I purchased Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren back in February for my trip to Orlando. Whenever I fly, I don’t like to pack books because they’re heavy and take up too much space in my luggage. While I purchased this book eight months ago, I finally finished it this month. Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is one of the best romance / contemporary novels I have read and is a contender for being the best book I read in 2019.

Hazel Bradford is an eccentric elementary school teacher. She has a variety of pets living in her one-bedroom apartment in Portland, including a fish named Daniel Craig. Many men Hazel has dated feel she’s a little much for them. Hazel reconnects with Josh Im, whom she originally met in college by puking on his shoes. Josh is the brother of Hazel’s best friend, and he’s more mellow than Hazel. After Josh finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him, Hazel sets him up on a date. This leads to both Josh and Hazel double-dating with the people they set each other up with. Hazel and Josh start to build a friendship, but are they meant to be together?

One reason I instantly became attached to this book is that it reminds me of my relationship. I’m the one who has my head in the clouds. I talk about all the traveling I want to do in my lifetime, whereas my fiancé is the rational one. Can I afford to travel? How much do I have in my 401k? I believe this is the reason we work well together. I lift my fiancé up in the air with me, but he brings me down to earth. Hazel and Josh’s relationship is similar to my relationship in real life.

Hazel is a character I want to be best friends with in real life. Hazel doesn’t conform or change her personality for any of her romantic partners. In one instance, Hazel goes on a date wearing a cow print tank top, a denim skirt, and green cowboy boots. This is an outfit I would never wear, but I think it’s endearing how Hazel is who she is. Josh is the complete opposite of Hazel as he’s quiet, resolved, and put together. He’s a genuinely great guy and deserves to feel appreciated in any relationship he’s in.

In the last quarter of the book, the plot takes a personal turn. I’m not going to reveal what this is because it would be a huge spoiler. Many reviews I read toward Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating are that this plot twist is unnecessary and dramatic. I personally disagree. I believe the book does a beautiful job of highlighting this personal experience that many women have gone through. My spoiler-filled review of this book is on my Goodreads account if you feel inclined to read what this event happens to be.

Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is an adorable, personal contemporary novel. Hazel and Josh are well-crafted characters, and their dating experiences are awkward yet realistic. This book warrants a re-read for me, and I wish Christina Lauren would write a sequel all about Hazel & Josh raising their kids. I would buy it in a heartbeat.