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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This was such a fun romantic comedy. Loved it!
The first Christina Lauren books I read were the books in the Beautiful series. They were definitely fun, but questionably good, especially at the beginning of the series. And then I found the Wild Seasons books better, but I was still just reading them because they were fun and easy. And then all of their stand alone novels happened and at some point while I was bawling my eyes out over Autoboyography, I realized just how far they’d come since the enjoyable, but not brilliant novels they started with. This book was absolutely a testament to their writing ability and their heart.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is the epitome of an opposites attract romance. Josh and Hazel originally met in college when all of their run-ins involved Hazel being… to be honest a bit insane seeming. She’d thrown up on his shoes. She’d written him a post-surgery barely intelligible email. She’d been a bit of spectacle. And grown up Hazel isn’t much different. Sure, she’s got her life a little more together, but she’s still that brand of quirky that men seem to find fun for a short period of time, but eventually want a woman to tone down. Reenter, Josh Im. Turns out that same Josh from college is her also new best friend/coworker’s older brother. Mutual friends and a bit of a past history leads to a great friendship, especially when Josh finds out that his girlfriend has been cheating on him and he needs fun, new people in his life. And in the quest for new friends and relationships, Hazel and Josh start going on double dates they’ve set up for each other. As each one ends up more disastrous than the prior ones, eventually they realize what everyone else already knows- Josh and Hazel should really just be dating each other.
This book was everything for me. It has one of the sweetest friends to lovers romances ever, especially since so much of the book is devoted to their friendship rather than just diving right into their romance. Their friendship is so honest and important to both of them and Christina Lauren did a beautiful job of exploring it and letting it be a real friendship, not just them both constantly pretending that they weren’t trying to hide their feelings for each other.
But it wasn’t just a great addition to the friends to lovers category. It was so much more. While maintaining a laugh out loud level of hilarity, it also addressed some really specific and important topics. It touched on slut shaming and consent in a really natural way. Josh and his sister were Korean and I felt like it actually did representation well. We weren’t just told Josh was Korean, we were really shown it through his family and what his responsibilities as the eldest son meant to him.
More than anything though, I loved Hazel. Hazel was unapologetically herself and I loved that so much. Hazel is legitimately odd, not just a manic pixie dream girl. She’s very much aware and mostly proud of how odd she can be. She wasn’t just a “quirky” girl when it fit the story, that was the story. Hazel’s personality made for such an interesting character, especially because Christina Lauren did take it beyond the manic pixie dream girl trope. At times I was almost uncomfortable with Hazel and her behavior, but that was entirely the point. So many people wanted her to just be “normal” and only wanted the quirks when they were fun, not when they were embarrassing, which obviously weighed heavily on Hazel when it came to dating. So when Josh, straight laced and incredibly organized, comes along and adores Hazel just the way she is, she isn’t sure whether or not she should believe it is real, which made for an incredibly compelling bit of drama.
The ending went in a direction I definitely wasn’t expecting and am still a bit unsure of, but the solid characterization of Hazel and Josh and the work Christina Lauren put into making their world beautifully believable helped me just go along for the ride and finish the book with a smile on my face.
I am such a huge fan of this dynamic duo Christina Lauren. These ladies sure know how to tell a story and pull you in. I was consumed with this book from start to finish. I loved this book from its cover to the amazing story.
Hazel and Josh met when they were in college. Hazel is fun, says what’s on her mind and isn’t going to change who she is to make someone like her. She is a breath of fresh air and I loved her character so much. Josh is serious and has a good job. Him and a friend starting up their own business. Josh and Hazel haven’t seen each other in ten years. When they meet again at a backyard party they are both surprised.
Josh and Hazel end up becoming good friends and decide to help each other find the perfect match. Only their double dates don’t go as planned and they end up talking more the entire dates. They had the best non-dates with each other that had me laughing. These two were both trying to fight what was happening between them.
Words can’t express how much I loved this book! I laughed so much and just really enjoyed the story and the characters. I highly recommend this book!
