Ali Hazelwood is simply the queen of writing pining men. And we love her SO much for that. This was easily one of the cutest, funniest, most adorable, badass, throwing-my-book-across-the-room-screaming-giggling-kicking-my-feet-because-so-many-emotions books I’ve ever read and is my favorite read of the year so far. I adored The Love Hypothesis and it is hard to imagine Ali Hazelwood could do better than Adam Carlsen but oh my god LEVI WARD. She has truly outdone herself with this one.

Dr. Bee Konigswasser is a neuroscientist who is ecstatic to be offered a position to lead her dream neuroengineering project at NASA. However, her excitement is significantly diminished when she discovers she will have to co-lead the project with her nemesis from graduate school Dr. Levi Ward, who made his feeling about her very clear six years prior when he spent the entire year in lab avoiding her at all costs and refusing to work with her. She reluctantly arrives at NASA to find everything going wrong; her equipment is missing, she’s locked out of her lab, the staff is ignoring and disrespecting her, and she assumes Levi-her-sworn-enemy is behind it… except he actually seems to be on her side and becomes an unexpected ally… and then friend… and then a little bit more...

Everything about this book was perfect and is everything I want in a romance. The hilarious, witty banter, the immaculate chemistry, the enemies to lovers/academic rivals but not really because he’s always loved her, the workplace romance, SO-MUCH-PINING, and most importantly a badass woman in STEM and a sexy, tall, brooding, dark-haired, man-who-goes-to-therapy love interest who is obsessed with her (seriously, when I say SO-MUCH-PINING I mean it. Think Adam Carlsen-level pining on steroids and you get Levi Ward). Not to mention the hilarious and vibrant side characters, the spice, the cat obsessions, the secret internet identities, the nerdy science talk, how sweet brooding Levi is to be Bee. This book melted my cold, dead, nerd heart and I loved every single second of it.

I truly don’t know who I have a bigger crush on: tall, brooding, green-eyed, dark-haired, capital P Pining Levi with a heart of gold and soft spot for Bee and Bee only or the BADASS, purple-haired, tattooed, nipple-pierced, Marie Curie obsessed Bee with so, so much trauma and a dysfunctional parasympathetic nervous system. They are both the loves of my life and have my entire heart. Ali Hazelwood is one of my favorite authors and humans and I look forward to reading absolutely everything she writes in the future.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the e-ARC!

Review: I was really happy when I got an e-ARC of this book from the publisher, because while I have not yet read The Love Hypothesis (I know, I know! It's on my TBR list. One day...), I have heard so many good things about Ali Hazelwood's writing, so I went into this book with high expectations! And I definitely understand why so many people love her books! Her writing is great, and her characters all have vibrant personalities. And the epilogue was delightful and made me smile while reading it! Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who thinks it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I think my new favorite genre is nerdy rom-com. Bee and Levi didn’t start off so good, it was actually very bad, arc-nemesis bad. Not until years later when their paths cross again to collaborate on a project do they realize their unresolved feeling. I love Bee’s quirkiness and Levi (swoon here) is my new male lead character. Ali Hazelwood had me laughing and googling throughout the book, might have started to following a twitter account too. I can’t wait until the audio book is released so I can listen to this amazing story over and over because I love HEA.

This is a soft three because, while I didn't like it as much as her first one, it was still enjoyable enough to not DNF. that said, I will say that there were some things that were similar from the "The Love Hypothesis", such as character traits for the FMC and MMC as well as the conflict which turn some readers off.

I feel that others may feel that some of the plot points are too obvious, such as the pen pal one, but there were some twists that did throw me so I'll give credit there. Also some of the characters were too large than life for me or exaggerated.

And, if you didn't like Olive as a character, then you probably really won't like Bee as she is a slightly more chaotic version of her. I liked Bee for the most part and her phrases but her naiveté grated. After a while I got use to it but I kept yelling at her through my Kindle.

Overall enjoyable but again not as much as the first one for me. I'll still read others by her though since I do enjoy her humor and writing style.

I think the best way to describe Ali's books is compulsively readable. Once I start reading, I just don't want to stop! She's gifted us with another steamy, hilarious, heartfelt romance that had me laughing out loud from the first page. I loved spending time with these characters and I think I might have even learned a thing or two about neuroscience!

So this book really is cute. Like Hazelwood's debut, the book takes place in the STEM setting, this time in a collaboration between NIH and NASA. It's written in the first person, entirely from the perspective of the heroine, Bee. She's convinced that Levi, the hero, not only hates her, but has hated her from the moment they met in their grad program. Now they've got to work together on this joint program, and she's certain he's sabotaging the project to get out of working with her.

