The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren | BOOK REVIEW

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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…

I love their books, and always drop everything I’m doing to read the latest CLo release, but even with an author couple like them, there are some books that just speak to me more than others. And some just fall short of delivering and reaching their potential.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren | BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

MY THOUGHTS

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.

THREE STARS

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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.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren | BOOK REVIEW