I truly enjoyed this book. Since the beginning of 2018 I have now read Christina Lauren’s latest four book releases and I have honestly enjoyed them all. And after Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating the author couple is on my auto-buy list.
This book was wonderfully entertaining. Not a rom-com per se, but funny nevertheless. Hazel had me cracking up non-stop. Her incapability to filter her words and thoughts always resulted in lol moments. She definitely knew how to break the ice. Alone she was a lovable hazard, but Hazel combined with Josh – together they were BEAUTIFUL. Even though they were different, they somehow clicked. They made sense. And most of all there was nothing fake about Hazel and Josh. Their friendship and chemistry felt genuine.
I always say I love quirky characters the most. And Hazel confirmed that tenfold. There is NOTHING better than a story with a quirky and unique character that changes the status quo and delivers a unique and fresh personality that will stay with you for a long time.
Now Josh was the dependable one, and his quiet and solid personality was in an understated way decisively HOT. When he spoke I smiled. I don’t know why, but the quite types are the ones that do it for me more than any other. And he got Hazel in a way only a few ever did. I should also mention that he made my heart go all soft and gooey – what can I say he was swoony. He also was of American-Korean decent and his family including his sister were incredibly lovable characters. Authentic Korean lifestyle and culture was weaved throughout the story, which delivered a rich and diverse background and added to the overall vibrant and entertaining story.
The story in it’s entirety was fresh and wonderfully satisfying. At the end there was a side plot I wasn’t all too enamored with and could have done without, but all in all I adored this book.
I was excited about Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating from the very minute I first saw the cover and read the blurb. I always love Christina Lauren’s books. There’s a reason the duo is one of my go-to authors. When I had the chance to read it in advance of release, I was over the moon. I quickly jumped in and read it in a mere matter of a few hours. I fell 1000% in love with it, too. In fact, I loved it so much that I read it twice before release. Josh and Hazel definitely found a way into my heart and I know I’ll be rereading this book for a long time to come. It was just that good.
Often I’ve found quirky characters in books come off as if they’re trying too hard. That wasn’t the case with Hazel at all. She was just … Hazel. I loved her because of it, too. She made me laugh and smile and basically want to hug her and be her friend. She’s undoubtedly one of the most quirky characters I’ve ever met in a book and, truthfully, she was a breath of fresh air. Where she fun and spirited, Josh was more steadfast and reserved. They complemented each other perfectly. I loved how they brought out each other’s personalities without ever seeking to change the other. They totally accepted each other as they were, which made their friendship and what came next all the more authentic. Their story has a bit of a slow burn — as you might expect as they’re going on double dates (with the wrong people) through a large portion of the book. But, really, it was pretty obvious from the start — to everyone but them apparently — this pair was meant to be a thing. I couldn’t have shipped them harder if I tried.
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was utterly swoony and adorable and I loved every single thing about it. It’s one of those books I read with a giant, swoony smile on my face. And yes, I did hug my iPad when I finished reading. Both times. In addition to the swoons and laughs, Josh & Hazel also brought the sexy. Whew. I was definitely fanning myself. There was also a plot point that hit VERY close to home and could’ve been disastrous for me emotionally, but it wasn’t. All it did was make me relate to Hazel — and love her — that much more. I don’t like to play favorites when it comes to my favorite authors and their books, but I can’t help but say THIS BOOK is my new favorite CL story. It had literally everything I wanted in a book.
FAVORITE QUOTES
The way Emily describes it: when I meet someone I love, I become an octopus and wind my tentacles around their heart, tight and tighter until they can’t deny they love me just the same.
“I tend to be too chatty, too silly, too exuberant, too random, too eager. Too Hazel-y.”
I should be glad that she’s the same Hazel she was when she woke up yesterday. But I’m not the same Josh.
“I’m sorry for ending things, and making you feel that you weren’t worth my time long term. I’m sorry I couldn’t let you move on afterward. I’m sorry I used you as an escape whenever things got hard in other areas of my life.”
