⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It took me awhile to get into this book. Fizzy is a romance author, but has been in a writing slump. She is asked to be on a reality dating show, where they test your dna to match you with a potential soulmate. The relationships she makes with the contestants & producer along the way creates issues for the direction the show is going. A *spicy* read and at the halfway point I couldn’t put the book down. I love Christina Lauren books and was happy to read another one!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC!

This was a cute story! I am not normally a rom com reader, but I found myself enjoying this title! The main characters are likable and I laughed out loud during the interactions quite a few times! Thank you for allowing me to preview this book!

ARC read through NetGalley, all opinions are my own. Wow Christina Lauren does it again. Man, I don't know if there is anything that could have made me love this book more. The Soulmate Equation is one of my all time favorites, so I was so happy to see Jess, River, Juno, and of course Fizzy in this book. I loved Fizzy. I loved Connor. I loved their story. This book made me feel so many things, but most of all it made me feel hopeful. It also kept me guessing, there were some things that happened that I had no idea were coming. Fizzy going on a dating show was both unexpected and expected for her personality, and I loved how the dating show her and Connor came up with was different than other dating shows.

Firstly, obligatory thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC! This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I was so excited to get it early.

I am even more excited to say that it did not disappoint. What. A good. Time.

Christina Lauren dedicate this book as being “a blatant love letter to our genre” and that truly is how it feels. Was it predictable and formulaic? Yes. I knew exactly how it would end 30% in and had it near perfect. Did that take away from how much I absolutely adored it? No, not even a little bit. At one point a character comments on how romance must be difficult to write when “the reader already knows how it ends” but I feel this book accomplished it perfectly. Knowing how it would end did not take away from how much I enjoyed it at all.

Connor and Fizzy are another absolutely delightful couple from Christina Lauren, full of banter, immediate attraction, and just a couple of idiots in love who think SURELY they just need one time and they won’t fall deeply in love no no no it’s fine they’ve got this they can compartmentalize.

Look, Fizzy is not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea - the frequent sex jokes and self-deprecating humor as a form of self-preservation won’t be everyone’s vibe, but boy was it mine. I absolutely loved seeing her grow and discover that maybe she was both ready for and deserving of a good relationship at all.

Connor is great. I will always love a simp who is obsessed with the love interest, especially if he’s one who is desperately trying not to be. Connor you can tell yourself all you want that you aren’t gonna go after her - I do not believe you. With the whole premise of their reality show being fitting men into stereotypical romance archetypes, Fizzy repeatedly tries to fit him into one - but it’s so hard when he’s a lovely mix of so many while also being uniquely his own character. British hot billionaire dilf who is also a cinnamon roll but also a side of “look at her and die” (but the contemp romance version not the fantasy I’ll actually kill you version)? I’m in.

Also, on a side note, I love the relationship between Connor and his ex-wife Nat so much? Give us more ex-wives who aren’t rude or bitter. Nat and Connor are friends who still love each other and want what’s best for each other, even though that isn’t each other. They’re so supportive of the other’s relationships and it is very, very sweet to see.

This book was great, I loved getting to see the glimpses of River and Jess together (also I forgot just how funny River was?) and I am so glad Fizzy got the delightful sequel she deserved.

4.5/5 stars.

PS: This book mentions Ted Lasso from the jump and I was immediately sold.

Fizzy and Conner are my new favorite book couple. Christina Lauren- knocked this out of the park! The chemistry between Fizzy and Conner was hot, their banter was perfect and their story was beautiful. This will absolutely be one of my top reads for 2023. Thank you for the advanced copy!

I didn't realize the characters in this book were from The Soulmate Equation until I read the author's note at the end of this book. Now I know why the characters sounded so familiar!

Fizzy was a sub-character in that book and now she has her own book. Fizzy is a romance author that is in a writing slump, and Connor is a sexy DILF who usually makes documentaries, but is now tasked with creating a bachelor-type reality show using The Soulmate Equation's technology to select the "perfect" partner. Fizzy is selected to be the lead on the show and immediately takes a liking to Connor. They develop a cute banter and have instant chemistry, but they are bound by the show to not get involved. However, things don't really go as planned.

I really liked Christina Lauren's take on the reality dating show. The characters were fun (although Fizzy was slightly annoying at times), the plot was good, and I loved the rapport between all the different characters - Fizzy, her best friend, Connor, his ex-wife, and the kids - Juno and Stevie.

Christina Lauren does it again! I loved how this one was kind of a sequel to The Soulmate Equation. I loved the idea behind the “perfect match” dating app and have had a lot of fun reading about that in two books. This book, I absolutely loved the main characters. Fizzy was so spunky, herself, and entertaining. I loved the chemistry and relationship in the story. Another big thing I loved about this book was the emphasis on the importance of romance books. Read what makes you happy! It made me smile to see this conversation throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the premise of the reality show. I don’t watch too much reality tv, but I loved reading about this show in the book!

Thank you Gallery books for an eARC via Netgalley so I could give my honest feedback on this title!

I think this is the 5th or 6th Christina Lauren title I've read, and this one falls somewhere in the middle - not the best, not the worst. It took me a while to get into it (and that may partly have been because I was reading it on my Kindle and I'm 99% sure my body is now programmed to fall asleep while I'm reading it) but once I hit the 30% mark or so, I was pretty invested.

Here is what I liked about this story:
1) The faux reality TV show within. I can't help it, I love a good knockoff of The Bachelor or something of the like in a book, and this one had a fun spin to it!
2) The San Diego setting. I'll never not love when a story is set in my favorite city in the world, and this one was no different with its references to the Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Balboa Park, and more. Made me want to book a flight directly there.
3) The male lead, Connor, was super sweet. While he didn't stand out to me as one I won't ever forget, I did really enjoy his kindness, his relationship with his daughter, and his maturity in his friendship with his ex wife.
4) The MC, Fizzy's family - they were all so sweet and fun and reading about the tea ceremony the day of the wedding was one of my favorite parts of the whole book!

