Thursday, September 6, 2018

Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren




Publication: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Publisher & Purchase my own copy

Synopsis:

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?



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Josh Im and Hazel Bradford share a pretty colorful introduction in college. And all throughout college Hazel has continued to make quite an impression on Josh. They always managed to run into each other during one time or another. After graduating, they don’t see each other for 7 years, when they reunite at a BBQ hosted by Josh’s brother-in-law Dave and sister Emily. Emily also happens to be best friends with Hazel and is surprised to see Josh.Hazel sees Josh as her blueprint for perfect and determines from the beginning that they will be best friends.


Josh comes from a pretty close knit Korean family and has more of a traditional background. He’s pretty even-keeled, a little reserved/serious, but also has a dry sense of humor. He is also a physical therapist and has a business there in Portland. His personality, loyalty, and easy friendship with Hazel had me falling in love with him right alongside Hazel.

Hazel, a third grade school teacher is not what you might expect when you first meet her. She has absolutely no filter and is pretty straight-forward. She usually says the first thing that comes to her mind, but isn’t rude about it. She has the biggest heart, sweet, super easy-going, loves to be happy and make friends. Essentially she is a giant social butterfly. And I loved her to pieces!


This book took me by surprise. I’ve been in a little bit of a book funk lately. Sometimes it’s taken me awhile to get really into a book. So when I started this one, I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. Actually I didn’t just like it, I kind of fell in love with it. Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was a great story about friendship, love, and not changing who you are to suite others around you. I loved Hazel and Josh. I want to have friends like these two! I’ve always enjoyed reading, but this book…I had so much fun getting to know Hazel and Josh and watching their friendship grow and develop. The other characters like Dave, Emily, Hazel’s mom and Josh and Emily’s mother all added to the story and made it that more special. I lost count of the number of times I laughed. I ended the book with a big smile on my face. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone I knew about it.


In short, go check out Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating!






RATING: 5 out of 5.



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