Omg I love this book so much!!!!! I had heard quite a bit about it and so had expectations but this book met them completely!! Honestly, I didn’t see this book as only a romance, it delved into so many different types of prejudices that women, in this case in STEM face. I really likes how it not only showed direct sexism but also showed that there’s an unconscious prejudice that lurks around in the small comments that belittle young girls for looking for a career in STEM. It also brushed past the stress that comes with responsibility that kids sometimes take when they feel like everyone relies on them and I loved that! The uncertainties in the future is something I’m sure so many people can relate to especially as it sometimes feels as if everyone around has things planned. It was also really interesting to me how the author looked into two very different characters and showed how there’s always so much that people don’t see and it demonstrates why to not judge people immediately based of what you think you know. Honestly, I think I may have rambled a bit but this book focuses on so much more than romance! I feel like the title kind of alludes to the main character, Bel’s finding if love within mechanics and the different issues that is brought to surface was very insightful. The whole book was written beautifully and I wish Alexene Farol Follmuth all the best with her coming book and encourage all of you to preorder it!

Thank you to the publisher, Holiday House, and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for a review.

“Take up your own space, Bel. Don’t let other people tread over it.”

Wow. Just wow. I have no words to further describe what I’m feeling for this book right now. I just finished reading it and I’m feeling overwhelmed with it. It was so much better than what I have expected!

Women in STEM. Robots. Diverse representation. Enemies to academic colleagues to lovers.
– All bundled into one awe-inspiring work of fiction.

There’s something about this book that’s so relatable, having been born into an Asian [Filipino] household. Hitting all the points that leads close to home. My tears welled up towards the final chapters.

Being a woman in the field of science and math is relatively a substantial issue that’s constantly being raised up until now. I love the feminism in this book.

The main character, Bel, is also relatable. She started out feeling lost for her future, but as she went along with her passion, she stood out the most in a flock of masculinity. And to Teo, I adore how thoughtful and supportive he was as a boyfriend to Bel. It’s a romance book but I like how lovable the side characters are. I totally understood where Neelam was coming from, of how women are being underestimated in the society.

But girls build robots as boys do. And nerds are, indeed, hot these days!

This book was super cute. I loved the "enemies to lovers" vibes that I got from this book. I really enjoyed the STEM aspects of this book. I can't wait for this to come out so that I can pick up the physical copy.

I loved this! Women of color in STEM, an awkward and smart protagonist, a diverse cast and adorable friend group. I really enjoyed the writing style.

Also, I think another book starring Neelam would be brilliant.

I loved this book, it’s the perfect, easy summer read. It did take me some time to get into it but once I did, I couldn’t put it down!

I’m very into enemies to lovers trope right now so this was right up my alley. It was interesting to see a bit of what it’s like to be a woman in STEM. People don’t make it easy on them.

Teo and Bel are so cute together and I love that one of them takes things way too seriously whereas the other doesn’t seem to take anything serious. It makes for a pretty good balance when they aren’t arguing man


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

4.5/5

Okay Olivie Blake, I see you! From the same author that gave us the masterpiece that is The Atlas Six, shows us her range by delivering us with a fabulous YA enemies to lovers contemporary romance!

YA contemporary romances will always have a special place in my heart and this one is no different. Not to mention, um hello a teenage girl…of colour… IN STEM? It really took me back to my experiences in high school. This book was really just so wholesome, so sweet, an academic rivals to lovers where the guy falls first! The story was well written the and the plot almost never lacked!

Run and read this book please and thank you ❤️

Big thank you to Netgalley, Holiday House and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title. All the opinions are my own.

The book follows Bel, a recent transfer to a new school, who is utterly indifferent to anything academic related - she is smart but doesn't make any effort to do more than the bare minimum until one day she has a choice to make: join the robotics team or get a C in Physics and disappoint her Mum.

This academic rivals to lovers YA novel was an extremely enjoyable read. It has double POV - Bell, the female main character, and Teo, her academic rival and the leader of the robotics team. It's cute, empowering and really sweet.

The character growth and development was nice as well as the realistic portrayal of how difficult it is to figure out what you want your future to look like when you are only 18. The very end of the book was just the cherry on top - I just love the jumps into the future *chef's kiss*

A tremendously enjoyable YA read.