I chose to read this book in the hopes that it would distract me from a really bad day. Historically, CLo has always been there for me.
There was A LOT of build up about this book online, lots of squeeing and freaking out over it. While I did not squee, Josh and Hazel surely helped to soften the blow of a craptastic few days.
Why? Mainly because Josh and Hazel loved each other for exactly who they were, not who they could or should be but just as they were and always had been. Their friendship and relationship was such a pleasure to read and experience. Josh’s acceptance and love of Hazel was so pure and sweet, not to mention sexy as hell. Kudos to Hazel for not settling for a guy who would dim her light.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was a pleasure to read and just what I needed.
*copy provided by publisher
Schon als das Buch angekündigt wurde, ist es auf meine Leseliste gelandet, selbst als noch nicht wirklich der Inhalt bekannt war. Warum?
Weil es von Christina Lauren geschrieben wurde. Da kann man nicht falsch liegen und auch kann man davon ausgehen, dass man gut unterhalten sowie überrascht wird.
So auch dieses mal mit “Josh und Hazel’s Guide to not Dating”.
Zum Inhalt:
Hazel ist speziell. Vor allem in sozialen Zusammenkünften wenn sie genau das falsche (peinlich, unangebracht) sagt im genau falschen Augenblick. So kommt es auch, dass sie während des Studiums sich total zum Idioten vor Josh macht.
10 Jahre vergehen ohne dass sie Kontakt haben, bis sie durch einen Zufall wieder zusammen treffen. Josh’s Schwester ist Hazels beste Freundin.
Dadurch entsteht eine Freundschaft bei der Josh damit lebt, das Hazel “etwas” exzentrisch ist, sei es in ihrer Kleidung, in ihrer Sicht auf die Welt oder dass die das Unangebrachteste sagt im unpassendensten Augenblick.
Um Josh nicht Trübsal blasen zu lassen, nachdem er von seiner Freundin betrogen wurde, kommen beide auf die Idee sich gegenseitig zu verkuppeln. Das führt dazu dass sie auf Doppel-Blind-Dates gehen. Nur diese Dates entwickeln sich anders als gedacht und irgendwann kommen noch Gefühle ins Spiel.
Zum Buch
Auch wenn Hazel als jemand sehr flatterhaftes und exzentrisches dargestellt wird, ist sie dennoch in ihrem innern ein verletzliches Wesen, welches schon darunter leidet, wenn andere sie als “peinlich” abstempeln oder versuchen ihr Wesen zu untertrücken, statt sie so zu aktzeptieren, wie sie ist. Von ihrer Mutter hat sie gelernt stark zu sein, und sich nicht unterbuttern zu lassen und sich nicht für einen Mann verändern zu wollen. Dadurch merkt man, dass sie sehr genau weiß was sie will und auch, dass sie sich selbst liebt.
Josh ist sehr liebenswert, sehr familienorientiert und auch von Hazels Andersartigkeit nicht abgestoßen, sondern er akzeptiert sie, so wie sie ist mit allen ihren Macken und Neigungen.
Das Buch ist eine leichte Sommerromanze ohne viel Drama, aber das fehlt auch nicht, das hätte die Story nur unnötig aufgeblasen. Ich konnte viel lachen beim Lesen und wurde bestens unterhalten. Das Ende vor dem Epilog gab noch einen kleinen Schockmoment für den Leser, da man dachte, “die Geschichte kann doch hier nicht enden”. Aber zum Glück gibt es ja Epiloge.
Die beschriebenen Doppel-Dates waren sehr witzig beschrieben und man konnte sich die Situationen sehr gut bildlich vorstellen.
Alles in allem herzergreifend.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is pure romantic comedy genius!
I am a newbie still when it comes to reading Christina Lauren, in fact, I have only read one other book by the duo and that was Roomies. Roomies had some serious undertones throughout the story, but that is not what I got from Josh and Hazel.
