CLo never misses! Another funny, warm, well-paced, and obviously*spicy* read which felt like a gift to romance readers. Fizzy and Conner's love wasn't just sweet and sexy, but felt real and vulnerable too. The best books have lessons and lines that stay with you and change you, and this book came with a new favorite: this genre and it's amazing community should never make anyone feel "guilty" to be a part of!

As per usual, I was such a fan of a Christina Lauren’s latest book. Fizzy is so lovable, as was Connor. I liked the idea of him being British but unless I listened to this, I kept forgetting so it didn’t seem necessary. I was captivated by their story early on and I was so glad we didn’t have to wait until the end for things to happen for them. Recommending it to all my friends!

This is for sure my new favorite Christina Lauren book! I loved so many things about this book…here are just a few:

1- Fizzy and Connor are amazing characters that draw you in and make you feel all the feels! On top of them, the supporting characters are top notch and I loved them all!! I mean they made an ex-wife lovable and relatable!
2- it’s a sequel to The Soulmate Equation!
3- The epic SLOW BURN for the first 40% of the book 🔥
4- The flirting between Fizzy and everyone. Intentional or not!
5- The ending! I mean that is what HEA is all about ❤️

Now I shall just sit and wait for a sequel to this, because I NEED more of Fizzy and Connor’s story! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I cannot wait to recommend this to EVERYONE!!

I have been a massive fan of Christina Lauren since I first read Love and Other Words. It was such a privilege to get the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The True Love Experiment.

This story in itself is a love letter to those of us who love romance. I’ve never been able to articulate exactly what it is I love so much about reading romance until I read how Fizzy explains the “fantasy of significance.”

I loved this story and the characters in it from start to finish. This will sound silly, as I’m a grown adult woman, but I had a nightmare and being able to pick this story back up and read until I felt better was a true tonic.

Lastly, I love reading the acknowledgments…and as a bookseller I truly appreciate Christina Lauren’s best wishes for our skin.

All this to say, we cannot wait to bring in The True Love experiment to the store this summer (we also plan to bring in additional copies of The Soulmate Equation.)

Thank you for the advanced copy!

I have been waiting for Fizzys novel, and this did not disappoint! The plot was one I haven't read before. in this year 2023 it is refreshing to find a new storyline that I haven't read.

The spice was 10/10. No one does cute, witty banter like C.Lo and I giggled out loud in so many places I had to tell my co-worker what was going on in the story. I enjoyed the slow burn and the chemistry.
I hope Christina Lauren writes books forever! <3

This book was very fun, with a forbidden love trope, and a reality dating show to boot. My favorite aspects are always the getting-to-know-each other parts, and I did feel like that part was sped through for the sake of steamy scenes, but I would say that’s a common complaint I have. It’s a solid Christina Lauren book and I think I liked it better than the first one, The Soulmate Equation. Jess’ best friend Fizzy is just dynamic and fun.

Totally loved from cover to cover! Great characters, funny and sweet, and perfect pacing. I loved the reality show premise and enjoyed the two kids with their fandom. More like this please!

I love all things Christina Lauren. Any book by that dynamic duo is an auto-buy for me! I loved Fizzy in Soulmate Equation. And I was over the moon to see her get her chance in the spotlight. I love Fizzy and sparkling personality.

Christina Lauren has done it again with The True Love Experiment! This book was great. These ladies write some of the best dialogue out there. The characters are full of passion and intensity. I highly recommend this adorable romantic story! Get ready to experience all the feelings.

What a ride! This book was so much fun! I have to admit that I have never EVER liked reality TV shows, but I would fangirl like crazy if there was an actual True Love Experiment show with actual Connor and Fizzy’s on it. In true Christina Lauren fashion, the dialogue between the hero and heroine had me literally laughing out loud more times than I can count. (Seriously, they write the BEST dialogue). At first I was a tad bit shocked at how direct and bawdy Fizzy is, but that’s only because I’m used to reading romance novel heroine’s who are shy and quiet. (In other words…BORING). I will say if you’re looking for a book with soft, flowery words and tear-inducing lovemaking then this probably isn’t the one for you. If, on the other hand, you like your lovin’ a little rough around the edges, intensely passionate, and earth-shattering then I highly recommend this book. As always, Christina and Lauren have once again served up a delicious treat that has left me happy, satiated, and eagerly awaiting the next wild ride. Well done, ladies! WELL.DONE!

A great second book in the DNAduo world. I loved the enemies to friends, lovers relationship. I also really wish this dating show actually existed. Can someone please make this happen? If you like the first book you will enjoy this one.

CL have described this as a love letter to the romance genre and that's absolutely what it is. It's charming, with lots of yearning and characters who know themselves, a good bit of steam and a satisfying HEA.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

The dynamic duo of Christina Lauren has done it again! I don't know how they keep churning out books that I love, but once again I was floored!

Fizzy is all the best things that we're looking for in a modern day heroine. And the fact that she's a steamy romance writer who joins a dating show were she insists all her paramours fit in romance trope archetypes was JUST PERFECT for this romance lover.

