am rating this book 3.5 stars because I just love this writing duo and know many people who find enjoyment in this story. There are moments of tenderness, drama, and a teeny bit of steam. I think this book offers plenty for readers, but I just wished for something a little more from them.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Honey Don't List arrives on shelves on March 24, 2020.

The honey don’t list is so relatable I read through this book in one sitting I couldn’t dare put it down the characters were so colorful and vibrant the plot moved out affair sexy pace I really enjoyed this novel.

If you like HGTV and wish you could meet Joanna and Chip Gaines, this might just be the book for you. If you liked the movie Set It Up on Netflix, this book might just be the work for you. It will likely work best for you if you like both of those things, which I definitely do.

Christina Lauren have a great writing style for flying through a book and really sucking you in, which is certainly true here. This book, which follows Carey Douglas and James McMann as they try to keep their bosses from blowing up their lives with their interpersonal drama, is not just a romance. It straddles the line between romance and contemporary fiction, in a similar way that Set It Up does, in my opinion. We're also focusing a bit on Carey and James trying to keep Melissa and Rusty from ruining everything and also figure out how they can best make things happen for themselves and what they need in their life.

Personally, I really liked the chemistry between James and Carey and how that fit with the overall story. I really appreciated that part of this book is about James figuring out how to support Carey (and wanting to support Carey) as she's treated like crap by Melly and as she navigates some of her physical limitations/difficulties related to a disorder related to her hands. I think seeing men try and fail at supporting their partner is actually really powerful for some reason. I can't really explain it. And I loved that Carey doesn't forgive James right away when he messes up. But I also liked that it didn't get too dragged out because I also hate that. I wish that we had gotten to see a bit more at the end with Melly and Carey or even Melly and Rusty, but ultimately, I really liked this book!

Ugh I LOVE a new Christina Lauren! This duo just always hits it on the head and I am here for it! The Honey-Don't List was another wonderful story - I devoured it in two days. I absolutely fell in love with Carey and James. Even Rusty and Melly, deeply flawed, stick in your heart and you find yourself rooting for them as well. I thought the story was in a lot of ways similar to Twice In A Blue Moon (which I also really enjoyed), but I loved the twist of the home improvement empire and the "backstage" details that contributed so much to the story. I also thought the addition of Carey's dystonia was very interesting and was not surprised to find out it had affected members of one of the author's family. If I had any criticism, it would be that the ending felt a bit fast/rushed. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone - it's a great easy read and leaves you so satisfied.

Despite being taken advantage of and the target of verbal abuse from its female star, Carey has worked for years for a husband and wife team who have built up their home improvement business from one store to many as well as a successful TV show. She is, in fact, indispensable to them. James is hired as an engineer but really is just an assistant to the husband as the couples marriage begins unraveling. Carey and James are tasked with trying to keep the couple together, at least publicly. Predictably, sparks begin to fly between the two.

The story is light and breezy, but not really humorous as stated in the blurb. It was a fast read and entertaining. I thought it became bogged down when detailing the romantic encounters between Carey and James and I found myself skipping pages of the narrative. I did like the ending.

I love these authors! I know when I pick up their books I’m going to get lost in a fun love story with some drama! This book didn’t disappoint! Carey is 26 and the personal assistant to Melissa or as she’s called Melly Tripp and Rusty Tripp whose her husband, their the dynamic duo featured on HGTV for their home improvement ideas. This perfect couple have their own tv show written a bestseller and are about to launch their show on Netflix! They seem to have everything including a perfect marriage . The issue it’s all just a sham Carey has been there for this couple from day one, she handles everything behind the scenes, including constantly breaking up their fights, and arguments and even covering when photos get out of them fighting. When James joins the staff whose an engineer he’s shocked that instead of being an engineer he’s Rusty’s babysitter. When James and Carey accompany the Tripp’s book tour, they soon find themselves working together to cover for the Tripp’s and making sure this tour goes smoothly. When they begin to have feelings for each other and they become more than just coworkers things get complicated especially with their jobs on the line you know nothing comes easy and they hope they can survive the mess they keep cleaning up!

"People love Melly for being polished and patient. They love Rusty for being goofy and approachable. And they love them as a couple for being the two perfect halves of a whole." But behind the scenes of Melly and Rusty Tripp's popular home improvement television show and branded home goods stores, their personal assistants Carey and James know that the image the married couple projects on tv is far from reality: "Looking back, I'm not really sure when they decided their marriage mattered less than their brand."

As the foursome reluctantly embarks on a tour to promote Melly and Rusty's forthcoming book (not on home improvement, but on marriage), Carey and James not only have to contain the fallout from the Tripp's rapidly escalating marital strife, but also their own dislike of one another. Both are a bit self-effacing and conciliating, but James' privileged family background, advanced degree, and belief that he'd be working as an engineer, not as a personal assistant, initially has him treating Carey (who comes from a working class family, and who only graduated high school) with unthinking condescension. For his part, James doesn't understand why anyone would allow themselves to be treated so poorly as Carey allows Melly to treat her. But as they begin to bond over their shared plight, they also begin to understand what makes the other tick—and discover to their surprise that underlying their immediate physical attraction may be a far more long-lasting foundation than either could have imagined.

Readers wanting the strong feelings characteristic of some of C-L's previous books may be disappointed by this romance between two rather unassuming characters; all of the high emotions are reserved for Rusty and Melly here. But the duo's characteristic humor and feminist leanings (see somewhat slobby Carey and buttoned-up James's discussion of the gendered implications of "dress for success" advice) are clearly on display here. They're also linked to a more general political critique (of the problems the chronically ill face in a system in which healthcare provision is tied to one's job).

Not my favorite of this duo's books, but still, a solid, enjoyable read.

This book is light romance with a mixture of irritating, soap opera drama. It also seemed to be a mixture of two different couples from HGTV and if you watch that network and then read the book, the comparison will be obvious to you. Carey and James were both hired to be personal assistants to super remodeling couple Melly and Rusty Tripp. When the book opens, Melly and Rusty are already being nasty to each other due to the fact that after years of success, they currently hate the sight of each other. Unfortunately, they are due to go on a promotional tour for their new book (ironically about their marital success), so Carey and James are trapped into tagging along. At first, Carey and James are simply allies, trying to keep the secret break up of the super couple a secret. Then, in a way that was rushed and just unbelievable to me, James and Carey become a couple. I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would because Melly and Rusty were way too irritating and Carey and James’s romance was not well-plotted. The most interesting part of the book was when the backstories of James and Carey was described, that is, the reasons why they ended up with spoiled and demanding Rusty and Melly. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy light romance with a lot of bickering, but basically, it didn’t do a lot for me, being more like a supermarket tell-all rag than a well-written novel.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this one! Let me start by saying I LOVE CL books, but this one was just ok for me. It felt very "Chip and Joanna" to me, but in a different way. The writing was on par with CL's other books, but I just wasn't gripped by this story line. Overall, I enjoyed it, and it kept my interest, but was it my favorite CL? No.

goodreads.com/dhenning24

Loved this book so much!! Anything Christina Lauren writes instantly becomes my favorite. She gives me a "Book Hangover" every time!

This is a perfect blend of stress and smiles for me. Let me explain, though I probably don't need to.

Man, Carey and James have a stressful job, awful bosses, and a crazy situation to try and control. Not to mention all being in tight quarters. Then, as love does start to bloom and attractions flourish, one of the crazy bosses is NOT okay with it. Control freak. I mean that woman was really somethin else. So, the crazy adventure of this book has these guys dealing with stressful situations that really put them to the test!

Now, as for the smiles. There are cute moments, sweet lines, pages that make you just grin the whole time you are reading them. Carey is vulnerable, hardworking, doesn't even really know herself, but she goes through a transformation throughout the book. James is frustrated with his job, his employers, feeling stuck. I like how he treats Carey the whole time. I like how she becomes his focus. I like the man he is, and how they are together.

This can be chalked up as another instant hit from Christina Lauren. I keep hearing about it, and I totally get what the fuss has been about. It's a great read.

Not at all what I expected. This was a middle-of-the-road read for me; neither disappointing nor great, just meh. This was my first time reading something from this author.

I enjoyed the overall concept of the story and the characters were alright, however that spark, that lil bit of something-something, was lacking and had the story not reaching its full potential.

Please note that an ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I was so exited to read this and it was eh. The Tripp’s have made a fortune becoming a designing brand, making a design show and books to follow. Their assistants work non-stop to make their marriage look like the public thinks it is when in fact they are one step from divorce. This book was exhausting with all the fighting the Tripp’s did and all the badgering and bullying the assistants endured. Sadly, not a fan. #thehoneydontlist #christinalauren

A fictional behind the scenes look at a renovation decor based reality show. A loving kind couple starts out with a single store and a dream. As their dream grows so does their antipathy towards each other and the truth. The bigger the business the bigger their disdain and dare I say hate for the truth and acceptance of reality. For Melly, it is all about the bright lights and how beloved she becomes. She truly doesn’t care or even think that she has become a horrible person who takes advantage of those who have helped her get to where she is. And yet when the camera is directed at her she is the picture of perfection and the sweetest thing since sugar! Then there is Rusty. He supported the growth of their business and seemingly enjoyed all the wonderful things that their celebrity and business brought to them, but somehow lost his way and rather than talk to his wife or try to stop the speeding train became a toddler and acted out and like a total jerk. Both of them may have at one time been a happy couple, but became two hateful shrews. Carey started working for them when she was young, vulnerable, ill and desperately in need of a job and insurance. She became the woman behind the curtain and was the actual designer and creator of all of their products and yet received nothing expect emotional abuse in return. Then comes James. He thought he was too good for everyone there and truly thought he deserved more. He thought he would be able to use his engineering degree in his new position, but was basically Rustys gofer. He and Carey join forces to keep the crazy train from going off the rails. Then it does and to make matters worse James has betrayed Carey as well and in the worst way.
This is a fantastically written book filled with humor, love, hate, emotional ups and downs and leaves you rooting for the underdog to get what she deserves and in the good way!!! If you’re looking for an escape that will make you laugh, gasp, feel a little disgusted and keep you in your seat reading this is for you! You will love it and hate it!!

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Melissa and Rusty Tripp are the fictional Joanna and Chip Gaines. However, Melissa and Rusty cannot stand each other and are on the brink of divorce despite their fame. They have a new show and a book about to launch and it’s up to Melissa’s assistant, Carey Douglas, and James’ structural engineer, James McCann, to keep the drama under wraps. They both need the job but as they work together to keep everything from falling apart, they wonder if they could stay together in the end.

I did a happy dance when I got notification that I received a copy of this ARC. This dynamic duo is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors and their books are definitely must reads for me. Overall, it was a quick read but for me, it lacked the charm of their earlier works like Josh and Hazel and the Unhoneymooners. It felt like the story was more focused on the fallout between Rusty and Melissa instead of the relationship between James and Carey. The police transcripts, newspaper articles and tweets were fun and different but didn’t add much to the storyline for me. I wish the time was spent on developing the romance between James and Carey. Sorry to say but I’m disappointed in this book. Don’t worry though, I’ll still be reading their future books.

Cute romance centered around a home makeover reality show. Quick read and fun and sure to hang on to be a great beach read as summer approaches.