"My Favorite Half-Night Stand" by Christina Lauren

I had never read a book by Christina Lauren before, but I knew she wrote in the modern romance, chick lit and new adult genres. I did, therefore, expect an easy-to-read, fluffy romance, which would also hopefully be funny. Bridget Jones Diaries and the Shopaholic series are the unwritten standard setters for me in this genre in terms of the overall entertainment value.

First of all, I was surprised to see that My Favorite Half-Night Stand has 400 pages. It certainly did not read like it did. I finished it easily in a couple of days. Secondly, it definitely does not measure up to some of the better books in the genre, which makes me wonder what the fuss is all about with Christina Lauren's books. I will have to read some others and see if they are any better.

This novel focuses on a group of four friends (four men and one woman) who on a whim decide to try online dating in order to secure partners for an upcoming work event. The story gets a bit more complicated after Millie (the only female in the group) hooks up with Reid (one of the four male friends). They do decide that it would be better to keep their relationship strictly platonic, but then they also get matched by the dating app. As they start communicating via the app, only one of them knows the real identities behind their online personalities.

Overall, I would say this is not the worst book I've ever read, but it is definitely not the best. It is what it is: a cheesy romance novel with some cringy and hard to believe situations. It is however a quick read and helps pass the time while sitting on a long flight. 3 out of 5 stars.

I received an advanced e-copy of the novel from NetGalley.com. It will be available for purchase in December.