“At that exact moment, I know I’m absolutely wrecked”

This book is 100% one of my favourites of this year, it’s so warm and heartfelt whilst also being very relatable to scenarios I have experienced. Be prepared as this review is somewhat a critical review of my life experiences. I devoured this book which is a rarity for me as with being neurodivergent, I find it really difficult keeping focused on a book.

’This one has little rivulets of sequins in it—I’m a fool for shiny things’

I don’t think I have ever related to a character before as much as I have with with Bel. Seriously, it’s so nice to see a portrayal of a character that loves coding, art, sequins, is socially awkward and also is a child of divorce. I think it’s so important as well that the way Bel is in the books is so relatable because what she goes through is what young girls like myself experience and we pass it off as normal experiences of high school such as teachers having favourites. I always hated this during school and whenever I needed help I would never ask for it because I would always get called out and I felt constantly underestimated because I was a girl and of Asian descent. I love coding and metalworking but that always put a barrier between me and learning more. Thankfully it never stopped me fully and I’m studying a coding degree but I know it has stopped others from pursuing it. Also, as if I was any more like this character, she embroiders her own jeans, grommets her clothes, DIY’s drawers this is just way too much Deja Vu of my hobbies because I have done all those things so it was lovely to see that in the book.

‘It’s really, really hard to recognize someone as the villain in someone else’s life when you’re pretty sure you love them both’

Also another point that hit home was the relationship between Bel’s parent’s. She is a child of divorce and even though she loves her dad ‘though he’s the villain in her life’ it related to me and what I went through when my parents were getting divorced and how I felt a sense of betrayal when I spoke to my father. I still do to be honest so its great to see that sort of relationship in a book and have her develop a way to cope with it as that was one of the hardest things I had to do.

“If you come to the den of vice, do as the serpents do.”

One other point of Bel’s character I really loved was the development of her abilities and personality. I know some people are irritated in the reviews that she just happens to get things handed to her, however, all it takes is one teacher to connect with you and honestly that can make all the difference. I was lucky enough to have a teacher like Ms. Voss in high school who was my art teacher and she let me do all sorts of things even my Manufacturing teacher let me use the labs without supervision because I was trusted enough similar to the trust they have in Teo and that really helped form my future in studying Digital Design.

I even loved Teo’s character arc. He had so much pressure on his shoulders and he had no idea how to handle it all. One other note aswell of Bel’s development is her procrastination as this hit home because I have ADHD and I will procrastinate to the extreme which leaves me rushing around doing things way too last minute. Her having someone help her is so important to keeping deadlines and I liked how that she realised it too. Another area I loved is her journey from not knowing what to do for the future as I fully back that at 18 years old, having to have your life set is extremely difficult. My brother is going through the same thing and honestly I feel for him. He wants to study in science but unfortunately never did chemistry as he only recently became fascinated with it. Now it’s too late to take it so therefore universities are saying no. There’s honestly so much pressure on kids to have their future sorted at that age, I myself studied pharmacy at 17, straight after school as I never knew which direction to go into but I hated it and then eventually dropped out. It took 3 years after school to figure out what I actually wanted to do because there is a massive pressure when your a teenager to have your whole life planned and it really sucks.

I hope anyone reading this understands that if you don’t know what you want to do after school don’t let it bother you. There are so many people I know who regret their choice because they felt the need to have to go to university straight after school. So take your time and fable in an assortment of careers. Work experience is so important but not much emphasis is given why it is in school, so people just ignore it but it's to give you a better perspective on what your future job is going to be like.

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc

I had been seeing this one all over bookstagram, so I had to read it! And I was pleasantly surprised! It was a cute, witty, and compelling story for sure!

Alexene (aka Olivie aka The Queen) wrote the cutest book ever!! It had EVERYTHING you could possibly want and more! 😍

✔️GIRLS IN STEM
✔️light academia
✔️teen angst
✔️first love romance
✔️academic rivals to lovers
✔️dual POV
✔️POC main characters
✔️Taylor Swift references
✔️robot fights
…my list could on!

It’s been actual years since I picked up a book about teenage romance in a high school setting! And oh my god how much I missed this 🥹💕

Alexene did an amazing job at highlighting the struggles young girls face in STEM. Especially when you’re a girl but also a person of colour. It was amazing to watch Bel slowly change a few characters stance and how they view girls in STEM!

