Member Reviews
This was so good. The perfect balance of science, escapism, and steam. Can’t wait for you all to meet Bee and Levi (and Rocío who - oh my god - may just be my favorite side character in any contemporary romance ever 🦂)!!!!
This was such a great follow up to The Love Hypothesis! If you liked that one then I definitely think you’ll enjoy this one too.
It was a great mix of humorous, emotional and romantic. I really enjoyed the main character Bee, and the love interest Levi is such a sweetheart!
The romance was so cute and I was totally rooting for Bee and Levi as a couple. I think I’ve found a new book boyfriend in Levi, his support and dedication to Bee is just *chefs kiss*.
The drama got super ramped up in this one which made for an ending that I flew through.
I always enjoy books that include women in STEM and this did a great job of showing the difference in treatment between men and women in the field. Bee was so strong and confident in her place in neuroscience, I really appreciated how she handled the tougher situations.
I loved all the nerdy references and the cats!! These additions made the story feel so charming and cute. With a little spice added in, this book has something for all the romance lovers out there.
I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Did I read this in one sitting? Yes I did. Did I regret my choices? Absolutely not.
(Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC!)
Ali Hazelwood has done it again! Love on the Brain was a swoon enducing read and highly addictive, I seriously could not put it down and I think I may love it more than the Love Hypothesis 🤫. There's crack in it isn't there?
I loved the characters so much, the dynamic between Bee and Levi was fun, cute, and downright entertaining. Levi was a emotionally constipated grump, while Bee was an awkward, witty, and clueless MC and honestly, what else could you ask for?
If you've read and loved the Love Hypothesis I highly recommend reading this one, you won't regret it!
Swoon! I adore Ali Hazelwood and her women in STEM romances. And all of her quirky additions with quotes and trademarks. I legit laughed out loud several times. Her writing style reminds me a little of a great conversation with a friend and there is zero level of pretense or arrogance despite the fact that she’s writing about supremely smart people. Plus her storylines and the way women are treated in so many situations are relatable, even tho I wish they weren’t. And her sexxxxxy time scenes have definitely ratcheted up a notch!
3 stars because I LOVED the first 60% of this book and was bored/annoyed/repulsed by the last 40%.
LOVED the STEM setting, the You've Got Mail trope, the ying-yang characters of Bee and Levi, the fan-girling for Marie Curie, the cats, the Twitter side relationship, the girl-power science, the witty writing
HATED: the ever-increasing F-bombs, Guy (won't say anything else because, spoilers,) the high level of steaminess, the back and forth of being emotionally stunted or emotionally wise (you cannot be both.) The cover looks like a couple of 15 year olds, not a 28 and a 32 year old.
I realize I'm not in the demographic for this book, but I can pretend pretty well. There are parts that are hilarious and sweet and then others that are just graphic and vulgar--I think those detract from characters we have begun to really like.
So...3 dim, regretful stars. I wanted to love these two from start to finish, but, no.
Bee Königswasser is offered to be a lead on a neuroengineering project at Nasa, but her cooled is none other than Levi Ward her nemesis from her graduate program. Bee is hit with roadblocks after roadblocks and can't believe that Levi still hates her. Bee still has to hold it together and make sure her project is successful. Will Levi and Bee sort through their differences for the sake of the project?
I loved the Marie Curie references. Levi was so very amazing! I loved The Love Hypothesis a lot, it was fresh and new and love Ali's writing style! I like Love on the Brain a lot too but there were a lot of similarities between Bee and Olive /Levi and Adam. I felt the ending was rushed, I wish there was a little more insight into how she handled the twitter situation. Even relationship issues with Levi's parents or Olive's friend felt a bit abrupt. That said I thoroughly enjoyed the book despite the similarities and will definitely read whatever Ali writes!!
Thank you Berkley for sending me the eARC of Love on the Brain.
Tropes: Mistaken Enemies to Lovers, Grumpy-Sunshine, Women in STEM
I req'd this book in the hopes that the many flaws of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS were a one-off...but once again, Ali Hazlewood has written a novel that's not just bad, it's downright offensive. Setting up the main character as 'not wanting to date' in order to make the falling in love bit more dramatic is weak storytelling (and asexuality is, you know, real and valid and not something that needs 'fixing') and setting up the 'bad history' between the protagonists as based in the idea that...the hero DIDN'T sexually harass the heroine when she was in graduate school?? It takes the problems of TLH and reasserts them, something made even more upsetting by the fact that sexual harassment obviously IS a real problem in academia. Add on the bullshit feminist construction of "I am the most controversial because I like Marie Curie and have fun color hair" and you've got something that whitewashes feminism, dismissively simplifies cultural and structural problems of academia, and does so extremely unimaginatively. I hope someone tells Hazlewood that sexual harassment and a hostile work environment isn't actually sexy, but it won't be me, because after two MASSIVE misses, I won't be reading one of her books again.
What a great read! there were so many unexpected aspects in this book that i enjoyed, from the quirky and bad assness of Bee to the fantastic love interest Levi. What a great highlight to the women in science and stem! Highly recommend!
