I absolutely love when i can connect with a story on a real life level and this is one of those stories. The themes of infidelity, individuals placing career before their families, and divorce were covered in an gutwrenchingly honest way that makes it relatable in so many ways to so many people. This is further elevated by the characters, not only is the situations they find themselves in relatable but they themselves are as well. I especially connect to Carey, her struggle to overcome her issues with self confidence and her disability were inspiring. I highly recommend this book to all romance readers, if this writing duo does not make you believe in love again nothing will.

The Honey-Don’t List ......4.5 stars

I have always had a love for fixer upper type shows on TV. I love seeing all the transformations and their creativity. So when I found out about this book by Christina Lauren I jumped at the chance to read and review it early.

The storyline follows a married couple (Melissa and Rusty) as they navigate their lives in front of millions of fans. They have a successful TV show, a best seller book and a behind the scenes marriage disaster. Will they be able to work things out and save all they’ve worked for? That’s where Carey and James come into play. They are both assistants, one to Melissa and one to Rusty. They are thrown in the mix to keep an eye on the popular couple to make sure they play nice. But of course things don’t go as planned. Will a romance blossom or will lies and deception take over? I’ll stop there and let you read the book to see what happens.

I will admit the story started out slow, but after a few chapters it quickly picked up and I was hooked. It was a quick read, and at times both funny and heartfelt. The characters were easy to connect with and gave you both the I hate you and I love you feeling.
If you are a fan of Christina Lauren then this is a must read!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

Christina Lauren nails it again with the great, light, rom-con-esque type reads. The tension between the characters is intoxicating and hard to resist.

If I'm going to be picky however, this isn't the best one. The romance between Carey and James feels rushed and forced, going from 30% to romantic involvement in the span of two scenes. I feel like one second he was just a friend and never could be romantically involved to the sexiest guy ever with no transition between.

And the drama with the police transcripts didn't really add anything to the plot lines. The fire was the huge crime but it was solved within one sentence and never looked at again.

That being said, I'm not picking up a Christina Lauren novel for the believable plot lines. If you keep your expectations realistic with this book you won't be disappointed, but if you want a little more there are better options.

The Honey-Don't List is about two assistants dealing with fictional versions of Joanna and Chip Gaines. The Tripps are at the height of their fame with TV Shows and books, but behind the scenes they can barely stand each other. Their assistants are tasked with keeping the couple from killing each other during their book tour. I enjoyed the romance in this book and the behind the scenes look at what is behind a public persona. I was able to finish this book in a day. I would recommend this book to any friends who enjoy lighthearted romance books.

Christina Lauren has done it again! I swear, these books never disappoint when you are in the mood for a quick, fun, rom com read. The title does seem a little bit misleading, when I initially saw it I thought it had to do with a married couple. Which...it does...but the main focus is on Carey and James, the assistants of a famous interior design couple who are dealing with the crazy and dysfunctional behind the scenes. It is a sweet story about the development of their relationship.

Again, great summer 2020 read. However, The Unhoneymooners is still my favorite CL book.

This storyline was a bit too close to a beloved reality show with a bad twist. ...not as much romcom romance as Christina Lauren’s past novels, but it was overall a cute book.
Melly and Tripp are famous reality home designers that started small and now have hit the big times with their own show on Netflix. What the world doesn’t know is Melly and Tripp despise one another and their marriage is falling apart.
Assistants Carey and James are along on the promotional ride to make sure Melly and Tripp behave for the public. Along the way they get close...and closer.

This was a nice, light read that kept my interest. However, in my opinion, it isn’t as strong as their earlier works. The Unhoneymooners remains my favorite.

James made such a wonderful love interest. His nerdy appeal totally worked for me. I found his and Carey’s connection to be believable and authentic. Carey was also a great character. Her journey to strength was relatable and didn’t feel overdone.

I just felt this book could have been.... more, I guess. Maybe there was too much space given to Melly and Russ and it got grating after a while.

I’m still all in on this author, but I hope their trend of writing in the last two of their books doesn’t continue into their next. I want another The Unhoneymooners.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free digital copy.

3.5☆ The Honey-Don't List sadly wasn't my favorite Christina Lauren book. It just didn't really feel like one of their books to me. It felt more serious and intense than others with less humor, which bummed me out a little bit. I normally find their books very entertaining, but this one didn't really have that quality. I liked both Carey and James and felt bad for them very quickly with everything they have to deal with, aka the Tripps. I really did not care for the Tripps. They were quite irritating and aggravating. They put a bit of a damper on the book with how much they mess with Carey and James' lives. Like I said, I enjoyed both Carey and James. I found them interesting, I just wish there was a bit more of them, and less of the Tripps. I still love Christina and Lauren as writers, this one just wasn't my favorite.

At times funny and other times heartfelt, The Honey Don’t List was nothing like what I expected. The book was more about the train-wreck DIY stars and less about the romance between their assistants. In other words, more "com than rom".

