Clara and Henry met while working towards their doctorates at Oxford. They became friends, but their friendship ended when Henry returned to America. When they meet again, Clara finds Henry has fulfilled his potential, and they rekindle their friendship when they begin working together. Clara has trust issues and protects her heart. Henry has always cared for Clara, but can he convince her he won't break her heart? I like the gentle romance peppered with humour and spice. The story explores consent and power in the workplace through the characters. Clara is a likeable contemporary woman who draws you into her life. Henry is lovely. I like the friends-to-lovers romance, the couple's emotional investment, and the workplace setting.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher.

I have fallen to the hot Henry effect! How could you not? He’s hot, nice, smart and completely oblivious to his effect. There were times I wanted to shake Clara or hurting Henry, but overall she has a good heart. I would have liked to have more time with them as a couple, because as friends their chemistry was perfection!

The Hot Henry Effect was such a fun rom-com by Lucy Chalice.
My first time reading her work and I’m happy to say I loved it!
Chalice created absolute magic here.
This was the perfect workplace/second chance romance.
The way Clara and Henry connected was amazing.
Their relationship was so pure and so genuine it tugged on all my heart strings.
This book was a fun, quick read and was totally unputdownable.
It leaves you with feel good, happy vibes!
I can’t wait to Fundamentals in Flirting this fall!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is maybe one of the best steminist books I have read in a while. I think I have also fallen prey to the Hot Henry Effect and I am also in love with Dr. Fraser.
You meet Clara in an embarrassing moment, and then she just snowballs to more embarrassment when she is found in front of her long lost male best friend who is, of course, one of the most handsome men and engineers she has ever met.
They quickly start up their friendship again and the banter and antics these two get into made me laugh out loud multiple times. I loved seeing them be actual real best friends, with a few close calls for the potential for more. When it all comes out that there are feelings, I didn't feel like there was a big backlash of feelings or a blow up that was out of proportion for things. No crazy third act break up, no a little bit of a run away girlfriend vibe - but Henry was man enough to get his words out right away to fix everything. The spice was so tasteful and not at all graphic. They both seemed to know what they were doing and we didn't need to know the passionate parts.
I do wish we had gotten more of the aftermath of Dominic and what happened after he cornered Clara in the parking lot. I needed a little bit more closure in that. The "epilogue" was just a continuation of the story. It was not a where are they now and that was a touch disappointing for me.
It started a little like Ali Hazelwood, but then quickly became a thing of it's own and I really honestly loved it. Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Chalice, and One More Chapter!!

This was such a fun story to read! i really loved Clara and Henry and the chemistry between them was through the roof! I couldn't put it down and managed to read the whole thing in one day!

I'm usually not a huge fan of spicey books but this one was just *chefs kiss*

The Hot Henry Effect sounded like a fun read, but I would have to say after reading it that I really was never pulled me into the story. The plot was ok but that was about it for me. I want a book to make me connect with the characters and care what happens to them.
I read the book but found myself thinking there was something missing.
Thank you NetGalley, Lucy Chalice and One More Chapter for the ARC of The Hot Henry Effect. This is my personal review.

I love a book with women in STEM, and I love a romance where there is lots of banter and teasing. This one ticks all of those boxes. Honestly, this publisher is fast becoming an immediate read any author they choose to publish because they choose well.

This is a fun friends to lovers romance, with so much fun and laughter. Honestly, I love books that make you laugh or the characters are just having fun interacting with each other and are playful. I really enjoyed reading this one.

Clara and Henry met many years ago when Clara was assigned to help Henry learn about stem cells in her lab. They became good friends in the lab despite Henry messing up a lot, and left on excellent terms but never kept in touch.

Now Clara is giving an important presentation at work, everything goes wrong and she is convinced she is about to be fired. Only to find out Henry is back in England, collaborating with her company, and chose her to be his company liaison. They pick up right where they left off years ago and get along so well.

This was such a sweet romance. Henry was an absolute dream boat and the definition of a golden retriever. He had great emotional intelligence, he was kind, sweet and supportive. I definitely felt the full extent of the Hot Henry Effect. Clara was the problem for me, she didn't make me feel like I wanted to root for her. Overall I really liked the romance and the story.

This was a fun read. It had good tropes (MC not sure she’s good enough because dad left when she was young, second chances). Overall worth reading.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, & I give my review freely

The Hot Henry Effect is the perfect rom com story, full of laughter and funny moments, full of emotion that definitely hit me in the feels, is heartwarming and swoonworthy and nice and spicy and a wonderful, easy read!

I loved the tropes that were included in this story - second chance romance and friends to lovers, they are some of my favourites.

I loved the two main characters, Clara and Henry, they were very ‘real’ and down to earth and relatable and i loved learning all about them!