I love her honesty and frankness. I love Connor's relationship with his daughter and even his ex. All in all, a beautiful, fun, fresh novel!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Felicity Chen also know as "Fizzy" is a romance author that is feeling down on her luck with men. She's never really been in love like her friend and her sister. One day, she's approached by a handsome man named Conner who is forced by his boss to produce a dating show. He thinks Fizzy would be the perfect candidate. When they start to have connection, Fizzy wonders if she has already found her soulmate.

THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT was a delight to read. I love the banter and connection between Fizzy and Conner. I laughed out loud several times. Fizzy is a firecracker and knows what she wants. Conner was easily drawn to her and I loved seeing this story play out. I highly recommend this adorable love story. It was very cute.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

This is definitely a new favorite Christina Lauren book!! A MUST read for all romance fans and the perfect sequel to The Soulmate Equation. I loved the Soulmate Equation and so I could not wait to read this one. I loved Fizzy's story so much, she's a strong character who was perfectly balanced by Connor.

Fizzy is a romance author who has lost her faith in love. Connor is an environmental documentary producer who has just been roped into filming the next reality dating show. Together, sparks fly as they try to find Fizzy's soulmate and make the next big hit in reality tv.

I love @christinalauren. Her books always make me happy. I love the banter between Fizzy and Connor. Honestly, I just love Fizzy's character in general. She says whatever is on her mind, and her personality is so fun. I also got a kick out of the guys on the dating show. You don't get to learn too much about them, but their representation of different romantic archetypes was great. Overall, this was a fun read chemistry and spice.

This took me a little bit to get into, but once I was in, I was hooked! I love Fizzy and Connor's chemistry. The way the book took shape was so fun. I loved their joy experiments and how they interacted with each other's family and friends, It was just a lovely, fun read!

Another wonderful love story from Lauren. Fizzy has got to be one of the most joyful and cool characters ever written. Imagine saying whatever comes to mind but it comes out funny and effortlessly cool rather than awkward and strange. Conner is swoony and their chemistry is fire. I hate reality TV and dating reality TV the most but I would watch this. Loved the hero archetypes, flat out hilarious. Also loved the friendships and the close, strong families. Huge thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I've read quite a few of Christina Lauren's books over the years and THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT might be the best yet. While one does not necessarily need to have read THE SOULMATE EQUATION first, I would recommend it as it gives more context for what DNADuo is and how it works (plus, it will mean more when you see Jess, River, and Juno on the page).

Felicity "Fizzy" Chen is what makes THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT. As a character, she just jumps off the page. She's such a vibrant and adorable heroine. Connor is also delightful, but Fizzy is the star. She is someone you want to be friends with and to have present at every get-together for the guaranteed fun she'll bring. She's also hilarious. Her banter with all the characters--especially Connor--is wonderful. I love how authentic and unapologetic she is.

The ending of the story is also fantastic. Everything comes together in the most perfect way--and the only way that would result in such a satisfying conclusion. Christina Lauren did so well with the story arc and tying of loose ends.

The reason why I am giving THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT four stars instead of five is because of all the unconscious bias and dated language that really should have been caught by the editing team. This is 2022/2023. We should not be seeing these issues. For example, in general, race is only specified when the dude isn't white, which assumes that white is the default race...which is problematic. Additionally, the language used when describing race needs to be much more specific. For example, when we first meet Dax, he's described as "a beautiful Asian man". What does that even mean? East Asian? South Asian? Southeast Asian? Central Asian? etc. etc. etc. We find out soon after that he's third-generation Korean American, so in that case he really should have been described as "a beautiful east Asian-looking man." Or something to the effect of that. Just something more specific. Finally, the phrase "knocked up" is used. I realize most people might not be familiar with the term's racist history, but this is where having a diverse editing team would come in handy. Clearly some research or something was done because the wedding traditions were portrayed accurately. Just wish this amount of effort was applied to the rest of the work. Publishing needs to do better.

5 stars

There's something truly addictive about the entire Christina Lauren universe, and I was thrilled to see that this follow-up (at least in the sense that it's in the same world) to _The Soulmate Equation_ was up next. As is so frequently the case with these authors, they - once again - prove why they are so beloved.

Fizzy, the m.c., a.k.a. Jess's best friend from the preceding book, is in a real dry spell. She's not writing, and her ideas about love are somewhat dire at this stage. These are both central challenges for a romance writer. When she's approached by Connor, a blindingly charming and attractive fella who wants her to star in a _Bachelorette_-type reality show that he'll produce, she makes a hilarious list of demands and goes on a quest to see if all hope really is lost in her romantic life. Guess what? It definitely isn't.

Though Fizzy has the worst name of any of CL's characters, she also has one of the more intriguing personalities, and the same can be said for Connor, whose lack of crappy patriarchal nonsense is a real refresher, especially in a genre that lives for that sort of creep. Some of the conflict in here feels a little wacky, but other than that, the banter, the chemistry, the general plotlines... Well. Most readers will find that this book is a platinum match with their tastes.

It was so much fun to go back to this universe and to spend time with these characters. CL never leads us astray, and this is one of my favorites of theirs hands down. Their fans will not be disappointed.