THE HONEY-DON’T LIST
by Christina Lauren
About the Book:
Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus, Melissa and Rusty Tripp, for nearly a decade, helping them build an empire. James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was hired as a structural engineer for the Tripps, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. THE HONEY-DON’T LIST by Christina Lauren (Gallery Books; on sale March 24th, 2020; paperback, $16) tells a love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.
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. Both James 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.
A romantic comedy that proves if love is broke, you might as well fix it.
My Review:
So adorable and modern and sweet and witty!
If you are looking for a light read, with contemporary characters and a perfectly happy ending, then you will love ‘The Honey-Don’t List.’ I am a long-time fan of the writing duo known as Christina Lauren and just knew that this book would be the perfect antidote for our current and very stressful new reality.
The format of the book is very intriguing – it begins with interviews of the assistants to a well-known celebrity husband and wife. Clearly something scandalous has occurred and I raced through the book to find out what happened.
Melly and Rusty Tripp famous for their home remodeling, and have been married for many years. They even wrote a best-selling book and have a new television series coming up. But there are cracks in their carefully crafted public facade. Their problems become magnified when they go on tour together to promote their book. Their assistants Carey and James must ensure that Melly and Tripp actually get through their book tour without killing each other!
The dual points of view worked perfectly and I can always count on Christina Lauren to write a believable male point of view. Carey is quirky and imperfect and adorable and James is completely relatable as well. I love a good celebrity story and this clever book hit all the right notes. The dialogue was smart and witty and the romance was sweet and sexy and written perfectly.
As expected, the book tour is a disaster but the deepening relationship between James and Carey was both fun and heartwarming. This is a perfect escapist romance, with plenty of light moments and a clever format that will capture your attention for a few hours. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Honey-Don’t List’ and hope that Christina Lauren keeps on writing these sweet and sexy romantic comedies that they do so well!
(ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalleyinexchange for an honest review.)
