I loved Fizzy in the Soulmate Equation. So I was beyond excited to find out she would be the FMC of the True Love Experiment.

I loved Connor as well. He was the perfect compliment to Fizzy and her wild ways. He was calm and level-headed for the most part but also interested in learning things. He wasn’t afraid to get out of his comfort zone and was just immediately likable.

I also loved meeting Fizzy’s family. I can imagine her dad stealing the show at her signings because he had some scene-stealing moments in this book. I loved that Fizzy is a romance author and that we see her struggles. I also loved that through Fizzy’s character, Christina Lauren let their own fans know how special they are to them.

The only thing I didn’t love about this was the actual reality show plot. Something just didn’t hold true about that aspect of the book, and I wished there could have been another way to introduce and connect these two characters. But the characters were so great that I could mostly overlook that and enjoy the story of these two falling in love!

My fav author duo back at it again with another fabulously horny book. This book had everything that I needed--humor, love, sex, wittiness, banter, and more. Fizzy, a writer, and Connor, a filmmaker, are making a reality TV dating show where Fizzy will find her true love at the end. But question, what if she falls in love with the handsome Connor who is creating the show?

You know what happens? A fantastic freaking book filled with sexual tension.

The main characters were amazing. Fizzy was funny and fun. I absolutely loved being in her head. Connor was a great MMC. I really loved how Christina Lauren showcased an amicable divorce, which was beautiful. As a child of a so-not-amicable-divorce, I think it's important to show a healthy one. I just love the shit out of coparenting.

Back to our fav couple: Fizzy and Connor worked so well together. He really understood her, and I adored that. And Fizzy was just the type of fun and adventure that Connor needed.

Thank you Gallery Books for my early copy! All thoughts are my own.

I will always have a soft spot for Christina Lauren, since they are the author duo that really got me into reading Romance with their book, The Unhoneymooners. it’s a genre classic at this point and a book I recommend often. I’d heard some really good things about The True Love Experiment and I loved The Soulmate Equation, so I was ready!

This book did not disappoint. It’s C.Lo at their best, with witty banter and electric moments, but I feel like they’ve turned a corner in adding a more mature tone to their writing. I personally love it and I’m so excited for everyone to read this book.

Synopsis:

“Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.The True Love Experiment is the book fans have been waiting for ever since Fizzy’s debut in the New York Times bestselling The Soulmate Equation. But when the lights come on and all eyes are on her, it turns out the happily ever after Fizzy had all but given up on might lie just behind the camera.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Concept Without Being Cheesy—Sometimes I get nervous about books that are a “love letter” to their genre. There’s a fine line between cheeky self-awareness and eye-rolling. This had the perfect balance!

The Characters—I am obsessed with Fizzy. She’s reminiscent of Hazel from Josh & Hazel but has her shit together more. I loved her. I LOVED Connor (bearded! grumpy! BRITISH!) and fell even more in love with River and Jess. The kids are incredible and we love to see healthy co-parenting. Please let us have Natalia’s book next.

The Dialogue—It SPARKLES. The banter? Chef’s kiss.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Felt Like We Missed Out on Some Stuff—I feel like there could have been some more montage-y moments? I don’t know, sometimes I forgot there was even a reality show at the center.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4.75/5

Content Warnings:

infidelity (past, discussed)

Super fun and engaging story! True Love Experiment continues the romance of the Soulmate Equation with the lovable and feisty Fizzy and introduces the hunky Brit Conner. Honest, open characters with believable stories. Christina Lauren captures the perfect love letter to her romance fans.

Thanks Galley Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

4.25!

