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.

Wow! I have to give this author all of my stars when it comes to the rating on here. We meet amazing funny characters like Bee, her sister, and Rocio, who literally make me laugh out loud so damn much it was ridiculous. And then we meet Levi, oh goodness Levi!! (Fanning myself) WOW! You can tell he has it hard for Bee and she’s too oblivious to see it at first. This is an Enemies to lovers trope and I love this trope the most because we all KNOW the explosion once those characters connect. I can’t help on how much I loved this book.

Bee gets offered the job of a lifetime and it’s working with NASA. But of course she is going to be working alongside her nemesis from a few years back in grad school, and off the story goes, women in science-girl power MODE, it was inspiring. I can’t give too much away because it’s worth the read. Just know that the hype is real when it comes to this book, like her previous reads.

Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

How do I even start!! Love on the Brain was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I actually screamed when I got approved for an eARC. (Thank you very much to NetGalley and Berkley).
I had very high hopes going into this and wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. First off, I LOVE Bee: woman in STEM, has vasovagal issues (just like me), loves cats, and a girl boss?! I want her to be my bestie. Then you bring Levi into the mix who gives you bad vibes at first and then you discover that he’s actually a sweet little cinnamon roll…in love!! That’s what I am. The plot as a whole kept me interested the entire time and the tropes made it even better (workplace romance, enemies to lovers kinda?, secret pining, etc). I’m so happy and content after reading this, I can’t wait to read more from Ali.

Highlights: women in STEM, nemeses-to-lovers, secret identities, pining, workplace romance, miscommunication trope.

A brilliant neuroscientist Dr. Bee Königwasser gets an offer to lead a prestigious neuro-engineering Nasa project, designing high-tech helmets for astronauts. But her excitement about the project is greatly diminished when she finds out that she will have to work with none other than Levi Ward, her nemesis from their grad-school days. The project's success can make Bee's career, and she has no choice but to be professional and work with he nemesis. While working with Levi, she realizes that maybe she misjudged him and his past behavior.

I liked Bee and Levi very much. I enjoyed watching their relationship change from animosity to friendship to love. Their relationship began with miscommunication, which is not my favorite trope, but it worked in this book. Leo is very closed-off in the beginning, but once he opens up to Bee, she starts to see him in a different light.

Like the previous book, Love on the Brain addresses topics of sexism, misogyny, and toxicity in STEM/academia. I really appreciate that Ali Hazelwood discusses these themes in her book. If you want to learn about trigger warnings, the author has a good guide on her website. After adoring The Love Hypothesis last year, I was looking forward to reading Love one Brain. I am happy to say it didn't disappoint! If you are looking for a feminist, thought-provoking, swoony romance, read Love on the Brain!

I can't get over how absolutely adorable book that is Love on the Brain. You will fall in love with Bee and Levi and root for them from start to finish.

3.5, rounded up. I'm just going to have to accept the fact that Ali Hazelwood is forever going to pair Small STEM Genius Ladies with Grumpy Tall Smart Dudes and that I'm going to eat that right up.

The chemistry is certainly there, as is the quippy dialogue and a heaping spoonful of Crush the Patriarchy. (Again, these are all concepts and plot points that absolutely cater to me--Hazelwood knows her audience.) Much like the first book, however, there are maddeningly obtuse communication issues, For me, they're much worse here because they manifest in a You've Got Mail situation that made me want to scream "LOOK. LOOK AT THE WORDS YOU ARE TYPING. THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS." (I don't think that's a spoiler, since it's quite apparent from the first exchange, but apologies if I've ruined the book for anyone.)

I'll still read any full-length novel Hazelwood writes (haven't read the novellas, as they've received more critical reviews), but I liked this one less than her debut.

4 stars

I think what I really like about Ali Hazelwood’s books, is the spotlight she put on women on stem. I appreciate that and even though her books could get super nerdy, she still manage to make them fun.

The story itself was quirky, nerdy, and such a fun read. In my opinion, Bee and Levi were kinda a replica of Olive and Adam. The story has kinda the same format, but still got its own thing? Idk, I still liked them tho. Their miscommunication was kinda getting on my nerves and some of their actions made me question how were they qualified to work with NASA, but yeah they were still adorable.

This got a good banter, a lot of nerdy talk, you’ve got mail vibes, women in stem and how hard it is for them, cats, and pinning!!

Huge Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy.

So good- better than the first, which I loved. There wasn’t any real awkwardness here, smart people were allowed to be smart people. So wonderful to have the setting in STEM and women play such a predominant role. I loved how so many misogynistic practices were called out in this very entertaining book!