I just finished this book, and I have the biggest smile on my face. I had such a good time reading it that I devoured it in a couple days. It has humor, heat, excellent neurodivergent rep, and a lot of nerdiness about trivia. I loved it.

Teddy and Maxine are rival competitors on a game show called “Answers!” (which is basically “Jeopardy!”). When they’re both invited to play in the Ultimate Answers! Tournament against the best contestants in the show’s history, they unexpectedly team up to help train each other. Teddy will help Maxine fill in the gaps in her knowledge, and she’ll show him how to take risks and be a savvier game-player. She ends up moving in to his house for the five weeks before the tournament, which leads to a lot of delightful and sexy moments. (I will never look at a world map the same way again.)

Also? *This* is how you do rivals-to-lovers. These people actually have a reason to dislike each other; they’re not childishly sniping at each other for no reason. It’s clear as time goes on that their rivalry is based in deep respect for the other person. The trope doesn’t just go away after a few chapters, either — Teddy and Maxine’s rivalry is a thread woven throughout the story. The tension between them is delicious. And when that tension finally snaps, things get HOT.

I really needed some joy in my life, and WHAT IS LOVE? was an injection of joy straight into my veins. This is one of my favorite books I’ve read all year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Question: What is Love? Answer: The steamy, quiz show based enemies to lovers book you WON’T be able to put down! This book was fantastic Jen Comfort is such a talented writer. I loved this book and will definitely be reading it again!

This book is so freaking cute!! WHAT IS LOVE is definitely a winner. I love the premise - set on a Jeopardy style gameshow - and the two main characters were adorable. I was rooting for them the whole time! I'm so here for witty banter, sexy romance and a book that is just 100% bingeable. Definitely do yourselves a favour and add this one to the TBR, you will not regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing a DRC of this title for review.

In What is Love?, trivia show rivals team up in an attempt to conquer an undefeated champion and find love in the process. As a big Jeopardy! fan, I was really looking forward to this one! I don't know if I ever fully connected with the characters/understood them as a couple, but I would still recommend it to patrons who were looking for a quiz-show related romcom. 3 stars/5.

"What is Love?" by Jen Comfort is an introspective journey into the complexities of love, self-discovery, and human connection. Comfort's writing is reflective, offering insightful perspectives on matters of the heart. This book invites readers to explore the multifaceted nature of love, making it a thought-provoking and enlightening read.

3rd person, dual POV. Enemies to lovers. Very open door. Quiz show setting so lots of trivia!

I really liked how the author approached the 3rd POV in this novel and it really really worked for me and was super enjoyable. It had personality and style and had distinction between the two characters' POVs. The characters start out a little annoying, but they very quickly move beyond that stage. The banter was so fun, and I loved the trivia backdrop!

A very fun read!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A rom-com centered around a Jeopardy-esque game show? Why not??

This book was such a fun (and unexpectedly spicy) read! The enemies-to-lovers storyline about “nerds” had me hooked from the beginning. The tension between the main characters was hot and the ride from rivals to roommates was intense to say the least.

If you’re looking for a spicy rom-com with a splash of neurodivergence, nerdiness and trivia, then this is for you. And even if none of those topics are on your radar, you’ll still love this story about two unlikely lovers who discover they’re a perfect match.

I’ll definitely be adding Jen Comfort to my list of authors to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Spicy! Trivia! Game shows! Quirky! Clever! And a bit raunchy!
Such a fun romance with a straight laced guy and a bit of manic pixie dream girl who knows that’s how people see her.
Jeopardy for romance lovers!

This Jeopardy-inspired romance is perfect for fans of rivals to lovers; strong, intelligent women; (ethical) student/teacher vibes; and, of course, trivia enthusiasts.

Maxine and Teddy first meet when competing on a trivia game show and an epic rivalry is born. The two are thrown back together during the game show’s all-stars competition and reluctantly decide to work together to beat their ultimate competition. Maxine and Teddy have their own strengths as players and things heat up as they help each other overcome their weaknesses.

