User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Oh yesssss. I got one of my favorite romance duo’s books and celebrating with happy dance (I made a change and forced my mother in law and husband dance for me this time which was pathetic experience. They don’t know what the meaning of rhythm is!!!) but well, I got a little disappointed from my read. This is definitely not what I was invested for….
FACTS ABOUT THE BOOK:
You want to send friend requests to those beautiful characters and wear BFF bracelets:
Lately I read “Twice in a Blue Moon” and I think so far that was the worst book of the duo. I couldn’t believe that was the work of this incredible couple. Thankfully this book is not a big disappointment like that one because we have likable hero and heroine and their back stories are perfectly developed. It’s impossible not to feel for Carey, a small town girl, started to work for couple when she was only 16, they slowly replace the place of her family. They became partly her mother and father, uncle and aunt, close friends etc. So she formed an emotional bound with them.
She has her own insecurities, secrets and she needs this job so bad because of her personal reasons but after 10 years, the relationship balances changed between her and the couple. They turned into spoiled kids meet dictatorial narcissistic maniacs and she is trapped with the couple who hate each other passionately.
And James: nerd hottie engineer of your dreams is also trapped in this job (he wasn’t even hired for engineering skills, they wanted him to babysit Rusty- flirty, adventurous, childish man who needs to be controlled 24/7-) because the previous company he worked for got involved into a scandal so he didn’t have too much job choices.
He just dived into this one and made the mistake of his life.
So many resemblances with Netflix’s “Set it up” movie:
At “Set it up” two corporate executive assistants suffered from their exploiter, workaholic, selfish bosses’ never ending demands and they decide matchmaking them to get their lives back. In this story, those selfish assholes are already married and two young assistants are stuck with their childish, illogical demands, doing their best to make them not choke each other for the sake of their work.
I think if Jen Aniston and Brad Pitt would stay married, they could turn into real versions of Rusty and Melissa. Their character development matched so good with them.
Romance parts are failed for me because they were haphazard, sudden:
They never attracted each other but after spending only few days, they were smitten and I couldn’t process how they fell in love and of course something James did (I’m not gonna spill the beans) wasn’t so forgivable for me. We wasted so much time about their work environments and this asshole couple’s non-stop spoiled brat acting. When we finish the first half of the book, we barely see the attraction of James and Carey.
OVERALL:
I gave 3.25 stars so it is solid 3 stars read for me. The resemblances of the Netflix movie (I’m sorry to say but movie was better rom-com, at least asshole bosses are more likable. Oh, please! We’re talking about Lucy Liu and charming Taye Diggs!), lack of hot chemistry and emotional parts shaped my decision about this quick read. As a humorous fiction, this book worked for me with its satisfyingly fair ending but romance parts failed for me. I love this duo so so so so much. If I have a time, I still want to reread some of their works including “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating” but this is not as good as their previous works and I expected more and more!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Galley Books to share one of my favorite duo’s book’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.
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Rating: really liked it
Part of the reason I had a difficult time connecting with this novel isn't because it is poorly written or flawed, but because my expectations were in a completely different place than the direction that this book chose to take. This clearly isn't the fault of the authors, simply a missed connection on my side. Like many other readers, I'm a bonafide fan of the classic Christina Lauren rom com, and feel that no one can deliver a belly busting laugh quite like this lovable duo. That said, I think the team is starting to take their books in more of a women's/contemporary fiction direction, with lighter romance and a more serious tone. I applaud them for staying true to what they want to write, and while this new style isn't my particular go-to, I hope that readers who thoroughly enjoy the genre will find these books and devour them heartily. If you enjoy a read that is lighter on the romance, but still features a love story worth cheering for, please give this one a try for yourself!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
The Middle is Good
The Honey Don’t List is a romance about two personal assistants who find love while trying to keep their bosses’ marriage from imploding. Carey has been working for Melissa (Melly) and Rusty Tripp since she was 16. Now Carey is 26 years old and works as Tripp's assistant. Carey has watched the Tripp's rise to fame for their home improvement ideas. The couple has their own HGTV shows, written best-selling books, and have a new show about to launch on Netflix. The only thing is their perfect marriage has turned into one giant sham. Carey takes care of all the work behind the scenes, including helping Melly and Rusty keep up the pretense of having the perfect marriage. When James joins the staff as an engineer, he finds that his job is more looking after Rusty than doing the work he desires. Carey and James’ relationship is prickly, but when the two accompany the Tripp’s on a book signing tour, the two find themselves becoming allies and then something more. Will their newly developing relationship survive the trip or will the demands of the Tripp’s ruin their relationship before it even gets off the ground?
