A delightfully humorous tale of two people caught up in the problems of others...their employers.
Carey has been with the Tripps since she was a teen and they were just a retail store. She was a large part of their success from the start.
James joined later and was promised a position he never quite got before everything imploded.
Ms. Lauren's description of people and events make this a page turner. The events are wholly believable and the humor makes it such a fun read.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC and thoroughly enjoyed it. I offer my opinion gratis.

I've read one other CL book in the past and absolutely loved it. This one, however, was not for me. I struggled to connect with the characters of Carey and James, and I never felt any connection between them either. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I didn't even like either of them, which made it a real fight for me to keep reading the book. Carey is more pushy and annoying than strong, and James was the anti-alpha hero. I kept thinking my attitude toward them would change, but it never did. On the flip side, the storyline is interesting and different, and fans of reality shows might enjoy the celebrity reality TV star aspect of it. I will also qualify this review with admitting that I am terribly sick and doped up on a ridiculous amount of medication, so maybe my brain fog affected my opinion and overall dislike of the characters. My advice would be to read a sample to see if you get sucked in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Carey and James are thrust together on a week-long road trip across the West Coast to help assist in damage control for their bosses' ****show of a marriage on a book tour for a novel about marriage. What starts as mild disdain/annoyance towards one another, quickly turns to attraction, and then quickly to more. Unfortunately, I couldn't muster any caring for this coupling. In fact I cared so little when they hit a rough patch in their 'relationship' that I was mildly irritated at the thought of them ending up together. I was far more invested in the lives of their bosses and how their story ended (which isn't really clear by the end of the book). Instalove is not my style.

Another great book from Christina Lauren. 4.5 Stars.
I would have given this a full 5 stars but I felt that the ending was a little rushed and I needed more.
This book will be defiantly going on my diverse romance reads list for 2020. The book follows Carey, a designer, that has been working for a perfect on paper, horrible in real life, reality tv show couple. The Tripps redesign houses and are on the verge of a major blowup and divorce. Carey has spent most of her life making sure that they don't implode.
So why is this books on my 2020 diverse romance reads shelf? Because Carey the main character has Dystonia, a movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle contracts of her hands. This was a condition that I knew nothing about and had to do some research on. The way her condition is realistic and integrated into the story is amazing. Carey is an amazing character that is not stereotyped by this condition.
While this is not an #ownvoices story, it is a very personal story for one of the authors. Lauren's father had dystonia before he succumbed to secondary effects and Lauren's sister lives with the condition. They also had a reader with Dystonia, read and comment before publication. This is how you write diverse fiction!
Once again another great book from the duo that is Christina Lauren.

Not my favorite by the author. The romance wasn’t hot enough fii I r n m e and the dialogue felt a little cheesy and often times dry.

Christina Lauren is my favorite writing duo. I loved this book and the premise. I liked the slow burn romance along with the dual point of view. The premise was different from other works from them but was wonderfully written.

Carey and James must help a famous couple appear happy in this absolutely wonderful adult contemporary romance.

I don’t always like CLo books, especially when they wander into maudlin territory. While this book does look at some complex issues (infidelity, emotional abuse, etc.), it never went too dark. It’s a nice blend of drama and humor – exactly what I need when I want to sink my teeth into something, but not be overwhelmed by the topic.

Carey and James are likable characters, although they both struggled with personal issues of self-identity and self-worth. Carey, in particular, could be incredibly frustrating. And yet, I think her story illustrates the back and forth of toxic and unhealthy relationships (particularly long term relationships). Her relationship with the Tripps is complex, and it takes the entire novel for her to come to terms with it and them. It’s worth the effort to get to her clarity.

Their romance is cute. I’d say their individual stories are the foundations of the story, but their romance is the rest of the building. It’s sweet and steady, a counterbalance to the toxic relationship between the Tripps. The ending is the perfect Happily Ever After moment after their trials in the novel.

tl;dr My favorite CLo book yet with a perfect mix of humor and drama, enjoyably characters, and an interesting story.

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.