Without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite romances of 2021. I could not believe this was a debut novel - I read it cover to cover in one sitting and was absolutely devastated when it was time to bid Olive and Adam farewell. I loved the fake dating trope, the subtle nod to Adam's Judaism (brief Hanukkah mention), Olive's intelligence and so much more. Shall we talk about the wait for the steamy scene and - oh boy, the payoff was ... chef's kiss.

I cannot wait to read more from Hazelwood in the future!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

4 Stars!
Nerdy Rom-Com

The story centers around Olive Smith, a 26-year-old Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University. In order to convince her best friend Anh that Olive is happy and dating, she kisses the first person in the hallway Dr. Adam Carlsen, an older, attractive professor that no one particularly likes. Olive and Adam agree to fake-date for a little over a month, both having something to gain from the experience. What neither of them expected was to fall in love.

Let’s start with the good: there were so many things I liked about this book. First it pretty much starts with the main characters getting together and the dynamitic between Olive & Adam was great. There was some diversity represented and women in STEM which was cool- though it was an academic setting, the science wasn’t boring, those details added a lot to the story. One of my favorite parts was at the end seeing Olive stand up for herself and finally be honest about her feelings.

The bad: most of their interactions were thrown together into awkward situations by Olive’s friend Ahn- I would have liked more naturally sweet moments between them, especially initiated by Adam. The worst thing was the number of miscommunications and withholding information from each other... I understand not being forward in the beginning but after a certain point the characters needed to actually talk about what's going on.

Overall it was a cute read and would make a fun movie!

Video where I reviewed this book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vPEc6dWA90

I think I didn't read the same book that everyone else on booktube did... Because I don't understand the hype on this book.

Let's completely ignore that this is ReyLo fanfic. Honestly, if I didn't know that already I would have never guessed that was the original inspiration It was so vague and subtle, that it honestly had no bearing on the story.

Let's talk about Olive. I hated her. She was your typical "not like other girls" protagonist, trying to be quirky and dorky and honestly I wanted to punch her in the face. She got so mad at Adam for being critical of research work, but um... that means he's a good advisor. He's trying to make the students better and trying to get them prepared for the real world, where work will be torn to shreds.

The book was definitely a slow burn, but I didn't even realize it was a slow burn until I realized we were 70% percent into the book before the sex scene. The anticipation just... wasn't there? I also went back and reread the sex scene, and there was no mention of a condom or any type of protection. That's the number one cardinal rule of romance books...

Finally let's talk about the demisexuality rep. Now, I am not Demi, so I would highly recommend you seek out own voices reviewers. This is just my opinion on if she was talking about my sexuality like this, I would be highly offended. When Olive is trying to explain her thoughts on sex and why she hasn't had a lot of it she says "there is something wrong with my brain", making it seem like she isn't normal. This sentence is NEVER challenged. No one ever says "there's nothing wrong" or anything of the sort. Demisexuality is highly underrepresented, and in my opinion, this is ignorant and damaging.

Not what I was expecting. I had heard that this contained a fun quirky heroine, but she was a bit over the top. Also had some strange consent issues that were never addressed. I can see why people enjoyed this book, but it has some major issues that won't make it enjoyable for all.

Fantastic first romance novel! Loved the stem setting! The characters were funny and the interaction was great. Can't wait for the next one!

Normally, I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, especially in romance novels, but the author does such a superb job of building up the chemistry and tension, that I didn't mind it one bit here! The couple in this novel is a shining example of how to do opposites attract/he's sunshine just for her in a rom-com. Olive is a heroine that I not only admire, but respect; too often authors use heroines as doormats so that male leads can come off as super alpha, but Hazelwood absolutely nails the strong, funny, independent but completely head over heels heroine! And Adam! What a delight to read his words and get to understand his motivations. Overall, devouring this has been a pleasure.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was greatly entertained by the science and statistics puns.
Olive's character was very interesting. I loved how awkward and clumsy she was. Her using expired contacts is something I would probably do, and I laughed at that first scene a lot because of that. I did have an issue with how she treated Adam at times, particularly regarding his job and how he was doing it. I have had professors during my Master's that were way harsher than Adam, and while I was reading this book I was in no way convinced that Adam was cruel just to be cruel. I felt that Olive overstepped boundaries in trying to tell him how to do his job. Yes, Adam was harsh, but even then she should have been better at telling him that instead of offending him. I also think that it was his job to tell students what wasn't working in their projects, and part of me thinks that the students themselves should have seen some of the errors he was pointing out.
It should come as no surprise that I loved Adam, especially his "I'll have her for as long as I can have her" mentality.
I am very excited for the sequel.

