REVIEW: Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

In Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren, Since embarrassing herself in front of Josh Im a few memorable times in college, Hazel Bradford has always thought of him as the model of her Perfect Guy. Flash forward almost a decade later and while she now has a kickass career as a third grade teacher, Hazel still hasn’t found Mr. Right. She does have an awesome collection of adorable pets and some really cool friends, but alas she’s still single. So when she runs into Josh and realizes he lives locally as well, wouldn’t it just figure that he’s not single. Hazel still feels that pull between them, although she tells herself it’s of the friendly not romantic variety. She and Josh become fast friends, and after an unfortunate breakup between him and his girlfriend, they eventually set each other up on blind double dates with the best of intentions.

“I know I’m like Pig-Pen in Charlie Brown, and I have chaos around me, but it’s like he doesn’t even care. He doesn’t need me to change or pretend to be someone else. He’s my person. He’s my best friend.”

But it seems like Hazel and Josh spend more time laughing and paying attention to each other rather than their dates. And Josh is pretty sure he knows why: they have chemistry that just can’t be denied the longer they spend time in each other’s company. Not knowing what to do about it, they try to keep things platonic. Until a fun drunken night turns serious and sexy, throwing them both for an emotional loop. Josh doesn’t want to push Hazel to start dating and lose the wonderful friendship they’ve built. But he doesn’t know if he can remain just friends either. He’ll have to use his laser-like focus in the midst of the storm known as Hazel to figure out if she feels the same way, and if so, if they have what it takes to make a relationship work.

“What does that mean,” I ask, ” ‘being too Hazel-y’?”
“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 those things, but that’s actually why I like her.

Powerhouse writing duo Christina Lauren took the friends to lovers trope to exciting and comical new heights in Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. Their pairing of a free-spirited elementary teacher and a sensitive & sexy physical therapist–basically chaos vs. calm–was perfection in all its awkward, heartfelt, swoon-worthy glory.

‘Sex I can do. But baring my emotional soul to Josh and watching his proverbial lip curl in distaste? Gah.’

Now that was fun! And oh-so satisfying. As with all of Christina Lauren’s books I’ve read to date, actually. But there was something kind of special–or magical, if you will–about Josh and Hazel’s journey. I love that they had this humorous history together, beginning with a few embarrassing moments they had in college and then when they met again about a decade later, realizing that they just felt comfortable in their own skin around each other. And that’s one of the things I love about friends to lovers. There was a great foundation being built between Hazel and Josh as they became friends that led to trust, true camaraderie, and which let the genuine feelings they had grow naturally.

I have to admit that Hazel likely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I adored her in all her kooky, offbeat, wonderful ways, from her wide assortment of lovable pets to her funky sense of fashion and her childlike wonder about, well, everything around her. Hazel was perpetually happy and it was difficult not to smile at her antics. But it was her generous, compassionate heart that won me over. And her secret crush for Josh? *sigh* I don’t blame Hazel. Josh was pretty freaking wonderful. He was smart and caring, steadfastly loyal to anyone he was close to, and he had hidden sexy depths that will make a reader’s heart flutter during the romantic scenes.

The blind double dates Hazel and Josh set up for each other and battled their way through, I thought, were hysterical and quite telling. As the dates wore on, even their companions could see that there was something going on between Josh and Hazel…even if they didn’t realize it themselves. It did get to a point where I think some readers may get frustrated and just say, “Enough already! Just date each other!”. (lol) But I enjoyed the ups and downs of their roller coaster ride dating the wrong people and I thought it was every bit as entertaining as it was poignant. Because, yes, there were some serious moments between Hazel and Josh. Scenes where Christina Lauren’s writing ability shone through with surprising depth of emotion and lovely confidences ultimately shared by our protagonists.

With an epic ending that will have you sighing happily, along with a totally memorable cast you’ll want to befriend, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was an amusing and delicious romance that will be sure to capture your heart.
 

Book Info:

Publication: September 4th 2018 | Gallery Books |

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 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?