Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I loved, loved, loved this swoony and sweet book from romance master’s Christina Lauren. This book wasn’t perfect, but this book was perfect for me right now. This book is a love letter to the genre of romance and it worked for me in so many ways! Fizzy is a romance writer in a slump, when she’s approached by single dad Connor, a documentary producer who is tasked to create a hit reality “Bachelorette” type show where he wants Fizzy to be the star. Soon their attraction becomes clear, but how can they make it work when Fizzy is meant to meet her soulmate on the show that Connor is creating? There were so many things that I liked about this book: it was a great mix of funny and romantic, and it had a great balance of paying homage to the genre of romance while also showcasing why it’s so great. This book also had a great balance of slow-burn and steam - the open door scenes were some of the better ones I have read in a while (and I read a lot of romance). The ONLY thing I have an argument with in this book is that it’s a little slow to get into, but the ending, romantic build, and steam made up ultimately made this a 5 star read for me. Overall this book just worked, and I LOVED the ending: it made me laugh, cry, and swoon for the whole final couple of chapters. I have read a lot of Christina Lauren, and this is one of my favorites to date! I highly recommend this book for fans of Christina Lauren, the romance genre, romantic comedy, fandom, and open door contemporary romance.

I loved this book! The storyline was not predictable. I really enjoyed seeing characters for The Soulmate Equation show back up too. Fizzy's character was very likable and I found myself just wanting to see what she did next. I enjoyed the reality TV twist. If you like reading Christina Lauren books, you will not want to miss this one. I highly recommend reading The Soutmate Equation first.

If you are looking for a cute and fun summer romance, look no further! The True Love Experiment has it all: fast paced reading, funny and loveable characters, plot twists, and of course a charming romance.

There was so much chemistry throughout this book, but the best chemistry was between the cast of supporting characters. I fell in love with all of them and their meddling ways!

As for the romance itself…I loved that it wasn’t cheesy. The relationship between Fizzy and Connor grew and evolved at a steady and realistic pace. This made their romance so much better and went along with their unique personalities.

I’m so glad @mamas_top_shelf and I read this book as a buddy read. We were messaging each other throughout about the characters, romance, and staying up way too late to finish the story (thank goodness for coffee).

Overall, this is exactly the kind of light and feel good rom-com story the duo, Christina Lauren, is known for. If you are looking for an oh so heartwarming and fun romance, steam, witty commentary, and a strong family and friendship presence, go grab this bingeable book today!

Thank you, Gallery Books, for this gifted copy.

4.5 stars
Ok, so I think I had heard that this book took place in the same universe as The Soulmate Equation but I forgot by the time I actually started. Once they started talking about the DNADuo, I actually got quite excited because I loved that concept and that book.
The characters in this book were fantastic. I loved Fizzy in The Soulmate Equation and am so happy she got her own book. She starts out in a life slump, a work slump and dating slump. Our other POV is Connor. He directs documentaries, but his boss forces him to go in a different direction and make a dating reality show. He sees Fizzy in his ex wife's book collection and knows he needs to cast her for the lead. Fizzy is just an absolutely hilarious character. She's confident despite her slump, and she's just such a good friend. She agrees to the show but only if Connor casts the perfect Hero archetypes (cinnamon roll, cowboy, vampire etc). I loved Connor as well, he was a great dad and had a really good relationship with his ex wife which is something I love to see. We get quite a lot of Jess and some River who were the main characters of The Soulmate Equation which was really fun.
The plot was always interesting because it was so obvious that there was a crazy attraction between Fizzy and Connor right from the get go and there was just so much chemistry in every page. Another one of Fizzy's conditions to do the show is to "find joy" again with Connor. They do such fun things and even though you can tell there is so much chemistry, they just really enjoy being around each other.
The actual reality show is a really cool concept. The men chosen to do the show all take the DNADuo test (which matches you to levels of soulmate, base, silver, gold etc) and are different levels of compatible with Fizzy. Every week the audience votes on who they think has the highest DNADuo compatibility with Fizzy. It was really fun to see the dates Fizzy goes on with these men and while we don't get to know any of them really well, it's easy to keep them apart because of their Hero archetypes.
The typical romance "problem" fit in so well with the story and made so much sense. Usually at this point, things kind of blow up, but without giving anything away, this was so perfect. The ending was just so great, it gave me goosebumps even though there was something earlier in the book that gave it away. It was so well done.
Every book I read that Christina Lauren writes, I just fall more in love!

The True Love Experiment by Christine Lauren was such a fun read! It was the first time that I had read a book by the duo and I was blown away! I didn't even know that this was a companion novel to The Soulmate Equation but I really liked it and it stood alone. This novel tells the story of Fizzy as she navigates a reality TV show like The Bachelorette with a twist. The Twist is that people will vote on which contestants will stay and each contestant is matched to Fizzy by DNA. The social media and the DNA matched twists make this an updated story to a new, an often used, trope. It just so happens that fizzy finds herself falling for the handsome British executive producer, Connor, and not any of the heroes that he has lined up for her! This book was very fun to read. I liked the enthusiasm in it. I loved Fizzy as a character because she was strong and confident and what I think every young woman should be! This is a recommended purchase for libraries that serve adult readers. Fans of Colleen Hoover and Lucy Score will enjoy this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for the complimentary digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own. This book is available on May 16, 2023.

Before reading The True Love Experiment, I had already read four Christina Lauren titles. And, I had pretty much enjoyed all of them immensely.

So, I was super pumped to receive an arc via NetGalley (Thank you!). I read this in about two days. It was a fun story. I really enjoyed The Soulmate Equation, And I was happy to see that Fizzy received her own story.

I read one comment on Goodreads that stated that they didn't enjoy Fizzy as a character, and because of that, he couldn't finish the book. I can understand that and also at the same time, I feel like they didn't really see her. I like her character because she seems really human. She experienced a really difficult thing, she did the work, and even in doing so, you never really know how those former feelings might arise or manifest until you're put in specific situations. The way she reacted to a situation with Connor wasn't the right way, and she took responsibility for that. Which, is like better than 98% of the people I know in real life (sometimes I'm in that 98%).

I of course love the way it ended and it was really sweet how some delightful goodness was revealed!

This was a fun, funny and quick read. It's very entertaining, and I was happy to read it. I definitely and highly recommend a read!

Have you read many Chrisina Lauren books? I think I have loved everything Christina Lauren and this book is no exception. This book is a sequel to The Soulmate Equation but I think it could totally stand alone without reading that book first. Fizzy is a very fun, relatable character yet is on a reality TV show. She falls for the Exec Producer of the show, a guy who is pretty much Mr. Perfect. The way they hit it off just worked for me. This book was fun escape and I read it very quickly. Although parts were a bit predictable - I always like when things go the way I want them to go!

Defiantly will be going back to read the soulmate equation after finishing this gem!
I waited so long to pick up my first book by this author duo and I did myself a disservice. Every single book has exceeded my expectations and this one most certainly didn’t disappoint.
Fizzy is an amazing heroine. She’s a romance author who’s full of quirks and sass. I was so sad to see her struggle with love. Que our Hero Conner, I didn’t think I could add another book boyfriend to the favorites list but he made it there! The banter the two shares was phenomenal and watching their love story unfold was the cherry on top of my sundae!

I’m not a fan of the cheating trope but I feel like having both the characters go through that time in their lives mad them grow and become a better self.

The True Love Experiment will be a top beach read this summer. It's funny, engaging and every character is delightful. Christina and Lauren are well known for their bestselling romances. In my opinion this is one of their best.

I loved the premise of this book.. a romance writer is cast as the lead on a reality show. Fizzy was a great main character. She was feisty, bold, and loving. She had a vulnerability that came through in subtle ways, and I thought she was amazing. Connor, the producer of said reality show, was a great love interest. He was kind, loving, and always willing to grow. I loved the banter, the flirting, and the time filming the show. This story had a wonderful cast of supporting characters, especially Connor's daughter Stevie, his ex-wife Nat, and Fizzy's best friend, Jess. I read a lot of romance books, and this book is one of the best I've read in a while. Definitely recommend, especially if you enjoyed The Soulmate Equation!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for the e-ARC of this book. It releases on May 16th!!

The True Love Experiment is cute, funny, and entertaining. Fizzy is such an endearing character! I’m glad she got her own book. I enjoyed the way the authors wove the tropes and criticism of the romance genre into the book. I’d definitely recommend reading this one! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Christina Lauren will forever be my favorite author duo. I love their writing style and their storytelling. They write the most amazing addicting love stories. I really enjoyed The True Love Experiment it was an absolutely wonderful follow-up to The Soulmate Equation. Fizzy and Connor were amazing together and I loved every single page of this book. The Love Experiment was an amazing read. It's going to be hard to top this one but if anyone can do it, I know these two talented authors can. I will literally read anything they publish. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity.

With phenomenal humor, pacing and impeccable romance, CLo brings us another amazing read! We follow the main character, Fizzy, Jess' comical friend from The Soulmate Equation. She is a total delight but unfortunately, unlucky in love. When Fizzy gets pitched the idea to be the star of a new reality dating show, she hesitantly agrees. With a handsome British TV producer as the male lead, this book hit all of my favorite romance tropes. Highly and enthusiastically recommend!


