| Title | : | The Accidental Dating Experiment |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Audible Audio |
| Number of Pages | : | 7 |
| Publication | : | Published April 11, 2024 |
I’ve spent the better part of eight years resisting my best friend’s little sister. What’s one more week? The hardest week ever when it includes a proposition to be her dating coach.
Eight years ago I fell into a secret summer fling with the bright, big-hearted Juliet before our lives went in different directions.
Now, I’m the grumpy to her sunshine on a popular dating podcast we host, and when a wealthy fan gives us a charming coastal cottage as the biggest thank you ever, we head to the town where I grew up to give it a makeover.
And find the house has only one bed.
Located under a mirrored ceiling.
To make matters even harder, the woman I’ve been pining for tells me she wants to try to find the one and would I please be her dating coach for the week?
Like hell I’ll let her date other men. I’ll coach her on three dates with me.
But the second I take her out, I don’t feel like her teacher. I feel like she’s mine, especially when the first night ends with us tangled up together in that bed.
Each night we grow closer, but this dating experiment forces me to face my greatest fear – whether a man like me is worthy of her love.
Even though I’m already head over heels for her.
The Accidental Dating Experiment Reviews
-
This didn’t appeal to me, as I usually always say what I feel or want, even if I’m scared. For me it’s better to know. Therefore I couldn’t relate.
-
2 stars because the narrators tried but my god the writing and plot made me cringe so hard.
-
4 ⭐️ I see the names Jacob Morgan, Andi Arndt & Lauren Blakely together, I’m running 🏃🏽♀️
🎧 Audiobook 🎧
Narrators: Andi Arndt & Jacob Morgan
Narration Style: Dual
Tropes
• second chance romance
• friends to lovers
• brother’s best friend
• forced proximity
• small town
Review
This was such a cute little listen! I didn’t realise this would be Monroe & Juliet’s story so that was a fun little treat for me. These two shared a romantic week long fling 8 years ago but are now cohosting a relationship podcast together. Their past is something they never discuss until one day they’re gifted a house from a loyal fan of their show which happens to be in Monroe’s hometown, the town they spent their time together all those years ago. While back there, the close quarters and an offer to become Juliet’s dating coach force them to realise there are still a lot of unresolved feelings and undeniable chemistry between them.
As with every LB book the banter was bantering and the spice was spicing. They just had such an ease about them and seeing how much it pained Monroe to see Juliet so down about the state of her dating life and how protective he was of her was really sweet. The fake dates were so fun and I loved seeing him slowly realise that he wanted to be the man worthy of her. They were just such a cute couple.
Special shoutout to Sawyer for being a superior brother and best friend in this situation. And it was so much fun seeing all the previous couples from the series. It goes without saying that Andi & Jacob did a stellar job and I can’t wait for whatever Lauren blesses us with next 🤍 -
3.5 stars rounded up Amazing narrators and cute epilogue
Epilogues and narrators will always have me bumping up the rating on books 🥰 (Jacob Morgan?? 🫠 and Andi Arendt can read and instruction manual and I’m there 👀).
But this was sitting at about a 3.5 before all of that…
Juliet (30) cohosts a dating podcast with Monroe (35). She’s gone on some disastrous dates, and Monroe, who has a psych background (so he’s basically a doctor) has a jaded, practical view on dating. It doesn’t stop Juliet from continuing to date and talking about it on the show😅.
Because Monroe’s divorced, he doesn’t exactly believe in things lasting long 😅. In fact, when he and Juliet had a week-long rendezvous eight years before, he wasn’t ready to commit because he had just recently been divorced, which is why they separated (plus, they moved went to different parts of the country).
When a fan of their gifts them a living estate, they go to their newly acquired abode, while also
experiencing some intense chemistry 👀, Monroe decides to be her dating coach with the caveat that he’s going to impersonate the men she would be dating.
Little does she know that this grumpy man has been wanting her this whole time 👀.
Let the dating experiment begin 😉.
