ok i KNOW the discourse is that ali hazelwood’s books are all very similar but i’m just saying….. if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. i like her big, brooding, always-fall-first men, i like her academic settings, and i like her wit. there’s nothing wrong with honing your skills! i will always read her stuff QUICKLY and HAPPILY. thank you.

#netgalley

Let me start off with saying, I will always love STEM-meets-romance.
In her third novel, Love, Theoretically (following the successes of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain), author Ali Hazelwood brings to life rival physicists Elsie Hannaway and Jack Smith. Elsie is an adjunct professor scraping by until the day she can research theoretical physics full time, meanwhile Jack is the experimental physics rising star at MIT. Two realms of physics at a head — so who will win? Without spoilers, this is a balanced mix of competition, romance (and spice), and the science Hazelwood is known to put in the heart of her novels (as well as some of her other favorite tropes of enemies to lovers, academia, fake dating, etc.) Keep an eye out for when this releases June 13th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy!

What I loved about Love, Theoretically
-classic Ali Hazelwood humor
-the banter (gah the banter)
-the way I related so much to Elsie
-angsty in a way that I loved

Elsie Hannaway lives a double life…she’s an adjunct physics professor by day and offers herself as a “fake girlfriend” in the evenings. The extra gig in the evenings helps pay for some of Elsie’s bills; teaching alone definitely isn’t making all her ends meet. When Elsie’s most recent fake boyfriend ends up having a brooding older brother, Elsie doesn’t make much of it. She tries to avoid Jack Smith at all costs. Except Jack Smith ends up being on the hiring committee of a job that Elsie interviews for. Things get complicated when Elsie has to reconcile her two personalities while simultaneously trying to compete for her dream job.

Love, Theoretically was angsty, swoony, a bit taboo and messy (in the best way) and I absolutely loved this book. The romance between Jack and Elsie was slow burning, sexy and so damn sweet. I think my current boyfriend is whoever was in Ali’s most recent book and then she writes another hero who I can’t help but fall for. I loved how Jack saw through Elsie and didn’t let her be anyone but herself with him. Being vulnerable for your partner is scary and I felt all of these scary thoughts with Elsie while she slowly let go of her inhibitions with Jack.

But what I loved most about Love, Theoretically, was Elsie’s self discovery. I feel that so many of us deal with imposter syndrome. I know that I do - whether that’s in my field of work, at home or even on social media. It’s easy to fit ourselves into a slot to appease those of us around us. But what about what we want or what we truly believe. Sometimes those important parts of ourselves get pushed to the side and after that’s been happening for so long you forget about what really matters to you. I loved loved loved that Jack saw through this with Elsie. He was observant and sweet and never judging her - he only wanted to see her and want her to be her true self around him…swoon.

Love, Theoretically definitely moved its way up there as one of my favorite Ali Hazelwood romances.

Thank you, Ali Hazelwood, for another wonderful romcom for me to hyperfixate and swoon over.

We're given a female main character, navigating the world of STEM politics, as well as navigating her mental health, financial struggle, being a diabetic, family dynamics, career discomfort, and we get to really learn her as she learns herself.

Our love interest, Jack, is patient and encouraging and everything we all need in a partner. The book is definitely slow burn, but in the best way. We fall in love with the characters as they begin to fall in love with each other.

I adored Jack and Elsie so much because they were odd and relatable with an extraordinary love story.

The third time's the charm! While I have absolutely LOVED both of Hazelwood's previous novels, this one hooked me in INSTANTLY with the banter, electric chemistry, and the tense, forbidden aspect. It feels like her other work, but the vibe is also all its own - it progresses a little differently, the storyline is unpredictable, and the characters themselves are so rich and interesting. I loved that our heroine is strong and intelligent, yet also grapples with trying to find herself. And I adored that our hero genuinely loves the aspects of her that she is most insecure about. I loved that they push each other to be better, and it was EASY to see all of the ways they're perfect together. The forbidden aspect - our heroine is (fake) dating the hero's brother - adds a whole new layer of complexity to the relationship development, and it really ratcheted up the tension. I devoured this so quickly, and I was completely hooked the entire time.

