Carey (a long-term employee and James (MIT graduate and engineering genius) are both working for Melissa and Rusty Tripp. They have been working hard to help the boss launch a new relationship book and a TV show. Carey and James are overworked, tired and at the end of their rope. Just when Carey and James thought they have a little break once the boss get on the road, they were told they needed to accompany them. Let the rollercoaster trip begins … Rusty was cheating on his wife Melissa and let just say they have a very dysfunctional relationship. Carey and James have a tough job of babysitting the bosses and keeping the peace. What I don’t like is the whole Melissa and Rusty living a lie and all the drama that comes with them being famous. What a hot mess! However, the romance between Carey and James was cute and sweet. Honestly, not my favorite of CL. The story drag a bit but if you are looking for a fun, lighthearted love story between co-workers – this is for you.

Co-workers-turn-lovers romance 3.5 stars

In The Honey-Don't List, Carey is the overworked personal assistant to Joanna Gaines - sorry, Melly Tripp, who runs a home renovation and design empire with her husband Rusty. Melly and Rusty are a mess behind the scenes, and Carey has been quietly propping them up for years. Rusty has a new assistant/show engineer, James, and he and Carey must work together to make sure the two stars don't go off the rails. I've read two Christina Lauren books prior to The Honey-Don't List, and I loved one and really did not like the other. This one fell a bit in the middle for me. I enjoyed most things about the book, but some of the details felt a little off. I really should not have gotten bogged down over the details of their Netflix deal, but I did. (It was weird that everyone was watching the show at the same time; I don't think in general that's how Netflix works. It would've made more sense for cable TV.) That's extremely unimportant, but did distract me. I also was not crazy about the Twitter threads embedded in the text. In theory I liked what they were there for (to show gossip about the Tripps), but Twitter is so stressful even in fictional form that it didn't work for me. Anyway, I really liked Carey - she was fantastic, and I initially really liked James as well. However, I felt that James (inexplicably) did something really awful and I didn't feel like he ever redeemed himself. It also felt out of character and more like a plot device than anything. I raced through this one, but in the end Carey deserved better.

The Honey Don’t List by the epic duo Christina Lauren is a fast, funny, witty, contemporary romance that is a breathe of fresh air.

I have to admit this is my first read from these authors, and it leaves me in search of more great books that they have written. (That is one of the ultimate compliments, by the way.)

I enjoyed the plot: the romance, the difficulties, the hurdles, the themes of love, friendship, the beginnings and ends of relationships, amongst many others.

I enjoyed Carey and James and I enjoyed their interactions and gradual interest turned romance path throughout the book. I did not enjoy Melissa by any means. She is snobby, superficial, judgmental, and honestly a bully. I do not think that we readers are supposed to like her though. I think that is one of the character points that was purposely added to give a larger contrast to the positive evolution of Carey and James’s relationship.

I thought the dialogue was witty, and at times I literally laughed out loud. I thought the plot and pacing was appropriate and appealing, and I also enjoyed the ending.

In the end, this book was exactly what I was hoping, and expecting it to be. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this awesome ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

There is a bleakness about the heady mixture of social media and fame, and those swept aside in the pursuit thereof, that Christina Lauren has managed to capture with The Honey-Don't List. This book delivered everything I've come to expect from Christina Lauren--the darkness and the light paired together so well that it combusts, pops, and sizzles from all the chemistry. Of course, I'm talking about James and Carey and how their relationship evolves into something interesting and addictive.

Also of note: CL never lets me down with their gift for writing. Christina Lauren doesn't just tell us that Melly is a bully. They start off the book with unforgettable imagery and proceed to create a nuanced villain who is as mean as she is insecure and incapable of seeing her own faults. Carey's interactions with her show how tentative a relationship can be when one person has all the control and the other person all the talent. The setting illuminates these characters, making them difficult to forget.

Fun book along the lines of the author's other book The UnHoneymooners, in that this is a from hate to love romance. This will be a definite buy for my library collection as Christina Lauren checks out well at my library. Personally I felt the book maybe could have been a little longer just to focus on their romance more as everything happens quickly and then the book ends.

I don’t think I have found another set of writers whom I love more than Christina Lauren and The Honey-Don’t list is no exception. I LOVED it! I think Christina Lauren’s strength is writing the best book boyfriends ever created. Jim was sexy and smart but not an asshole and that is extremely refreshing. I loved the home improvement angle but I thought that area could have been a little more “fun”. Melly could be too much sometimes and I wished they would have shown some of her redeeming qualities in order to better justify why Carey would put up with her for so long. Overall, I read this in less than 24 hours and that’s how I tell a great book.

