The True Love Experiment * Christina Lauren * DNA Duo #2

A fiercely independent, bestselling romance novelist agrees to star in a high-profile reality dating show to launch her career to the next level - only to realize her truest, most undeniable spark is with the brooding, single-father producer running the cameras behind the scenes.

The Story: Written by the prominent New York Times bestselling writing duo Christina Lauren (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings), this sparkling contemporary romance transforms a chaotic Hollywood production set into an exceptionally witty, high-stakes emotional workspace. The novel is a standalone spin-off to their smash hit The Soulmate Equation, centering on Felicity "Fizzy" Chen, a beloved romance author who has built a highly successful career writing about passion but suddenly finds her own creative parameters completely blocked by an unvarnished dating rut.

Fizzy's predictable monitoring routines permanently fracture when she crosses paths with Connor Prince. Connor is a brilliant, documentary-style filmmaker and dedicated single dad who faces a strict corporate deadline to boost his network's failing reality television ratings. To save his job, Connor uses an aggressive strategy: pitch a brand-new dating concept starring the internet's favorite romance guru as she matches up with a carefully vetted ledger of archetypal suitors. The production tracking lines hit a highly volatile boundary as filming begins. While Fizzy navigates the low-friction parameters of on-camera dates to appease the studio executives, her hidden, off-camera chemistry with Connor begins to breach their professional defensive shields. Written in dual alternating perspectives, it's a fast-paced, multi-layered puzzle of shifting boundaries, forced proximity, and Hollywood politics. To claim their own shared personal sanctuary of true love without destroying the show's massive financial assets, Connor and Fizzy must drop their defensive armor and risk a public scandal under the glare of the studio lights.

Perfect For: Devotees of traditional, fast-reading contemporary romantic comedies and banter-heavy fake dating tropes; readers who adore strong, body-positive heroines, supportive female friendships, and protective single-dad heroes; and dedicated book collectors maintaining a complete shelf of the globally bestselling Christina Lauren bibliography.

First Gallery Books hardcover edition May 2023.