I loved this book, and read it in one sitting. I love a broody hero but who can also be silly. Great chemistry between the characters. There were great side characters as well.

BAH! This was amazing. I totally had different plans for the night but started to read this just for a few minutes…four hours later and I’m in love.

This was a fun, quick read featuring a great fake-dating trope with an engaging heroine. I also thought the setting was well done and I enjoyed reading about Olive's research project.

This is by far one of my new favorites. I cannot wait to read this book again and again – and I'm not someone who typically rereads books to begin with.

This book had it all. Romcom, second chance romance, enemies to lovers, fake dating, one bed, chance meeting, great friends, diverse characters, women in STEM, vulnerable men... I could go on forever.

I wish this book hadn't ended. I hope there's a sequel – or at least some kind of reappearance of Olive and Adam. They might be my favorite couple yet.

Wow. This book blew me away. The grumpy sunshine, fake dating trope was done just perfectly. Adam is probably one of my new favorite book boyfriends ever 😍 The plot in this story always kept me wanting to know what happened next. Olive, oh Olive. Her character is so bubbly and nerdy and all over the place and i couldn’t have related more. Really. From the very beginning with the expired contacts as i sat there reading in expired contacts 😂 I’m OBSESSED with this book! The spice 🥵🥵 OMG. The spice was 🔥. I thought it was so cute when the little remarks over romcoms were in there. Just an overall spectacularly done story. A MUST READ

When I heard that this book was a Reylo fanfiction turned original romance novel I knew I had to read it. But I had a sneaking suspicion that I had probably already read the fanfiction version considering I've read an ungodly amount of Reylo fanfiction since 2015 - turns out I was right. I knew within two pages that I had read this on AO3 but did that stop me from binge reading it in one day? No, it did not.

I loved it and I expected to. This has all the tropes of a solid romance: the grumpy/sunshine character, the fake dating, miscommunication, one pining after the other for years, and even a little found family. It was witty, heart warming, a little spicy, and absolutely bingeable. It made me laugh and it even made me cry despite being vaguely familiar.

I also managed to figure out which original character matched their Star Wars alter ego. Definitely, recommend to any romance lover and I'm looking forward to seeing more from Ali Hazelwood!

While science terminology is a bit over my head, nothing sucks me in to a romance quite like a good trope. And a fake relationship with a meet cute that’s equal parts awkward and hilarious is the perfect setup for a rom-com, as Ali Hazelwood proves in The Love Hypothesis.  
 
As one of the few women in the male-dominated STEM industry, graduate student, Olive Smith, has exactly one close female friend. Like any good friend, Olive will go out of her way to ensure her friend, Anh’s, happiness, even if it means kissing a random guy in the science lab in the hopes of convincing Anh that she’s moved on from her ex-boyfriend (who Anh happens to like, but won’t date out of loyalty to her friend). Only the stranger she kisses happens to be Adam Carlsen, the hotshot professor infamous for terrorizing Stanford graduate students with his harsh critiques and no-nonsense attitude. Adam not only plays along with Olive’s ruse, but inexplicably agrees to be her fake boyfriend to continue the charade. Suddenly Olive is sitting in Adam’s lap in a lecture hall, rubbing sunscreen on him at a faculty picnic, and having coffee dates filled with sugary beverages and teasing banter.

If you (1) love opposites attract romances, (2) fake relationship romances, and/or (3) 
slow-burning romances that build from simmering to scorching hot, you NEED to add The Love Hypothesis to your TBR list! It’s such a sweet, endearing love story with two characters who couldn’t be more different, yet are perfectly complementary to each other. Olive and Adam’s initial interactions are stilted and unsure, yet as Olive delves beneath Adam’s taciturn, moody persona, she reveals his secretly soft interior. In turn, Adam’s deadpan humor and steady, supportive presence are a balm to Olive, who often gets stuck in her own head, fixating on her shortcomings rather than her strengths. Their tentative friendship sparks a growing attraction, which stokes the tension between them until it’s impossible to ignore. Their budding romance is a long, complicated journey, riddled with obstacles and unexpected twists, yet I laughed, sighed, and swooned every step of the way. The narrative builds into an epically steamy and perfectly satisfying payoff that left me begging for another hundred pages of story between Olive and Adam.  
 
