I haven't always liked Christina Lauren's books, but this one was a surprise! I agree with the reviews already written. It was a joy to read.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review
The True Love Experiment was an absolute joy to read! I cackled out loud often at Fizzy’s hilarious commentary. She said the craziest things and was so confident and bold! I did not think I would fall for Connor, but I could not help how I tumbled right along with Fizzy! Their chemistry was addicting and I never wanted the book to end. Connor is patient and considerate and he took the time to see Fizzy for who she really was. Both main characters are older (mid 30’s) with their own rather dismal opinions about dating. It was such a treat to see their relationship grow into something so beautiful!

The tension between Connor and Fizzy as they become friends kept me from putting this book down!

I loved the premise behind The Soulmate Equation and I was curious to see just what chaotic Fizzy would do to defy the urge to find her soulmate in the same way Jess does. This Bachelorette x Real House Wives type of reality show was not at all the direction I thought she would go! Connor was brilliant and I liked what he and Fizzy created together! I could totally see myself watching it!

This book was hilarious but there was some deeper conversations that occurred in this book in regards to family expectations, dating, women’s joy, and media that is created for women’s enjoyment. I enjoyed how the authors handles all these topics with both care and comedy.

It written with dual perspectives, from Fizzy and Connor, which I really appreciated seeing! In previous C-Lo books, I have gotten the audiobook as well just to hear the bonus chapters from the MMC of the book and they’re some of my favorite parts of those books. In The True Love Experiment, we get Connor’s POV almost as much as Fizzy’s. I can definitely say that Connor’s chapter were equally as funny as Fizzy’s!

Let me tell you this book is sexy as hell! Omgoodness I want more open door from Christina Lauren! They know what they’re doing and now I’m a fiend! Spicy with a capital S! A

Thank you again to Gallery Book for this ARC! I’m looking forward to a reread! I’m getting my lil grabby hands on the audiobook as soon as it was published!

Favorite Quotes

“Once the world sees you, Fizzy, they’re going to fall in love.”

“But Connor’s thighs could crush me like a grape. I want that, just once before I meet a different kind of prince… I swear, I just need to get this out of my system.” “That is literally your least favorite romance trope.”

“This isn’t about feelings, it’s a distraction. I have a taste for him now.”

“We start with kissing… If it feels good, we maybe take some clothes off. If you don’t want to have sex with me, that’s fine… You can just eat my p*ssy and head home, and everyone is happy.”

Spice Rating

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book features several open door scenes and innuendo throughout!

Triggers

Here is some of the sensitive content that I observed while reading this book:

Alcohol
Cheating (not between MCs)
Divorce (Not MCs)
Pregnancy/Childbirth (Not MCs)
Profanity
Sexually Explicit Scenes


Genre

Romantic Comedy

Tropes

Opposites attract
Forbidden Romance
Forced Proximity
Coworkers
Friends to Lovers

I don't even know where to begin, I absolutely ADORED this book and it might even take the spot for fave Christina Lauren book over The Unhoneymooners! It is the sequel to The Soulmate Equation (which I really enjoyed) and it's everything!

What I loved:
1. Fizzy - she shines as the main character!
2. Connor - I'm a happily married woman, but I have a serious crush on Connor!
3. The BANTER!!!! - this is why I love their books so much and this one did not disappoint! I was laughing out loud so much!
4. A reality show in all the best ways!

I could list so much more, but I promise you this one is for all the rom-com fans!

This is a wonderful read ! I definitely love Christina Lauren , everything they write it’s just so awesome and so swoony at the same time, definitely some things to look forward to in this book are .

Things I loved about this book:
•reality tv
•friends to lovers
•single parent trope
•found family
•witty banter

Very rarely does a book leave me speechless, but usually it’s a book by the amazingly talented duo, Christina Lauren.

I was one of the many fans who hoped Fizzy would get her own book, but never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined it would be as incredible as it is.

I am someone who highlights and annotates my way through each book she reads – but I struggled to with this one. Don’t get me wrong, entire scenes are highlighted in my copy, but what made this book incredible wasn’t the one-liners or rare drops of wisdom – it was everything. How it all came together. How the characters worked off of one another. How their story was formed from beginning to end.

This story is the epitome of “the heart wants what the heart wants”, but love isn’t often easy…especially if it’s forbidden. There were INCREDIBLE grand gestures, hilarious banter, phenomenal chemistry, and a love story for the ages that even Fizzy couldn’t have written herself – her words, not mine.