In addition to her official job, Bee runs an anonymous Twitter account about women in science. She also just so happens to be online BFFs with a science dude (it's Levi, y'all) who is a big emotional support for her as she struggles to get ahead in her career. There's also a super fun villain (he's almost to the Bond villain level) whose meddling leads to an amazingly over-the-top confrontation and show-down at the end of the book.

We especially like Hazelwood's ability to give us characters who do extraordinary things (science can be really esoteric from the outside looking in) and who are, at the same time, relatably messy and emotionally confused. Scientists - they're just like us!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I wanted so freaking bad to love this.
I wanted to love this like I loved The Love Hypothesis.

But I didn’t.
And I’m truly sad I didn’t.

The beginning had so much potential and I was all here for another story about a strong ass female neuroscientist co-leading a project for NASA.

Bee and née college nemesis are co-leading this project for NASA, but wait he never actually hated her and he has straight up loved her forever.

Their journey through this experience with NASA and something trying to ruin everything they are working to have together is a neat story with some spice that I totally loved.

The ending just fell flat for me and I wanted more. I don’t know what I wanted exactly, but I wanted more.

While this one, like Hazelwood's previous book, again had a protagonist who had a questionable lack of self-awareness (e.g., it never even occurred to her to think that her romantic interest might be attracted to her - this is an annoying trait in a main character), the plot was good, the characters otherwise well-developed, and it was overall a fun read.

Just gonna get this out there right away, I actually liked this more than The Love Hypothesis. I liked that one, it was good but I read it a little late and the hype got me. Like always. But this one was an easy five stars for me and I felt that way pretty early on even. Sometimes you just know and Bee won me over fast. It was instalove for me. She’s the most lovable nerd and while she’s way smarter than I’ll ever be and way into so many things that don’t appeal to me I still found myself being able to easily relate to her. She’s just so lovable and her quirkiness was super endearing. Levi was a doll and adorably awkward, so of course they were super cute together. The steam snuck up on me here, a couple sentences were downright nasty but I like some filth sprinkled in occasionally. One of the best parts of this for me was a side character, Rocio who is Bee’s coworker. She was hilarious and I loved her super dry wit. Overall I think fans will be pleased with this one, and I can’t wait for book three.

I absolutely adored this! Levi is such a wonderful love interest, honestly I might like him more than I like Adam from The Love Hypothesis! (GASP!!) There was also some INTERESTING INTRIGUE that I was not expecting, and it fit so well! I cannot wait for more in this universe, especially because I just LOVE the women in STEM aspect to it!

A huge thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this eARC!

First of all, Ali Hazelwood creates such inspiring books for young women in STEM. I love that Bee has piercings, tattoos, and colored hair, defying social norms and being a confident queen! Bee doesn’t sacrifice any of her quirky personality to fit a standard and she’s STILL the best in her field. However, I will say that sometimes her quirkiness was read more as “not like other girls” and “oh I’m so different,” which became a little much at times. Still love her to death though.
On the other hand, you have a brooding Levi. Is he Adam 2.0? Yes. But I think Levi Ward did it better. He somehow managed to be broody and a cinnamon roll at the same time. How he did do it? Unsure. He combined all of my favorite tropes into one, ranging from guy falls first, guy falls harder, unrequited love, and “oh she thought I hated her because I was trying to hide that I liked her.” The way that he supported Bee constantly and was always on the side as her cheerleader made me squeal and kick my feet. AND HE’S A CAT PERSON. Could there be more green flags? I absolutely loved their relationship and the chemistry (STEM jokes lol) was unmatched.

I really loved reading this book and I cannot wait to see what Ali Hazelwood writes next. I will say that this book is basically identical to The Love Hypothesis, but she could just copy-paste any of her novels and change the names, and I’d still eat it up.

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC! I wanted to enjoy this, but I think I'm not as big a fan of Ali Hazelwood as I'd like!

I recently discovered Ali Hazelwood and after reading a few of her other titles, I knew that I needed to get my hands on this title. Her main female characters are strong, independent, and extremely intelligent...except when it comes to love of course. Hazelwood definitely has a type as all her main male characters are tall, broad, and good looking. Can't complain, but if someone is looking for a little variety these may not be the books for you. These are fun and smart and highly recommend.