What I liked/loved:
—the 🔥. Uffff. There’s a lot of steam 👀. The spice is spicing 🫠. It’s about medium burn with their first kiss at about 40 ish% and full 🔥 by 50% ish 😉. And it gets diiiirty🥵. Monroe doesn’t come to play 👏🏻
—he literally eats a hearty breakfast 😉🔥🥵. Lucky lucky Juliet 🫠
—role playing 😉. Yuuuuuup 🔥
—the horny house 😅. This had allll the things needed to feel frisky 👀. And the mirrors everywhere? Ufff 😉. It was fun imagining it all
— forced proximity, one bunkbed👀. Nice take on the only one bed trope 🤣
—gray sweatpants and tattoos 😉 (do I need to say more? 🤣)
— Jumanji safe word🤣
—how JP Monroe gets 👀. That’s right. I like when the H sweats 😈. This is what finally push his Monroe to act 👏🏻
—ladybugs ❤️
— the side characters 👀. I need to read all the other books before this 😅. I love that. I didn’t feel lost, which means that this reads like a standalone 👏🏻
— older adults can find love again ❤️. I love this so much; many people feel like they’re too old to date or find someone new, but there are a lot of older people, parents, were trying their luck at finding love again ❤️
— the epilogues 🫶. we get one a year later, another one eight years after that, and we get a bonus scene if you sign up for her newsletter ❤️
When I didn’t like/love:
— the fact that they’ve been in love with each other since eight years ago 🙄. Please 😐. If this were true, why would they wait so long to move forward 🙄? They’ve been working together, seeing each other all the time, and it takes him this long to finally move forward? Come on 😐. Moving to different parts of the country is such a copout 🙄. I would’ve preferred if they hadn’t declared that they’ve loved each other all these years, because it just devalues what it means to love someone. It’s not like they were talking to each other on the daily or involved in each other’s lives 🤷🏻♀️. Now, if there was another reason why, then maybe it would make more sense. 😐. Monroe’s commitment ish issues isn’t enough of a reason 🙄. When you really love someone, you’re going to wanna be with that person in any capacity, and that doesn’t happen in this case.
— besides knowing that they haven’t been celibate all these years, I would’ve liked to have more information about their separation. I’m assuming we don’t get much details because of the lack of angst. But I just wanted more.
—more fulfilling epilogues 😒. Yes, we get a couple of epilogues in the book, but I wanted more of a peek into their future, especially with the second one that’s eight years later. And the bonus scene from her website was way too short 😐. Sigh. can’t be choosers I guess 😒
Overall, I enjoy this ❤️. It’s a light, fast read.
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-mild omd: the h goes on a date. The H shows up to it and rescues her from embarrassment
-divorced H
-slept together 8 years ago. Both have been with others since (yet they liked each other)
-role playing/spanking/dirty talk
-condoms/then none
-HEA/epilogue/a year later/8 years after that -
2.5 ⭐️ These narrators are both fantastic and they really bring the story to life! That being said…
Why are adults in their 30s unironically saying things like “my faves” “jammies” “undies” “my girlies” and “pics”. I’ve noticed this author always makes her characters talk like tween girls and it really needs to change 😂 -
Read if you like: second chance romance, friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, small town charm
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 🎧•
💛Second chance romance
💛Fake dating
💛Brother’s best friend
💛Frenemies to lovers
💛Small town
💛Co-workers
💛Grumpy x sunshine
📚 A dating experiment ignites a secret attraction in this steamy rom-com. "The Accidental Dating Experiment" takes us on a journey with Monroe and Juliet as they navigate unresolved feelings and undeniable chemistry while hosting a relationship podcast together.
👨👧Monroe, the grumpy-ish cohost, has spent eight years resisting his best friend’s little sister, Juliet, the bright and big-hearted sunshine of his life. When a wealthy fan gifts them a charming coastal cottage in Monroe's hometown, they embark on a renovation project that rekindles old flames and brings their past into sharp focus.
💞 Their past fling is something they never discuss until they are forced into close quarters. Monroe's proposition for him to be her dating coach ignites a week of fake dates that reveal their deep-seated attraction. Monroe's protectiveness and Juliet's determination to find love culminate in a sweet and spicy romance that fans of Lauren Blakely will adore. The "sexy house" only adds to the steamy tension.
✍️ As with every LB book, the banter was on point. The dual narration by Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan adds depth and personality to the characters, making the audiobook a charming experience. Their stellar performance makes the story even more engaging.
