Contemporary romance and adult fiction featuring humorous, emotional dual-perspective narratives have become a hallmark of modern popular romance, particularly through bestselling releases such as Love and Other Words and The Unhoneymooners. Writing under the combined pen name Christina Lauren, authors Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings have coauthored dozens of romance and young adult novels translated into more than thirty languages.
Career & Background
Christina Hobbs, a former junior high school counselor, and Lauren Billings, who earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and worked in the pharmaceutical industry, first connected online in 2009 while writing fan fiction. After collaborating on fan works, the duo transitioned into full-time fiction coauthoring. Their professional debut with the Beautiful Bastard series established their joint career in adult contemporary and erotic romance. Together, they have written more than twenty New York Times bestsellers, including The Paradise Problem, Roomies, Autoboyography, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, The Soulmate Equation, Something Wilder, and The True Love Experiment. Their collaborative work has been inducted into the LibraryReads Hall of Fame, named Amazon and Audible Romance of the Year, and selected as a Lambda Literary Award finalist.
Writing Style & Themes
Christina Lauren's writing is characterized by fast-paced dialogue, dual point-of-view perspectives, and classic romantic tropes including fake dating, second chances, and friends-to-lovers dynamics. Beyond lighthearted romantic comedy, their books emphasize emotional vulnerability, female autonomy, and marginalized voices, balancing upbeat comedic situations with explorations of family dynamics, personal grief, and self-discovery. Readers can find news and updates on their official website at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com or via @ChristinaLauren on Instagram.
Major Works
- Love and Other Words — A emotional second-chance romance detailing the childhood connection and re-encounter between Macy and Elliot as they confront past tragedy.
- The Paradise Problem — A contemporary romance involving a fake marriage between a grocery chain heir and his free-spirited artist ex-wife in order to claim an inheritance.
- Roomies — A romantic comedy about a Broadway musician and an Irish immigrant who arrange a marriage of convenience to secure a work visa.
- Beautiful Bastard Series — The authors' breakout adult romance series that marked their commercial publishing debut in 2013.
- Wild Seasons Series — A bestselling contemporary romance series following three friends whose impulse decisions in Las Vegas lead to life-changing relationships.
