Author: Christina Lauren (Page 1 of 3)

Synopsis:

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work but when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

Review:

With a fun and flirty vibe, The True Love Experiment was so easy to devour! This story took place one year after The Soulmate Equation, and I definitely recommend reading that book first!  There were so many easter eggs for feelings! This time around, a company was using the dating technology within a tv show. And watchers got to determine who would progress to the next level. Connor was in charge of the show and I loved that he knew he needed Fizzy to be the leading lady. So when Fizzy, an author, threw out that the males had to be tropey oh my heart exploded. I couldn’t wait to see how it all unfolded!

The world seems intent on beating us down, and I don’t remember the last time I was genuinely happy.

Fizzy was so different then I perceived her in The Soulmate Equation.  She came across as bubbly, happy and fun in the previous book and in listening to her thoughts in this story she was cynical, jaded and could be harsh on men.  She was stuck in a writing block, didn’t know if true love was for her and hadn’t had sex in a year. My heart hurt for her.  But I struggled connecting with her at first.  She could be so harsh and was quick to judge Connor without blinking an eye. She had no problems assuming and painting others as a villain.  I was so thankful when I got to page 58 because then I finally saw the Fizzy I had fallen in love with!  She started to mess with Connor and I loved that her playful ways were coming out!  And I love that her friends were horrified when they learned that her first impression of him was soooo wrong *cheers for Connor!*. While Fizzy wasn’t one my favorite Christina Lauren character, I was so happy to see that she grew in leaps and bounds. And I loved her by the end of this story!

You’re going to be setting her up with other men. The reminder crashes into the forefront of my thoughts, and I blink away.

I loved Conor within those first few pages.  I loved that he would agree to her outlandish terms!  I loved how he had such an open and honest relationship with his ex, the mother of his daughter.  That warmed my heart how he could confide and talk to her. She was such an amazing best friend for him.  And I loved how they co-parented their daughter.  Connor was sexy, good hearted, kind and loyal. The company Connor worked for was making a major pivot from socially conscious programming to reality television.  And Connor was in charge. I was happy to know that he wasn’t aware of who Fizzy’s true match was, so I kept trying to guess as the pages unfolded. But at the same point, I was wondering how Connor would match up with her since there was a definite spark between them. And as Connor was in the background during the shoots, Fizzy couldn’t ignore him. She was pulled to him, as strongly as he was pulled to her!

I know what love looks like— and I’ve written it so many times— but I’ve never felt it myself.

I loved watching Connor and Fizzy form a true friendship as the story progressed.  It was so effortless, once they got past their beginning hiccups. And we got to alternate this story between the two of them!  Yet Fizzy wanted more. And I loved seeing how Connor wasn’t capable of compartmentalizing his feelings like Fizzy. He knew he couldn’t get his heart invested. So with Connor being the voice of reason, I wondered how long that would last haha. Because lines were crossed. And they both made not the best life decisions. Especially with contracts dictating behavior ack. So while their times were hot, they were also a recipe for disaster. And I kept waiting for it all to blow up in their faces. I loved them together, but it left a bad taste in my mouth that she wasn’t being in good faith for the show.

“This is a plot twist I should have expected,” I grumble.

So while I had so much fun devouring this story, I still had my hiccups. I struggled with Fizzy’s behavior at times, I didn’t like an aspect of Connor’s past, and their struggle later in the book just showed me that they could both be dumb at times *shrugs*. But things have a way of working out the way it should, and I loved the ending of this story! If you’re looking for a beach read and don’t have some of my issues, then this book is definitely will be it!

The sneakiest of thoughts escapes, unguarded: As great as these Heroes are, none are him.

Synopsis:

Everyone knows that all’s fair in love and war. But these two will learn that sabotage is a dish best served naked.

A sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love, Dating You/Hating You by New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren is the story of what two high-powered agents will—and won’t—do to get everything they ever wanted.

Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.

But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?

Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending, or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, hilarious story of romance in the modern world.

Review:

Dating You / Hating You was a hilarious adult, enemies to lovers romance. Evie and Carter had the most adorable meet cute at a Halloween Party. It seemed like they were destined to be together, even if their friends may have had a hand in setting them up. And while they had similar jobs, at competing companies, they hit it off so easily. It was as if they could be friends or more without even trying. They were both quirky and complimented each other so well. So while they started the beginning of something, everything changed the moment their companies merged together. Evie and Carted were now competing for the same job, and only one of them could keep it.

I hate how funny he is, and I hate how much I want him to keep touching me. I hate this entire situation.

Evie cracked me up time and again with her honest thoughts. She worked in such a cut throat field, and I hated so many around her. Yet she loved her job and thrived at what she was doing. Carter was the first thing she seemed nervous about. She was finally going on a date, and with someone she liked. So when she learned she’d be competing for her job, against Carter, she tried to be nice. And helpful. But after a few mistakes by Carter, all bets were off. And Evie had NO problems playing dirty!

It feels like we’re standing on the deck of the Titanic as it goes down, saying, It’s gonna bob back up any second now.

