"Because when women understand chemistry, they begin to understand how things work."

This is one of my favorite books I've read this year. The premise is great and very unique - Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1950s and faces many extra challenges as not only a professional working woman, but a woman pursuing a career in a STEM field. It is such a poignant story about overcoming tragedy, sexism, sticking to your beliefs and who you are despite not fitting into societal norms, and finding your family/support group even if they are not blood relatives.

So many of the messages in the book stuck with me - as an applied math major in college - it was so interesting reading about a woman in STEM in the 50s and thinking about how much has changed (and unfortunately how much is still the same) in the past 70 years. I also had a soft spot for how prominently rowing was featured in this novel - as a former rower I thought the sport was portrayed so accurately and it was so fun to read about the character's relationship with the sport.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt out of place, who has persevered against the odds and defied what others may believe you're capable of. It was such an inspiring and heartwarming story.

I'm a female scientist in her sixties, and this book hit the mark. Bullseye. Lessons in Chemistry is dark satire at its best. Be ready to laugh out loud, but with some discomfort, as much of the content is very real and sometimes very dark. That said, it's also warm and endearing. One of my favorite aspects of the novel is how a cast of quirky characters end up family-by-choice. So get ready to laugh, cry, and get angry simultaneously. It's that kind of book.

I predict you will enjoy this book if:
-You love a bit of snark (or a lot of snark).
-You're a feminist and proponent of the me-too movement.
-You enjoy dark humor (because you will encounter just about every trigger possible).
-You are a rower.

You may want to reconsider reading this book if:
-You're upset by any discussion of atheism.
-You are bothered by sentient animal characters (some sections are from the point of view of the family dog).
-You aren't a rower and don't want to read rowing humor (cause there is a fair amount in the book). I don't row, but a daughter did, so I could relate - sort of.

Garmus made a lot of effort to get the chemistry correct in her novel. I might have corrected a few minor things, but overall, the science aspect of the story is exceptional.

I have one final kudos for Garmus. THANK YOU for going nuclear on the worst elementary school project ever invented- the ubiquitous family tree. Just thank you, from a single mom of a large family formed by adoption and birth - a family that never fit (and never wanted to fit) on the stupid tree posters every one of my children brought home and agonized over.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an electronic version of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I expected to love this book. It has all the ingredients of a great read: smart, quirky protagonist; witty narration; science. But those things didn't come together well for me, and my four-star rating is more a recognition of the author's talent than a reflection of my enjoyment of her work.

First, the author's talent. The story is a good one, full of pathos but winding to a satisfyingly upbeat conclusion. The main character, Elizabeth, experiences setback after setback, turning many of those losses into gains through intelligence and persistence. The story is populated by a large cast of side characters, many of them brilliantly sketched in only a few sentences. The prose is evocative but concise, and often quite funny.

Second, my enjoyment of the novel - or lack thereof. I found Elizabeth to be an impossibly flat character: she is smart and capable and determined, but the omniscient narration rarely delves into her feelings. There are plenty of events in the story that might provide an opportunity - sexual assault, losing her job, falling in love, having a child - but there is little time spent on Elizabeth's feelings or thoughts; she simply adjusts course as necessary and continues to pursue her goals. Other characters, even minor ones, were given much greater emotional depth, and I found myself more interested in their stories.

But this is Elizabeth's story, and she is a black box in the center of it. We don't know what's within her, and what will come out is predictable. She is brilliant; she is sensible; she cares only about chemistry. After a while, I wasn't very interested in her.

Unique, original, funny, poignant…I find that all of these words can be overused when praising books but this time, in my opinion, they are truly deserved. This novel is like none other that I have read although there is some connection to The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano in terms of what does it mean to become a parent when a woman does/did not wish to. Otherwise, the protagonists of the two books are quite different.

Lessons in Chemistry includes such a wonder box of treasures. Why is there a dog named 6:30 of all things? What will you think of his tragedy early in the book but his vigilance afterwards? Will you enjoy his empathy and understanding along with his understanding of a wide vocabulary? What would lead a baby to be named Mad? What are ergs doing in the story?

Readers become intimately acquainted with the idiosyncratic Elizabeth Zott. She is a woman placed in the wrong time by history. It is the 1950s into the 60s. She WANTS to be a chemist and a working woman who is respected but the times challenge her. Look for her work around to solve this.

Lessons in Chemistry refers, in part, to the science of cooking. What leads Elizabeth to be the host of TV cooking show? She is no Julia Child to be sure.

I loved this book! There were times when I laughed out loud. Anyone who may have found the transition to a life full of baby demands will know what Elizabeth is experiencing. There were many moments when I felt for the characters as they tried to get through their lives.