I enjoyed The Honey-Don't List, but I didn’t love it. It’s a light and fluffy easy read, but the focus on The Tripp's and rushed romance between Carey and James annoyed me. The beginning was a little grueling, as it focuses mostly on the Tripp's. The ending was rushed and it didn’t feel like Carey and James’ relationship ever had a chance to properly develop. They spend two weeks together, fall in love, and then after a brief blip, it’s HEA.
I loved the middle part of the book when Carey and James begin their romantic relationship, but there just wasn't enough time spent on them to make me root for them in the end. The Honey-Don't List is a little different than previous CL novels, which was nice, but it's also missing the spark seen in their other books. It’s not full of snark or wit like in Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, nor is it filled with an intensity that is shown in Love and Other Words. I liked Carey’s character a lot and Jame’s character is decent, but he is underdeveloped. Overall, I wish there had been more time spent on James and Carey’s budding relationship vs the awful people they work for. While not a favorite, it served its purpose as an enjoyable escape read. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Thus far I’ve really enjoyed Christina Lauren’s books. They provide the right amount of angst vs. steam. 🤗 This book definitely had some of that. But something felt a bit off with the story to me. It could be that I kept picturing Chip and Jo Gaines.....🤷🏼♀️ Which made me not like the HGTV aspects of this book. It was still an entertaining read. 🙂
Rating: really liked it
I have to be honest, y'all. I think I have fallen out of love with Christina Lauren's new brand of romance. I was definitely into the less-smutty books they were putting out at first, but with each new release I find myself more bored than the last and really, really missing the raunchy smut they used to deliver. This book wasn't necessarily bad, but I feel like it really lacked personality and was just... boring. I am a sad panda because I wanted so desperately to love this but I clearly did not :c
Rating: really liked it
Oh, wow. I see a lot of people didn't care for this one.
I really liked it, although looking at some of the other reviews, I think your mileage may vary.
It reminded me of a mashup of one of those goofy HGTV 'couples shows' that I've never watched but am sort of aware of out of the side of my eye, and that Netflix Rom-com about the two assistants that hate their bosses and end up falling for each other.
I had to go look and it's called Set It Up. Very cute little movie if you haven't seen it yet.
Ok.
So, the gist is that you have this talented power couple, Melissa & Rusty Tripp. They're part of a hit design show, preparing for their own solo show to drop on Netflix, and heading out on a bus tour to promote their new book on marriage. He's a laid back goofy guy and she's the adorable glue that keeps their world turning.
They are just PERFECT.
Except they aren't. <--any of that!
He's drunk 99% of the time and fucking a co-star, and she's an uptight monster that rules her domain with tiny iron claws.
Now, I don't know about
you, but every time I see one of these
happy couples from reality tv plastered all over magazines, usually with some caption squeaking about how Karen McPerfect is going to share the secrets of how she and Chad McPerfect have
kept the passion alive in their marriage?
Ahahhahaha!
Yeah. No.
Not for one second do I believe that those people are happy. Or at least that they are any happier than the rest of us are in our relationships. PLUS, I always assume that it must suck donkey balls to have to smile and pretend that your other half doesn't wear your nerves with their nonsense?
*shudder*
If the ability to eat and pay our mortgage depended on continually propping up the image that my husband & I were always madly in love with each other?
We'd be two hobos fighting over a can of beans right now.
Enter the assistants, Carey & James, who after walking in on Rusty banging a former Miss America in the sound room, have been relegated to babysitting the increasingly volatile couple while on the book tour circuit.
Carey has been with the Tripps since she was a teenager and has a lot of complicated history with the couple. She does far more for Melissa than just get her dry cleaning and keep her schedule straight, but to the outside world, she's just a high school dropout that was lucky to hook up with the Tripps when she did. James, on the other hand, has only been Rusty's assistant for a few months. He's an engineer (which was the job he actually applied for) coming from a disgraced company and needs this gig to help him get the stink off of his resume.
Normally Rusty and Melissa avoid each other, so James & Carey aren't around each other much.
However, this new turn of events pushes them into close quarters for the duration of the tour, and while they are completely different on the surface, they grudgingly come to not only respect but truly
like each other.
