Straight up, Love on the Brain was a geeky, quirky delight. Bee and Levi are complete opposites and arch-nemesis’s. They have known each other for a long time and Levi has never been anything but cold and distant to Bee. When Bee gets her dream job but finds out she has to work with Levi she is not pleased. But when weird things start happening to Bee, like missing equipment, she starts to lean on Levi and work with him and let me tell you, their spark is magic. This truly was a joy to read and the slow burn romance was amazing. Levi was seriously the best once he let those walls down some. There were parts I didn’t 100% love, but all in all this was just a great, enjoyable read.

In Love on the Brain,neuroscientist Bee Königswasser must deal with her long-time grad school nemesis, Levi Ward, after snagging a plum assignment to work with NASA to create a special neuroscience helmet. All Bee can remember of Levi is that he hated her. Well, you know what they say about hate -- it's close to love, and this enemies to lovers story depicts the connection between love and hate perfectly.

When Bee arrives in Houston for the project, she's immediately faced with obstacles and it doesn't appear her nemesis has let up on his dislike when it comes to Bee. But she powers through all that, having been in STEM long enough to know that the men get the benefits and women have to work twice as hard. As a member of the STEM community myself, I found this to be very accurate and insightful, especially the lovely little names that she has dubbed her male colleagues with.

There is so much STEM related humor in this book that wormed it's way right into my heart and I just could not put this book down. I really loved Bee and Levi, and I was rooting for them all the way. Levi has kept many secrets from Bee and it takes a bit for Bee to put all the puzzle pieces together, but she finally gets it. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but really, if you love a good rom-com, this one checks all the boxes for me.

Bee and Levi must undertake sabotage, secrets, and their own relationship phobias to get to their HEA, but it's a wonderful, lovely ride. The steamy scenes are hot,hot, hot and Levi is swoony material for sure. And Bee's assistant is a hoot.

I loved everything about this book, from Marie Curie to the felines who have a role to play in the story. The villain is easy to identify, but that didn't bother me. The action at the end was the icing on this readers cake. I do believe Love on the Brain is one of my top reads of 2022.

Hazelwood inspires internal rage and super slow burn with this full-length standalone.

I won’t deny this book made me feel things on a visceral level. But not feel-good things, more like I-wanna-throw-things. Hazelwood definitely takes on the real world a bit in this scientist STEM-driven romance.

We have heroine, Bee Königswasser, STEM scientist and lover of Marie Curie, who is given the opportunity as the lead on a NASA neuroengineering project. She’s been waiting for this chance her entire career only catch is her boss is her mortal enemy from college, Levi Ward.

Bee and Ward are like oil and water. She’s always thought of him as the worst ever since he refused to work with her as co-lead on a college project. So this new chance with NASA seems bound to fail before it starts. Except Levi has some secrets of his own, and when everything points to Levi sabotaging her, she decides she isn’t going down without a fight.

The struggles Bee faces made my blood boil. I was ready to go to battle for her and defeat all the bros in her way. Turns out Levi is in her corner, but the road to friendship and possibly more is paved with plenty of twists and turns. Levi’s a tough one to crack and all his reasonings behind what he does and why were so enjoyable to read as they were revealed.

From plot to characterization, I had tons of feelings and found myself unable to put this one down. Devoured in a day and stayed up way past my bedtime. Bee and Levi make a great opposites-attract couple, along with a fabulous slow-burn build that culminates beautifully. I wasn’t disappointed.

For readers who love Sally Thorne, this book will definitely appeal.

~ Landra

Ali Hazelwood has done it again. I adored this book! She writes such fantastic, smart women who are easy to love.

Bee is determined to excel at her new assignment on a project for NASA. The only problem is her co-lead is Levi Ward, the same guy who was her arch-nemesis in grad school. When incidents keep happening, forcing the project to be sidetracked, Bee’s quick to blame Levi but soon realizes he might not be the enemy she originally thought he was. This book really highlights the struggles that women in STEM face (and honestly women in many areas) due to gender discrimination. I loved how Bee used Marie Curie not only for her own inspiration but also to help inspire others. Levi and Bee were amazing together! I could go on gushing about their relationship, but you really should just read this one if you’re a fan of enemies to lovers or workplace romances.

