Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating
- Goodreads Choice Nominee Best Romance 2018
- 2018 Amazon Best Romances of the Year
- New York Public Library Best Books of 2018
“With exuberant humor and unforgettable characters, this romantic comedy is a standout.” – Kirkus Starred Review
“Propelled by rom-com momentum and charm.” NYT
Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.
Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.
Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them…right?
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Reviews
“Propelled by rom-com momentum and charm.” NYT Book Review
“With exuberant humor and unforgettable characters, this romantic comedy is a standout.” – Kirkus Starred Review
International Business Times Summer Beach Reads: 12 Hottest Romances to Read this Season
“Hilarious . . . the perfect balance between charming moments and sultry episodes.” – Publishers Weekly
“Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is the light we need in this dark world.” – Hypable
“The writing duo Christina Lauren peels back the layers of a slow-build relationship that hits a bajillion hilarious potholes along the way, showcasing modern true love.” – Amazon Best Romance of September
“Hilarious . . . the perfect balance between charming moments and sultry episodes.”– Publishers Weekly
“With exuberant humor and unforgettable characters, this romantic comedy is a standout.”– Kirkus Starred Review
“In this exuberantly charming romance from Christina Lauren, the talented writing duo does the seemingly impossible. They take the classic, much-maligned stereotype of the “cool” girl—the gorgeous, wild, sexually-liberated, adventurous madcap that men go crazy for—and they make her feel real and engaging…In so many stories of this type, the journey is about the free spirit woman helping the more buttoned-up man let loose and learn to enjoy himself. And yes, there’s a little of that here, as Josh learns that pretty much everything is more fun with Hazel along for the ride. But Lauren deepens his character beyond the handsome straight man by exploring his experiences as the son of South Korean immigrants, and makes the canny choice of having his reactions to Hazel fall much more on the side of bemused affection, rather than an annoyingly superior disapproval. The real growth is on the other side of the coin, as Hazel slowly relaxes into the idea that Josh genuinely doesn’t expect her to apologize for being herself. He’s not infatuated with some idealized image of her—instead, he loves her for everything she is. The fact that that’s such a surprise to her is a little heartbreaking, but the impossibly sweet conclusion washes all the pain away. “”– Book Page
“Christina Lauren has done it again! The two ladies that make up this incredible duo have outdone themselves with the absolutely delightful Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating.”– Kristen Kranz, Hypable
“Josh and Hazel is the kind of rom-com we need. ”– Cheryl Wassenaar, Culturess
“There’s a twist in the usual rom-com plot, and the story is sure to please readers looking for a fun-filled novel to escape everyday life. ”– Booklist
“Everyone’s favorite YA writing duo, Christina Lauren, is back with another fun, quirky rom-com of a read. C.L.’s latest is about Josh and Hazel, two best friends who set up a series of double dates in hopes of finding each other a match. But soon, their own chemistry takes over, and, well…you can probably see where this is headed. But that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.”– Hello Giggles
“The Top 20 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2018 ”– Parade
“Fall in Love: Autumn 2018’s Most Swoon-Worthy Romance Books”– Kelly Gullucci, Bookish
“The writing duo Christina Lauren peels back the layers of a slow-build relationship that hits a bajillion hilarious potholes along the way, showcasing modern true love.”– Adrian Liang , Onmivoracious Amazon Book Review