🌟 "The Accidental Dating Experiment" is a cute and heartwarming listen that blends humor, spice, and heartfelt moments. Monroe and Juliet’s journey from friends to lovers, set against the backdrop of a small-town renovation project, is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying. -
2.5 stars, though honestly I think it would be less if I had read it instead of listened to it. The audiobook voice actors really did their best with this writing 😅😩🥴
-
"𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘁, 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲."
5/5 ⭐
add to your tbr if you love:
🎙️ co-workers romance
🎙️ second chance
🎙️ best friend's sister
🎙️ fake dating
🎙️ SPICY!
this was probably one of the books i didn't want to put down at all costs. the story was so enticing and i caught myself thinking of juliet and monroe as i went to sleep. these matchmakers simply lived rent free in my mind for the past two days.
where do we even start with these two... first they had a fling that didn't work out. coming from a small town, they both knew a lot about each other, as did everyone else. these two people were following completely different paths when they had left high school, young lovers who simply did not get the time they deserved.
BUT, as everything that is meant to be will be, they eventually become co-workers. not only do they have a podcast together but in this podcast they offer advice to people how to date; that is not the only thing though... juliet has been kind of a serial dater, or... one date serial dater i should say. this girl simply can't see the red flags coming when it comes to the end of the date and she usually will only have a SINGLE date with multiple different man.
monroe, instead of being a helpful co-worker would rather tease her on air about this. he has been previously divorced and acts in the field of therapy as a form of love. he had a life in the field of medicine but quickly decided he didn't want to be like his father (hello daddy issues), and took a turn of events.
within this time, we are able to follow monroe and juliet through the gift of a listener who has recently found love and gave love another chance because of their podcast. they name this house "the horny house," i mostly decided to mention this because the actual code to get in the house was 6969 wink WONK. and you guys can guess what happens from there but i won't spoil you from the good stuff.
monroe decides that in order for juliet to open her eyes to the red flags he clearly sees on the man she picks to go on dates with, he will act as her dating coach and pretend to be the men that she swipes on dating apps. with all said and done, these lovers are funny, relatable and overall just amazing people i read about. i was beyond happy that this book got me so incredibly giddy and had me giggling and kicking my feet. please go enjoy this wonderful story yourself too. -
Read if you like: second chance romance, friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, small town charm
•••REVIEW•••
📚 A dating experiment ignites a secret attraction in this steamy rom-com. "The Accidental Dating Experiment" takes us on a journey with Monroe and Juliet as they navigate unresolved feelings and undeniable chemistry while hosting a relationship podcast together.
👨👧 Monroe, the grumpy-ish cohost, has spent eight years resisting his best friend’s little sister, Juliet, the bright and big-hearted sunshine of his life. When a wealthy fan gifts them a charming coastal cottage in Monroe's hometown, they embark on a renovation project that rekindles old flames and brings their past into sharp focus.
💞 Their past fling is something they never discuss until they are forced into close quarters. Monroe's proposition to be Juliet's dating coach ignites a week of fake dates that reveal their deep-seated attraction. Monroe's protectiveness and Juliet's determination to find love culminate in a sweet and spicy romance that fans of Lauren Blakely will adore. The mirrored ceiling and single bunk beds add to the fun and steamy tension.
✍️ As with every LB book, the banter was on point and the dual narration by Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan adds depth and personality to the characters, making the audiobook a charming experience. Their stellar performance makes the story even more engaging.
🌟 "The Accidental Dating Experiment" is a cute and heartwarming listen that blends humor, spice, and heartfelt moments. Monroe and Juliet’s journey from friends to lovers, set against the backdrop of a small-town renovation project, is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying.
📲 QOTD: Do you believe in second chances in love?
#BookReview #RomCom #SecondChanceRomance #FriendsToLovers #BrothersBestFriend #ForcedProximity #SmallTownRomance #LaurenBlakely #Audiobook #AndiArndt #JacobMorgan #MustRead #Bookstagram -
This was superrrrrr cute!! 🥰
So I downloaded this while I did my housework and listened to it.
My god I had smiles, laughing, giggles.
It gave me allllllll the feels
Juliet is going through a whole bunch of bad dates is looking for love with excitement and butterflies.
