First I wanted to thank Holiday House for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I need a break from work I like to browse NetGalley and this book was the result of this. When I came across the book, the cover captured me at first, I’m a sucker for drawn/cartoon covers, but then I read the synopsis and was excited that it was about romance and STEM, specifically ROBOTS.

I was so happy I requested this books because it turned out to be such a sweet read with a lot of #girlboss vibes that I LOVE to see in all books.

What I loved:
- Ladies in STEM, a lot of this book focuses on how girls/women are perceived in the STEM world.
- Bel & Teo, this is an adorable relationship which goes from acquaintances to friends to more and I really loved the progression cause it never seems rushed and felt natural for their age and situation
- ROBOTS, I wish I has something like the robotics team in the book at my high school. Building robots from scratch and then fighting with them just sounds so challenging and fun!
- Non-traditional post high-school, there are so many characters within this book who go the traditional college route after high school, but I LOVED that not everyone does and just showing there are different options is so refreshing
- Strong female characters, there are a lot of female characters in this book and they are strong in their own way. I really liked how each female was dealing with similar issues in different ways but they all ended up supporting each other through their struggles without sacrificing their own goals.

There are so many great/sweet aspects of this book that I can’t even try to list everything but I do think this is a great book for anyone who enjoys YA romance. The addition of robotics, strong female characters and dealing with real issues that females experience participating in the sciences there is a lot more than just a romance.

If you are a reader who likes romance, STEM, family drama and good friendships I would absolutely recommend this book. Also, if you have daughters, cousins, sisters, etc who are in high school interested in the sciences I would suggest you recommend this book to them as well.

Wow, did I love My Mechanical Romance or what?! I adore Bel and Teo and loved watching their journey together! This is a great book if you're in the mood for something light and fluffy but with a great message for young girls interested in STEM.

There are so many things going for this book: the chemistry between Bel and Teo is adorable, the diversity of the characters was great, and the character development and growth for Bel and Teo is well-portrayed. I really enjoyed that the struggles and hardships of women in STEM was discussed and challenged throughout the story. Seeing both Bel's and Teo's perspectives on this important topic was really cool to see!

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Holiday House for an advanced copy of the copy in exchange for my honest review.

I can’t emphasis how much I love this book! Since graduating from high school, I haven’t read much YA. Partly because it feels too juvenile now and partly because it reminds me of the last few stressful years. This book touched on parental expectations, the stress of making important life decisions at such a young age, the danger of academic excellency, and sexism in the STEM field. It was all handled and written so well that I loved it, even though I did find it stressful (because it reminded me of me).

The book follows Bel, a high school senior with separated parents and no guidance academically. She doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life or what she’s actually good at. When she procrastinated on a school project and haphazardly threw together an ingenious contraption, her science teacher moved her to a more advanced class and recommends she joins the robotics club.

This is when we meet Teo. He’s another high school senior, but he’s known what he wanted to be since he was a kid. He’s perfect in every way, especially academically, and is always there when needed. As the captain of the robotics team, he has to teach Bel the ropes. When they clash, their quasi-enemies-to-lovers story begins.

First, the representation was amazing. There was a wide range of diverse characters and cultures. There was even a Holi celebration! There was also the repeated message about girl friends and women in STEM. I thought this was handled so well, especially toward the end.

I loved the characters as well. Their interactions and relationships were all amazing. I could tell who they were talking to just by the writing. The character development was amazing and I appreciated how it wasn’t a perfect journey. Bel’s relationships with her parents and brothers aren’t perfect either and she has to make tough decisions and learn. I appreciated that because I can relate.

Now we can talk about the romance. IT WAS SO CUTE!!! I love Bel and Teo with my whole heart. I loved their journey and the epilogue was so cute. I love love love it.

I cannot recommend this book enough and I hope people join me in buying My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth. Out now.

MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE
i honestly don't think I've ever related to any character more than i have with bel. the way her problems were written was so REAL to me. I was grinning throughout the book and really adored bel and teo together as friends and man i love how the writer showed the normalised sexism in our everyday life that we most of the time don't even know we're facing. definitely need a teo in my life. All in all , it was extremely witty and well written and so so fun to read. I'd reread it again and again and again. ( probably in one sitting , just like this time)

When I picked up this book, I honestly knew I wanted something light and enjoyable to read. It was a busy week and I just felt I really wanted to read something fluffy and romantic. I was not disappointed.

