When reading MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE, I felt like Alexene Farol Follmuth looked into the mind of my teenage self and written the story I’d loved to have read back then. The story focuses on Bel who is convinced by a teacher to join the robotics club of her school. Enter: lots of self-doubt, engineering shenanigans, and a cast of nerds, led by Teo Luna, who’s not only captain of the robotics club but also the soccer team.

But underneath it all, the story is about finding your passion, about taking up space in an environment that doesn’t grant you any, about friendships that lift you up. Oh, and it’s also about hot nerds and confusing teenage love. I chuckled along with the banter, and resonated deeply with this brainy and empowering coming-of-age story.

Three reasons why I wanted to read »My Mechanical Romance« as soon as it was announced:
I read The Atlas Six (yes, this is the same author) at the end of last year, and I'm always curious when authors write different genres.
Women in STEM: Since I read The Love Hypothesis last September I love reading about women in STEM. Well, this is more girls in STEM, but who cares.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous. I love the colors and the drawing style is so cute. Even though I read the eBook I need this on my shelf when it's released.

Honestly, this is one of these YA books where I wish I could have read this kind of book when I was a teenager. I was one of the girls who hated math and physics, and chem was the worst but I loved reading, and when I read about characters who are passionate about a topic/hobby I always want to do it too. So, yeah, I would have loved this book when I was in school, it definitely would have made me want to be better at physics.

One thing I liked most about »My Mechanical Romance« was that we have a dual POV. I don't read that many YA contemporary books anymore but I don't think that's something we see that often and I appreciated it a lot. Bel was amazing; I loved her from the first page. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her future in the beginning and procrastinates doing school work until one of her teachers realizes she's actually pretty smart and basically forces her to join the robotics club.
Teo is the captain of the robotics club and very, very passionate about it. He's the complete opposite of Bel, who just wants to be left alone and does the bare minimum for school. Teo on the other hand is captain of the robotics club, plays soccer, always wants to help everyone, has good grades... so, obviously he and Bel don't get along that well in the beginning. Which is why I'm so happy we got to be in both of their heads because if we didn't have Teo's POV I probably wouldn't have liked him.

So, we have a rivals to lovers situation here - because obviously they secretly like each other -, women of color in STEM, help what do I do with my life angst and really fun robotic tournaments. Seriously, robotics sounds great, I didn't knew there were championships like that but the author made it sound like it's lots of fun.

I just absolutely adored the book. The writing style was humorous and easy to read, the story was engaging and fun. Both Bel and Teo were lovely characters and I loved to see the character development, especially in Bel. But also in Teo. As I said, I loved both of them.
As fun as this book was most of the time, it also deals with complicated family relationships, navigating relationships and schoolwork, just growing up. It was the perfect mix of fun and more serious topics, while always being hopeful. It discusses how hard it can be for women in STEM, especially women of color, but again, mostly in a hopeful way. And the epilogue was everything, pure perfection. Maybe one of my favorite epilogues ever.

I don't know what else I should say except that I want everyone to read this book because it was so, so freaking good. I read it in one sitting despite having to study (whoops) but I don't regret it. I was just so immersed in the story and needed to know what happens.
If you liked The Love Hypothesis because of how Olive thinks - I personally think she's hilarious - and the women in STEM aspect, please go read this book because it has very similar vibes, even though it's YA.

The first thing that caught my attention about this book was how utterly different it was to other YA romance novels, and not just because it was set in a STEM environment. The main character, Bel, was very unique; and not in the way authors write ‘unique’ or ‘quirky’ characters where that becomes the character’s entire personality. Teo was also an incredibly well written character who didn’t really adhere to the expectations of other YA teen male characters. He was smart, a hard worker and in all rights a nerd who wasn’t ashamed of his ‘nerdiness’. This was a very enjoyable read that I was able to go through very quickly and I couldn’t put the book down! The one issue I had is that the book took quite some time to get going but that seemed minuscule in the grand scheme of things. The secondary characters were also loveable and their interactions and relationships with the two main characters was interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The book was really great even though in starting i felt a little disconnected. I really the writing style of the author. I always have a fan of books containing women in STEM. I loved how the author described the problems faced by woman in STEM

I really felt connected to Bel. She was an all rounder. The book was really cute , swoon worthy . Rivals to Lovers are one of my favourite trope and Bel and Teo really made a place in my heart.

About the cover I love the cover. I just can't wait to buy it and display in my bookshelf.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so cute and fun! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it those much but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. I had a few issues with this book; the pacing was a little wonky and I found the ending quite abrupt. I wasn’t as invested in the main couple as I was in their individual storylines, both exploring family dynamics and pressures/fears young adults have of the future. Nevertheless it was still a very fun and enjoyable read especially for people interested in STEM!

