THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews * Publishers Weekly * Library Journal Named a “Must-Read” by TODAY, Us Weekly, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Goodreads, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Southern Living, Book Riot, Woman’s Day, The Toronto Star, and more! For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime–maybe even love–in … Toronto Star, and more!
For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime–maybe even love–in this romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Roomies.
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.
With Christina Lauren’s “uniquely hilarious and touching voice” (Entertainment Weekly), The Unhoneymooners is a romance for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.
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Easy beach read.
Olive and Amy are twins. Olive feels she has always had the absolute worst luck and now she is in a hideous dress for Amy’s wedding. Amy has always had the absolute best luck. She always scoring things for free and winning every contest she ever enters. Her wedding and honeymoon have cost next to nothing. The honeymoon was won and is to be a 10 day all inclusive trip to Maui. Amy’s and Olive’s luck are about to change as Amy, her new spouse and several guests become sick at the reception with a seafood borne illness from the buffet. Amy begs Olive to go on the trip, which cannot be changed or cancelled, with the groom’s brother Ethan. Ethan and Olive do not get along and so begins a 10 day trip to Maui that is the most fun, delightful, entertaining hate to love romance that I have read in awhile. The banter between Ethan and Olive is so good!!! It’s snarky, hilarious, steamy and narrated so well (I listened to it on audio). It had me laughing out loud in several spots and with a big cheesy grin on my face.
3.5 Stars
I’m probably in the minority here, but I just wasn’t as into this as I have been for many of this author duo’s other work. That’s not to say I hated it. I didn’t. But I didn’t LOVE it like I hoped I would.
This is the story of Olive and Ethan. Ethan’s brother and Olive’s twin sister are getting married and everyone but Olive and Ethan take unwell after eating food at the reception. So since Ami won the honeymoon, she tells her twin sister, and her “nemesis” to go in her stead.
Was this funny? Yes. Have I read funnier from CL? Heck yes.
Was this light and fluffy? Yes. Have I read it be done better? Very much so, yes
Was the banter and swoony times there? Yes, but again this duo have done it better before.
This wasn’t a bad time, but I do find myself wishing this was another book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy. I volunteered to leave an unbiased review.
Quite fun. The trope of enemies become lovers is there but a roller coaster ride along the way. Will read these authors again.
This is the first Christina Lauren book I’ve read ;but I’ll definitely read more.
This was a humorous and heartwarming read that I was soon addicted to! The main protagonists are Olive and Ethan. They have a very antagonistic relationship at the start of the book, their constant bickering and verbal sparring was amusing.
Olive iTorres s the “unlucky” twin, her identical sister Ami is the” lucky” twin who wins everything in competitions. She has organised her whole wedding by winning everything from the dresses to the honeymoon . Ethan is the brother of the Groom, Dane and is also the Best man.
At the wedding banquet , both the Bride and Groom and all of the guests , bar Olive and Ethan fall ill with food poisoning, resulting in them both going on the all expenses paid honeymoon on Maui in their place.
While on holiday together, masquerading as a married couple,they each bump into aquantances, this results in some humorous moments. During the course of the break , their mutual attraction grows and they discover they might not dislike each other as much as they originally thought.
Does what happens in Maui stay in Maui?
This was a really easy going read with a great cast of wonderful characters. I thoroughly recommend it.
I received a copy of the book from #Netgalley and voluntarily leave this review. All thoughts are my own and unbiased.
I finally finished reading my third Christina Lauren book and I adored it very much. Such a fun, tropical read that brought a smile in my face. It’s my second favorite book from them after Josh and Hazel. I give this book a 4.5 stars. The only complaint I have is that I felt some parts of the book felt a little bit rushed.
This is an enemies/haters to lovers type of story and I thought the flow for that type of romance went smoothly but I also felt that some parts were a bit rushed. Though that did not put my enjoyment of the book away. Their banter was the best part in my opinion and all the awkward moments that they both have to deal with.
What I did not expect in this story was the family element. Our main character Olive has a big Mexican family who are both great and annoying at the same time. Annoying because they all have to be in each others business and great because there is a giant bond that tells you that we have your back and you are not alone, which warms my heart.
I love the body positivity that was mentioned in this book too, which I adored. Olive and her twin sister Ami are both curvy and I loved how each of them love and are comfortable in their own person. I thought it was very empowering to every reader with different body types.
I have never been to a tropical land or to Hawaii and reading from this book gave me an idea to how it is and my insides were all just sunshine and fresh nature, which I loved. I hope to one day visit Hawaii for myself.
