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

I'm not usually one to absolutely love YA novels, but this one had me.

It first piqued my interest because it's by the same author (under a different name) who wrote one of my favorite books, Ninth House. I knew that this would be a more YA read, but I loved it nonetheless. It's nice to read a really cute novel with amazing, strong young characters.

This book is diverse, unique, and really features women who know what they want in life and go out and get it. I genuinely loved it so much and hope that my future kids have a similar outlook on life.

Although it was YA, it was academic-rivals-to-lovers, and who DOESN'T love that? Anyways, I highly recommend this book for a unique, cute read this summer when it comes out on May 31st.

Book: My Mechanical Romance
Author: Alexene Farol Follmuth
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review: This book was really good. The cover is so pretty and drawn me in to the book. Through the book it is duo pov which I love so much it book.

I love how this book takes place in high school during a STEM program. I loved how dedicated the characters were towards their academics.

I love the barter between high school enemies in the book. There is a romance between the new girl and named Bel and a nerdy boy who loved science named Teo.

Overall I loved in this book it empowers women to work in science and can perform the work the same way men do. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @holidayhousebks for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I've read Alexene Farol Follmuth's other work "the Atlas Six" under Olivie Blake and when i heard about the author debuting a YA STEM romance i was immediately sold. This book is everything my teenage self would have loved to read and dreamed to experience. It was a really fun read (definitely found myself grinning and squealing to my phone screen as i read it) and now i can't seem to 'shake it off' the fuzzy feelings from my chest.

I love that this book is not just using STEM as a background, but actually dive into the work (in this case robotics) and i appreciate how the author brought up conversations regarding the issue of how STEM academia favors male engineers than female engineers. The highlight of it being there are so much less girls in the robotics team and how the boys would ignore their input during robotic progress. "Girls shouldn't be engineers or scientists" is bull. Women in STEM deserve more appreciation, people! They are amazing!

2 things i hold dearly in this book: the robotics team budding friendship AND Bel & Teo's budding romance.
Sure, the team started off with a slack, with the boys brushing off input from the girls (especially Neelam's) but really... teamwork makes the dream work! there's also an important conversation between Bel & Neelam about acknowledging the difference of privilege & hardwork when it comes to women getting into STEM. Bel & Neelam really prove that women can be great engineers and they work as hard, if not twice. I also love Dash! he's such a sweetheart. Every time Dash came into the scene i always found myself cackling.

Okay now the romance.... i'm obsessed. Giving me such warm fuzzy feelings and bubbles in my stomach. I can't believe there wasn't any one like Teo Luna in my highschool? Teo & Bel really are a match made in heaven. Both of them are really sweet with each other. Teo being supportive and Bel being very understanding are a combination that gives me comfort when reading their love journey/story (of course they have their ups and downs) and that epilogue really just made me happy!

This book might just be climbing my top list for being a comfort book. I appreciate how the author wrote this story and characters. a story of friendship, hardwork, dreams, and love. Well i cannot say that i 100% relate my highschool life with this one because i didn't go to school in the Americas, but i can assure you that the characters are relatable. I can see my younger teen self in Bel, reading about her trying to figure herself out got me reminicing back to my 17/18 year old self. Honestly, this is such a great teen romance story and i cannot recommend this book enough! I most definitely cannot wait for this book to be released.

p.s i know this book isn't released yet and most likely to be a standalone but i want to see more of Bel & Teo :( <3

Before anything, I’d like to thank Netgalley, Holiday House Books & Alexene Farol Follmuth for granting me my very first ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I really loved this book! It's so fun and nerdy!

Earlier this year I became obsessed with The Atlas Six and books with a STEM setting, so when I found out the author of my current obsession wrote a book with a heavy STEM-focused plot? You can bet I requested an ARC as soon as I could.

I’m part of the S in the STEM community, and this book spoke to me in a very special way but that doesn’t mean people with other interests won’t find this read appealing.

Bel and Teo are such fun leads: I loved both POVs, found myself rooting for both and sympathizing with their struggles (individually and as love interests). I saw a little bit of myself in them as in I’ve always been a nerd, a perfectionist struggling with overworking and at the same time, second-guessing my every move.

The way Alexene Farol Follmuth portrays women entering the STEM world is spot on. I’m a male, but the ignorant comments my female classmates mentioned getting on a daily basis is almost identical to the ones Bel and other characters had to endure too.
I’m happy my class has a majority of female students, meaning more girls are getting into science and that in a couple of years, the almost-exclusively-male faculty is due for a change. (Although, from what my friends say, the Engineering campus is still mostly male :/). I cannot believe that some people are still prejudiced to what others chose to study.

