The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub Date: 5/16/2023

Thank you to Gallery Books for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

The True Love Experiment is the book fans have been waiting for ever since Fizzy’s debut in The Soulmate Equation. But when the lights come on and all eyes are on her, it turns out the happily ever after Fizzy had all but given up on might lie just behind the camera.

Review: The True Love Experiment is the sequel to The Soulmate Equation. Felicity “Fizzy” Chen, a successful romance novelist, realizes she has never experienced true love despite preaching about it in her books. Connor Prince, a documentary filmmaker, proposes a reality TV show where Fizzy falls in love to save his job. Fizzy agrees only if Connor meets her demands, leading to the production of The True Love Experiment. As the show progresses, Fizzy begins to wonder if she too could find love, and realizes it might be closer than she thought. The True Love Experiment is a contemporary romance novel sets in LA and delves into the themes of friendship, reality dating shows, and intentions. This has become my all-favorite CLo book with so many tab-worthy quotes!!! 🤩The character development for both Fizzy and Connor was well-done and the alternating chapters between them were enjoyable. The supporting roles of River, Jess, and Juno from The Soulmate Equation were also great to see along with the introduction of new fun characters such as Natalia, Stevie, Ash, and the Heroes to name a few. Despite the main characters’ flaws, the story explores their past and their journey towards making better choices for themselves. The slow-building relationship between Fizzy and Connor, from opposites to friends to secret lovers, was beautifully executed. Overall, I would highly recommend The True Love Experiment for fans of CLo and those who enjoy swoon-worthy MCs! 😍