I loved The Unhoneymooners, so I went and read Twice in a Blue Moon, which I also loved, so when I heard this duo had a new book coming out, I requested it to review, and I’m glad I did. Carey works as an assistant for the very high maintenance (and frankly intolerable) Melissa Tripp and her milder, down to earth husband, Rusty. The couple runs a design business with several stores and their own show. James also works for Rusty, as an assistant, despite the fact they hired him as an engineer. He’s only been with them a mere few months to Carey’s 10 years, but he already knows what Melissa is like, and he wants to help Carey get more out of her job.
So the thing that held me back from giving this 5-stars was how intolerable Melissa was. Usually, when I dislike a character, I cheer on the author(s) for creating such a great, bad character, but for me, the sheer amount of her evil was too much. I know Carey has gotten used to it and needs this job, but she deserves so much better, and that’s where James comes into play. I loved these two together, and I think they do well, considering they’re both stuck in this job because of circumstances.
Poor Carey is insecure, and Melissa did her best at making sure Carey felt that way. When she finally starts talking to James in a more serious manner, she starts to see that she can have a life outside of work, that she can have good things in her life. While I would have liked to have a bit more of an emotional connection with the two, and less “all about Melissa” moments, I think when they did come together, it was done well. Overall an enjoyable read.
Read my review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. The Honey-Don’t List is available on Amazon $9.99.
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