The Unhoneymooners
Enemies forced to take a honeymoon together discover hate might not be what they're actually feeling
By Ember · Updated July 2, 2026
The Unhoneymooners is about Olive and Ethan, who hate each other but are forced to take the honeymoon meant for her sister when everyone else gets food poisoning. Christina Lauren writes enemies-to-lovers with forced proximity, misunderstandings that feel real, and the slow realization that hate might be easier than admitting attraction.
What makes the book special is how Lauren balances humor and heart. Olive's bad luck is played for laughs without making her a doormat. Ethan's perfection is annoying until you realize it's armor. The fake relationship premise creates space for intimacy while maintaining the antagonism that makes their chemistry crackle.
The Hawaii setting is lush and romantic. Lauren writes vacation as escape where normal rules don't apply, which lets Olive and Ethan drop their guards. The stakes feel personal rather than life-threatening, which makes the emotional beats hit harder.
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Quick answer
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren follows enemies Olive and Ethan forced to take a honeymoon together. The book explores enemies-to-lovers where hate hides attraction, forced proximity on Hawaii vacation, fake relationship becoming real, and banter revealing actual feelings.
Enemies forced to take a honeymoon together discover hate might not be what they're actually feeling
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What you're really looking for when you search for books like The Unhoneymooners
You want enemies-to-lovers with actual antagonism. You want couples who genuinely dislike each other at the start, not just mild irritation. You want banter that's sharp and the shift from hate to love that feels earned.
You're also looking for vacation romance. You want settings that feel like escape, where characters can be different versions of themselves. You want the fantasy of falling in love somewhere beautiful without real-world complications.
And you want fake relationships. You want the premise that forces intimacy while maintaining emotional distance, where pretending to be together makes actual feelings harder to ignore. You want the moment when fake becomes real.
The reader take
Lauren writes funny, emotionally satisfying contemporary romance. Olive is relatable and unlucky without being pathetic. Ethan is perfect until you see the cracks. The banter is sharp and fun. The romance is earned through proximity and vulnerability. If you want enemies-to-lovers rom-com with heart, start here.
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Book recommendations
The Hating Game
by Sally Thorne
Office enemies-to-lovers. Thorne writes similar antagonism hiding attraction, sharp banter, and the moment everything shifts.
Beach Read
by Emily Henry
Writers with opposite styles forced together for the summer. Henry writes similar forced proximity, banter, and emotional depth beneath the humor.
People We Meet on Vacation
by Emily Henry
Friends-to-lovers on vacation. Henry writes similar vacation romance and the tension of admitting feelings that have been there all along.
The Wedding Date
by Jasmine Guillory
Fake relationship starting at a wedding. Guillory writes similar premise of pretending that becomes real with diverse leads.
You Deserve Each Other
by Sarah Hogle
Engaged couple trying to make the other break it off. Hogle writes similar antagonism revealing actual feelings underneath.
Common questions
Is this a standalone?
Yes. Complete story with satisfying ending. No cliffhanger or need for sequels.
How much steam?
Moderate. There's sexual tension and a few scenes but it's not the primary focus. If you need fade-to-black, this isn't it. If you need constant heat, it might feel light.
Is the bad luck thing annoying?
Depends on your tolerance for rom-com tropes. Olive's bad luck is played for humor and creates obstacles. If you find that contrived, it might grate. If you accept rom-com logic, it's charming.
Related books like
The Hating Game
Office rivalry so intense it starts to look like devotion
Beach Read
Two writers swap genres for the summer and discover they're each other's plot twist
People We Meet on Vacation
Best friends, annual trips, and the ache of almost-love
The Wedding Date
A fake date for a wedding weekend that becomes startlingly real
Red, White & Royal Blue
The First Son and a British prince fake a friendship and fall for real
Common in these genres
Ready for your story? Imagine living it.
Ember writes you into the honeymoon as someone trapped with the last person you'd choose. You're the one deciding whether to maintain the walls or admit what you're actually feeling, if the attraction you've been denying is worth the risk of being vulnerable.
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