5 Stars

Oh my god this book. Where do I begin? This book is a coming of age romance between two high school seniors with a love for STEM. Bel has just transferred to this elite private school but is struggling with what the future looks like and what she wants. Little does she know that something she didn’t want to do in the beginning will be the start of the best and worst times.

Teo and Bel had me squealing and smiling like an idiot the entire time I was reading this book. Bel is extremely relatable in so many ways and I saw a younger version of myself in her at every turn. Teo was great but I didn’t relate to him as much. The growth that they both had through the course of this book was amazing to witness. The banter on this book is top tier, I broke down laughing so many times. There are bits of internal, breaking the 4th wall commentary that is unique and brings the entire book to the next level.

I don’t want to say too much because going in blind is the best thing that you can do. This book made me fall back in love (pun intended) with YA romance. I recommend this for anyone that loves YA books with STEM, representation, romance, and a FMC that will make you connect on a whole other level.

I don't generally give 5 stars. At all. It has to be absolutely outstanding and let me tell you, My Mechanical Romance is just that. It's sweet without being sickening, it's thrilling without being creepy, and it tells an amazing story that resonates with empowerment.

I'm not going to lie. When I saw the title, what drew me in was the fact that it was a play off of My Chemical Romance, the rock band. I don't know if that was the Author's intention, but it got me.

I *loved* the characters. Teo & Bel. They were both so relatable and fun characters, bringing something unique to the storylines. Bel is a go with the flow type of person, almost whimsical; while Teo is structured and takes care of everything - has the weight of the world on his shoulders (that he put there himself).

What I loved most, however, was the idea of Girl Power. Literally. A girl powers a robot - she excels in STEM, which is something that's generally a male dominated area. I live near a University that's known for Engineering. Each program is absolutely competitive in it's own right and knowing the male to female ratio of acceptance into those programs made this book more enjoyable. I hope and pray that more females have someone cheering them on to pursue something, even if it's out of the ordinary.

Would definitely recommend to any of my friends.

Follmoth could write a treatise ending world hunger and I would read it. Honestly, I'd pay to read her grocery list. My Mechanical Romance absolutely did not disappoint. I don't normally read YA but this book reminded me why I used to love YA romance - it was sweet and heartfelt and loaded with feels.

Build robots and smash the patriarchy. Bel is MY GIRL!

My Mechanical Romance is expertly engineered to highlight the difficulties women face when entering male-dominated arenas. The more decidedly feminine, the more men try to push ideas aside in favor of a masculine solution and it is important to showcase this behavior so young women can identify it and move beyond the stereotypes. With the backdrop of high school robotics competition set during Bel's senior year, the plot reinforces how difficult it can be for anyone to identify their strengths and determine the path for their future. The story embodies many high school tropes like homecoming, crushes, and college applications, but each instance is a vehicle for Bel to learn who she REALLY wants to be.

From the get-go, the story has momentum with witty banter, internal conflict, and deciding if the advice of adults is right for you. It hits the notes of a good read with a message more young women need to hear.

NOTE: Okay for middle school - PG13.

Thank you so much to Holiday House and Netgalley for the eARC!

I had such a lovely time reading this book, and although it took me a little longer than usual, I adored it the whole way through!

I LOVED the concept of the story taking place around a robotics team, which stemmed (yes haha pun intended) opportunity to show incredible, well-written themes of gender equality and feminism. It was so interesting to read about and had me hooked the entire way through! It was fast paced and never bored me, and always had me in suspense for what was next. I find most rom-coms end up being quite predictable and cliché, but this was far from it. It was unique and different, and something that the world needs.
The romance was just *chef's kiss.* Bel and Teo were both perfect for each other, especially since they are both so different from each other. Bel was someone who was used to doing everything on her own and had to constantly prove herself to feel a sense of belonging. I love how she later on learns the importance of teamwork and proves all who doubted her wrong. Meanwhile, Teo was someone very serious and hard-working, someone unable to show his true self. But with Bel, we can see him slowly evolve into someone more willing to open up and trust others. Both were such a delight to read about and I hold them both very dear to my heart.

Even the side characters were enjoyable to read about too! I loved seeing the struggles Neelam went through, and it was great meeting the others on the robotics team, especially Dash and Lora.

I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this book early, and it never once failed me. MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE tells such a powerful story through comedic elements, unique plot points, and a swoon-worthy romance that had me laughing and crying inside the entire time. The book releases MAY 31ST and I highly recommend you all get yourselves a copy, because this is something you definitely do not want to miss! 5/5 stars!

A half Filipino main character, academic rivals to lovers, and a woman in STEM? 100% YES

I never expected that I’ll love this story. I didn’t even know that robots will make me hook in this story? This was such a cute and refreshing read. The romance? oh my god, this is what I came for! It has dual povs which I love and the chemistry between the two mcs are undeniably perfect. As a woman in STEM, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!

4.5/5 stars

Not gonna lie I low key had a fangirl moment when I realized this book is by the same author of The Atlas Six under a different pen name. The writing alone had me wanting to pick up the other book as soon as I finished it. I’m not exactly a mechanical wiz (quite dumb in that department, tbh…) but I still enjoyed every bit of this!

Everyone’s character growth in this is so good!! I also loved that this was dual-POV so you get both Teo and Bel’s thoughts. This is very much a slow-burn, but the built-up to the romance felt so natural as the pair develop a solid foundation of friendship and trust.

Thanks NetGalley and Holiday House publishing for the early copy!

AHHHHHH alexene absolutely smashes writing romance!! i was blushing the entire time these two are the sweetest ever.

I can't remember the last time that I finished a book in under a day, but My Mechanical Romance is so engaging that even my post-seder hangover didn't stop me from reading it.

It was so refreshing to see a romance that focused equally on the development of individual characters as much as it focused on the development of a relationship. Teo and Bel learn just as much about themselves as they learn about themselves, from Bel's discovery of her love for STEM and Teo learning that he doesn't need to overwork himself in order to be enough.

Furthermore, the characters of MMR are so well-rounded that the reader can see a little bit of themselves in every single character, no matter the amount of page time that the character. While I initially expected to relate to Bel more than anyone else, I saw bits of myself in Teo as well (overly enthusiastic Jewish mother and aggressively Catholic grandmother, anyone?), as well as Neelam despite the fact that her and Bel start as polar opposites.

As a Jewish woman in the STEM field, as well as just a girl who's been through high school and the college admissions process, I loved this book so much. This book perfectly portrays the struggle of being a girl in STEM, as well as the joy that we feel when we come up with a good design or the relief we feel when our projects turn out well. I highly recommend this book to any girls who see this, as well as anyone who wants a low-stress read with relatable characters and a story that will make you laugh, cry, and smile all at once. My Mechanical Romance is definitely a new favorite of mine, and I think it could definitely be a new favorite of yours too.

When I say this book had it all, it had it all. Academic rivals to lovers, a diverse group of characters, women in STEM, well-written character development, and even Taylor Swift references. From the first page I instantly fell in love with Bel and Teo. Their banter and reading about them falling in love from both of their POVs kept a smile on my face throughout the book.

I especially loved how realistic the book was. Bel not having any college or career plans was extremely relatable. The way Bel and Neelam were treated by their male counterparts is the current unfortunate reality for women in STEM. Even the ending felt realistic.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Holiday House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

PS. I really want a "Dariush's Mom" shirt because Dash is my new son.

Thank you to Holiday House and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely adored this book! I was never much of a math nerd and I know nothing about robotics, but I was genuinely interested in the robotics happen in the book! But of course, the main show was Bel and Teo and their sweet romance story. Bel was an MC I didn't know I was looking for, because she is the perfect amount of fun, smarts, meme-ing, and lovability! Teo, on the other hand, was a beautifully written boy, being someone who does carry some privilege (as far as being a boy in STEM and having A LOT of money) but was very self-aware of this. He was competitive and elitist, yes, but he was also thoughtful, reflective, and considerate! They were a really fun match, and I found myself really compelled by their third act conflict. It's very rare for me to say in a YA Romance that I would have forgiven and gotten back together if I was in their situation, but I can confidently say that for this book! By the time I finished reading, I knew I was going to be placing a preorder so I can own this wonderful book! I cannot recommend highly enough, and please look out for it when it comes out May 31st!

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were so easy to connect to and understand and having a book that has characters who are in STEM is amazing for younger audiences. I absolutely loved reading these nerds fall in love and I am so excited to recommend this book to the readers that come into my store. It was so easy to connect with these characters. My young POC readers would truly enjoy reading this book and so would adult readers.

Bel is new to a school. She doesn’t know where she will apply for college. Her teacher gets her to join the robotics club. To her surprise, she is accepted and she did nothing to be accepted. She has difficulty to make her place. Mateo Luna is the one who accepted her on the team. He is the captain of the club. He is great with her until she didn’t think like him. It’s at this moment the rivalry start and working night with robot begins. Who will fall first?

Nerds are so hot. Especially battle robot building nerds.

This book is a beautiful surprise! This STEM romance is well written and you will fall for each character. If you have loved The Love Hypothesis you will love this book. I love that we are able to see ourselves in Bel. The fact that it's hard to find your way through life and it's hard to be vulnerable to first love. Bel personality is great. I would have seen myself friend with her. She bit all the stereotype. A girl, no matter her ethnic, can do anything if she wants.