What is Love? ("WIL") is both a love letter to Jeopardy and a romance with complex, well-developed characters. One of the first things I noticed when reading WIL is the impressive amount of research and references to both trivia and game show playing techniques. Jen’s comprehensive and detailed research reminded me of another of my favorite reads this year, Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s clear Jen dedicated a lot of time becoming an expert in Jeopardy game play and strategy while also including so much fun trivia throughout the book (and hilarious nods to Jeopardy’s influence in pop culture). Jen seamlessly incorporated substantive research without dragging down the pace of the story and kept it lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny.

But enough with the wonky stuff and on to the most important part of the book, the love story. I can’t overstate how much I loved that Maxine and Teddy are two mature, intelligent adult characters even though they might not have everything together. Maxine Hart is a strong, unapologetic woman who owns her flaws and doesn’t need to change her personality to get her happily ever after. And then there’s Teddy Ferguson. I was hooked from the first chapter by how fast Teddy fell for Maxine and, by the end of the book, I was obsessed with his absolute plummet to lovestruck fool. Jen wrote two amazing characters with such distinct, funny voices. The story leans into Maxine’s chaos personality and Teddy’s stuffiness to create comedic (and sexual) tension that delights and feels believable. Did I also mention this book is hot?!?

I won’t give any spoilers, but I do need to specifically mention the ending of the book. I had no clue how things would resolve and, honestly, Jen wrote the perfect ending that I could not have even imagined. I laughed and I literally cried (happy tears). It was incredibly satisfying, and I need everyone to read WIL so we can talk about it!

I miss Maxine and Teddy’s snarky banter and big hearts already. I’m not someone who watches gameshows and am personally VERY bad at trivia, but I looooved it as a setting. The trivia sprinkled throughout felt like little dopamine hits. Also.. who knew trivia could be so hot?! (Teddy, that’s who 🔥)

I love to see ADHD rep in all its glory. Some of those scenes hit a little too close to home at times though ha! Off to preorder a copy because this will definitely be a comfort reread - especially all my favourite scenes.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC!

I had SO much fun reading What is Love? by Jen Comfort. A great rivals-to-lovers story about Teddy and Maxine who are battling on a gameshow called Answers!. The steamy tension is there from the beginning, but neither of them want to admit it, of course. When they are called to play in the Ultimate Championship round of the gameshow, some gameplay weaknesses that have come up in the past encourage them to seek help from each other in studying (in more ways than one!) in order to prepare for the big game and prize money.

Not only was the banter TOP NOTCH between them with nerdy facts sprinkled throughout (so witty--I want to be friends with Jen Comfort in real life), as was the spice (!!), but the personal growth of the main characters and their relationship with each other was so heartwarming throughout the entire book, too. And I loved the representation of bisexuality and neurodivergence (ADHD). Will definitely recommend What is Love? and can't wait to read more from Jen Comfort in the future (I wouldn't mind seeing more Teddy and Maxine too!!).

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.25 rounded up. I read another book by this author and this one was much better - fun characters, an interesting rivalry, and it's never bad to read about a game like Jeopardy. It's very much a highwire act of shenanigans with a little mystery, a little character misunderstanding, a little trivia.

I received an ARC in advance and for free in exchange for a potential review.

Jen Comfort's books are quickly becoming comfort for ME personally and What is Love? did not even remotely disappoint. After the bonkers goodness of Midnight Duet made it one of my favorite books of 2022, I was so so excited to get my hands on her book and I absolutely devoured it. She has such a natural knack for writing beautifully flawed but real people who you can't help but root for and connect with and Maxine and Teddy were no exception. I love the opposites attract trope, especially when, as they start to get to know each other better, the so-called "opposites" begin to realize they aren't quite so different after all. Starchy academic types with a wild side are my kryptonite and Teddy leaped off the page at me from the first page. Both he and Maxine have beautifully-crafted personal arcs and I loved the emphasis on family that both had without dragging down the romance. As a lifelong Jeopardy! fan I probably would have loved this book no matter what, but it was a true knock-it-out-of-the-park read. Cannot recommend it enough! (especially if you, too, love collecting odd little facts like trophies)

3.5 stars rounded up. I’ve been following Jen Comfort since her debut Astronaut and the Star released as an Amazon First Reads book and thoroughly enjoyed her last book, a gender bent Phantom of the Opera retelling.

