Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

By: Christina Lauren

Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn, Jayme Mattler

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

The New York Times best-selling “romance It Girls” (Kirkus) bring you a hilarious, sexy romance about love perpetually unrequited (and denied), in the vein of their Roomies and Beautiful Bastard.

Foul-mouthed, quirky, sharp-as-a-whip Hazel never thought she would win the heart of her gorgeous college TA, Josh. And, in fact, she didn’t. But what a difference 10 years can make. Well...10 years, and a lot of legwork.

©2018 Christina Lauren (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Didn’t hate it.... but also didn’t love it.

This book was not bad. I want to say that right off. I’m a huge fan of Christina Lauren books.

There was certainly a great amount of their true to form humor and the beginnings of wonderful main characters. But, throughout the book, I felt like there was a “distance” from those characters. Usually their characters jump off the page and by the end of the book I know them. But after listening to this book I don’t have a clear mental image of any of the characters.

The male reader, his female voice grated on me. It distracted from the story for me. I don’t usually have to concentrate too hard to keep myself in the story, but his voice caused my mind to wander while I was listening so I had to go back and listen to several parts over and over.

Also, without giving too much away, I found the ending abrupt. Almost as though they ran out of things to write or they didn’t want it to sound too similar to any of their other book endings. I don’t know, it want just odd for me. Left me feel wanting for more but not in a good way. Sort of like I totally missed listening to a few chapters, like there should have been more between the last chapter and the epilogue. Unfulfilling.

I see many great reviews for this book and I’m happy so many others enjoyed the book. I really wish I could have enjoyed it as much.

I still love Christina Lauren and will continue to buy their books. As I said, I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it. Which makes me a little sad.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Not what I've come to expect from Christina Lauren

I always look forward to new Christina Lauren books because they never disappoint...until this one. It's possible I would have liked it better if I had read it instead of listened, because Hazel was such a different character than the typical female leads. Lauren has always written about independent, but flawed and real females, but Hazel was too over the top for me. To me, her eccentricities and quirkiness bordered on obnoxious, and I just couldn't relate. It didn't help that the male narrator's "Hazel voice" was horrendous. I just cringed whenever he had to speak as her character and made me like Hazel even less because she sounded like a pre-pubescent spaz, rather than a free-spirited and unique 27 year old. I will say, I think the female narrator did a fabulous job, but I could not reconcile the drastic difference between how the narrators portrayed Hazel with their voices.
It was a sweet story, but in the end I wasn't really invested in either character and didn't feel any real build-up between them to really care, even though the story was built around their growing friendship. As much as I had wanted to love it, I just couldn't get into this one.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Love love female narrator not so excited by the male narrator.

Jayme Mattler is an awesome narrator. First time I’ve heard her, but she is able to make the character seem quirky but smart. He make narrator made the the character Hazel sound like a teenager with no sense. It really threw me off. The story as always from these authors is as always good. The humor and build up to the relationship is perfect. Could’ve done with out the little twist at the end that I won’t ruin.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Terrible male voice

It was hard to listen to the male voice if Josh, whoever did the reading was terrible. He sounded like an 80 year old man. When he tried to read the female voice of other characters it was cringe worthy!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved it

I laughed from the beginning all the way through to the end. Hazel was awesome, funny, and quirky. The dynamic of her and Josh's relationship was great. The two personalities are polar opposites. They met in college, she was always attracted to him, and always saying or doing something odd, or funny when in his presence, 10 years later she finds out that Josh is the brother of her best friend. Just her telling the story of how she met Josh before his character even started his narration was hilarious and then the chance re-encounter with him and the laughs continued. These two deserved the happy ending they got in this book. Definitely a must read again type of book. As far as narration this was my first time with both narrators, the male narration took some getting used too but he eventually grew on me.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I’m in love with Josh and Hazel

OMG!!! This is my first Christina Lauren book ever, but it won’t be the last. I loved, loved, loved it. It is hilarious. And so freaking sweet! I loved Josh and could picture him so clearly in my mind. And Hazel! OMG, Hazel! She’s so refreshing, and sweet, and ridiculous, and adorable, and completely lovable. They couldn’t have been more imperfectly perfect for each other.

I loved the story, the characters, the pace, how their friendship develops and grows. I love everything about this book. It is definitely one of the best books I have read this year, and I will probably read it over and over and over again. It is magnificent!

I loved the narration. The audiobook is awesome. The only thing I didn’t love was the male narrator doing Hazel’s voice, but I got over it. The story is amazing, and Jayme Mattler does a fantastic job as Hazel. I love her voice, it was perfect.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Comical In All The Right Places<br />

The CHRISTINA LAUREN team gets better at comedy with each book. I think every comedy writer has a lot of Hazel in them, but we normally tone it down for the masses. I'm glad it was not toned down for this book. Josh was the perfect Korean straight man. I think I had him and his twin brother on my crew at Boeing. I loved the sarcastic banter I had with them oo.

A Christina Lauren book is ALWAYS a good idea

I loved this crazy, fun book!! I was not crazy at all at Todd haberkorn’s Hazel voice. He was great for Josh but Jayme did a fabulous job at capturing both voices so well. I would probably read it next time.

The story is one to read, love, and cherish. Just sweet characters with typical Christina Lauren flair.

Read it!

Read This One!

This story is the sweetest! Hazel is so quirky and spunky and endearing and the story is so fun. Josh and Hazel both felt like real people instead of stereotypical book leads and the whole story was realistic and pretty dang beautiful, too. I loved it, loved the twists and turns, and loved how this book made me smile - and cry! - from beginning to end. It was great and definitely a must-read for anyone who loves contemporary romance! It freaking sparkles!

That said, the narration for this audiobook is awful and the male narrator really missed the mark. I listened to this while doing a project and decided to keep on listening because I got invested in the story early on but, honestly, I came pretty close to returning it partway through due to the performance. I'm glad I kept listening because the story was adorable but, if you're debating between reading or listening, I'd definitely skip the audiobook and go for a hard copy instead!

Super Cute!

This is a Great Book!! Not a fan of the male narrator. Cute story! I LOVE Hazel!!!

Great book

I’d been cautious getting another book by this author because the last one I read, Roomies, was dreadful. Fortunately I gave this one a whirl and it’s back up to the great standard I expect and more like her earlier books. The characters in this book had great chemistry, and although the lack of communication was a little frustrating it didn’t put me off, and there wouldn’t be much of a story without that element. It certainly made me feel warm and squishy inside and was entertaining too. Jayme Mattler was good but I’ve heard other narrators that would be better suited to such a quirky female character and I think they missed a trick there. There’s a few narrators from Penny Reid’s Knitting in the City series that would have been fantastic. By the way, if you’ve not tried Penny’s books before, you really should.

so good

I loved this book so much! finished it in less than a day! I would definitely recommend it!