More than like, in fact.<--because this is a romance, goddammit!
*wink, wink, nudge, nudge* 
So how does it all end?
Or something like that...Anyway. It thought it was a cute story. Christian Lauren is somewhat hit or miss with me when it comes to these chick-lit
ish romances, but this time around it was a win.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 🌟
I do not understand the mixed reviews for this, and quite frankly don’t want to, because I LOVED this!
For any good story to leave an impact on me I have to love the characters and I loved them a ton. They both come from somewhat broken backgrounds and whilst sorting through their mess, they formed the sweetest relationship.
I loved the backdrop of interior design we had, how the focus wasn’t just on our main characters but on the people that were around them as well, and seeing what role they played and the impact they had.
I just... want to sing it’s praises tbh. I can’t wait for a reread already.
—————————
They’re back at it again.
This’ll be an easy preorder.
Get in me basket you!
Rating: really liked it
okay. so. this isnt quite like any other CL novel ive read before. when picking up a CL book, ive come to except either a really funny story or a really touching story. and this is neither. this is pleasant enough, but its missing that classic CL charm that i have come to know and love.
and although i didnt quite fall in love with this, there is still much that i enjoyed. the writing is nice, the story is well paced, and the plot is unique (perfect for fans of chip and joanna gaines!). its also really refreshing to read some of the story from the guys POV, as well. i thought it was a breath of fresh air when (view spoiler)
[james is the one who develops a crush first, as its usually the female MC who does. (hide spoiler)]overall, this isnt bad. its probably more accurately a really good 3 star book, but im rounding up because im such a fan of CL.
massive thanks to gallery books for the ARC!↠ 3.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
Well, the dynamic duo are back! (Cue the applause and cheers!)After reading the last release
Twice In A Blue Moon by this amazing writing team it seemed their magic was waning. Perish the thought! With this newest read they once again rise to the top of their game!
Do you watch HDTV? Those countless, mind-numbing renovation shows where a couple create someone’s dream home. Or perhaps flip a dive of a house into something beautiful? They’ve created an empire on their names, fame and creativity. Fair enough. But what happens when things start to go south?
Melly and Rusty are the latest king & queen of home-reno. Now it’s time to take the show on the road for the mandatory promotional tour. Guest appearances, autograph signing, etc. Except everything seems to be coming apart at the seams!
Enter the personal assistants!Carey Douglas has been with team Melly and Rusty since they were a humble local storefront. The only job she has ever had!
James McCann is an engineer by training but due to a scandal with his previous employer, this is the only job he could get.That’s gotta’ hurt! A title of Engineer, but at the end of the day…Rustys’ errand boy.
Together, James and Carey have their hands full and must work together to keep their employers in line long enough to complete the tour.
A delightful, quick rom-com that I devoured so quickly I was shocked when reached the end! This may have lacked some of the previous biting, snarkiness, but was sweet, engaging and back to the clever humor that we’ve grown to love from this pair of writers. Joy!
Don’t miss out on the acknowledgement at the end! Gives you a true insight into the development of this book and their respect for each other. Fascinating! We could probably all take lessons from their working relationship!
A fabulous buddy read with Susanne that we both really enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Brenner at Gallery Books and Christina Lauren for an ARC to read and review.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars 
I love a good slow burn romance and this one was great. It had sweet and heartfelt moments, funny moments, and overall entertained me.
Carey has been Melissa Tripp's assistant for a long while. In fact, she's worked for the Tripps her entire adult life. James has recently started and he is an engineer, but also assisting Rusty Tripp. The Tripps are a DIY power couple with a show and now a book deal. The problem... they can't stand each other. While on a book tour, their assistants have to go to keep them in line. And it's a wild ride.
I really loved the romance aspect of this book, but there was so much about the couple that Carey and James worked for... I do wish that part wasn't such a big piece of the story. If this would have focused more heavily on the main couple and their romance, it may have been a 5 for me. I loved these two so much! I honestly think this book is more women's fiction than romance, though I loved the romance so much!
I feel visable for the first time in maybe forever- but it isn't scary. Being with James is like standing in the softest, most flattering spotlight.
Christina Lauren are such a strong writing duo. Their words flow seamlessly, and I enjoyed their newest book lots. If you're looking for a work-place romance that has that delicious slow burn, pick up
The Honey-Don't List.