What is Love? centers around two trivia game show rivals who agree to help each other prepare for an upcoming tournament. Maxine is feisty, adventurous, and insecure about her ADHD and lack of formal education. Teddy is neurotic, uptight, and completely enamored by her, even if she brings chaos to his otherwise structured and orderly life.

I loved seeing Maxine voice her insecurities and see her fight her growing attraction to Teddy. As the eldest child of a gambling addict single mother, she’s had a lot of pressure on her and many obstacles that got in her way. Similarly, Teddy also had a lot on the line with the tournament and is hesitant to give in to his desire for her. The whole will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic is the most painstaking slow burn but it’s so satisfying when they both decide to risk it for each other. After all, sometimes you need to take a big risk in order to get a big payoff.

What I liked:
-rivals to lovers
-ADHD representation
-slow burn
-nerdy banter

What I disliked:
-way too much trivia talk
-spice level

Rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Jen Comfort knocks it out of the park in What is Love?

This story is funny, fun, filled with banter and spicy times! If you like game shows this book is definitely for you.

I really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters and thought their relationship developed perfectly. I loved their interactions, they were the best part of the book. These two a basically couple goals by the end of the book.

I also liked the idea of a game show being the setting of a book. It's unique and interesting.

I had so much fun while reading this, I didn't want it to end.

Wow, this book. It’s so hard to know what to say about this story except that I am kinda gobsmacked and completely and utterly obsessed!

You don't have to be a Jeopardy! fan to love What is Love? (though avid followers will love the behind-the-scenes look at a fictional quiz show). This is the kind of comfort read I tear through — the leads are charming and have great chemistry, the dialogue is sharp, and the side characters have great personalities. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I do want to commend Jen Comfort for elegantly side-stepping a lot of frustrating tropes that create conflict. Instead, she found a way to add tension and suspense in a refreshing way.

⭐️ 3.25 /5
🌶️ 2 /5

Do you like trivia like jeopardy?
How about rivals-to-lovers?
Some sexual tension?
Then, "What Is Love" is the book for you!

The story tugs between rivals/enemies-to-lovers and instant attraction. So, you best believe the tension is there.
The characters are very interesting. FMC has ADHD and is strong and independent but can't resist MMC. 
MMC is sweet, caring and dominating where it counts 😉 I love how good MMC understands FMC. 

I think the trivia competition storyline dragged on a bit. But we were rewarded with some forced proximity and very creative—and spicy—ways to study for their competition 😏

Overall, a lighthearted read and the ending was the cutest!

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for this Advance Reader’s Copy. I leave this honest review voluntarily.

This book is hot!! Max and Teddy have lots of chemistry and I loved the interactions between this unlikely pair and how much tension there was between these quizzing nemeses. All of the antagonising, the banter, the outright flirting! I was hooked.

Max is an incredibly enigmatic character who is full of life and very funny. Getting inside her head was interesting and it’s impossible not to empathise with her but she definitely isn’t looking for any sympathy. She’s bold, intelligent and goes after what she wants - whether her suspender wearing enemy is standing in her way or not. The dual narrative also made this book sing - their voices contrast beautifully. Teddy is reserved and socially awkward but Max brings him out of his shell and challenges him, and he loves (almost) every second of it. His infatuation with Max is so sweet and whilst she sometimes misinterprets what he says, they don’t suffer the miscommunication.

On top of the romance, the quizzing, the battle of wills, the neurodivergent representation is so well woven into the story through Max’s character. We’re shown how prejudice and a lack of understanding of ADHD have impacted her and influenced the relationships in her life, as well as what her day to day experiences of ADHD are whilst also showing she is so much more than her ADHD. This book is absolutely fantastic (though a little slower in places) and I truly enjoyed it!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Everytime I read this title, my mind finishes it with: Baby, don't hurt me!

And boy, this book didn't disappoint me.

The witty banter between Teddy and Max made their romance so much better.

I have never read a romance centered around a trvia game, but it wasn't bad. At first I didn't understand the workings of the show, as I don't have something like that in my country, but later I found it very fun and a good addition to the story.