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The Honey Don't List is one of those books that was extremely difficult for me to rate. I found myself wavering between DNF and 5 stars even though I definitlely F ed it. Though I contemplated back burnering it a few times, I cared about the protagonists way too much to abandon them. The qualities that repelled me about this book were stylistic or related to the hate worthy secondary couple.Like most of Christina Lauren's work, THDL is very well written and edited, qualities that cannot be taken for granted. When I talk about style in this case, I mean structure and flow. I am not a huge fan of stories that jump around a lot in time or space. This one opens with transcripts of police interviews with Carey and James, the main couple in the novel. Clearly something Very Bad has happened, and the authors return to this gimmick at intervals as the story unwinds. The content of the interviews parallels the development of Carey and James's relationship while building tension in anticipation of the Very Bad Thing. It also makes the reader wonder whether they've toddled into a murder mystery by mistake. I find that, as 2020 winds down, I prefer my romances with less stress rather than , but that's just me.The other device that the authors use are faux social media commentary discussing the state of celebrity renovation experts Melissa and Rusty Tripp's marriage. While these passages punctuate the series of emotional disasters that plague these media darlings, they do little to convey the effect of an online pressure cooker. Sadly, most of the real cheeping I've seen out in birdland is a lot meaner than this. We are meant to believe that reaching the pinnacle of success has segued into the ongoing hell of maintaining that success, with miserable outcomes for the central couples in this story. However, neither social media commentary nor police interviews contribute much than red herrings to the plot.The core of THDL is delivered through James and Carey's alternating first person accounts of the events leading up to the VB Thing. Both James and Carey feel trapped in the whirlwind of the Tripp's home reno empire Carey by a decade of codependent involvement with Melissa and Rusty, James by the necessity of rebuilding his engineering career after his previous employer went down in a sea of scandal. The first thing that grabbed me was how fundamentally likable these two were; the second was the layered, complex nature of their characters. There was so much hidden beneath the surface, and the reader gets to discover it along with the hero and heroine. Carey is so much than an assistant and babysitter to the stars. She is an extremely strong, competent woman who handles her tetchy boss and her health issues with equal aplomb, but has difficulty seeing her own awesomeness due to her working class background and lack of a degree. James is not at all the stuffy engineer he first appears to be. In fact, James may be the first beta type hero I've enthusiastically liked without any reservations. He's so much than a hot bod and a libido, yet he is neither bland nor wimpish. His perceptiveness and his focus when it comes to Carey are way sexier than most boner led book boyfriends. This is not a sweet romance in the conventional sense. Sex happens. It's hot, but it is also tender and emotional and enhances the reader's engagement with these lovers. Both characters were amazing, but I have to confess I've a major soft spot for James.While readers gradually get to know the adorableness of James and Carey, they also become better acquainted with the hot mess that is Melissa and Rusty Tripp. Melissa is a manipulative control freak with a shrewish temper. Rusty, on the other hand, is a lazy, self indulgent slob with a slippery zipper problem. These are not sympathetic characters, but they are not completely one dimensional either. Another thing they're not is The Villains. Though they by which I mean mostly Melissa are perfectly willing to use James's and Carey's insecurities against them in the most heinous way, the power imbalance is never quite as severe as it appears on the surface. Their awfulness is cringe worthy, but the Tripps are of obstacle to be overcome than enemies to be defeated or destroyed. Annoying or not, they are complex, layered personalities, and by the end of the book, their character flaws are understandable if not excusable. Though Rusty and Melissa are seriously dislikable, that was not a huge issue for me. The authors created a pair of memorable and believable characters in the Tripps, and that is a major demonstration of writerly skill. Melissa and Rusty could so easily have been reduced to caricatures yet never were. I don't have to like them to appreciate them.What did trouble me somewhat was how much sheer space they took up in the novel. It seemed like every other subordinate character in the book faded to insignificance outside of their interactions with the toxic twosome. Characters who didn't interact with them became mere bookends to the diva driven drama. Also pairing their extremely dysfunctional marriage with the blossoming of James and Carey's relationship may have been an effective use of compare and contrast, but it also added a hard, somewhat cynical edge to the romance. THDL didn't work for me as a rom com primarily for this reason. Incorporating a cautionary subplot that overwhelms the main romance does tend to detract from the HEA.Happily, writing down one's thoughts often serves to clarify them. While I really enjoyed Carey and James and appreciated their growth as a couple and as individuals, the corrosive nature of the Tripps' relationships with each other and with everyone else in the novel diminished the pleasure and satisfaction I expect to experience in a good romance. I would definitely reread this book, but I wouldn't run around raving about it to anyone who would listen. So, I'm thinking four stars with mild caveats related to style issues and the portrayal of toxic and possibly abusive relationships. The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners 𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒚 @christinalauren Christina Lauren have clearly found a formula for writing sweet and funny rom coms and they’ve done it again with The Honey Don’t List. They’ve got the perfect mix of a lovable heroine; a sexy, The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners J’aime beaucoup les livres de Christina Lauren, mais celui ci n'est pas mon préféré. Il m'a fallu du temps pour m'habituer et à aimer les personnages principaux. J'ai continué à lire quand même sans regret, mais je ne le relirai pas The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners ~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~ Oh, let me tell you, this is just what you need right now a highly entertaining, cleverly romantic, based around a celebrity power couple drama funny adventure. Be The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners Easily readable but I did get to the end and kind of wonder what the point of it was. The couple she worked for were awful to start with, awful still in the end (we didn't see massive growth come from that.) Whilst I enjoyed Carey and James getting together (and the growth The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
Another great read from one of my favourite authors, this one seemed a disjointed then the others but still a great read. The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners I've read a few books by Christina Lauren and this one is just lacking that special something. I found the supporting characters annoying/ridiculous and main protagonists just didn't hold my attention like they should have. The ingredients were there yet the end result The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners Honestly, I enjoyed this book then I thought I was going to and it became a quick easy light read. I wouldn’t say the romance was a strong factor, I liked Carey and James but I just didn’t feel that build up and chemistry. Tbh I was into seeing what nonsense The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners 4.5 Definitely in the minority but I enjoyed this. It was drama packed but not between the couple with I liked, I enjoyed the concept of others being the issue and the MCs working around it. I loved James, he was such a sweetheart how he looked out for Carey! I loved Carey The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners Christina Lauren never disappoint! I wish they were prolific because I’ve read all their books and always read them as soon as they come out, in one go. This story is special and as usual so well written, Carey is a great character, impossible not to root for her! and The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners : Lauren, Christina: : Books The Honey-Don't List: the sweetest romcom from the bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners