Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

Hazel Bradford and Josh Im first meet in college, where her uninhibited personality clashes with his reserved nature. Years later, they reconnect by chance and develop a friendship, with Hazel determined to help Josh recover from a bad breakup. The pair begins setting each other up on double dates with other people, leading to a series of misadventures and dating disasters. Their opposing personalities - Hazel's chaotic energy and Josh's structured approach to life - create both tension and harmony as they navigate their evolving relationship. Through their shared experiences and growing bond, both characters confront their assumptions about love, friendship, and what they truly want in life. The novel explores how people's differences can complement rather than divide them, and questions whether the "perfect" partner might be different than expected.

Readers describe this as a lighthearted friends-to-lovers romance with quirky characters. Many appreciate the platonic friendship between Josh and Hazel before any romance develops, and find Hazel's eccentric personality refreshing rather than forced. Readers liked: - The slow-burn romance development - Both characters maintaining their individuality - Realistic, awkward dating scenarios - Korean-American representation - Funny dialogue and interactions Common criticisms: - Hazel can be over-the-top and exhausting for some readers - Plot becomes predictable in later chapters - Some found the ending rushed - A few readers wanted more conflict/tension Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (179,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (5,000+ ratings) BookBub: 4.4/5 (2,900+ ratings) One frequent reader comment notes: "Hazel is either your cup of tea or she isn't - there's no in-between." Another states: "The chemistry between characters feels authentic rather than manufactured."

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🌟 Christina Lauren is actually a pen name for two best friends: Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, who collaborate to write romance novels together 💝 The book explores Korean-American culture through Josh's character, drawing on real experiences and adding to the growing representation of Asian characters in contemporary romance 📚 The authors wrote the first draft of this book in just six weeks, which is unusually fast for a full-length novel 🎓 The character of Hazel was inspired by the authors' experiences as teachers and their observations of free-spirited, unconventional educators 🐾 Animals play a significant role in the story, with Hazel owning multiple pets including a tarantula named Janis Hoplin - a play on words referencing singer Janis Joplin