I’ve read a lot of amazing books this year already, but The Love Hypothesis is hands down one of my favorites. It’s perfect if you’re in the mood for something fun and entertaining, but also heartfelt and emotional. I look forward to seeing what the author comes out with next.

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I am a huge fan of romance. This is the last romance I read and I can't even articulately explain why I loved it so much. For one, Olive and Adam are scientists in academia. They're working on solving problems and I love the fact they're super smart and nerdy. Knowledge is sexy! Secondly their romance is a slow developing one. They find themselves having to fake a relationship for both their sakes, personal and professional and watching them realize their feelings might be real and grappling with how to handle them was adorable.

Also you'll be interested to know the author herself is in STEM and that this story originally started out as ReyLo fanfic. For those unfamiliar that is a Star Wars pairing. Check it out if you love slow burning romances with some steam!


Goodreads:

The Love Hypothesis is excellent. Excellent might be an understatement. Ali Hazelwood's debut is reminiscent of Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient and Sally Thorne's The Hating Game for me. It's not the tropes per se that give me the same feeling- but rather the writing, the slow burn romance, and most of all that fluttery feeling in my tummy while I was reading and after I finished. The book is smart, funny, sexy, and just a delight!

It's said if an author is passionate about their story, the readers will be able to tell. Ali Hazelwood's passion and love for the subject matter and story come through with blazing colors, and is thoughtful while also enchanting. I really loved how she didn't downplay or over exaggerate the disparities in STEM, as well as the challenges women face in these fields.

Really, I just want to shout about this book from the rooftops, and add a signed copy to my God Tier Romance Bookshelf because, yes, the book is that good.

I waited until the very last minute to start my review copy of this before release day, despite SO much praise coming from other bloggers that I trust the most. I just knew that I was going to love this book and I frankly wasn’t ready to lose that first read feeling.

I WANT TO KICK MYSELF FOR WAITING!!

This was a sweet, slow-burn of a story that I just couldn't put down once I started reading it. It's absolutely impossible not to fall in love with Olive and Adam and all of their chemistry from VERY early on in the book. And, can we talk about bedroom Adam? Was anyone else so very pleasantly surprised by this brilliant, grumpy man and his bedroom skills and dirty talk? He was just the perfect amount of possessive, in and out of the bedroom, that I think I have a scientist fetish now.

Anyways, this book deserves every bit of praise it’s getting!! It’s my top favorite read for 2021 so far and you should grab your copy ASAP!!

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

This was a devourable romance book, that centres around the 'fake relationship' trope. I expected to dislike it for that reason, but actually it was a lot of fun, and I loved that it constantly poked fun at the trope, whilst conforming to stereotypes (except for that 'theres only one bed' moment).

The characters and the relationship between them felt as though it could be real, and I think that's what made me like it. There is no massively complicated plot, its just two people, discovering that they really do like each other, with some great side characters as well. The setting and the inclusion of academia was also really great , and something a little different!

This is definitely a cosy winter read, that leaves your heart feeling warm, and will make you massively crave pumpkin spice!

First off, I want to thank Berkley Publishing Group for sending me an e-ARC of The Love Hypothesis through Netgalley for a review!

The Love Hypothesis follows our main character, Olive, who is a grad student just trying her best to work on her research. The problem is she needs to convince her best friend, Anh, that she is over a dude. So what does Olive do? Kisses the first man she sees...yeah yikes. Especially since the guy she kisses is the hot grumpy professor, Adam Carlsen, who is also...an ass. But, to Olives surprise he agrees to fake date her to help convince her friend's. Shenanigans ensue and you'll have to read to find out what happens next.