(Side note,I am crushin’ Josh and Michael from The Kiss Quotient, I am digging these Korean heroes!)
Hazel may have more wild quirks than any other heroine I have ever read and she fully one hundred percent owns her crazy and that is what I couldn’t get enough of. I woman that owns who she is so powerful and is truly a force to be reckoned with. She is the yin to Michael’s chill yang. They are the epitome of opposites attract, except they aren’t dating.
I have gushed over fun and interesting dating concepts, but I think that Josh and Hazel ‘not dating’ has taken the cake. They go on the most fun blind double dates and I’m not going to lie… I kind of want to try this myself. I mean, what could go wrong?
A lot actually, read Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and you can see for yourself just how wrong it could. You will laugh your butt off, want to bang heads together and then fan your face from the heat!
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating will be your go-to romantic comedy from here on out! It will be like an octopus and wind it’s tentacles around your heart!
Hazel declares four personality traits on page 1. They’re both enviable and quirky, bold to be sure, but to be all of those at once?! Powerhouse or powder keg? Josh has gleaned these qualities from afar, their interactions few and far between, but he intuitively steers away from Hazel’s chaos. This assessment was also college-induced. Years later, careers established, unexpected interpersonal connection, Josh and Hazel embark on the friendship of a lifetime. I just discovered Christina Lauren two months ago, Love and Other Words literally rearranged and found a lovely place in my Top 10 reads. Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was infectious, full of life, and totally enchanting!
Hazel is an island unto herself. She’s exciting and engaging, honest and immensely thoughtful, a teacher who revels in expanding horizons and broadening meanings. It doesn’t necessarily make her endearing, several men find it exhilarating yet exhausting, and ask her to “turn it down”. But it’s this reappraisal that’s come with a price; a blow to her self-esteem. As a result, Hazel will not engage in reinventing herself to appease others. She is unapologetically unique.
“This is the perfect setup for boy-girl bestship: I’ve already been unbearable near you, which makes it impossible to scare you away.”
While Hazel might have come across as haphazardly zany once upon a time, Josh recognizes her innate goodness, and perhaps his own shortsightedness. Hazel’s insight breathes fresh air into his orderly life and perspective upon Josh’s long-suffering relationship. The dawning attracted the generally inhibited Josh to roam and explore outside the box.
I could go on and on about the growth and development of our MCs, the details, and even finer, more glorious details, of their ever-evolving feelings, but interestingly enough: they don’t want to date each other. Kismet, as its wont to be, decides to intensify their awareness AFTER they decide to be each others’ wing men. Bad dates turned out uneventful for both, hmmm… and “good” dates left them equally uneasy. Big mood. This symbiosis, though hardly surprising to the swooning reader, complicated matters and allowed for speculation of an all-encompassing love and future. Truly, their hearts were so engulfed by the other, they were adorably clueless. Christina Lauren nurtured the friendship to dazzling depths and it only served to deepen their devotion. There’s a fearless beauty in such resolve to appreciate, and wait, for their moment.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating reminded me of Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller’s characters from the movie, Along Came Polly. Two opposites collide and crash, disrupting each other’s comfort zones, only to transform into a life-affirming force. I loved this book and can assure you will undoubtedly feel its impact as well.
P.S. Christina Lauren, there IS something special about an ice cold PBR! Wish that I could share one with you!
This was sooo good. I simply devoured it. I love Christina Lauren’s books. For me, these authors always bring it home with their sweet and sexy originals stories. It’s not a fluke I love them since The Office, they just never disappoint.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is definitely in my top list this year and one of my top favorite CL books. They are just the best at the friends to lovers trope. This one has major Beautiful Player (Will & Hannah) vibes!!!! And BP is my all time favorite CL book, so you can imagine how excited I was about Josh + Hazel’s story.
Like I said, I was hooked from the get go. These two characters, along with some secondary ones were all so fantastic and likeable you can’t help but root for them. I loved the entire story of Josh and Hazel, their evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers was just perfection.