All-in-all a wonderful, heartwarming easy read and i thoroughly enjoyed it…….

this was a cute story, that was medium paced. i feel like it was sold as an ali hazelwood-esque book and bc of that my expectations were pretty high. while our fmc and mmc are both people in STEM thats kind of where the similarities end. the writing was good but it also felt lacking and the story was def not spicy, even though again in the description its said to be. i feel like this is a good book to get INTO spice if you don't normally have it in your books.

also the author did a GREAT job making the fmc be super cringey at times i'm not going to lie it def had moments where she gave me the ick. and honest the mmc as well lol

also was this suppose to be a henry cavill fanfic bc thats exactly what its giving. i think i would def read her next book but depending on her writing style and growth i will have to see if she will be an author i continue to read from,

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the E-ARC

Dr Clara Clancy finds herself reunited with Dr Henry Fraser, a face from the past. A man she had quite the crush on. Now he swoops in helping her out on more than one occasion. They have a fun and sassy friendship but maybe there could be more between them.

Oh I loved this so much. It was brilliant, funny and sweet. The romance is cute and the humour is so on point. I as a Bon Jovi fan, loved the references throughout the book. This does touch lightly on consent and I like how it got handled. Not between main characters. Speaking of them oh they're so much fun. Clara has her issues but she works her way through it. Henry is just adorable. The ending was utterly perfect and this might be my favourite read this year so far.

If you love women in STEM not realizing they are falling in love with the hot, smart guy that has always wanted her… this is the book for you.

We meet Clara and Henry while they are in grad school at Oxford. At that time it seemed Clara was the only student on campus immune to “The Hot Henry Effect” which causes women to swoon and hyperventilate whenever Henry is near. Her immunity resulted in a friendship with the popular hot guy who after eight months returned to the United States to finish his schooling.

Seven years later, they met again. A project throws them together again and as they work together their friendship rekindles. Things are different this time. Clara doesn’t seem to have her Hot Henry Immunity anymore, and it appears that Henry never was immune to Clara either…

I loved Clara’s character and how her self-deprecation made her relatable. Henry….ugh, my heart. I loved how he saw what Clara needed and met her where she was comfortable. I would have loved to see a little deeper into his character. Overall it was wonderful. I enjoy seeing women in a STEM romance, and this was everything I hoped it would be and more. This was a 4 star read for me.

Make sure to look for Fundamentals in Flirting by Lucy Chalice as well. Pub Date: November 1, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Dr. Lucy Chalice, and the publisher, Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of this book.

THE HOT HENRY EFFECT is a book you’ll enjoy if you like the S.T.E.M. environment and a slow burn romance with a separation period effecting how the characters relate after they are reunited.

The characters are different and well developed. The story starts off a little awkward, especially for Henry, and that really endeared me to him from the start.

The banter was fun and a clever kind of humor. I kept turning the pages hoping it would help the romance move along, if that makes sense.

I received an early copy of the book from One More Chapter (where I find some of my favorite books) and NetGalley. I’m sharing my honest opinion to help others decide if you would like the book, too.

I’ve decided, after thoroughly enjoying this STEM romp, to lean into what could be considered a ridiculous title, but instead feels a little delightful, much like this book, which is absolutely delightful.

It’ll give you Ali Hazelwood vibes.

——
Clara and Henry meet in her lab when they are both PhD students: she in science, he in engineering. Their first interactions are a bit of a fumbling disaster, as Henry doesn’t know his way around a pipette. What’s interesting to Clara is that Henry doesn’t seem to notice that he’s quite a distraction to everyone with his good looks and charming disposition, hence the “Hot Henry Effect.”

Meanwhile, it’s obvious to the reader that he’s only got eyes for Clara. She, however, is obtuse.

Upon graduation, the two friends lose touch only to reunite seven years later. Henry, now the owner of a company forming a partnership with the one Clara works for.

Reunited and it feels so…the same.

Can Clara move past her deeply ingrained abandonment issues, can Henry grow enough to put his feelings on display for her to see, and will they find a way to be together?

It’s a standard romcom with snappy banter, ridiculous scenarios, and palpable tension. There’s character growth and tension, and a sexual harassment subplot that serves a purpose but feels unfinished. I think my favorite part is their genuine friendship and like of one another, minus anything to come. Henry is lovely and truly tortured by a clueless Clara, and in the end, it’s her cluelessness that kept it from being a five star read for me.

That said, I’d absolutely pick up Lucy Chalice’s next book. I have no doubt any growing pains will be behind her.

Grab a copy and enjoy!

Thanks to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the ARC to read and review. Available May 16, 2024.

Oh my, did this story appeal to my inner geek. A story that starts in a lab is always going to gain my attention. You never know what kind of chemistry an author will stir up.

The Chemistry in this story is a slow burn. Henry and Clara were at Oxford together for a short period of time. He was an engineer working with stem cells for a semester. Clara was his mentor. She had the patience of a saint. He was clueless and a player at the beginning of a game of Clue. He had know idea he was Hot Henry.