This book was just what I needed. It helped me out of a slump because it was just so light, fluffy, and happy for the most part. The romance was wonderful especially for being the fake dating trope (which I'm not usually a fan of). The tropes were done well and were super funny/cute to read about and I was very invested in their relationship and how it would progress. The hotel scene was awooooooweee yes very nice. I'll have ten of those please. Also, it ticks my box for protective love interest which I love. I know this was a Reylo fanfic but it separated itself from that well I think as I would have no idea that's what it once was. In addition, I really liked that Olive was a grad student because I think academia is an interesting setting and really added to the story. We also love women in STEM!

One reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that I wanted more. I feel like it hopped from trope to trope when I wanted more plot and development of those tropes and how we got to them. There were moments that I felt got cut off and left me wanting more. The ending was also kind of un-satisfying if you ask me. I wanted more closure and I didn't get that.

But, overall a really solid romance and I would definitely recommend!

Super cute, love the academia setting and even though I'm an arts person, the science was super cool and wasn't at all overwhelming. Characters had great chemistry, love me a fake-dating trope.

5/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

This book surpassed any expectations I had for it. I adored every second of this book. I loved just watching these two get to know each other and fall in love. I literally smiled almost the whole time while reading this book. I can't even count the number of times I said awe. I would completely recommend this book. I am team Olive and Adam forever! I am very excited to see what else this author writes in the future.

“First rule of grad school— don’t ask about other grads’ dissertation timeline.”

I, can attest that the quote right there is ABSOLUTELY true after dating my significant other year 5 and 6 of his chemistry PhD with an ever changing defense/graduation date 😂

I absolutely adored this book for so many reasons!

First, I loved the female lead. I loved that this book showed a female lead in STEM, which I don’t often see and that it was in an academia setting, another thing I haven’t read a lot of.

I loved the people she had in her corner that told her to remember to “carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.” Her support system was wonderful.

I loved that it had a fake dating trope and I LOVE a fake dating trope, I think it may be my new favorite one?

I loved the banter between the two characters and all the cute moments between them.

I loved how the main character wasn’t perfect. That she had awkward moments and she was unsure, it was so relatable.

Then finally, I loved how I FLEW through this book. I read it in a day and have no regrets.

I am a huge relationship of convenience fan. So after reading the book blurb, I had to request this title. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is an engaging story about the cutthroat world of academia.

This was just an okay read for me. To begin with, the romance between the two main characters, third-year Phd candidate Olive Smith, and overbearing professor Adam Carlsen, was almost non-existent. Around the 70% mark, they actually share more than a chaste kiss or flirtation. The slow-burn was just a bit too slow for my tastes. However, when they finally get together, their sexual chemistry is off the charts.

I loved the way the author evolved Adam's character. His arrogance and stiffness was significantly softened by the end of the book, thanks to Olive's presence in his life. Olive became less insecure as she and Adam got to know each other. The ending was very exciting.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

"I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

It was such a fun read, I adored the characters.The chemistry between our two characters is amazing, they rocked this story.I fall in love with both of them from the beginning , loved their interactions.

It's sweet with a slow burn romance and they are full of humor .Adam make me swoon and smile a lot!I loved this grumpy hero!Olive was just amazing you could easily connect with her!

"Are you going to be less harsh, then?"
"Unlikely."
She sighed. "You know, when I have no more friends and everyone hates me because of this fake-dating thing, I'll be super lonely and you are going to have to hang out with me every day. I'll annoy you all the time. Is it really worth being mean to every grad in the program?"
"Absolutely."

I cannot wait to read more books from thisauthor!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

i read this all in one night. i am obsessed. i loved both adam and olive, and i have never read a romcom set in grad school, so i really enjoyed that. adam is literally so sexy i love him so much. also, fake dating?????? enemies to lovers???? grumpy/sunshine???? yeah sign me up.

tw: sexual harrassment

just finished! WOW this lives up to the hype 🥺🥺🥺🥺 the cover really threw me off but this is so so so so so good — not a huge fan of the miscommunication / fake dating trope still but didn’t mind it here!! a future comfort read in the making

I totally bought into the hype for The Love Hypothesis and so glad I did. It is the absolutely adorable story of Olive, a Ph.D candidate who doesn’t believe in love but entered into a fake relationship with, Adam, a professor for various reasons that help both of them. That fake dating trope never gets old. And this book had the most lovable, real characters - dorky scientists. I love their quirkiness, I loved seeing women in STEM, I loved the banter and I loved the romance so much. It is a put a smile on your face, warm fuzzy book. All the feels.

