I really enjoyed this funny, heartfelt story! I could totally relate to so many things in this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

3 stars
In full disclosure, I am not a fun of the whole HGTV craze. So this was really my cup of tea. I liked it, but ir was not my favorite Christina Lauren book.

HGTV lovers will be drawn to Christina Lauren's latest romantic comedy but will ultimately end up disappointed with its mean spirited heroine and flat, low energy romance. From the beginning, Carey exhibits an unreasonably cruel attitude toward James. She continually demeans him by insisting on calling him an assistant when he's qualified for much more, acts rude and impatient when they try to work through problems together, and treats him as though he has no worth. This is not a heated hate-to-love romance, with witty back and forth repartee. This is bullying, plain and simple. It never becomes clear what James has done to earn Carey's vitriolic hatred. And he never seems to fight back, just takes her abuse politely and kindly. His subsequent attraction to her makes no sense after the disdainful way she treats him. I spent the majority of the novel bewildered, wondering why poor James thought he had to settle for someone like Carey. Why is it authors now think they must write "empowered" heroines this way? This is becoming an alarming trend that I've observed more and more often, and it makes me frustrated and sad. A woman can be both strong and loving while demanding respect but you would never know it from reading this novel.

Carey never fully redeems herself or shows enough vulnerability to justify her behavior, even after her disability is revealed. I found her to be unlikable in the extreme, and James, while sweet and nice, is bland and timid. She is too strong, he is too weak, and the two extremes combine to create a badly balanced and unhealthy relationship.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery, Pocket Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was so good. I'm really loving this author. The story was interesting and the characters were loveable. Then ending felt a little bit rushed but overall loved the story.

okay....so.... this isn't quite like any CL book that I've picked up (insert hands up emoji here). I've come to expect either extremely sweet touching story or something with humor at it's finest. The Honey-Don't List was a huge disappointment for me and is missing the special CL touch I love!

Carey has worked for Melissa and Rusty Tripp for 10 years, frequently having her design and remodeling work go uncredited by her employer. James is a newly hire that is an engineer who is supposed to help Carey accompany the Tripps on their upcoming tour. They're supposed to keep everything running smoothly along with trying to keep the Tripp's marriage from crumbling in the spotlight.

To tell you the truth... the Tripp's were an absolute nightmare. Their relationship was dysfunctional!!

Now, the romance? I felt this was lacking completely in this novel. I found myself not rooting for James and Carey because there was zero buildup or hardly any chemistry with them. IT was like CL randomly put in a scene with James and Carey beside all the drama surrounding the Tripps and their rich money/rich problems business.

I felt like The Honey-Don't List was all over the place? I'm not even sure what genre to call this? There was police interviews throughout the novel.. that reminded me of a mystery/thriller aspect and was expecting someone to die? Yeah....

I'm sad to say but this is the first book that I haven't really enjoyed by this dynamic duo. I STIll am a huge fan of this talented duo and will read anything by them. I appreciate their willingness to write, write, and write!! ;).


3 stars for this one.

Huge thank you to Gallery Scout Press and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 3/24/20
Published to GR: 1/10/20

I have loved the writing duo Christina Lauren since I read the Beautiful Bastard series, so I was SUPER excited to get the chance to read an advanced copy of their newest book! Their characters have always been some of my favorites, and what makes them special how they construct interactions and relationships between all the characters. It's often filled with fun, sexy, and emotional scenes that I love coming back to over and over.

This book felt a little different for me from their previous books in the sense it wasn't just focused on two main characters, it really incorporated another couple who had been together for a long time and whose marriage was definitely on the verge of falling apart. This "power couple" of Melissa and Rusty and their imploding marriage ultimately brings two very different people together who end up being perfect for each other during a road tour for their new book, ironically about the secrets to a good marriage. James (I love the nicknames for him in this book, btw - JIMBALAYA!) is not the typical hunky alpha male - he's more of a smart, assertive, even nerdy type who ends up blending well with the artistic, naive, sweet and unconfident Carey. Despite their differences, each of them start noticing how much they have in common and the chemistry sizzles between them. During the tour, Melissa and Rusty show James and Carey pretty much what NOT to do in a relationship, but they also give some really good advice on how to make a relationship work despite ignoring it all themselves, which is pretty much what we all tend to do in real life!

Overall I really enjoyed the bumpy ride James and Carey endured in this book on their way to finding out they're perfect for each other. Part of me wishes Carey would have found her voice sooner and stood up to Melissa earlier, because I hated seeing how she was treated at times by Melissa. This wasn't my favorite book by Christina and Lauren, but it definitely is another fun read from two of my favorite authors!