All in all, it was such an enjoyable read and I highly recommend reading it if you haven’t already.
I’ve been a fan of this duo for a long time now and since this book was recommended so much everywhere I had to read it as well.
I enjoyed the family interactions and connections along with all the drama that comes along especially when a wedding is happening very soon and everyone wants to be perfect. What should be the most unforgettable day in one’s life it turns out to be quite a tragicomedy and the maid of honour with the best man have to take on a fake honeymoon because you know, everything is paid and can be wasted. From now on, we get to spend a lot of time with these two characters that are like enemies at all times but secretly lust for each other.
I can’t say I loved any of them but I grow fond of their support for the family and friends.
There’s chemistry but, for me, I couldn’t seem to get that they are meant to be vibe.
It’s a must-read that many people will enjoy
This is the sweetest, laugh out loud, love story that you cannot put down!
Whoa, really loved this book. Wasn’t expecting too as much as I did. It’s an easy, breezy beach read that I dropped into without a problem. The Voice is excellent, and Voice is the Big Kahuna in writing. It’s told in first person present tense which makes it more immediate. I chuckled along the way and laughed out loud in a few places. This has the feel of a sitcom, like Friends, and the main character could easily be Rachel. There are two huge coincidences in the plot and usually when I come across them I don’t continue reading. But in this case, since I bought into the sitcom type plot structure I was okay with it. The back and forth banter is wonderful. The slow drop into romance (which everyone reading would know was coming) was great. In the current state of the world this book was just what I needed, pure escapism with a few laughs as spice. If you’re into romance or even a romping good story, I highly recommend this one. A solid five stars.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
When Olive is a maid of honor for her twin Ami, little did she know how much things were going to change from the wedding reception. Firstly she gets to go on the honeymoon instead of the bride and groom and even if it is with her nemesis Ethan, she is going to make the best of it. They spend two weeks together in Maui and find that they actually have more fun doing things together than hating each other.
Once back home in Minnesota, things just aren’t what they seem, but only Ollie see the full picture. Things then change for her, in a big way. Lessons are learnt but she misses her twin nearly as much as she does Ethan. When the truth finally comes to light, it could all be a little too late for them to get back on track.
I picked this book up and had it finished in a day. I loved the banter and Olivia, Octavia, or Olive was fiery! She might have been a little glass half empty at times but if I had all those things happen to me, I would feel like it too. I loved her dedication and her humor. Ethan was her balancing light. He was so attentive and sweet. He made the mistake of not trusting his gut but tries hard to rectify it. I adored the epilogue in Ethan’s pov and their journey back to where it began.
Finished this in two days! I couldn’t put the book down, it was simply perfect!
Perfect beach read
There are few things better in this world than a good rom-com, and this enemies-to-lovers romance takes the (wedding) cake. The Unhoneymooners plot centers around the generally unlucky Olive Torres and the man she loves to hate, the brother of the man her twin sister Ami marries in a coupon-fueled ceremony – one Ethan Thomas. Ethan is everything Olive hates – he’s smug, often jerkish, infuriatingly charming to everyone who is not Olive, and whisks his brother away on ill-timed trips at the drop of the hat.
All that is a good enough reason to say ‘no’ when Ami insists that Olive take her place on her Maui honeymoon after everyone except for her and Ethan wind up with food poisoning. However, despite her protests, Olive and Ethan set sail for a 10-day Hawaiian experience where they discover that love is closer to hate than they first assumed and that their chemistry has been sizzling since they met.
Their relationship is fun and quirky and their banter provided more than its fair share of laughs. Olive is witty and smart and gives as good as she gets. Ethan is charming and clever and knows how to push Olive’s buttons. Their faux-honeymoon is filled with lots of ribbing, some good-natured name-calling, and more than a few mai tais on Ethan’s part.
Despite really enjoying this book (and my first real foray in Christina Lauren’s work), I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed at how the latter half of the book progressed. Although we get the characteristic happy ending (it is a rom-com after all), the honeymoon is really over (pun intended) when Olive and Ethan return from their little Hawaiian vacation. They deal with some pretty serious issues that often ruin relationships and, while there is a period of time where the characters have to re-evaluate their relationship, it seems like everything is brushed over pretty quickly to make room for that HEA. I think I would have appreciated a little more deliberation, but nothing’s perfect.