I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Yet another amazing read by Ali Hazelwood. I love the animosity between the two characters, the unspoken truths, and the addition of sabotage as a means to create a wedge. 10 out of 10 recommend!

Where can I even begin? Love on the Brain is absolutely delightful, and far better than Ali Hazelwood’s debut, The Love Hypothesis. While I enjoyed that first novel (despite its many awkward moments), Love on the Brain captures all of the author’s sense of fun and charm and removes the cringe. What we get is a bingeable romance filled with feminism, science, and workplace antics between rivals-turned-lovers.

Before I get to the romance (which I adored, by the way), let’s talk about how smart this book is. The main character, Bee, is a neuroscientist working at NIH and now co-leading a project at NASA with the love interest, Levi. There’s plenty of discussion around neuroengineering, and while I’m no scientist myself, I loved being part of their world for 368 pages. Love on the Brain also fits into the recent STEMinist label: Bee frequently points out workplace misogyny, when men refuse to listen to or trust her, when men devalue her or assume her male co-lead is the true genius behind their project… the list goes on. Bee also secretly runs a Twitter account focused on women working in science, and this community adds their experiences of sexism at work, but also solutions to these problems. I loved all of this discussion. On a related note: I also loved the subplot around the GRE and how it’s a problematic barrier. Much love for all the science, grad school, and feminist themes.

The main characters are all wonderful, too. Bee has purple hair and numerous tattoos and piercings, and she talks to her twin sister – who is constantly traveling from country to country – about everything. She has a sad backstory: Her parents died when she was young, and she and her sister bounced around between family members (and countries) for most of their childhood. Later, Bee’s fiancé cheated on her with her best friend, so she’s wary about love, yet desperate for some constancy in life. In contrast, Levi seems closed off and uptight, and while he acts like he despises Bee, by all accounts he’s kind with and well-liked by others. He has family issues of his own, and maybe isn’t the best communicator, but he’s really just a gentle giant. (Yes, like Adam in The Love Hypothesis, Levi is also notably tall and big. Yes, it’s mentioned quite a lot, and gets a bit redundant, but he’s a great character otherwise, so we’ll let it slide.)

Love on the Brain is told entirely from Bee’s perspective, so whatever Levi is thinking remains an enigma. Why does he seem to hate her? What is up with him sabotaging her work with NASA? Bee doesn’t know, so neither do we. There are two further mysteries in Love on the Brain; you’ll certainly figure out the former almost immediately, but even the latter I worked out long before the reveal. In fact, the latter mystery ultimately leads to an unexpected thriller-worthy scene, which is fun to see in a romance! Alas, I’ll leave both of those surprises to you.

Back to Bee and Levi: This couple is truly adorable. Even while they’re acting like rivals, I found both of them – and their hostile relationship – intriguing. Once the walls start to come down, though, they are so sweet together. I loved watching them get to know each other, both in the office and outside of it. Their relationship develops in ways I didn’t anticipate but thoroughly enjoyed. Love on the Brain is steamier than The Love Hypothesis, and the relationship between Bee and Levi is very believable and natural. It ends perfectly, though I wouldn’t mind a sequel for these two!

Some final things worthy of mention: Cats play a bit role in Love on the Brain! If you’re a cat lover like me, you’ll enjoy seeing not one, not two, but three feline characters. Music lovers can also rejoice: There’s some great discussion of ’90s alt rock; some artists mentioned include Alanis Morissette, Ani DeFranco, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, A Perfect Circle, and Thom York. Finally, I love Bee’s assistant Rocío (and her obsession with La Llorona and all things macabre) and her own side story. All around, Love on the Brain offers a lot of delights, from the main romance to the STEMinism to all the supporting themes.

While I enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s debut, Love on the Brain is even better, and one of my favorite romances of 2022. It’s cute, swoony, smart, thoughtful, and a lot of fun. I loved the ARC so much that I will definitely get a physical copy of the book, too. Earlier this year, I missed the author’s three novellas, but I plan to read them soon. If I can manage to wait, I’ll probably get them in the upcoming Loathe to Love You novella collection in January 2023. Beyond those, I’m also very excited for whatever Ali Hazelwood puts out next… I’m ready for novel #3!

Were there some similarities with Love hypothesis? yes.
Did I care? Not really.
Did I binge this and get irritated that I had to work instead of finish? Yes.

Meet my new favorite Ali Hazelwood book!

Love on the Brain is filled with the STEM career paths, banter, and romantic tension that we all loved from The Love Hypothesis with an unexpected third act twist. I had fun reading this book and happily devoured it one Saturday. Bee and Levi have an enjoyable back-and-forth relationship and I loved how much of an affect the supporting characters actually have in this story and on Bee and Levi’s relationship with each other.

Bee Königswasser is ready for things to go in her favor for once. When the perfect opportunity presents itself, she is ecstatic until she learns she must co-lead the project. Her co-leader is Levi Ward, the guy that acted like she had the plague in grad school. BLINK is a combined project of the NHI and NASA and special to both Bee and Levi for different reasons. So, they need to be able to put the past aside and find a way to work together.
Bee is such a well defined and complex character. I absolutely love women in STEMM and related so much to Bee. I love her personality and hair and clothing choices, she is not afraid to be herself. And the terms her RA and her have for being women in a male dominated environment are very true. Not only is a Bee a great scientist, she has overcome adversity in her personal life as well. However, she has not completely discovered how to move forward.
My biggest struggle with the book is that we only get Bee’s point of view so we see Levi through her perspective. At first there does not seem to be many redeeming qualities about Levi besides his brain power, until Bee is forced to change her perspective. As Levi opens up to Bee, we see that he too has overcome a lot. I would have liked to see some of the book from his view to fully understand his internal battles.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and like most books with STEMM characters, it made my nerd heart happy. You can tell that Ali Hazelwood knows what she is talking about and her characters work and behave like scientists. I think that could be a distraction if you do not enjoy science in your romance book. This book has a bit of everything: a mystery, some suspense, personal conflict, and drama that can make the romance seem a bit secondary. Again, I think getting some of Levi’s views would help the development and understanding of the romance plot. I still rated it high because I love how complex all the characters are and the quirky little traits that make them unique. I am excited to see Ali continue to grow as an author.

Did Bee bother me? Absolutely. Did I enjoy the “super tiny woman/ big strong man” trope? Not over my dead body.

Did I still rip through this quickly and enjoy it? Also yes.

I didn’t like how Bee over and over and over insisted Levi hated her despite him consistently telling her he didn’t, or that Levi physically couldn’t be around her? That being said the book was compulsively readable and the end threw me for a loop in a good way!

Love on the Brain

4.5/5

I live for women in STEM!! Makes me wonder what my life would have been like if I had continued with my chemistry degree instead of switching to nursing. I am a total nerd at heart 100%

So again we’ve got the lovely enemies to lovers trope which I LIVEEEE FORRR!!! Which then brings us to the stupid miscommunication trope whomp whomp 😒 This book was hilarious, witty and hawt 🥵🥵

I really loved this book it was just what I needed. The main character Bee a freaking neuro scientist was A1, she was hilarious and I could relate with the chemistry love and her obsession with Marie Curie (the GOAT of women in STEM). I loved Bee’s back story and her research assistant OMG I LOVE HER!!!

This book is such a tribute to women in science and all the obstacles we have to jump through in order to be successful!

And ugh Levi bless his sweet little heart & his love for his furry little guy 🥹🐈‍⬛❤️ I won’t lie the ending through me off, I was not expecting the twist and I’m not sure if I loved it or hated it 😅

I highly recommend picking this up! Let’s just say Ali Hazelwoods writing speaks to me 👏🏽👏🏽 I’ll be adding all her books to my TBR!

I received this digital ARC for an honest review courtesy of Netgalley and Berkley publishing!