The Love Hypothesis is mostly a charming book. There is so much to love about it. Olive and Adam are adorable together, and the fake-dating plot was perfect. Olive’s friends are amazing and I enjoyed the banter all around. The writing is great, and I breezed through it in one sitting. But while I would very much like to overlook my problems with it for the cuteness, it feels disingenuous to skim over what I feel is a very significant issue with the plotting of the book.

Slightly past halfway through the book, Olive is sexually harassed, and that incident becomes a catalyst for the rest of the plot. My issue is that I do not feel that it was handled in a way that made sense for the characters or provided any real closure afterwards. Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult for me to talk about why I don’t believe this worked without giving specific details, so feel free to skip the next couple paragraphs if you’re concerned about spoilers.

Olive is sexually harassed by a colleague (Tom) of her fake boyfriend (Adam). After the incident, she’s concerned about two things if she tells Adam: that he won’t believe that Tom harassed her, or if Adam does believe her, he will be forced to give up a project he is working on with Tom, that he is very excited about. So she resolves not to tell him, and ends their “relationship” (which had become a bit more like a relationship, as you do in a fake-dating romance novel).

Shortly after that, Olive’s friends overhear the recording she has of the incident, and they convince her she needs to tell Adam, which she does, and then within a day or so, (after Tom is fired) Olive is basically confessing her love to Adam and they are all of a sudden real dating.

This secondary sequence of events is what I had a hard time with. First, she decided to not tell Adam due to her concerns about his reaction, but then she is convinced to tell him because of her friends, not because she has any realization about him/their relationship that would lead her to trust that he would believe her. Then, once she does tell him, they barely have a conversation about the repercussions or Adam’s feelings about the situation before they confess their feelings for each other and move on. It all happens quickly and is wrapped up easily.

As a result of all that, it feels like Olive is being swept along by the plot, with no agency of her own, and while there are a lot of things that I will put up with because “romance reasons,” the aftermath of sexual harassment isn’t one of them. Especially because I have a hard time reconciling Olive’s decision to not say anything with her decision to date Adam at the end. She goes so quickly from not trusting him to deciding to be in a relationship with him that I almost got whiplash. It didn’t seem reasonable for her character to have that complete 180 in such a short period of time.

Overall, it felt like the sexual harassment plotline was written in as an easy way to create a Very Serious Conflict. And I just don’t think it was necessary. In the hands of a skilled writer, even the tiniest possible conflict can be written such that the reader is convinced of its importance to the characters’ lives and relationship. I can think of many other conflicts for this book, including but not limited to: Adam’s perceived or real power over Olive’s career, Olive’s issues believing people will stick around after a lifetime of not having that, the fact that they were lying to all of their friends for months about their relationship, Adam being a demanding asshole to every other grad student or Adam’s possible move across the country. I have read romance novels where characters had a third act breakup for less than that last reason, for example. I do not believe we need to traumatize our romance heroines (or trigger readers who weren’t given a heads up) for the sake of causing conflict.

I know many people really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis, and I certainly did until about 65% in. It’s possible that because the situation with the sexual harassment is written in such an over-the-top way (it did feel a little like somebody took an HR manual on “How not to sexually harass” and included every example of what to avoid) that maybe it didn’t land for other readers in the same way it landed for me, but I am honestly frustrated with how it ended after such an amazing beginning. Maybe if I had been aware of what was going to happen, it would not have bothered me so much, but there were no indications that the book was going to take the turn it did.

I want so hard to like this book, and as I said, I think there is a lot to like, but I cannot recommend it without reservations. I look forward to seeing what Hazelwood does next.