“Like most people, there are things I love in life- Cheese, being right, the beautiful rarity of a well-timed clapback-“ Was the line that got me hooked.
Just from having an emo phase, the title had me hooked.
I loved this book so much. From the relatable mc trying to figure out where to go in life to Bel joining the robotics team, something I did in middle school, I flew through this book and loved it so much. And don’t even get me started on the love interest!!! The way the author also accurately portrayed what it looks like for a girl in the STEM work environment and the challenges many women IRL have to overcome was also a cherry ontop of this beautifully done story.
I loved this book so much and i’m so glad I had the chance to read it!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Holiday House publishing for the ARC of this!

Loved the women in STEM focus, and the book was just right in terms of length and pacing for me. I really enjoyed seeing the main character’s find themselves and their budding romance. I recommend this if you want a cute enemies-to-lovers STEM focused YA with a diverse cast of characters, especially fans of When Dimple Met Rishi.

I have never read anything by Alexene Farol Follmuth but I will definitely be on the lookout to read more after this book. This book was the nerdy and funny pick me up that I needed to get out of a short reading slump.

This book follows Bel Maier who feels lost in trying to decide what she wants to do with her life or even what she wants to do in college. That is she was struggling until her teacher notices Bel has a natural talent for engineering and puts Bel on the robotics team. I was never great at any subject like this in college but anyone who was anyone wanted to be on the robotics team. I got to experience what could have been through this book. However, when she shows up to the robotics team, all the guys on the team ignore her and the only other girl on the team doesn't seem too keen on Bel being there. Everyone ignores her except for one person: Teo Luna, robotics team captain.

Watching what unfolds between the two is exciting and angsty in the most nerdy way. In this book, much like the Love Hypothesis, I didn't understand a single bit of the science the book was explaining, but the book kept me uberly interested all the way through. The book had all the nerdy elements of rom with some really fun pop culture elements *especially for all you swifties out there*.

I love books that are premised on the fact that women can be dominating in a traditionally male dominated world. Love the academia representation in this and how it highlights all of thrill and struggles academia can bring.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book! I had a blast reading it and I want to send a special thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this cute book ahead of time. When this comes out, go read it. You won't be disappointed.

My Mechanical Romance is a YA romance revolving around Bel and Teo . I had heard great things about the author and her writing and it didn't disappoint . I loved the book. The character development is one of the important things that made me love the book , especially of Neelam . I have read a lot of books with women in stem . This is arguably one of the best . the world need more of them .I would recommend it if you are looking for cute , fun and quick enemies to lovers YA read .

4.5/5 stars, this was just as cute as I hoped

I did not know until I read another review that this is the same author that wrote 'The Atlas Six' which I have been dying to read for a long time, but that's so exciting considering how much I adored this cute book. I was reading it during a really busy time in my life, and the content within the book actually represented that. The main characters are seniors who get ready to go to college and talk about having AP and harder classes often. That's what I was doing as well, so it was both rewarding and reassuring that these characters were doing the same things I was doing.

I'm a nerd, something that I openly admit, and seeing all of the main characters have the same love for learning that I did especially in the STEM fields felt so amazing. I love nerds, I just love them. There is something else about a person so committed to learning and growing in all aspects of life, especially academically that I admire, probably why I aspire to be like them and surround myself with similar people. While I do not want to go into such a science-specific field as most of the characters, I love seeing women in STEM be represented in all books as I will be going for the same. I want to do Psychology, and while that was not represented, I have taken lots of other STEM classes that are both hard and so rewarding. I was really able to connect with the main characters that way.

As well, the author really portrayed the way girls are treated in a primary men-dominated world, workspace, and school was so tremendously well done. There were lots of little details that showed how women are treated as well as little instances where the reader was meant to ask themselves if that was indeed sexism (hint: most of the time it was). Creating a book where this is well represented while having room for the reader to recognize subtle sexism made it such a powerful message.