Hazel and Josh knew each other from college. They were merely acquaintances, Josh was at one point Hazel’s TA, but they had some embarrassing history, mostly on Hazel’s part. Years later, they see each other at a party and it turns out that Josh is Emily’s (Hazel’s BFF) brother. From then on they formed a beautiful friendship that eventually turns into so much more. And the rest you need to read it to find out.
Hazel is just something else, she’s my kind of girl, quirky, weird, over the top, no filter. But at the same time she was vulnerable, and such a good, special friend. And Josh (Jimin), Josh was simply everything. Completely loved him and his relationship with Hazel and his family. He’s a man’s man, loved him.
There were so many things I loved about this book. There’s so many funny moments combined with so many sweet moments. Not too mention some super sexy times! And that epilogue, my heart, it was everything I wanted and more! Needless to say, I absolutely recommend!
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Dating is a fast paced, super funny friends to lovers story. Hazel is a wild, unfiltered, unique women who simply gets into funny situations and says the craziest things. Josh is more laid back and quiet. Who’s says opposites don’t attract haven’t met these two.
Hazel is a hoot!
From the first introduction of her, I want to be BFF’s with her. She is soo relatable & such a firecracker.
Josh is a guy who just mellow and totally the opposite when it comes to Hazel outgoing personality.
Loved how their chemistry of them becoming being friends was refreshing, fun and such a page turner of seeing what would happen next with these two.
I laughed, cried from laughter and swooned delightfully on Author’s Christina Lauren signature style of having us fall in love with memorable characters of Hazel & Josh.
This book is one to go grab & fall in love with loving unconditionally. Opposites can attract & fall in love no matter how crazy it may seem.
This book is an Excellent lesson in loving with your heart & thinking outside of the box.Hazel is a hoot!
This book is my new favorite from Authors Christina Lauren!
5 popped!
Utterly beautiful. Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a celebration of love – love of self, of friends, family, pets, and the one you’re meant to be with for the rest of your life..
I seldom fall in love with both characters equally strong. I usually prefer the hero over the heroine with a few special exceptions. With Josh and Hazel, I did and it’s a credit to the writers that they created their MCs with so much facets to their personalities
I adore Hazel. She’s a lot to take and has no filter, no chill whatsoever. But she wouldn’t change for anyone just to be datable because being herself is enough. She’s enough. I believe it when Em says, “Hazel is the best person I’ve ever known.”
And Josh, he’s perfect in a way that’s still accessible. He accepts Hazel for who she is, is not embarrassed by her, and best of all, loves her for her unique qualities. He’s thoughtful and sensitive and perfect for Hazel. I fell for him as easily as Hazel did.
Their journey from friends to lovers is so natural, so inevitable that I could only sigh when it finally happened.
I love, love, love the writing of this book. There’s wit and humor and also depth that’s not angsty or over-dramatic. Just enough for my tears to flow in appreciation. I adore the secondary characters: Em and Dave, Aileen, Mrs. Im, Winnie and Hazel’s other pets, even the disastrous dates. And, I absolutely appreciate that Josh has a POV. Loved seeing the events through his eyes. Too many NA stories only have one POV, usually the heroine’s, and while I like a select number of them, I prefer the dual narration.
Did I mention that this is multicultural? I really liked how Christina and Lauren were able to include the Korean culture so seamlessly in the story through Josh and Em, their relationship with each other and with their parents, and with the food and conversations. Yay for diversity and inclusion.
This summer I seem to hit the reading jackpot. I have loved the last two books I read by Christina Lauren, but Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is totally a new favorite. I love kookie, quirky heroines, and Hazel was all that and more. And I just adored her.
“…he got a goofy chatterbox daughter who wanted to raise chickens, sang Captain and Tennille in the shower, and worked at the pumpkin patch every fall since she was ten because she liked dressing up as a scarecrow.”
