I Read Every Christina Lauren Book. These Ones Are Worth Reading

12 books by the bestselling author, ranked from worst to best

Christina Lauren is the best friends/author duo of eighteen New York Times bestselling Young Adult and New Adult romance novels. Their work has been translated into over 30 languages worldwide. But with so many books out there, which ones are the best to read?

I ranked all twelve of Christina Lauren’s standalone books from worst to best to tell you which ones are worth reading.

Here is an (unofficial) guide to Christina Lauren’s best romance books:

12. The Honey-Don’t List

Goodreads rating: 3.52/5 My rating: 2/5

“Relationships are a lot like houses: without a good foundation, they’ll crumble. When a light bulb goes out, you don’t buy a new house, you change the bulb. When the faucet drips, you don’t start mopping the floor before you fix the leak. In other words, no matter how much digging it takes, it’s important to get to the root of a problem.”― Christina Lauren, The Honey-Don’t List

The Honey-Don’t List was a miss.

The plot follows a personal assistant and contractor who are desperate to help keep their bosses’ crumbling marriage together. As they work together, they start to fall in love.

I didn’t care about either couple or the plot. I was bored and annoyed throughout reading. I think the book was trying to do too much (somehow a home reno reality-tv show and a mystery novel and a romance?).

It had an interesting setup, but completely missed the mark. Judging by other reviews, it seems most people also struggled with the book.

Honey, don’t put it on your reading list. Skip it.

11. My Favorite Half-Night Stand

Goodreads rating: 3.77/5 My rating: 2.5/5

“I feel like we meet people in life and want so much for them to like us that we suck in our stomachs and pretend we don’t fart and tell them a bunch of things we think they want to know. If it works they fall for the person we want to be, and not for the person we are.”― Christina Lauren, My Favorite Half-Night Stand

My Favorite Half-Night Stand could more accurately be called My Least Favorite Half Night-Stand, as I didn’t really like this book. However, a lot of my dislike comes down to personal preferences.

The basic plot is about a woman who sets up a fake online dating profile and by mistake matches with her best friend. As her fake persona starts forming a connection with him, she needs to decide if she should face her fear of intimacy or lose her best friend completely.

I didn’t like the catfish/fake identity online dating aspect of the story (which is essentially what the entire book follows). I liked the friend group and Christina Lauren’s writing style, but I never fell in love with the main couple.

10. Roomies

Goodreads rating: 3.81/5 My rating: 3/5

“Will anything ever be permanent? What the hell am I doing with my life? I only get one shot at this, and right now, I’m finding my value only in being valuable to others. How do I find value for me?”― Christina Lauren, Roomies

I thought this was okay.

Roomies centers on a woman who impulsively marries an Irish musician she meets in the subway so that he can legally work in the U.S. and make it on Broadway.

Originally, I rated this a 3.5/5 stars. But as time has gone on, I’ve thought less and less about this book, so I lowered the rating.

I didn’t connect with the characters and I found a lot of the plot to be unbelievable. If you enjoy the marriage of convenience trope (which I don’t love), you might like this more than I did.

9. Dating You/Hating You

Goodreads rating: 3.63/5 My rating: 3.5/5

“I’m notoriously married to my job.” “That’s super convenient because so am I. It’ll be like we’re cheating on our jobs with each other.”― Christina Lauren, Dating You / Hating You

When I first finished this book, I rated it higher. But, as time has gone on, this book just hasn’t stuck with me as much as their others.

Dating You/Hating You follows two career-oriented people who end up competing for the same job.

I read this book very quickly (as I do with most Christina Lauren). I enjoyed how a central theme of the story explores how sexism can exist in the workplace and the gender wage gap. I liked how career-focused these characters were, but I also found the career stuff overtook the story a bit too much.

The story was good, but just not that memorable.

8. Something Wilder

Goodreads rating: 3.71/5 My rating: 4/5

“He wondered if, looking down, the stars ever felt like falling, lovesick, onto the planets.”― Christina Lauren, Something Wilder

Something Wilder was an entertaining western romance. The book follows two lost loves reconnecting over a treasure hunt.

I love a second-chance romance, so I enjoyed reading about the relationship between the couple. I was pleased that there wasn’t a miscommunication trope, which is often the case in similar romances. I found the plot exciting, as there is an element of adventure and mystery.

I did feel as though there wasn’t a well-enough established reason why the couple still felt the same after reconnecting ten years later (as that’s a long time). It seemed like in ten years, they must have changed a little bit, and yet they fell back together so easily. I wished there had been more development and context for the original time they were together ten years ago, as that would have helped explain how they are acting in the present.

Overall though, I enjoyed this book. You do have to suspend your disbelief with the plot sometimes, but I had a good time.

7. Twice in a Blue Moon

Goodreads rating: 3.63/5 My rating: 4/5

“For the first time in my life I get it: home isn’t always a space; it can be a person.”― Christina Lauren, Twice in a Blue Moon

Twice in a Blue Moon follows an actress who unexpectedly meets her first love (and first heartbreak) fourteen years later on set for her new movie.