Will post Instagram post the week of publication.

I will always read every Christina Lauren book that comes out, but I have to say they don't usually blow me away. They're more light, easy breezy books perfect for the beach or for a break after a heavy read. I loved the premise behind The Honey-Don't List, but just didn't feel a connection to the characters as much as I wanted to.

Melissa and Rusty Tripp have a home renovation empire with everything from makeover shows to books to product lines. Without a doubt, you'll be reminded of Joanna and Chip Gaines (I absolutely could not get their images out of my head when I was reading this!). Carey has been Melissa's assistant for 10 years and is at the point of burnout. Melissa is demanding and not very nice and we'll learn that Carey actually does a lot of the work that Melissa gets credit for. James is, for all intents and purposes, Rusty's assistant, despite the fact that he was hired to be an engineer and has an MIT education. It turns out that Melissa and Rusty's relationship is falling apart and they're in danger of losing everything if they don't get it together... Carey and James's mission is to help them do this.

I don't want to spoil anything here, but I think my main issue with the book is that I never felt deeply invested in the characters or that I got to really know them. It all felt a little surface level to me and I wanted something deeper. Some of the relationships in the book also didn't feel super believable and it almost felt like something was missing. I did read the book pretty quickly and mostly enjoyed it, but I ended it feeling like I wanted so much more. But t be honest, I often feel that way with Christina Lauren books. I don't think they're meant to blow my mind with character depth and insight and are just meant to be light stories that entertain. And really, there's nothing at all wrong with that.

The title did not match the story. Also, the last couple of chapters felt rushed.
I think that Carey’s character deserved a little more back story than what we got. In the first part of the book, it was written as if she had a hard life but we did not really get a lot of detail.

This was a typical fun and fast read from Christina Lauren. I mostly enjoyed it, but I found that the drama with two of the main characters was more of a distraction than a part of the story.

Definitely wanted more Carey and James rather than Mellie and Rusty.

As always, I will continue to read and love this author's books, and look forward to the next one.

Loved reading the awesome and amazing story. Carey has worked for the Tripps since she was sixteen. When Carey and James have to babysit the famous duo, Melissa & Rusty Tripp, Carey and James' attraction starts to sizzle. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of humor and romance, and a must read love story.
I reviewed a copy of the book through NetGalley.

Another great read by these ladies!

After reading several titles by these authors, I was excited to be approved for this one. And it didn't disappoint.

It started off a little slow for me, but once I got into it, I spent a fair amount of my days wishing I could be curled up with my kindle!

The story centers around Carey, a 26-year old assistant/designer and a married home decor couple who have built their careers stealing Carey's ideas and not giving her credit for them. Enter James, another assistant on the show, who after becoming romantically involved with Carey, encourages her to stay with the show for his own benefit..

With so many characters keeping Carey down, I wanted her to have a moment where she tells everyone to F off and really comes into her own. That didn't really happen. Everything worked out for Carey, but it wasn't because she took the bull by the horns. Not saying every character in every story has to burn down the town and rise like a phoenix, I just was really rooting for Carey.

I also struggled a little with the voices of the characters. They seemed too similar. The chapters alternate pov and at times I couldn't figure out who was talking.

My final criticism would be the police interview that starts the story and was interspersed between chapters. I didn't think this was super successful and ended up skimming through those parts. For whatever reason, maybe because of the skimming, I thought Melly had been killed and that was the purpose of the interviews. Maybe this was intentional? Not sure. But I was looking for clues in the story to who had killed her and waiting for it to go down. Slight let down when the real reason for the interviews was revealed and I'm unsure if that level of interrogation suits the "crime"

Overall, another pageturner by Christina Lauren that will satisfy their fans

A sweet, cute, exasperating story of personal growth and discovery. Christina navigates the journey of Carey's self discovery masterfully and with aplomb.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.
Oh, I love Christina Lauren books! Genuinely some of my favorite books of all time. I didn’t like this one as much as the Unhoneymooners or josh and hazel’s guide to not dating. But it was still good. I liked it more than love and other words and way more than my favorite half-night stand.
Carey and James were cute together and I liked their progression but I did not like Melissa at all and Rusty only the smallest amount. Melissa was obnoxious and mean. Rusty was apathetic and small. I didn’t like that they stayed together post-fire as well. Melissa and Rusty being awful really made me struggle through this book. Plus I agreed with James that Melissa was abusive and didn’t like that Carey maintained a relationship with her.
I did like the plot of being on a tour bus and traveling around. I liked how the characters gently and realistically got to know each other. It was good.