Do you ever read the synopsis of a book and immediately know you are going to adore it? Then you get the book and can't get yourself to pick it up because there is so much hype for it and what if this is the one time that your gut leads you astray and you don't like it? There is no hypothetical you here. This is totally my experience getting my hands on The Love Hypothesis.

This book blew up on social media and everywhere I turned was another raving review. I just kept putting it off because I've been burned by the hype monster before. So instead of picking this up first, I dipped my toe into Ali Hazelwood's STEMinist Novellas series and fell in love with her writing. Armed with the knowledge that I loved the novellas, I finally picked up my copy of The Love Hypothesis. And wouldn't you know it, I loved it so much! I want to go back and kick past me for not reading it as soon as I got my hands on it

I'm a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers book and Ali Hazelwood delivered that trope with a book that read like the most delectable ReyLo AU fanfic ever! I quickly fell in love with Olive and her science nerd awesomeness. She might be one of the most relatable characters for me in recent years. As someone who went to grad school in a STEM field, I have never read so a realistic portrayal of being a female science grad student ever. It truly transported me back to my grad school days and made me feel seen. It really does takes someone from STEM academia to write it correctly. Thank you for putting it out there, Ali Hazelwood!

Olive's friends, Anh and Malcolm, were amazing! Anh is tenacious and blunt and Malcolm is calm and supportive. They really balanced Olive and her dumbassery out. The one character I loved just as much would be the love interest, Adam Carlsen. Now that I've finished the book, I can totally see why everyone loves him. He's a taciturn and stern person but totally gone and soft for Olive and I love him! He is the grumpy to her sunshine and I couldn't get enough of either of them!

I loved everything about this book but I don't want to go into details about the plot. It's definitely worth it going into the book as blind as you can. One thing I have come to appreciate about Ali Hazelwood's writing is that there has been demisexual rep in almost every one of her stories I've read so far! And it makes me so happy! I love that I can see myself in more and more in the books I read!

I actually listened to the audio of this book and it was freaking fantastic! Callie Dalton's narration was on point and I'd highly recommend reading this story that way! If you haven't picked this one up yet, do yourself a favor and a get a copy! You won't be disappointed! I cannot wait to get my hands on Ali Hazelwood's next novel, Love on the Brain! I need it!

Also, can we appreciate how beautiful this cover is? I love it so much that I had to get the BOTM hardcover edition for my shelves.

I can totally see why this book has been getting rave reviews! It’s sweet, swoon-worthy, and will leave you smiling all day long. The characters are adorable and I just couldn’t get enough of this story. 4.5 sweet stars from me!!

I am so mad at myself for waiting to start this book! I absolutely LOVED IT!!! I'm not sure what I expected when I started reading it but I couldn't put it down. The characters were so relatable, the plot was gripping and the banter was entertaining. I felt satisfied with the ending but also wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters. As a female math teacher this book just clicked with me! I grabbed the audiobook so that I can experience it all again.

Although I thought the heroine was a bit too immature, I still really enjoyed the romance with the hero, as well as their meet-cute!

I really liked this book! I may or may not have finished it within 6h without taking a break, oops.
Once you get into The Love Hypothesis, you just can’t stop reading.
There were some really funny moments which I really liked!

I absolutely adored this book. I read it in one sitting. The characters were charming and fun, and I felt very invested in the romance and their story from the beginning.

OOOH Women in STEAM! Yes! I love this! First of all, the cover is absolutely adorable! I loved the chemistry between Olive and Adam. I like their nerdy fourplay and flirting. The story was sweet and moved along perfectly. The women in STEAM issues being talked about are absolutely real. The only complaint that I have is the number of times Adam's height was mentioned. It would be so weird and unrealistic for me to mention that my husband is a foot taller than to everyone and in every caption. Overall, excellent story!