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you #netgalley and #simonandschuster for the #ARC of The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren.

Carey and James are assistants to TV stars Melissa and Rusty Tripp. The Tripp’s have a new season of their home makeover show coming out as well as a book about how to have a perfect marriage.
Behind the scenes, Melly and Rustys relationship is not exactly stable. Carey and James are sent on a weeks long book tour with them to keep the Tripp’s public appearance up to par.

I enjoyed this book, but I felt that it ended pretty abruptly. There was a lot of moving parts to the book, but still felt a little empty at time.
I really loved C&Js relationship! This is my first Christina Lauren book and I really liked how I truly felt the emotions of the characters. I was ready to jump through the pages at some points.

The way the story is written makes the book intriguing. You don't know what happened until near the end but you do know that something went wrong. And with the turn of every page the storm keeps brewing. The first thing you feel is sorry for these characters because their job is brutal and draining. James and Carey are under appreciated, over worked and over stressed but that causes them to trust and rely on each other. Partners in misery and all that. But I guess that is what makes their connection more special. Tough times help them develop a sense of respect and admiration for the other. And besides being intriguing, the story becomes a little sad by showing how ugly people can turn when they allow material things change them and their priorities.

Carey Duncan has worked for Melissa and Rusty Tripp, home remodeling gurus, for all of her adult life. The Tripps have a new show about launch as well as a book on marriage, but Melly and Russ cannot stand each other. Carey and Rusty’s assistant James (who was hired on as an engineer for the show) are asked to accompany them on a tour for their new book to keep the Tripps in line. While doing so, Carey and James grow close; however, they are unable to keep Melissa and Rusty from imploding. Will all of their careers go up in b⁣
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I found this book to be cute, but it also touched on more serious issues — cheating, abuse, and disability. I feel like The Honey-Don’t List did a great job of balancing serious issues with feel-good romance. ⁣

2.5  (rounded up to 3)

Thank you to Gallery Books for the free review copy. All opinions are my own. 

I normally enjoy the contemporary romance books by this author duo, but unfortunately, this one just didn't work for me. However, I did enjoy different parts of the the book. I think that delving into the world of what the other side of a home renovation show looks like was fascinating. It's so easy to forget that these people that are seen on these shows have their own lives and issues going on behind the scenes. I think that the authors did a great job of highlighting how not everything is picture perfect like reality TV wants us to see it as. 

I liked the characters of Carey and James, but the buildup of their plot lines took forever in this book. I kept wondering when something was going to happen with the main characters, instead of only with the Melissa and Rusty, the home renovation couple. I also thought once things started happening, they were extremely rushed. The last chapter of the book did not feel complete like the endings of their other novels I have read. 

I do think that other readers will love this book because they do write unique plots every time. Their books have romance, some steam, and fun characters which usually make for a great storyline.

The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren was a cute book that follows a pair of assistants to a renowned Home Improvement TV couple who are icons in their field. They're publishing a book on how to have a great marriage when their's has been falling apart for years. Hilarity ensues, but the character development is a bit weak and once again, as in many novels, the male character, James McCann is together and strong and the female lead, Carey Douglas is a mess and needs James to remind her of what she can be and do. The one thing I did like about this novel was that Carey had a disability and work, thriving despite of it and James was compassionate towards her regarding it. As one with an invisible illness, it was wonderful to see this depicted in a novel. Kudos to Christina Lauren!

Thank you to the author, Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel for my honest review.

I was so excited to get this book from Christina Lauren! I've been fans of this pairing from back in their Twilight fanfiction days. I've read most of their books without getting the ARCs.
This story was about two personal assistants to a married couple that has a home-improvement/tv empire. The couple hate each other and act like grown children. The two assistants are left to deal with all of their ridiculous requests and late hours. Carey basically grew up as a member of their family so it is hard for her to break away and become her own person. James is a recent hire who's in it for the engineering job that he hopes will come his way from contact with the empire.
James and Carey are forced to go on a book tour with the couple to try to keep them from killing each other and become attracted to each other quickly when they spend time together.
The reader knows that something dreadful happened because the story is interspersed with police interviews with both Carey and James lol.
I felt that Carey's emotional development could have used a little more time but overall an enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Working for the Tripp’s is an all day and night task. As a married couple they have designed rooms, made furniture, wrote a book, and produced a show. All this success came at a cost. Josie and James are the two assistants who work to maintain the brand and the image.

