Scan barcode
A review by riyagandhi
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren is a romance novel about Olive (the pessimistic twin) and Ethan who take their siblings' honeymoon after a large food poisoning epidemic during the wedding reception of Ami and Dane.
Particularly, I enjoyed the banter between Ethan and Olive, whether during their "enemies" phase or even more as they began to gain an attraction/like for each other. While a "miscommunication" caused their initial rift to enemies, I did love the drama that unfolded betweenAmi and Dane . The final 100 pages of the book were much more interesting than the initial 300. The other great aspect of this book was the beautiful display of family dynamics and the love and support amongst the twins, their mother, and their cousins.
While there were a lot of cute moments between Olive and Ethan, a part of it did not feel like he was truly head over heels for her, even though he claimed to have fallen in love with herfrom the first Mai Tais date. Part of it felt very superficial or physical, as every romantic moment ultimately boiled down to a lustful, physical attraction. Throughout the love story, it felt like Ethan would have been fine if they ended at any point, which bothered me, as his words did not match his actions. The ending was a little unrealistic, with Dane's exes appearing, the huge profession of love in an upscale restaurant surrounded by friends and family, and the presence of the Hamiltons, but perhaps that is just in true rom-com fashion.
In general, I enjoyed the book as a leisurely, entertaining, summer read. What started slowly ended as a cute resolution of the large miscommunication that led to two people hating one another. The epilogue redeemed Ethan for me, and I was pleased with the ending.
Tropes: fake marriage, one bed, enemies to lovers, forced proximity
Particularly, I enjoyed the banter between Ethan and Olive, whether during their "enemies" phase or even more as they began to gain an attraction/like for each other. While a "miscommunication" caused their initial rift to enemies, I did love the drama that unfolded between
While there were a lot of cute moments between Olive and Ethan, a part of it did not feel like he was truly head over heels for her, even though he claimed to have fallen in love with her
In general, I enjoyed the book as a leisurely, entertaining, summer read. What started slowly ended as a cute resolution of the large miscommunication that led to two people hating one another. The epilogue redeemed Ethan for me, and I was pleased with the ending.
Tropes: fake marriage, one bed, enemies to lovers, forced proximity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit