Member Reviews
Beautifully written, deeply emotional, and all-too timely, The Love Proof is a gorgeous story about a brilliant woman who sets out to scientifically prove that the ones we love are always connected to us—even when we are physically apart.
The Love Proof is a metaphysical romance, which is a unique take on romance fiction that explores love in its many forms.
Is love an emotion?
An experience?
Is it a kind of desire?
Are other kinds of love fundamentally different from romantic love?
I appreciated all the research Madeleine Henry did for this book, and sometimes too many facts it seems could take away than add to the story.
The transitions between scenes, chapters, and storyline could be better, as I found myself going back and rereading when I would get lost. An adjustment on the pacing will really improve the flow, which would tell the story better, and really take this book to astronomical heights.
I loved the setting of the story, and and how we were able to follow through with the characters many many years later. I thought the last part of the story was somewhat rushed and some things still needed to be resolved in order to fully round out the complete story. However, I still got the overall theme and message between the main characters Jake and Sophie, and what Henry wanted to accomplish in this novel.
For a unique take on love and it’s many forms, this is a book for you.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC of The Love Proof! This book was smart, a new take on a love story, and a joy to read!
The Love Proof is about a child prodigy and true introvert, Sophie Jones, who is fascinated with all things that make her think, especially time. She enrolls at Yale, where she studies physics and is expected to become a great scientist at the precipice of discovering something remarkable. Then, Sophie meets Jake and time seems to stop. Love overtakes her body and soul, and becomes the most important thing in her life. Jake is a kindred spirit, her soulmate. Once Jake realizes the effect he has on Sophie, he worries he's damaged her potential. The Love Proof seems to ask - can love conquer all?
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but after that I was hooked! This book is so smart and different from any book I've read. I loved all the random facts thrown in - it made me feel like I was learning from Sophie. She is such a cool lead character - smart, but uncomfortable in the spotlight, she doesn't want to be seen as special or different. She struggles to connect with people, but feels so much internally. Her relationship with Jake was so sweet, and I rooted for them throughout the novel. At times I hated Jake, but also felt for him.
This was a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it!
Is there a way to explain how we feel bound together with some people more than others? If so, how do you explain it. That’s the question that Sophie Jones sets out to answer.
Does being in love and having loved change your sense of time? Does it affect you to your core?
Science is not my thing and I’ve never taken a physics class but Ms. Henry does a fantastic job making it understandable.
In the end, it is a love story.
This was definitely a different kind of love story. The book took me a little while to get into. Although I liked the story, I felt it was a bit disjointed. The back and forth timelines threw me a bit. Although Sophie's and Jake's stories were lovely, I was a bit frustrated at them - Sophie with her blahness and Jake with his stubborness. The book moved through time quite fast - we seemed to jump a few months or a year here and there which threw me. I liked Peter and his family although he seemed a bit obsessive at the start which weirded me out.
I had really high hopes for this book featuring a smart woman studying physics in a man's world. but I was very disappointed. I hate how Sophie was portrayed as only caring about love and giving up her world for that. I'm glad that she finally got herself together, but that was so frustrating that it was hard to get over that and enjoy the rest of the book. Unfortunately, this is a pass for me.
I liked the Love Proof. The initial romance is very sweet and the science-y parts about time and love were thought provoking.
ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley release date 2/9/2021.
Between 3.5 and 4 stars
The Love Proofs a very sweet and beautiful story that will break your heart over and over again!
This is the story of Sophie Jones, she was smart, introverted, and she felt everything stronger and deeper than anybody else in this world. she was always questioning things in life, making her very knowledgeable, some may say she was a prodigy and her tutors and teachers knew this from the very first moments. she had a fantastic family, her mother was very supportive but life always has a funny way to destroy or complicate things and this was the beginning of a tearful, sad, period.
Jake was also a very gifted and talented young man, he wasn't expecting her, he only was there to continue studying and growing more.... she wasn't expecting him either her focus was totally on her theories and studies but destiny brought them together only to break them apart.
The Love Proof, the love story of Jake and Sophie two very smart people that fell in love between books and theories, they were made for each other, they understand each other that they could even felt each other no matter if they were not even in the same room or space...
so here comes the reason why I had mixed feelings with my rating of the book, I never really understood Jakes's changes and behavior this made me cringe over and over again. Jakes's explanations, his excuses to move on into another direction, I never understood his logic, for me, it was really dumb what he did, it wasn't really chivalry, I don't see it that way, for me, he did a huge mistake.
The reason I felt that he wasted so much time and made a huge mistake, by changing his mind. was he didn't understand Sophie at that time, what I mean is he didn't really hear what she was saying when she explained herself about love, he was so immersed in the idea that he was doing something to help her but in my opinion, he was very blind... Sophie gave at all times her reasons for putting her energy and her attention in Love but people including Jake were never listening and not really paying attention and thought otherwise.
It really broke my heart how much time Sophie or better said Jake wasted with his own ideas and how many decades he took to be able to see this.