I was also able to really connect with the main character, Bel because her parents were basically divorced before the novel started, and she had to deal with the implications throughout the entire book. While it was sad to see a character struggle with what I've been experiencing my whole life, it was also validating. It reminded me that I am not the only person with divorced parents and that every negative and positive experience that comes with it, and any emotions I may feel about any of it is valid. Children shouldn't have to deal with this outcome from their parents, but it happens.

The science in this book was written in a way that is probably going to be easy for many people, from all types of backgrounds, to understand. I'm not really into robotics or physics, but I still enjoy a bit of science (mainly biology). Despite my overall lack of background knowledge on the subject, I never felt lost when the characters were referencing topics, as the author explained them in a simple way. It was still obvious that it was a complicated subject full of math and science, but I felt that it was easy enough to understand that the general reader should be able to enjoy it without an issue.

Bel in many aspects was a very relatable character for me, especially as we shared the trait of being a person of color and a woman. There were so many instances when she was competing in robotics where people on the opposite teams said she was just "diversity points" or "token diversity girl." which was disgusting but seriously how people consider women in the STEM field, especially women of color. Bel never let it deter her though, she had moments where she was unsure, but she still did what she loved and found her place in the team. I adored her perseverance and really related to her in lots of ways. I think how she handled her family situation was also very mature of her, and I am so proud of her for finding herself over the course of the book.

Teo Luna was also an amazing character, in the beginning I was a bit hesitant on his story and personality, but he won me over by the end. I really enjoyed how involved he was in his school and extracurriculars, but sometimes struggled with what he wanted to do. He was really committed to his friends, robotics, and felt the need to be the leader. I am really glad that as the novel progressed he learned to be leniant with himself and not be so focused on leading and organizing everything. It was not his sole responsibility, and him learning that was so cute. I really liked how he also learned to recognize the signs of subtle sexism present in his own school, robotics team, and the competitions in general. He grew from the boy who just didn't notice it, to be the boy that actively tried to correct himself and help Bel and Neelam. I really enjoyed the little glimpse of him in the epilogue as well.

The side characters really added to the lively feel of the book as well, they were all so much fun and some really great friends to the main characters. My favorite was probably Neelam or Dash, they were pretty much opposites but were both very interesting. In the beginning, I was really hesitant about Neelam and the direction her story was going to go, but I ended up really enjoying her. She knows that she doesn't owe anyone anything besides herself, and I get why she acted like a sour person. Dash was just really funny and I enjoyed his character.

Sometimes romance in these types of books makes me feel like it's unrealistic, but I think this was written in a very mature way, something I always enjoy. The enemies-to-lovers romance found between Bel and Teo was actually very cute, and I loved the progression of their relationship. It never felt forced and overall was very well done, especially at the end of the novel. The decision that they made concerning their relationship was very mature of them and I loved seeing it play out in the epilogue as well. I was proud of them for making the decision they did. As well, both characters had their own lives outside of the relationship, and I really enjoyed how the relationship was not just all about each other. Oftentimes that's how it is, but I don't think it's necessary healthy for teenagers who are dating to only have each other in their lives and no one else, and no outside hobbies. So seeing that they were able to have this healthy balance was so important for me as well.

As I was a senior while reading this, it felt rewarding watching the characters leave high school and prep for their college years, for example like I said before with AP tests and finals. They began to realize themselves in a positive way and supported one another, which was absolutely fantastic to see. One of my favorite "lessons" of the book was when Bel didn't get into the school she wanted, and instead chose a community school, and no one hated on her for it. Even the people that placed expectations on her to go somewhere big and prestigious didn't shame her for it. I enjoyed how the book talked about how getting into the best school is NOT ALL that matters, and you can be really smart while choosing something else, because it is YOUR education no one else's. I did the same, I didn't choose the most "prestigious" school, but still chose a school in the same system as the "prestigious" school just smaller, as this would be better for me in the long run in terms of money and my own wellbeing.

Overall, this was such a lovely book with lots of important topics, mostly concerning college and leaving high school, which should be represented more. I enjoyed how it handled all of these, and the characters all felt very mature and realistic. I really adored this book and only took off a half-star as at first it was hard to connect to, but I was also in a busy time in my life and it was probably not the book's fault. After this, I cannot wait to read The Atlas Six by the same author.