Thank you to Gallery Books & NetGalley for an ARC. Publishing 5/16/23.

I was thrilled when I learned that Fizzy from The Soulmate Equation was getting her own book! You do not technically HAVE to read The Soulmate Equation first to enjoy this story, however if you are planning on reading it, I would recommend reading The Soulmate Equation first to avoid spoilers.

We all knew Fizzy had main character energy, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that Fizzy was so much fun to follow in this story. She’s funny, fiery, brutally honest, and unapologetically herself.
Connor was an excellent love interest. Despite having some past issues, Connor was open, genuine, and sensitive. I also appreciated that he was a single Dad, and his relationship with his daughter and ex-wife. I enjoyed the forbidden romance trope and thought these characters had great chemistry on the page. Their flirting and banter was everything!

I was a tad apprehensive about the reality dating show aspect. I’ve read a few books with a reality show component that have fallen way short. The authors did a great job of balancing the reality show with the rest of the plot, however if you are looking for a heavy focus on the reality show, you might be disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing the ARC.

As a self-professed Christina Lauren stan, I was very excited to see that they were continuing the storyline from The Soulmate Equation with Fizzy. Fizzy was one of my favorite characters from that book and I really wanted to see more of her. However, this book, overall, did not live up to the standard that the first set.

It wasn't because of Fizzy though. I enjoyed her banter and her perspective on life. I loved that she championed romance authors and readers, that she was the best auntie to Jess' child and to Stevie, and that her character grew and understood things about herself. It wasn't even Connor, even though I found him harder to like and just a bit boring. But the plot was really wild for me to get my head around, and it coupled with a leading man who isn't quite as swoonworthy as some of the others that have come out of the minds of Christina Lauren led to a less than satisfying experience.

Is the book poorly written? No, it's still at the same level as the majority of CL books that I absolutely love. Are they characters badly portrayed? Also no, I just didn't jive with the book as much as I wanted. But the book will likely be some people's favorite - just not mine.

Loved this! Love this writing duo! Fizzy is the hilarious, intelligent, strong woman we love to read about and Connor was her perfect counter balance. Their love story was adorable and what a creative way to write their love story within a reality show setting. Another great love story from Christina Lauren!

From the first scene of Fizzy giving her speech about finding joy, I knew that The True Love Experiment would be another perfect rom-com from Christian Lauren. Like The Soulmate Equation, TTLE has the perfect blend of chemistry, banter, humor, tenderness, and spice — it is everything romance readers are looking for.

The premise of this novel and tie-in with DNADuo was great and made for a really funny and angsty plot. It moved so quickly, and I did not want to put it down. It was so fun to see Jess and River again. I loved how CLo worked them into the plot without taking away Fizzy and Connor’s story.

Fizzy is such a great character. She is so real and vulnerable, both quirky but also mature. I think so many can relate to her search to reclaim her joy. Connor is also a great rom-com hero — I loved his quiet but intense love for Fizzy. They are the perfect counterparts to one another.

There is also an amazing homage to romance and the “love of love” in TTLE. CLo tied in so many well-known romance troupes. Between Fizzy’s internal dialogue as a romance writer and the reality TV show, it was so joyful and absolutely hilarious.

This book is pure joy; I had so much fun reading it. I would recommend this to romance fans and those who love CLo’s other books. These two authors keep getting better and better.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC.

Brilliant— ebullient, effervescent, swoony. My favorite romance of the year. When a documentary filmmaker and a romance author team up reluctantly to make a better reality tv dating show, they aren’t supposed to fall for each other but inexorably do.

Christina Lauren have done it again! Fizzy's story was begging to be told after their last novel, and did they ever do her justice. This book is a fun, thoughtful romp that pays homage to the romance genre. A must read for all HEA fans!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-arc!

4.5 ⭐
Fizzy finally got her own book and I am living for it!

The beginning of this book felt very slow. I didn't really like the way Fizzy acted at the start, but I also understood why she was written that way and by the end of the book, I adored her. Her character development was great and I really appreciated how she was herself no matter what happened between her and Connor. I loved Connor from the start. I have a soft spot for a workaholic character and he fits the bill. His relationship with his ex-wife and daughter was great to see and his daughter was adorable.

I loved the premise of the reality dating TV show. Books in the past with the same idea always fell flat to me, but this one did it soooo well. There was enough information about each guy in the show that you were able to follow along, but it didn't linger too long on the little details of each date. The banter between Fizzy and Connor in between the shoots was amazing and was the main reason why I liked the filming scenes so much.

I really felt a connection between Fizzy and Connor and the conflict between them made sense to me, which in other Christina Lauren books was not always the case. All in all, I highly recommend this book.