Rating: really liked it
This book was very meh unfortunately. I love Christina Lauren with all my heart and soul but this book was just not it. This book was lacking that Christina Lauren spark and magic and charm that I love so much about their books. We follow these characters Carey and James as they are working for these celebrities Rusty and Melissa who have this home decorating show and a book and they are just
super famous. Carey and James are forced to go with them on their upcoming book tour to avoid disaster and along the way they start to have feelings for each other.
I feel like this story was way too focused on the Rusty/Melissa Tripp drama and I just couldn’t care less about them or their tv show or their publicity stunts. The romance between Carey and James was cute enough, but at the same time I felt like I never really connected with their characters and I wasn’t rooting for them to get together.
I feel like this book was trying to be many things at once: at times it felt like a dramatic soap opera with the Tripps and their drama, and then it felt like a thriller with the interview clips from the detective asking these characters what happened, I thought it was leading to something crazy like murder or something! But it was very underwhelming and nothing even close to what I was expecting.
Unfortunately this is another Christina Lauren book that just didn’t work for me. I feel so terrible for disliking the last two books they’ve published, but The Unhoneymooners is one of my favorite books of all time, so I’m desperate for something that fun to read again. I’ll always read anything they write, but this one just wasn’t for me.
Huge thanks to Kristin Dwyer and Gallery Books for sending me an ARC of this book!
Rating: really liked it
Many thanks to Rachel at Gallery Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review "Relationships are a lot like houses: without a good foundation, they'll crumble."
3.5 stars... sigh... this book was definitely an improvement compared to
Twice In a Blue Moon but I must say that I am still pretty disappointed.
So, what's this book about? Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on the verge of superstardom. There’s only one problem: America’s favorite couple can’t stand each other.
James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was originally hired as a structural engineer, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. The last straw? Both he and Carey must go on book tour with the Tripps and keep the wheels from falling off the proverbial bus.
Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together…
As Chelsea said in her amazing review, Christina Lauren seems to be change their style more towards women's fiction which isn't a bad thing. I just miss the romance style of
The Unhoneymooners.
I was not totally a fan of the TV show host drama because it felt like a bit of a jab towards TV hosts in real life. I also hated the way Melissa treated everyone and how it wasn't ever really dealt with.
I did enjoy the relationship between James and Carey though. It was sweet and I enjoy the occasional semi-insta-love story.
Overall, this book wasn't that bad. The problem was that I went into it with low expectations which ended up making me pessimistic but the book ended up being okay.
Bottom Line:
3.5 stars
Age Rating - [ PG-13 ]
Content Screening (Mild Spoilers)
Positive Messages (...?)
Violence (1/5) - [Brief violence]
Sex (2/5) - [Sexual themes, Off-page sex scene]
Language (1/5) - [Brief use of Sh*t, D*mn, F*ck]
Drinking/Drugs (3/5) - [Alcohol consumption]
Trigger and Content Warnings - Violence, Divorce
Publication Date: March 24th, 2020
Publisher: Gallery Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Genre: Romance/Contemporary
*************
3.5 stars. It was good but still pretty eh. Less eh than TIABM tho so that’s good. Review to come
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fingers crossed I'll be in the minority and absolutely love this
**************
[10/17/19] - this cover is not as creative as i hoped it would be
***************
[9/15/19] - I really hope this one ends up being better than Twice In A Blue Moon
***************
just kidding. keep 'em coming.
i've already gotten myself placed on the mailing list
***************
SLOW DOWN
I HAVEN'T EVEN READ Twice in a Blue Moon YET
I NEED MORE TIME
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Rating: really liked it
3.85 Stars
Nothing in Life Comes Easy - and that Includes Love, especially When Your Career is on the Line!Carey Douglas’ life has revolved around Melissa and Rusty Tripp since she was Sixteen-Years old. What was once just a small store in Wyoming has become a TV empire and a book deal for the Tripps about their happy marriage and none of it would be possible without Carey, now Twenty-Six.
James is an Engineer, whose life fell apart after his former company was involved in a major scandal. Now, he’s been hired to be the Engineer on Home Sweet Home, the Tripps Netflix series, which basically amounts to being Rusty’s right hand.
Life seems uber glamorous for the Tripps, who are social media darlings, until the sh&t hits the fan. Life is not a box of chocolates for this power couple who are about to embark on a Book Tour. It turns out that the couple’s marriage is a sham. Now it’s up to Carey and James to save the day.