I’ve been struggling a lot to figure out how I feel about this book. It’s a good book, with a nice story and adorable characters; but I still have the feeling that something didn’t quite click with me.
To be honest, I had a hard time getting hooked with the first and last parts of the book. The writing wasn’t getting to me, and the characters weren’t connecting either.

Still, I admit I really loved reading the middle of the book. This is mainly because I love the chase.
I love those moments of romantic tension between characters, I love the thrill of wanting them to get together. And of course I love a good enemies to lovers trope (even though, I had to admit… they didn’t seem to hate each other that much to start with,). That’s what I wanted to read at the moment, so I guess that also affected the way I took in the book.

Now, on the other hand, as a Mechanical Engineer myself, I really liked the way the book takes on the subject of women in STEM. I loved that when they talk about more technical stuff, they’re completely correct. I love that it is also very realistic in the way it covers these subjects, not only the classes and interaction among team members (and external people), but the whole thing with college applications and the idea that continuous effort is a biiiig part of everything.

I love the representation this book gives to girls, the motivation that we need to put out into the world right now. As a woman in STEM, I felt proud to see Bel accomplish all she does. I felt the frustration that comes of knowing that even though most people will see you as an engineer without doubt, there are still those who will refuse to because you’re a girl.

Overall, I like what this book represents, while being an adorable romance, it gives a strong message and motivation.

I want to thank Netgalley for giving me a copy of My Mechanical Romance to read and review--even though I was disappointed there wasn't a single Gerard Way reference in the book.

I absolutely loved this book! Its a true YA, with plenty of character development, romance, and a side helping of robots.
I love that this book doesn't shy away from the topic of women in STEM fields, and how unwelcoming those spaces often are. It took me back to being a teen girl who was into science and video games, and how I allowed myself to be marginalized and uncomfortable in those spaces. Bel's character development during her time in the bot club made the story more interesting than that of a standard YA romance. I often found myself relating to her character, in regards to how she felt in her relationship with her parents, as well as her aimless direction at the start of the novel.

I found Teo, Bel, and their friends to be believable characters, and their dynamic to be fun without being too over-the-top. (And it was refreshing that Bel was written as both smart and feminine.) I would recommend this book to anyone who likes slow burn romances and stories about first love. As a true YA novel there aren't any spicy scenes, so IMO its perfect for young adult readers ages 14+.

My Mechanical Romance was an absolutely lovely read! As a fellow woman in engineering, this book spoke to me and made me feel heard in ways I wish I'd been as a child. Follmuth so perfectly captured the young nerd voice and wrote a story that made me relate to elements of every single character.

My Mechanical Romance follows the story of two high school seniors, Bel and Teo, as they work together as part of their school's robotics team, while also (you guessed it!) falling in love! While the romance was cute and heartwarming, the key to this book lies in the growth we see in the characters. I absolutely adored being able to see both Bel and Teo's voices come through, providing more views of the difficulties that surround being a young female engineer. I appreciated how Follmuth was able to address so many issues that young girls face beyond the most obvious instances. I believe this book would have been my favorite read as a young girl Bel's age and would've inspired me so much!

This book is a perfect read for young people that want to change the world, young people that aren't quite sure what they want to do, and especially for the women in STEM that want a read that heals a bit of their inner child!

My Mechanical Romance es muy lindo, cómico, nerdy y está hermosamente escrito.
Bel Maier no sabe qué quiere hacer con su vida o, mismo, qué quiere estudiar en la universidad (yo a los 17). Hasta que un día, su profesor ve que la piba tiene talento PARA LA INGENIERIA. Asique la manda para robótica. Lo peor? todos los chicos la ignoran. Y la única piba, Neelam, es mala con ella.
Teo Luna es el capitán del equipo y tambien ve el talento de Bel, asi que la ayuda. Y de ahí crecen ciertos sentimientos (guiño guiño).
Alexene, la autora, escribe la manera en la que las chicas son tratadas en los ámbitos donde el hombre es el dominante, y me encantó. Tambien, me gustó como no es solo es robotica y amor, sino sobre encontrar lo que te gusta, en lo que sos buenx y aprender a amar eso.
La verdad que el personaje de Neelam era bastante predecible. Pero cuando llegó el momento "revelación", medio como que se justificó su comportamiento? aún así no tenia que tratarla para el culo.
El romance era bastante tierno. Me gustaron los protagonistas, juntos como separados. Ambos son inteligentes y la forma en la que Bel transforma a Teo en un Swiftie? chef kiss.
Los personajes secundarios estuvieron bien. No me quejo, Jamie y Lora estuvieron genial, pero mi avorito fue Dash. un capo.
Me re gustó este libro :)