Christina Lauren expressed that this book was their love letter to the romance genre, and I would have to agree. This romcom was absolutely romcom-ing the hell out of itself 🤌

I already adored Fizzy’s character in The Soulmate Equation, but somehow I fell even more in love with her in this book 🫶 She’s so charismatic and fun but also deals with some insecurities and fears that made her feel so real to me. Fizzy was really written for us romance readers, and I loved her for it 🥹 I admire her so much and want to be like her when I grow up. The biggest thing I’ll take away from this book is how unapologetically herself Fizzy was, and I’m so glad she got the happily-ever-after she deserved with someone who wholeheartedly loved her for all that she is 🫂

Connor being a hardworking single dad with a British accent was enough to sell me on him, but I had no choice but to fall for him as I got to know him more. I love a man who fully acknowledges his mistakes/flaws but also goes the extra mile to correct and learn from them, and that’s exactly the kind of man Connor was 🤧 His respect and adoration for Fizzy bled from the pages, and I loved how good of a dad he was to his daughter Stevie. He was also a bit different from the stereotypical grumpy/brooding single dad that I usually see in books, which I personally really enjoyed 👏

I don’t watch a lot of reality TV, so I was wary of how this book would play out, but I actually really enjoyed it! It was just such a fun atmosphere, and I even found myself wanting some of the other dating show contestants for myself LOL. And, of course, watching Connor in constant barely-contained-jealousy mode during filming was the best 😁 I will admit the third-act conflict wasn’t my favorite and some of the pacing/progression of Fizzy & Connor’s relationship could have been done better, but I still liked this book overall 🥰

All in all, this was yet another super fun and swoony romcom from peak Christina Lauren 🤩 And after Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, I don’t fear how Asian representation will be done with them, and I’m just glad I got to see that portrayed well with Fizzy once again ❤️ Not to mention, the amount of Jess & River appearances made me so happy because I loved them in their book. It was truly a treat to be back in the literary universe of Christina Lauren 💜

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an e-ARC + Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books for a physical ARC of this book 💌

One of my favorite books!

After reading the Soulmate Equation, I was ecstatic to learn Fizzy was getting her own book! I absolutely loved her in that book and even more in this one. Reading about her and Connor was so precious. This book was funny, heartfelt, and overall amazing. The tension between them had me squealing! Both of them had grown so much from the beginning to the end of the book, it truly was true love!

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Audio/E-book

4.75🌟 - I really liked it!!

Thank you @gallerybooks for the ARC and @simon.audio for the complimentary ALC!

This was such a good CLo book!! I loved this one so much more than The Soulmate Equation, and loved how it was a perfect follow up to the previous book!

I loveeeee a reality dating show moment and fans of the Bachelor/Bachelorette will eat this up!! Fizzy is such a bright light and fun FMC and Connor was the best 🥹. I loved their love for each other sm, and their banter and chemistry was just 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻.

Romance readers and CLo fans will devour this one!!

Ahhh Fizzy. I ADORE YOU! This was such a sweet, unique, and FUNNY book. It has easily become my 2nd favorite Christina Lauren book, only behind Love & Other Words. I highly recommend.

The True Love Experiment follows Fizzy, who we meet in The Soulmate Equation, and simply put she may be one of my FAVORITE rom-com FMCs ever. She's so smart, funny, quick, witty, and everything I could ever hope to be. She's also unabashedly herself. She KNOWS who she is and isn't afraid to be that or apologetic in any way.

She meets Connor and I immediately felt their chemistry. He's kind, smart, strong, thoughtful, and also very much himself. His love for his daughter and relationship with his ex-wife was beautiful.

I absolutely loved Fizzy and Connor's journey from strangers to friends to lovers and my heart was bursting for them by the end.

Read if you Like:
-Books about romance authors
-Older (37) main female characters
-Hot single dads
-British men
-Dating show trope
-Witty banter

Audiobook review: I only listened to the last 25% and it wasn't my favorite. I didn't feel like the voice actors matched the characters or what I expected from them. I also felt the male narrator's chapters were low-quality. I could hear the echoing in his studio. If reading the book is an option, I'd recommend sticking to that.

The only reason I gave this 4 Stars is because I didn't find myself completely hooked by the book. It wasn't all-consuming and a book I couldn't put down. Fully could have just been me being busy though!

Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

<b>"Romance isn't gratuitous bodice ripping. It can be, and there's nothing wrong with that, but in the end, romance isn't about the fantasy of being wealthy or beautiful or even being tied to the bed... It's about elevating stories of joy above stories of pain. It is about seeing yourself as the main character in a very interesting - or maybe even quiet - life that is entirely yours to control. It is, my friends, the fantasy of significance."</b>

This book left me absolutely speechless, but I am going to try to write a coherent review because people need to know to read it. This book is, as Christina Lauren said, a blatant love letter to the romance genre. I love their portrayal of the realness of what it's like being a romance writer, and as much as it makes me sad to see it so plainly stated in this book, I respect them so much for being so vulnerable about such a real struggle they face.

