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

Synopsis: 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?

Review: This is the second novel by Christina Lauren that I read and I must say that I’m under the spell! I did not expect to love this novel that much but it’s a gem and I had a hard time letting go of it. How to resist Hazel? How I liked this character! I really loved her! After a few chapters I was already sure that I would need a physical copy of the novel to have it on my shelves to read and re-read this new book. Yes, it’s at this point and I’m so glad I tried it!

Hazel, O Hazel, as you made me dream. Even if people do not know how amazing you are, I see it and I want to be like you! Your differences do not make you less brilliant, but propel you above all the others! Yes, because I loved your childish soul, to see you having fun of a little thing, to enjoy life even if others judge you, and my heart broke when I saw you continuing to smile when deep inside you were sad, disappointed, and broken by people who do not understand you and who would like you to be normal. Because you are normal Hazel, it’s just that they are too narrow to see it.

And who would have thought that you would see your teen crush again, the one you are persuaded that will never want you? But you’re going to help him, you’ll be his best friend before he even realizes it, you’ll enter his life like a tsunami, but you’ll make it so beautiful too! Yet, many times my little heart tightened for you. But it’s true that we understand you as well, how to resist Josh? He is so … everything. But can it work? And that’s the hardest question, it’s a very complicated thing, because you know you’ll never be the woman he needs. You do not want to be broken, especially by him, you are enough broken by the others who do not understand. You want to stay his best friend.

Yes Hazel, I loved this novel thanks to you but also thanks to Josh and you took me completely away and now I tell myself that I will have to read all the books by Christina Lauren if they are all that good! And especially I can not wait to have you on my shelves to rediscover you again and again because you deserve it!

17 thoughts on “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

  1. YES! I was really curious about this book and I was really hoping for a positive review from my fellow book blogger friends, and here you are 😀 Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Melliane, I hope it works that great for me as well!

  2. I loved this one so much! After I read it, I read Roomies and I enjoyed that one just as much. I’ve also read another series by them that you would probably love as well. It’s their Wild Seasons series. Hope you continue to enjoy them as I do.

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