I highly recommend this title. Let me know what you think.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

🌟LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY🌟 by Bonnie Garmus ~to be published April 5, 2022

My sincere thanks to @netgalley and @doubleday books for an advance review copy. All thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really delightful and original debut novel! Think The Big Bang Theory + The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Chemist Elizabeth Zott just wants to be taken seriously. The problem is, it is 1960s California, and equality has a ways to go in the American sciences (and probably still does today). This is the type of book that inspires me to pull out props for the photo. It is bold, it is fun, it is a major crowd pleaser and it is going to be everywhere. Author Bonnie Garmus is able to offer substance while still being light and funny. I LOVED Elizabeth’s cooking show, Supper at Six, and would definitely watch it IRL!

Heads up that the characters are all over the top, but that’s part of what makes the book so fun! Elizabeth is logical and literal to a fault, and love interest Calvin is obsessed with rowing and grudges. Elizabeth’s precocious daughter, Mad, is reading The Sound and The Fury as a first grader and her dog, Six-Thirty, understands almost 1,000 words!! The plot was a little uneven and the ending wrapped up a little too nicely for my personal taste. But overall, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for something different and fun!

This review will be published approximately one week prior to publication on Instagram — @sanfranliterarygal — and I will include a link with photo at that time. It will be published on Goodreads now.

I really liked this book! I have to admit that near the beginning of the book when the dog becomes one of the narraters I wasn't so sure, but I liked this story, the characters and the dog. This book reminds me a lot of Where'd You Go Bernadette.

Overall, I recommend this book as a quick read and a look at life as a female chemist in the late 50's. I loved the perseverance of the main character, Elizabeth, and her story. I would watch her cooking show!

I do not even know where to begin. Lessons in Chemistry covered such a wide range of thoughts and emotions for me, I am having trouble getting them all on paper. I originally requested the book because it was billed as laugh aloud funny, but after the first chapter I had my doubts about where this story was going. This is not to say I was disappointed with the story, but the complete opposite. I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK.

I fell in love with Elizabeth. She had to overcome so many obstacles in her work and personal life. In the 1960’s not many women worked outside the home, much less in the fields of Science and Chemistry. Nasty comments from male co-workers, unwanted sexual advances, stolen work, and an all-around toxic work environment in a male dominated field are what she faces every day. Thank goodness she has her good friend and her dog. With them by her side, Elizabeth can rise above and survive what is thrown her way.

I do not want to give too much of the story away. You need to be prepared to laugh and cry through this heartwarming story of overcoming obstacles. I am thankful for all the women who came before me and endured all the above-mentioned toxicity in the workplace. I know much more needs to be done to make us equal in the workplace.

I have only cried while reading three books, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door and Lessons in Chemistry. Each of these books tackled tough subjects and I am a better person for having read them. This story will stay with me for a long time. Kudos to Bonnie Garmus.

Thank you to Net Galley and Doubleday Books for an eArc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book.

It made me laugh, it made me swoon. it made me teary eyed, it made me so furious on behalf of every women in the workforce in the 1960's. If I had a physical copy of this arc I'd have thrown the book at the wall.

I loved and admired Elizabett Zott just as much as Calvin Evans did. These two have traumatic childhoods and find solace in science and later after their disastrous meeting they find a kindred spirit in one another. Calvin is the only men in the research lab treating Elizabeth the way she deserves to be treated, like an equal. Their short time together is so sweet, They clearly have real "chemistry"

Then Calvin leaves Elizabeth with a child. This unwed mother to be faces many difficulties, tries to stay afloat by doing her make colleagues work for them under the table and not get any credit or recognition. Then by pure luck she find herself using her chemistry knowledge not in the research lab but in a cooking show, She somehow turns into this feminist icon in a short time.

I wasn't surprised when I found out the movie rights of the book was already sold because this story would make a great movie! Elizabeth is smart, fierce, quirky but most importantly indestructible, Calvin is so smart, hardworking, loving and supportive. When Elizabeth refuses to marry him because marrying means being Mrs. Evans and publishing her work as Mrs, Evans and that is unacceptable to her, he understands her.

While there are a few characters in the book whom I wanted to strangle with my bare hands there are people on Elizabeth's side: First and foremost Harriet, everyone deserves a friend like her, Dr. Mason, Mr. Walter Pine, Mr. Wakely, sweet Madeline and Six-Thirty. Elizabeth four legged friend and companion. There are a couple chapters in the book from Six-Thirty's POV and they are hilarious.

I rate this book 4.5 stars, The first half of the book was an easy 5star book in my eyes but the second half wasn't as great. I wanted to see more off the cooking show and the science it goes in the cooking. CH 29 is called Bonding and Elizabeth explains three different types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, and hydrogen in such simple terms by drawing parallels to the relationship types between couples. That portion was just delightful.

This is a book that I'll definitely reread and recommend to anyone who likes "modern" historical fiction. Is that a thing? if not, it should be!

Elizabeth is something practically unheard of - a female chemist in the late 1950s. She has no real family or friends and the only one who takes her work seriously is a renowned chemist named Calvin. Through their relationship and the companionship of a loving dog that they name Six Thirty, she weathers the challenges that come with being a woman in the field of chemistry. I went into this book completely blind, picking it because of the word “chemistry” in the title. I’m married to a chemist so they’re fascinating people to me 😚 I loved Elizabeth and Calvin’s easy chemistry banter and their unique sense of humor that no one else seemed to understand. My heart broke multiple times for Elizabeth, as the cards she was dealt just weren’t fair. But I admired her for being a beacon of hope for not just female chemists but females in general throughout the story.

Aside from the chemistry aspect, I could also relate to being a female in a field dominated by men. When I enrolled in college for IT, I was often the only girl in my class. This was in the early 2000s, nearly 50 years after Elizabeth’s story took place. I was lucky in the fact that most of my male professors and male students were completely professional and accepting, nothing like what Elizabeth encountered. We woman have come a long way since the 1950s but there is still work to do.

This book was eye-opening and heartfelt, and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! This book releases April 5th!

This review will also be posted to my Instagram blog books_by_the_bottle shortly 😊

Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the star of a beloved TV cooking show. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read and review an advanced readers copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, all opinions are my own.

I was seriously blown away by this story. I did not know which direction it was going to go in, and once I got started I couldn't put it down. Zott is a really unique character and I loved her persistence and no-nonsense demeanor in all aspects of her life. It was not a light-hearted read, and there were many conversations around the hurdles that women in the 60's faced, especially outspoken women in STEM like Zott. Her ability to rise above all of her hardships was so beautiful to read.

I loved the comedic aspect combined with the real life lessons that we got from Zott and her family, and I especially enjoyed her cooking show chapters throughout the book. I think getting the perspectives of literally everyone in this book (and I mean everyone, dog included) made each chapter even more meaningful. I never wanted this book to end!

I'm not sure what this book was about. Was she angry, trying to make a point? I am confused. could not make it to the end.

I was looking forward to reading this because I was hopeful for a good laugh. It was described as Laugh-out-loud funny and a humorous Fiction. Had a 4.49 rating in @Goodreads.

It had great start with Elizabeth, a chemist, complaining to a parent who’s child was stealing her daughter’s lunch to being offered to star in a cooking show in the exact moment. Then it got dark with sexual assault, suicide, deaths, with a sexist workplace. It was set in 1950s to 1960s.

Here’s a few things I liked. Elizabeth was confident, career driven, skillful, and smart. She doesn’t let men walk over her. Like Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory show, Elizabeth was socially awkward yet both found love and friends. I liked how Elizabeth showed vulnerability at times. I also like her neighbor, Harriet.

Unfortunately I did not find anything humorous. The idea was great but the execution was not.

I received this ARC from @netgalley for an honest review.

I LOVED this book!! I loved the story line, so unique. I loved the writing. I loved all the characters. I couldn't wait to find out how it ended but I also didn't want it to end either! I lovely heartwarming, funny, sweet, touching story.

What a great way to get the message across in a way that was so enjoyable to read.

Elizabeth is a chemist. Calvin has won the Nobel prize. They work in the same lab in different areas, yet their lives come together first in a negative way so things can only get better, right? Wrong, as there are a few more negatives thrown in before their lives together can begin.

Elizabeth wants to be known for her work and is afraid his reputation will make it look like she is hanging on his coattails instead of rightfully earned. She's tired of the descrimination against women at work and elsewhere and finds herself fighting that battle over and over, as most women did then (in the 50's) and still do now.

The story of their relationship and consequences was told in a way that I didn't want it to end. Such a joy to read.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


I give this one six stars! I loved this book.

Elizabeth Zott is ahead of her time. She’s a chemist. Working in a male dominated world and treated like a lab tech rather than a woman with a masters in chemistry. The men may have the titles and the tenure, but Elizabeth is the one they come to with their questions.

Except for Calvin. Calvin Evans is a renowned chemist with his own lab at Hastings. No one is quite sure what he does, except that he keeps getting published and winning awards. Calvin had his pick of research labs, but he chose Hastings for its location.