A fake relationship between scientists spirals when irresistible attraction and real feelings upend plans—in Ali Hazelwood’s knockout debut, THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS.

Biology Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith needs to convince her best friend Anh that she’s happy and dating, a feat she knows requires proof. Panicking, Olive kisses the first guy she sees… trouble is, that guy ends up being hot-shot Professor Adam Carlsen.

Carlsen’s infamy hails from his ruthless, tyrannic ways be it in the lab, or in a dissertation committee meeting. So Olive is struck speechless when he agrees to be her fake boyfriend, a temporary charade with mutually beneficial benefits.

News about their relationship sends both grad students and professors into a frenzied tailspin, especially as they’re forced to keep up the ruse publicly. But the more time Olive and Adam spend with each other, the more she sees a different side to him, and the more desire threatens to complicate their already precarious situation. Worse yet, as their time to end things looms, real feelings foreshadow inescapable heartache.

Hazelwood’s ‘opposites-attract’ love story is one of those rare gems that feels entirely fresh and fun to read. A once-Microbiology student myself, I loved the academic backdrop of the story which was buoyed by whip-smart banter and charm. Endearing characters bring this off-beat romcom to life in the most delightful way, making it the perfect one-weekend binge that is sure to leave you smiling.

I stayed up so late reading this book and I loved every second of it. I was expecting to not enjoy it because of how hyped up it was but it DELIVERED!

I'm not a fan of Star Wars or Adam Driver or Daisy, I just don't care for them, but I was super excited to read this anyways because I love office romance. I was pleasantly surprised by how slow the romance was, I hate insta-love so The Love Hypothesis was refreshing to read. I love Hazelwood's writing so much, super engaging and SO addictive, I honestly couldn't put it down.

Loved the plot, the romance the writing so I can't recommend enough! I'm looking forward to reading more books by the author.

The only downside is that I couldn't not imagine Adam and Olive as Adam and Daisy.

goodness... this story is tedious.
Goodness.... its still tedious.
The dialog is grating....
The whole guy like me... girl like me..
Girl can't tell the truth to save her PHD...
If this was a novella I could of enjoyed it more...

The Love Hypothesis is a charming romance with a unique experiment. Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith is focused on making a difference through science and is not interested in dating or long lasting romantic relationships but when her best friend Anh has feelings for someone Olive once dated she has no choice but prove she has moved on by panicking and kissing the first man she sees. That man just happens to be Professor Adam Carlsen who has a reputation for making grad students cry. With a surprising twist Adam agrees to keep her secret and be her fake boyfriend. The "couple" faces various awkward encounters (who doesn't want to rub sunscreen lotion all over their boyfriend in front of the biology department?) until suddenly things start feeling too real. The characters are remarkable and witty and leave the reader wanting more. This story is absolutely wonderful and unlike anything I have read before.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I finally read one of #bookstagram’s darling books- the Love Hypothesis! And I’m going to have to disagree with the majority on this one. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

Everyone has already read this book, so I’ll skip the plot summary. My main gripe with the book is that our MC Olive is pretending to date someone else to convince her BFF Anh it’s okay to date Olive’s ex boyfriend?? A good friend wouldn’t date your ex, let alone your BEST friend. Anh is not a good friend nor is she deserving of this enormous effort. If you can get past this part, I actually enjoyed the book. Adam is a great grumpy character and being with Olive really brings the best out of him. I don’t love fake dating, but their love for each other felt genuine by the end of the book.

I have to talk about the hardest part of the book for me and that’s that Olive and I have something in common. We have both lost a parent to Pancreatic Cancer. In the book, Olive is inspired to help with early detection with PC, since her mother passed away from this vicious disease. My own father passed away in 2009 and after reading this book, I’ve made a donation to the @lustgardenfdn, the leading research organization of Pancreatic Cancer. They are searching for a cure for PC as well as early detection. I found Olive’s work inspiring and I actually enjoyed hearing about her research and her motivation for her work.

Thank you so much to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for my gifted copy. I’m also very thankful to the author for bringing more awareness to the devastating disease that is pancreatic cancer. 💜