The story follows Elsie, a struggling theoretical physicist who has been fake dating guys for years to pay the bills. Elsie is good at fake dating, because she's been molding herself into whoever other people want her to be her entire life, and it's as natural as breathing at this point. Except... there's one guy who can't seem to stand her, the older brother of her favorite client. They've only interacted a few times over the last six months, but it's easy to see that Jack is skeptical of Elsie. So when he discovers that Elsie isn't the sweet and demure librarian she claimed to be - she's actually a highly-regarded physicist who is interviewing for a job she desperately needs - it complicates their already-strained relationship. And when Elsie realizes that Jack might be the one who determines whether or not she gets the job? Well, she knows she has a rocky road ahead.

There's something about Hazelwood's writing style that I find immensely bingeable, and this was no exception. I didn't read the blurb before diving in, I just started reading - and I was gripped by the premise right away. The unique concept and unpredictability, plus the vibrant academic environment, added such a fresh feel to this. Yes, it still felt like Hazelwood's other work - with a heroine who works in STEM, a single perspective, an overwhelmingly large and intriguing hero, and enemies to lovers vibes - but I could also see the differences immediately. I loved that I wasn't quite sure how things would progress, and I really loved both Jack and Elsie. Elsie's personality-shifting was really interesting to read, and it was great that Jack could read her like a book. We get that fantastic friction of an enemies-ish to lovers romance, the forbidden element, the rivalry, and the sheer connection of two people who are perfect for each other. It kept me on my toes as much as they kept each other on theirs, and the whole book was one incredibly engaging ride to HEA. I absolutely loved it, possibly even more than the other two. Huge thanks to the publisher for the early copy, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review of this sexual tension-filled romance.

Queen of STEM romance, the birth mother of the most quirky, nerdy, entertaining, likable and very huggable characters is back! And she returned back with my all time favorite trope: enemies to lovers!

I can honestly say this is my favorite book of hers: because it’s FUNNIER, SEXIER, QUIRKIER! Did I tell you Jack Smith is the best book boyfriend she’s created? That sulking, intense, intelligent man knows how to make a girl happy! He’s passionate but he perfectly controls himself to put Elsie’s needs first. He’s caring, patient, gentle. I loved him!

And let’s introduce you dear Elsie who earned my ten thousand hugs. She’s graduated with Ph.D. in theoretical physics. When she couldn’t get an academic position she’s dreamt of, fake-girlfriending her way through her student loans turned into her only solution to put her out of her misery.

Even though she still lives in a crappy apartment she’s sharing with her bestie Cece, she still keeps her hopes high to find a better position in near future. She still tries to keep her head above the water as an adjunct professor, lecturing five different classes, reading students’ very sincere emails ( those emails made my week! I guffawed too loud) , grading labs, teaching thermodynamics. In the meantime, her mother forces her to become negotiator to solve her big brothers’ extra immature problems they’ve gotten themselves into!

Here’s the weakness of Elsie Hannaway: she doesn’t know the meaning of “no”! She can never say this word! She’s molding into different character for each person in her life, putting their needs first. That’s why she never thinks through what she really wants from the universe!

Then her path crosses with her big nemesis. She finds out her best fake-dating customer Greg’s brooding but also very charismatic brother Jack Smith is also the same person who has written an article that ruined her mentor’s career! And unfortunately he’s the same man who is ruling the physics department at MIT! He’s one of the decision makers who will decide if she’s the right candidate for her dream job. You may guess Jack supports another candidate for the job and he’s really shocked to find out Elsie is not librarian girlfriend of her brother as he’s been introduced. As an experimental theorist he has every intention to reject to work with a theorist!

Elsie has no intention to leave her dream position without a fight. She’s adamant to fight against the man who gets under her skin. Yes, she finds him very attractive. Yes, she wants to rip his clothes and kiss him senseless then punch him in the face. But she can restrain her feelings to be professional, right? Oh, you already know the answer!

Overall: Elsie and Jack were dynamites! I loved their dialogues, hilarious banters, blazing chemistry! That’s my favorite work of the author! I wish I could give more than five stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

What an absolute DELIGHT!!! Ali's protagonists are so likeable and the academic content/commentary is still accessible and interesting for people not in STEM. 10/10 let's keep this going.