Love how this is giving me high school romance with the intelligence vibes!!! The characters both have things going on but they come together in a safe space to relieve their thoughts. It definitely hooked me when the author mentions real life situations!! Overall review is on my instagram: in.an.alternate.world

My Mechanical Romance is Alexene's first YA novel, and man, I cannot wait to read more from her. Being 25, I thought I had outgrown YA. I heard about this novel having an awesome collection of Taylor Swift references as well as being incredibly diverse, so I wanted to give YA one last chance -- and I'm so glad I did. My Mechanical Romance was just as much as Bel's story as it was Teo's story. It was very easy to transition between the two voices. The characters were relatable, funny, and powerful. I also didn't know much about STEM or robotics going into this. story, and the author made it really easy to follow what was going on.

There was an equal balance of friendship and romance within the story, which I loved. The side characters were so much fun to read about, and everyone had their own purpose and happy ending. When the book comes out officially on May 31, I can't wait for more people to read it just so I can share some of my favorite parts and lines from the story.

The story was cute and interesting, but everything felt rushed. The relationship between Bel and Teo was rushed and their yearning is not enough. Overall, it is an enjoyable rom-com.

My Mechanical Romance, written by my favourite Alexene Farol Follmuth aka Olivie Blake, is the most heartwarming book I’ve read in a while. This book is really precious to me because I could relate to these characters on SO many levels.  

I am absolutely in love with Alexene’s writing. This book might seem like a simple, fun romance but there’s so much more to it! I assure you that it’s not your typical academic rivals to lovers story.  I loved how the author tackled more important topics like the struggles of girls in STEM, imposter syndrome and heavy family dynamics amongst others, while still giving us a lighthearted, funny and romantic story. 

This book ticks so many boxes when it comes to trope: STEM academia, academic rivals to lovers, dual POV and many more! I also feel like this book outshone in the diversity department. I love that we got to read about so many diverse characters, from so many different backgrounds. I loved reading about Bel’s Filipino background and I absolutely enjoyed reading about the Holi festival. Oh and, did I mention that samosas are part of the story too?! 🤤

Bel and Teo have my heart. I was living for every cute interaction between them. The banter between them was amazing and their character development was simply exceptional. The more I read about them, the more I fell in love with them. I really loved all the other characters as well. Bel’s and Teo’s friends were so supportive and I even started liking Neelam in the end. I could connect with her somehow and once this happens in any book, I know that it’s going to be a book that I will constantly be recommending.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It deserves all the stars! If you’re someone who loves the Never Have I Ever show, then you’ll devour this book because it gave me major Never Have I Ever vibes! I totally recommend this book and I can’t wait for the world to meet Bel and Teo and all those marvelous characters once this book is out at the end of this month!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.

A very cute and fast read! Loved the chemistry between Bel and Teo. I'm a sucker for high school romance from time to time and this one did its job. My problem with the book is that I was hyped for academic rivals to lovers and this is definitely not one of the tropes even though it's advertised like this. Sure, they argued maybe 3 times maximum before they became friends but I would hardly call it a rivalry.
I wish there were more romantic scenes tho. Bel and Teo had great chemistry and their potential was kinda wasted. I feel like the author focused more on the problem of not treating women in STEM seriously rather than on romance which is understandable but still I was expecting more. It was supposed to describe first love so I was expecting something more intense.
The book wasn't perfect but really enjoyable so at the end of the day, I had a lot of fun reading it.

This book was the definition of adorable , but also badass in a girls I’m STEM are powerful sort of way. And I can confirm that, had I gone to school with a Teo, I too, would have crushed on him hard. That being said, this book had tons of heart and Bel is now on my must protect (though she can take care of herself just fine) list.

I received a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you!)

I gotta be honest, I didn't love this book.

I mean, the characters are okay and the plot is something I've surprisingly never read about, but it just didn't click with me.
That's kinda surprising if you know me because I'm literally an engineering major, but idk, maybe I'm just not that interested in robotics. The plot dragged a lot in the start and when it picked up I had already lost interest.

So yeah, this book wasn't for me, but if you like YA and highschool stories you may like this one.

