My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

Admittedly these two are some of my favorite authors but it was really fun to read this book. The review was delayed months to match up to the timing of the book. The lead character, Millie, studies female serial killers and has awkward moments that just about any reader will be able to relate to. Reid, her best-friend and will be happily ever after, is a neuroscientist at the same university and the two of them along with their friends end up using a dating app to try and find dates for commencement.  Millie creates great profiles for her friends, but struggles to create one for herself so she creates an alter-ego for the dating app and that profile matches with Reid. Millie thinks she is dropping enough hints to figure it out but Reid doesn’t, and one by one the group of friends figure out Millie and Reid like each other and about Millie’s problem of trying to tell Reid about the alter ego flirting they have been doing. The great part of knowing two characters will have a happily ever after is seeing how they get there and the drama that they go through trying to figure out if the other one feels the same way.  As usual these two authors knock it out of the park with this rom-com, and readers will want more stories from these two after finishing any of their books (especially this one).

 

Character List/Book Summary:

Millie Morris – wrote her thesis on female serial killers, professor at UC Santa Barbara, struggles to make connections or share personal information about herself with her friends. Has sex with Reid, then offers to find other dates for him to go to commencement with, because she is unsure of how they would work as a couple. Struggles with telling Reid about “Cat” even though Cat tells Reid information that should clue him in on who she really is. 

Reid Campbell – neuroscientist and Associate Professor, at UC Santa Barbara that just got tenure. Workaholic and claimed Millie when the group of friends decides they should have dates for commencement. Is matched with Daisy and Cat in the dating app after Millie writes him an amazing bio. Gets confused with Millie and them having sex and encouraging him to use the dating app. Goes to visit his family and brings his friends, which is when at least one realizes Millie and Reid like each other. 

Stephen Edward “Ed” D’Onofrio – neuroscientist post-doc in Reid’s lab. Part of the group of friends and really would like to find someone to have a real relationship with. Knows that Millie is Cat who has been talking to Reid. Tells Millie she should tell Reid who Cat really is, but helps her write a message to Reid. Reid gets mad at him after he realizes that Cat is Millie and he knew about it and helped her. 

Alex – a professor of biochemistry, part of the friends group, spent summers in Ecuador. Hears Millie and Reid having sex at his parent’s house. Is brought into the secret that Millie is Cat and helps Ed and Millie try and figure out what to do about Reid and Cat.  Reid gets mad at him when he learns that he also knew Millie was Cat and gave her advice. 

Chris – mentors fellow African American chemists, went to school with Reid, is divorced. Has a bromance with James, Reid’s dad. Reminds Reid that he knew Millie has trouble with emotional opening up and he cannot be mad that Millie does not open up to him more since that is part of who she is (even is she is working on it and starting to be more emotionally open). 

Dustin – Millie’s ex, who is now her boss as Chair of the Criminology department, introduced her to Reid. Reid never liked him and was happy to stay friends with Millie when she and Dustin broke up. 

Avery Henderson – professor of English at UCSB and was Millie’s younger sister’s roommate in college. Mentions Millie’s sister and the problem her dad is having in front of Reid and the gang. 

James Campbell – Reid’s father, has a bromance with Chris that makes Ed and Alex jealous. Has a prosthetic arm and plays jokes with it. Happy to have Reid, Millie, Ed, Alex, and Chris at the house for the weekend and seeing them happy and laughing. 

 

 

 

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