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.

Another winner for Christina Lauren! As always this pair had me laughing and swooning from begging to end. A great read! Can’t wait for their next one.

Fizzy and Connor provoked me a swarm of butterflies in my stomach so big that I still after finish the book I can't control it, what an entertaining, funny and sexy story, it is UNPUTDOWNABLE
Christina Lauren's stories always leave my heart warm with all the emotions and this one exceeded all my expectations, it is one of their best works to date. Brilliant!

Fizzy is such a fun heroine, she is such a bubbly character, so unique and sincere, I love her so much and Connor, gahh he is so sweet and sexy, you can't help but fall in love with him, their dialogues had me smiling, i loved the easy familiarity between them, their electrifying chemistry is latent through the pages and it had me turning the pages without blinking, their banter is off the charts and their deep and intense connection is off the charts! Love them

I loved the premise of the book, it is different and original, it is perfect for all romance readers, it made me laugh out loud, sigh and fall in love with the characters, sweet, steamy, hilarious and with an emotional edge, The True Love Experiment is an addictive and passionate romance that will captivate you from start to finish! Get ready for all the feelings!

Christina Lauren!! How I love and adore you!! This book was everything. But more than it’s safe to say, it’s already one of the best reads that I have read this year, despite it being the beginning of the year. But I just know it’s going to make it into the list of my “top reads”
Fizzy was such a layered character, there was so much more than the face value. I loved how compatible the love internet was. Their romance, and chemistry was so palpable; and Fizzy’s wit and humour made me laugh every now and then. Getting to see the little tidbits of the previous couple from the very same world was another added bonus. In a nutshell, I couldn’t put this down. I highly enjoyed it!!

I am obsessed with this book. I loved The Soulmate Equation, and the next book in the series was even better than the first. Fizzy and Connor had SERIOUS chemistry, and the plot was fresh and original. Their banter was my favorite part, and the spicy scenes were SPICY. Absolutely adored TTLE!! <3

Loved this book as much as the first one! You can't help but root for the main characters from the start. Another hit by Christins Lauren. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #TrueLoveExperiment

I adored the Soulmate Equation, but the True Love Experiment was beyond what I expected it could be. As a fan of TSE, I was concerned over whether the authors--extraordinary as they are--would do Fizzy's story justice. But they exceeded my expectations. For a brief second, when the MMC was introduced as English, I was concerned that the dialogue would seem forced like it did a little with their Beautiful Stranger book. But this book was just right. No notes, no complaints. 6 out of 5 stars, would definitely recommend.

The depth of these characters, the swoooony tension of their love story. Let me tell you I was so excited for this amazing, hilarious, kind, strong character, Fizzy, to get her own story! And it was such a good story! How she comes to see love, how she grows in relation to her family and work, and all of her hilarious and sometimes censor worthy quips. I just love her, I think because in some ways she reminds me of my college best friend. Anyway, I adored this story.

And Connor! I mean, who could be worthy of Fizzy, someone who oozes kindness and hilarity. Someone everyone wants to be around. She is amazing, so it’s sort of fitting that we see her with all of these hero archetypes. But Connor is truly worthy. His kindness, his willingness to learn and change and be whatever she needs. And his relationship with his daughter! AGH! His character was so damn likable, I’d love to just be both their best friends, please. 😅

Also, dual point of view. 🥰
Spice warning, if you’re happy about it or desire to avoid it like me, know it’s there. But even skipping it, the tension is perfect.

I have the audiobook on preorder, and I’m SO EXCITED to see who they cast in those dual points of view for it. 😁

I watched so many Bachelor and Bachelorette shows growing up, that I'm kinda over them at this point. But put them in a rom-com and I am all over them! This is definitely the case with The True Love Experiment.

We first meet Fizzy in The Soulmate Equation where she hangs out a lot with her bestie Jess. She's a super fun and bubbly character who is a romance author and has a fun social/dating life. Fast forward a bit and Fizzy is struggling with not only her romantic life, but also writing her next romance. She's lost her muse and is having a hard time getting her words down.

Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker and single father. He's not big on reality types of TV shows, but his boss tells him the network needs him to come up with something big. When Connor realizes that his ex-wife's favorite romance author is Felicity Chen aka Fizzy -a beautiful woman who Connor recently saw at a bar - Connor immediately realizes this is who he wants for the reality show. But their first encounter doesn't exactly end on good terms. Felicity thinks Connor is a bit of a douche-bag and immediately says no to the show, unless Connor agrees to her very specific terms. When Connor says yes, Fizzy realizes this could be fun and she could potentially find her soulmate. The more these two work together, the more they realize that their chemistry seems to be flaring offset while the rest of the contestants wonder who Fizzy will end up picking.

Recent Christina Lauren books have been hit and miss for me. But The True Love Experiment was a definite YES. I loved Fizzy's character so much, which isn't a surprise because I also loved her in The Soulmate Equation. She's fun, bubbly and appears to be so carefree. It's only when we get to know her that we realize she has insecurities and vulnerabilities too. The fact that she's a romance author is *chefs kiss*. I loved those passages when she talks about how so many people look down upon the genre, and for what? I feel her vulnerabilities so much - not only with her writing, but with her family too.

Here am I am, proven a liar again when I say I don't like single parent romances. Because Connor is so lovely and so caring with his daughter. He's not perfect, and I love that he owns up to his past as ugly as it might be. His relationship with his daughter and his ex-wife were honestly always so fun and added a lot to the story.

The True Love Experiment had me laughing out loud, but also pulling on my heart strings. There were some beautiful angsty moments where I had tears rolling down my eyes. I just wanted Fizzy and Connor to be happy together. If you're looking for a rom-com with great banter, humor and a spicy romance I highly recommend The True Love Experiment.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you liked The Soulmate Equation, you are going to love The True Love Experiment!

Maybe I was just in the mood for a solid romance, but I couldn't put this down. When I first started reading, I wasn't that excited, it sounded like a book I read recently and it was just ok. Of course, I underestimated how fun Christina Lauren books are!

Fizzy is a romance writer who has totally lost her mojo. She is approached about being on a reality dating show and at first, she isn't interested, but the more she thinks about it, why not? She hasn't written anything in forever and her book is DUE any day now. She needs something to make her feel like herself again.

Connor has been tasked with producing a reality dating show, when he couldn't be less interested in "trashy TV." When he decides to cast Fizzy as the lead, he isn't sure what he's getting himself into, but he knows she is charismatic and has a large following of romance reader fans.

They have both given up on finding true love, but this show might just be the kick they need.

I loved this book so much! It was funny and sweet and so enjoyable to read. Fans of the bachelor and saying shows will get a kick out of this book. Christina and Lauren have done it again, they are such a fantastic writing duo. I did find some elements of this book to be predicable but I didn't care in the least! I still read every page and couldn't wait to read more. Perfect book for the summer!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book!

This is my first Christina Lauren book to read and it is hands down amazing. The book is a must read for all romance fans. The storyline was uniqueness such a fun ride. I can’t recommend this book enough. All of the characters were very well rounded.

The True Love Experiment is easily my favorite book that CLo has written in a long time. Well, maybe since Soulmate Equation? lol. I loved reading the banter and intense longing in this book so much. Fizzy is in a writing and dating slump. She agrees to star in a reality dating show to help her get out of both slumps. But what she doesn't expect is the producer to keeps her on her toes and in her feels. Connor is a single dad who isn't really excited about producing this dating show or about romance in general. But he does change his mind.

This book is a sort of love letter to romance writers and readers. It's all of the things that we as readers want in a book. It's smart and funny. It's thoughtful and steamy. It's the Christina Lauren that we love and why we have been reading their books for years. Be prepared for me to shout about this book all year long.

I enjoyed The True Love Experiment, but I also found myself wanting more from it. I was a little taken aback by how Fizzy’s character plays out as a protagonist—for someone who sometimes demonstrates so much self awareness, she says and does so many really dumb things, seemingly for the plot—and found myself very frustrated with her at times. I was also annoyed by the eventual conflict between her and Connor, which seemed to spring up from nowhere and get resolved too quickly given the hurts both characters expressed. The “twist” at the end is one I could see coming from miles away. And although I agreed with 100% of the points about romance, they seemed clunky here, like something the authors wanted to say rather than what the characters would say in the moment.

But all that said….this book is also a very fun read. Christina Lauren knows how to write banter and chemistry, and despite my objections, the book ended up sweeping me away. This is one I recommend for the Christina Lauren fans.

Final rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an early review copy! All opinions are my own.