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Saturday, September 8, 2018

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Josh + Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, by Christina Lauren {ends 9/16}

Hazel Camille Bradford

Before we get started, there are a few things you should know about me:

1. I am both broke and lazy - a terrible combination.
2. I am perpetually awkward at parties and in an effort to relax will probably end up drinking until I am topless.
3. I tend to like animals more than people.
4. I can always be counted on to do or say the worst possible thing in a delicate moment.

In summary, I am superb at making an ass out of myself.

At the outset, this should explain how I have never successfully dated Josh Im: I have made myself entirely undateable in his presence.

I'm a huge Christina Lauren fan, and this book was no different, though I loved how it was told from both Josh and Hazel's POVs.

Official synopsis:
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Josh + Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, by Christina Lauren
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. JOSH AND HAZEL’S GUIDE TO NOT DATING 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?


Hazel met Josh Im in college, technically, and wanted to be his best friend; she thinks he's too "put-together" for him to be interested in her, dating-wise. Flash-forward to ten years later, when she's a 3rd grade teacher, and realizes that one of her good teacher friends, Emily, is actually Josh's sister. She and Josh reconnect and Hazel is determined to make him her best friend ... which works, for a while, until they realize they both have feelings for each other.

This book made me laugh a lot throughout. I'm also definitely wondering if the authors based Josh and Hazel on characters from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, as there are a lot of similarities, at least between Hazel and Rachel Bloom's character, who are both "quirky" girls who are a lot of fun.

The double dates that Josh and Hazel go on together were hilarious, as well, because you could tell they were only doing them to spend time with each other; and the choices they make for each others' dates just get worse and worse throughout.

I would LOVE this to be a movie at some point, and my dream cast would be:
  • Hazel - Rachel Bloom, from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She would be perfect for the role. 
  • Josh - The easy choice would be Vincent Rodriguez (also Josh, from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) but I'm also going to float John Harlan Kim, Christopher Larkin, and Ken Kirby as choices, which I found off of this list.
  • Emily - Claudia Kim. (found on this list)
  • Dan - I forget if he is Asian or white in the book. But I nominate Joe Keery, from Stranger Things - he's a little young but with longer hair like you see here, he looks like Dan to me.
  • Tabby (if she has any scenes) - Evan Rachel Wood. Tabby ends up not having a good relationship with Josh (avoiding spoilers here...) and ERW is a very versatile actress; I've seen her play vulnerable roles, snobby roles, and "mean girl" roles.
5 stars out of 5.
{click here to buy}

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Josh + Hazel's Guide to Not Dating!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, September 16th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Josh + Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, by Christina Lauren

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