I adore Ali's books and I love that they involve women in STEM. I learn new things every time I read her stories. Bee and Levi have amazing chemistry from enemies to lovers and their banter is very entertaining. The cat that may or may not exist is fun and the narrator, Brooke Bloomingdale, does a great job giving the characters a voice.

Delicious, swoon-worthy, addictive.

In a reading slump? Well I'm so happy to tell you that the wait is finally over for you my bookish friends!!

This book was simply EVERYTHING.

Enemies to lovers will forever be my favorite trope and I am not afraid to admit it!! Ali Hazelwood has stolen my heart yet again with the bubbly and quirky, Bee and the awkward yet unbelievably sexy, Levi. I cannot wait to read more from this author and she is now an instant buy for me after reading her sophomore novel that undoubtedly has left my heart feeling like I just got the warmest hug I have ever received.

* A very special THANK YOU to NetGalley for providing me with this amazing arc!!! *

I loved reading this book. Ali Hazelwood is close to being an insta-read author for me. She does the whole hopeless longing thing so well.

Neuroscientist Bee is offered to lead a project that could catapult her career. She will be working with NASA on a project that needs the best of the engineering world melded with the neuroscience world. When she finds out the Levi Ward, her arch nemesis from grad school, is her co-lead on the project, she has a minor freak out. Like with everything else in her life, she doesn't let it stop her from diving headfirst into the project. When things start to go awry for Bee, she suspects Levi is the culprit, until he begins to show his support for her behind the scenes and in front of their team. Bee sees a softer side to the rude and icy Levi and eventually she finds herself falling for the guy.

KAJ:LKFJD:LSKJF:DJS:LKFDJSD:LKJ. That's how I feel right now. I loved this book so much that I almost didn't want to write this review, for fear that I wouldn't be able to find the words to articulate how much I loved it and why. I started this book last night and after I turned off the light at 9:30pm to go to bed, I tossed and turned until I gave in and turned the light back on so I could read a few more chapters. I proceeded to do that THREE more times until about 12:30am - turned off the light, tossed and turned, then turned it back on to read. Eventually I had to stop because I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Bee was the brilliant and quirky woman that I would love to be. She had her own unique style and marched to her own beat. She did the weirdest things and had the strangest thoughts and I loved her for it! Bee was a badass neuroscientist who resiliently succeeded in spite of the misogynistic challenges that she has faced. I want more women in STEM centered books with strong heroines like her!

Levi is the definition of swoon-worthy. As Bee said, he was a combination of all the types of men and had the best mix of characteristics. Not to mention that he was also very brooding and mysterious at first. When the reasons for why he has been so rude to her was revealed, I became a blob of melted heart. Can we please get a Levi POV book or some chapters???

This was a slow burn romance, with Bee and Levi starting off as enemies and then their hate for each other was chipped away as they worked together. When they finally kissed, I WAS DONE FOR. When they took their physical intimacy to the next level, it was jaw-droppingly steamy. Those sex scenes were steamy, fun, and really entertaining!

There was a turn in the pacing and kind of twist in the story line that I didn't expect but I loved how it turned out. It made Bee and Levi's ooey-gooey love story a tad bit more exciting and added a layer to the story that I enjoyed.

I was wary to believe that Ali Hazelwood could write a second novel as amazing as The Love Hypothesis. I am happy to report that I loved Love on the Brain more than her first book! This is going to be in my top reads of 2022!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥½
⚠️: misogyny & sexism, sexual harassment, panic attacks, infidelity (not between the main characters), death of a loved one, mention of a fatal car accident

Love on the Brain is the story of Bee, a neuroscientist who teams you with NASA for a neuroengineering project. The project reunites Bee with her nemesis from grad school and by all accounts, someone is deliberately sabotaging the project. This book was full of quirky, endearing characters. I always love reading about women in STEM who are strong, determined and not afraid to shine in typically male dominated fields. The banter was so cute, the bit of suspense kept me hooked and the romance was sweet but with full disclosure, the sex scenes made me cringe so I just started skipping them. But I still loved it - it was a fun, fluffy summer read that made me laugh out loud and warmed my heart, all with very similar vibes as Love Hypothesis.