I love the way that Ali Hazelwood incorporates STEM into all of her books. This was a really quick read and I think that it could have been fleshed out a bit more when it came to the character development, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Yes, I loved it just as much as the first one. Happiness is an Ali Hazelwood book.
Characters: ★★★★★
Humor: ★★★★★
Romance/Steam: ★★★★★
Love on the Brain comes out on August 23!
There is no better way to start this review than by using what the book's description starts with:
Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do?
And with that, that's almost all you need to know about Love on the Brain, with the added information that this is an exquisite enemies-to-lovers romance with a dose of lighthearted angst—and absolutely jam-packed with bonkers humor.
Bee and Levi are ENEMIES. This is known. In grad school, Levi made it extremely clear that he couldn't stand the sight of Bee and made it his mission to avoid her at all possible costs. Bee never really understood how she came to acquire an arch nemesis, but she rolled with it and life moved on. They both graduated and Bee thought she'd never see Levi again.
But of course, life has a funny way of dealing with your expectations.
When the opportunity of the lifetime lands in Bee's lap—working for NASA as their lead neuroscientist for a cool project—Bee is over the moon! This is it! Her dream, coming true! What could go wrong!
Well, Levi is listed as the engineering co-lead to the project. That is definitely a wrinkle.
Can these two scientists become more than nemesis?
Y'ALL. I thought The Love Hypothesis was in danger of being a one-hit wonder. It was too funny, too lovable, and too tailored to that perfect blend of steamy romance and plot. It was perfect—and how often do we get multiple perfects in a row with an author? It was the perfect storm of all of my favorite things and I thought to myself "there's now way that Ali Hazelwood can match herself with the next book."
Well, I'm eating my hat today. Hazelwood matched her energy with this one and then some—Love on the Brain was everything I wanted it to be and yet also, somehow, still fresh. How she managed to take a similar STEM-based setup and bring new feelings, scenarios, and characters to the table baffles my mind, but I digress. This was 10/10, my sweet cinnamon roll, the peanut butter to The Love Hypothesis' jelly, the answer to our Science! hetero romance dreams.
Read it, love it, and then come back here and rant to me about it because I would love that.
Bring on the next one, Ali!!
Thank you to Berkley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you loved The Love Hypothesis (which I did), then you will love Love on the Brain, perhaps even more (which I also did). I gobbled down this book like it was chocolate ice cream. Hazelwood's writing is so charming, so funny, and so easy going down. Bee is a damn delight, and her interactions with everyone around her were just so much fun. Levi was also adorable and wonderful in his own way, and the steamy scenes were far more plentiful. This was an absolutely perfect sophomore book, and I can't wait for the next!
Thank you NetGalley for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars-
I am OBSESSED with this book. I loved it even more than the first one! From the very first page I was hooked and I felt a connection to the story a bit more than Love Hypothesis. The banter is always on point and the romance is adorable. My only complaint is that a few parts of the plot did feel like it was repeated from LH. Aside from that it was amazing and I can’t wait to reread it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!
“Since the first moment I saw you. Since the first moment I talked to you and made an ass of myself, there hasn’t been anyone else.” 🥺
Okay when I tell you I am obsessed with Olive and Adam in the Love Hypothesis, that’s an understatement. SO when I say that I love Levi & Bee even more??? You should know it’s a good book.
GUYS this book hooked me from the first paragraph. The Main character was hilarious and had me laughing throughout the whole book. I loved all of her quirks. This has…
📖Women in STEM
📖Nemeses have to co-lead together
📖He falls first 🥺 AND he’s shy
📖A fun twist at the end
I couldn’t put this book down, and I did cry to yet another love confession because it was beyond perfect. ALSO the secret Twitter she has...and the man that confesses his love for a certain female on there and it just gave me SO many butterflies. Ugh swoon. I thought this book had so many perfect little moments between the grumpy/shy love interest and it just made the love confession at the end even more perfect. I absolutely devoured this book and cannot wait to get the physical copy. Also thought the writing was very well done and the delivery of this book was 5/5! Ali Hazelwood's writing is quite addicting and I loved all of the commentary.
Overall, a pretty solid book. Not what I usually read but enjoyed myself. I liked that the main character was allowed to be nerdy. I also love the encouragement that men need therapy. However, I found the main character a little dense and irritating at times. The whole enemies thing could be cleared up with a little communication.
This book was just so, so good. Everyone knows I hold the love hypothesis at high rank but dare I say I liked love on the brain better? 😭🤍
Levi was everything I wanted in a love interest and more! I loved the tropes, the romance build up and most of all I loved Bee.
This book was special and the epilogue secured a five star rating from me 🤝
Preorder this book and support this lovely author. <3
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC
This was a cute romance set in a STEM setting. Overall I give this book 4 stars
Pros:
Funny banter
Enemies to lovers meets "You Got Mail" aka not knowing the person you're talking to online is the same person you're talking to in-person
Cute cats
Swoon-worthy Levi Ward
Hard-working & heartbroken Bee
A twist I never saw coming
The sex scenes are steamy
Cons:
There were a few things I found kinda annoying. How often Bee reminded the reader that she was a vegan. How much she told the reader about her love for Marie Curie. (Though learning Marie Curie & her notes are untouchable for over 1,000 years is a pretty crazy fact to learn!) Lastly, Bee kept repeating & reminding herself (and the reader) that Levi hated her when at a certain point in the book, I could tell his feelings were changing, but she was painfully oblivious to him being different around her for a while.