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm not the biggest fan of YA Contemporary, so I really only picked this book up because of the author, aka Olivie Blake. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading about Bel and Teo! I could feel the chemistry between them; they definitely balanced each other out and brought out the best in each other. I also appreciate that Alexene Farol Follmuth/Olivie Blake brought awareness to the sexism that comes with being a woman in a STEM field, which is something I'm glad that is being brought up more in novels.

Overall this was a book I'd definitely re-read again (which is something I rarely say about any book I read)!

This book was provided as an arc copy by netgalley. This is an honest review and these are my own opinions.

This is a young adult version of a romcom. Enemies to lovers. Similar interests. Club romance.

In this book you will see the struggles in both bells and teos life to figure out who they are and how they want to fit in society. As well as trying to maneuver around social situations within school and friend groups, they have to figure out family issues and grow into who they want to be in person and personality.

I really enjoyed how the author involved the world of STEM and shows that women can do whatever any man can do. Girls in STEM are cool!!! I also like how the book shows what challenges women have to face and the gates they have to pass through to participate in the world of STEM especially women of color face even more hardship and gatekeeping.

This book is full of wit, honesty, trust, weakness, found self worth, and found family.

Do recommend!!!

I received a copy of My Mechanical Romance via NetGalley to read and review.

The story revolves around high schoolers Bel and Teo. Bel transferred to the school and meets Teo when she is coerced to try out for the robotics team by a physics teacher. Initially they do not get along but start building a bot together and the relationship changes.

The characters are witty and smart and are written how I would imagine teenagers to be. This is a very tame romcom which I’m fine with since this takes place in high school. I also like that the author addresses how boys are treated much different than girls in STEM and the fact that boys are often encouraged to do STEM where that’s not usually the case for girls.

This is a great quick read that I do recommend.

Such a cute story. The femininity theme was good but I don't think the characters really got it. That Richardson kid really needs a good talking to by his parents that's for sure.

The coding and science part was very easy and understandable. The author did a good job of explaining the methods so it was easy to work put how the machines were functioning instead of being lost.

The romance was sweet but it didn't seem too believable at first.

I'll definitely check out another book by this author and hopefully it will be a book about Dash.

i absolutely sped through this. i adored the women in stem representation. it wasn't forced and it didn't feel unnatural. it was SUCH an adorable academic rivals to lovers. i don't normally enjoy books set in high schools but i definitely enjoyed this one and it didn't feel super high school-focused. i would 100% recommend this to anyone who loved the love hypothesis!!

Super cute, feel good romance! Loved the girls in STEM rep and while some of the book was cringey, that's high school. The cover is gorgeous - looking forward to buying a physical copy and re-reading once it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy!

To start, I want to say how much I sped through this. I couldn't stop! It was such a cute and fun read and helped me feel better!

I really enjoyed Bel's character! She felt like a very well-rounded person, especially when knowing about her background and trepidation to engineering because of her dad. I really enjoyed seeing her have real conflict because even though this was a fun read, it still tackled important problems and kudos to the author for that! Compared to Bel, I didn't like Teo as much. His conflicts, compared to Bel's, felt colorless and I did feel like Bel could do better...

All the side characters were amazing! I really enjoyed Jamie's character. I felt like she was a great addition to this novel and was so supportive!! I also related to her so much, and it was one of the first times I really saw someone very similar to me in literature, which makes this book have a special place in my heart <3. Dash was also amazing! Another character I really liked was Ms. Voss. I had a teacher in elementary school who was amazing and literally Ms. Voss and this made me reminisce so much! You know it's a good book when you want more novels about the side characters :)

Now onto the serious side of the novel. I felt like the author handled sexism in STEM very well. It was subtle, but it was still important and I really enjoyed that. As a female myself who is considering going into STEM, I felt the characters feelings about this sexism and the unconscious bias that Teo had about how everyone should listen to him because he is male.

ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE COVER FOR A SEC - i love this cover so much that i want to buy this book so i can display it on my bookshelf IT'S AMAZING

This is 100% for you if you want to get out of a slump or need a pick-me-up!

This book was SO CUTE! It heavily reminded me of both The Love Hypothesis as well as the Spanish Love Deception. The cover was adorable and well portrays the book without giving away too much but shows just the right amount of character. The pop culture references were easy to understand and the humor mixed with banter made it a real romcom that can be easily enjoyed. I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.

I loved the book. It had enemies to lovers plus slow burn, poc girls in STEM Sign me up. None of the characters are all perfect or all bad. They each have their own flaws but I think that adds to the story. Bel does overuse the word ‘like ‘ a lot but i like that because sometimes it’s hard to describe what you’re trying to say without stuttering.

All the characters had their own personality. The romance was cute funny and a little on the gentle side. Teo is a swiftie WHAT!!!? Everything is so cute. Dashius needs to be protected ! So glad I took the time to read this book

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGally in exchange for a honest review

This is a cute academic rivals to lovers read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Bel joins the robotics team after missing an assignment. She has a knack for it but doesn't like team activities. She meets Teo, the team captain. They don't see eye to eye in the beginning but once they spend more time together they become closer. I really liked the characters, the way they interacted, and how their relationship developed.

There is a nod to the sexism women experience in engineering when both Bel and Neelam join the team. I always enjoy books with female characters in STEM and women of color.

Overall a great read!

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ahhhhhhhhhh asdfgh!!

Words! I need more words! This book was just ugh (heart eyes emoji)

I can’t even formulate a whole sentence so I’m gonna list out what makes this book so good:

-rivals to lovers
-rivals to friends to lovers
-found family
-acknowledgment of sexism in STEM
-kick ass girls
-adorable male hero (tbh anyone who doesn’t like Teo can get pushed down the straits)
-fun friends
-POC everywhere 🎉🎉🎉
-did they say heteronormativity in the book??? Yessss!!
-different cultures, in an authentic way
-Holi festival
And you know...
-robots (but like nerds are hot now)

Read it, love it, promote it, this book is like warm hugs, laughter, and snuggles all wrapped up into one amazing book. May 31st can NOT come soon enough!

I requested this book having seen rave reviews on Bookstagram. Unfortunately, the one thing I did not take into account was that the characters in this plot are in high school and hence the language, style and characterization are not to my preference. While this may be a great book, it was sadly not for me as I am way above the intended age group.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you netgalley for providing the arc of this book.

I usually don't read YA books, but I was interested because it's written by olivie blake, and i love her writing style. So back to the book, it has academic rivals to lovers trope and it was a slow burn. I loved dynamic between bel and teo

Apart from the main characters i liked Neelam's abd Dash's characters the most.

𝘔𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 follows Bel as she's coerced into joining her school's robotics club by a teacher who recognises her engineering talent. But what happens once Bel realises that talent doesn't equate experience!?
Hence, enter Teo Luna, who helps her out and as the line between their secret study sessions and secret attraction blurs... love might as well be blooming.

- ~ -

Academic rivals to lovers? Women in stem? An absolutely stunning cover?
This book was made for me!

"𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙙𝙤."

Our main character, Bel is the most fun character I've read in a good while. She's funny, intelligent, strong and an incredible engineer!

Teo, on the other hand, is also nothing short of a genius. He might come off as a bit intense but he's a pretty cool guy as you read more about him.

And the romance they shared felt surprisingly realistic and it had my heart fluttering, I mean technically even their first meet had my heart fluttering but whatever. Their inside jokes? Geeking over physics? Taylor Swift references? Yeah immaculate, all of it!

Also both of them had an incredible character development throughout the story. They both started out as a bit naive in the beginning but as the plot progressed they, in my opinion, matured tenfold which was best evident by the epilogue.

- ~ -

The selection of all tertiary characters was well done, featuring genuinely diverse characters with distinct personalities.

There were also mentions of experiences (off page and also on on page) concerning the sexism faced in the engineering field, which would be relatable to many. It was well thought out, the whole subtlety of gender discrimination and sometimes it was apparent but either way I liked that in the end it was girls building each other up instead of a kiss from some charming prince. But also it's a sad reality that there even exists discrimination in the first place :'(

On a personal note, I do recommend watching a Robot Wars video for reference before starting this book because there's a fair amount of technical lingo and it'll give a lot of insight into how the robots fight, their build and the overall palpable tension in the atmosphere.

- ~ -

Overall: A well written YA romance debut with a captivating plotline and charismatic characters!
I HIGHLY recommend you all to give this a try :)
Mark your calendars, it's out 5/31!

4.98 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 & 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Loved this book! solid 4.5 stars.
absolutely loved the humor, romance was cute, representation was amazing!, and the story was overall super fun to read.
the first thing about this book that really caught my attention was the character voices and the writing style. the characters were super realistic and really well fleshed out, and they were also relatable in a genuine way. like there were some meme and pop culture references that was so characteristic of my (and the characters' generation) and it didn't feel forced or fake at all. the writing was also like really good to read--by which i mean it flowed really well.
thinking back about the book, the storyline was actually super detailed. like in a good way. it made the side characters more three dimensional too, rather than flat, and i really enjoyed how the plot developed.
about the characters though, there was one in particular (spoiler: Mac) that was super sus and like definitely not Bel's supporter and he (spoiler) kinda got a redemption arc at the end which i did not like. the problems around his character were definitely addressed but didn't feel fairly resolved. yay for Neelam's character arc though!
i liked the women in stem empowerment and feminism in this book; the inequality is always a huge part of our terrible society and i liked that this story not only reflects reality and truth but also educates and empowers readers.
to reiterate, i really enjoyed this book, definitely recommend reading this book!