“The Honey Don’t List” isn’t exactly your typical rom com and it isn’t what we fans of Christina Lauren might have been waiting for after the likes of: “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating,” “Roomies,” “Dating You Hating You” and “My Favorite Half Night Stand” just to name a few. There aren’t any laugh out loud sarcastic, snarky back and forth repartees or any sexy funny comments that will make you roll on the floor laughing - which we’ve come to expect from Christina Lauren’s other novels. I am still holding out hope that they will start writing those types of novels for us once again! This novel would fall more into the genre of women’s fiction, which is a genre I have grown to like. I truly enjoyed the storyline and the characters of Carey and James and liked how this novel progressed.
Admittedly, I wanted a little something more at the end and felt a tiny little bit let down (hence the reason for the 3.85 star rating v a 4 star rating), but overall I quite enjoyed “The Honey Don’t List” and hope that other readers can separate what they were hoping this novel would be and read and enjoy it for what it is. Another buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Roth and Rachel Brenner at Gallery Books, and Christina Lauren for the arc.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2.2.20.
Rating: really liked it
The Honey-Don’t List had so much potential, but unfortunately there were quite a few missed opportunities.
On the one hand I loved the topic.I’m a big fan of remodeling shows, and can spend hours on Pinterest going through interior design boards. And I definitely love the co-worker trope, it usually comes with forced proximity, which makes for fun times.
But I must admit, this book is the one CLo book that I just couldn’t connect with at all.
For me, the key issue was that the story didn’t focus enough on the main couple, Carey and James.
Instead it was all about Melissa and Rusty Tripp and the mess they made wherever they went. For me the book focused on the wrong couple. Carey and James needed more time together, Because honestly, their relationship could have used more page time. There was no discernible connection or chemistry between them. And that’s pretty unusually for a CLo book. I usually fall in love with their signature trademark banter and sexual attraction. This time it was entirely missing.
On top of that, the book was a bit all over the place. And with that I mean the way it was formatted. There were interview segments, tweets (about the Tripps), and excerpts of a book that didn’t add to Carey and James’s story at all since the book was about the Tripps (again). All of it interrupted the flow of the story. Also, there was way too much behind the scenes stuff of a TV series and a book tour that focused mainly on the Tripps (see where I’m going?) and honestly if you boil it down to the basics, Carey and James felt more like supporting roles than the main couple.
Also, the declaration of love at the end of the novel came a bit out of the blue for me. Maybe because Carey and James’s relationship never felt like it grew out of their budding romance stage. Their love-story was a bit disappointing.
So yes, it hurts to admit but The Honey-Don’t List didn’t deliver the signature CLo style I’ve come to expect and cherish.
On the other hand that just means that I’ll be even more excited about the next book.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
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Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars.
Some people make their assistants do everything, even save their marriage!
Rusty and Melissa Tripp are the darlings of the design world. They’ve taken the world by storm with their designs and their coupledom, starring in a hit show and becoming their own brand. Things are about to take off for real though, as they’re about to release a new book about marriage as well as a new show of their own.
Carey has worked for the Tripps since she was 16, starting out in their first store in Wyoming before anyone knew their names. Ten years later, although officially she’s Melissa’s assistant, her contributions to the Rusty and Melissa brand are far more immeasurable than most know or will acknowledge. And in many ways, she needs the job about as much as they need her.
The thing is, the Tripp’s’ marriage isn’t as solid as it appears. In fact, Rusty wants out, and is doing everything he can to sabotage their relationship. But Melissa will let nothing derail her ambitions, not even her husband. With so much riding on the book and the show, it’s up to Carey and James, the handsome engineer who has become Rusty’s assistant, to protect their image and save them from a public meltdown before the television show premieres.
Stuck working together, little by little they overcome their initial dislike and misconceptions of each other. And as camaraderie grows into something else, just as the Tripps seem to be publicly imploding, Carey and James have to decide—is their own chance at happiness more or less important than saving their jobs and perhaps the Tripps' relationship?
I love the way Christina Lauren writes. (If you've never heard of them before, it's actually two writers behind the Christina Lauren name.) I love how they mesh humor, steam, and emotional depth. While I enjoyed
The Honey-Don't List and tore through it, it didn’t really move me like their others. But it’s still fun and sexy.
If you've never read Christina Lauren before, I'd encourage you to read, in particular,
Love and Other Words, Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, The Unhoneymooners , and
My Favorite Half-Night Stand . They're a great team.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
