[Skye’s Review]: The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

The Honey-Don't List
by Christina Lauren
Pages: 320
Published by Gallery
Release Date: March 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Humor, Romance
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC, eBook
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Carey Duncan 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 received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This all-star writing duo never fails to captivate me from page one. Their books are addicting, fun, swoon-worthy, and entertaining. As soon as I started reading The Honey-Don’t List, I couldn’t stop. Fast forward a few hours later, not only have I finished the book, but my heart was happy, and there was a huge smile on my face. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with a Christina Lauren book. 

Our two main characters are Carey and James. Carey has worked for Melanie and Rusty Tripp, the latest duo in HGTV and home remodeling, for the last 10 years.  James, on the other hand, has only been working for the Tripps for two months. He’s an engineer yet somehow he finds himself working as Rusty Tripp’s assistant. 

This book follows Carey and James as they are forced to tag along to manage the unhappy couple. In reality, Melly and Rusty aren’t the picture-perfect couple they appear to be on TV. It’s up to Carey and James to ensure the public never finds out. 

Along the way, the two assistants grow closer and begin a friendship that soon blossoms into a romance. Will the constant stresses and pressures of their jobs push them apart or closer together? 

The authors wrote the story and characters extremely well. It’s very easy to like and connect with Carey and James. You root for them throughout the whole story! They also depict how an unhealthy relationship can take form in ways that seem benign and normal. The relationship between Melly and Carey is hard to read sometimes, but it’s so incredibly authentic and real. Watching Carey learn how to stand up for herself is one of my favorite things about this book. 

My only complaint is that I wish the romance was the main focus. At times, it felt like the romance took a backseat to the drama of Melly and Rusty. I would’ve liked to have more sweet scenes between Carey and James. 

I recommend this book–and all of Christina Lauren’s other books–to you if you like books that read like a rom-com. This book is full of humor, romance, and friendship. I can’t wait for their next book to come out!