I Loved the DIY TV stars/authors who typify so much of “reality TV”. Their perfection and talent are a sham. Assistants James and Carey have the hideous jobs of managing the details of the stars lives and trying to keep their duo’s failing marriage of the news.

Melissa (AKA Melly) is a diva I loved to hate. Hubby Russell is affable enough but not on the same page as Melly. She just wants him to get with the program, and he wants off the merry-go-round that Melly has created. Both James and Carey have their personal and professional issues that create a need (real or perceived) for them to endure life on the road with Melissa and Russell.

Perfect plot pace, but the story zenith is far-fetched. The story tension is delicious and since the plot covers a short period, trouble comes quickly to a boil. The plot points are mostly believable, but a few are over the top (as I mentioned, the zenith of the story is a bit crazy). The denouement is good; I got the HEA I wanted and it was fairly realistic. The use of Twitter feed and police interviews sprinkled throughout enhances the creativity of the storytelling.

3.5 - 4 stars

I would read anything Christina Lauren writes! Their newest release, The Honey Don’t List didn’t fail to disappoint! Although the chemistry wasn’t as evident as some of their prior books (looking at you Love and Other Words 🔥🔥🔥), the story was fun and easy to root for the main characters! Another hit from the queens of the Rom-Com!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Carey and James are the assistants (well, in James’s case technically structural engineer-come-assistant) to a very popular renovation/design duo, Melissa and Rusty Tripp (think Joanna and Chip Gaines). The Tripps set off on a book tour about their amazing relationship, when in reality, things have not been going so well for them relationship-wise behind the scenes. Naturally, it all comes to a head right before the start of the tour, and Carey and James are roped into coming along on the tour to babysit their bosses and make sure that no bad publicity emerges surrounding their sh*tshow of a marriage. The proximity and shared mission brings Carey and James closer together.

Sooooo, about The Honey-Don’t List. I really didn’t feel much relationship building between Carey and James. They hadn’t really worked closely together before being thrown together for the tour, and then all of a sudden they were feeling feelings about each other. James was sweet with Carey, but did I feel like they had a good foundation together? Not really, but their sexytimes were well-written. Honestly, the book was more about the relationship between Carey and her one-and-only boss, Melissa, which was kind of interesting but not really what I came here for, ya know? It was certainly no Josh and Hazel.

Christina Lauren's newest rom-com follows James and Carey who are assistants to two home improvement gurus (think Chip and Joanna). They're on a book tour to promote their newest book about marriage. Problem is, they hate each other. It's up to James and Carey to make sure their cover isn't blown in front of all their adoring fans.

James and Carey are SUPER likable characters who I was rooting for from the beginning. This was a super quick read with plenty of laugh-out-loud parts. The steam level is pretty low compared to other books by this author, so if you've been holding off picking up Christina Lauren because you don't normally read romance, this would be a great place to start.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was an entertaining enemies to lovers and forced proximity romance. I enjoyed Carey, James, and the crazy shenanigans by the Tripps, but unfortunately, I didn't love it. It took a bit for me to feel invested in the story and characters, and by the time I really felt anything, the book was more than halfway over. Part of that is due to the way the book is formatted. The tweets, police transcripts/interviews, and book excerpts really took me out of the story at times as I tried to piece everything together. Those parts of the book ended up confusing me more than anything.

The chemistry between James and Carey also left me wanting. I didn't feel much build up between them and that playful banter and ribbing was missing. Things seemed to change so abruptly between them that I was afraid I missed a chapter. I did love them together though and wish more of the book had been spent about their budding relationship, instead of the implosion of Melly and Rusty's marriage. I really liked how attentive and sweet James was. He seemed to really see Carey for who she was and I think that's why the miscommunication drama later on didn't work for me. The book wrapped up quickly, but I liked the steps that Carey took to really stand on her own. I also appreciated the care that Christina Lauren took in discussing and highlighting dystonia. It was refreshing to read about a heroine with this condition and also very informative. Overall, this was an entertaining story, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

I received this from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved the aspect of this book. It was like Chip and Joanna gone wrong. The overall story was not so much. The assistants should have had a cute love story, but I never felt the chemistry. It all seemed so forced. As far as the main couple, they just made no sense. The ending really didn’t really explain what happened with them. It just was all very rushed at the end

**Review will be posted on my blog on 3/5/20**

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I’ve finally read my first Christina Lauren book!

We have Carey and James, assistants to mega remodeling and design stars Melissa and Rusty Tripp. The Tripps are releasing a book about marriage and starring in there own Netflix show while their own lives are falling apart. Carey and James are tasked to keep the Tripps together and not spoil everything before the tv show debut but then everything goes to hell at the end of the book tour.

But while everything is coming apart at the seems, Carey and James find a little comfort and respite with each other. And thank goodness for that! 😍


I can’t believe I haven’t read a book from this author duo until now. After reading this book, I want to read everything they’ve written. Please suggest below what I should read first!
I love Carey and totally understand why she won’t leave the Tripps even if she’s treated horribly. I love her talent, how she can still find and way to laugh and smile through her stress, and how she takes back her power at the end.
James was such a fun character because he’s straight-laced compared to Carey, yet I understood his anxieties too. And he was so sweet with Carey – maybe I read too many books with alpha makes, but I liked how James is the hot nerd. 🔥 Smart and good looking? Yes.
Carey and James together make a great team. They are sexy, smart and sweet together, a great combination. I love them together.
The way the book is written, I thought I was reading a murder mystery at first. 🤣 I mean it makes you wonder what you are reading in the first few chapters! But I like how it unfolded and came to a nice ending.

Melly Tripp is a trip! 🙄 Ugh that woman – I did not like her but I can see how she went from someone nice that Carey looked up to, to what she is now that she has fame and wealth. It’s sad seeing what she and Rusty has become, but wow…Melly was something else.
Like I mentioned before, the way it’s written, I thought I was reading a murder mystery or something like it. I just knew something bad happened but what? But I eventually liked how it unfolded.

I couldn’t put this book down and I was totally invested with Carey and James. I loved how their relationship grew and how when it went to the next level it was hot, awkward too, but they were mature about it. And I loved how all the drama blew up in quite a fiery explosion because it was building throughout the book with Melly and Rusty’s toxic relationship and Carey and James in close proximity to them. Then at the end, it gave me all the feels I love in a good romance book. I got a happy ending and it made me a new fan of Christina Lauren. I look forward to reading more of their books!

When I started this book and realized it was about home renovation super couple, I IMMEDIATELY imagined Melissa and Rusty Tripp as Joanna and Chip Gaines. Despite the many instances of describing Melissa’s long, blonde hair, I could NOT get them out of my head. At first I thought it would negatively impact my reading experience, but once I got to know them, it did not.

I can always count on Christina Lauren to write likable characters with great chemistry, at varying levels of heat (this one falls, in my opinion, below The Unhoneymooners, but many fire emojis above Twice in a Blue Moon), and I really enjoyed Carey and Jake and the trouble they found themselves in as they struggled to babysit Melissa and Rusty on their press tour. Along with silliness, and some truly laugh out loud bits, this book was also pretty poignant. The parts I found most interesting were the struggles Melissa and Rusty faced with their public personas verses their private lives. Their marriage was crumbling, yet they were forced to pretend otherwise to keep “the machine” going. While we may not all be home reno moguls, there is definitely something to be empathized with and learned from the idea of the images we all project to the world versus who we really are.

The Honey-Don’t List is another WIN for my favorite duo, Christina Lauren!

“The Honey-Don’t List” by Christina Lauren
A fun contemporary love/hate story with some interesting plot twists. I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley with the request that an honest review would express my opinion(s). I did thoroughly enjoy my time with Carey & James, and Melly & Russ as they waded through their lives divining where they are, where they want to be, and the changes necessary to make their lives what they want them to be. Life can be rather difficult when you come up for air and discover where you are. Note: there is some spice in this story. Happy Reading ! !

Usually I am a fan, but this one missed the mark for me. I didn't like any of the characters and honestly it felt like less of a romance and more of an HGTV series. Maybe if you're into those shows you'd enjoy this book more than I did.

Carey and James are assistants to the hottest couple on home improvement shows since the Gaineses, Melissa and Russ. Just as Melly and Russ are embarking on a promotional tour for their book about their wonderful marriage and are about to launch a brand new show, Carey and James walk in on Russ and another woman who works on the show. Now they are stuck together on a tour bus while a 20+ year-long marriage implodes, and that's not the only secret. Carey has been the brains behind Melissa's designs for years.

In perfect Christina Lauren style, Carey and James are polar opposites who fall for one another amid the implosion of their bosses' lives. It starts out simply: they understand what it's like to work for the demanding team and with their NDAs, even being honest in therapy is out of the question. And they both need their jobs.

Carey has only ever worked for Russ and Melissa - since she was 16 - and has no education or other job skills. She also needs the insurance. James left a firm that was destroyed by shady dealings and has few options until there is something else on his resume. Plus, he has been offered a producer credit if they can get the new show into a second season. Time to hide the evidence of Russ and Melly's shortcomings.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

So this started off slow, I have to admit, I didn’t have high hopes. I wasn’t sure - was this book about Carey and James or Melissa (Melly) and Russell (Rusty)? Who did I want it to be about? But the more I read I think it becomes clear that this is James and Carey’s story but it’s Rusty and Melly’s story too. It’s a romance, sure, but it’s much more than that. This is a story of two couples - one that has taken a path from a loving couple to something much different - the other, a new couple, if you can even call them that, learning about each other, leaning on each other. They are trying to figure out how to navigate their new relationship while working for Melly and Rusty.
This went in a direction that I didn’t see coming. It was so well written. I have only read a couple other books by CL and I forgot the brilliance of the writing. It’s in full effect with this one. Bravo!