The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Carey Duncan 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…

My thoughts-

It's been a while since I have read a romantic comedy that I couldn't put down, but that is exactly what happened once I started (and quickly finished) The Honey Don't List. I am not even a huge HGTV person. I don't care about house renovations shows, although I have been to Magnolia because I live in Dallas and Waco just isn't so far away and it's a beautiful store. I still thought this story sounded interesting and I was right. I was more engaged in the love story between the main characters- the assistants to the big tv star couple- and them trying to get through the sham that they are caught between. I know a lot of people don't like the style of writing that includes flash backs and other types of enhancements, but I have always thought that presenting more than one time frame and other types of media that are expository in nature with excerpts from the news articles and social media outlets really help move the story along and these types of extra information always make the novel feel more whole to me. I absolutely love this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.