Ali Hazelwood is why I realized I do actually like romance novels. I loved this book. I'm generally an even-paced reader, but I absolutely devoured this book in record time. Ali Hazelwood has now become an instant read/buy author for me! Can't wait for her next book!

While I absolutely devoured this story, and had fun reading it, I found similarity to Hazelwood's previous work. I'm personally weary of the tiny female lead, with the towering giant male interest. That said, it's fun, and if you enjoy the trope, this has it in spades. Falling fast, and just an easy to read pace of story: I'm all for Hazelwood's continuing to showcase that STEM isn't just snooty academia.

"Love on the Brain" is a charming romantic tale with Bee Königswasser, a purple-haired neuroscientist inspired by Marie Curie. When offered the lead on a dream neuroengineering project at NASA, Bee's excitement is tempered by the realization that her co-lead is Levi Ward, a past archenemy. The dynamic between them evolves from rivalry to alliance, adding humor and tension to the narrative. The scientific elements, especially in the neuroengineering project, enhance the story's intellectual appeal. The gradual softening of Levi's character and the palpable chemistry between the protagonists make for a captivating read. While the plot follows some familiar romantic tropes, the narrative cleverly subverts others, maintaining freshness. "Love on the Brain" skillfully balances romance, humor, and scientific intrigue, offering a delightful and intellectually stimulating experience.

4.5 Stars

‘Levi Ward: force of nature. Sucking the air out of my lungs.’

Honestly, we could read Ali Hazelwood any day of the week. Her words either make us laugh out loud, swoon, or feel super emotional at times. Her characters are people we wish we knew in real life as they all have something incredibly special about them that completely draws us in. On that note, we do always feel like we wish we knew more about them. Love on the Brain is another winner for us, we couldn’t put it down. So easy and fun to read and fall in love with too. Saying that…there’s one scene where "a certain someone’ confesses in a DM how he feels about the woman he loves, and we actually shed a tear or two as it was so beautiful and passionate. In a story that mostly made us smile or laugh, this moment stands out tremendously!

“I want to buy her flowers, food, books. I want to hold her hand and I want to lock her in my bedroom…. There’s nothing like her and these feelings, they are f***king intolerable…I don’t know what to do. There’s nothing I can do, so I’ll just…not.”

Levi was an enigma; no wonder Bee was confused! We wish he’d had more of his story told as he clearly had tremendous baggage and it would have been wonderful to hear his voice, we missed that. But, despite this, we fell in utter love with Levi, his heart was so big and beautiful despite the rough road he’d travelled in life. Bee was a frantic ball of energy, and we absolutely loved her.

“Here’s something else that’s honest: you’re in love with me, too…But you’re scared. You’re scared s***less, and I don’t blame you.”

We pretty much guessed where this enemies to lovers’ romance was going but at no point did we feel that this hampered our enjoyment of it. In fact, it kept us reading because we needed big-hearted and saucy Levi to get his happy and for the fiery Bee to achieve her dreams and find her ‘home’.

“Bee. You want to belong. You want someone who won’t let go. I’m it. I didn’t let go of you for years, and I didn’t even have you. But you need to let me.”

Reading this Author’s books is like being wrapped in a comfy soft blanket with your favourite hot drink in hand on a cold night. Pure swoony laugh-out-loud indulgence that we can’t get enough of!

Honestly, we could read Ali Hazelwood any day of the week. Her words either make us laugh out loud, swoon or feel super emotional at times. Her characters are people we wish we knew in real life as they all have something incredibly special about them that completely draws us in. On that note we do always feel like we wish we knew more about them. Love on the Brain is another winner for us, we couldn’t put it down. So easy and fun to read and fall in love with too. Saying that…there’s one scene where ‘a certain someone’ confesses in a DM how he feels about the woman he loves, and we actually shed a tear or two as it was so beautiful and passionate. In a story that mostly made us smile or laugh, this moment stands out tremendously!

Levi was an enigma; no wonder Bee was confused! We wish he’d had more of his story told as he clearly had tremendous baggage and it would have been wonderful to hear his voice, we missed that. But, despite this we fell in utter love with Levi, his heart was so big and beautiful despite the rough road he’d travelled in life. Bee was a frantic ball of energy, and we absolutely loved her.

We pretty much guessed where this enemies to lovers’ romance was going but at no point did we feel that this hampered our enjoyment of it. In fact, it kept us reading because we needed big hearted and saucy Levi to get his happy and for the fiery Bee to achieve her dreams and find her ‘home’.

Reading this Author’s books is like being wrapped in a comfy soft blanket with your favourite hot drink in hand on a cold night. Pure swoony laugh out loud indulgence that we can’t get enough of!

Whenever I need some STEM in my romances I know to turn to Ali Hazelwood. As a scientist myself, it feels like I'm "home" with these characters. So I really enjoyed reading about Bee and Levi, about their project, and their relationship. The only complaint that I have, which is really not a complaint, but more a wish for future books, is that I wished that Bee would realize how Levi felt just a little bit earlier, and that Levi wouldn't have had a standoffish attitude towards Bee just because he had a crush. Other than that, I had a lot of fun reading this book and I'll definitely reread it.

