Review: The Honey-Don't List

I'm a relatively new Christina Lauren reader. While they've been published for several years, I only read my first book by them (Christina Lauren is a pen name for Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) in 2018 (it was Roomies and I thoroughly enjoyed it). Since then I've read a number of their novels and The Honey-Don't List is their latest. It was fun with a little sexy and a lot of depth but it didn't wow me as much as I expected.

Here's the synopsis:

Carey Douglas 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…

I thought the design/TV show aspect was a lot of fun and really enjoyed that it also showed the less than glamorous side of things. I mean, this story was an extreme example of the ugly that show business can create but it's a good reminder that those HGTV shows (which I adore) are made for entertainment purposes. (Although, do you watch Home Town? I find that show to be delightfully uncontrived and unscripted. Ben and Erin are the cutest and I just love the show.) If you're also a fan of these types of HGTV-esque stories, I would highly suggest Playing House by Laura Chapman, one of my favourite authors.

I really liked Carey and James. The romance between them seemed so great and believable too. It moved fast but they spent a lot of time together and were able to get to know each other on levels that it sometimes takes other couples weeks or months to achieve. They really seemed like opposites but the more they got to know each other, the more they realized a lot of their core values were the same. I also really liked that the story was told by both of them. Chapters changed perspective with whoever's chapter it was telling the story in first person. Sounds like it could be confusing but it really worked for me.

What didn't work? The transcripts with the police officers and the social media comments that were interspersed between chapters. The transcripts hinted at the climax of the novel which I didn't mind but it seemed like a weird way to do it. That said, I didn't mind the excerpts from Russ and Melly's book (because they related to whatever drama was currently happening in the story) or the articles about their tour.

While there's a romance at the heart of this book, Carey's personal journey (ugh sorry for the cliched term) is what stood out for me the most. From an outsider, like James originally was, she seems like she's been stuck in an assistant role for a decade. She's incredible reliant on her bosses and their lives are hopelessly intertwined. The authors make sure the reader knows Carey has already begun to work on herself before James came along - she had been going to therapy to try to help work through her issues - but since he was in a similar position, he was able to help her see a way out of the situation she was in. I rooted for her throughout the entire book and wanted all of the good things for her.

Special shout out for the authors to write Carey with a disability and one that presents in a pretty invisible way. Carey has dystonia, which is a movement disorder that can cause muscles to spasm and contract uncontrollably. They explain in the acknowledgements that Billings' family has a variant of the disease and that's why they wanted to include it in the storyline and shed a little bit of light on the disease (which I had never heard of so I'm happy to have had the education).

Did I have high expectations for The Honey-Don't List? Maybe. Was I stressed about the global pandemic blowing up the world around me? Perhaps. Is it worth a read? Yes, I think so but don't worry too much if it gets pushed down your reading list. Christina Lauren will always entertain and if you want an escape, their latest book could be what you're looking for.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home

Have you heard of the blog A Beautiful Mess? If you like decor, fashion, and all things pretty, you probably have. Sisters Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman have so many awesome ideas and they've recently compiled their home decor tips and DIY ideas in the new book, A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home: Painting, Crafting, and Decorating a Cheerful, More Inspiring Space. Whew, that's a mouthful. Unlike some other interior design books, this one is totally relatable and a lot of fun to read.

Here's the book's description:

Step inside the world of Elsie and Emma, the sisters behind the décor blog A Beautiful Mess. With tiny budgets and a crafty, can-do attitude, they overhauled each room in their first homes with DIY projects using family photos, vibrant fabrics, flea-market finds, and affordable furniture. Now, you can learn how to paint, craft, and decorate your way to a happy, bright space with distinct personality. In the same upbeat spirit and modern style found on their blog, you’ll find fresh, all-new projects including:
• An inspired geometric-pattern coffee table made of balsa wood
• A hand-lettered statement wall featuring your favorite quote
• A quick and easy electrical tape update for your refrigerator
• A set of beautifully designed serving dishes
And more!
Packed with bonus styling tips from hanging the perfect gallery wall to making mismatched furniture work, Happy Handmade Home is design inspiration for personalizing your own space.

