The beginning was confusing. Nothing screams info dump better than the first chapter.
The language was fluctuating so much to the point where you wouldn't know if the MCs where gonna talk about pizza or Neo-Marxism. What's the target audience again?
What teenagers talk like that?
This book is also so good at spelling everything out for you. This is a FEMINIST book. I understand the sentiment but the audience is not that dumb to get some subtext.
It was not a shocker. I appreciate the My Chemical Romance reference.

I also found some editing mistakes... at least in the Kindle version.
There are phrases said by the same character that have multiple quotation marks. You really get lost in the dialogue.
At the end, a Cal t-shirt is mentioned. As in Caltech, while talking about Berkley. I know Berkey is in California but still seems like someone forgot which college they applied to.

Thank you, Net galley, for the ARC!

Hilarious, teenage rom-com that touched on some heavier subjects like divorce while still staying light-hearted! I loved My Mechanical Romance. The banter between Bel and Teo was great, the romance was top notch. I especially enjoyed the texts, I thought it made for a more realistic teenage story. It was a really superb book. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys rivals to lovers and/or romantic comedies.

Gracias Netgally , Holiday House y Alexene Farol Follmuth aka Olivie Blake por el E-ARC, a cambio de una reseña honesta.

Devore este libro , sin contar las horas en las que estuve en clase.
No voy a dar spoilers ya que este libro sale el 31 de mayo ( se encuentra en preventa en bookdepository).

No voy a mentirles , me encanto y nose como expresar lo que este libro me hizo sentir. Llevo dias intentando escribir esta reseña y no encuentro las palabras.

My Mechanical Romance es mega tierna,divertida y con una buena dosis de nerds.

Brevemente, MMR nos cuenta la historia de Bel Meier , que como algunos a los 17 no tiene ni idea que hacer , que carrera estudiar y a cual universidad aplicar (Algo que a mi me paso a los 15-16 años ya que estaba entre dos carreras completamente distitas, en universidades y paises distintos ; Puedo decirles que no me arrepiento de mi decision), hasta que un dia una profesora ve talento en ella por lo cual la envia al equipo de robotica. Bel es completamente ignorada por todos los chicos y Neelam la unica chica del equipo parece que tampoco le agrada Bel.

Teo Luna , el capitan del equipo parece ver potencial en Bel, por lo cual la ayuda a explotarlo. Al ayudarla y pasar tiempo juntos va a generar que sus sentimientos vayan cambiando.

La idea de lo que es ser mujer en un campo dominado por hombres fue lo que mas me gusto de este libro, ya que muestra una realidad ; Tambien muestra como hasta los propios docentes privilegian a los hombres solo porque es un campo de hombres, afortunadamente se ve un crecimiento y entendimiento de estos personajes en como las mujeres pueden hacer lo mismo que ellos.

Afortunadamente , gracias a que mi papa me llevara de niña a reuniones de computacion y robotica, llegue a entender algunos terminos. El penso que estudiaria una ingenieria, pero no ... me fui a medicina ; LO SIENTO PAPA.

- “I mean come on, boys can do it,” I call out to her. “So how hard can it be?”
- “We all know the male ego is notoriously fragile. Even the cute ones are a lost cause”
- ¨I just feel like everybody here already has everything figured out.¨
- “The world is not very helpful to a smart girl, more often it will try to force you inside a box. But I urge you not to listen.”
- ¨the best revenge is living your best life¨

🤖“He smiles, and I know that win or lose, Teo Luna and I are made of a strong foundation. What he and I have together is the best thing we’ve ever built.”🤖

This is the one of the most pleasantly surprising books I’ve read! From the premise alone (enemies to lovers on a robotics team), I was super excited to see what Teo and Bel had to offer - and I was not disappointed!

First and foremost, the topics discussed in this book were not only very real, but handled in such a realistic way that I truly felt for all the characters, Bel especially. She struggles with the familiar concept of almost beginning a new chapter in her life, but still being unsure of what she wants. Being in her head while she worked out her internal conflicts felt so relatable, but I loved how the book resolves them. I also enjoyed the themes of feminism and women in STEM, especially with Neelam’s character. She might have been ruthless and harsh towards Bel in the beginning, but her reasoning that came from pure experience made me really side with her.

Teo was a great character as well, with the perspective he gave as a kid who wants so much more than what he’s being given credit for. He and Bel worked really well together, and the whole lightheartedness of it all made me so happy :,))

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexene Farol Follmuth, and Holiday House for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I struggled with this book. Every time I sat down to read it I felt like I had read much more than I did because the pace was just a bit slow. I made it over halfway through before putting it down and not picking it up again. I wanted to like it because of the premise but it just didn't work.

I absolutely loved this book! This STEM young adult book kept me hooked the whole time and the characters are so sweet! The book started a little slow at first but then it picks up and you can’t put it down.
Bei and Teo have really different personalities but they both love building robots. Their love story was so cute, I can really recommend this one!

My Mechanical Romance was not what I expected it to be. I had doubts at first — the last book I read from the author was a miss with me, and it took me a few chapters before I got into the groove. And then I got sucked in.

Look, I am a humanities and social sciences type of person. STEM is not my area of interest at all and I don't know a single thing about robotics. Still, the way it was woven into the book was interesting and not a bore at all. I acrually had a lot of fun in the scenes revolving around it and I was on the edge of my seat during the robot contests.

The characters were also enjoyable, they weren't two dimensional at all. They were funny — I absolutely loved the text messages and I found myself grinning at them. Teo and Bel were just as great together as they were as individual characters. Although admittedly, it took me some time to warm up to Teo because of the way he was acting at first. I really loved their banter and just...they're so adorable and wholesome I'm going to explode. The side characters were a treat too. I liked Jamie, and I really appreciate how Neelam wasn't just a "mean girl" character. Her feelings were valid and understandable. I ended up really liking the whole friend group even if the rest of the boys in the team annoyed me a bit with the way they treated the girls.

I also really liked how this tackled sexism in STEM and how we shouldn't be afraid of taking up space. I could also really relate to Bel and how she was struggling with finding the path she wants.

My critiques would be that the plot felt kind of abstract in a way? Like there was a vague semblance of it and there was a direction to it, but it took some time to get moving. I didn't really mind that much though, because I was having fun with the characters. The ending also felt a little rushed and I wish it was longer, but I did enjoy the epilogue.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm excited to see if the author will be writing more in this genre.

I’m not going to lie, it took me a little bit to get into this one. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of either Teo or Bel to begin with, but boy did that change! I just finished this book and I have the biggest shit eating grin on my face. By the 50% mark I was hooked, by the 80% mark I couldn’t put it down!

Teo and Bel were so gosh darn adorable! Their little flirting stage was the cutest thing ever. The banter they had was top tier. I loved how well they complimented each other. They were so fundamentally different, but still had so much in common. My heart broke when they broke up because you could see how much they really cared for each other (honestly I was worried they weren’t meant to be together for a hot second). I love that by the end they realized how strong their feeling were for each other and decided that they were going to put in the hard work to be together despite the distance.

The growth Bel went through over the course of this book makes me so proud. She went from being a lost kid to finding something she’s passionate about and taking it a step further to figure out what she was going to do with her passion. I also approved the strong female relationships she had (Lara and Jamie, Ms. Voss, her mom, and even Neelam). Man do I loved it when Neelam and Bel teamed up at nationals and proved just how much they belong in a man’s world.

This was such a honest well crafted young adult book with important themes that will resonate with a lot of high schoolers figuring out what they want in life. It was also so entertaining with such a cute romance!

If Alexene Farol Follmuth/Olivie Blake is tied to anything, it is an instant buy for me.

Add in enemies to lovers in the STEM field? I knew I needed it immediately. So, shout out of 1000 thank yous to Holiday House for this advanced copy!

Bel Maier has recently transferred to an elite private school, but is struggling for what her future should look like. Unable to decide what she even wants to study, the thought of college applications or extracurriculars is far from her mind. When her talent for engineering is discovered, Bel is sent to join the robotics team. Worse than being thrust into a path she didn't ask for is the blatant dislike of her by the other students in the club.

Teo, club captain, recognizes her talent, though, and attempts to set aside their clashing personalities in an effort to help her.

As someone that relates to Bel so incredibly hard, I was in love by the first page. The banter between her and Teo was just the icing on the cake, and Alexene knows how to write some AMAZING banter. The side characters weren't lost to the background and carried their own personalities and weight. Ms. Voss was an absolute favorite and I only wish everyone could have someone like her in their life.

