Most men can’t handle Hazel. With the energy of a toddler and the mouth of a sailor, they’re often too timid to recognize her heart of gold. New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Roomies, Beautiful Bastard) tells the story of two people who are definitely not dating, no matter how often they end up in bed together. Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to … 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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Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is by far one of my favorite books I have ever purchased. The characters were so diverse and different than what you would normally read. Hazel is a hilarious character, she adds lots of humor to the book and is a very entertaining character. Hazel and Josh’s relationship is well-developed and they face realistic issues throughout their friendship. I really enjoyed this book; not only was it a page-turner, but it was romantic with an unpredictable storyline. If you’re looking for a sweet, short, witty story, this is the book for you!
Excellent book. I laughed so much.
A trip worth taking
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My gosh, I loved Josh & Hazel so freaking much!
The balance between utter opposites, the dynamic and then the shift in dynamic, the instant good time, I really enjoyed this whole thing.
The subtle & not so subtle messages of empowerment, the relationship with the mothers, it spoke to me.
I appreciate this book for so many reasons! First, it’s a hilarious adventure. The activities and things Hazel and Josh get up to are fantastic. They’re not outside the realm of realistic but having a person like Hazel involved makes them that much more entertaining. I felt so much joy reading about their shenanigans.
Second, the characters are so well-developed, so nuanced and deep. Hazel is amazing and I immediately felt my octopus tentacles of friendship twitching, ready to grab on to her and be friends forever. Her quirkiness, her lack of filter, her je ne sais quoi are all appealing. It might require a lot of energy and patience to be friends with her but she’s so true to herself and I love that. Plus, we share the same lack of filter so I can easily imagine the hilarity that would ensue.
Third, this book touched on a bunch of topics that I feel aren’t generally talked about. Josh is Korean-American and his traditions and heritage are woven in so seamlessly. Hazel struggles with believing she’ll be loved, deeply loved, for who she is. And without getting too spoilery, there’s an intimacy to this story that feels organic and genuine. Nothing ever felt pushed or contrived or like I was being hammered over the head with the point. It all felt effortless and it all worked. It felt so real.
As always, I adored this Christina Lauren title and I can’t recommend it enough!
The friends to lovers trope doesn’t get any more lovely than this. Hazel is a rather eccentric third-grade teacher who marches to the beat of her own drum (think no filter, crazy antics, Halloween costumes in September) and refuses to change for any guy. Many thought she would grow out of this phase, so Josh, an acquaintance from high school, is shocked to see her ten years later and she’s exactly the same (thankfully, with her top on and no vomiting on his shoes). The two quickly become friends and begin setting up blind double dates that start out as way for both of them to get laid (or, maybe, meet the right person), but turns out to be a way for them to spend more time with each other. The story is charming and doesn’t try to rush things. It explains when necessary, but shows whenever it can. I can’t say I’d particularly want to date (or live with) someone like Hazel (who is basically a slob with like, five, pets), but to each their own–I believe in the couple. Christina Lauren has done it again.
I liked Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating but I liked it in the, “it was okay” range, not the “I really liked it” range. u2063
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The story was cute and the ending was tied up in a bow, just the way I like it, but something was missing for me. I listened to the audio version while I worked. The narrators were great but I didn’t love the Hazel voice the male narrator used…a personal issue I’m sure. u2063
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I did love how quirky Hazel was and how she was unapologetically her own person! Josh was likable but something was still missing for me. I can’t put my finger on it. u2063
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Overall, sweet friends to lovers story.
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/5u2063 (rounded up to 4)
review on my blog
https://www.emilythebooknerd.com/2020/03/my-favorite-half-night-stand.html#more
I inhale these books. They are filled with oddly engaging and quirky characters. The author team write so much better than formulaic romance novelists.
Oh my God I never laughed so hard in a book after reading I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. I loved Hazel so much and I want to be one of her best friends!!!! She is so crazy and gets into a lot of embarrassing moments and that what makes it so fun to read. Josh is such a cutie and a cinnamon roll and I loved reading from both of their perspectives.
I equally loved the side characters especially Hazel’s mom!!! She was so amazing and funny. Like mother like daughter!!!
I ship the heck out of each of them. Every moment they spend together was so funny and adorable at the same time!!! All those dating plans was so hilarious and chaotic and you just want to know what happens even if you already knew what will happen later on because it is a romance book!!!!!
I will definitely read their other books and I am glad I chose this book as an introduction to their works because I heard great things about them and it did not disappoint!!! I highly recommend reading this book if you still haven’t started with any Christina Lauren book!!!!!
This is my third book by this duo, and they disappoint. Hazel is a fantastic character in her quirkiness. I love that she’s outgoing, that she makes the most of her days, and she’s a fun person who loves life. She’s a bit of a spirit animal. I like that Josh accepts Hazel for who she is, and he doesn’t try to change her. Which is important for her because she has never gotten that before from a love interest.
This was a slow-burn, where you knew it would happen, but you were just waiting for it. And when it did, wow, was it hot. The writing is excellent, and there’s a fantastic balance of romance and comedy. I loved how Hazel knew he was her person, and just insinuated herself into his life despite the fact they seemed like opposites. I’m always left with such warm, fuzzy feelings after reading a Christina Lauren book, and this one definitely will stay with me.