Overall it is a great book, I recommend it but that part really made me change my view of Jake, at first I was supporting him and seeing his chivalry but then I understood he wasn't paying any attention and that was a huge turn off for me.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this story - I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. However, I was happily surprised- it's a sweet romance with a twist, taking place over decades. And while it does have a happily ever after eventually, it's not the typical plot we find in most romance novels. But it actually made the story all the sweeter - and emotional.
Sophie Jones is a mathematical prodigy, a bit socially shy, and knows that when she meets Jake Kristopher, they're meant to be together. And though they just met, it seems as if they've known each other. They embark on an all consuming first love relationship the next four years of their undergraduate experience at Yale. Until their paths lead them apart.
Yet Sophie knows she's still with Jake, and goes about proving it with science.
The ending is so sweet and I found myself shedding some tears. Not the typical romance I typically read but I so enjoyed this one and would recommend it to all my friends.
2 stars
I received an ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie, a prodigy, arrives at Yale hoping to prove her theory on the nature of time and how those we love are always connected to us. She soon meets and falls in love with Jake. As the years go by, and their relationship grows, love distracts her from her schooling. A shocking change in events, leads her back to physics, and a newfound attempt to make sense of the universe, and make a connection between time and love. The Love Proof is a story about connection and time, and ultimately true love.
There were so many reasons I was looking forward to reading this book, the main being an intriguing plot line. However, I didn't enjoy the writing style. It shifts perspectives, and spans several decades leaving it extremely disjointed and confusing at times. A romance novel featuring a women in STEM? Yes, please! However, I may have been most disappointed with the route the book took on this notion. There even ended up being a little too much emphasis on the scientific, and not enough on the characters and their story. I loved the concept, and this story had the potential, but lacked in action and story, being thought and emotion driven. With all that said, it's a very unique story, and there were lines that made me stop and think, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
The Love Proof was a bit of a miss for me, but if you enjoy a good philosophical/scientific romance its worth checking out.
Content Warnings: drug use, addiction, infant death, miscarriage, grief
I was absolultely loving this book. Reading about physics theories naturally made me feel extra smart, and Sophie was so adorable!
As a parent, I really appreciated the dilemmas Sophie's parents faced in wanting her to have the best education and strive for her potential, but also wanting her to be a joyful child. Jake's upbringing had the same motherly goodwill, but none of the same resources as Sophie's childhood. Somehow, none of that mattered once they met. But Sophie and Jake were both unique and charming characters who had all the signs of spending an eternity together (whatever it is that makes up an eternity...).
Is time what we've always perceived it to be? Is time a block instead of linear - is everything really happening all the time, instead of in a particular order? Are soul mates real? Is love forever? Sophie wants to know all of this and prove it scientifically. Can her experiences with and without Jake contribute to the proof?
Overall, I'd give this book 3/5 stars. I loved the story line with the scientific twist, but I was disappointed when a lot of the book was not about Sophie and Jake. Unfortunately the ending was not what I was expecting exactly either. The story ended like I wanted, but it felt abrupt and dry. I really enjoyed parts of this book and would recommend it for those who enjoy contemporary fiction and academic stories.
3.5
You don't have to be Einstein to know that Sophie and Jake belong together. However, what they discovered through their relationship was more precious and lasting than any quantum physicist could have possibly imagined. The power of love is perhaps an impenetrable mathematical equation and its components are bravely explored and mapped out by author Madeleine Henry as she chronicles the lives of Sophie and Jake who come together and then, like unwilling atoms, are split apart.
What separates this love story from most is the book's scientific attempt to decipher the strands of this most complex of all of the human emotions. As the reader turns this novel's pages and studies the love created by its main characters we are transported to a place where time, energy and matter, all merge together to create an elemental bond incapable of being broken.
I enjoyed this unique love story. It brought back memories and had me thinking about first love, soulmates, and destiny. I'll always want the happy ending and with this book it's up to you to decide if we get it.
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my advanced copy of The Love Proof. This book published on 2/9.
Sophie is a physicist prodigy that finds her soulmate during her freshman year at Yale University. Jake Kristopher has big plans for his life with Sophie the love of his life. This is an unusual love story which explores love in all realities. I enjoyed this novel by Madeleine Henry. Thanks to Atria Books for an advance copy of this novel.
This is a treasure of a story. Without giving too much away, it revolves around Sophie, a physics prodigy who heads to Yale determined to solve the secrets of time. During one of her first classes, she meets Jake, who has his own lofty goals. The two immediately feel a connection, almost like they've always known one another, and soon fall head over heels in love. Over time, the power of their feelings not only puts their relationship to the test but also their ambitions, forcing them to question whether it's more important to listen to your head or your heart.
This isn't your stereotypical book about love. It's not mushy, there's no steam and it's very character driven. There were also times when the main characters' choices were so frustrating I wanted to dive right into the pages and shake them but I was 100% sucked into the story and am still thinking about it days after finishing. Henry pulls off a feat making physics, a subject that was truly beyond me in high school, not only interesting and understandable but also romantic, and the way she explores the concept of time really made me think. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙛 is a thoughtful, elegant and special book that was the perfect read leading up to Valentine's Day.
Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley and the author for a copy to review.