However, the thing that I enjoyed most, being a woman in the STEM field, was the portrayal of women in the male dominated field. Her frustrations at the treatment and favoritism had me rooting for her harder than I have any other character this year. The messages of finding your passion, the future you want for yourself, and that it won't always be easy to journey that path is incredibly important.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC.

Books about women in STEM is always something that grabs me. I think this is the perfect book for anyone who wants a lighthearted rivals to lovers romance to get you out of a reading slump. I loved reading Tao and Bel's banter and the connection they had.

It has been a few days since I've finished it, and I can't stop thinking about them.

actual rating: 3.75/5

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book.

I thought the concept of this book was really good, women in STEM is always an instant grab for me. The characters were diverse and represented really well in this book which was great.

I didn’t get on too well with the writing style in this book, it felt like we didn’t have very much time to get to know each of the characters and I found that the first half of the book lacked depth. There seemed to be a bit of a mismatch between the age of the characters and the way they were acting in the first half, they were 17/18 but acting more like 13 year olds.

That being said, the second half of the book seemed much more cohesive. The characters were able to engage in more mature conversations which were appropriate for their age. I particularly enjoyed the conversation around discrimination of women in STEM & why women are forced to act a certain way to get ahead.

Overall I rated this book a 3 stars but it would have been higher if the whole book was more like the second half.

This was a really cute story to read when you're in a book slump. It was light-hearted and cute but what I love about this book was actually the fact that it didn't just talk about the romance between the couple but also the hardship women go through in the STEM field. I like how we got to explore that part a bit and I think it was well written.

5⭐
G for a book worthy of any high school robotics lovers of any age

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It's probably my favorite young adult novel I've read in the past year and honestly the best women in STEM representation I've read in ages. If you're looking for a nerdy science book about love and competition--run, don't walk, to grab this book when it comes out in May

Bel just transferred high schools after her parents divorce and is trying to keep her head down and graduate when she tries out and (to her astonishment) makes the school's very competitive robotics team. But as she tries to contribute her design aptitude, she finds herself clashing with the very handsome team captain, Teo. Cue a rivals to lovers moment with all the nerdy banter your heart could desire!!

It will shock no one who knows me to hear that I am very much a Teo with a Type A personality so there were times that Bel drove me crazy, but these challenges Bel faced were all too real as she tried to figure out what she wanted both for her future in college and if she wanted the boy. She also with all the doubts and challenges that (unfortunately) come with being a female engineer and I loved how Bel overcame adversity throughout the book.

While the beginning of the book was a little overdone, I had some misty happy tears for these two by the end of the book. I loved Bel and Teo and how they truly brought out the best in each other to find deeper meanings in life than what they were told to want and do. Honestly, this was the perfect nerdy coming of age book and I really wish it had been around when I was in high school.

Please read this book if you like science and romance books and young adult books and then talk about all the nerdy great things about this book with me!!!!

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth is one of the best young adult novels I've read in long time. It deals with a lot of heavy topics: feelings of inadequacy, the pressure to be perfect, divorced parents, and sexism in STEM to name just a few. However, it was also the story of a boy and girl falling in love in the sweetest way.

I adored Mateo and Isabel's story, they were equally delightful protagonists and brought out the best in each other. Teo feels immense pressure to be the perfect son his father demands and not to let anyone down, ever. Bel is a bit lost after her parents' separation, which results in Bel staring at a new school as a senior. Teo and Bel meet when Bel tries out for Robotics club, and we get to see how they very sweetly go from rivals to friends to more. Teo and Bel navigate the pressures of their personal and academic lives and come to realize that being together doesn't mean losing themselves. It was nice to read a story where young adults deal with real issues and not over the top and unnecessary drama. I also really loved the friendships written within the story.

Overall, My Mechanical Romance was a fantastic young adult read whose ending left me happy and smiling. I look forward to reading more from Alexene Carol Follmuth, whom I found out is also the author of The Atlas Six - a book that is currently on my TBR and that I cannot wait to read.

ANOTHER WOMAN IN STEM!

I have read back to back books where our ladies are interested in some form of science and we're here for it.

First of all, I didn't know or expect a YA book from Olivie Blake at all... and I read the whole damn book and STILL didn't know. Which, y'know what... that's perfect. Me and Atlas Six..... we didn't get along. I was disappointed because it was hyped up so much and just was not what I expected or hoped for.

BUT THIS? This was lovely. My Mechanical Romance was a cute YA Contemp and while those are typically becoming harder and harder for me to enjoy, I ate this right up. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between our characters. I thought they were lightyears smarter than I was and I FELT IT THE WHOLE TIME LMAO.

It was such an enjoyable read and I genuinely can't wait for it to land on my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for the eARC version of this book!

I have never been so quick to give a book five stars. I mean, I think I was only 30% of the way through the book, screaming about the tension between Bel and Teo when I knew. I knew this book was a five star read.

This book is fast in a good way. It doesn't get dragged down by unnecessary details and scenes, preferring to skip to more important moments. In most of these cases, it was worth it. It was okay to have Homecoming mentioned in the previous scene, and then have the next scene be Bel and friends getting ready for said dance.

On the other hand, I would've liked to have seen Teo interact with Bel's family over dinner, which was unfortunately only ever mentioned afterwards. It could have expanded upon Bel's family dynamics and Teo's character. But realistically, this book focused on the important things and never really missed a beat.

I also found the final arc to be a little bit predictable. Misunderstanding happens, and then misunderstanding is solved by... talking? Oh it was that easy. However, the girlboss moments between Neelam and Bel saved this over done trope from knocking the review down to four stars.

Girls really do run the world. This book is also an uplifting "Women in STEM" read, and it was nice to see that Neelam and Bel were able to bond and become friends.

I would like to mention that I really connected with Bel because of my ADHD. I don't think her character was written to have ADHD, as it is never mentioned. However, I had a hard time after finishing high school. Long story short, it took two years before I realized I even had ADHD, and starting medication helped me go to start an online college program this past January. When Bel hesitates thinking about her future, I related a little too well to that.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, light, with a good amount of banter, that was super welcome after I just finished writing my exam. A total recommend.

this is so far one my favorite ya-contemporaries of 2022.
Women in stem, nerds and rivals-to-lovers? Yeah, I was already sold and I loved how this book explored the intricacies of finding what you want to do in life as well as the common sexism women face in the workplace (my only complaint is that I wish they talked about women of color in stem too!)
Teo is honestly so sweet, I liked how despite being the book perfect boyfriend he ended up having flaws too - relatable ones at that. Overall, this book was really sweet and fun to read!

This was such an interesting read
I loved the cover. So beautiful and the discussions of women being less in some fields and of course figuring things out when you just don't know. So relatable
But overall an amazing read that I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for their next read

Forced to change schools for her senior year, Bel is hoping to just pass through and avoid focusing on her future. Her plans are foiled when she is moved to a new physics class and somehow finds herself on the schools' robotics team. It's not all bad however, as the trade also comes with a group of new friends. Over the course of the school year, Bel and friends learn more about themselves and each other as they face their introduction into adulthood following graduation.

This is a fun romance (though fairly predictable) and one that can be handed to most teens. A great book for anyone looking for a chance to look at family relationships and personal growth. Recommended for fans of Stephanie Perkins.

Overall, this is a perfect YA romance, complete with identity crises and questioning yourself incessantly. This is exactly the kind of romance I wanted when I was in high school. It’s about finding yourself and then finding someone else who enjoys who you are at your core. I love everything about this book. I was SO happy with the epilogue (EVEN IF IT WAS A BIT OF A CLIFFHANGER!!) I also really loved the characters and how Bel was able to be slightly off and quirky while not being a weird girl or trying to be different. She felt completely authentic. I do wish that Tio had some extra depth to him, but I also really enjoyed the pacing of the book and I was okay that we didn’t have a lot of extra scenes that wasn’t about Bel and Tio.

I also really appreciated not just the acknowledgment that females in STEM get treated differently, but the demonstration of how small things get added up to persuade a female not to be in STEM AND how men and boys are oblivious to their own biases and can’t always see when they’re getting or giving preferential treatment. I also really liked that the book wasn’t ALL happy endings, and that not every one in the friend group all went to some Ivy League school because it’s not entirely realistic. I think this book is really special and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read it!