This was a really fun vacation read. I always love Christina Lauren books, and this was no exception. I enjoyed the back and forth in time which added suspense. Having loved Chip and Joanna for years, it was partially easy to picture them in the secondary roles but also hard because (I hope) their personalities don’t fit these characters. Overall a fun read!

The Honey-Don't List is both a romance and page turning novel about two people who have found fame and fortune, and have lost their compass. It takes you into the world of tv and book publishing, and the livelihood of Carey Douglas, who came into the store of Comb+Honey at the age of 16, and now, 10 years later, has a pivotal role in making sure that Melissa Tripp, one of the the duo behind the brand, is taken care of in every way. In fact, Carey runs the show and makes everything run smoothly. When she and James, Rusty Tripp's assistant are told that they have to go on a week long book tour with the couple, things begin to get a bit challenging, Carey's world is about to change in ways she never imagined.

This book was absolutely a page turner. The characters bring the story alive, with laugh out-loud moments, and a need to see how the heroine and hero will get out of the jams they find themselves in with the Tripps. What a trip this is! . Loved every minute I spent with this group. Would be happy to see a sequel with these characters.

This book is great if you love chic lit, romance, or just a good novel!

Thanks Netgalley and Gallery books, for giving me the opportunity to read the e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read and review yet another great book written by the fabulous duo.

The dynamic duo Christina Lauren has done it again with their latest hit, Honey Don’t list. The Tripp’s Melissa and Rusty, home remodeling and design firm that has taken off with a hit TV show and a book tour. Carey Douglas has worked for them since she was sixteen years old and grew into her current position one of assistant to Melly. Little does the world know that Carey is responsible for all of the designs that the couple tout as their own. Melly is overwhelming, abusive, and downright mean, trying to juggle all those lies and keep her husband on board with all their newfound fame and money. James McCann, MIT graduate, and engineering genius was hired by Melly as an engineer but is an overpaid assistant for Rusty. It turns out the Tripp’s marriage is dissolving while they become more famous by the minute. James uncovers the truth about Carey designing but sells out for a better opportunity. This story reminds me of the Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The Honey Don’t List was a pretty quick read for me. It sucked me in and before I knew it I was almost done. The main characters work for a dysfunctional Chip and Joanna Gaines type couple. That part of the storyline was very intriguing. I would have liked to have seen the romance go a little deeper. It felt like it was just the beginning of a romance. When I Love You was thrown out, I felt like they weren’t really there yet. I still have a good time reading it.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Book Review: The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren

First, I’d like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. This is the first book I’ve read by this combo author duo, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billing. I’m generally a fan of literature aimed at women and enjoy adding fun, warm-hearted romance novels to my reading list. This was a good break and a quick read. Many reviewers compared this to other Christina Lauren novels but I have no basis of comparison.

The book reminded me of some combination of the married couples that have successful and happy lives as a team on HGTV, but behind the scenes there is trouble in paradise. The twist in this case is that the talent doesn’t lie in the actual star of the show but in the behind the scenes assistant with the star taking all the credit for the work and doing her best to keep the show together and the marriage together of her constantly feuding bosses.

What I liked: I like the character Carey and her talent. Nice aside to give her a condition that would affect her abilities and give her a reason to stay. I would have liked for her to be more assertive but I get that she didn’t want to rock the boat. Surprising to me that (the author set it up this way) no one else realized that she was the design genius (not really believable). I really liked Randy – who simply wanted a more simple life and the woman he loved to come down from the clouds -- even though he was a philandering husband.

What I liked less: Melly was unlikeable even when she was trying to be likeable. But I guess that’s how we are supposed to feel about her. I think the story could have wrapped up slightly differently or meandered a bit before tidying up so quickly. Seemed abrupt.

All in all: Very entertaining and I would read other books by same authors.

I'll start by saying I did enjoy the book.. it was lighthearted, and had some pretty funny moments. This is not the first CL book I've read and it won't be the last, but I had a really hard time feeling emotionally invested in the main characters. The story seemed a bit rushed, one second they hated each other, the next they were mad for each other. I didn't find it very believable.
It is a great choice for a quick story without a ton of emotional involvement and a guaranteed happy ending,

This was my first real time reading a CL book, I did enjoy it and it was a quick read. I liked the story line and characters. Not a lot of depth just some petty romance fun IMO. Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy. I’m waiting to read Blue Moon from CL some of their other books I couldn’t get into so I’m glad I gave this one a try.