Hazel knows she is different. She is just like her mom and marches to the beat of her own drum. She is a perfect “Ms. Frizzle” to her third graders, she’s loud, fun, messy creative and adorable.
“I realize that finding the perfect person isn’t going to be easy for me because I’m a lot to take,” she says, “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.”
The first time she met Josh Im was in college when she threw up on his shoes. She was crushing on her gorgeous TA but all she did was embarrass herself more and more around him. Now it’s years later and she is at her new best friend Emily’s party and it turns out Josh is Emily’s sister. After another embarrassing encounter, Hazel decides she is going to be Josh’s best friend. As much as she has a crush on Josh, she knows she isn’t compatible with the calm, strait-laced, neat Korean man.
“Do you know how many guys like to date the cute wild girl for a few weeks before expecting me to chill a little and become more Regular Girlfriend?”
Because they are friends now, Josh and Hazel decide to set each other up on dates.
“What if I set you up with someone, and you set me up with someone, and we went out together?”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. No games, no expectations. Double blind date. Just for a laugh.”
The series of dates was so much fun! You can feel the love between Josh and Hazel start to morph from friendship to maybe something more.
“But was I right?”
She’s breathless, hair wild and face flushed and how has nobody seen how crazy and fucking amazing she is? I decide right there to make sure somebody does. “Yeah, Haze. You were.”
I loved how Josh never tried to change one thing about her. Never tried to tamp down her energy and exuberance. He was like the calm to her storm and these opposites were perfect for each other.
“You’re second only to a unicorn as far as best friends go, Josh Im.”
This may be one of my favorite friends-to-lovers books ever. I loved all of the characters and just picture Emily and her husband watching these two dance around each other from the sidelines. I also loved the family aspect. They both have great moms, and I loved how Christina Lauren wrote about his traditional Korean mom without making a big deal about it.
“I tend to be too chatty, too silly, too exuberant, too random, too eager.” She spreads her hands. “Too Hazel-y.” She is all of these things, but it’s actually why I like her. She’s entirely her own person.
Likes:
•My cheeks hurt from smiling the whole book.
•Hazel was quirky and fun and so freaking lovable.
•Josh’s close Korean family.
•You really felt the friendship build and the mutual love develop.
•Hazel is just one of those people who is ALWAYS adorably happy.
•She makes no apologies for having 20+ sexual partners.
•She knows exactly who she is and won’t change for anyone.
•Their blind dates just kept getting better.
•Josh was never a man-whore.
•Some good sexy times to balance it all out.
•Awesome epilogue.
Dislikes:
•There was a twist right at the end that just seemed so unnecessary and almost didn’t fit in this book, then it was resolved very abruptly.
The Down and Dirty:
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by the writing duo of Christina Lauren is a 2018 Top Pick for sure. It was a fresh, funny, adorable modern friends-to-lovers/opposites attract romance that will absolutely stick with me. Hazel is one of my favorite characters ever and I loved how Josh never tried to dim her light. This is one book I can’t wait to re-read in audible format when it comes out because I totally want to hang out with Hazel more!
Rating: 5 Stars, 4 Heat
***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***
I loved this book. For so many reasons. But, the biggest reason I adore it as much as I do is Hazel’s lack of a filter and the hilarious things that come out of her mouth.
Hazel knew Josh in college. Fast forward to some years later, and she meets him in a totally coincidental way. The two end up in this weird sort of friendship, where they flirt but don’t flirt, and eventually they decide they should set each other up on blind dates.
Hazel is crazy fun and amazing. She’s totally out there, and I absolutely loved it! She has a whole slew of animals in her house, with funny names. When there’s something on her mind, chances are it’s going to come out of her mouth, without a second thought on her part. She’s goofy and she has a good heart and when she loves, she’s all in, head over heels, hopelessly devoted to the person. I felt such a connection to her because she’s kinda sorta like my soul sister. I loved every minute of this book because she’s such a wonderful character! I laughed at her quips, cringed for her, cheered for her … seriously, she’s crazy amazing.
