I thought this was pretty cute. The drama and the couple was a bit annoying but it broke up the story. I enjoyed the love story and the two assistants as they worked together and tried to figure out how to handle the couple. It was cute and I enjoyed it.

Carey Duncan has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on the verge of superstardom. There’s only one problem: America’s favorite couple can’t stand each other. James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was originally hired as a structural engineer, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. The last straw? Both he and Carey must go on book tour with the Tripps and keep the wheels from falling off the proverbial bus. Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together.
This was a cute and quick read. I felt it would make for a funny movie. It was a bit more on the com side and less on the rom side, but that was ok. I enjoyed it and recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The Honey Don’t List
by: Christina Lauren @christinalauren
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Continuing with my Christian Lauren obsession, I listened to The Honey Don’t List in a day! I loved this book about Cary and James and their demanding bosses - Melissa and Rusty. Think Chip and Joanna Gaines - only they hate each other off screen. Cary and James have been tasked with making Melissa and Rusty look like the couple they are on TV during their book tour. And of course, Cary and James fall in love while their work lives are falling apart.
I’m such a fan of Christina Lauren’s books, and I feel like every one of their books is so different from the others. They haven’t let me down yet!

My taste in romance books tends to run more toward historical romances, but this one sounded fun so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It was indeed fun - a story about two people thrown into a road trip who seem to be complete opposites. And of course, being opposites, they attract. But are they really as different at heart as they seem to be? And will they survive this road trip as personal assistants to two very difficult people who are in a marriage and partnership that just may be coming to an end? A good story about how things aren't always as they seem on the surface.

My thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I love Christina Lauren’s books. Each of them is great in their own way but overall they are all wonderful and heart warming. This book was a lot less emotionally driven than some books in the past by this author, but it was in no way less entertaining. The characters and the plot were interesting and kept me reading and not wanting to put the book down. Carey was such a sweetheart and there was nothing about her character that I didn’t love. The chemistry between her and James seemed so genuine and so perfectly developed. There wasn’t anything that I could pinpoint about this book that I did not like, it was light and fun and a great read. It didn’t tug on my heart strings all that much but I think this one was meant to be a lighter read than some of the other novels by these authors. It was still full of Christina Lauren’s trademark personality and fun of their novels. This was exactly what I needed to read right now, I greatly enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend it!

I love Christina Lauren. I think they make an amazing partnership and have written some of my favorite books. However, this one just missed the mark for me. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters. It all felt rushed to me and I didn't find the relationship all that believable.

The writing, per usual, was fantastic. But I wasn't a fan of either love interest and the plot didn't do much for me. But I can't wait for more Christina Lauren books in the future!

I am really sad that I can't give this more stars. I loved the premise of the story but somewhere along the middle, it fell flat for me. This was a tough one for me because it wasn't like their other books. I found very little humor in it. Normally Christina Lauren is a 4-5 star read for me, but I just wasn't a fan. The story felt a little forced a choppy. In the end, I was happy it was over and it truly mad me sad.

Christina Lauren used to be one of my favorite author duos, but I’ve really struggled with their recent books. I was hoping this book would work better for me, but I wasn’t invested enough to finish it. It was far too much on the women’s fiction and not enough romance. DNF

When a book starts out with a police investigation you know something interesting has happened and this book did not fail to deliver! A quick, fun read that had me seriously invested in the characters and how their story would evolve.

Christina Lauren never disappoints! This was a light and fun quick read! It follows two co-workers working for a Chip and Joanna Gains like family with a home improvement show, but with secrets behind the scenes. Carey and James are tasked to keep everything in line as they travel on their book tour, and you guessed it, there are only problems along the way.

4.25 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

Carey and James are the assistants to TV reality show hosts that have secrets that need to be kept hidden. In the beginning, Carey understands her position within the home improvement show, but James starts to get under her skin as secrets revealed. I enjoyed the pace of the romance between Carey and James throughout the story. I was a little confused with some of the interviews included within the storyline, but once revealed, it all made sense. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery, the heart, the heat, and the flow of this story.

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A fun read! Carey and James had amazing chemistry. I was rooting for them the entire time! It was great that Carey was finally able to see what she wanted and know that she didn't have to sacrifice her integrity and honesty to achieve it. James was my favorite type of hero - sexy and nerdy all rolled into one! I have always enjoyed reading Christina Lauren's stories.

Carey is working as an assistant to Melissa Tripp. James is an assistant to Rusty Tripp. Melissa and Rusty are a powerful tv remodeling duo. These two have secrets and are slowly falling apart. Carey and James have their work cut out for them!

I am a huge fan of this writing duo. However, this book is not my favorite. I think it is because I am not a fan of Melissa and Rusty Tripp. Melissa is a total “B” word and she mistreats everyone. Rusty is just there. He is a womanizer and a big ole flirt. But, he kind of felt like a minor character till the end.

I also did not feel connected to Carey until about the middle of the book. That being said…it is still a pretty good read… just not their usual caliber of work…IN MY OPINION.

This is a fast paced, cute story. It just fell short for me. But, you may want to give it a shot! It is entertaining and enjoyable.

Want a quick, cute read? This one is for all you Chip and Joanna Gaines fans.⁣ Imagine if behind-the-scenes a beloved TV decorating couple actually hated each other’s guts. Then imagine that they have decided to put out a book about their marriage and are heading out on tour.

How to keep the trouble in paradise under wraps? Bring along a longtime female assistant and new handsome quasi-assistant to monitor the situation. Let’s just hope the assistants can stay out of each other’s pants long enough to keep their bosses out of trouble.⁣ Utterly predictable, but still charming. Not my favorite book by this duo, (still thinking about Twice in a Blue Moon ❤️) but it had me engrossed enough to keep my thoughts off of quarantine.⁣ 3 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley for furnishing next with this ARC in return for an honest review. Rusty and Melissa Tripp are a power home designing and remodeling couple. They have employed 26 yr old Carey for ten years as an assistant and have recently brought James in to basically serve as an assistant. Even though they all are supposed to go on a book signing tour for the Tripp’s’ new book about the secrets of their happy marriage, Carey and James discover that Rusty is unhappy and graphically “strays.” The book starts with a teaser about a crime that’s been committed, but..... no spoilers here. If you are a female HGTV viewer with time on her hands, you will enjoy this romance.

I enjoyed this book so much. I love getting to know each character and it didn't feel too predictable! My favorite part was the ending and I can't say that about a lot of books.

What a fun rom-com story. Reminded me of the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan and Katherine Hepburn/Cary Grant movies. Such a cute story that really flowed. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book was just what I needed. A light romance with a hint of HGTV. The writing kept me engaged, and I was intrigued by both the main characters. I liked both as narrators, although I often forgot which one was narrating. I especially liked Carey--I feel like we got to discover her own inner dialogue along with her. It was a fast, fun read, just what I needed after a long hiatus!

I was really hoping I would love this as much as I adored The Unhoneymooners but this one just fell flat for me.

This was an engaging read with believable characters. It was a bit heavier than I expected, but it dealt with weighty topics well and seemed to be well-researched.