Looking forward to reading future books by Ali Hazelwood.
When Dr. Bee Königswasser, a neuroscientist, gets chosen to be the lead investigator on a project by NASA, she’s ecstatic. She stays ecstatic until she finds out the name of the person who will be co-leading on the project with her, and it’s none other than Levi Ward, her nemesis from grad school.
Love On The Brain has:
🧠Woman in STEM 👩🏼🔬
🥼Nemesis to lovers
🧠Forced Proximity
🥼Great Banter
🧠 Rom-com
Okay I don’t know what Ali Hazelwood puts in these books, but they are addicting! I loved her debut with The Love Hypothesis & was so grateful to get an E-ARC of Love On The Brain. I absolutely love the way Ali writes strong, powerful, and extremely great female main characters. The heroes, I swear are brought to their knees for the heroines and I live for it! I loved the personality of both Levi & Bee and them together was like fireworks going off in my brain. The banter! The romance! The spice! I couldn’t stop smiling. I ate this book UP! Such a good read! I can’t wait to see what’s next for Ali!
✨ Thank you so much to Netgalley & Berkley for the E-ARC!
Can i say that I love this book from begging to ending? Yes I can!
Special Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this amazing eARC! Thanks you so much!
Love on the Brain is one of my favorite Romance book of the year, Ali have quickly become my ride of die author… this books was additive and so cute! The nerdy person who live in me fall in love with Bee and Levi since the first moment.
Bee is a Neuroscientist who has a project on NASA, y Levi is co leader, and they hate each other to death… or I least that’s what she thinks, that he hates her, so the slow burn and the banter is top notch! The dynamic that both have is incredible and I absolutely love them, and I love Rocio Bee’s RA she’s just hilarious.
The steam is amazing! The mystery part of the book and all the Marie Curie references are incredible, even if I’m not a big fan of the miscommunication trope, Ali makes a excellent job in then plot and how this evolved.
This is a cat lover, nerdy, spacey, adorable book that everyone has to read! 5 stars!
Like many, I fell in love with Ali Hazelwood’s world ever since reading The Love Hypothesis, so I was eager to jump back in.
In this newest novel, our lovable, STEM leading lady is named Bee. She is individualistic, brilliant in her field, and lives by the principles of her hero, Marie Curie. Her parents passed when she was a child, leaving Bee to lean on her twin sister. As adults, the sisters live on different continents, which causes Bee to devote all of her energy into her work as a neuroscientist.
Bee receives the offer of a lifetime: to work with NASA for three months in Texas. Bee is over the moon (no pun intended), until she discovers she will be working with her nemesis from grad school: Levi Ward.
We follow Bee and Levi navigate the challenges of being both co-leads on this high profile assignment and sworn enemies. As time goes on, Bee comes to find that Levi may not be the evil person she assumed after all of these years.
What I love the most about Hazelwood’s books are the innovative settings and science based focus. Personally, I had a hard time understanding science in school and did not gravitate towards it–which is why I love this book. I would never be introduced into the worlds of neuroscience, engineering, or astronauts otherwise. Even more so, I continually admire the protagonist’s passion and intelligence in her field.
Now onto the romance, that brings me to Levi, and he’s perfect. He is a champion for Bee’s success in the professional environment, unwavering in his feelings/belief in her and absolutely smitten with her. Bee and Levi are very complex and have a rocky history, but are both yearning for companionship and a special person to call “home”. Get ready to add another name to your book boyfriend list.
I also enjoyed the side characters, including a charming romance with another couple in the book.
Hazelwood introduces us to the inner world at NASA, where Bee struggles with the challenges of being a woman in a male dominated industry. I think that was extremely important to include, as it says a lot about her perseverance and tenacity in the workplace.
This heartwarming book made me have more appreciation for our current badass female scientists, the men who give them the credit they deserve and the brilliant women who paved the way so many years ago.
Bee throws herself into her work after a ending her engagement, but her new project is co-headed by Levi, who she is sure hates him. So when her work is stifled and on the verge of being thrown out, it has to be him sabotaging her, right?
I will buy anything Hazelwood writes. I loved this STEM heavy romance, even though I had to skim a lot of it because I don't understand neuroscience and this book is HEAVY with the STEM. Heavier than <i>The Love Hypothesis</i>. It does get to be a bit of a drag, but the rest of the plot more than make up for it. A bit of a mystery is thrown in as Bee tries to find out who is sabotaging her and why. It adds another layer to the romance story and I love that the romance is fleshed out a bit more than in <i>The Love Hypothesis</i>. The characters are great, though Rocio got on my nerves a bit, and there were a few pointless scenes that could have easily been cut (dinner with the parents????). Overall, another strong addition to the STEM romances.