4.5 stars

I need to make an apology. this was sent to me as an arc. an ARC! an advanced reading copy that i read over a year after it came out. whoops. instead of thanking netgalley like i usually do, im saying sorry! pls forgive me and send me more books. i love u

it's a he falls first, enemies to lovers, workplace romance, anonymous penpal.

the 'anonymous' part of the anonymous pen pal was a bit hard to believe. they have phds, degrees in neuroscience and engineering, whole careers based on how smart they are. and they couldn't put two and two together???

nothing is more annoying than a smart MC going 'there's no way he could like me' after he lets u meet the child in his life, kisses you and oh and EXPLICITY TELLS U HE DOES.

when his father insults her and calls her miss and he corrects her and says "she's a Doctor" ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Ali Hazelwood is a romcom powerhouse. She is queen of enemies to lovers and I'll read everything she writes!

Ali knows what her fans want - and how to deliver. Solid writing, solid romance.
I love the focus of women in STEM - a traditionally hard environment for women in terms of harassment to even being hired.

Ali Hazelwood has easily become one of my favorite authors. I've loved every single one of her books. In fact, I think I like each book a little more! LOVE ON THE BRAIN did not disappoint. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Levi and Bee had amazing banter (and chemistry). There were a few twists at the end of this story that I did NOT see coming, which it made me love it even more. If you love RomCom's, then you NEED to reach Ali's books!

Thanks to Berkley the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Love Hypothesis and not necessarily loving, I am really not sure why I keep picking up Ali Hazelwood’s books but I keep doing it.

However, the MCs are always so unbearable and SO pick me, girls. The story and plots always have so much potential but it's hard to get over the main character's victim-like mindset the whole book.

Maybe it also bothers me that they’re all obsessed with cats. This book and The Love Hypothesis felt SO similar I almost kept getting them confused.

I am currently reading the third book Love Theoretically and it is marginally better but for some reason, it feels like I am hate reading these at this point.

I should also note I have a very unpopular opinion that these books are way overhyped because they always win the Best Romance awards, so take my review with a grain of salt.

TL;DR- Clueless characters, fun enemies-to-lovers plotline, surprisingly sexy but frustrating story.

This is only my second Ali Hazelwood story, and I liked it WAY more than the first. Of course, I still was picturing a buff, grumpy Adam Driver (yaaaaassss) as I feel like that's the mental model for all Ali Hazelwood stories, but it worked for me.

I really enjoyed the whole vibe of the story, including the alternative geeky female MC and the growing sexual tension throughout. I am a huge sucker for enemies-to-lovers, and this one spans years. There is really a lot to enjoy there, including the surly, smart bisexual lab assistant sidekick (picture Aubrey Plaza's character in Parks and Rec), and a few other characters and interesting plot points.

However... I'm not good at guessing plot twists, and even I could see the one in Love on the Brain coming. This story has some very obvious (IMHO) little twists, and, on top of that, endless miscommunications that lead to me practically banging my head on my kitchen table. My personal opinion is that the author relies on characters misinterpreting each other a little too much.

Even still, I think this book will be hugely successful, mostly because it's just so fun to read. I read the story on a plane ride and then on my family vacation, and I didn't want to put it down. It was an easy book that made me smile, and that's pretty much all I could ask for in this stage of the game.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I’ve literally read all of Ali Hazelwood’s books and am in LOVE with all of the smart women in STEM! Great book and would definitely recommend!

I can't express how much I simply adored this book.

Love on the Brain is an addictive, adorable, and swoon-worthy read that included absolutely everything I love - nerdy and relatable characters, a STEM setting, cute romance, and witty banter.

Everything about this book was so perfect!! Levi is an incredible love interest, and Bee is the strong willed, quirky heroine I have come to love with Ali Hazelwood books.

I’m pretty sure Ali can write nothing bad. I adore her books and all of her characters!! This book is so exception. She writes such smart and capable females in her books. The tension and steam are perfect. This is a swoon worthy book.

Ali Hazelwood hits another home run with this book!
Bee thinks Levi hates her, but they’re put on the same NASA project. 🚀
The story and supporting characters are fantastic. I loved Bee and Levi’s character development and chemistry. They’re spicy, and also endearing and relatable in all the right ways. I personally appreciated her disdain for running lol.

Edited to add: I didn’t love how much they talked about being vegan and how little they ate. It seemed like such a persistent detail to include that ended up being pretty irrelevant to the storyline.

I loved this book so much. It was exactly what I needed at the exact point I needed it. It was fun, it was heartwarming, and it had me laughing at more that one occasion. I find myself really enjoying Ali Hazelwood's books, this is the third I've read and will continue to read more from this author. Her writing style just hits all the right spots for me.

Ali Hazelwood's novels made me find love for the romance genre. I honestly always stayed away from it, but Hazelwood's plots and characters are so quirky, funny and unique that I can't help but love them. Yes, they are also infuriating at times, but that is what makes the novel so good. There are no absolutely perfect women or impossibly hunky men (at least not in an unrealistic sense), or corny love scenes. Not to say that Hazelwood doesn't do steamy between her characters, but they are anything but sappy. I will continue to read anything Ali Hazelwood writes.

I loved the Love Hypothesis! These are such cute “science” smart girl romances. This book was sooo good. Enemies to lovers, slow burn, sexual tension. Bee and Levi did not disappoint. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!

This is my favorite book by Ali Hazelwood so far. Although this book was a little predictable I loved it. I can get behind any book that does a good enemies to lovers romance and a good you got mail type of story. Ali Hazelwood has quickly become one of my auto-read authors.