[TW: sexism, divorce, infidelity (mentioned), anxiety depiction, racist comments]

Ok so first of all, thankyou to NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc of this book !!

On to the book,

Academic rivals to lovers?
Teen ya romance?
Characters in STEM?
DESI REP?

i.am.here.for.it.


THE PLOT

ok so the setting was awesome. going with the characters, watching them tense over their school work and college applications? just so fun and relatable. it was really nice to read some STEM plot and you know all the school experience.

THE CHARACTERS

Teo - he was just the typical ‘im the best and I'm gonna get into the best college and for that I'm gonna do a lot of extra curriculars and burn myself out’. He gave me a lot of vibes similar to Ben from Never have i ever. Rich kid. Busy parents. Big future.

Bel- uh??? ‘eccentric’ (pls never describe her like that ever again). ALSO AMAZING WOMAN IN STEM. she was the embodiment of ‘I CAN BE A WOMAN IN STEM AND STILL PUT A PERFECT EYELINER AND DRESS GIRLY’. Also lmao mood how she was so confused about her college apps.

Neelam- honestly i just get her story so much. She was adorable btw.

Dash- ohnygod he was hilarious and just so cute and wholesome bestie

Jamie and Lora- nothing much to say except that they were the most spectacular supportive besties to Bel.

Kai- dude ohmygod chill okay don't fret


BEL AND TEO'S RELATIONSHIP SEEMED QUITE REALISTIC TO ME LIKE ALL THAT DISTRACTION DRAMA THAT HAPPENED THAT WAS JUST YEAH. RELATABLE.

Also them playing HOLI aaaaaaa my desi heart !!!

THAT ONE PART when they're eating samosas 😭😭😭

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this, and I found myself relating to Bel a lot. The robot fights were really interesting to read because I did robotics in middle school and reading this has tempted me to get back into it! Also, I really liked how it highlighted the struggles of girls in STEM fields. It's disappointing that it's still a problem, especially as someone who has experienced things like that in the past. I was glad to see that it was tackled very well in this book. The character development was great, especially for Neelam. I like that she became more than just "the mean girl" and you begin to understand why she acts the way she does. Overall, it was a fun, relatable, and well-written read, and the ending was perfect and such a surprise to me!

Another romance involving STEM which is great to see. It also has diverse characters and strong female characters. So if you are into robotics and romance, this one is for you.

What a refreshing read. I haven't read any good YA recently, and this did the job perfectly. Even though I do like a good and-then-everyting-went-perfectly story, this was also (surprisingly) really good. the obstacles made it Much more realistic which I (again, surprisingly) liked.

Teo and Bel are perfect actually. Like genuinely, actually perfect. Bel is such, SUCH a fun character to read and Teo really is perfect, I loved them together and I loved the epilogue.

I'm sure this book will be a huge hit when it's released, and I'm really excited to see what the author is going to do next.

This book was adorable!

Okay now that I’ve gotten that out of my system. I loved a lot of things about this book. It follows Bel, who’s struggling to think about her future and find her footing in a new school. She eventually makes it onto the robotics team after encouragement from a teacher, where she meets Teo, the leader of the robotics club and overall “it” guy. I was extremely surprised how quickly I got pulled into the plot and how much I adored Bel as a main character. She’s so unique and I loved reading from her perspective. She is full of passion, spontaneity and quirkiness that I loved, and there were moments that I could see myself in her with about half the intelligence.

Teo was a character I had to learn to love. I didn’t understand his perspective for awhile until more about him was uncovered, but you do learn to love and understand him. He’s the captain of all the teams, the leader everyone relies on and that comes with a lot of pressure that he thinks he can handle. There’s a lot of pressure put on him to be perfect from his super rich and successful parents, pressure from his teachers and his classmates and there’s only so much a person can take of that.