I aspire to be more like Fizzy in my life. Adventurous, honest, bold, unapologetic for being herself, vulnerable, and courageous above all else. And Connor? WOW. I wouldn’t mind knowing him, too.

I cannot recommend this book enough – although I would recommend reading Soulmate Equation first, since this one gives away some of the details from the first book.

Tropes:
- Workplace romance
- Forbidden romance
- Grand gesture
- Single dad romance
- Banter
- Friends to lovers
- Dating show

This is the story I was waiting for after reading the Soulmate Equation. I was so excited to read Fizzy’s story, she was my hands down favorite. I thought this was such a cute story. Fizzy, a successful romance writer is kind of stuck. She can’t write and has not been able to get back into dating. Connor Prince is forced to create a dating show that he has no interest in and asks Fizzy is she wants to be the shows “Bachelorette”. Fizzy agrees after making some demands of her own. Will Fizzy find a match? Will Connor be able to make this show a success and find his own happiness along the way?

This was such an cute story and brought me back to loving the duo that is Christina Lauren. I have missed the lighter side and fun that their books have always had and this one definitely brought the magic back!!

4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #TheTrueLoveExperiment #ChristinaLauren

A must-read for romance readers, the plot begs for page-turning and it's Christina Lauren, so you know it'll make you read late into the night because you can't get enough. The concept: take all the swoon-worthy guys you'd find in a romance novel, all the hero archetypes, and put them into a dating show to see how they connect with a romance writer who is looking for love. Try to resist the magnetism of this plot . . . it maximizes the good stuff and makes you think about how we connect with others. But what makes for the ultimate connection? The one we all hope to find.

Romance novelist Fizzy Chen is in a personal and professional rut. When producer Connor Prince approaches her about starring in a dating show, she gives him an unreasonable list of demands with no intention of accepting his offer. When Connor accepts her demands, she throws caution to the wind decides to go for it. The road to filming is several weeks of Fizzy and Connor spending time together while preparing for the show. By the time the cameras start rolling, they have to convince themselves and the cameras that they haven't fallen for one another.

BRAVO Christina Lauren! I am in awe of this writing duo for turning what seemed to be a cute and fun romance story into one that also got me in the feels with lots of layers and depth. By the time Fizzy and Connor started filming for the show, I felt their intense chemistry and connection so deeply that it hurt me that they couldn't be together. At the same time, watching how the contestants did on the show was so darn fun! The premise was an ode to romance novels and I LOVED IT!

Fizzy was the fun and larger than life sidekick in The Soulmate Equation, but we got to know her complicated layers in this book. She was one of the most fun characters that I have read. Fizzy was utterly charming and her banter was on point. It's no wonder that Connor fell in love with her so quickly. She was an irresistible force to be reckoned with.

Connor was a quiet but strong hero who constantly had me swooning. He was smart, insightful, and he was genuinely a good man who always strived to do better. I loved that although this dating show was not his jam, he dived in head first and vowed to make it a success and to make America fall in love with Fizzy.

Fizzy and Conner had EXPLOSIVE chemistry in the bedroom. Those scenes were insanely hot and I only wish that there were more!

Christina Lauren - you two are masterminds. Also, I want you to know that I have never spent so much time studying the size of my wrist before (IYKYK).

This is going to be one of my top reads of the year and you have to read it!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: mention of: car accident, PTSD, anxiety, and infidelity

This was one of my top favorite reads this year! I can not recommend it enough!

Fizzy is a popular romance writer who seems to be a little burnt out. She needs inspiration to get her writing groove back.

Connor is a sexy documentary producer with an accent 🔥 whose company decides they need him to do something more fun to draw in more viewers. They come up with The True Love Experiment- a show that will feature one woman looking for love with a group of stereotypes- Hot Nerd, Vampire
Guy, etc. The show will also use a new dna test that shows compatibility in different levels of matches. Maybe Fizzy can find a gold match?

Fizzy agrees to go on the show if Connor casts the men, along with a few other demands. While all of this is happening, Connor and Fizzy spend a lot of time together. 🎆🎇

Will Fizzy find her true love match or will she be disappointed?

There is absolutely nothing that I didn't love about this book! I was concerned that it might be too similar to The Bachelor, but it was not at all! It was unique and fresh. I adored the characters and the banter. Connor and his ex-wife/daughter relationship was so sweet!

Don't you just love it when the side character gets their own book and eclipses the original? That's definitely the case for The True Love Experiment. We were originally introduced to Felicity "Fizzy" Chen in the Soulmate Equation, and she was such an amazing character that the authors decided she needed her own book!