Bel’s internal monologuing is utterly hilarious! This cute weirdo has carved a place in my heart ♥️

The banter in this book is top tier 😌 it’s what search for and what I’m used to when it comes to Alexene’s writing 🥰 (ngl, I’m still not used to referring to Olivie as Alexene 😂)

Being someone who’s devoured everything she’s put out since 2017 - through her books and fanfics - her words are my comfort. The jokes feel like inside jokes 🥺 I get ALL the references and I feel like I’m IN on this secret language pattern she’s created ♥️

(disclaimer: I still haven’t read The Princess's Guide to Popular Statecraft because I’m not ready for that world to end 🙈)

But anyway, this is actually the perfect book for anyone still in school or out! If you loved The Love Hypothesis, you will adore this 🥰

So please please get your pre-orders in! They really help authors in the biggest way! ♥️ especially as this is her YA debut under her real name 🥹 you don’t want to miss out on this swoon worthy perfection 💕

*4.5 stars

When I found out that this book had a STEM romance with academic rivals to lovers trope, I read it right away and it did not disappoint!! This was a wholesome lighthearted read with an interesting plot, you’ll be surprised when you found out how fun robotics can be.

Except for the point where she gets to date the cutest geek in school, I relate so much to Bel's character. She's bright and compassionate, but she does have one flaw: she struggles to see the best in herself, which is... one reason why I relate to her. I'm not going to say much about Teo, but my my my, he's an absolute dream guy to date. Intelligent guys is my weakness, and Teo is certainly one of them.

The supporting characters are also excellent. Especially Ms. Voss, she’s a very supportive teacher, I believe we all need someone like her in our lives. And Dash?? Oh my God, that man brings the comedy to this romcom. It was hard for me to like Neelam at first but then I realized she's just like Paris Geller.

TeoBel’s romance is SUPER CUTE!! through the dual pov chapters, we can see how they both developed feelings for each other and secretly crushing, just how I imagined my high school romance would go if I ever had one. But despite the use of the word "romance" in the title, I like how this book was not only about teenage angsty drama. There was a lot more than that: about figuring out what you want and overcoming the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. the feminism is wonderfully portrayed.

The diversity and representation in this book is a amaaazing!! characters with various backgrounds, the chatter, the cultural foods and events?? I’ll let you find out yourself but my favorite scene is cheerful and colorful.

And I love how the STEM topic is actually highlighted and portrayed, instead of just having characters with STEM background or interest.

Thank you Netgalley, HolidayHouse, and the author Alexene Follmuth for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

“The world is not very helpful to a smart girl,” says Ms. Voss. “More often it will try to force you inside a box. But I urge you not to listen.”

Ok so first of all, I had no idea that this was Olivie Blake, the author of the Atlas Six! Either way, I loved it. I'm not so hooked by YA romance anymore, but I read this in one sitting and couldn't stop.
Firstly, the characters. Bel went through so much character development, it was amazing to see her become more confident and assertive and believe in herself more. I will never stop loving women in STEM and this was done so well. Bel didn't really think about engineering as an option for her, but once she started, she couldn't stop.
Second, Teo. I didn't like him as much as Bel, because of his super pushover vibe, and he was very dismissive of Neelam, the other girl. He only really listened to Bel because he liked her, which doesn't say much about him, in my opinion. He could have had a bit more development so that he's nice to everyone, not just Bel.

Next, the plot. I love reading books about things I don't know much about, so engineering was definitely a new one. I liked the competition and the race to build a robot that would win, and the dynamics between the characters. I did think that the Neelam-Bel rivalry thing was unnecessary. I know they resolved it, but there was no real reason that Neelam hated Bel, it just seemed like added drama.

The writing was, obviously, amazing. I'm pretty sure I teared up a little bit at some of the more emotional bits. Quote worthy and cute, I loved it!

The romance was average. It definitely wasn't bad, it just wasn't the main focus of the book. It was cute, angsty, prety much a typical well written YA romance.

Overal, I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes women in STEM, engineering (even if you don't!), rom coms and general badassery.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Holiday House for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is really fun read with a wholesome story and a very sweet romance!

The books biggest strength lies with its characters. They all felt like real people.
Since it’s a dual POV, the reader gets an great insight into the thoughts and life of both the main characters - Bel and Teo. I loved their romance, as you can see how it developed from almost a rivalry with each other, to an understanding of the other and real love.
The robotics club and the STEM aspects provides a nice backdrop not usually seen in YA contemporary.
The friendships is also something I love in this book. Especially the female one between Bel, Jamie and Lor. It’s just a really lovely friendship!

