Ali Hazelwood's latest novel is a charming love story. Despite being predictable at times, there are surprising twists and a heartfelt love story. An excellent read!

This. Book.

I am a huge fan of this author - her books are clever, engaging, and hilarious. Her characters are relatable, and the situations both ridiculous and entertaining.

Bee and Levi are heartbreakingly adorable. Bee is so open and honest and Levi is so emotionally restricted the tension between them is both understandable and frustrating. I love how Bee is so matter-of-fact about how she thinks Levi hates her, and he is so addled by his feelings for her he can't even disagree.

The "twist" actually did take me by surprise, and I am still not sure how I feel about it. But no spoilers here.

Also, Bee's lab assistant totally reminded me of Audrey from Parks & Rec.

The scienc-y stuff in here is to die for, and I am in <3 with Hazelwood's characterization of how meetings go for women, and specifically women in the sciences. The Marie Curie angle is great, and the twitter page should actually exist.

PS - this was my first 5-star read of the year.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Ali Hazelwood is my new favorite romance author. I love the academia based romance combined with the enemies to lovers theme. Bee is such an intelligent leading lady and she has the most hilarious, witty banter with our main man, Levi. This book is definitely a fun, quick read!

She does it again! I loved this good. Another great grump and sunshine romance. If you liked the first one you will like this one.

i shouldn't have read this on valentines day. i want to cry this book was so cute i love powerful women in stem!!! so cute i recommend but i did not like it as much as the love hypothesis

Rating: 5

I was so hesitant to read this book because The Love Hypothesis is by far my favorite book of all time. So I knew I was going to nitpick every little thing about this one. I am so happy to say Ali Hazelwood did it again with Love on the Brain. This was such a swoon worthy enemies to lovers filled with heart. It has the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy. I absolutely loved both Bee and Levi so much. Their characters were perfectly written in my opinion. I love how different Bree is from your typical female main character. She has her own style, personality, and is extremely smart! Levi is an all around full package. He has amazing looks, he’s smart but most importantly he cares about Bee so much it will make you wish you had someone like that. The overall plot of Bee and Levi working together at NASA was interesting and I will be honest this book had way more Science talk. It only bothered me a few times because I felt like it took away from some scenes but this could have just been a me thing. Overall, I loved this book and recommend you preorder it because you're going to want to read it on release day!

Full review will be released closer to pub date. Will be posted on my blog, instagram, goodreads.

*Recieved an ARC on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much to @berkleyromance for the gifted copy.**

Bee and Levi's love story is fun and engaging -- the two may be "frenemies" from the get go, but readers will like these characters from the start. The struggle Bee has in her own science career adds a thoughtful dimension to what is already a great, page-turning love story. I look forward to recommending this title.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC. Ali Hazelwood merges STEM and love once again in Love on the Brain. When Bee Königswasser is appointed to be the head neuroscientist for project BLINK, she thinks she has finally made it in her field...until she finds out she will be the co-lead on the project with her arch nemesis, Levi Ward. Levi is repulsed by Bee … or is it all just a misunderstanding. Hazelwood created the perfect amount of tension that leaves readers flying through the pages to see if and how the enemies will become lovers.

Obsessed. Completely and utterly OBSESSED. All hail the new queen of romance Ali Hazelwood. Honestly I didn't think she could top The Love Hypothesis, but I was so very wrong. I read this book in a day...then I read it again. Everything I could ever love in a romance novel enemies to lovers, forced proximity, AND a leading lady with a love of cats! I love how Ali writes her characters inner monologues it is so incredibly relatable and endearing. It really gives you a closer connection with the main character. I can't wait to recommend this book to anyone and everyone that will listen to me.

Ali Hazelwood is my new favourite author! This book was everything I wanted in a romance and I love the STEM setting.

Ali Hazelwood has done it again with another knockout. I loved all the science and STEM and Marie Curie history references. SO good! I loved Levi and Bee’s characters so much!

Hilarious, spicy, and a fun read. Next up…we need the movie for this!

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for an advance ebook copy to review. I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy because it’s so good!

4.8 - Ali, I would read ANYTHING you write. Send me your grocery list. Oh my gosh I read this too quickly and ignored child and husband and dog to do so.

This book is lovely!! The men in your books - do they exist in any semblance in real life? Levi is glorious. Tall, built, NERDY, accepting, and loves for life. Any man that fully accepts a woman's quirkiness and issues will always get a glowing review from me. I love tattooed, purple-haired, Marie-Curie obsessed Dr. Bee, who has some deep-seated issues but she's so relatable. I loved their literal chemistry, and could not stop laughing over Bee's fainting spells. I also adored the secondary characters - her assistant, her twin.

I'm taking off minimal points because WHAT DID LEVI WHISPER IN TIM'S EAR? And WHAT DID HE TELL THEIR ADVISOR?! These are left unresolved and they are slowly killing me. I know it's 100% not integral to the story BUT I NEED TO KNOW PLEASE, ALI! Also, the conclusion may have been a bit extreme, but I'm here for it.

This book checked all the boxes of what I want from a contemporary romance novel. It’s delightfully funny, has the most endearing cast of characters, tackles some real-life struggles through a pro-therapy lens, gives us fun mishaps and plot twists, and steamy scenes for our protagonist. I did not want to put it down and was quite annoyed that adulting required me to do so a couple of times.

Dr. Bee Königswasser lands the career opportunity she has been dreaming of after some rather unfortunate events ended her engagement and changed the course of her career. When she realizes her new job will require collaborating closely with her grad school arch nemesis, Dr. Levi Ward, she’s much less thrilled about her new situation. Miscommunication, possibly invisible cats, Star Wars references, and romance ensue.

Honestly, I guessed the plot twists early in the book and it follows the conventional arc of a rom-com. But this is really one of the things I enjoy about it. It’s comforting, fun, makes me feel a bit sappy, and ultimately, I know the journey is going to end happily.

The supporting characters are nicely fleshed out. Bee’s internal thoughts and characters’ dialogue are clever and fast-paced. Bee and Levi aren’t perfect characters, but they are self-aware. I found this very refreshing. Bee is outspoken and confident, but also struggles with some self-doubt and past trauma. Levi has put in time and effort to overcome trauma and a toxic family situation to be better at relationships.

I absolutely recommend this book and Ali Hazelwood. The Love Hypothesis was also a joy to read. Thanks to NetGalley for this arc! I cannot wait to purchase this book, reread, and recommend it to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc - the book while predictable at certain points with familiar tropes and a sense of deja vu from her first book was still a fun romantic comedy read and I love the academic settings that make her books feel different https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4544653708

I DEVOURED THIS. Ali Hazelwood is officially 2/2 which means she has reached "can do no wrong" status.

If you thought The Love Hypothesis was good (which, objectively, it is), just wait until you get your hands on Love on the Brain. The dynamic of the relationships between Bee and Levi and Olive and Adam are largely the same; that is, Bee is very much like Olive in her oblivion to the man-she-thinks-hates-her really being head over heels in love with her. I think it's fair to say that I am a sucker for the "enemies"-to-lovers arc where the guy falls first and is pining (not so secretly in Levi's case) like a lovesick little puppy; I eat that shit right up.

Let's start with the positives (and I guess end with the positives because I can't think of a single negative):
-- ALI HAS FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO WRITE A STRONG FEMALE SIDE-LEAD. I know how we all felt about Anh in TLH (aka, not great) but Rocío is an emo-goth icon/legend from the second she enters the novel. This girl might have been my favourite character; her obsession with La Llorna (and desire to be her replacement) literally killed me, this bitch is a masterpiece of a character and I honestly couldn't imagine the book without her.
-- LEVI MOTHERFUCKING WARD. Bestie when I tell you that this man is everything I've ever wanted and more, I mean it. He's a 6'4, green-eyed, curly-haired engineer WHO TAKES CARE OF THE CHILD OF HIS DECEASED BFF BC HE'S THAT KIND OF DUDE. I can't with him. Ali has raised the bar for men once again, I apologize to all who will never be able to live up to it.
-- BEE (whateverthefuck her last name is, I still don't know how to pronounce that shit) IS A BADASS ALTERNATIVE NEUROSCIENTIST WHO DOESN'T TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE. and I love her for it. and I love her for her obsession with Marie Curie, bc same. and I love her for standing up for women in STEM at every possible opportunity. and I just love everything about her; if anyone deserves a man like Levi Ward it's Bee.
--THE TRADEMARKS. When I tell you I died every time Bee said any variant of "CockClusterTM" / "WurstFestTM" / "Sausage ReferencingTM" I screamed, I'm not exaggerating; I love Ali Hazelwood's brain so much.
--THE PLOT TWIST? Not gonna spoil but ??????? bro I'm still high key shook, first that there was even a plot twist at all and second at the plot twist itself.
--THE SPICE. Ali Hazelwood heard us when we said that a singular sex scene was not NEARLY enough in TLH and boy did she deliver in this one; once the slow-burn ended and we were on full-burn mode, we were ON FULL-BURN MODE and boy did it get hot. Still not enough, but with Levi when will it ever be enough.

This might've been a slow-burn, but I love a slow-burn so I wasn't even mad. And the payoff was WORTH IT. If you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis you're guaranteed to LOVE this book. Even if you didn't, if you're a human with a heart and a brain who wants a fun STE(A)M-Y romance (ha, see what I did there?) you'll love this book. And Levi. And Bee. And, most importantly, Rocío.

I am now forever devoted to Ms. Ali Hazelwood and will worship at the altar of her books until she decides to stop writing (which I pray will be never). Amen.

Thank you to Berkeley at Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing the eARC of this IMMACULATE book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Love Ali Hazelwood, and love this book! I found the MC in this one to be more mature than in "Love Hypothesis," and it was also a bit spicier. Definitely enjoyed this and can't wait for more from Hazelwood.

I absolutely loved this. The dreaded miscommunication trope is used properly, at the beginning of the story. The development of their romance is well-paced and believable. When we finally do get to a physical relationship, it is hot. The villain twist is scary. The stakes are high. The only gripe I have is our leading lady was extremely aloof regarding the hero's feelings, but I still found it understandable, and having the hero break down why she is that way was a nice touch. We've got a pro-therapy message, and sweet supporting characters. As a person with epilepsy, I'm always pleased to see the disorder represented positively and enjoyed this subplot. Add in a love for cats and Star Wars, and how could you go wrong? There were a few details here and there that reminded me of her debut, but they felt like coincidences. I enjoyed this book more than her debut, which I adored, and am adding Ali to the auto-buy list.

I think I loved the love hypothesis just a little bit more. This definitely served some angst and had a great academic plot and sub flf romance but it also felt like there was a bit of a lack of build up and it just happens. I love that bee grows into being confident though and Levi helps her with that. If you loved the love hypothesis odds are you will love love on the brain. A great academic romance novel that fans are sure to pick up.

I devoured this in two days I was so excited to read it. And God did it live up to the hype! Full disclosure I am a HUGE fan of The Love Hypothesis so I really was already biased in favor of this one, but it was so heartbreakingly sweet and cute that it was enough to make me a fan of Ali Hazelwood for life!

I was pretty excited to grab this ARC after more than mildly enjoying The Love Hypothesis. However, this book did not cut it for me. I really doubt I would have even finished it if not for getting an advanced copy and feeling obligated to review. In all honesty, I hate-read my way through the majority of this novel. I"m going to try to limit any spoilers, but beware, this review will not be pretty.

First of all, Love on the Brain definitely read like the younger, less popular, version of The Love Hypothesis. The characters felt recycled and brought all of the worst parts of their Love Hypothesis counterparts to Love on the Brain. Adam and Levi? Both "asses," both so super tall 🙄, both unrealistically crushing on a girl for years without knowing anything about her, hell, they even both wear the same black Henley shirts. Olive and Bee? Both super QuIrKy, body-obsessed, skinny, petite, so smart but tHeY dOn'T kNoW iT. It wasn't fun to feel like I was reading the same characters from The Love Hypothesis, just in a different story. (Side note, there were even two lesbian side characters in a similar vein to Holden and Malcolm in the LH, who I actually enjoyed and wished there was more of. But it also just felt like Hazelwood threw them in for representation this time while still mainly presenting a heteronormative, sexist relationship).

Second. I really can't stand how body-obsessed Hazelwood seems to be. The readers are CONSTANTLY getting reminders of Levi's hotness, his height, how BIG he is (if you know what I mean...), and Bee's petiteness. I saw a lot of this in The Love Hypothesis as well, but it just felt really intense in Love on the Brain. Some examples:
- Levi is so tall. Like SO TALL. He's the tallest person Bee has ever seen. So tall.
- He also has biceps. BICEPS! Oh my god, look at his biceps. Such big biceps busting out of his shirt. Biceps.
- Bee: "I can't believe I'm having sex with someone with a six-pack." 🙄🙄🙄
- Bee is 5'0 exactly, and petite, and we get reminders of this so much throughout the book. Like how she sleeps in a twin bed (at 28 years old), wears shirts that she's had since middle school (at 28 years old), and pretty much every time she and Levi have sex we're reminded that she's so small for his big c**k.
- Bee waxes her chuncha every month. No, that's not a word I made up, it's in the book. She's a 28-year-old neuroscientist but she's too immature to say mons pubis.
It also just really annoyed me how much time and effort was spent on explaining to the reader how vegan she and Levi are. Like that's fine, be vegan, but when it's paired with the obvious body obsession, it comes across as shame-y. ALSO, of course, she hates exercise. Why would a naturally petite and skinny vegan need to exercise?! Bee's entire physical appearance just screams fat-phobia and infantilization of female bodies and it disgusted me to be perfectly honest.

So now let's talk about Bee's personality which I equally hated. She comes across as really stubborn and childish. She insists to herself and out loud throughout the entire book that Levi hates her, even when presented with contrary evidence. She gives him the silent treatment after he decides to do something in his own department because he didn't get her permission first???? (Which he doesn't need because it's his department). AND THEN when he breaks the silent treatment by apologizing, she doesn't accept it until he apologizes in the way she wants him to. Eventually, I just started reading everything she says and does as really immature. She's supposed to be a grown-ass woman who's smart enough to have obtained multiple degrees, but she doesn't read that way at all.

Now the romance. As I've mentioned, the trope in this novel is the "enemies to lovers." Except they never were enemies, Bee just assumes things that aren't true. Which is understandable...in the beginning. But, when things begin to change and you start to see another side to a person, wouldn't you just, I don't know, communicate? Ask questions? Believe what's being said to you? Well, not quirky Bee. She justifies every romantic action of Levi's by saying it's not real. They're just friends, but not even friends because he HATES her. He has to hate her because that's what she's decided and she can't change that. It became so absolutely grating that if I wasn't scared to break my Kindle, I would have thrown it across the room. Here's an example to show you just what I mean:
"It's not a date.
But if it were--which it isn't--it would be the best date of my life.
Of course, because it's not a date, the point is moot.
But, if it were.
Though it's not.
Even when, I must admit, it almost feels like one."

Do you...do you see what I mean? And this mental back and forth happened A LOT. I really hated her by the end of the novel.

Okay so now let's talk about the women in STEM aspect and how there was still actually a lot of misogyny and sexism in this book. If the goal of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain are to encourage more women to be in STEM, they're doing a terrible job, but this book especially. Bee isn't a particularly likable character (as I've already established), but she's also not someone I would want my daughter to look up to. She is presented with two tough situations, one at the beginning of the novel, and one at the end. Both times, she wants to pack her bags and give up, and it's not until a man saves her that she decides it's worth staying. Not to mention that she literally faints, like, a lot, and Levi is there to save her each time. Does that not scream Damsel in Distress? The sex scenes also just disgusted me. She takes directives and does exactly what Levi wants/tells her to do. I literally wanted to throw up, I'm not kidding, during the scene where she is forced to swallow his cum. He calls her a "good girl," tells her that she's "built to do this, built for me." I just, I don't know a stronger word for disgust. Loathe maybe? Abhor? Detest? All of those are what I felt.

Conclusion? Levi and Bee both need extensive therapy to resolve their childhood and adult trauma surrounding relationships. The whole book was a case study in attachment theory that wasn't adequately resolved. I would even venture to say that Levi and Bee are trauma bonded. (Case in point, Levi begging Bee to stay and saying that he didn't even need her to admit to herself that she loves him. Broke my heart, poor man needs help).

If I could give this book zero stars I would, but I'll give it one if just for the fact that I learned that Marie Curie's notes are radioactive and kept in a lead box in France and can't be opened until the 3500's. That was the most fascinating paragraph in the entire book.