Listen, I went into Love on the Brain expecting science, banter, and some top-tier pining—and Ali Hazelwood delivered. We’ve got:

📚 Enemies to Lovers (or so Bee thinks...)
🏆 Workplace Romance (NASA, baby!)
🎭 Miscommunication (so much miscommunication)
🤝 Forced Proximity (hello, co-leads!)
💪 STEMinist Vibes (girl power meets lab coats)

Bee is quirky, hilarious, and obsessed with Marie Curie to a degree that might be concerning. Levi is the classic broody, secretly-in-love-with-her-all-along love interest, and the man is down bad. He glares. He broods. He literally makes a cat door to impress her. Iconic.

The tension? A++. The longing? Off the charts. The science? I think it made sense, but I was mostly here for the yearning.

Why not 5 stars? The conflict wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking, and sometimes Bee was so oblivious to Levi’s feelings I wanted to shake her. But overall, this book is nerdy, flirty, and full of swoony moments. If you love The Love Hypothesis, STEM heroines, and men who fall first and HARD, this one’s for you!

Also, bonus points for Schrodinger the cat.

Ahh! This was so cute! I absolutely LOVE all of Ali Hazelwood’s books! I love how she always brings awareness to the treatment of women in STEM and how she also always delivers a beautiful, well written romance with lots of swoon and spice! Bee and Levi were the cutest and I loved every minute of this book!

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy! This one wasn’t for me or the right fit for my mood at the time.

From Goodreads in 2022:

I'll admit, I was a little nervous going into Ali Hazelwood's second book. I loved The Love Hypothesis so much, and was afraid that Love On The Brain wouldn't live up to the legacy as has happened with past authors. But oh boy, did it. I truly can't decide which of her books I love more at the moment. They were both so good. I was given the opportunity to read this book before it's release date as courtesy of Ali, her publishing team, and the NetGalley team. (My first ARC!!!! In all my years of reading, l've never gotten the opportunity. Needless to say, screams were heard all throughout the house, and there was some excited jumping involved.) I easily tore through this book in just a few days. As I said before, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But it was such a refreshing plot and setting. It's enemies to lovers, of course, but is set in NASA of all places, and has so many layers to the story and different plot lines to follow I was concerned about how it would all be tied up in the end. This book was refreshing in a way that it went a little deeper than most ETL romances in that it included workplace sabotage, unusual family dynamics, real life problems for women in STEM, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this. One thing l've always loved of Ali's work is how you feel like you're REALLY connecting to the narrator, as they feel like a legitimate person with so many relatable thoughts and phrases and personality traits. (I'm personally obsessed with Bee being a die hard cat lady. Me too, girl.) I really loved this book, and can't wait to see what Ali Hazelwood brings to the table next. She's definitely made it to the list of authors for me where if they publish it, I read it. I'm super grateful I got the opportunity to read this book a little bit early. It made my little fan girl heart happier than I can explain.

I love Ali Hazelwood, she can do no wrong. I took a break from her books for a while, but after reading Bride, I knew I had to get back into her catalogue. I find her writing reads like a fanficiton (we all know why) but I love that! It's quick paced and always grabs my attention.

I'm kind of getting sick of reading the same type of plotline of these STEM books - even the spicy scenes read exactly the same in all Hazelwood's books. It just gets kind of boring after a while - and the way the character talks to herself and saying really obvious things all the time is mind numbing.

Not my favorite Ali, but I still enjoyed! This one leaned a little bit TOO far into the science which does not appeal to me as a reader. I also found the 'spice' to be a little... off... to me. Overall, it was fun but probably will be forgettable. Thank you for ARC!

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood had its moments, but overall, it didn’t quite click for me. The STEM setting was fun, and the quirky banter had potential, but the characters felt a bit too similar to her previous work. The plot was predictable, and the pacing dragged in places. While it’s a decent read if you love the author's style, it didn’t have the spark I was hoping for.

Ali Hazelwood is just so good at what she does. She fully immerses the reader in the world she's writing without getting bogged down in detail (or coming off as if she doesn't know what she's talking about).

actual rating: 3/5 stars

love on the brain by ali hazelwood was a solid read, but, much like its predecessor the love hypothesis, it had some interesting moments that i can't fully get behind. let’s start with the good: the stem elements were pretty fun, and i actually learned a lot about neuroengineering and brain science, which i wasn’t expecting. i also appreciated the marie curie references—it gave bee, our protagonist, a unique vibe and helped build her character. i’m all for nerdy romance where we get to see a woman thriving in a traditionally male-dominated field. it was a nice change of pace from the usual rom-com setup.

that said, this book has some issues i can’t ignore, the main one being the "enemies to lovers" trope that felt more like "misunderstandings to lovers." bee spends a lot of time assuming that levi hates her, mostly because he’s not all up in her personal space, complimenting her at every turn. but when you think about it, there wasn’t much animosity on levi’s end. sure, he was a little distant, but was that really “enemy” behavior? the conflict felt a bit manufactured, and bee’s constant jumping to conclusions about levi’s feelings made it hard to believe in their “enemy” relationship. the back-and-forth was more about bee overthinking things than actual tension between them.

then there’s the spice, which... honestly, i don’t know what ali hazelwood is trying to do with these scenes. in love on the brain, we get dry humping against abs and tracing bulges, and i’m just sitting here thinking, what am i reading? i get that this is supposed to be spicy, but at some point it just became comical. i had to roll my eyes a few times at how over-the-top the physicality was. look, i know these books are supposed to be steamy, but sometimes i couldn’t help but wonder if i was reading a ya novel that accidentally slipped into an adult romance. the spice was... just not it for me.