This book was incredible - I'm generally not a huge contemporary romance fiction fan but I enjoyed 'My Mechanical Romance' so much that I read it in one day! The story follows Bel, a Filipino senior who struggles to find her space in a new high school that is much more academically rigorous than her old one. It simultaneously follows Teo, a Jewish-Hispanic senior who's starting to tire of the high expectations of his peers, teachers, parents, and himself to always be the best at everything. When the two meet in Robotics Club there's a clear connection, but they struggle to overcome preconceived notions and see each other's truest selves.

I could not stop smiling throughout this book! I loved the way Bel and Teo's relationship progressed and there were so many cute moments that still felt very realistic and true to the character's ages/upbringings. Their characters are developed independently and the romance is not the driving factor for their personal growth. I was especially relieved/ecstatic about Bel's portrayal -- she has a self-described "weird" personal style and her jokes and reactions often come off odd to others. However, she never falls into the toxic "not like other girls" category, nor do other characters idolize or dislike her because of that. Instead, tensions arise from various interpersonal conflicts that she must learn to navigate. She has a great support system of family and friends, including a female teacher who mentors and encourages Bel in her academic progress. Bel is a superbly written female protagonist and I hope to see more characters like her in YA, especially girls in STEM! I didn't really have that representation in the books I read growing up, and it just makes me so happy that young girls today have stories like this where their intelligence, courage, resilience, and confidence is celebrated.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how natural and genuine the incorporation of real sociocultural problems (sexism in the STEM field, casual misogyny, socioeconomic privilege, etc.) was addressed and discussed. I've read many YA contemporary romances where such topics are shoe-horned in and come off as the author trying to show the "wokeness" of a character even though there is no narrative setup/drive. 'My Mechanical Romance' does a great job not falling into that category, and the characters reflect on their actions, realize their misgivings/mistakes, and work to right their behaviors. The characters actively shape their own growth, something that I especially appreciated seeing in Teo's perspective when he realizes he and his male peers aren't as inclusive and immune to casual misogyny as they think.

ARC provided by Netgalley.
Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Let me begin this review by saying: this book was absolutely adorable. The writing, characters, relationships, and banter all had me laughing in the middle of the night, and the romance made me want to scream at the main characters to kiss already. It wasn't perfect, but it was really really good.

My Mechanical Romance followed the stories of Bel and Teo. Bel is just trying to get good grades and graduate (though she has no clue what she wants to do after that), but after revealing her talent for engineering, she's coerced by her teacher into joining the school robotics club, led by Mateo Luna. Teo, on the other hand, has big plans--win the national robotics competition, graduate with stellar grades, and get into a fancy college to become an engineer.

As the robotics team works on their robots for Nationals, Bel and Teo face many problems--rocky friendships, high expectations, sexism, stress about their futures, family struggles, and, of course, growing feelings for each other.

This book was really good in so many ways, but the best part of the entire story was the characters. Unlike a lot of teenagers represented in books, they weren't perfect. They made mistakes. They got into arguments. They had flaws, but they weren't annoying or irritating. They were just messy and confused and trying to figure life out--which is exactly what people are like, especially as high schoolers.

Teo and Bel were also really close to my heart in many other ways. The stress that both of them felt (to do all the work, to get good grades, to win the competition, to have their whole future planned out, etc.) was incredibly relatable and felt so real to me. I feel like a lot of teens feel that pressure, from their parents or their schools or even just society, and Alexene Follmuth captured those emotions so well.

I appreciated the relationships in this book. Not only was their an ADORABLE romance that made me want to giggle and kick my feet in the air, but there were other well-depicted dynamics as well. The friendships were so freaking cute, and I loved all the scenes that showed them--especially when the entire robotics team was hanging out together. The family relationships were also really well written, because there was a great variety in the way the characters acted with different parents, or different siblings, which felt very realistic to me. I especially liked the bond between Bel and Neelam (the other girl on the robotics team) because it was complicated and confusing, and it changed over the course of the story. A+ for character development.

The other really wonderful thing about this book was that it addressed several really important issues. Not just the pressure that teenagers experience, but also the sexism and racism in STEM. It was very cool to read about that, particularly through Bel's perspective as she struggled with the rest of the robotics team ignoring her ideas and opinions, and even Teo's, as he realized some of the mistakes he was making and grew from them. (Again, the character development in this book was fantastic.)

The only major flaws I have with this book are that (1) the ending felt a tiny bit rushed, especially the last chapter/epilogue, and (2) the characters complaints were a little bit tiresome, specifically in the first few chapters. But neither of these greatly impacted how I felt about the book, and I honestly really liked it. I definitely recommend My Mechanical Romance if you're a fan of cute contemporary romances, and especially if you like robots. <3

Many aspects of the novel My Mechanical Romance appealed to me. One of my favorite parts was the diverse cast of characters. I also loved the focus on gender equality in STEM. I think this aspect of the book was very well done and it reminded me of my own experience as a woman in high school science classes. I loved to see Bel become confident in her abilities as she came into her own on the robotics team. I also loved her dynamic with Neelam. Neelam illustrated the different experiences and reactions women can have to sexism. 

I liked the language in this book, as well as how the author offered perspectives from Bel and Teo since it showed their different takes on different aspects of the story. Teo, who actually knows how he wants his future to be, and Bel, who no notion and refuses to think about it. I also enjoyed how this novel depicted characters who were both unique and diverse, with no two characters being alike. None of the protagonists were flawless, and they all had their own challenges. I appreciated the way the characters grew and changed throughout the book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this eArc. All thoughts are my own.


Book review time ✨

I read My Chemical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth. This book follows Theo and Bel as they go to high school in Silicon Valley. There’s a heavy emphasis on stem and robotics in this book. The premise follows Bel as she takes on her senior year of high school. Bel is a new student and doesn’t have any friends, but when a teacher suggests she join the robotics club, she finds her friends in an unlikely assortment of people. Teo son of a tech genius who everyone in school (including the teachers) idolizes. However, Teo is immediately intrigued by the new girl Bel. He finds her to be smart and able to stand up to him (something everyone else fails to do). He soon learns that differing views on a team make for a stronger outcome. These characters are navigating all the ups and downs that come with prom, college applications, and the final goodbyes that come with senior year. It’s the perfect read if you’re looking for something cute and fun! It’s all about stem and the importance of finding your passion.


The plot was incredible. I felt like it might’ve been a little slow at the beginning and a tad repetitive, but it picked up about 20% through the book. Fullmuth also did such a great job of tying in all these complex feelings towards school and family and wrapping it all together in this one character of Bel. Bel had so many challenges and honestly, I’m so glad that someone else’s writing about figuring out your passions. Even her side characters in Bel’s brothers showed the different sides to graduating high school, from trade school jobs to traditional college programs. I felt isolated and alone in high school when faced with the decision for my future. Fullmuth was able to draw out the complex emotions and help her main protagonists reach satisfying conclusions. Whether it be a traditional 4-year college, or something else, it was nice to see all the options listed in the book. It was heartwarming to see someone talk about endings in such a way that makes it feel like more of a beginning. This book is perfect if you like to read about families and futures, especially if you are unsure of the next steps to take!

I loved this book so much!

I was really drawn in by the book cover and the synopsis!

As a woman who is in STEM I related to Bel and her struggles to figure out who she was and what she wanted her future to look like.

Themes in this book: Women in STEM AND Academic rivals to lovers

Things I liked about this book:
I liked a lot of elements of the book My Mechanical Romance. I really enjoyed the writing in this book as well as how the author gave us POVs from both Bel and Teo because it portrayed the perspectives of two different characters who were at two different points on the path to their future. Teo who knows exactly how he wants his future to look, and Bel who has no idea and keeps avoiding thinking about it at all. I also really liked how this book portrayed characters that were unique and diverse and there were no two characters that were the same. None of the characters were perfect and they each had their own flaws and faults but throughout the book you can see them developing and overcoming various challenges and aspects of their lives. This book really works to show how women are treated in STEM environments by being ignored or completely passed over for ideas and contributions.

