Book Review: My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

Millie Morris has always been one of the guys. A UC Santa Barbara professor, she’s a female-serial-killer expert who’s quick with a deflection joke and terrible at getting personal. And she, just like her four best guy friends and fellow professors, is perma-single.

So when a routine university function turns into a black tie gala, Mille and her circle make a pact that they’ll join an online dating service to find plus-ones for the event. There’s only one hitch: after making the pact, Millie and one of the guys, Reid Campbell, secretly spend the sexiest half-night of their lives together, but mutually decide the friendship would be better off strictly platonic.

But online dating isn’t for the faint of heart. While the guys are inundated with quality matches and potential dates, Millie’s first profile attempt garners nothing but dick pics and creepers. Enter “Catherine”—Millie’s fictional profile persona, in whose make-believe shoes she can be more vulnerable than she’s ever been in person. Soon “Catherine” and Reid strike up a digital pen-pal-ship...but Millie can’t resist temptation in real life, either. Soon, Millie will have to face her worst fear—intimacy—or risk losing her best friend, forever.

My Favorite Half-Night Stand is a friends-to-lovers rom-com with a side of nerdiness. The story centers around a zany group of workaholic friends who need a date to a black tie gala so they join an online dating site. 

Millie Morris is the single female in the group and also a female-killer-expert. Did I mention this group is just a tad zany? Millie has maintained a platonic relationship with her four best guy friends until she secretly enjoys a half-night stand with her closest friend, Reid Campbell. Even though they felt a connection they decided to keep their friendship platonic and move forward with online dating. 

Millie keeps her personal life secretive. She doesn't want to burden her friends including Reid. Millie and Reid have a connection and their friendship has developed over time into something more. I loved the subtle way the authors depict the evolution of their friendship. However their relationship can't move forward unless Millie is willing to share her personal life. Millie finds away to share herself with Reid however it's through a fictional profile that may have crossed the line ending their close friendship. 

I really enjoyed this zany story about a group friends who take a big step into the online dating world. The authors do a great job on touching upon a subculture of young, single, slightly nerdy workaholics. It's Big Bang Theory for romance readers. 4 Stars