My Mechanical Romance is funny and nerdy, but it doesn’t shy away of deeper topics, including the reality of Academia being harsh and competitive: As a personal story, I didn’t get into college right after high school, I felt like such a failure and struggled accepting the fact that things were not going exactly as I planned. When I did get in, I realize that grades were still a major factor: the top grades get to pick their professors and classes first, they get the best scholarship and perks. I think that the way the book touches this kind of things is really important and makes the story a tad more complex.

I’m not particularly interested in robot fighting but reading about them made me curious and I had to pause my reading to peruse youtube and watch videos about robofights. The scenes involving the club and tournaments were my favorite and I’d say that a book that manages to make you interested in a new hobby has an extra layer of enjoyment for the reader.

I can’t wait for you all to read it and I cannot recommend it enough!

Who would have thought that reading about mechanics and robotics would be entertaining? My Mechanical Romance is a sweet, smart, entertaining and interesting story, the cover and the synopsis caught my attention and I had to give it a try and it was totally worth it.

The book tells us the story of Bel, a teenager in her senior year, who goes to a new school and she is assigned to a robotics team, there she meets Teo, the team leader, who is also a nerd, at first they don't get along because Bel challenges him and he gets upset, but as time goes by and the more they get to know each other, the attraction arises between them and they feel the desire to spend time together. I loved the banter and the chemistry between them, steamy and hot!

I really liked the way the author narrates all the problems that teenagers go through, their feelings and the way they navigate this stage. also their relationships with friends. The book takes up several topics such as family problems, friendship, social relationships, but it does so in a very entertaining and interesting way. I loved Bel and Teo's relationship and how they both challenge each other and help each other to be the best version of themselves, and to discover their potentialities.

It is a different story, interesting and fun, highly recommended

I loved this book. It was smart, funny, relatable and articulated being a woman in STEM so so well. I had very high hopes for this book (which is why it took me so long to pick it up), but when I finally started reading I only put it down once (and even that was against my will).
I would’ve loved to have this book when I was younger.

This book isn’t necessarily about love and mechanics, but about figuring out what you want, how to work for it and how to live through disappointments. It’s about making a space for yourself where you're not necessarily welcome or expected.

This book has split POVs between beginner engineer and start out Harper Finkle, Bel Maier, and prodigy and robotics team captain, Teo Luna. Between the two I preferred Bel’s POV. I didn’t feel like Teo’s POV brought a lot to the story, but it’s always nice to see two sides. Their relationship was so sweet and organic, I loved how supportive they were towards each other's goals and how they helped each other to be better.

I can’t even begin to express how much I love and can relate to Bel. I felt so seen in her struggles and exhaustion, it almost hurt to read at times.

“Everyone at this school has plans, and I’m just so overwhelmed by their good intentions that I constantly feel the need to lie down for a solid five minutes before trying again.”

She deserves everything good coming her way and I’ll just leave it at that.

I loved the positive teacher portrayal Ms. Voss brought, and how it showed how important teachers are and can be (we don’t talk about Mac).

Overall this was a great read and if you’re looking for a light, fun read I totally recommend this one. Finally I’ll end this review by saying Neelam world supremacy 2022, give my girl her own book.

I loved this book! My early-2000's emo heart had high hopes from the title and Alexene Farol Follmuth did not disappoint. This book is filled with so much representation, but not in a way that feels overdone or pushy. Also, heck yes to girls in STEM! This book has me ready to go out and make my own battle bot! Not only does this end up being a feel good story, but it can seriously inspire STEM careers for young girls. Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the advanced reader copy.

<b><i>Not your typical high school drama and angst!</b></i>

<b>Overall Rating: </b>4/5
- Friends to lovers
- POC representation FTW
- Women in STEM struggles
- First person dual PoV

<i>Premise:</i> 4/5
<i>Characterization:</i> 4/5
<i>Dialogue:</i> 3/5
<i>Chemistry:</i> 3/5
<i>Secondary characters:</i> 3/5
<i>Unique quotient:</i> 4/5
<i>Steam quotient:</i> 2/5

<b><i>What I liked</i></b>

<i>The POC main characters:</i> This book was a delightful read. Both main characters being POC, I loved how the author wove the cultural influences through the story and how it even shaped the family and personality of the MCs. It wasn't over-the-top and helped flesh out the personalities even more.

<i>Handling high school:</i> With high school stories, typically you expect a lot of drama, tears, and angst - but this one was refreshingly different. It dealt with so many relatable things surrounding career, ambition, internal and external hurdles that one needs to cross at that stage of life. It was a realistic throwback to my high school days.

<i>Female engineer:</i> The hook did not fail to engage me. Yes, this was a romance story, but I loved how the author brought out the challenges for women in STEM right at that fundamental high school stage - when the hopes and dreams are being formed. Having read most of my high school romance stories set in the millennial times, it was also refreshing to read the gen Z perspective.