Monroe is a divorcee and is totally aware of the fact he is unable to commit. He can advise on dating and love but never commit.
As co workers on a love and dating podcast they decide on an experiment that blurs the coworkers line and revisits a fleeting past and rekindle its sparks.
When I say this a cosy easy read it is I love Lauren I think she’s such an easy author to read and enjoy.
If you want a break from a genre and an easy rom com read that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.
This is totally it!!
5⭐️ -
#Review: *The accidental dating experiment* - ARC - Lauren Blakely [18+]
4/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
This one was a pretty quick read. It was relaxing to read and I had a good time following those dating experiments. Thank you Lauren Blakely and GoodGirlsPr for this e-copy.
Monroe and Juliet have a radio show together. And because they helped one of their listener, they end up having a house offered by a woman who successfully rebuilt her life. This way, they end up together in an unique house, which will play a big part in the plot of this story.
At the same time, Juliet is trying to find her soulmate, but she is only making bad choices. Somehow, she ends up asking her colleague help in guiding herself into finding to right person. But Monroe has something else planned for Juliet. He will become her fictional date for all her choices.
Both of them have lots of insecurities in their own persona and they'll slowly find their right path, even though is very tough to overcome the walls they've built over time. The main problem was that a couple of years ago they had a wonderful week together but everything just ended then. But, even after all these years, the feelings Juliet and Monroe have for each other are still present and mess with their heads and hearts. Some steamy scenes will take place in that house they received 🔥🔥.
I liked the steamy relationship between Juliet and Monroe and the way they treated each other. Something I didn't enjoy that much was that some parts were kinda repetitive and somehow just circled around the same subject 😅.
Tropes:
✨#BrothersBestFriend;
✨#SecondChance;
✨#ReunitedLovers;
✨#ForcedProximity;
✨#SecretRomance;
✨#StartingOver;
✨#Banter;
✨#Spice;
✨#DualPov; -
This was a short and quick listen. From the very start we knew where this was going. And it was okay, because we didn't know how they will get there.
I enjoyed the narration and I might read other books in this series. -
That was a really fun read! Julia and Monroe were believable together and gosh that was hot!
The story was a bit thin, but I am usually not a second chance nor brother’s best friend kind of reader but this had both and I really liked it.
Going to read the others in this series for sure!
Read as an audiobook. -
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/the-... -
Pretty much it was free so I listened and it was alright but nothing great. And he called her baby which I HATE!!
-
Lesson learnt: Never listen to a free romcom audiobook immediately after reading Emily Henry.
I only wanted a cute easy going free audiobook to fill the time waiting for my next credit, and technically it did the job, but god I couldn’t stop cringing. The narrators did their best but between the mediocre writing and the awkward smut, I just couldn’t stop laughing (the blowjob instructor being a personal highlight). I did enjoy some of the sweet in between moments. 1 stars ⭐️ -
Dnf 30% - at that point that talented narrators can't save this. Icky plot and tough to read writing.
-
Juliet and Monroe’s story is one full of so many laughs, along with some emotional bits. I am been dying for their story for a while now and I am so happy that it is finally here!
💛Second chance romance
💛Fake dating
💛Brother’s best friend
💛Frenemies to lovers
💛Small town
💛Co-workers
💛Grumpy x sunshine
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️.5
Angst level: 💔
After spending the week together almost a decade ago, Juliet and Monroe find themselves back at the place of the crime, aka the town where they spent one magical week together.
They have been gifted a house, CRAZY, by own of their podcasts avid listeners and are now spending a week together. Staying in the same house, in the same room, in mirrored bunk beds LOL. Oh yeah, it’s that kind of house!
And when Monroe offers to help Juliet with her terrible dating situation, their feelings come back to the surface. But will they be able to move past the same issues that ended their quick rendezvous all those years ago?
Juliet and Monroe were both great characters and their banter was hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times during this book.
I loved seeing all of the other Lauren Blakely couples from books past! -
I'm trying... I'm really trying, but it's not holding my interest. Why do all Lauren Blakely books sound the same way?? It sounded basic and cheesy. Andi arndt narration, I love though.
Audible listen 🎶 -
Okay so I read this cover to cover in a day. I needed a fun, harmless little Rom-com after finishing Finale and this was exactly what I was after. The banter was bantering, the chemistry was chemistry-ing, and there was no third act break up in sight.