Overall, this was a great read and one I’d highly recommend to rom-com lovers everywhere. The characters are engaging and funny, the circumstances hilariously ironic, and the chemistry off the charts. Throw in a couple of steamy scenes, an unapologetically curvy woman, and a slightly geeky Ethan and you have a recipe for success.
I haven’t laughed this much while reading a book in such a long time. Like literally laughing out loud and not just in my head. The Unhoneymooners was that funny for me.
Technically, this isn’t my first Christina Lauren book. I tried Beautiful Bastard but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. But when I saw the great reviews for this, I just couldn’t resist. Enemies to lovers? We all know I’m trash for it.
What I loved most about this book is how the characters were not really mean towards each other. I love good enemies to lovers romance but when one of them is abusive towards the other, that’s where I draw the line. Ethan and Olive hated each other’s guts which resulted in this awesome and witty banter. It’s what made this book so good for me. I loved both of their characters and they were perfect for each other. I got so invested in their relationship that I breathed a huge sigh of relief when everything went well in the end.
This book, although one I would consider a light read, also had some drama. However, it didn’t seem unnecessary or cliche. I admit I was very frustrated but instead of putting me off, it made them seem real. Their actions made sense and if I were in their shoes, I would definitely do the same.
But the best thing about this book is the epilogue. I really, really wanted to hug Christina and Lauren for it. My common complaint about romance novels is that after the conflict gets resolved, it always ends abruptly. I mean, after all that suffering, we deserve to be happier for a bit longer. The epilogue of this book was just sooooo sweet. It was written in Ethan’s POV which was nice and unexpected. Seriously, after reading it, my heart was just so full. To anyone who loves a sweet and funny enemies to lovers romance, this is definitely worth the shot.
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A fun and sexy read!
Charming, spunky and funny, The Honeymooners is the pure definition of a rom-com. This is not my usual genre but I loved it from the start. I didn’t want to work, I didn’t want to sleep, I just wanted to finish this book! I enjoyed the writing, the character development and the laugh-out-loud moments. A rare 5 star rating from me but easily earned, The Unhoneymooners will be one of my favorites of 2020. I’ve already added the authors other books to my TBR.
“Ethan and I make eye contact and then immediately look away. I clutch at my robe, aware that I’m not wearing anything underneath.”. How much did I love this book?!? It is a 5-diamond kinda love for me! I’ve always been such a fan of Christina Lauren
books, but this one checked all my boxes…great storyline, great characters, great ending and I laughed out loud throughout the entire thing! Such a fun read and Olive is my hero, I wanna hang with this girl! I couldn’t wait to pick this book up to continue reading, so if there is anyone out there who still hasn’t read this fun/quirky love story yet, then you must!
Christina Lauren are my go-to authors if I want to read engaging, fully-formed characters who always earn their HEA. And this novel is yet another success for my favorite writing duo.
Unhoneymooners is a delightful enemies-to-lovers tale that is infused with heart, humor, and sizzling chemistry. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed the witty dialogue shared between the two protagonists; I found myself laughing out loud many times. I also appreciated the more somber, emotional moments woven in throughout the narrative. There’s also a strong family dynamic in this story that I thoroughly enjoyed and identified with. It was a delight to read.
The Premise Olive, the unlucky-in-life twin, prepares for her sister Ami’s—luckiest girl in the world—wedding, in which the best man is the groom’s brother Ethan. And boy, does he hate Olive! Turns out Olive’s luck begins to change, when everyone gets food poisoning at the wedding except Olive and Ethan. But then Ami pushes Olive to take her non-refundable honeymoon…with Ethan. Yikes.
The story/The characters
I loved Olive and Ethan! This is the enemies-to-lovers fake-marriage tropes done right! There’s just enough weirdness, hate, attraction, and clumsiness, and it happens at the right times to keep the story moving. I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough story to get through all the days of the honeymoon, but I shouldn’t have worried. And the post-honeymoon ending didn’t feel rushed either—great pacing!
CLo is so great with dialogue, and they don’t disappoint here. This is what makes their characters so real and “pinch-able” (so lovely you want to pinch their cheeks).
Olive and Ami are Mexican-American and their family plays an ever-present role in the book. Thank you, Christina Lauren for not hitting us over the head with stereotype. Here, I think the cultural portrayal is well-done. I can almost smell the cooking and feel the familial love while reading it!
Overall
This is a great chick-lit/women’s fiction novel with all the romantic feels we love. It checks all the boxes of an entertaining feel-good novel.
Enemies to lovers rom-com that’s both sweet and truly funny.