Josh is awkward, in a cute way. He’s endearing and he hasn’t exactly had the best luck with the ladies along the way. I could tell Hazel made him uncomfortable, but I could also see he was starting to get smitten with her. They’re polar opposites, but they compliment one another and they make such a good pair.
I couldn’t stop reading this book once I got going. It flowed along so easily and the humor, sweet moments, and drama laced into the plot only made it even better. Christina Lauren always create such amazing characters, and the secondary ones in Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating play just as important of a role in things as the two main ones do.
Honestly, this book had me laughing all the way through. It’s by far one of the most enjoyable reads I’ve had this summer.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating gets the Wordaholic Must Read seal of approval.
Five stars to this novel!
Hazel, Hazel, Hazel. She made this one of the funniest books ever. I was barely into Chapter 4 when I realized how much she had made me laugh. Hazel is hilarious, so free spirited and comfortable in herself. She is also someone who is often so inappropriate. Yow, the things that she thinks about and comes out her mouth. So prepare yourself for some “language”. This book had me practically rolling on the floor laughing for most of it.
Josh is such a straight arrow kind of orderly guy but despite that he is so amused by her antics too. When they were in college, he was often horrified by her and her actions because he was a Hazel later kind of dubbed him as a Perfect Normal guy.
Now speaking of Josh, he is a really good guy and a loyal friend. He is a little O.C.D when it comes to neatness and things being orderly. But is he really? Probably not, he does like order but doesn’t really get all that bent out of shape when Hurricane Hazel blows through. After awhile he realizes his life is kind of dull and boring without Hazel and her parcel of pets and unique ways.
And that dating, not dating, double dating? What a hoot. They were so busy NOT dating while trying to find the perfect person for the other. They were in the river, Denial and it made for some outlandishly funny and disastrous dates. It turns out to be one of the most unusual romance stories ever.
I just adored Hazel’s mom and the fact that although Hazel got her looks from her dad, she got a similar personality from her mom. Their relationship was a thing of beauty. And some laughter too. Another great character was Dave, Hazel’s new boss and her BFF Emily’s husband. Most of the time he too was bent over in laughter at Hazel’s motor mouth. And I like the affection that Dave and Emily have for her. One thing most but not all people came to realize is that Hazel loves and lives BIG. That she has such a huge heart and that overshadows any desire for people to try to change her. At least the people who care about her feel that way. Others still try to enjoy wild Hazel and still try to make her dial it down to calmer times. So not happening but she has a trigger phrase, that clues her into where something is headed. The phrase is, you are embarrassing yourself…. It’s good trigger that shows her, “nope, they don’t get me, so bye see ya.”
I liked the moments when Josh’s mother showed up and makes sure everyone stays fed. It was also funny to me that although Josh said that his father was a quiet kind of guy. Yes, he was so quiet, he never really showed up in the story other than being mentioned. But that is okay because Hazel kept everyone else so busy.
Great Epilogue is included and I have come to the conclusion that I will be on the lookout for this author’s other works. I think this is the first book I have read by her but it won’t be the last.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it. It’s a keeper.
I just love these ladies writing. They make every story come to life in a way that not many can. This latest book is a perfect example of that.
I laughed, I swooned and I just consumed this book. My smile was there the whole time I read this book. I got to read this one at a time when I just needed something light and heart-warming. I tend to go for the angsty, darker, heavier books and it’s nice to cleanse my palate with a book like this one.
While I may not rave about every book these ladies put out, I do enjoy them a lot. The Bastard series is still my favorite and the second one would be the Wild Seasons series. I just like those stories a whole lot more but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy all their books. I really recommend giving this one a try.
This was just THE BEST! 6 stars! From start to finish I was in love with Josh and Hazel, laughing my way through the chaos and adventure, and rooting for them to get to their HEA. It was fantastic and I enjoyed every second!