<i>Robot wars:</i> Can I just gush a little here on how much I absolutely loved the robot wars!!!

<b><i>What did not work for me</i></b>

<i>Individual MC voices:</i> Arguably one of the hardest things while reading a dual POV book (especially first person) is to feel like we are in the head of our respective characters. With this book, I couldn't identify in many parts which character's perspective we were seeing - I had to deduce from secondary characters, or even turning back to the chapter beginning to confirm. Bel and Teo's 'voices' were almost indistinguishable. While the author did a brilliant job fleshing out their individual characterizations, the individual voices could have been more distinct.

Following her parents divorce Bel starts at a new school, and finds herself unwillingly joining the schools robotics club. Unwilling to think about let alone plan for her future it seems her and school hottie, Mateo Luna would have nothing in common. Mateo has always been a leader, a planner, and someone who carries the world on his back. We follow these two teens as they discover it's okay to get excited about the future, and it's also okay not to be in charge of every step along the way.
This YA romance is not only super cute and relatable but also tackles important topics like misogynism in STEM and even unintentional favoritism in the classroom. I think this book covered a lot of important topics and did they very well. Head on without being uncomfortable the characters were very down to earth and I loved all the side characters.

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth is an unforgettable ya romance. I loved the women in STEM aspect and the main characters being POC. The romance was swoon-worthy, and I loved every moment of it, and the plot. I liked how the book is marketed as a romance, but the plot was amazing and captivating. I lovedthe realistic struggle of high school and how the future, college, is complicated and scary. Mateo Luna, captain of the robotics team, was the living embodiment of perfect book boyfriend and the best academic rival.Academic rivals to lovers is by far my favorite troupe and Alexene executed it perfectly, to the main characters being wayyyy to smart but with each other they slowly start looking past their brains and start looking at their heart they keep very well guarded. I loved how the romance wasn't forced but flowed perfect wit the plot and didn't take anything away from the plot either. Bel is also such a relatable character with her question everything she does as well being afraid to try new things, which is something I've faced so many times and it was really cool to see it in a book. The writing style was a personal favorite of mine, especially the traditions and i loved how everything flowed together. I also loved the POC rep not only the main characters, but the side characters as well, my favorite scene would have to do with the Holi Festival which was to die for!!! Overall I absoltly devoured this book in under a day and would recommend everybody to read once this is published!!

I really enjoyed this young adult contemporary! It includes a well developed cast, realistic problems, a light romance and a fascinating glance into the competitive world of robotics.

Bel goes through so much character growth throughout this story. I was wonderful to see her find her place, gain her confidence and fully embrace her comfort with just being herself. What I loved most was how the author used her character, as well as a classmate, to show the challenges females face in STEM. You see it firsthand with her professor, teammates and then again at competition with other schools. Yay for teachers like Ms. Voss who lift these students up and gently push them to keep trying to find their potential! I know very little about robotics, but I loved the scenes where they were working on the robots and battling in the arena. It provided a great mixture of problem solving, tension and excitement.

The story switches perspectives between Bel and Teo. Not only is he the golden child of the robotics team, but he is the love interest in this opposites attract story. I enjoyed hearing his thoughts and watching the shock he felt as he realized how valuable Bel was to the team. Their romance was slowly developed, super sweet, age appropriate and really embraced that uncertainty of life after senior year in high school. I liked seeing all of the students decide on colleges, get accepted and sometime make last minute switches in interest.

The author also touched on some family issues that many young adults struggle to work through. Bel comes from a recently split home. She is trying to navigate two homes, two parents and siblings who have taken clear sides. Teo comes from a wealthy family with strict expectations and a distant father. Their feelings on these issues showed the mental effect it caused on both.

Overall this was a fantastic YA debut. The epilogue left me smiling and I would even love to see a spinoff involving some of the other characters from the robotics team since they were developed so well!!

As a retired teacher I appreciated the character of Ms. Voss for seeing the potential of a young woman and her steering a young mind in such a powerful way. The story of Bel and Teo was layered with complicated, but realistic family issues such as divorce and expectations for the future. The friends Bel meets are all interesting and unique. My own daughter will be a Junior next year and I could only hope that her experience will be as fulfilling as Bel’s. The creativity and insight into the world of robotics was quite thrilling and made for some fun reading. I really enjoyed this story.

If I could I'd give this book 10 out of 5 stars! This book was so good!!! Ahhhhh! Love it so much! As someone who loves any kind of hands-on project you give me (particularly metal😏), it made me connect to this book even deeper! Like this book was made for me to read! Bel and Teo are the absolute cutest EVER! So should read this book when it comes out on May 31, 2022!! Preorder!!!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into reading this and wow… I can tell you I was more than pleasantly surprised. This book had me hooked, the characters are very well developed and their personalities make the book so much more. It’s very wholesome and interesting. I wish I could read this book for the first time all over again.