Everything about this book was pure nerd perfection in the best possible way. Follmuth captures the beauty of adolescent love so well that there were often times I wished I was back in high school experiencing it all over again. But the romance does not overpower the other themes in the story. Follmuth also sheds necessary light on the hardships women in STEM face everyday and emphasizes how important it is they have their own space in the field that is often dominated by men. All in all, this was a fantastic YA book with a perfect blend of all the elements I live for in YA.

“Nerds are so hot these days”

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕

WHO RUN THE WORLD? That’s right, girl PWR
This STEM novella is really good! The romance isn’t too cheesy and it’s more about development in both MC.

I had it easy in life decisions just as Teo, I already knew what I wanted to study since high school. And from there I started working my path. But I also know that many others didn’t find it as easy. The hard choice of growing up and trying to level school, extracurricular activities, family and friends.

Both have many things in mind but that’s just GROWING and trying to keep going. 'Cause that’s what happens in life, everything continues and you have to catch up.

The hard world as a STEM female is also greatly described. And it’s the recognition of the theme that matters.

Love it, and absolutely recommended it for a cute YA one sit read.

Alexene Farol Follmuth (also known as Olivie Blake) has done it again! Though this is her debut under this name, I enjoyed her story “The Atlas Six” under her Olivie Blake pen name. This is a cute young adult contemporary romance that has a female main character in STEM. I highly recommend it if you enjoyed “The Atlas Six” or “The Love Hypothesis”.

Be still my beating heart, this book was just too cute!

Bel Maier doesn't want to think about college. How can any 17/18 year old really know what they want to be for the rest of their lives? Enter said 17/18 year old: Mateo (Teo) Luna. Teo has it all; rich parents, a 4.3 GPA, he's captain of the soccer and robotics team, and the all around golden boy of Sherman Oaks High School. Teo has always known what he wants: go to MIT and become an engineer. That has been his sole purpose, that is until a strange girl with a love for glitter and Shakespearean lexicons and a knack for engineering walks into his life.

My Mechanical Romance (as a die hard MCR fan I really appreciate this title) is a sweet YA romance/coming of age story that I think any teen getting ready to graduate High School could benefit from reading. A slow burn romance about the trials and tribulations of high school, familial expectations, and the struggles of being a woman in STEM. A truly wonderful read.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book! I was instantly intrigued just by the title of the book “My Mechanical Romance” because I knew there would be a little alternative music reference somewhere in this book! I really enjoyed this young adult romance / coming of age book. A story told in two perspectives of very different people, but who are both struggling with the pressure of what do with their futures and wanting to make sure they are doing enough, or what they think is expected of them. Robots, cute romance and witty banter, what more could you ask for?! I definitely recommend reading this book. It did start off a little show but as the book continued, I love seeing how both their stories unfolded!

this book was absolutely amazing. i’m not a stem major but even so, i connected so much with the characters. i really connected the most with bel. both characters struggled with a sense of identity in different ways but bel felt mostly lost in the sense of not understand what to do with her life. which is a completely valid and important topic to discuss especially for kids who feel this way. i felt this way when i was 18. i still feel this way at 21. while i know what i want to do and am striving towards that goal, it took me a while to get here. bel having that moment where she’s crying and says that it’s not fair that you have to know what you want at 18 really stuck with me the most. she was an amazing character and really portrayed being a teenager well. as for teobel together, i loved them so much. they pushed each other. they both wanted more for each other and it was refreshing reading a ya book that didn’t have unnecessary drama. their friendship and relationship flowed so smoothly and it was a really well written story. dash was also so cute and such a good friend. :)

I initially picked up My Mechanical Romance because I was intrigued by the idea of a STEM-centric enemies-to-lovers story and by the idea that so many bloggers I was following were reading it. (I've since learned that Alexene Farol Follmuth is the author behind The Atlas Six.) I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much because I judge books by their covers, and My Mechanical Romance looked like a debut novel by a small press (not that I have anything against small or indie pubs, but I've also read enough to be cautious.)