The True Love Experiment is a reality show, kind of like The Bachelorette, where guys compete for the chance to be Fizzy's main squeeze. There's only one hitch, Fizzy seems to be having the most chemistry with the one man who is absolutely off limits: Connor Prince, the ringmaster of the whole production.

This book is incredible. It has everything I want in a romance novel; great banter, strong female friendships, growth, and plenty of steam. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the chance to review this advance copy. The True Love Experiment is available for purchase everywhere you buy books now!

Lately I have gone back and forth on my love and not love on Christina Lauren book. As much as I loved The Soulmate Equation is as much as I didn’t love Something Wilder. But I was still excited for The True Love Experiment because I loved Fizzy in Soulmate. And did this book ever deliver. Fizzy and Connor where everything I hoped for and more. They had the BEST chemistry and their banter was on point. The way they got closer as friends and then transitioned to something else was a chef’s kiss of perfection. They were exactly what I come to expect from a CLo book and I’m so happy I read it. Also doesn’t hurt that my all time favorite TV show, Crash Landing on You, got a mention! Highly recommend giving The Soulmate Equation and The True Love Experiment a read through. You won’t be disappointed!

After a long day of work and parenting and general adulting, sometimes it’s just nice to curl up with some light and predictable entertainment—which is why both reality dating shows and romance novels are so popular. And with their latest romance, The True Love Experiment, writing duo Christina Lauren ties the two together.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery

4.75⭐️

“Can we get started of this future now” “yes, my darling. We can.”

swoon. SwOoN. SWOON!!

This book hit every mark!! I am so beyond happy to have jumped back into this world and fallen in love with Fizzy through her life. I think she got the perfect love story and the perfect soulmate. If I believe anyone is soulmates it’s Jess and River, and, Fizzy and Connor.

I loved how unique and refreshing this book was! I’ve read nothing like it and it created an amazing alternate universe to get lost in!

Although, I feel like at times it got really slow and I don’t exactly know if the conflict was resolved that well?? I still feel completely head over heels in love with Cizzy.

Connor, posh, British, single dad. Fizzy, chaotic, energetic, romance writer. Perfect combo!

I am in love and so happy to have read this arc!

Thank you so much to @gallerybooks for the @netgalley arc of my first five star read of May (and only my second five star of the year so far)! It publishes tomorrow 5/16. Swipe for goodreads synopsis.

This is a standalone sequel/spinoff of THE SOULMATE EQUATION which I’ve also read and loved. You don’t need to read that one first but I’d recommend it to better understand Fizzy and Jess’ relationship and the DNA Duo technology.

I absolutely adored Fizzy (and related to her as a single woman in my 30s) and loved the dialogue in this so much. It’s dual pov and there’s some spice! The love story was just absolutely adorable. I really have no complaints it was a delightful read and got me in my feels in the end. Of course I also enjoyed the San Diego references.

Read if you like any kind of dating reality shows like THE BACHELOR and liked THE SOULMATE EQUATION.

⚠️: mentions of infidelity

Fizzy Chen is a romance author whose whole world got shaken up by accident, and suddenly she's not to in love with the idea of "love" and is thrown into a terrible tailspin when she tries to get started on a new book, and there's just... nothing. Connor Prince III is a documentary producer whose tiny film studio decides they want to go on a TOTALLY different direction: reality TV. They meet when Connor tries to get Fizzy to be the start of his to-be-developed dating series.

There is never a day when I am able to slow down while reading a Christina Lauren book. They are masters of the art of romance writing, and I love every second of their books. This was no exception. Fizzy is even more of a delight than she was in The Soulmate Equation, and Connor is yummy and thoughtful. I liked the resolution to the TV show situation. I appreciate that the conversation about the way that romance writers get accosted with inappropriate questions about their sectarian experiences and whether their parents approve is so relatable and makes so much sense. The romance is written very sweetly. Well done, ladies, you've 100% done it again.

The ONE thing that I wish was resolved, and wasn't, was how Connor and Fizzy ALMOST get a meet-cute, but they don't because neither approaches each other at the bar, but Connor 100% knows it was Fizzy the whole time... Why wasn't that addressed further?? Phooey.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks so much to the author and publisher for this opportunity! I loved it!

I am so glad we got a Fizzy story! It just made me so happy. It's funny, heartfelt and I just want Fizzy and Connor to be real so that I can root for them. it's the perfect summer (or really any time of year) rom-com.