Suspend your disbelief and have a good time 💕 -
Fun.
-
cute and fluffy audiobook to kick off the week 🥰
for my Audible girlies, this one is currently free with the premium plus subscription -
It was alright. I liked the narration. Jacob Morgan and Andi Arndt are one of my favourite narrator pairings. I liked the small town setting. It was cozy and I could totally visualise it in my mind. I just wasn't in the mood for another story about a guy who can't man up and confront his feelings without being nudged. If it hadn't been for Juliet's brother, he woulda kept her at arms length even though they felt the same way about each other.
-
I absolutely love this story between Monroe and Juliet. Monroe is so stinking hot and such a sexy Dom type vibe. And is clueless as Juliet is about men she and Monroe works so well together. The story has tons of spice and it’s really adorable.
-
I love rom-coms.
I love the lightness I feel while reading or listening to rom-coms.
Life is sometimes scary and crazy and I personally need books to disconnect from the madness and relax.
Lauren Blakely is one of those authors who I have to thank for not going completely insane 😂.
I really mean it when I say that reading is like therapy for me.
The only therapy that works 😉
This book is once again an incredibly sweet and swoony story.
A beautiful love story that will warms your heart.
A light, delightful love story that made me forget everything around me and keep my fingers crossed for the lovely characters.
The audiobook is great.
The narrators are what makes the book even better.
Its banter-filled discussions are sooo good and funny 😁
A book that I needed.
An author that I can always count on that will bring me to smile 🥰 -
This story had tropes galore…second chance (one I really like), along with fake dating and brother’s best friend (ones I generally don’t).
Maybe it’s a sign I’ve read too many romance books, but sometimes I swear there’s no new stories being written and I know what’s going to happen three chapters before it inevitably does. But I’ll give the author credit…this time, one of the tropes I don’t like didn’t go the way it usually does that makes me cranky! (and how’s that for being vague and spoiler free? 😉)
The narrators were great, even if the story was just marginally amusing. If I had read this one I’m sure I would have rated it two stars, but since the narrators were so good it brought my rating up. -
🎧📖AUDIOBOOK & EBOOK REVIEW📖🎧
I listened to this story back in April and the only thought I had about it was …”so that happened” It actually took a couple weeks for me to fully listen because it didn’t grab me. I can’t say it was a bad experience, it just wasn’t memorable enough for me to care. So I just moved on. It was free with my Audible subscription so *shrug*
Now it’s 2 months later and the ebook is releasing, and I gave it a try because it isn’t a very long story and I like to find if reading a story makes it *better* than listening to it and vice versa. So I read it a couple of weeks ago. Still not memorable, and I actually thought about not finishing because I knew the story already. So, that says something.
I’m not going to pick apart what worked or didn’t in any detail because, who really cares. You know how the story made me feel and that is what matters most.
As an audiobook, I’d give my experience a solid 4-stars because Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan are always a good time in my ears. My reading experience only gets 2-stars #sorrynotsorry Because I did both, my review gets a 3-star rating overall. I think my recommendation of how you should experience this story, should you choose to do so, is apparent in my review. That is all :) Carry on about your day. -
Great Read
This was an enjoyable read. This is the fourth book in the How to Date series. In this book, we meet Monroe and Juliet. They cohost a relationship podcast, and had a summer fling 8 years ago. Juliet happens to be Monroe’s best friend’s little sister. She wants to find the one and asks Monroe to be her dating coach. During the process, their attraction and suppressed feelings for the last 8 years begin to come forward and make for an interesting story. The story is great. I really liked that it was a second chance, friends to lovers romance with a bit of a forbidden romance as well, because Juliet is his best friend’s little sister. The characters were awesome. I really liked Monroe and Juliet. I thought their banter was great. It kept me engaged. Juliet is 30 years old, and has been harboring her feelings for Monroe for 8 years. I thought she was witty, and smart. Monroe is 35 years old. He is divorced, but very protective and jealous over the thought of other guys dating Juliet. He feels like she belongs to him and no one else. I thought he was sexy and protective. I am curious how some of the other books in the series will turn out. I will check them out for next month. Overall, a great read.