Review will be posted on 8/23/22

Bee, a neuroscientist, just landed her dream job working on a project with both NASA and the NIH. This is everything she has ever dreamed of, except that she is has to work on the project with Levi Ward, her nemesis. Bee knows Levi from graduate school and he was impossible to work with, aloof, and an all around jerk. Once she is there and Bee starts working on the project, things go from bad to worse. Someone is sabotaging her efforts; could it be Levi? Thankfully, Bee finds solace in her anonymous, but very popular, social media account that highlights issues in both science and academics, especially when it comes to women. Slowly as Bee and Levi continue to work with one another, he has her back more often than not. So, who is creating all these roadblocks for Bee and BLINK, the program they are developing? Bee and Levi will have to work together like never before and can Bee get over her hesitation and broken heart from her ex-fiance? Ali Hazelwood's Love on the Brain is a fun, laugh-out-loud novel for fans of STEM rom-coms.

I really liked Bee from the start of Love on the Brain. She runs an social media account called What Would Marie Do (as in Marie Curie) and it was so much fun to learn tidbits about Marie's amazing life as Bee channels her in her responses. Hazelwood shares tweets and common concerns in academia via the social media account, so it was a nice touch. Also, Bee lands her dream job, but she is hesitant about working with Levi as it hasn't gone well in the past. As I mentioned before, someone is screwing things up for her while she is working on BLINK and at first, she assumes it's Levi. As time goes by, she realizes that it can't be him, so who is out to get her? She finds herself relying on Levi a bit more (maybe he isn't so bad?) and sparks fly. If you like the whole enemies-to-something more trope, Love on the Brain will be right up your alley.

What I like most about Love on the Brain is the dialogue. I am a sucker for witty banter and Hazelwood does it so well. She captures the nerdy academic side, but makes it seem cool and even romantic at times. I really enjoyed the witty dialogue between Levi and Bee as well as the social media discussion between @WhatWouldMarieDo and other academic accounts. I felt that some of the issues she brought up were very timely and if a reader happens to be in the science or academic field, he or she will definitely relate and appreciate some of the discussions.

The plot in Love on the Brain was a bit more twisty than The Love Hypothesis and I didn't see some of the plot twists coming. This definitely kept me flipping the pages. While I didn't love this one as much as The Love Hypothesis, it was still a solid and intelligent read.

So, if you enjoy a brainy novel or are a fan of Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis, definitely add Love on the Brain to your TBR list. I know I'll read anything Hazelwood writes. Are you a fan of Hazelwood? Is this book on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

If I read a book by Ali Hazelwood it escapes me. I really, really enjoyed this book. As a teacher, and former science teacher, I loved all the nerdiness that came with it. This book also has the just right amount of hot, hot, hotness! If it seems like it could not be more tailor made for me, there is a ton of humor. I love the women power, girl boss, stance this takes showing that women actually have brains, and you cannot take credit for our work. I feel that goes without saying, but as a woman, I know this does happen.

I loved this book... the romance, the humor, the nerdiness. Swoon.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley & Berkley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed this title. Bee, the main character was quirky, loveable, and a total girlboss at the same time! This story was fast paced and fun to read. I do not have a brain for science, I truly appreciated how the author made any science/engineering topics both interesting & easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about women in STEM & the historical tid-bids about Marie Curie! I love a good enemies to lovers trope, and the relationship between Bee & Levi was funny, sweet, and sexy! Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun Rom-Com with good depth to it! A solid 4/5 starts from me!

How would you feel if you were a neuroscientist chosen to lead a NASA project? Then find out a day later that you're actually co-leading with your arch enemy from grad school?

This romance was a quick read with lots of steam. The author has an engaging writing style with lots of banter and humor. I liked the text messages and tweets plus all the tidbits on Madame Marie Curie. There is a You've Got Mail vibe as well. It has women in STEM, workplace romance and hidden identities.

I really enjoyed Bee and Levi as a couple. Once they moved past their misunderstandings, I liked seeing them support one another personally and professionally. The secondary characters were also a great addition to the story.

Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.