I thought this book was fantastic.

Romance was excellent, the stem focus was really well done. Just a great book all round.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth is a charming YA novel that explores themes of self-discovery and sexism in STEM. The story follows Bel, an unmotivated student who unexpectedly joins a robotics club, leading to a rivalry-turned-romance with the ambitious Mateo. The characters' development is engaging, though some readers may find the romance's rapid progression lacking depth. The narrative balances humor and serious topics, making it relatable for teens unsure about their futures. Overall, it's an entertaining read with a strong message about women's roles in engineering.

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth is a refreshing young adult romance that celebrates women in STEM. Bel, a high school student, accidentally reveals her talent for engineering and joins the robotics club.

Bel’s journey of self-discovery and her struggles in the male-dominated world of robotics are portrayed with authenticity. Mateo Luna, the captain of the robotics club, is a compelling love interest. Their relationship is filled with witty banter and sweet moments.

Follmuth’s writing is witty and engaging. The dialogue is natural, and the chemistry between Bel and Mateo is palpable. The exploration of the challenges girls of color face in STEM adds an important layer to the story.

Overall, My Mechanical Romance is a delightful and empowering read that offers a perfect blend of romance and STEM. It’s a story about finding your passion, breaking barriers, and falling in love. Highly recommended for fans of young adult romance.

2.5 ⭐️

thank you netgalley and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

wellll i didn’t hate it. i didn’t particularly like it either. i can’t quite put my finger on it, but i just felt like this book lacked a lot of depth and i couldn’t connect with the characters most of the time. there were some parts where it seemed like it was starting to get better though but unfortunately that didn’t last. to me, this book read like a rough first draft. not sure if the published book is like that as well, though. the writing was just so basic it’s no wonder the author choose to publish this under her actual name instead of her pen name. in her defense, i didn’t like the atlas six either because it was too complicated, so maybe this author just isn’t for me.

I found this book to be a good read but nothing extraordinary. The plot moves along nicely, and there are moments of intrigue, but the characters didn’t have enough depth to really pull me in. The writing itself is strong, but the story can feel a bit repetitive at times. It’s not a bad book, but it doesn’t do much to stand out in its genre.

It was very entertaining and I loved the characters, I loved the topic of girls in stem and how difficult it can be on their self esteem because they are constantly judged on everything they do. I highly recommend this book! 5 stars!

What a cute YA rom-com with references to some things I love (like My Chemical Romance), but also smart and outspoken about how women and girls are treated in STEM fields. I really appreciated that Bel was so smart, but so so scared of the future. She didn’t know what she had a talent for, but knew the things she enjoyed. I loved that she had a female teacher who saw her potential and gently, yet firmly pushed her in the right direction.

I loved so much about this book, and even though I’m not in STEM, I do work with students, and this book, unintentionally, reminded me about why I do the work I do and that the conversations I have with students and the confidence I have in them can truly make a difference in what comes next for them.

I’ve had this on my shelf for close to three years. I don’t know why I kept putting off reading it, but I’m so glad I finally did. I really loved this one, and I also loved that the ending gave a sneak peek into the future, and let us readers know there was basically a HEA, which I really appreciated.

This is an adorable contemporary romance, that covers important topics, whilst being funny.
But I think this book is a little overhyped.
So I did like certain aspects of the book.
Like how teenage girls/women are portrayed in STEM, the character growth of Bel and Teo, friendships and romance.
The STEM concept sounded interesting but I think wasn’t dived deeper enough in the book.
I had lots of issues with the dialogue, characters, writing, and the number of clichés.
Overall I liked the dual pov, and the representation of characters, but I was just expecting a lot more.
3.5

I absolutely adored this book and it’s definitely now one of my favourite ever. It’s definitely a book I’ll be thinking about for a while. I was engaged from the start and everything about it is absolutely captivating 😩Teo and Bel are freaking perfect for each other but I also love how great of a message it sends about women in STEM. This book is such an inspiration to any young woman and I just know y’all will absolutely LOVE it😩😩😩

I love a book that represents women in STEM!! We need more of this in the world.

I enjoyed this. It was an average read as I enjoyed it but there wasn’t too many memorable features that will stand out to me in a few months time. I was anticipating some academic rivalry.

This was such a wholesome read!

Bel has a brilliant mind, and robotics was the perfect fit for her love of creating complex structures - and what are robots, if not exactly that.

Mateo is the captain of the robotics team. Even though they butt heads at the start, he trusts her work, and they grow closer together.

I like that the discrimination against women in STEM was addressed and recognised by the hero. We need more girls in the field and less assholes.

It was cute, quick, and a delight to read.

This is a cute nerd romance for teens. Mateo and Bel find themselves both on the robotics team after her mom forces her to switch schools after her parents' marriage implodes (been there - seen it). They both have to shake off their assumptions about one another to work together as a team to win the highly competitive robotics events.

This was a sweet story about some high school students who learn to appreciate each other's differences as well as learn to respect others despite learned generalizations.

This was such a good story, Bel and Teo were the perfect MCs for the plot, and their somewhat enemies-to-lovers romance was great. I liked how much STEM was in the book, and Bel forced back against the gender stereotypes to prove that she was more than worthy to be in the school and on the team, and no one should underestimate her.

As.a math/science nerd, this YA book spoke to my heart. It was a little formulaic, but Bel and Mateo had real chemistry and I enjoyed following their journey together. It was a really cute endeavor!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

After joining a new school, Bel is encouraged to join the robotics club. Not really something she's interested in, as she's more of a coder, she finds out that there's only one other girl on the team, and it's very much a testosterone filled nightmare. But the captain of the team, Mateo Luna - who also happens to be captain of the football team too - sees something in Bel, and though they clash heads regularly, he needs her for the team to win. Working together after school, they soon realise that it's not just a working relationship they have, but the potential for romance too.

I don't know what I was expecting with this book, but it was such a good story. Bel and Teo were the perfect MCs for the plot, and their somewhat enemies-to-lovers romance was great. I liked how much STEM was in the book, and Bel forced back against the gender stereotypes to prove that she was more than worthy to be in the school and on the team, and no one should underestimate her.

Cutest nerds around😭😭

“What he and I have together is the best thing we’ve ever built.”

🐦‍⬛❤️🐦‍⬛

I loved this book. Idk why it took me so long to read it it. But it was so good! I need the physical copy. It literally had me in from sentence one.

Super cute and just what I needed to get out my reading slump!!! The characters were adorable, quirky, and I enjoyed their love story. I alos love the art for the cover, and the title is what really got me hooked into reading this novel!

Given the diverse characters, the sweet romance, and the high pressuring backdrop, I'd say this book has it all. Despite its flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany Bel, Teo, and their physical and emotional journey.

I don’t normally read romance books but I requested this one because it was short and YA I don’t always want to read adult Smut. This book was so cute and I loved the STEM aspect of the book. This is a duo pov between Teo and Bel. The connection between Teo and Bel was adorable and I loved how they grew to better understand one another. All the characters even the side characters had so much personality. Neelam the only other girl on the STEM team goes from not liking Bel and having her mean ways to an understanding character. I love when an author gives all characters a personality and not just keep them in the background.