Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This thread is open to discuss The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren.




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…

From the “hilariously zany and heartfelt” (Booklist) Christina Lauren comes a romantic comedy that proves if it’s broke, you might as well fix it.

From the New York Times bestselling author behind the “joyful, warm, touching” (Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author) The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

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The last book I read by Lauren I really liked so hoping this one will be as good:-)

Just based on the description this one has a lot of potential for cuteness and hilarity. I'm in!

I’m definitely in for this one...

So looking forward to this. I’m hoping we can start sooner. I’ll let you guys know when I get a copy.

I'm going to have to get this one from KU. I believe I heard that my local bookstore would be closing indefinitely.

Laura wrote: "I'm going to have to get this one from KU. I believe I heard that my local bookstore would be closing indefinitely."

Darn! I guess eventually you will be able to use your gift card.

Eventually, I’m okay waiting!

Just a note to those of you buddy reading this---- start date is April 1st not the 11th as previously stated. Will correct on the thread to reflect this change:-)

See you soon!

~Laura

How much are we reading?

I started. I read through the prologue and first 6 sections. To the beginning of a James section. (Don’t you hate it when there aren’t chapters?) 🙂

I am enjoying the book so far. I used to watch HGTV all the time and couldn’t stop watching home design shows. (view spoiler)[I’m not finding this book as hilarious as The Unhoneymooners. And this reads more like chick lit than romance. But I like Carey and James. I like that their romance isn’t insta lust. They are actually talking before all that.

I am so so curious, though, about why Carey is talking to the police!

Carey is taking a lot of crap from Mel. Carey’s condition is probably why she feels like she has to stay. But hopefully, she will get the recognition she deserves.

I definitely feel like there is a ticking time bomb happening before everything explodes. (hide spoiler)]

I'm 25% in. It's an interview with Melissa & Rusty.

I'm going to wait and reserve judgement a little longer.

@ Geri...my thoughts on why Carey is talking to the police

(view spoiler)[ Someone murdered Rusty? (hide spoiler)]

I have one more book to finish and then I'll be starting it.

I went to get the audio from Scribd but they're having some kind of technical problem. So I'm buying the audio from Audible. I'll start later today.

I got through about 25-30% last night. It definitely doesn’t feel as light-hearted as The Unhoneymooners, but I wonder if it will as the book progresses?

Karen ♐ wrote: "I went to get the audio from Scribd but they're having some kind of technical problem. So I'm buying the audio from Audible. I'll start later today."

Darn. It would have been nice not to buy it.

I am done. (view spoiler)[ There was something missing for me. It wasn’t as funny or engaging as The Unhoneymooners. I think I would have enjoyed actually reading more about Mel and Rusty doing their show. Instead, there was just the two of them mostly bickering. And the situation that led the characters to talk to the police was a bit of a letdown. And there definitely needed to be more tension between Carey and James too. Their romance was a bit blah.

It didn’t feel like Lauren really thought things through. Disappointing! (hide spoiler)]

Laura - Your guess about why they were being interviewed by the police would have been much more interesting than what it turned out to be! LOL

Darn! Well.. I went back and looked at the tags and knew that couldn't be it. There was no (view spoiler)[ mystery tag on MPG (hide spoiler)] Though I'm at a loss for why right now.. I 'm 43 % in(view spoiler)[ if they took out all the Tripp stuff it would have been so much betters. The first 40% did nothing for me. I'm hoping the last 60% is better. I do like the blossoming relationship between Carey and James. (hide spoiler)]

Did you like it?

Geri wrote: "Karen ♐ wrote: "I went to get the audio from Scribd but they're having some kind of technical problem. So I'm buying the audio from Audible. I'll start later today."

Darn. It would have been nice ..."

I looked one more time and it was working again...Yay!

I finished
(view spoiler)[
2.5 stars.. My least favorite book by the duo. The transcript between characters and police was interesting. I like the relationship between James and Carey but everything else I found a bit boring and filler. I kept reading hoping it would get better- (hide spoiler)]

We both had similar opinions, Laura. Hopefully, next week, our buddy read book will be better.

I'm being optimistic- it will. I'm looking forward to reading another of Reid's books. At least The Simple Wild is rated very highly so that one should at least be better:-) That thread is up.

I think I 'm going to have to put The Hiding Place aside. It's too slow and not keeping my interest.

If I remember right, The Hiding Place was pretty out there. A mix of horror and mystery. I enjoyed it. But I know some who couldn’t get into it.

OK. I’ll look for our next BR threads.

I’ve been busy trying to restock my shelves with books I can get from Hoopla. With all the challenges coming up, I like to know I will have something to work for most tasks.

I finished it this morning. I'm going to give it 2 stars. I agree with most of your sentiments, Geri and Laura.

(view spoiler)[ I was also disappointed overall with this one. I liked Carey and James as a couple. The entire Tripp plot did nothing to add to the overall story and made me want to tune out when they were featured in a scene. I would have rather had the Tripps either be bumbling idiots who Carey and James had to "save" all the time or be major workaholics who aren't married like some of the other rom-coms out there where the assistants get together (like the movie Set It Up).

Mel was awful but I thought Carey was written well with respect to her professional life. She had been with the family for her entire working life, starting when she was a very vulnerable age, so it is natural she would feel torn and loyal to a fault. Rusty was too much of a stereotype.

The whole thing with the police interviews didn't really add anything once the reason for them was revealed. I liked your idea, Laura! Or they could have been depositions instead of police interviews because of a lawsuit once the public learns Carey is really responsible for everything. (hide spoiler)]

Overall it was a big disappointment and felt like an early work instead of by a well-established writing duo.

Karen, I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on it when you finish!

I'm almost afraid to keep listening. I haven't read any of your spoilers so I'll keep going.

No peeking at the spoilers :-)

Alissa how are you making out with this one?

Not so good just got about quarter of the way in. I’m with Karen I skipped over your comments so I can push through.


It is very different from their other books. I miss the steam.

Alissa wrote: "Not so good just got about quarter of the way in. I’m with Karen I skipped over your comments so I can push through.


It is very different from their other books. I miss the steam."

Me too, Alissa.

Blah ....sorry it was a let down.

I'm listening to the audio and for the first time ever, I've increased it to the max speed! Lol

I finished...finally! (view spoiler)[ I also liked the relationship between Carey and James but that was such a small part of the entire story, it didn't save it for me. The constant bickering really started to get to me. I remember thinking that Rusty was going to kill Mel (or vice versa) and James and Carey would have to decide if they should cover it up somehow! Lol I didn't really like this book at all but couldn't give it less than 2 stars since I liked a very small part of it. (hide spoiler)]

I finally finished and read all of your comments. I liked how you guys came up with a better storyline than the writers. I don’t know when or how they go so far off.

I will read The Unhoneymooners since you guys really enjoyed it and probably try another one of the series that is more like Beautiful Bastard.


I can’t do anymore of their attempts at a basic rom-com. They just can’t do it well. I felt the same way about Twice in a Blue Moon.

(view spoiler)[ Rusty and Mel should have suffered a bigger consequence for taking advantage of Carey for so long and all she got was and article in a magazine with a half assed apology.🤬 Ridiculous it totally took away from her and James happy ending (hide spoiler)]