My biggest problem with this book is the writing style. Overall it’s not bad, but especially for Bel parts it’s sometimes written in a very personal way. Meaning it went from the usual formal writing style to a very "everyday" way of writing, mostly in Bels parts. It not a big deal, but it took some time to get used to. It does add a genuineness to it all, since it’s first person. But I just found it a bit hard to read, especially in the first few pages where it was a lot of it.

But overall I highly enjoyed this book, so if you want a STEM themed YA contemporary - or just a really nice high school love story - this is the perfect book for you!

"Take up your own space, Bel. Don't let people tread all over it."

Thank you to Alexene Farol Follmuth, Holiday House & Netgalley for the opportunity to do this ARC review.

I was drawn to this book the minute I saw the cover. I'm a sucker for amazingly illustrated cover art.
Honestly it took me a bit to get into the story but that didn't last long because as soon as Bel & Teo started interacting I was hooked.

As Jamie, Bel's awesome best friend stated, this is the perfect ship. "Enemies to Academic Colleagues to Lovers"

I am absolutely here for female representation in STEM programs & this is a big topic in the book as it follows the struggles that females face in Academia.

The romance only starts unfolding in the second half of the book but it was so worth the wait. These two are so pure and cute, I found myself smiling like a fool at some parts and totally freaking out in others.

I am definitely so invested in Bel & Teo's story and I have my fingers crossed for a sequel because that epilogue was the nest and I didn't want it to end.

#MyMechanicalRomance #Netgalley

4.5 ⭐️

“Today she’s wearing a sundress that’s kind of an ugly color, like rust or copper. It’s certainly nothing I would choose, though it looks sort of nice on her. Like a sunset.”
“He nudges me and I realize I missed the smell of him. Laundry detergent and boy. (Hormones are honestly the worst thing anyone’s ever invented.)”
“He rifles his hair and oh no, oh no, oh no. It looks so soft.”

SO. DAMN. CUTE.
God this book was so adorable and funny and just 🥰. I have so little tolerance for teenagers and their aNgSt, but wow this was so much fun.

It’s so easy to forget/ignore that teenagers suffer the most while being virtually incapable of helping themselves, and in their haste to be all grown up, they forget that they still are, essentially, CHILDREN, which only adds to their own difficulties. But it’s not their fault, really. Like here, especially with Teo taking on more than I could fathom to take on myself now at 23, let alone at 17. Let the poor boy rest ffs. I loved his ending so so much. It felt bittersweet at first but as he himself comes to realize, it was all for the best, and ultimately made him see himself more clearly.

BEL. I love her. She deserves the whole world and I love her. Such a refreshing mix of quirky and badass and awkward and smart aka THREE DIMENSIONAL. It is so devastatingly uncommon to find a female teen protagonist that is as real as Bel is. All of her relationships were just so interesting and dynamic. Her questioning what she would do with the next chapter of her life was relatable and, again, real. Girl’s just trying to get through the day, she does not care for your constant, anxiety-inducing questions, seriously.

MVP: DASH, MY CHILD.
““That’s my mom,” he says, pointing at a woman in the crowd with dimples and a carbon copy of Dash’s dreamy expression. “She’s really embarrassing,” he adds, though he’s smiling broadly when he catches her eye and she points to a T-shirt that reads DARIUSH’S MOM.”
LITERALLY ME I WILL DIE FOR HIM

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

This was such a cute read! We love a good STEM book with female representation! It was a bit of a slower pace but never felt like I couldn't go on reading.

It made me feel like I was in the same room as Bel, feeling ignored just because she is a female and accidently figured out she was good at something naturally vs working hard. People can get jealous so quickly and make others feel isolated.

I loved the flirty romance between her and Mateo, that first puppy love we all experience. Overall it was a really nice read, perfect for older YA readers and those who enjoy quick romance, fluffy type books with good vibes! I wasn't sure what to expect going into it, maybe a bit of a cheesy read but it actually had a lot of depth and really compelling story with great writing.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange of my honest review.

Amidst of being lost trying to figure out what to do with her future and trying to navigate her new school, Bel is made to join the robotics club but she didn’t expect to fall in love with STEM, and much less to find love during the meetings.