Seven years have passed and he is back. His company, Fraser Tech, will be working with the company that Clara works for. Poor clueless Clara had no idea she had been emailing him for weeks. Surprise!!!
Watching them fumble and tumble gave me so many laughs. It is a shame they didn't do experiments on how to develop and accept a relationship.

The Hot Henry Effect is unique. It was to me at least. I books I read it is the woman that suffers from unrequited love. It is the woman whose heart bleeds. It is the woman that must decide if friendship is good enough. Not in this story. Clara is completely clueless to his feelings. It was like hitting her over the head with a 2X4 to get her to understand. Her friends were telling her. He was telling her. Watching her get a clue made my day.

Dr Clara Clancy has a PhD from Oxford university and is working for a pharmaceutical company when she meets Dr Henry Fraser, someone she hasn't seen since she supervised him as a grad student. Initially Clara wasn't happy about having to supervise a grad student when she was so close to finishing her PhD and when it turns out to be such a beautiful man, she resents it even further. Everywhere she looks, women are swooning over Henry but he only has eyes for her - not that she realises this at all.

7 years later when the company Clara works for collaborates with a new tech company, she's reintroduced to Henry. He's just as gorgeous as he was in their student days and now he'll be working closer with her. Quickly they fall back into their easy friendship, and when each of them are being pursued by someone they start to rescue each other. This actually turns quite dark when Dominic, the man pursuing Clara, can't handle the rejection and starts calling her a slut and a cock-tease before then forcing himself on her at a work event.

Throughout most of the book, Clara is completely oblivious to Henry's feelings for her - just as she was when they were at Oxford. Even though it is blatantly obvious to everyone else around her and it isn't until the middle that we find out the reason behind her never finding love is due to unresolved daddy issues. I felt this was introduced way too late into the story and was never really explored properly.

The assault from Dominic is not really concluded either. When he forced himself on Clara, her boss saw and overheard what Dominic then said to her, he was suspended pending a tribunal to decide whether or not he keeps his job. He confronts Clara one evening after work but walks away from her and we never know if she gave evidence at the tribunal or if she decided to press charges against him.

Clara finally admits her feelings to Henry after initially telling him they should just stay friends and he rejects that. But then she sees an email where Henry has accepted a job in the US and decides instantly that he's doing what everyone else does and leaving her - even though we only hear about her father leaving. Of course this is not the case at all and Henry makes her listen to him.

I felt the book was a little disjointed and Clara was quite an annoying main character for the most part, for someone so smart she was completely dense when it came to Henry and his feelings for her.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

STEM + Romance = a very enjoyable read! Maybe it's because I've been the completely oblivious girl before but I loved Clara and how she never picked on on Henry's interest in her. Flash-forward seven years later and she gets it (and then she really gets it *wink,wink*). The book has it all-- ex-wives, supportive best friends, and the best friend who will probably be the next book. It's an enjoyable way to spend a night!

3.74 stars

I was originally quite excited for this read, but it didn’t end up being for me for a number of reasons.

Let’s start with what I did like: the authors humor and voice really are grabbing. This quality is usually big in what makes or breaks a book for me, especially a rom-com as I really absolutely need them to have a sense of humor in order to be enjoyable. I did chuckle at this quite a lot, and I adored the premise as well. I also loved the Henry Cavill coded LI (who wouldn’t?), and also just genuinely found him to be quite likeable.

My issues really begin with the MC. She is frequently throwing around the word “slutty” (like… 5+ times in the book. Have we not moved past this word?). She also is always briefly alluding to how “damaged” she is, but it takes entirely too long for the reader to find out why and how this belief came to be, and once we do it’s very flimsy. This then cascades into the *spoiler alert* “it’s always been you” confession from the LI, to which the MC does not respond well. On its face, that’s not always an issue for me, it just felt so deeply unbelievable given the brief feeling of their connection. And on TOP of that, it’s honestly not all that clear that the MC actually cares all that much for him? I never got that “butterflies” feeling in this book, nor did I see a moment where I was supposed to. The MC spends a lot of time thinking about how wonderfully attractive Henry is, and how she enjoys his friendship, but it didn’t cross the line into anything deeper for me, which made her eventual realization that she ALSO has always loved him wildly unbelievable.

I’m disappointed in this, and it just ultimately isn’t for me. Maybe this writing style and conflict will work in tandem for some reason, but I’m giving this a miss.

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for this eArc!

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for this e-arc.

I am a sucker for romances, and when they're set in the workplace and supports women in STEM, I am a massive supporter.

I enjoyed this but didn't love it. I found the writing good, over detailed at point but generally easy to follow. I like Henry as a MMC - proper golden retriever. I didn't love Clara all that much. There were points where I did - when she was standing up for herself against certain characters, but generally I felt she whined about everything. She had a very negative outlook on love - which understandable given her dad - but it wasn't explored a lot and it was constant.

This was a sweet novel that did keep my attention, but I started to zone out at the end and skim bits. I didn't particularly love the spice scene.

Overall, a good book that has a lot of potential.