The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Unbelievable science fact: when a gorgeous heroine with an abundance of sarcastic wit meets an irresistible hot cinnamon roll hero, sparks will fly and readers will laugh. Need proof? Read The True Love Experiment (Gallery Books) by Christina Lauren.

Heroine Felicity Chen is a best-selling romance writer who’s in the middle of the biggest writer’s block of her career. She’s also been in a dry spell for quite a while because her last boyfriend was … a little less than faithful, and who wants to go through that hurt again for some good sex? Even this hot guy that keeps looking at her while she’s hanging out with her bestie in a bar isn’t giving her what she calls “pants feelings.”

Hero Connor Prince is a divorced dad who’s been making environmental documentaries for most of his career. He loves his job, especially since he gets to be close to his ten-year-old daughter Stevie, until one day his boss Blaine decides to blow up his life by ordering him to produce a reality TV show instead. Apparently, the small studio company is changing its offerings from documentaries to click-bait, hooky reality TV to get more exposure and more revenue.

Connor is tasked with producing a new dating show à la The Bachelor, and since he’s never seen the show and has a little contempt for any of these romance-craving fans, this feels somewhat like being in hell. That is, until his ex-wife indirectly introduces him to her extensive collection of Felicity Chen romance novels. When he sees Felicity’s author photo, he recognizes her; she’s the same woman who he couldn’t take his eyes off while he was in a bar with his bestie, drowning his work sorrows in a beer.

So when he calls Felicity Chen into his studio office to discuss said reality show, their meeting is a conflagration of misinterpretation, changing impressions, reactions and intense feelings, all carefully covered with British accents (his side) and sarcastic quips (hers).

Angst Flavored With Funny

For everyone who’s looking for low angst, you won’t find it here. But wait, before you move on, consider the wonderful juiciness of angst wrapped in the forbidden love trope — we can’t get together because we are contractually bound not to — complete with a Felicity Chen that doesn’t play by the rules or do what she’s told. What would have been Austen-level emotional angst, in the hands of this cast of characters (headed by over-the-top Felicity) and set on a reality dating show turns into a hilarious delicious bowl of drama. I couldn’t stop laughing out loud or turning pages of this novel, and I kept thinking that Ali Wong would be the perfect Felicity Chen if this gets made into a movie. (And once you read this book and see Always Be My Maybe, you would agree.)

The True Love Experiment is a follow-up to Christina Lauren’s The Soulmate Equation. The heroine Jess in the previous novel is Felicity’s aforementioned best friend. And the DNA matching science that brings Jess and GeneticAlly company founder River together in the previous book is at play here as a part of a “competition aspect” to the reality show. You won’t be missing out if you haven’t read The Soulmate Equation, but you can never get too much of a good thing. 

A Cast of Hilarity

As usual with Christina Lauren’s ensemble romances, the secondary characters are every bit as entertaining as the hero and heroine. No-nonsense best friend Jess matches Felicity’s sarcasm quip for quip. River Peña is the cutest grumpy introvert ever. Connor’s best friend Ash is always disheveled, but is secretly a genius? Natalia is the common sense, practical one of Connor’s circle — even if she is his ex-wife. Even the kids, Connor’s daughter Stevie and Jess’ daughter Juno — who also happen to be friends — have their entertaining moments. 

Overall, The True Love Experiment is a wonderfully comedic romance with a good dose of spice and a deliciously heavy helping of fun.