character-wise, bee was fine, but there were moments where she didn’t make a lot of sense. she has this phd-level brain, but she’s also extremely prone to overthinking and jumping to conclusions. levi, on the other hand, was a bit of a cardboard cutout—tall, broad, mysterious, and, for the most part, just there. i didn't feel any real chemistry between them until the very end, and even then, it was hard to buy into their sudden connection after all the assumptions bee had made about him.

as for the ending? well, it took a sharp turn that i wasn’t expecting. suddenly we were in thriller territory, and it kind of threw me off. it felt like hazelwood tried to cram in one last twist for the sake of drama, and it didn’t quite work for me. it felt disconnected from the rest of the book’s tone.

overall, love on the brain is an easy, quick read with some funny and sweet moments, but it definitely has its flaws. the enemies-to-lovers dynamic didn’t quite deliver, and the spice left me shaking my head more than anything. if you’re a fan of hazelwood’s other books, you’ll probably enjoy this one, but if you’re like me and looking for a bit more depth in your romance, it might not be the one for you.

Love on the Brain is a delightful read, blending themes of science, enemies-to-lovers, and steamy, spicy scenes. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and the witty banter adds an enjoyable layer to their evolving relationship. The scientific setting provides a unique backdrop, making it feel fresh and engaging. The tension between the characters builds beautifully, leading to moments that are both heartwarming and sizzling. With its mix of humor, romance, and irresistible chemistry, this book is a perfect recommendation for fans of fun, steamy reads with a touch of nerdy charm. I’ll definitely be recommending it!

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended

Ali hazelwood cane write a book with a grocery list and I'll read it. this book is just so whole some. I Love every single character, and I am obsessed with every single of them. Ali has a way to talk about STEM without me feeling crazy or ignorant.

Ali Hazelwood’s science-y romances have long had my heart, and this one was a great addition to the series.
Is it just me or are these books getting progressively hotter? Love on the Brain starts off with more sex than historically seen in the series, as our couple initially cross paths in a hot one night stand. Bee is vehemently against long term relationships, attachment, or even having sex with the same person more than once. Despite their chemistry, she’s even more against seeing more of Levi when it’s revealed he’s part of the group purchasing her company. Bee is fiercely loyal and close with the company’s founder. She’s not about to cross enemy lines just for a hot guy.
But there’s more to the buy out — and to Levi — than meets the eye.
As always, this entry into the series features solid female friendships, fascinating science and subsequent science fangirling by our characters, and some really lovely pining on the part of our hero and heroine.
I appreciated the thoughtful approach to deal with themes of food insecurity, poverty, toxic familial relationship, and loss. It’s always heartening to see a realistic take on characters who have/are having experiences with poverty, especially given that more readers than not will have had similar experiences.
The corporate intrigue was another element I thought felt came across well — the book really captures the uncertainty and fear that comes with a merger or buyout. I personally love stories that dive into the fraught moments of political or corporate upheaval, but like Bee have little to no understanding of the laws surrounding the purchase of a company.
There’s a third act betrayal (not on Levi’s behalf) that is clearly hurtling towards us from the first chapter. I was not as satisfied with the consequences as I’d like, but perhaps these characters are kinder than me and don’t crave their enemy’s blood on their teeth. Different strokes for different folks.
My one complaint is this — Hazelwood only seems to know how to write stories about slim, petite women as her heroines and hulking-yet-gentle muscle bound heroes. I know I’m not the only reader discontent with the homogeneity of her main characters — plenty of folks on Reddit have also noted this pattern. Like those Redditors, I suspect this attachment to tiny woman/massive man derives from Hazelwood’s Star Wars fanfic background — which, I get it, I am also trash for Reylo. I wish she’d introduce more diversity into her main characters, at the very least body diversity. It’s 2024 and we’re past the stereotypical bodice-ripper couples. Give me a fat heroine or a hero who isn’t 6’8”. Seeing what she’s done with other sensitive topics, I would hope she would bring the same compassion to portraying a plus size character.
Regardless, these books are my catnip and Hazelwood handles the tropes we love so well. I can’t wait for the next addition to the series.

I think I have to admit defeat: I *want* to like Hazelwood. There's a lot of potential in her plots and character dynamics! And I want to support nerdy/geeky/science gals who got their start writing fanfiction. But this is the second book of hers I've tried, and I just do not care for her writing style. There's too much telling rather than showing, the character voices were pretty immature and unlikable, and the plot developments were just Too Much for me (and this is someone who ADORES gonzo plots/silliness!). I can understand why she's popular, on a logical and detached level, but she's just not my cup of tea.

I am such an Ali Hazelwood fan. This book was no different. I absolutely love the character she brings to the page and she's quickly become an automatic buy for me.

This is late, but I read this one and enjoyed it the most out of all this author's books. I feel like the women could be smarter and more mindful in general, and the romance could be more...romantic!? But the scenes were pretty great!

Even if this was not my favorite Ali book, I did have a good time reading it, probably my issue was the miscommunication trope, I tend not to enjoy much that trope

I was really excited to read this book because I really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis. Unfortunately, this was just an okay read for me. I do enjoy that Ali Hazelwood has her female main characters working in a stem position. However, she compares the size difference between the female and male main characters way too often. I also found Bee's character to be immature at times.

Overall, it was entertaining but not my favourite.

This delivered a lot of what I like about Ali Hazelwood's books, but it wasn't my favorite story by far. Still, an enjoyable read!