The perfect story for romance addicts, The Love Proof is a quirky mix of science, love, and unforgettable characters. I can't put my finger on why this book was so meaningful to me, but it definitely has that "special sauce"! I am obsessed with the author's real-life story, and the fact that she set much of the book at her alma mater, Yale University.
There are some big questions tackled in this book. What is the meaning of true love? How does love impact our lives and how we perceive time? Does love exist across all time? Both tender and sexy, this book kept me reading well into the night. The main protagonists Jake and Sophie meet when they are attending Yale University. Sophie was a child prodigy, a genius who was expected to do great things in physics at Yale. Jake was more driven, as a result of his poor childhood with a single mother. When they meet, it is as if they were always together, soul mates in the truest sense of the words.
“It was when you recognized someone you’d never met, because somehow you knew they were the same.”
The author does a wonderful job at exploring parental and romantic love. I found this story to be incredibly inventive and fascinating. Any book that mentions the word "quant" has my heart! (My son is a quant, and to be honest, I have never fully understood what he does at his job.) The way math and physics is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story had me wanting more, and I loved the way the author described Sophie's sheer brilliance.
"Jake realized that even though he wanted people to treat Sophie normally, he wanted them to know she wasn’t. Because Sophie was beyond special. She was a generational event. The depth of her mind was matched only by the depth of her heart."
Jake and Sophie's love story spans decades. I can't give too much more away about the plot other than to say I could have read an entire second book about their relationship. This is a thoughtful, tender and smart story that tackles some very heavy themes in a wonderfully readable way. I adore stories that tackle the idea of alternate realities and ask the "what-if" questions. This is not a sugar-coated love story but instead packs an emotional punch, with a wonderful ending. I loved everything about it! Highly recommend!
“‘People overvalue intellect. Life should be lived from the heart.'”
I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy!!
I loved this book. It was about love and how people stay connected even if they are not together.
Sophie has a brilliant mind but is very uncomfortable around others. She meets Jake on their first day of classes at Yale. They immediately start spending all of their time together and Sophie becomes less interested in her research.
Right before graduation.Jake makes some decisions that will impact their lives for years to come.
This was a very good book and I highly recommend it!!
Love+Physics+Time=THE LOVE PROOF What a book! Madeleine Henry started with a love story, mixed in a generous drop of science, and the result is a Romance like no other. Sophie Jones is brilliant. She spent her childhood voraciously reading and Digesting endless amounts of knowledge. Now she is starting her collegiate career at Yale and studying her prime passion time. When Sophie meets Jake her first week of Yale she is overwhelmed by the power of first love. For the first time in Sophie‘s life there is a distraction to her thirst for knowledge and she’s here for it. That is all you’re getting about the plot, because the true magic of the story is the unexpected direction it takes. Sophie is such a sympathetic and lovable character. She is quirky, intelligent, insecure, and kind. Her motives were always so pure and true, she did not have a manipulative bone in her body. Jake I am conflicted about. On one hand I think he was a really good person that perhaps got a little caught up in his own ambition. But on the other hand.... there is a lot of science/time theory dropped into the story, but I think it was done in a very accessible way. Admittedly I’m not a big science person and I *think* I understood what was being said. At the heart of the book though this is truly an epic love story. I would have never thought a book with so much science in it would evoke so much emotion. If you are a fan of romance or good storytelling I cannot recommend this book enough. This book in emojis 📔 ⏳ ⏰ 🕰 🪐 💫 💔 *** Big thank you to Atria for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Sophie is an aspiring physicist and is being recognized as the next Albert Einstein. When she meets Jake at her first year at Yale it sets her on a course that she would have never envisioned for her life.
Jake and Sophie are obsessed with each other almost instantly. They attend all their classes together and plan their social life around each other. When asked her larger question of what she wanted to study it quickly changes to the theory of Love.
While they both complete college, Jake goes on to pursue his goals, Sophie becomes stuck, and Jake makes the toughest decision to help push her. This sets up the next 25 years of their lives.
This was definitely not your average love story, however it had a little too much science for my taste. You will find yourself rooting for Sophie as she explores her theories, and like Albert Einstein she will learn all time is relative.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Love Proof was an all consuming, wondrous read for me. My senses came alive as my heart ached, my eyes watered and my mind wandered in the most sublime way. I am as far from a science geek as they come and I was still drawn in by Henry’s magical writing. How real love can impact or even change our perception of time is such a tremendous and groovy premise in my opinion. What I found so appealing about Henry’s writing is how she had me constantly thinking about her main characters and their life choices. In an attempt to satisfy my own curiosity, I detected myself playing out different scenarios in my head for both Sophie and Jake and longed to chat with my fellow book lovers about my overflowing thoughts and emotions. Henry undoubtedly explored being trapped inside your mind verses being trapped inside your heart. Can there be balance between two worlds so vastly different from one another? If you are anything like me, Sophie and Jake’s story will remain with you long after you finish, maybe even leaving you with more questions than answers.
I urge you to grab a copy of this brilliant read and let yourself escape into our universe filled with love. The Love Proof is a treasure that officially has a permanent place on my bookshelf.