Hang with me, folks, because this one’s going to get a little gushy…
Holy crap, I loved this book. I mean, I love this book with a gushy, impossible, fangirl-y type of love I’ve up until now reserved for Jensen Ackles (aka: Dean Winchester, aka: my future second husband). If you want to go ahead and skip reading this review to go 1-click the book, I’d totally understand, and you’d be doing the right thing. It’s that good. But just in case you’re still reading, here’s what I loved:
Hazel:
Hazel, the heroine, is the quirkiest romance heroine I’ve ever read. She’s like Bridget Jones times ten, but without all the self-doubt and insecurities. She’s a true wild child, but that’s not what I love most about her. What I love most about Hazel is that she’s totally unapologetic about who she is. She knows that her quirkiness is a turn-off to some people, and if those people don’t want to be around her, she’s cool with that. She didn’t need them anyway. Hazel is 100% true to herself and she’s happy. She doesn’t need a man or love to “fix” her or “tame” her, which makes her totally badass.
Josh:
Josh, the hero, is pretty much Hazel’s polar opposite. He’s a little uptight, sedate, and professional to the extreme most of the time. But while he finds Hazel to be (in the beginning) a little exasperating, he accepts her for who she is and learns to appreciate and love her quirks, because he knows that underneath all the crazy fun, Hazel is a kind-hearted, generous, beautiful person.
Also, Josh is Korean-American. I’ve been harping on how romance needs to be more diverse FOREVER, so seeing a proud Korean American romance hero was a real joy for me.
Laughed until I almost peed my pants:
Especially in the beginning, this book is FUNNY, y’all. I can’t stress that enough. Don’t read it in public. You’ll either snort laugh or pee your pants, and it’s really hard to recover from doing either in public.
These are few of my favorite tropes…
(Extra points to you if you sang that subhead in your head to the tune from The Sound of Music. All you kids in the reading audience might just have to go look that one up).
This is a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. Josh and Hazel really get to know each other before jumping into bed together, and there are few tropes I love more than slow-burn and friends-to-lovers.
So, if all that doesn’t convince you to give this one a read, I really don’t know what will. And if you don’t read it, well, I feel kind of sorry for you. You won’t know what you’re missing!
Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley at no charge.
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Smile, happy sigh, heart tug, repeat. This book filled me with undiluted joy from beginning to end. The main source of all the warm fuzzies are the two main characters.
Hazel is the OG of quirky. Some refer to her as Crazy Hazie because – let’s face it – she is a total weirdo. She’s come to terms with the fact that most people can’t handle her level of eccentricity in the long run – particularly men. She likes who she is, though, and isn’t willing to tone down her wackiness for anyone, to which I say, “Go ahead and let your freak flag fly, Hazel! You. Do. You.” She’s infectiously endearing, and I admired her her. What must it be like to live life without an ounce of self-consciousness? To believe with 100% certainty that you are completely awesome?
While Hazel is impulsive, energetic, messy and childlike, Josh is her polar opposite: calm, neat, measured, and responsible. Basically, he’s the perfect specimen. They clearly don’t make sense together, so a romantic relationship is out of the question. However, Hazel does decide that whether Josh wants to or not, they will become best friends and guess what? (Spoiler alert) They do!
Their disastrous double dates are funny, and unearthing all of Hazel’s quirks provides plenty of entertainment. What sealed my bubble of joy, though, were the simple interactions between Josh and Hazel: making breakfast, watching TV, or eating ice cream. Seeing the unpenetrable bond develop between Josh and Hazel and the way in which each influences the other for the better warmed my heart.
The more books I read by Christina Lauren, the more addicted I become to their stories. High five to them for creating a minority as one of the main characters in this book. You mean a romance novel can successfully reflect real life?? No way! Seriously though, I’m thrilled to see more and more romances embracing diversity. Josh’s Korean heritage adds another level of affection. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Dating is one of those tender romances that gives you lots of feels and makes you smile. I can’t ask for more than that.
I received an early version of this title that I voluntarily read.