When Elizabeth ventures into Calvin’s very off-limits lab to steal some test tubes, their worlds collide. Two people were never more suited for one another than Calvin & Elizabeth. While everyone else is envious of their relationship, Calvin & Elizabeth are oblivious. Two great minds working together to solve more than just chemistry’s little mysteries.

Happiness, like everything else, can be very short lived. Lessons in Chemistry shows us how true that can be, but also how the human spirit perseveres in times of trouble.

When I say five stars aren’t enough, I meant it. I’m sure this book would not appeal to everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Elizabeth is an awkward but likable female protagonist. Garmus touches on life, love, determination, faith in one’s own beliefs. Truly, a ‘when life gives you lemons’ kind of story, but not a depressing one at all.

Lessons in Chemistry was an absolute delight to read! I loved Elizabeth and Calvin so very much and their daughter, Mad, was pretty awesome as well.

The fact that Elizabeth didn't allow herself to be overlooked in her chosen career had me cheering for her and of course, Calvin, her knight, had me swooning. Don't we all want someone who will do everything they can to support our choices?

The pivot to Elizabeth hosting a cooking show was awesome! Her show reminded me a little of Alton Brown's and all in all, something I would enjoy.

This book is such a great read ~ just when you think you have it nailed down, something changes and *poof* Elizabeth has changed up the story on us. Sit down, get cozy, and prepare to be charmed with the wonderfulness that is Lessons in Chemistry!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for allowing an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own and happily shared.

I agreed to read and review this book because of its comparison to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In all honesty, I almost DNFed this book at 40% because it was so drawn out. The beginning was nothing like I expected it to be and I honestly did not care for any of the characters. At the halfway point the story picked up a bit more and I started to like it. I don’t think I can say that I loved the characters too much. Out of all of the characters, Harriet was my favorite.

I loved this supremely original story and all of its unique characters, my favorite being the dog named Six-Thirty. Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant female chemist in the 1960s, when women mainly stayed home with the kids and did not necessarily go to college or pursue careers beyond the home. She is smart, witty and resilient, making her a victim to so much prejudice, sexism and scrutiny for being a "dumb woman" in a male dominant field.

Calvin Evans is a Nobel prize worthy chemist and rower who is largely known for holding grudges. He grew up in a boys home and has had a rough go at life. He meets the dazzling and irresistible Elizabeth Zott and they quickly become inseparable.

A turn of events finds Elizabeth Zott as a single, unwed mother just trying to raise her exceptionally intelligent daughter, Madeline, in a cruel world. She meets Walter, a TV show producer, who casts her as the host of an afternoon cooking show called Supper at Six, where Elizabeth puts her own spin on it.

When Madeline is assigned a family tree project at school, she seeks to find out more about her family, particularly her father, and she helps to uncover truths that have been buried for decades.

I quickly fell in love with Madeline and Six-Thirty, both of which are so smart and loyal to their family. Mad is so inquisitive and a lot like her mother, who is known for going against the grain. While there are some heavy parts to this book, it is also charming, witty, humorous and fun! This book will likely take a top slot my top 10 books I've read in 2022.

Overall, this debut novel is a hit, and I would recommend it to any of my friends. You don't need to be a science nerd like me or know the lingo to love this book and everything it has to offer its readers.

Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Elizabeth Zott is a woman beyond her times; in the early 1960’s it is unusual to be a woman chemist. Her place of work doesn’t share her views on equality except for brilliant but hermitic Calvin Evans who she falls in love with. Years later life finds her as a single mother and a star of a cooking show on TV.

When I really, really love a book, I write 5++++++ in my journal, and that’s what I did here. I knew right from the beginning that I’d love it because the author’s writing style is incredible. It reminded me a bit of Alice Hoffman, which I also really enjoy. This story was witty, one of a kind, hilarious, and also had a compelling sentimental story hidden among the main plot. On top of that, we have a strong, non-traditional, woman in STEM from the 1960’s. I’ll definitely be rereading this one and hope everyone else will read it as well!

“Don’t worry the system. Outsmart it.”

“Take the helm. Steer. When in doubt, pretend.”

Lessons in Chemistry comes out 4/5.

DNF @ 30% - I think I’m in a romance reading slump. I just did not love any of the latest romance ARCs that I’ve gotten recently. while the ideas and premise was excellent for this one, the characters were just too irritating for me to continue 🥲 I wasn’t rooting for anyone to get together so the friends to lovers just didn’t pan out for me. if you’re into workplace romances, this is definitely the move for you!