<b>"The thing is, if you ask Jessica Marie Davis Pena what her favorite TV show of all time is, she'll say Breaking Bad or Downtown Abbey, because those are socially appropriate answers. No one says their favorite show is Married at First Sight, just like nobody says their favorite restaurant is McDonalds. But somebody's buying those 550 million Big Macs a year."</b>

Fizzy is an incredible character. After meeting her in The Soulmate Equation I hoped we would on day hear her story, and my oh my Christina Lauren <i>delivered</i> it. Fizzy's charisma, charm, and utter self-confidence flies off the page with effortlessness; seeing it through Connor's eyes is an added bonus I didn't know I needed and I am so glad we got to follow through his perspective as well. Her progression from being lost to finding joy was really fun, and I loved that we had so many comedic moments along the way.

<b>We barely know each other, but I can already sense I don't want to be caught lying to this woman."</b>

<b>"I'm so fucking in love with her I can barely take a full breath."</b>

Speaking of Connor, what an incredibly well-rounded main character. I have never been so in love with a fictional 33-year-old in my life. I love the way that from the beginning he recognizes Fizzy for who she is and not the character she portrays to the world. He sees her right where she is and doesn't let her hide from him. I loved his progression from having the world's view of her as a romance writer (i.e., beneath him) to getting to know her and understand her field of work as something to be admired and acknowledged as a true profession. Watching him fall in love with her while simultaneously trying to not destroy these men he is contractually obligated to watch her try to fall in love with was the perfect kind of tension and I think it was written really well.

<b>"Fizzy will love him. It's irrational, but I hate him already. He's in."</b>

Good Lord, the slow burn tension in this book is HEAVY and sometimes I swear I forgot to breathe. The chemistry between Fizzy and Connor is so hot that I had to internalize the fact that he was also British in an effort to avoid needing a fan to finish the book.

This is officially my favorite Christina Lauren read and one of my favorite reads of this year; calling it now. Thanks so much to Christina Lauren, NetGalley, and Gallery books for an ARC of this book. I truly loved it.

Some more fun quotes just because:

<b>"'You keep the condoms in your junk drawer?' 'Ask that again,' I say, 'and realize how funny it sounds.'"</b>

<b>"People aren't the same as fruit. You don't look for new ones if they're bruised."</b>

<b>"Book people are just better, I swear by it."</b>

Fizzy was annoying and somewhat immature. But Conner is the reason I finished the book. Big cheese and very unrealistic production schedule for small film company. If you are in the film/tv industry don’t read it very annoying.

So so cute and sweet and WAY more like the CLo I have been craving!! I feel like this book really had the spice and banter and relationship dynamics that I've been wanting from this author duo's books lately (like they have in their earlier writing).

The friends and family in this story added so much to the plot and the central conflict keeping the couple apart was very legit and not just a miscommunication like sometimes happens in romances.

It's a quick and fun read and I definitely recommend.

This is a fun and fast-paced book that is perfect for fans of the Bachelor franchise. It follows the story of two individuals who do not think they could fall in love but do in the midst of every challenge thrown their way. It is a perfect read for the beach this summer!

So amazing. I was literally hooked from start to finish. Fizzy is a romance novelist who has lost her spark and is having a big writer’s block. Connor is a producer, trying to make documentary films who has to appeal to the big bosses first. When Connor gets the idea to put Fizzy on a new dating show, he thinks she’ll be the perfect fit. But can he really watch her fall for a bunch of other guys when he is too?

This is funny and heartwarming. It also says a lot of great things in defense of romance novels! I loved the strength of Fizzy’s convictions and how Connor and her values were so in synch! Love love love!!