When you’ve had the best, suddenly, everything pales in comparison. I know I shouldn’t but I couldn’t stop comparing this to The Unhoneymooners. It was my first Christina Lauren book and I absolutely loved it. It was hilarious and fun in all the right ways. On the other hand, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was fun… just not as fun.
I admit that I also didn’t give this the full attention it deserved. This past week, I was so busy that I only read this for at most fifteen minutes during lunch break. But when it did have my full attention, I was gripped. I immediately became invested and even risked being late for an appointment (ssssh don’t tell).
But my problem with this book lies in the small details:
•Josh and Hazel’s friendship was not properly established. I don’t know if it was just me but I felt like they suddenly became BFFs. We see them become acquaintances to close friends but the transition was somehow lacking.
•The time skips were slightly disorienting. Sometimes it goes from before a date to immediately the day after, then rewinding it again. This could be a personal preference and it might have been because I was stressed but it threw me off.
•I got confused between Josh and Hazel’s POV. Although their characters were very different, I wish there was a clearer distinction between their voices. The names were written at the beginning of each chapter but sometimes, I forget who it was supposed to be.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this. There were scenes that were so hilarious and made me laugh out loud (just like The Unhoneymooners). It’s definitely what I’ve come to love about Christina Lauren books aside from the romance.
There are certain authors that end up becoming our favorites and I can say that the Christina Lauren duo is one of them. I will definitely read more of their work in the future.
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Haze and Josh.
4.5 Stars
I was excited to pick this book up on sale and thought it would be a great start to my reading year, which it was. I was worried at first that Hazel might have been a bit much, she’s loads of fun and quirky to the extreme, but just like Josh, she grew on me and I loved what ever she said and did. Josh was the the flip side of Hazie and they complemented each other perfectly. It was a very credible story on how they met, and formed their friendship then led into a relationship. I simply adored the epilogue and that they both stayed true to their inner selves and things ended flawlessly.
4.5 stars.
If you’re a fan of the contemporary romance genre, this is a fabulous iteration. The protagonists are fully fleshed out, and the dialogue is witty and intelligent. The plot is fun with some delightful surprises. Plus, the chemistry between Josh and Hazel is nothing short of steamy
One of the best books I’ve read all year. I loved every second with these characters!
Fun book! Hated for it to end.
CLo writes another perfectly quirky, unapologetically herself, wish she were real and your best friend kind of female protagonist. More so than most of their books though, this story truly extolled an awkward, hilarious, expressive, joyful woman. Enter Josh, who’s been floating on the surface of relationships as he builds his career and makes plenty of time for his family, and you start to get the sense that Josh is missing out on truly living his life. Turns out Hazel is the breath of fresh air he never knew he always wanted. Refreshingly it’s not the unconventional heroine in this story who needs to do the work to love and understand herself, but the straight-laced, ducks in a row guy who looks like he’s got all his sh*t together. This was a delightfully original storyline for a RomCom; it made me laugh out loud, tear up, and sigh. The writing flowed and the banter was their classic, fast and fun repartee.
The quote that sums it all:
“I realize that finding the perfect person isn’t going to be easy for me because I’m a lot to take, but I’m not going to change just so that I’m more datable…at the end of the day, being myself is enough. I’m enough.”
That right there, folks, is what more Contemporary Romance needs—two people who already value themselves, give or take natural human insecurities; who don’t *need* a relationship to feel complete but *want* one that celebrates who they are. If you’re knew to Christina Lauren (CLo), this is a wonderful introduction to their newer standalones which hit women’s fiction lines a little more and play down the bedroom scenes. I’m more of a vintage CLo fan and prefer a bit more action and steam, but what does happen intimately in this book is well done, drives the plot forward and feels really true to who Josh and Hazel are. All the stars for this one.
I had a smile on my face almost the entire time I read this book, it was so much fun to read. I decided right from the start that Hazel and I could be BFFs. I loved her attitude about herself and life in general. I mean what is not to love about unfitted quirkiness?? I was laughing out loud throughout the entire book. As a side note I’m usually not a big fan of friends to lovers stories but this one just got me all in the feels.
A charming book.
Hazel could have been over the top. She’s a strong character. An oddball who accepts that about herself while acknowledging she’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. And that her oddities make dating (and finding love) especially challenging. Men sometimes find her wackiness fun initially, but then they want her to calm down. They start to find her embarrassing. But Hazel knows she can’t change who she is.
Josh Im is her ideal man, but she made herself completely undateable when she first met him at a college party by throwing up on his shoes. Several years later, they meet again and she has the chance to become friends with him. And that’s when the story starts.
Loved, loved, loved this quirky but angsty romance. Hazel is the absolute funniest character I think I’ve ever read. No filters, no funnels, just throw anything out there Hazel. Josh is much more reserved, but he really see’s Hazel and appreciates her differences. This was angsty and oh so hot as Christina Lauren stories tend to be. These characters truly demonstrate how opposites attract so wonderfully well.
I did listen to the audio. Loved the female narrator. The Male narrator grew on my and I enjoyed this audiobook very much by the end.
Josh and Hazel are so quirky–I loved their unique journey to their HEA.