Another surefire hit from Ali Hazelwood! It's becoming evident that the author's ability to create vibrant characters in relatable situations is her greatest strength. I loved every single character in this book, and I felt like I understood even their more questionable choices in the context of who they were. The author also does a great job depicting realistic encounters between the romantic leads. Most of the story was paced wonderfully, with some excellent building tension as both the romance and the science plots progressed, but I did feel like the resolutions in this book were rushed. The social media one in particular had this problem, because so much of the build-up for the conflict was on the page, but then the resolution was hand-waved away. Overall, an incredible read!

LOVE ON THE BRAIN is a stellar new novel from the wonderful author, Ali Hazelwood. Just like the rest of BookTok last year, THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS had me in its clutches. I read that book in a day and was immediately needing more STEM in romance. LOVE ON THE BRAIN provides the same heart-pounding romance and amazing banter with our new characters, Bee and Levi. These two were such a joy to read--their chemistry was insane and I read this in one sitting. Ali Hazelwood continues to challenge stereotypes in male-dominated work fields, where the power of women in STEM is still undermined. This author is continually providing excellent commentary in the backdrop of a swoon-worthy romance that had my jaw on the floor. Fans of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS are not to be disappointed. LOVE ON THE BRAIN is truly going to take the world by storm, and I am already anticipating what Ali Hazelwood will do next!

Oh how I loved this story! The cover art is fantastic. The characters are so relatable....I'm glad the sisters are close again. I will reread this one, and I just know Hazelwood's fans will be pleased when it's published!

Love on the Brain is an adorable, captivating, and sexy smart novel that whips you in and makes you fall in love.

The romance, the writing, the plot, the feelings this book gave me—ugh! I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

LEVI. The grumpy to Bee’s sunshine. The broody cinnamon roll. I was not ready to experience him and I don’t think I’ll ever forget him. His character fit so well into the story and the way he was written made me fall in love immediately.

The relationships throughout the story were so seamless and I felt as though each personality was unique. Some connections had me laughing out loud all into the night, while others made me want to keep reading to reveal the passion between the characters.

Bee and Levi’s relationship was so exciting and I am thankful there was a little more spice than the previous novel. It was perfect placed and spaced.

I will forever not stop thinking about this book. I am in love with Ali’s brand of science romance and cannot wait to read her next novellas. For me, she has been the bridge from fantasy into romance and I would like to stay in this genre a little longer.

Ali Hazelwood is my new favorite author. Her characters are real, quirky, and so fun to read! The humor was spot on, the romance swoony, the story engrossing. Loved it!

4.5 stars. Neuroscientist Bee is thrilled to get an offer from NASA to work on her dream project. Until she learns that her co-lead is none other than Levi, the annoying engineer from grad school who wouldn’t even look at her. But it’s too good an opportunity to pass up, so soon she’s on a plane to Houston with her delightfully goth research assistant. When Levi literally saves her life the first time they see each other again, Bee has a surprising reaction to his presence. But he’s still the same standoffish jerk he always was. Right?

This was a lot of fun. I won’t even bother trying to summarize the project they’re working on, but I’ll say it sounds very cool and complicated. Levi and Bee have scorching chemistry, but they’re also really cute together, as they learn how much they have in common. There was a Big Twist that I saw coming almost from the first page. But there was another that got me!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Much like in The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood creates likeable and quirky characters for the leads in Love on the Brain. She is able to keep her story light and enjoyable all while addressing key issues in the STEM world.

Bee loves science, Marie Curie, and cats. What Bee doesn't love, or who she doesn't love, is Levi Ward. Bee has just been hired to lead a NASA-based project and she couldn't be happier. Until she finds out she's not actually leading it. She's co-leading it. With Levi Ward. Total buzzkill.

Ali Hazelwood managed to hit us with a one-two punch between The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain. No sophomore slump here. The characters are engaging and relatable, the dialog is witty and endearing, the sexy scenes are steamy. There is a lot to love about this book, I can't wait for it to come out and read it again.