What a fun, steamy rom-com! I had never read a Christina Lauren novel before this one and was surprised how much I loved it! Felicity "Fizzy" Chen is a romance novelist in a writing slump. She has been extremely successful in her writing career but not in her own love life. Along comes an opportunity to stretch herself outside of her comfort zone by participating in a dating reality television show with eight matches from a dating app. But her producer, Connor, grabs her attention in unexpected ways. Will Fizzy find what she's looking for in her career and personal life?
I enjoyed this book and its cast of characters so much! Will be reading more from Christina Lauren!

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Published: May 16, 2023
Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Pages: 413
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA TODAY, and #1 Internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating You, Autoboyography, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, and The Unhoneymooners.

“The answer here is obvious. It’s time for bangs.”

Fizzy is a romance author who lives her life on her terms. She is loud, vibrant, and currently struggling. Connor is hardworking, passionate, and devoted to his daughter. When he is told he will be producing a reality dating show, he is less than thrilled until he finds the perfect leading lady. From once upon a time to and they lived happily ever after, for better or worse, here they come.

This was very sweet. The concept was cute, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded. The plot was engaging and had a perfect balance of humor, drama, and steam.

FIzzy was such a great character. I liked her immediately. Her inner dialogue was fantastic, and she was charming. Connor was the heartthrob people dream about. Tall, intelligent, kind, and has an accent.

Their chemistry was delicious, and watching their relationship blossom was a joyful experience. I wasn’t aware this was a spin-off from other books, but now I will have to read those stories too.

I love how these ladies tell a story. This was such a fun, light, and easy read. And sometimes we need a happily ever after.

Ready for your next fictional HEA? Look no further bc THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT by Christina Lauren has the happiest of happily ever afters! 🥰💖

GENRE: Romance/Rom-Com
MY RATING: 🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5/5)
Swipe for GR’s info!
Tysm so much @gallerybooks for my #gifted copy! This cover is a 10/10 🎆

READ IF YOU LIKE:
▫️Reality dating shows (The Bachelorette vibes!) 🌹
▫️Romance tropes: enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, work place romance
▫️Dual POV 🔁
▫️Witty banter
▫️San Diego, CA ☀️
▫️The book, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun 👀

FAV QUOTE:
“He is the stillness to my storm, the shadow to my bright sunlight, the Styles to my Harry.”

MY THOUGHTS // RATING EXPLAINED:
Fizzy is definitely one of my favorite FMCs. She’s a force to be reckoned with and I’m ALWAYS here for that kind of female energy 😂💣 I will say I was a bit disappointed with how this one opened up… it was a downer with Fizzy’s mood/slow start, but I’m glad it picked up 100+ pages in! Connor had his moments but overall wasn’t swoon-worthy IMO… 🤷‍♀️ The star of the show here was definitelyyy Fizzy (literally, lol 😘🎥).

I really appreciate what CL did with these characters’ backstories— authors are realizing how messy real-life relationships/people are. I’m loving that representation pop up more & more in romance novels! 👌

Overall, story was cute, quick, & sweet! 💞 You truly can’t go wrong when picking up a Christina Lauren book. They remain some of my favorite rom-com authors! 🥇

DETAILS:
▫️Published: 5/16/23
▫️Pages: 416
▫️I recommend reading THE SOULMATE EQUATION first!

I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. It was perfect. I laughed, I smiled, I was giddy. If I could have kicked my legs in the air like a giggling child, I would have but I probably would have pulled a muscle or five. I love a good reality dating show, especially when they have a unique premise. I really wish the one this book centered on was real because I would watch it all the time. Fizzy and Connor were utter perfection together and the cast of supporting characters was also outstanding. This is one of my top romance books of the year. Many thanks to Gallery Books for an early copy.

I took a break from CL books for these past few years. I just wasn’t enjoying them. I thought I’d try again but sadly I should’ve stayed away. I did not finish after the first couple chapters. Guess CL books just aren’t for me anymore. Sad.

A very solid romance novel and significantly better than Something Wilder, which did not work as a book club book at all for me. The ending is fairly predictable even for a romance but the characters are nice and I enjoyed reading it.

This is possibly the best CLo I've read to date. I am definitely a fan of their writing; I find their storytelling so unique, and though this is set in a world we've already visited, it felt entirely new. The character development in this was *chef's kiss* and the steam was O N P O I N T. I will forever be a Christina Lauren fan--a definite autobuy for me!