Overall:
The story follows the lives of four characters. Two of the characters are assistants who work closely with the Tripp’s. The Tripp’s are the social media sensation married couple.
Essentially, the reader gets an unexpected romance brewing between two unlikely characters thrown together for damage control. This part of the story is cute and fun. In a nutshell your getting a work place romance .
The Twitter or online social media posts were confusing to read. Personally I got the gist of what these authors were trying to illustrate without the proof of the written posts.
I’m disappointed my wild imagination didn’t come to fruition with those interview transcripts. I thought the authors were leading the readers into a completely different direction. I was way off base.
Christina Lauren will always hold a spot at the top of my favorite list for writing Beautiful Bastard, Stranger, and Player. Unfortunately, those three books are the only books to grace my favorites list. Every book since those three have been a battle for me. Each book good, but not memorable the same way those three books were.

Smart and funny.
This is the first book I read from this author and would love to see more of this work. The story revolves around the life of a home design power couple, that are promoting their new show and a book about marriage. All looks well from the outside, but an incident will drag their personal assistants to referee and babysit the couple and maintain appearances.
In this process, a lot of things will develop for the main characters.

DNF Did not finish. Read 51% and quit.
Good premise that lost its steam & turned to sex to redeem story.
Will not leave any reviews on any sites.

Carey lucked into a job at sixteen that turned into working for Melissa and Rusty Tripp, the famous designers with books, tv shows, and fans galore. But being Melly’s assistant is starting to take its toll when Melly and Rusty’s marriage is on the rocks right before their marriage book tour and brand new solo show. Suddenly Carey and James (Rusty’s engineer, but really just his assistant) are forced to give up their long awaited week off to join the two on tour and keep their failing marriage under wraps. Easier said than done when the two are constantly fighting.

Christina and Lauren do it again! Not that I had any doubts that they would! This book was cute, funny at times, cringe worthy at other times, and overall just a great read! While I wanted to smack Melly and Rusty at times, I also got a kick out of their insane antics, and loved watching Carey grow and learn to stick up for herself a bit. Another highly recommended book from this author duo! This was my final book of 2019 and I couldn’t have picked a better book to end on!

I always enjoy titles from this author. However, this one felt a little weaker than some of her other books. This is maybe due to the fact that the main characters are taking care of a couple whose relationship is on the rocks. This rocky relationship takes away from the main characters. I also found the female protagonist to be a little weak for my liking. Also, the male protagonist was a little less dreamy than most. That said, it was still an enjoyable read and I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I could have chosen a better book to start the new year (new DECADE) off with than this! As with everything Christina and Lauren do, this book is wonderfully written. There's a real-life grittiness to the whole thing that I appreciated. Not a single character in this story was in any way perfect. They were all flawed human beings and I adored the realness of it all. Most romances seem to ignore reality and the ones that do try to include it often seem to miss the mark. It is refreshing to read something so grounded in genuine human experience.

I found the plot fairly unique while still being topical. Home improvement shows are trendy and reading this story felt like a sneaky peek behind the curtain. I felt like I was getting an exclusive look into that world. Everything fit and made sense and was executed brilliantly!

I loved Carey. She's beautiful and self-conscience and has her own struggles and is a great person. Her character arc is lovely and I was incredibly appreciative of how real she remained throughout. I feel like it's rare to find, especially in this genre.

My only complaint is how the whole thing started. It starts with a partial transcript of a police interview. I knew right away that something big had happened. Not too far into that transcript is mention of Laramie, Wyoming. Now I love when stories begin in medias res but this particular set of circumstances - police interview and Laramie, WY - put me in a certain state of mind because I know some of the recent history of Laramie. I immediately had an idea of what the story could be about. That idea was totally wrong; it could not have been further from the truth. And that was problematic for me because it took a while to a) figure out that my assumption had been wrong and b) correct my mood for the lighter plot it ended up being. But that's my only issue and it was a fantastic story!

I would recommend this to anyone who:
- wants to read a wonderful romance
- likes a unique, relevant plot
- adores Christina Lauren!

Christina Lauren knows how to immerse you completely in a book. You feel the characters' stress and desire, and the romance flows through the pages and into your soul.

God, I wanted to punch Melly in the face. It was visceral. The ending was abrupt, but otherwise I loved it.

This book was fun to read. Rusty and Melissa were very much in love but when their furniture and room designs, television program, and book took off; their love for each other suffered. Carey is hired to keep Melissa organized and James does the same for Rusty. Trying to keep the two from fighting in public once their book on their love relationship comes out, proves to be difficult. James and Carey, once a bit annoyed with each other, suddenly find they have a lot in common and they become each other's best confidants. Their relationship blossoms and becomes the most important piece of their lives. The author does a great job exposing all of the characters and sharing how events in one's life can destroy love. Getting caught up in life and letting it dictate how you treat others can ruin a career as well as a marriage. Insightful moments that speak to everyone.