The enemies to lovers romance with Mateo was cute. He is cute. He tries to please everybody, but he forgets himself. The relation with Bel, make him understand that. Normally, I'm not into slow romance, but this book persuades me to give this trope another chance. My favorite scenes were during the overtime at the robotics lab, Mateo begins to help Bel. They get to know each other. I never expected to cry and I did. Without a doubt a sign that I was truly invested in the relationship. A great first book for Alexene Farol Follmuth.

The review will also appear on Instagram Monday, April 18th and on amazon, when he comes out.

4/5⭐️

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING TO ME
THE TROPES
THE BANTER
THE ROMANCE
THE REPRESENTATION
LITERALLY PERFECT I OOVED IT SO MHCH AND. DEVOURED IT IN ONE DAY
my new obsession<333

This book was warm, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of incisive observations about identity, being a young woman in STEM, and more. I picked up this book because I loved THE ATLAS SIX, and even though the genres and age categories are so different, Farol Follmuth's characteristic humor and voice shine through perfectly. The best of what YA contemporary can do.

Fue entretenido pero dudo que sea un libro que vaya a leer de nuevo en mi vida, todos hablaban de un acadamic rivals to lovers y vengo a decir la verdad de la milanesa QUE NO LO ES, despues habia varias cosas que no se cerraron para mi punto de vista pero bueno la trama principal se cumple y da el romance que promete.

Thanks to NetGalley and Holiday House for providing me with an eARC for this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Why is turning 18 so stressful? Having to think about your whole future and knowing what you want to do FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?!

For Bel, thinking about the future is just impossible. She can’t even convince herself to apply to Colleges. Starting at a new school for her last year, a turn of event makes her join the robotics club. For Mateo Luna, everything is planned out. He definitely knows what he wants and has pretty much everything, his life looking so perfect. Did I mentioned he’s also captain of the robotics club? The two will have to work together and discover that there is more than first impressions and they will help each other with the struggle of being a young adults along the way.

Let me start with the fact that I’m in love with the cover of that book and that’s what made me curious about it. And then I saw this book was everything I could ask for:
Enemies to lovers, yes.
Double POV, yes.
First love, yes.
Lots of diversity, yes.
Girls making their place in STEM, yes!

This book is simply ADORABLE. I honestly had high hopes for this, which, for me, can either result in being extremely disappointed by the book cause I imagined it was so much more or being totally impressed by how it did not let me down and was everything I hoped for and more! Definitely the second scenario here! It was so good. Lovely story, characters full of personality, double POV (which I’m a sucker for). If you like young adult romance, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS (even if you don’t like young adult romance, just READ IT ANYWAYS!).

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This was such an easy and a super cute read! I loved seeing Bel and Teo’s relationship progression throughout the story! It was so cute seeing them go from strangers to friends to lovers.

It was also nice to see Bel and Teo navigate their place in the world as their relationship blossomed. I loved the lesson that life is short and you should make the most out of the time you have with a person! It was nice to see Bel navigate her hobbies and interests in a male dominated industry and how she was finding herself.
I definitely related to her in the way she needed to find her voice, stand up and take up her own space without people treading over her. This book had really great messages throughout and it is perfect for those trying to find their way. :)
I also enjoyed Bel’s friendships and how they were able to support each other!

There were parts in the middle of this book that did seem a little slow for me while other parts like the last chapter/epilogue that felt a little rushed. Overall, this was a good book!

I came for the STEM-girl power, and this book delivered on it. As I was reading, I recalled my personal experience with my high school physics teacher telling me girls didn't belong in physics class, and him intentionally marking things that were right as wrong on my assignments in order to award me a lower grade. I went to engineering school and then worked in IT a bit where I encountered similar bias. But that was the late 1900s! Sad to see this is still a thing in 2022, but happy to see it called out in this book. I gobbled up all the science bits and was happy to see Bel grow over the course of this book. There were a few things that didn't work for me, but I know there are readers who enjoy that sort of thing.

I expected nothing from this book... but it delivered! Definitely a new favorite!

This book was amazing! Even though it has quite a slow pace, it's very easy to fall in love with the character and the story.

What you should expected going into this book:
- Half filipino and half mexican MC's
- Family dinamics
- Academic rivals to lovers
- The most wholesome romantic relationship
- DIVERSITY
- Taylor Swift (yes, Teo listens to Taylor to please Bel)
- TEO LUNA (THE BOYFRIEND)
- Hot nerds
- Cool robots and competitions
- BANTER *knocking on my table strongly*

You should definitely check this book once it comes out!

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC
Sorry that this is the third time I'm posting a review on this book, but I wasn't pleased with my previous ones

🤍🤍🤍