Please note that this post may contain spoilers for this book and that these opinions are my own.
Goodreads Synopsis 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?
My Thoughts
I’ve been on a contemporary romance book binge recently and I’ve managed to read two other Christina Lauren books this month (Roomies and My Favourite Half-Night Stand). I really enjoy their writing and I become so emotional invested in the characters lives. Each of the books I’ve read I’ve managed to read in less that 24 hours because I simply cannot put these books down.
This book is funny, romantic, cheesy and a good amount of steamy. It is everything I look for in a contemporary romance! I can definitely say I will be picking up more books in the future by Christina Lauren.
The Characters
I absolutely adore Hazel and her quirkiness. She is such a free spirit and everything I wish I could be. She isn’t shy about her sexual endeavours and is so confident in herself but not in a way that comes across negatively or annoying. She accepts that she has flaws, she knows she can be a bit too much but she’s not going to change for anyone.
In my head I could imagine Josh as the perfect blueprint. He’s calm, sensible and incredibly mature. Josh never asks Hazel to change, he never tells her that she’s being too much and is the first to stand up and defend her. Although these features are quite common in book characters, Christina Lauren never made him come across as boring. I was just as much in love with him as I was with Hazel.
This book has a good selection of background characters. Emily and David are everything and I love their dynamic. Hazel’s mother is a breath of fresh air in this book, she loves her daughter so much but clearly loves Hazel’s dog more…
I’m sad that you never get too read too much about Emily and Josh’s parents but what parts we did get with them I really liked them.
The Plot and the Ending
I was quite a fan of the plot for this book. These two characters are completely opposite on paper and yet work perfectly together. I love all the terrible dates, I love that even though they are meant to be on a date with someone else the two always seem to come together like two magnets.
There was one thing I disliked about the book and what really affected my rating of this book. I hated the plot twist at the end. Yes, I said it. I felt like it all came out of nowhere and I honestly felt like it kind of ruined the book. I feel like it wasn’t needed in order to finish their story or it could have been done differently.
Overall I did really enjoy this book and like I mentioned earlier I will be reading more of Christina Lauren’s books in the future.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Favourite Quotes
“I learned a very important thing that day: my mom would never try to change for a man, and I wouldn’t, either.”
“But at the end of the day”, she says, and puts her hand outside the open window, letting the wind pass through her fingers, “being myself is enough. I’m enough.”
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