Teo has his life figured it all out, he is on the soccer team and he is the captain of his school’s robotics club and he has his application to MIT ready to go. Could new arrival, Bel, change the way he views his life and future?

My mechanical romance is a rivals to lovers that feels more like an acquaintances to friends to lovers as we learn more about Bel and Teo and their lives. It’s the perfect book for a quick read, it’s cute, nerdy, funny and charming! you can’t help but adore and cheer for the main characters blooming relationship.

However, the ending conflict and its resolution did feel a bit rushed.

Read this if you like: romance, warm feelings, women in stem, good ol’ fluff.

I love the author's work under her pen name so I was really excited to receive this e-ARC from NetGalley. I LOVED the banter in this book! The humor between the characters had me laughing out loud, which I love in a book and is not always easy to find. The characters felt like teenagers but not like caricatures of teenagers. Sometimes it's so clear that an adult is writing adolescents because they make everything so dramatic. And yes, adolescence is dramatic, but so many authors do too much. It was one of the more realistic portrayals in my option. I also found the characters relatable despite their privileges or different identities.
The sexism is the book made me furious, which I'm sure just means it was an effective representation of what so many girls and women experience regularly. The most effective representation of this was the subtler ways in which the male characters left out, did not notice, or dismissed the female characters. So much sexism is ingrained in our little behaviors and communications that can often be overlooked. The overt sexism is most noticeable, but the smaller moments really add up to create self-doubt, frustration, or feeling devalued.
Another aspect of this story I enjoyed was the diversity of the "nerd" identity. There were some characters that were very interested in other sciences and nerdy stuff and others that were artistic or athletic. They characters had dimension and were not reduced to one stereotype of what a nerd is expected to be or how they are often portrayed in media. Overall, I cannot wait for this book to come out and to see others really love it. I plan to purchase the book to support the author, and there are a few people in my life that I think would really enjoy it and find it empowering.
A couple of quotes I loved:
"Because even if they couldn’t have gotten here without me, I wouldn’t be anywhere without them."
"There’s a lot more kinds of strength than just being outwardly tough, and it’s a lot to ask of anyone to succeed when most people in the room are waiting to see you fail."

Thank you NetGalley for the digital arc!

So I picked this one up not really expecting *that* much. It had a cute description and I figured it would be fun. I was right, but it was SO much more than that.

I loved every moment of this book and every character in it. I loved to see the growth of both Bel and Teo - both together and separate. Also academic rivals to lovers? 👀

Let’s talk about how much I love Bel. She’s FUNNY. A little weird but in the way that just about all teenagers are, and so uncertain of herself and her future it hurts. I do acutely felt that in high school and I wish I’d had this book then. I never knew what I wanted! The thought of leaving and going to college, while expected and exciting, was also terrifying, and it would shut me down! I wish I had had a character like Bel to show me that things end up okay. I won’t spoil the ending but I think it diverges nicely from what I expected from the genre.

All the scenes in robotics meetings/matches were super fun and broke up the regular teen life scene nicely. I thought it was well-paced, had heart, and realistic. I had a smile on my face the whole time. Definitely a must read if you like fun, coming of age teen rom coms.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC! This book releases on May 31st 2022.

“Being nerdy is hot now.”
Grab your remote and get ready to rumble. This book contains everything from enemies to lovers, woman of color in stem, AND robots!🤖

Meet Bel, who has no interest in figuring life out yet, couldn’t care less for extra curricular activities and throws college applications like confetti to the sky.

Meet Teo- athlete, captain of the robotics club and a boy who is set for life.

Now mix these two together and place them on the same robotics team, and you get a mixture of POV’s, head butting, academic rivaling, stolen glances and the slow developing of teenage love.

As someone who is also in STEM, I enjoyed the aspect of robotics in this! It took me a while to get into this book, and how the team treated Bel infuriated me many times( typical toxic masculinity.) I love how real it was explained how hard it is for girls in the stem field. The character development was beautiful and I love how strong they were written. Every characters arc gave much needed insight and I think my favorite redemption arc was Neelam. She really gained my respect at the end of the book.

It was a good fun read, think I would have liked it more if it wasn’t teenagers but rather more early 20’s characters. Overall if you are looking for a cute romance in academia this should definitely be on your TBR asap.