If you love Christina Lauren and/or reality TV dating shows then you will enjoy"The True Love Experiment." Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think the concept for this book is quite fun. Fizzy has lost her way. Her spark should I say seems to have fizzled out. Which is a problem when you are a romance author. Conner is someone who would rather create shows that help the world then be saddled with producing the networks next big dating reality show, yet that is exactly what he is being asked to do. When Conner and Fizzy cross paths, Conner sees someone who not only has a huge fan base already built, but someone whose personality is large and proud. Together can they pull off making a reality tv show based off a new concept?
I enjoyed this book. It is an easy read. One that will sweep you away for a bit and wrap you up in the building relationship between Fizzy and Conner. Readers will truly enjoy this romantic journey. You have two dynamic characters, and the perfect situation of forbidden love.
Thank you so much to Gallery Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Have you ever been so immersed in a story on Netgalley, that you promptly ordered a hardcopy? I've done this a handful of times, and THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT was a prime example of reading... oh, the first chapter and immediately ordering a copy. I loved THE SOULMATE EQUATION and was thrilled with a focus on Fizzy. The idea of a documentarian and a romance novel, both inspirationally stuck, and brought together in a bizarre twist of fate, made for entertaining reading. THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT is on shelves tomorrow. It can be read as a standalone, but bonus points for reading THE SOULMATE EQUATION, as well.

why my nose was in this book:
i have a love/hate relationship for dating shows, it's a dime-a-dozen these days, so a story about another dating show, would make me hesitant, except for the unique twist of a popular romance novelist as the "bachelorette", if you will dating eight suitors with the widest range of personalities
i was captivated by fizzy's strong personality, her self-deprecating humor that papered over her insecurities, the way that she was so relatable, honest and raw about her struggles in her career made me instantly warm to her
i was drawn into the reality tv process - the candidates with their specifically kooky backstories and characteristics
the hot and cold chemistry and terrible timing of fizzy and connor would usually annoy me, but i kept flipping the pages, needing to know whether they broke the rules, or kept it as professional as they possibly could... while she was "dating" either other guys on the show

I’m gonna go ahead a declare this my fave book so far of 2023. You can stop reading this review now and just go buy the book bc trust me, it’s fantastic. Then come back, finish reading the review, and tell me how great I am as an influencer (and tell me I’m pretty and funny too #praisekink).

This novel is a gift from the dynamic writing duo @christinalauren to all romance readers and writers. It’s full of everything you want as a romance reader- sexy sexed up sex scenes, tormented yearning, sex positivity, a sassy and witty heroine, a dashing emotionally available hero, loads of validation about the romance book industry, and not ONE miscommunication to be had…thank god bc I like it when my pervy and longing lead characters can actually say what they need and express their feelings to each other like mature adults who have had a ton of therapy.

Fizzy is a romance writer and a floozy- in the best way ever. She hasn’t found “the one”, despite testing most of the peni in the greater San Diego area and now she’s lost her pleasure and smut writing mojo. Connor is a TV producer who is voluntold to produce a reality dating show. He enlists Fizzy as his lead and she joins hoping to get her mojo back, but insists he pick her dates based on a variety of romance hero tropes. Unfort, Fizzy and Connor realize that they are 100% horny (and perfect) for each other, but…the show must go on. So Fizzy goes on dates with all these hot men that Connor has handpicked, while he has to watch like the tortured cuck that he is.

Ugh- I loved this so much it hurt to finish! I wanted to flip it over, spank it, and then read it again. There is so much romance joy to be had in these pages! Fizzy is just a delight- smart, blunt, and a little bit of a wackadoo. Connor was a little more quiet and broody, but also sweet and kind…and SPOILER ALERT: he used both a warm and a cool washcloth to clean up after sexy times. Come on…where did he learn that baller move? He has ruined me for all other book boyfriends. True Love Experiment drops tomorrow- do yourself a favor and read this one!!

Smut- 2.68
Romance- 5 stars
Story- 5 stars
Testing all the peni- 16 stars

This author duo has been hit or miss for me. I continue to read them as I am always waiting for the next book of theirs to wow me like "The Unhoneymooners." Well, I am so excited to have found it!

I loved everything about The True Love Experiment. Everything. Fizzy was quirky, outspoken, genuine and funny. Conner is sexy, a little too serious, but able to have fun. Their love story with the reality television background was wonderful. All the side characters were so fun, too. Fizzy's best friend relationship with Jess was top notch.

Fizzy and Connor slowly falling in love throughout the show was just so touching and sweet. (and forbidden-gasp!)

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.