I have happily read Ali Hazelwood’s books and novellas and enjoyed them. The components I loved in The Love Hypothesis, as well as The STEMinist novellas, was present in her latest book, however, there was one thing that put me off. As I was reading, I could tell something of a nefarious nature was simmering, but I didn’t quite expect it to go to that level. It sort of threw me off balance. The good thing was that this part of the story was late in the book and passed quickly. It could not erase all the laughter and smiles I had already experienced or the very wonderful ending Hazelwood gave to this couple.

As expected, Hazelwood assembled a great cast of characters who blinded me with science. I must preface this part of the review by disclosing that I have a BS in chemical engineering and an EdM in science education (physical sciences) and also worked in IT. That said, I delighted in all the nerdy and wonderful science references and couldn’t get enough of the puns. I LOVED the Marie Curie bits too. When I was in graduate school, my professor would tell us stories about the scientists we studied to make them more human to us. I knew some of the information about Marie Curie, but I learned a lot more. Needless to say, the science was a highlight for me.

I was a big fan of this pairing too. I love when characters have history, and Bee and Levi had plenty. It wasn’t necessarily good history, but they went back a ways. It was hard not to adore Levi once I learned more about the whys, and Hazelwood helped me get his point of view in a rather fun way. As you might expect, I will never tire of a nerdy STEM lady. These are my people.

Overall, this was a solid read. As I already mentioned, I like Ali Hazelwood’s books, and this was no exception. The story was fun and hilarious with lots of science, great characters, and witty banter that kept me grinning from ear to ear.

4.5/5 Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood, is a workplace romance between two rivals who end up co-leading a project together at NASA; with a You've Got Mail twist. This wonderful, humorous, and heart-warming story is in tune with the difficulties for women in STEM world; whether studying, researching, or working. Bee Königswasser is a neuroscientist who just landed her dream job working alongside NASA engineers. Just one little hiccup; she’ll be co-leading this project with Levi Ward, someone Bee remembers from grad school, and they’re not fond memories at all. She’s always felt he despised her from first sight, for some unexplainable reason. This was going to be interesting. Bee and Levi were going to have to put their feelings and pride aside in order to work together. Maybe this time Levi can give her a chance where they might find some common ground.



Bee was quirky, smart, and fearless, while Levi was a gigantic cinnamon roll beneath his inability to properly function around a woman he likes. They totally fit the stereotype for nerds. Bee was obsessed with Marie Curie and all Curie accomplished, being that she was a woman. I loved the account Bee set-up, What Would Marie Do (WWMD), the support others gave it, making it a safe place for STEM women to vent, seek guidance, and advice. Although, I did wonder how long it would take WWMCD and Schmac (a male contributor to the account) to figure out each other’s true identity. The journey from nemeses to friends to lovers that Bee and Levi traveled was not easy, nor was it obstacle free. It was a journey worth the bumps and tribulations as it did end in a happy future for Bee and Levi.


Ms. Hazelwood’s writing had a depth in the way she made a truthful approach to women in STEM. This book felt like a call out to sexist work environments and standardized tests. I was a math and science major, a long time ago, back when I was usually one of two females in the class. I was a female math teacher back when I was told women couldn’t teach math and had few role models. Even now, after retiring after almost 40 years of teaching, this book spoke to me; knowing the situation hasn’t changed that much. I highly recommend Love on the Brain to other readers.



I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Will she let her past pains and fears dictate her future …

Being a historical romance reader, One of my favorite trope is Scholars and Bluestockings, so a romance with two of those sold it to me.
As I do not often go out of my usual Historical romance range, I know very few contemporary authors, so outside the few writers I follow, this book was a surprise, a very good one.
I even ranted at my family for not letting me read in peace, summer holidays are hell on earth when you just want to drown in the pages of a good book.

It looks like that whatever the era, women are still often belittled, mocked, judged when they dare entering the men’s so protected field of knowledge, sciences. Even more when it is the high spheres of STEM.

Bee under the author’s clever and witty words is a fun unique woman, Marie Curie ultimate fan, she thinks, talks and dreams science and wonder how her illustrious precursor would have reacted to this and that. She is also a woman who wants a place to belong, after a kind of nomadic childhood send from one place to another under the care of her scattered all over the world relatives. In reaction, she is now grounded to one place, determined to make her life there.
But after her last heartbreak, she has altered a bit her wishes, decided the house with the white fences would still do but without the husband inside.
The story is narrated from her quirky point of view, amusing and lively, she fast became a friend.
And like all friends, you would sometime like to shake them, to bash their head when they lie to themselves.
And while it was easy to see where the story would lead us, I loved the journey, if only for her attack of verbosity when nervous or her fainting episodes and of course for Levi.
He is my new book boyfriend, so intense and dedicated. The brooding hero in all his alpha male glory. Yet for his chosen lady, he will do anything, everything to please her, she orders, he delivers.
He is poet, ready to catch the moon for her, if it means not putting a spacesuit on and flying to the infinity and beyond, maybe a fishing pole would do the trick.

From ennemies to friends with benefits, they move fast, too much probably for Bee to really comprehend the depth of Levi’s feelings, even if she partly chooses to lie to herself than to truly acknowledge what she innerly already knows.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This book was very similar to Hazelwood's first book in the fact that it follows a quirky woman in STEM. I did enjoy the humor she used throughout, but I think the enemies to lovers plot could have been a bit more fleshed out. She mainly thought he hated her because she didn't listen to him the multiple times that he said he didn't. I did like the side story of the neuroscience project that they were working on. And I loved many of the side characters. Overall, this was a fun read and I am not sorry that I read it!

Hazelwood is back with another STEMinist novel. This time featuring Bee, who lives by the mantra What would Marie Curie Do? She got the job of a lifetime working on a project for NASA as co project leader, with her sworn enemy, although the enemy part may only be in her head.
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As her project starts falling apart and she suspects Levi of sabotage she soon realizes he isn’t her sworn enemy after all. Bee needs to get her life and project back on track and she continues to ask what would Marie Curie do? The ending of this was so cute especially when she chooses the date July 26 for a momentous occasion. She said she wouldn’t say why to Google the date and Marie Curie and you know I did and it’s super sweet!
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Huge thank you @prhaudio @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Score: 3.5/5

Despite this being categorized as an “enemies to lovers”, it didn’t provide that…The story had “miscommunication trope” all over it, now if the miscommunication is part of the romance sure that’s fine but if it’s the whole romance? It gets tiresome and honestly not as fun.
Their supposed animosity ended literally 5% into the book. Where was the tension? Where was the work rivalry? I would have loved if we had a work rivalry situation going on longer, at least to make the rekindling that much sweeter.

There were plenty of times throughout where I felt the characters would be speaking or exploring a significant part of their psychology (that still influences them presently) but it never delved into something deeper that made them more complex. For example, Levi states that his family and childhood caused significant trauma, there’s even a part of the book where he and Bee go out to dinner with them, but it’s never discussed further, it’s never explored deeper. To me that’s a waste of writing and character development.

Speaking of characters, Bee is sweet and nerdy but at times she’s just too much. Her dramatics tend to be more comical than endearing. Also I’ll never (EVER) understand how is it socially acceptable to put your barefoot on the car dashboard. I can’t get over this ***gag***

As for Levi, he felt like a carbon copy of Adam from The Love Hypothesis (both physically and mentally). I do think however, the friendship group is great here. I love the dynamics between Bee and Rocico.

Hazelwood is brilliant for weaving in STEM knowledge to the wider audience; it’s part of way I loved *The Love Hypothesis* so much. That doesn’t leave out the fact that eventually I kept skimming the technical parts because they were so tedious to understand. A balance must be achieved to what should and shouldn’t be included when it comes to STEM textbook knowledge.

I just finished Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood and get ready to hear me gush!

What would Marie Curie do? That’s how Bee lives her life. NASA offers her the lead neuroengineering project… Something she has dreamed about. Downside? It comes with a co-lead… Her arch nemesis Levi Ward.

Handsome Levi made his feelings very clear in grad school. She was persona non grata in his eyes and made it very clear working with her was not an option. Maybe it’s her shocking pink hair or her piercings that has Levi running for the hills every time she enters a room.

Now he is interfering with her job, missing equipment and ID badges that don’t work. He clearly wants her gone, yet the way he looks at her makes her second guess herself. He did save her on her first day..

Can they get this project together fast enough? Or will what is going on between them stand in the way?

I devoured this book in one sitting. Some of the most beautiful hours I have ever spent on my couch. I fell in love with Bee so hard! She lives her life the way she wants! She worked her way up in a field dominated by men, with an unusual childhood upbringing and has a love of cats. You can’t help connecting with her free spirit, fun loving, self deprecating charm. The humor in this book had me giggling like a schoolgirl and do not even get me started on smut scenes! I could feel my loins burning! I laughed, I sighed, I felt the sadness and the fear of letting someone in. Such a great book!

5 stars! Scratch that 25 stars! Michelin stars!! All the stars in the night sky! If you love a book that will have you feeling all the emotions under the moon, this has to be your next read! This book catapults romance to a new stratosphere.

Thank you netgalley and Berkley publishing house for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.