4.5/5
Romantic Comedy 272 pages
No Spoilers Review

I'm not normally one to read YA books, but this one piqued my curiosity - and I'm glad it did!

The story itself seemed to never really take off for me, but then again I also found myself not wanting to put it down, which is a bit of a weird mix, but it just added to the book's charm.

I found the story to be very believable overall, though I did find that some elements might have been a bit of a stretch, or at least developed more quickly than I would have expected.

Things I liked:
I really enjoyed the premise of the book. Women in STEM are, in my opinion, becoming more common, however, there were, and continue to be, real struggles for not only acceptance, but recognition as well. This is true not only of their male peers, but of other women in the fields as well. The story contained elements of both and did a great job of portraying the difficulties and barriers while not focusing too heavily on this theme.
The way everything seemed to be going "wrong" for Bel. How she ended up in the robotics club. The hardships she had to endure, the realistic obstacles she had to deal with, her perseverance and how things ended up in a very positive place for her.
Bel and Teo's opposing views and how those came together to form a positive effect on one another.
Being privy to the inner thoughts of both Bel and Teo.
All the extra on-the-side stuff that happens in "real life".
The humour that was used throughout.

Things I didn’t like:
How quickly the rapport between Bel and Teo improved from rivals to love interests. I feel like things should have developed over a longer period of time.
I feel like parts of the story might be "too mature" for the younger end of the YA spectrum.

All in all, this was a satisfying read, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in romance novels, or even an interest in the challenges today's teens must face.

I spent every spare moment of my day reading this book because of how cute it was!

I think the author did an amazing job on creating such diverse characters, there were lots of different backgrounds and cultural references throughout the book. (I think Bel might be my favourite character I have ever read)

This book was the perfect mix of Romance and STEM. (It reminded me of the Love Hypothesis)

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a cute romance to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for this ARC!

#MyMechanicalRomance #NetGalley

It was the perfect balance between a commentary of WOC in STEM, a heartwarming coming-of-age story, and a love story that had me giggling and kicking my feet. Bel is an incredibly endearing character that is incredibly easy to root for and her voice never felt forced or inconsistent with who she is as a character. Despite Teo's high profile life, I felt that I could relate to him almost instantly. Follmuth's entire cast of characters accurately portrayed the different people we come across during our young adult years, acting as the icing on the cake to a story that already felt so familiar to me.

This is my new favorite book. Everything about this book was perfect. It was so soft, so sweet, filled to the brim with the most interesting and easy to root for characters. The conversation on feminism in STEM fields, as well as how the field is male-oriented and littered with microaggressions, was a focal point but not overstated or cringeworthy. Bel and Teo were so easy to fall in love with and there were a couple of times I had to pause just to scream into my pillow because I loved them so much. This book features engineers, cute YA romance, diversity in the main characters as well as the supporting cast, and a lot of poignant family moments and discussions. Such a quick read and worth every single second. I HAVE to get my hands on a physical copy.

This felt so real; the characters, the dialogue, the friendships, the discrimination, the hurt,…

This book felt long (it isn’t)… but in a good way. I felt like everything that happened had to happen; to enhance the plot or/and the characters.

I reallyyy liked the characters, all of them. They are so unapologetically human. Especially Neelam, how mad she is at the world. And rightfully so because the world (read: society) is mean to us; as women, as women of color.

I looveee that the romance plot didn’t outshine or took away from the main plot. That is; WOMEN IN STEM and how they have to work harder than men to succeed. I love the awareness that when a man is outspoken he is ‘assertive’ and when a woman is outspoken she is mean and unlikeable.

This book exceeded my expectations.

*I was given an eARC of this book by Netgalley & the publishers in exchange for an honest review.*

4.5/5
At first, I was a bit skeptical to read this but I am so glad I did so. Happy, comical, sad with some crying here and there - the journey this book took was a bit slow, but it was worth the message the author is portraying. Nowadays, gender stereotypes exist everywhere and still control many people's mindsets especially towards STEM. This book challenges those stereotypes and shows young women that they should follow where the passion lies no matter who or what tries to get in the way. The journey the main characters, Bel and Teo, took to realize they need to change how they view things was very heartwarming and sincere. The romance and tension is there, but it's not the focus of the book which I did not mind at all. The importance lies with the message Follmuth wants to show the readers: for young girls and women to not be afraid to go after what they want no matter how hard it gets. If you don't at least try to fight for it, then you will never know if you could have succeeded.

Overall, this book had me go through a rollercoaster of emotions, mostly filled with laughs as the two characters developed and changed each other for the better. Follmuth did a wonderful job to demonstrate the struggle women in stem face due to the sexism they face trying to work in a male-dominated space. I definitely recommend this book for those who like stories that have a powerful message for women of all ages.