Carter was adorkably cute and so kind. I loved his compliments. I loved how he paid attention. I loved how honest he was. And that he even called Evie, Evil! But his family life was something else. His brother was a famous photographer who was a jerk. And his parents, wow, I don’t even have words. But Carter loved his job and LA. This was his home and he wanted to keep his job. So while he had good intentions, sometimes things came off as sooooo wrong. While I was on Evie’s side a few times, it felt like the line was drawn deep in the sand between them. But through it all, he always seemed to be thinking of Evie.

This whole situation would be about a million times easier if I didn’t want to kiss him as much as I want to shove him.

When Carter and Evie worked together, it was so effortless. They truly made a formable team. Yet Evie and now Carter’s boss, Brad, seemed to remind them time and again that they were competing for the same job. So it was impossible for there not to be at war. They didn’t play nice and the games they played on each other were HILARIOUS! I was laughing so hard quite a few times that I had tears falling down my face.  Yet I kept hoping that they would fall in love and get a happily ever after!

“I liked you,” he whispers.
An ache worms itself between my ribs when he says this, and my response comes out more raw than I’d planned: “I liked you, too.”
He stares at me, unblinking. “Evie—”
“I’m just glad I figured out who you really are before we got in too deep.”

Dating You / Hating You could easily be made into a romantic comedy movie! Between their texts, practical pranks and games they played against each other, this book was so funny! And the friendships they had with Daryl, Amelia, Carter and Stephanie rounded out this story so well! This story was such a fun enemies to lovers romance and another book I enjoyed by Christina Lauren!

Synopsis:

Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas.

Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.

Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be.

Review:

The Unhoneymooners was a fun enemy to lovers that was so easy to binge.  It was laugh worthy, smile worthy and the majority of the story took place in a beautiful tropical destination.  This book would make the perfect beach read!

Ethan slides his gaze to me, clearly unconvinced. “I’m not going to kiss you again, just in case that’s what you were thinking this would lead to.”
Whowhatnow? The jackass. Gaping at him, I whisper-hiss, “I would honestly rather lick the bottom of my shoe than have your mouth on mine again.”

Olive constantly believed she had bad luck.  Yet all of that changed on her twin’s wedding day.  Olive and her nemesis, who was her future brother-in-law’s brother, were the only ones who weren’t violently ill from the wedding buffet.  With an all-expense paid vacation to Maui, Ethan and Olive found themselves jetting off on their sibling’s honeymoon.  Together.

“Look.” I nod to the horizon. “We aren’t lost at sea.”
He lets out a quiet “Wow.” And there, for a single breath, we give in to a really lovely moment of enjoying something together. Until Ethan decides to ruin it: “I hope you don’t drown out there.”
I smile down at him. “If I do, the husband is always a suspect.”

I have to talk about Ethan, because I was obsessed with him! Yes even Olive could acknowledge he was gorgeous.  But there had always been this hate vibe going on between the two of them.  It started from the first moment they met.  Yet from the moment he pretended they were married on their vacation and kissed her forehead…. swoon.  So when extenuating circumstances led them to continue the charade, I loved every minute of it.  Pretending that they didn’t hate each other?!  Yes please!  Olive herself couldn’t even stop from swooning when Ethan turned on the charm.   And in those moments, my heart was so happy when they would click at times. Especially since we would get to see how well he paid attention to her.  But behind closed doors….ohhhh their bickering was addictive!  They could be so hilarious without even trying!

“I can hear you thinking about that one word and reading more into it than I intended. You look great.” Once inside, he presses the button for the lobby and adds, “You always do.”
These three final words bound around my cranium before they absorb. I always look great? To who?  Ethan?

I loved watching Olive go from hating Ethan to second guessing him, when they got along. Their relationship progressed in a way that left the reader more than invested and having to know what happened next. We got this story in just Olive’s voice and I loved watching her change from the beginning of the story to the end. She always seemed to think the worst of everything and I loved how distance from her life, the vacation and even Ethan allowed her to grow and made me so proud of her! Olive had a lot of obstacles on her way to happiness, but I loved how she became her biggest champion and her large family always had her back every step of the way.

Squinting, he says, “You’re a real seductress.”
“I hear that a lot.”
He coughs, and I swear I see Ethan Thomas battling a genuine smile.
And I  get it. As much as I hate him… I think I’m starting to like us.

With paintball fights, sexy massages, boat trips, and the beautiful scenery, The Unhoneymooners was a blast and absolutely hilarious!  Between their charade, banter and deals made, I constantly found myself laughing every few pages.  It was a book that will put a smile on your face, while also having deeper, emotional moments too.  But the emotional side of it, ugh it wrecked me.  So while this was easily five stars for the majority of the book, I struggled deeply with the conflict. It’s a personal preference and I have an extremely hard time when it happens within books. So hence the four star rating.  But I loved the ending! With a grand gesture and an epilogue that gave us a look into the future, this book ended wonderfully.

Ethan and I are starting to build more of these good moments than bad;  it sends the balance swinging into an unfamiliar direction.
And I think I really like it.
Which makes me incredibly uneasy.
“I still hate you,” I  tell him, pushing a dark curl of hair off his forehead.
He nods. “I  know you do.”