I loved the fact this book centered around STEM and robotics. While I know next to nothing about battle bots, one of my good friends actually has a bot he fights with, and this made me so happy that I could find a book like that. I’m shocked to find out this is the same author who wrote The Atlas Six, which I definitely did not like, so I’m so surprised to like this one so much. I did not understand a lot of the robots and STEM talk, it felt very genuine and something the author knows a bit about.

There’s such good discussion about women in STEM, the discrimination they face from men and are seen as less than. While I have never experienced anything like that myself (because I am a dum dum when it comes to anything science related), it’s something we know happens so often and it’s so frustrating. I loved the ending and how it really called out that discrimination. The author’s notes at the end were also an interesting read, so when you pick this one up, read all the way to the end! I always read the author notes, they’re usually interesting.

The romance was also very cute! It’s a little slow burn, a little enemies to lovers. It does get a little dramatic toward the third-act conflict, but it all works out in the end.

I thought the writing style was not necessarily for me, but I was able to move past that because I adored the characters so much. I think there was an overuse of the word like, and I dislike how Bel often expresses herself in certain instances. There are also moments regarding Teo’s mom that made me feel a little weird, mostly with her calling her son a hot nerd, but I digress.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

The title of this book got my attention at first. The book was a very sweet and wholesome quick read. As a female that actually went to an engineering school, I found the characters very relatable and the situations and interactions really brought me back to my own experiences.

Some of the elements of the book I really loved:
The female forward mindset and the focus on a place for female in STEM
The diversity of the characters, which really was an accurate representation. It also felt like the author took time to celebrate how special the different cultures are.


I did feel like the book dragged at some points. I also felt that when conflicts came up like Bel's struggles with figuring out her future, the intensity of the situations did not translate into the writing.

All in all this was a fun little book especially for those that are nerdy at heart!

4.25 ⭐️
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publishers for the eARC!

academic rivals to lovers? women in stem? in the same book? it's a yes from me. ALSO, THE COVER IS PRETTY IM OBSESSED

the book was really good, the writing and character were amazing and I fell in love with it right away. the plot was very interesting, I didn’t expect to really enjoy reading about robot fights lol

bel and teo were so adorable, they were the perfect couple and I loved how they were always there for one another and always tried to be helpful.

This is probably my favorite YA that I have read so far this year. This book follows Bel who has transferred to a very academically driven and prestigious school for her senior year. Reluctantly, she joins AP Physics and the robotics club where she meets Mateo ‘Teo’ Luna who is the captain of his robotics and soccer teams who helps her uncover her love for engineering and possibly for him too.

I was drawn to this book by a few things. One, I love the cover and after reading it I think it perfectly captures the book. I also saw that it was STEM centered enemies to lovers romance and I was sold. While this was a more romantic YA, I loved that it also focused on Bel finding her way and her love for engineering. I loved that Bel was a smart and confident girl who dressed how she wanted to dress even if others might have looked down on her for it. I loved how this book addressed academic pressure, discrimination, and family relationships. I really enjoyed Teo’s journey of coming to terms with the fact that he was treated differently partially because he was male.

It's so refreshing to be getting more YA books with these great themes and that young women are getting stories where the girl stays true to herself but also gets the love story. I will definitely be suggesting this title for my local library! This was a very strong 4.75 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a freaking cute story. I would have loved this in high school, with my little robotics-team-engineering-studying self!

Bel and Teo are seniors in high school who are like night and day: Teo knows what he wants to do and has a plan for it. Bel is dealing with family drama and hasn't put a lot of thought into her future-until a teacher pushes her into joining the Robotics Team at school, which Teo ring-leads. They butt heads, but as time goes on, chemistry develops. There's some slow burn, some misogyny (that is addressed often), girls killing it in STEM, and robotics competitions galore! It's a true nerdy love story.

Recommended for you if you are looking for a diverse YA romance-in cultures, upbringings, and women in fields that are stereotypically male, if you want a book that you can read in a day, or if you can relate to being a senior in high school and having no idea what you want to do (yes, I'm looking in the mirror for that one.)

Thanks to Netgalley and Holiday House for the e-ARC.