As a fan of the second-chance romance trope, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. The book is split into a “then” and “now” timeline, and it was interesting seeing how the characters changed over time. I liked getting a glimpse into the movie scene and enjoyed both of the characters.

It was a predictable story, but I had fun reading it.

6. In a Holidaze

Goodreads rating: 3.73/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“Maybe we should do things because we love them, not because we’ve always done them that way.”― Christina Lauren, In a Holidaze

I read this book at the perfect time when I was looking for an escape and some holiday spirit.

In a Holidaze is essentially Groundhog Day meets The Summer I Turned Pretty. It follows a woman who is stuck in a time loop reliving the same trip over and over again in a snowy cabin in Utah with her family and family friends.

I often find time loop books to be repetitive, but that was not the case with this book. I do recall a few cringey moments with the romance, but I can’t think of many specific things I didn’t like. I am a huge fan of Christmas-themed stories, so the occasional cheesiness of the book didn’t bother me.

This book just made me incredibly happy. It’s only this low on the list because, objectively, I can only see myself rereading this book at a certain time of the year.

5. The Soulmate Equation

Goodreads rating: 4.03/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“Destiny could also be a choice, she realized. To believe or not, to be vulnerable or not, to go all in or not.”― Christina Lauren, The Soulmate Equation

I enjoyed The Soulmate Equation a lot when I read it.

The story follows single mom Jess who doesn’t believe in love. When she takes a new DNA-based matchmaking test on a whim, she is shocked to discover she has an unheard-of 98% compatibility with the founder of the company.

I loved the dynamic between the two main leads. I felt like they had a lot of chemistry. Romance books don’t often follow a single mother, so that was refreshing to see. I also laughed a lot while reading it.

I do think that the pacing was a bit slow (it took until about 40% for things to get interesting). But beyond that, I genuinely had a great time.

4. Autoboyography

Goodreads rating: 4.17/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”― Christina Lauren, Autoboyography

Autoboyography is Christina Lauren’s only Young Adult novel, and I really enjoyed it.

The story follows a closeted teen living in Utah who takes a writing class at school and, despite trying to avoid it, falls in love with a boy.

I loved a lot of elements of this book. As a writer, I enjoyed hearing about characters writing a book. I appreciated that this book tackles a difficult topic like Mormonism and its acceptance of LGBTQ people. The family and friendship elements of the story were also strong.

The story has an important message, and I highly recommend it.

3. The Unhoneymooners

Goodreads rating: 3.96/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“It’s the strangest feeling to be proud simply because I’m taking care of me and mine. Is this what it’s like to grow up?”― Christina Lauren, The Unhoneymooners

At over half a million reviews on Goodreads, it’s no surprise that I really liked Christina Lauren’s most popular book.

The Unhoneymooners is an enemies-to-lovers romance about two people who end up pretending to be newlyweds to take advantage of an all-inclusive honeymoon package deal at a resort.

I seriously loved this book. Both of the main leads were developed well. The main romance was captivating, and I adored them together. I loved the family in the book as well. I laughed so many times.

If you’re looking for a great beach read, definitely consider picking this book up. It is a great escape.

2. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating

Goodreads rating: 3.99/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“But at the end of the day”, she says, and puts her hand outside the open window, letting the wind pass through her fingers, “being myself is enough. I’m enough.”― Christina Lauren, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating

Hazel and Josh have been best friends since college. As they both separately struggle to find success in romance, they decide to set each other up on blind dates.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating is one of Christina Lauren’s best books. When I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting.

I loved the characters and how they stay true to themselves. I loved Josh and Hazel’s relationship. The pacing was great. The relationship felt like it developed naturally.

The only issue for me (which takes it away from the five stars), was that the ending felt abrupt and out of place.

1. Love and Other Words

Goodreads rating: 4.34/5 My rating: 4.5/5

“I never got to fall out of love. I just had to move on.”― Christina Lauren, Love and Other Words

Wow.

I think about this book often because it just completely captured my heart when I read it. I’ve reread this book multiple times, because I just can’t get enough of the story.

Love & Other Words is about childhood best friends Macy and Elliot who bond over their mutual love of books. As teens, they fall in love. Until one night, when their relationship suddenly falls apart. Years later, they unexpectedly reunite and start to unpack what happened the night it all ended.

Christina Lauren artfully developed both Macy and Elliot as characters. They feel like real people. The writing style of this book is heartbreaking, as it is told in alternating “then” and “now” timelines, flashing from them as adults to them as children. The characters, the angst, the plot, it all works for me so well.

Hands down my favorite Christina Lauren. I highly recommend it.

Have you read Christina Lauren’s books? What is your favorite?

As you can see, Christina Lauren is one of my favorite romance authors. I have enjoyed almost all of their books. They are always entertaining and quick reads.

Christina Lauren’s next novel The True Love Experiment comes out in May 2023, so I look forward to reading it later this year (and seeing where it falls in my ranking).

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