We'll start off with the positives: I loved Bel as a narrator. From the opening paragraph, her voice is distinct and draws you in right away. I love that she doesn't follow the cookie cutter mold of a girl in STEM. She's nerdy and girly, geeky and quirky. She solder and sews and sings T. Swift songs all while sailing through physics and silencing the haters. She's funny and awkward and way too relatable, and reading her chapters was so much fun.

Which brings me to the other side of the coin: Teo. I wish this book had been done in single POV because as much as I loved Bel, Teo was not it. His voice was nowhere near as strong as Bel's, and I just found him kind of boring. Average. Forgettable, even. Which is ironic because for someone who's supposed to be this all-star jock/nerd/genius combo, he's a very normal character. I never really got invested in his story and wasn't a huge fan of him as a character. I found his chapters much less interesting and actually thought they made Bel sound like a MPDG.

So it shouldn't be a surprise that I wasn't all that invested in the romance that I came here to read.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about the overall story and plot that needs work. The strength of My Mechanical Romance lies in the relationships. I'm starting to realize more and more that I'm a character-driven kind of girl. Give me solid characters, and I'll enjoy your book. And I really enjoyed the relational aspect of My Mechanical Romance. When she's not busy building robots, Bel grapples with the fallout from her parents' divorce and struggles to adjust to a new school away from all her old friends. And I loved it.

I love Jamie and Bel's friendship.
I love Bel's relationship with her big brother, Luke.
I love her friendship with the affable and hilarious, Dash.
I even love her reluctant and eventual frienemy-ship with Neesha.

Basically I love every relationship Bel had except for her relationship with Teo. (I also could've done without the love isosceles, but since it was minor, I'll let it go.)

I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy the romance, but it was just too cheesy and undeveloped for me, personally.

Anyway, My Mechanical Romance was a cute and fun read that made the science nerd in me squeal with excitement.

I flat out did not enjoy this book. My positive was that I liked the female in STEM, but other than that I was bored and felt so disconnected from the characters. I know it’s young adult but it reads really immature. Super predictable and silly. Not for me!

tldr; “My Mechanical Romance” is a cute YA novel by Alexene Farol Follmuth, which also explores real challenges faced by high school students in a high pressure environment.

Bel transfers to a new high school, where everyone seems to have a plan for the future. After she shows a talent for mechanical engineering, she is forced into the robotics team, a group of high-achieving, award-winning students. As Bel struggles to fit in, she also discovers a newfound passion for building. Teo, president of the robotics team and captain of the soccer team, lives in a pressure cooker. Meeting Bel allows him to open up to new perspectives.

“My Mechanical Romance” was absolutely incredible! Follmuth explores real challenges of high school students including parental pressure and the lack of female representation in STEM. The members of the robotics team regularly minimize Bel’s accomplishments, calling her a token diversity candidate, and the AP Physics teacher favors the boys in his class, indirectly helping them become more successful. The main reason that Bel even pursues robotics is her teacher Ms. Voss, who encourages her every step of the way and demonstrates the impact a mentor can have on minority students. Teo, who has a very successful father, faces a lot of pressure to be the best in his class. I appreciated that the story explored how different students react differently to a high stress environment in school. Bel avoids stress, and Teo stretches himself too thin.

Follmuth does a great job of writing diverse characters and including pieces of different cultures organically in the novel. Bel is half Filipino, Teo is half Mexican, and other members of the robotics club, including Kai and Neelam are people of color. The characters eat kimchi, samosas and lumpia, but also discuss how Holi celebrations and yoga verge on cultural appropriation.

I highly recommend this novel, even if you think you’ve outgrown YA. I actually think I appreciate the message more now that I am older than the target audience. High school seemed like the most stressful time of my life, but at the end of the day, everything ended up ok.

this was a really cute read! i loved both teo's and bel's individual characters. i did love teo's and bel's dynamic throughout the book and how their feelings developed for each other was very well written and nothing felt too rushed. that being said, i do think the last 20% wrapped up too fast for me and while the pacing of the rest of the book was great, the conclusion and epilogue didn't leave me feeling satisfied. a lot of the issues that bel and teo had in their relationship and individually ended up getting resolved too quickly considering how much buildup there was surrounding these problems. overall this was a cute ya romance and i would recommend it to people looking for a fun, easy-to-read book!

Loved LOVED the female STEM representation that we don’t see very often. This book started a little slow, but picked up and was well worth the read.

SO SO CUTE.
This has encouraged me to pick up the Atlas Six.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for providing me with an E-Arc in exchange for a honest review!