I really liked all of the DIY projects interspersed throughout the book. Some were fairly easy (making a cool design out of electrical tape on a coffee table) while others required slightly more work (a bed frame for a guest bedroom). None of the projects would be unreasonable for anyone with the space, time, and funds. Of course, you may find the ideas daunting if you're not into DIY but if you aren't, I'm not sure why you'd be reading this book! :) There are a few projects for every room of the house so you're sure to find at least one thing you're going to want to try.

The book isn't all do-it-yourself projects. It also includes lovely pictures of the authors' own homes. They use those pictures to give ideas for your home. Seeing the collection of cow skulls and antlers in one of their living room's can help you envision how to showcase your own collection of unique objects. Shopping for a new dining room set? Why not do what they did: get a table and then find individual chairs at flea markets and shops and paint them all the same colour. As long as you think outside of the box, and the authors help you do that, you can take their ideas and make them work for your own home.

I also really liked how they had a page or two on how to celebrate in almost every room. Have a kid's birthday party in the new playroom. Or how about a brunch with your ladies in your stunning backyard space? I loved thinking about the parties I could have in my imaginary and newly decorated house.

It's hard to give a written review of such a stunning visual book but A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home is a home decor book after my own heart. It's fun and a bit quirky but so beautiful. Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman's book may not be for everyone but if you love DIY projects or even just watching HGTV to see all of the pretty houses, you should definitely check it out. Speaking of which, I would love to see these girls get their own TV show!

Happy reading...and decorating!

*A copy of this novel was received from the publisher, Random House of Canada, in exchange for review consideration.*

Currently Reading: The Christmas Clock

Ah, the joys of the Christmas season. I love it. So much, in fact, that I am still reading Christmas stories. I wish I could prolong the holiday even more, but eventually, all the Christmasiness (yes, I'm making up words)
will be gone and I have to create it on my own. Right now, every thing is still in holiday mode since New Year's Eve is tomorrow (expect a resolutions type post soon!) and people are still visiting family and taking time off work. There are also lovely marathons happening on pretty much every specialty channel. I'm currently flipping between HGTV (Property Virgins) and Food Network (Challenges) while I'm writing this.

I just started reading The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin today and I absolutely love it. It was just released last October and I remember seeing it at work and wanting to read it. Unfortunately, I never got around to it. While I was working this year I happened upon it again and made a note so I would remember to check the library for it (side note: I finallllly got a library card!). Lucky for me, it was there!

I'm just over halfway through the novel, and like I said, I am in love with it - the story, the characters, the tone. It's a small book (eleven chapters, 145 pages, all packaged in a tiny hardcover) so if you're looking for a short novel to read next Christmas in between the five bazillion things you have to do, this is the one for you.

What I really love about this novel so far is that it has the true spirit of Christmas. Lottie Sparks is suffering from a form of Alzheimer's that is rapidly progressing and her biggest worry is that she will not be able to find a home for her eight year old grandson, Teddy, before she is no longer able to take care of him. She's slowly losing her memory, but every time she sees this old Victorian clock in a shop window she remembers her childhood. Teddy knows how much she loves the clock and desperately wants to buy it for her for Christmas.

The Teddy-Lottie storyline was the only one I knew about when I got into reading this, but there is actually a romantic story woven through as well. Sylvia Winters and Joe Dixon used to be in love and were engaged but all of a sudden, Sylvia up and left the small town and moved to the city. Now she's back in town and they are trying to figure out how to get used to seeing each other again. Both of them are in pain and it really gets to me the way things turned out with them. I desperately hope they can work things out.

I'll give you all an update when I finish the novel and let you know if it continued to be a fantastic book!

I hope you all had a magnificent Christmas (I sure did!) and have a Happy New Year as well! :)