ALI HAZELWOOD HAS DONE IT AGAIN! I am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope, but somehow Ms. Hazelwood writes it and it is truly magic! This also may be her spiciest book yet! In this book Eli falls first and HARD for Rue. The pacing is solid, though some parts feel a bit predictable, but the emotional payoff is so worth it. The chemistry between the leads is palpable and you will be devouring this book!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

4.75 rounded up

Rue has pretty simple needs, she has a few close friends that are her found family. She has her research, that means the literal world to her, and a job that she absolutely loves with those few important people in her life. Eli does not fir into that plan, but he doesn't give up. When they finally give in to their undeniable chemistry, it's a lot more than "one night" material. But, while they are trying to figure out if what they have is worth exploring, professional secrets surround them. I really enjoyed this one.

When a writer steps out of their comfort zone it can always be a bit of a risk. Hazelwood stepped out of hers with Bride and I think has further stepped out of it with Not in Love.

STEM is still a plot point throughout this novel, but it is not a center point like has been in her previous novels. As mentioned, it's still here, talked about and even is a plot point, but I think the true focus of this story really is on Rue and Eli.

The backgrounds of these characters have trauma, mainly in the past, that was discussed, but with it being mostly in the past it wasn't something that their relationship was meant to fix as each other going through healing on their own. Instead, their relationship focused on the fact that they had found someone who saw them and they could be open and honest with them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think this really shows how Hazelwood is growing as an author and that leaves me excited to see what else she's going to write.

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy. Ali Hazelwood does it again! All of her books are amazingly written and really draw the reader in.

4 ⭐️ I liked this! It is probably my least favorite of the Ali Hazelwood books I have read, but it was still enjoyable with an attention-grabbing plot and wonderful, quirky characters. I think it lacked a bit of Ali's usual deep longing and angst, which may be why it was a bit less hooking for me. Still worth a read, and I'm very intrigued by the potential of a side character spinoff romance!!

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t mine to love. I dive into all Ali Hazelwood novels with a certain suspended belief & a tolerance for slight aggravation, but this one was tough.

There was a lot here that could’ve been really good, but instead felt very meh to me. I think that a lot of it can just be my own personal non-relatability to either of these characters, but hey, I still felt it. Rue is a STEM ice queen, & in just knowing that I feel I should love her! Should be saying, “slay girlboss queen,” at every sentence. But instead I was just a little underwhelmed? Her story was very sad, but she felt very 2D as a character. & Eli had moments of getting me, but then again I also just think it was cause I imagined him like Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days? The actual background plot I found pretty interesting, though! I liked the side characters a lot & the aspect of company dealings & what not. Their relationship was just a bit overly gratuitous for my personal tastes.

2.5 stars for me, but rounding up cause I feel it deserves some generosity. Thanks so much to NetGalley & Berkley for this e-arc!!

I’m a huge fan of Ali Hazelwood and this book did not disappoint. I liked Rue and Eli’s relationship, their banter, and the overall plot. I thought the character development was great!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.25 stars
I'm always going to enjoy an Ali Hazelwood book and the STEM rep, as a woman in STEM myself. For the most part, the plot was interesting, but I just didn't love how things played out for Rue. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy of this title.

Another STEM romance hit from Hazelwood. A bit different than her others but not too much. Very satisfying.

This was my first Ali Hazelwood book, and I think it fell a bit flat for me, unfortunately. I just couldn't connect with the story or characters.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

As a big fan of Ali Hazelwood’s work, I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Not in Love. Unfortunately, this one fell a bit short for me. While Hazelwood’s wit and engaging writing style were still present, I struggled to connect with the characters. Their instant connection felt forced rather than organic, making it hard to fully invest in their relationship. Surprisingly, I also found the spice level to be a bit overwhelming—something I don’t usually mind. While I’ll always look forward to Hazelwood’s books, this one just wasn’t my favorite.

Not in Love is my 3rd ever Ali Hazelwood (yes, I am late to the hype) Her writing is hypnotic and exciting and had me effortlessly immersed and dedicated to these two.
I adore the characters. The conflict was so believable and real and raw. I couldn't put it down. Five star read.

Unfortunately, this Ali Hazelwood book was a miss for me. I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters in this book and everyone felt superficial to me. The plot dragged for most of the book and then suddenly sped up at the end just to come to the finale.

His company is planning to purchase her company. What could go wrong?

It's Ali so we have a dumb smartie heroine and strong female friendships! We're talking about tough family dynamics and food insecurity in these United States of America and I am HERE for it. This title featured a bit more dram and less com than a typical Hazelwood and if this couple is a Star Wars ship, I cannot figure out which one. Ultimately, Ali Hazelwood is, obviously, the queen of my heart and if she writes it, I'll read it.

3⭐️

the spice.. is SPICING!!! ali’s disclaimer turned out to be 1000% true — this is pure erotica! if you’re into smut, this is for you. aside from that, this book was a lot different than her other novels. the themes were a little more complex, focusing on food and job insecurity. it wasn’t silly or funny like her other books. this was enjoyable, i was intrigued by the plot. it didn’t change my brain chemistry which is why i rated it 3⭐️but id still recommend if you’re into smut.

This was much spicier than her other books but I still enjoyed it! It was similar to other books that I had recently read so wasn't my favorite but made for an easy beach read.

Ali Hazelwood… need I say more?

This author needs no introduction as she has easily become a household name . There is not a single book I have read by the author that could rate under a 5 and Not In Love breaks the scale .

I’m obsessed!

This book is exceeds all expectations and will leave you with a massive book hangover!

A forbidden secret affair?!?!? Umm, yes please ! The steam was ever present and I devoured it all (ugh, do I sound like a creepy horny granny?)

Rue and Eli are everything.

You do not want to miss this one

Check out this teaser

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

Big thank you to Ali Hazelwood, Berkley and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review early!

I think this is my favorite Ali Hazelwood book so far. The tension in this book was great and I enjoyed how the more physical aspects of their relationship worked in service of the actual romantic development. A very enjoyable read!

Ali Hazelwood what was this?
I wanted more plot, and less smut in this. I love smut but this was just ... excessive. I felt like there was no plot to keep me invested. I would have loved to see more hockey / figure skating, more about Rue's food technology, or even more about the backstabbing that went on at the end. Overall, a miss for me, but they could never make me hate you Ali Hazelwood - I trust you will redeem yourself with Deep End.