Things I didn’t love about this book:
One thing that I did not love about this book is how Teo treated Bel in the beginning of the book, dismissing her and Neelam’s ideas and telling them they were wrong even in situations where they were correct. BUT, I understand that the author did that on purpose to show how women in STEM are treated and to show Teo’s character development. Another part of the book that I personally did not love was Neelam’s character and how she treated the other characters including Bel. Throughout the book, Bel continued to stand up for Neelam, and tried to befriend her but Neelam kept being mean towards Bel and the robotics team. Additionally, I felt like the book slowed down a little bit in the middle but it wasn’t so slow that it lost my attention, it was slow and gave us a chance to really get to know the characters more, but I will say that I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book more.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for providing me with this eARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It was cute, fluffy, and heartwarming! It had a great message for young readers, especially those who put a lot of pressure on themselves at such a young age. Plus, I'm a sucker for stories with girls in STEM! They make me super happy. This book had great rep and is a must-read for everyone who loves sweet YA contemporaries.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

A YA novel centered around women in stem, sign me up! I was so excited to be approved for this netgalley read! We follow Bel who wants to think about anything other than her future. However, she has been hiding a secret talent for engineering and has been recruited to sign up for the robotics club!
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This was such a cute nerdy romcom that follows Bel and Teo and I loved to see their relationship blossom. Though I don’t know much about robotics or anything really related to engineering I didn’t find myself getting too confused and I thought the author did a wonderful job of not making things too complicated for the reader. I love reading books that are centered around a predominantly male-domanited field and the MC being a woman who is able to kick some real ass! I thought that it made for such a unique storyline. I also think that it has such a great potential to show its readers that you can be anything you want to be, no matter what stereotypes might say. Overall, I thought this was a really good read and would recommend it to anyone who loves romcoms!

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

I really enjoyed this book it was super cute and I loved TeoBel (the main couple). I however did NOT love the unnecessary break up and Bel’s little pity party, I felt it was just thrown in there for no reason. Authors often do this to add drama and what not in books and I really am not a big fan. I also really wish TeoBel had more romantic scenes where it was more focused on them as a couple. I get the book is about them and the robotics team but more romantic scenes focused on their relationship would’ve been nice.
Overall this was a quick and fun read, also THE EPILOGUE??Too cute.

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really struggled with this book. I wanted so bad to like it but I felt like it was just dragging on and on. I kept forcing myself forward! I know this has plenty of amazing reviews so I know it will do well but this just wasn’t for me.

In her YA debut, Alexene Farol Follmuth,explores both the challenges girls of color face in STEM and the vulnerability of first love with unfailing wit and honesty. With an adorable, opposites-attract romance at its center and lines that beg to be read aloud, My Mechanical Romance is swoonworthy perfection.


Even tho I am not a STEM kind of gal I really loved this book. Fun and quick read for sure.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS BOOK!
This came right on time for me, since I'm starting my electrical engineering degree this October. Seeing Bel struggling to find her place and then how she manages to 'make a space for herself' gave me so much hope for my future, and for girls in STEM in general. Her relationship with Teo, and his character on its own, were amazing from the start. I could see myself in both of them, and it's something that is very important to me in stories.
I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, it was such a great read!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Mechanical Romance was a very cute nerdy romcom. Even though anything scientific makes me eyes gloss over, this was a fun book to dive into. Especially after meeting Bel and Teo. These two had some serious nerdy tension and I couldn't wait to see what would happen between them. Also, the robot creating and fighting was entertaining too.

While reading this, it definitely reminded me of the show BattleBots. My dad used to be obsessed with that show while I had no desire to watch it. Now reading about it sort of gave me the same impression but Bel and Teo made it a bit better to digest it all. Other than watching these two dance around one another, I also enjoyed the friendships, teasing, and bantering throughout as well.

In the end, I'm happy with how everything turned out. The drama was a little predictable and the romance could have been a bit better in my eyes. They definitely had cute moments and some weird/awkward ones too. I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this and look forward to the next book Alexene writes!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC copy in exchange for a review

This book was adorable and such a fun read and easy read.

The STEM romance was incredibly exciting to read. I’m in no way a robotics genius, I’ve never read og worked with anything like that, but I was never bored and not once did it feel too complicated.
The author does a very good job of writing it in a way that makes even me understand it. And I loved how it set the foundation for Bel And Teo’s romance.

I loved how Bel got to kick some ass in what is a predominantly male-dominated field. And it was amazing to see how the girls/women in this book had each others back and supported one another (for the most part)

This book has such a diverse group of characters, who are all so unique, and it makes for such an interesting dynamic. Both in the robotics lab and outside of it.

4,5/5 stars