What I didn't love:
1) Unfortunately, the female MC, Fizzy really irritated me. I didn't like her attitude and smart mouth (though many may find her funny). Because roughly half the book was from her perspective, this was a major drawback for me.
2) The pacing of the book was a little off for me. The beginning was slow, the middle had some parts where it picked up speed, then it hit the brakes, and the last 10% went super quickly. It felt a bit like whiplash.

Overall, this was a mostly enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from Christina Lauren in the future!

The True Love Experiment
by Christina Lauren
Pub Date: 16 May 2023
Gallery Books
Romance
Rating: 5/5

The True Love Experiment is a feel-good story full of laughter. I was immediately captivated by the book and the emotions of the delightful characters. Written under the pseudonym Christina Lauren, The True Love Experiment is the sequel to The Soulmate Equation by Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings.

Synopsis:
Conner Prince III is a documentary producer and single dad whose next project is a reality dating TV show starring Felicity "Fizzy" Chen. Fizzy Chen is a successful romance writer who feels discouraged by dating, but agrees to do the show to boost her career. As the show begins filming, things get out of hand, resulting in a steamy attraction you won't want to miss.

Thank you NetGalley, and Gallery Books, for sharing this cozy romance with me. The True Love Experiment is another successful collaboration between Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs. In my opinion, they are the best romance authors of 2023!

#TheTrueLoveExperiment
#NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. The True Love Experiment is fun, fresh, and a romantic read that will appeal to wide range of readers. I will definitely be recommending this title!

WOW WOW WOW! Christina Lauren is quickly becoming the queen of Rom Com( Watch out Emily Henry!) " The Unhoneymooners" and " love and Other Words" have always been my favorite CL books, and this one has definitely surpassed! The story follows a romance writer who is in a writing slump, and isn't finding herself enjoying casual romances like she used to in the past. However, when she gets approached by gorgeous Connor Prince to participate in a reality tv dating show, she ends up falling in love. This book was definitely steamier than Lauren's more recent novels, but I loved every second of it. Also, can someone please make this show?!

The True Love Experiment is an absolute joy—I stayed up til 1 in the morning to finish and left with with such happiness in my heart. Fizzy, a romance author, has lost her spark after being burned by love. Connor Prince wants nothing more than to make documentaries, but his profit-minded boss has a different idea: a reality dating show. And when Connor meets Fizzy, he knows he found his star—if only the two could keep away from each other. Oh this book—it was funny, it was witty, it had so much heart. I would absolutely watch the reality show these two put together and be dying for a new episode every week, especially with how Fizzy made it her own (romance readers are going to love it). And Fizzy just sparkles. She’s flawed and unapologetically honest and herself, she’s loud and fun and I just adored her. Plus Jess (from The Soulmate Equation) and Fizzy are friendship goals with their wordless talks and endless love and support. It’s beautiful! And Connor! These two have the most amazing, electric chemistry, and I love how they start as enemies to lovers and build such an honest friendship. It’s steamy and sexy and there’s so much love! This book is also such a beautiful ode to the genre of romance, highlighting all the best parts of romance reading. Honestly I could just keep gushing about it, this is definitely a new favorite book of mine!

I truly loved The Soulmate Equation, so when I found out that 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 was going to feature Fizzy’s story, Jess’s best friend, I was super excited!

Of course it lived up to the hype! This romcom was fun, spicy, and sincere.

Christina Lauren can do no wrong! I loved The Soulmate Equation so I was very excited to get approved for this arc. It was so so good! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review!

As a fan of Christina Lauren, I am not surprised that “The True Love Experiment” is just as good as their other entries in the romance genre. It’s hot, sexy, witty, and charming. One of my favorites I’ve read this year so far. The characters felt real and well fleshed out. I anticipated the twist, however its execution was sweet and great!!! Love love loved this one!

Fizzy is a hoot! What a great main character! The chemistry with Connor was perfect! And I mean who doesn't love a hot single dad?! I love reality TV so I was hooked and devoured this book. This book didn't disappoint!

I love Christina Lauren, and was so excited to get this ARC from netgalley. I loved The Soulmate Equation and I was so excited for Fizzy’s story. They did not disappoint. It was so fun to dive into her world and the chemistry between her and Connor was 😍🥵. This book was absolute perfection.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC!

I really liked having Fizzy as a main character in this one! She is cheeky and improper and such a fun personality.
Connor was also a great male lead. He was quiet and stoic and their banter was top notch!
I also loved getting just the smallest glimpse back at River and Jess.
I think this one also was a little faster to get the plot going than The Soulmate Equation did. The conflict that arises made sense and I thought it fit the characters well.
I do think that I prefer The Soulmate Equation maybe a little more, but I loved them both!
CW/TW: sexual content, cursing, infidelity

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.

Fizzy and Conner are instantly drawn to each other, but they know that they are supposed to be keeping their relationship professional. However, they can't help but fall for each other, and they soon find themselves in a passionate romance. However, their relationship is not without its challenges. Fizzy is still struggling with her trust issues, and Conner is dealing with his own personal demons. But despite the obstacles, they are determined to make their relationship work.
There are a few CL books I just love. This one was not one of them. That's not to say it was bad, it just wasn't for me.

Christina Lauren can be hit or miss for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the storyline/romance of this one. Fizzy and Connor are good matches, and also omg I'm a sucker for a single dad in fiction.