Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.

Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.

Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them...right?

“And as someone you would never date, but who will soon be your best friend, I can say with no ulterior motive that I don’t like that you’re in a relationship with a potentially treasonous skank.”

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating wasn't what I was expecting, but it was everything I wanted. I was a little hesitant about Hazel at first, because I disliked how often she declared herself "undatable". However, I was happy to see that she was super confident, loved herself, and had no desire to be something she wasn't. She was eccentric, and it was beautiful. I'm also glad she was able to surround herself with people that loved her and didn't expect her to change.

I love that she had so many pets! Hazel is a girl after my own heart! I adored the names she gave them and think Christina and Lauren are lovely geniuses. Winnie the Poodle -- golden. I've never wanted a poodle before reading this book, and now I have a strong desire to adopt one and give it the same name.

Hazel had the best humor, and I really enjoyed her outside-the-box way of thinking and living. She inhaled life with every breath and didn't take anything for granted. "And two, I think there’s something about the eight-year-old brain that just resonates with me on a spiritual level."

Josh Im is perfection. He's quiet and thoughtful, but never judgmental. He has always accepted Hazel for who she is, even when she was vomiting all over his shoes, or feeding him barely-edible food. He actually listened when she spoke, and he appreciated her way of living life. I adored the two of them as friends, and liked watching their relationship grow. He was wary at first, but unable to resist Hazel's charms and her lovely personality. She declared herself his (sometimes inappropriate) best friend, and the two really hit it off. 

I read this book in less than twenty-four hours, if that tells you anything. I enjoyed the setting, the story, the characters -- all of it. They went on a couple of double dates, which were fun to watch, but I kept waiting for them to realize the other two people didn't matter. They were so focused on not admitting their feelings (unsure if the other person felt the same, and not wanting to alter their friendship), that they missed out on a lot of moments together. I just kept waiting for everything to click into place for both of them, and I think in the end it was done in the best possible way.

The epilogue might be my favorite part...