I devoured The Love Hypothesis so had to get my hands on Ali's next book ASAP, and it did NOT disappoint! Just like TLH, I read this book in about 3 days. I love reading book about women in STEM, and I particularly enjoyed Bee's Twitter alter ego. I'm sure many women can relate to the situations faced by Bee and the others. In addition, even though I figured out right away who Schmac would be, her interactions with him were some of my favorite parts of the book. Made me smile and give me warm fuzzies.

I also love the heat level in this book. Hot hot hot!!!

Finally, this book was hilarious. Definitely had several LOL moments, which can often be lacking in books marketed as romcoms.

Thank you for Ali and the team at Berkley for the advance copy!!

Both Bee and Levi are top level scientists who are tasked with co-leading a project for NASA. Unfortunately Levi is Bee’s nemesis. In grad school he continually undermined her and said he would not work with her. Neither ever wanted to work together on anything. But here they are. It’s a classic enemies to lovers trope set in science nerd heaven.

This book is laugh out loud funny. In fact, as soon as I read it I went out and bought her first book. I read it in one sitting! Well worth it.

Truly I just loved the science framework and how much the lives and influence of women in STEM and Marie Curie framed this book. Bee founded and runs the twitter account @WHatWouldMarieDo, the “Marie” being Marie Curie. The account is anonymous and is for STEM women to discuss issues as the work in STEM and academia. It is a sort of lifeline for her, especially now that she is in such an all male bastion as NASA and it figures heavily into the story. She uses it to work out her issues at NASA- without naming NASA and Levi.

The evolving relationship between Bee and Levi is a slow burn, enemies to lovers that is delightful: fun and sexy with a bit of a mystery thrown in. There is a surprising twist in the relationship between Levi and Bee but I won’t spoil that.

You could make a case that the most interesting character in the book is Bee’s research assistant, Rocio, a Goth doomsayer who frames the emotions of almost every section of the novel. She is outrageous but eerily recognizable and provides a lot of comic relief.

Run, don’t walk, to get this amusing and campy book. I look forward to recommending this book to my patrons. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

If you loved The Love Hypothesis, get ready! I’ve just finished Love on the Brain, and it’s settled: Ali Hazelwood is leading the charge of up-and-coming contemporary romance authors. I cannot get enough of her brand of brainy romance! Clever, sweet, hilarious, and sexy, Love on the Brain will check every romance-reader's box. Bee and Levi are captivating from page one, with an enemies-to-lovers romp that made me cackle like a madwoman more than once. Writing with an emotionally brilliant and witty pen, Hazelwood is an absolute romance powerhouse.

Somewhere in the 4-4.25 star range

Following in the footsteps of The Love Hypothesis, Love on The Brain shares the same addictive writing style and witty humour. This solidified Ali Hazelwood as a must-read author for me. I wasn’t a huge fan of Levi, the love interest, tho (which took me by suprise because i loved Adam!!). Levi just struck a nerve for me and I just found him generally a bit off putting (and a little creepy?? i don’t want to spoil anything but there were definitely times where I thought ‘hmm that seems like behaviour I would personally be scared of’). I guess the word I’m looking for is he gave me the “Ick” on numerous occasions.

Love on the Brain had more of a focus on the STEM plot line than the Love Hypothesis in my opinion, so that may be a good or a bad thing depending on ur interests! The plot was also a bit weirdly paced, especially the end? Won’t spoil anything but I didn’t really like the climax/conclusion of this book. All in all, however, the writing style, humour, and cast of characters still made this an enjoyable read and I would still recommend it !!

I debated between a 3 and 4 star with this - in actuality I think it's a 3.75. This was a quick, addictive and very funny read. Loved the characters and the romance, and found I could relate to Bee.

Yes, it's similar to the Love Hypothesis with: MC thinks main guy hates her but he secretly loves her, STEM storyline, good-guy-turns-out-evil twist (which I didn't really like in this book). Oh and also both books have a really obvious "mystery twist" (with the mysterious guy in the bathroom obiviously being Adam in the Love Hypthoesis, and the real identity of Schmac on Twitter being painfully obvious). However, I found this book funnier than Love Hypothesis.

I don't typically read romance, but I do like Ali Hazelwood's books, and I'll recommend this book to customers as well as continue reading any future books of hers.

Overall, a good read.

"Love on the Brain" is one of those kind of books that satisfies a couple different categories of enjoyable for me. I love the inclusion of women in STEM fields, the spicy and still utterly romantic relationship between the main characters, and I absolutely loved the secondary characters' personalities. The humor flowed wonderfully and I found the misunderstands just on the right side of "not too cliché".

My one complaint might be the almost cartoonish villain. While STEM isn't exactly my field of expertise, I felt that while the eventual antagonist's would be considered justified, their reaction and decisions seemed very radical and sudden in contrast to the rest of the narrative. On one hand, it seemed almost unrealistic, but on the other I could see how the character could have been led down the path they did. Perhaps I wasn't expecting such a sudden dark twist, but then we never do in real life either. That being said, I didn't dislike this turn, it just felt a little thematically out-of-place.

All in all, I would say I thoroughly enjoyed "Love on the Brain" and would definitely recommend it. While it has some cliché tropes, I think they're handled well in the narrative and by the characters. Moreover, it's all made up for with excellent scientific groundwork!

I am really enjoying these women in STEM romances. Although a little predictable with the plot, there is good character chemistry and banter.

I loved this so much. It’s quite a deviation from what I normally read (fantasy and horror, mostly), but Hazelwood’s previous book, The Love Hypothesis, was all over bookstagram, so I snagged this one up when I could.

The blending of STEM and romance? Chefs kiss. Bee is an awesome MC, and not just because she has purple hair and compares herself to a Jedi!

The chemistry (haha, science pun) between her and Levi is palpable from the beginning of the book, and I must say that enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes.

What’s not to love about this one? It may have helped me broaden my reading horizons. Excellent job!

Thank you to NewGalley for providing an Advanced Reader Copy for an honest review of Ali Hazelwood’s Love on the Brain!

Reader, have you read Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis? Were you like me as I read that book… laughing at the embarrassment of situations the characters found themselves in, finding endearment in the behind-the-scenes actions of love that went initially unrecognized, and falling in love with the quirky nature of the main character? If any of this resonates with you then you must read Love on the Brain!

Back in her masterfully unique writing style of quirky, brainy, and unapologetically sarcastic; Dr. Bee Konigswasser (neuroscientist) finds herself as a co-leader for a NASA microengineering project with her archnemesis from Grad School, Levi Ward (engineer). And just like she expected, Bee is determined to work past the setbacks of missing equipment, “forgotten” emails of upcoming meetings and ID badges that don’t let her get into her own empty office. Who cares that Levi is tall, dark, muscular and flashes the most brilliant green eyes for women to swoon… sabotage will not be stood for! With the help of her just as quirky emo assistant and her secret identity Twitter friend, Bee starts putting two and two together with an ending most readers would agree was worth it in the end.

If you can’t tell, I loved this second installment of Hazelwood’s writing and will definitely read anything by her in the future. That said, Love on the Brain, more so than The Love Hypothesis was predictable. I found myself quickly glancing over sections of writing toward the end without missing any of the substance to the story line. But where the predictability is made up for is in the whit, hilarious trademarked nicknames (which I will be working into my vocabulary), banter, and all out science nerd self-love from Bee and her assistant. When this book is released, I will be buying a copy so I can read it over and over!

Final Review 4.5 Stars

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood is another of her female stem novels. Love on the Brain features Bee who is offered a position at NASA to work on a neuro-engineering project. She can't wait until she gets there and realizes her nemesis Levi will be working with her. Bee is ready put aside the past but when equipment never appears and emails go missing, she knows Levi is behind it. Bee is determined to make it work despite the difficulties that keep appearing.
I loved The Love Hypothesis and I was worried that Love on the Brain wouldn't hold up. I was wrong because this one is just as delightful as the last one. Ali Hazelwood does a fantastic job of creating amazing characters.

Um. What can I say... WHAT CAN I SAY. I loved this book so much, and I love that Ali Hazelwood writes about smart girls. Girls who are way smarter than I will ever be. But there is something so pure and just warm about them and it makes the characters so likeable. Who doesn't love a smart girl, with pink hair, tattoos, and septum piercing? Do you know that person? I don't. Because I am in love with smart girl characters. While this book definitely follows a similar formula or sequence as her previously, exceptionally successful book "Love Hypothesis", I can't argue with what works.

So if you love... science, smart quirky girls (who aren't annoying), tall, caring, super smart guys (who are also not annoying), and a good "I've always loved you" romance, well look no further. Read this book.

The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 31. Technology themed

Other Possible Prompts: 5. Chapters have titles, 6. Household object on the cover, 11. A book with less than 2022 Goodreads ratings (for now, anyways!), 23. Author with an x, y, or z in their name, 41. Involves a second chance, 45. A book with illustrated people on the cover, 52. Published in 2022

Ali Hazelwood does it again! And by it, I definitely mean writing a book so good I’m willing to lose my valuable sleep schedule just to finish it. I’ve quickly become an adoring fan of Hazelwood’s and I’m feeling BLESSED that I was given this advance readers copy. BLESSED.

Bee, a neuroscientist, is absolutely floored to be accepted as the lead on a NASA project designed to help astronauts absorb more information when in space. For Bee, this is the ticket out of her crappy, post-grad life under a misogynistic boss… but she soon discovers her co-lead is her arch nemesis, engineer Levi Ward, and things become a whole lot more complicated.

In the years since she met him in grad school, it doesn’t appear Levi has gotten any better or grown to hate her any less. But under the circumstances, they create a shaky truce for all that extra time they’re spending together, and Bee soon discovers she may like Levi a little more than she originally thought.

This book has so, so many of my favorite romance tropes: workplace romance. Enemies to lovers. The mean one falls for the sunshine one. UGH. I’m so obsessed with this whole book and also now Ali Hazelwood, not me most definitely following her every career move…

This book is The Hating Game but STEM and on speed. I cannot convey my love for it enough. You know when you read The Hating Game and then you started reading contemporary romance in droves, forever chasing the high of reading Sally Thorne’s stunning debut in a single night? No?? Well if not, please know this has been my life for like, five years (I honestly thought it was three years, but didn’t want to misquote, so I checked my Goodreads history and yeah…five years. Five years chasing the high of Lucy and Josh. Also have you seen the movie?? LOVED it). I finally found its equal in Love on the Brain, and I am a forever fan of Hazelwood’s now.

I LOVED Bee. Much like my Lucy, Bee was just an introverted, intelligent, but wonderfully quirky gal who absolutely made the story for me. I connected with Bee and her struggles, even not being a science person myself. You don’t have to understand neuroscience to connect with Bee’s passion for her work. Also, her research assistant, Rocío, reminds me completely of my best friend. Their friendship felt so similar to my own that I found myself dying laughing at their bits. Every character in this story is so well fleshed out and felt like someone I know in my own life, which made it so much more fun.

I didn’t immediately love Levi, but you grow to understand him and it puts him in a new light. Honestly, from the start, he does come off like kind of an ass. But he’s supposed to, and Hazelwood’s way of shifting his character into a new space in the story totally works, and I come to love him, too.

There’s also this added element and depth from these two Twitter accounts in the story. Bee runs an account called @WhatWouldMarieDo, referring to Marie Curie, where she commiserates with other women in STEM fields on the sucky parts of being a woman in STEM. Together with an another account named @shmacademics, the two use their thousands of followers to start a movement in the academic world. I loved this part of the storyline, and once you read it, I think you’ll quickly get a feel as to why.

The drama and climax of this story kind of took me by surprise by I TOTALLY loved it! You will not expect the outcome, and maybe you won’t even suspect the problem…but it’s just so juicy.

So, yeah, I’m kind of recommending this all around. Like pick this up immediately. Pre-order this puppy. Cannot tell you enough; currently screaming my love for it from the roof. Like I said, I was *blessed* with this advance readers copy from the publisher through NetGalley, and Love on the Brain will release August 23, 2022…but if you have any chance of getting your hands on it before then, highly recommend doing so. 😉

Have an AWESOME week friends!