To be fair, I went into the book based on one thing--the author. And she does not disappoint. The book talks about a girl, Bel, who goes to a high-school full of over-achievers that seem to only think about their big and successful future. Bel, on the other hand, refuses to spend a second of thought regarding her future, however, that changes once she reluctantly makes it into the school's robotics team. Teo, the captain of his robotics and football (as a European, I will NEVER call it the s-word) team, helps Bel uncover her love for engineering and maybe, possibly for him too.
The whole story is similar to other young-adult romances, but that is why we love them. Nevertheless, it did have a particular theme that I wish I had in my young-adult books when I was a teenager: a confident and smart girl, who dresses in girly clothes and is not afraid of being who she is. Despite this being a more romantic YA book, the romance was kind of a secondary plot and we got to see Bel stay true to herself and find her love for engineering.
I am so glad that books with such themes are now getting written and that the younger generations are getting stories of girls who fall in love and stay true to themselves, no matter what.

When I saw the title I knew I had to read this book. I am not a STEM person and I know nothing about engineering and robotics but the story sucked me in and I read it in one day. I love the diverse characters and points of view.. Bel and Teo are adorable, their arc was so sweet and fun to read. I loved watching Bel come into her own as a woman in STEM, a teammate and daughter.

I'd give it 4.25 stars and recommend everyone read it.

Robot wars and romance what more can I ask for!

As a women in stem I really wanted to read this. It felt real as I have experienced many of the issues described in the book, including being called a diversity hire.
The characters felt authentic and the duel perspective allowed you to learn more about all the characters!

I have and will recommend this book to anyone that will listen! I read it in 24 hours and couldn't put it down!

Oh wow when I found out this book was going to be an enemies-to-lovers proper nerdy and stubbornness teenagers I was all for it because we've all been there.
As I know that this book isn't going to be out until next month I don't want to give too much away so I'm going to try and keep any spoilers out of this review.
I love the bel character so much just for the fact that we've all been 19 and not knowing at times when we want to be in life and this is what bel is trying to do and then one day when she's in class in college her teacher assembles across the fact that she can actually do engineering , and so there it all begins she goes off to this class where she meet Teo the captain of robotics( hello that's sexy nerd) !!
And where are you can guess a Love Story starts to progress you stubborn and very competitive there's nothing wrong with that.

I loved the fact or so that the story wasn't completely based around love and robotics it was also based around the fat of how someone is trying to find ourselves I don't think it matters what age you are when you're a teenager or a lot older I think that were always trying to do that I'm always changing and finding new things that we love and also showing how hard it can be to be a girl in that kind of industry that you really have to prove yourself to others but not just to others but also to yourself. And knowing what you want out of life if and knowing your own worth.

The book in general I absolutely loved there's so much we're so much humour I, was laughing quite a lot to be honest but also rooting for the main character all the time I'm it was so well written so if you're looking for a book which is just very easy going then this is for you .

Fantastic young adult book I've given this book 4 stars 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a sucker for rom-coms, so naturally, I loved this book! It’s an easy, wholesome, and lighthearted read. I loved the main characters, Bel and Teo, and that we got a glimpse of both their prospectives. I appreciate that the supporting characters all had a purpose and they each played a specific role in the book that continued until the end. They were all really supportive (for the most part) and helped to uncover each other’s greatest potential even when some didn’t see potential in themselves.

Shout out to Dash for being the most underrated relatable foodie with a dgaf attitude.

The nerdy, bot-building aspect was a plus. I used to watch Bot Wars (LOL) as a bonding moment with my husband and in-laws, so this just brings back all of the best feelings for me.

Overall, a really cute read! Would recommend.

"...but apparently nerds are hot now."
Just one of my favourite quotes from this book. Firstly, if you are looking for something that goes against social norms like your typical high-school heartthrob or gender stereotypes then this is perfect. I love how it addressed academic pressure, discrimination and family relationships. who would have thought that a story centered around academics could be so fun and motivating! i enjoyed the romance aspect and how it did not dominate in the story. no spoilers but their relationship was so pure and so felt genuine. this is definitely a book that you will miss once done because i just didn't want it to end, i thoroughly enjoyed it.