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funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An incredibly sweet, at time steamy and overall lovely romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC of The True Love Experiment from the Simon & Schuster table at a library conference. The rep said it was a good starting place for Christina Lauren books. I didn't realize it was a sequel, so when I got back from the conference, I checked out this book. It was very interesting.
Like a lot of romance novels, it covers some really deep topics while also keeping it light. It has one of my favorite tropes in it - fake dating - and it pulls it off quite well. 4.0 stars
Edit: 2025-03-15: reread this book, and it was excellent. The paperback edition had a special epilogue from River's perspective that was excellent. Rating increased to 4.5 stars.
Like a lot of romance novels, it covers some really deep topics while also keeping it light. It has one of my favorite tropes in it - fake dating - and it pulls it off quite well. 4.0 stars
Edit: 2025-03-15: reread this book, and it was excellent. The paperback edition had a special epilogue from River's perspective that was excellent. Rating increased to 4.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse
Minor: Abandonment
Specifically a toxic relationship between the FMC and her mother who has substance abuse problems
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I laughed and cried rom-com about a single mom and a DNA dating app founder.
With fake dating, plenty of laughs, soulmates trope, grumpy/sunshine pairing, some tearful moments, and enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. This book was a fabulous romantic comedy. My only complaint is not enough on the page spice!
I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek things that Fizzi said about romance writing. I also loved that there weren't characters who really mattered to the story and who weren't given enough depth.
Overall, I loved it!
With fake dating, plenty of laughs, soulmates trope, grumpy/sunshine pairing, some tearful moments, and enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. This book was a fabulous romantic comedy. My only complaint is not enough on the page spice!
I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek things that Fizzi said about romance writing. I also loved that there weren't characters who really mattered to the story and who weren't given enough depth.
Overall, I loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment
Minor: Drug abuse
Emotional abuse and toxic relationships are between the MC and her mother.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Christina Lauren does it again. This may be my favorite of their books that I've read so far.
Jess was a great FMC -- she's fiercely independent (out of necessity, because of past experiences, and just her personality), hardworking, a loyal friend, a strong mama-bear, and gives 100% of herself to whatever she does. I really really liked her character development: learning how to lean on others and ask for help, growing in healthy communication and transparency, and her brave choice to be vulnerable and bold.
And River! Wow, I loved River. He's so good for Jess, although neither of them knows how to admit that on the front end. He's humble, incredibly intelligent, and so good with Jess's daughter (I cried a little bit, not gonna lie).
This book was beautiful. Loved every second of it.
Jess was a great FMC -- she's fiercely independent (out of necessity, because of past experiences, and just her personality), hardworking, a loyal friend, a strong mama-bear, and gives 100% of herself to whatever she does. I really really liked her character development: learning how to lean on others and ask for help, growing in healthy communication and transparency, and her brave choice to be vulnerable and bold.
And River! Wow, I loved River. He's so good for Jess, although neither of them knows how to admit that on the front end. He's humble, incredibly intelligent, and so good with Jess's daughter (I cried a little bit, not gonna lie).
This book was beautiful. Loved every second of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Spit in a tube. Find your match. 🧬❣️ On her thirtieth birthday, Jess’s phone pings with an alert. She has matched with one of the founders of GeneticAlly, a company that’s designed a DNA test geared towards finding your soulmate. Jess and River have crossed paths before and to be honest, Jess can’t stand the sight of him. With all the science involved, Christina and Lauren could have been in over their heads with this one. Fortunately, that was not the case! I could tell the two did their research before even touching a pen to paper. The reader is quickly transported into GeneticAlly’s headquarters and faced with one question: are Jess and River’s results real?
One thing I love in romance novels is single parent representation. I absolutely adored watching River form a relationship with Jess’s daughter, Juno. I laughed a lot and I am eager to read Fizzy’s story next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Toxic relationship
A sweet rom-com with a single mother statistician and a geneticist who starts a DNA-based dating app have a romance that starts with antagonism and sorta fake dating. The humor hit for me. I love the side characters that surround the FMC, and now I need to read Fizzy’s book. The third act conflict/resolution happened so fast, but I forgive it because the epilogue was so cute.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC of The True Love Experiment from the Simon & Schuster table at a library conference. The rep said it was a good starting place for Christina Lauren books. I didn't realize it was a sequel, so when I got back from the conference, I checked out this book. It was very interesting.
Like a lot of romance novels, it covers some really deep topics while also keeping it light. It has one of my favorite tropes in it - fake dating - and it pulls it off quite well. 4.0 stars
Edit: 2025-03-15: reread this book, and it was excellent. The paperback edition had a special epilogue from River's perspective that was excellent. Rating increased to 4.5 stars.
Like a lot of romance novels, it covers some really deep topics while also keeping it light. It has one of my favorite tropes in it - fake dating - and it pulls it off quite well. 4.0 stars
Edit: 2025-03-15: reread this book, and it was excellent. The paperback edition had a special epilogue from River's perspective that was excellent. Rating increased to 4.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship