🧪 Book Review 🧪

Not In Love by Ali Hazelwood
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How is it possible that I love every new book Ali comes out with more than the last one? This is her spiciest book so far, and the first dual POV, and I devoured it! Rue is so relatable. She’s quirky, shy, and socially anxious, but feels things very deeply. Eli is incredibly sweet, utterly filthy, and completely obsessed with her. He falls first, and falls harder. He used to be a hockey player and is an ex-scientist with baggage, but all that only makes him more sensitive and caring. Their chemistry was explosive and uncontrollable, which led to some truly excellent spice. At the same time, they were tender and vulnerable with each other, and seeing their relationship grow into something real was super sweet. I adored everything about this book and want to reread it immediately.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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Read if you like:
▫️women in STEM
▫️work romance
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️forbidden love
▫️“one night stand” never doing this again
▫️dual POV
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Thank you to Berkley, Penguin Random House, NetGalley, and Ali Hazelwood for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this one, my favorite Hazelwood book yet. Despite the insta-love (which I typically don't like) I totally felt the chemistry between Eli and Rue and totally rooted for them. I liked them sharing about their past family lives and challenges with each other in an organic way. I think that's why it didn't feel like insta-love as much - because they did end up sharing so much about themselves with one another. I appreciated the discussion of food insecurity in this book as well, I haven't seen it addressed much in books and think it's something that should be talked about more. I loved the strong women in STEM representation as usual and while it was less science in this one it still covered a lot of issues that come up in the scientific world. And the steam was off the charts in this one! Definitely a spicy one! The only part I didn't love was the very ending. Like the epilogue. I don't think I really needed it, would've been happy with it ending right before the epilogue. The audiobook was fantasic, the narrators really brought the characters to life for me!

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: romance
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼‍♀️: pretty fast
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: edging & banter

I'm really loving this style of writing for Ali. I enjoyed this book a lot more than her previous STEM romances and I think she's really found a good rhythm with plot and romance.

I came for the plot but stayed for the spice. Holy banter. Some hints at more ✨taboo✨ themes in there 😉. The story definitely took a back seat at times but it worked for me.

The duet narration was great. I listened at 2x for the majority of the book. I do wish some of the side characters were duet narrated (Callie narrated some of the male side characters where it would have benefited from Jason narrating). Very enjoyable.

Ali Hazelwood brings the heat in this new spin on an enemies-to-lovers romance with a touch of the forbidden that will have you flipping pages and not wanting to put this story with the perfect blend of sweetness and spice down.

Biotech engineer Rue loves her job and has been working meticulously on a project that is very close to her heart. But when her company is being taken over by mysterious new partners, one being Rue’s previously dashing and handsome romantic connection, Eli, everything suddenly becomes more complicated. Lines are crossed and boundaries are drawn, but her pull to Eli remains the same—undeniably and unfortunately magnetic.

I literally read this book in two sittings! It was so easy to fall into this new story with chemistry-filled tension, angst, and tons of adorable romantic sparks. I loved the amount of depth Hazelwood brought to this love story. The romance was at the heart of Rue and Eli’s tale, and through that connection, they were able to grow and take control of the direction of their lives. It was very sweet to see unfold, and my heart was with them—through all the ups and downs. I am also such a sucker for the found family trope, and this has a touch of that as well.

This one is more on the steamier end of Hazelwood’s books but helped add to their overall journey, and *whew* I was here for it!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thanks to Berkely via NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Not in Love is now my fave adult, contemporary, non-paranormal Ali Hazelwood book (Bride remains my all time fave!). The tone of the book is a bit darker than Ali's previous STEM books, and the MCs have dealt with/are dealing with some heavier issues. As someone who grew up lower-income, I could really appreciate the care Ali put into writing about these issues, including food insecurity, and the long-lasting impact it has on a person, even when life is a lot better.
I liked how we left the university setting in this book, and moved into a more corporate setting, though linkages with university research and culture is still present. It helps, I think, to foster a better understanding of what academics can experience when wanting to have ownership of their work. As to the cutthroat nature of said ownership.... it sadly wouldn't surprise me if that happens in real life.

Rue and Eli's sexual chemistry is off the charts from the beginning, but whether it can be something more isn't as certain given Rue's reticence to be in a relationship, as well as the potential conflicts of interest given their work situation. But as they spend more time together, Rue learns to trust Eli, but more critically, to trust herself.

I really enjoyed the whole story beyond Rue and Eli's relationship.

The spice is definitely spicy in this book; moreso than Ali's previous books, so readers should be aware of that. Definitely read the author's note at the beginning before starting.

Not in Love has a preface by Hazelwood that it is more erotic romance than rom-com. I will say that it is more erotic romance than her other books, but for those of us who read spicy romance, this is NOT erotic romance. More sex scenes? Yes, but that is the only real difference.

Rue is a typical Hazelwood heroine-smart, goal oriented, and socially less skilled. But, she also struggles with issues from her childhood, making her more prickly. Eli is way into Rue from day 1, which I always love, but its more about her physical appearance, which I don't love. Don't get me wrong-he likes, her but he talks/thinks about her its about her looks. Not a fan. There is some other woman drama too that I was not a fan of. It isn't a big deal, but it was like an annoying gnat that you can't manage to swat away.

Not in Love has the typical banter one expects from Hazelwood's books and it is good. I liked Rue because it isn't so much that she can't socialize, its that she doesn't care to because she isn't going to pretend to be interested in other things for the sake of conversation. Overall, I enjoyed the story-good characters (including the side characters), intelligence on display, and an interesting story. Not my favorite Hazelwood read, but solid.

I think this might be Ali's spiciest book (although I haven't read Bride yet). I ate this UP! Rue is quirky and Eli is a hopeless romantic. He can't get enough of her and (in the beginning) she's like, you're cool I guess. Then BAM!

What I like about Ali's books is that I learn new things about STEM. I was super interested in Rue's research and totally wish something like it was on the market already.

If you liked Love Theoretically, I think you'll like this one! Kind of the same premise - enemies / rivals. The story was fast-paced and kept my attention!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not In Love? More like I love this wholly with every part of my being.

I feel like Ali’s books just keep getting better and better. Not In Love was so f*cking good that I’m going to be shoving people out of the way (or stalking my mailman) so that I can get her next release in my hands faster.

I can’t decide if this is now my favorite book of hers or Bride. If this one had knotting, it would for sure be my favorite.

Not In Love is hands down Ali’s spiciest book yet. 🥵

Eli, like the rest of Ali’s MMC, is utterly perfect and I think I fell in love with him the second time he appeared on the page. And what is even better is that WE GET HIS POV. I’ve always wanted chapter’s from the man’s POV in Ali’s books and we finally got it with this one!

Rue’s grumpiness was the perfect contrast to Eli’s sunshine-y personality. Their chemistry was palpable and if I was forced to only read one book again, this would be a top contender.

I don’t know how she does it, but Hazelwood has such a skill for writing love stories that are exceptionally bingeable to me – no matter the tropes. Fast burn, “it’s just a hookup” romances featuring prickly, black cat heroines are usually not my favorites, but I ate this up in a single day. The chemistry between these two was palpable, the story was fresh and different, and I was completely immersed in the romance. It’s significantly spicier than Ali’s usual, with a couple who work out their frustrations and discover their compatibility in the bedroom before they let emotions get involved. It’s got definite “he falls first” vibes with a forbidden element and an edge of dislike, which made every interaction feel charged with tension. So good. It’s also truly dual perspective (unusual for the author), so I loved getting to see both sides of the story and scrutinizing every scene for the deeper meaning beneath the heat. It kept me on my toes and made me adore the couple in a way I didn’t expect – I loved it!

The story follows Rue, a scientist working on a project that is close to her heart. She’s friends with her boss and admires the woman’s accomplishments, so Rue is upset when some finance guys step in and attempt to do a hostile takeover of the company. Even worse, though? One of the guys is Eli, Rue’s failed hookup and unexpected connection from the night before. The two are on opposite sides of a very messy situation, but it’s impossible to deny that they’ve got a connection. A physical one, at least – Rue doesn’t let emotions get involved with anyone. But there’s something about Eli that keeps pulling her back in, even when she loathes everything he represents.

In some ways, this felt like a “Hazelwood” book, and in others it was very, very different. For starters, the spice level is MUCH higher than usual – perhaps even higher heat than a Tessa Bailey book, for example. It might not be for the same audience as The Love Hypothesis, but I read all heat levels, so I was happy to go along for the ride. The spice is also incredibly important to the relationship development, revealing things about these characters and the way they feel about each other. The spice is also intimate and fueled by sexual tension, so it lends plenty of depth to the story. The forbidden element was great, and I liked that more layers were revealed as the story progressed. I also loved that we got so much of Eli’s perspective – he is such a fantastic character, so steady and sure in some ways, yet so out of his element with his girl. Rue is a true black cat heroine, reluctant to get involved and a definite flight risk. They were fire together, and I loved them both more and more as the story progressed. This held my attention with ease, and showcased just how addictive Hazelwood’s writing style is to me.

THIS WAS SO GOOD. Ali's writing is clearly getting so much better with every single book and I TRULY loved this one. I was kicking my feet this entire time.

rue and eli are here! ali said that this is her angsiest yet, and boy did she mean it. these characters are so complex and fighting against so many external and internal forces and I ate it up. and eli is 👏 down bad👏

when rue’s lab is going under, eli and his company buy the loan. but it wasn’t the first time they met. they had a chaotic meet cute the night before after matching on a dating app. what follows is a delicious forbidden, forced proximity ✨we shouldn’t✨ romance that was so much fun to read.

also ali’s first dual pov romance was perfection.

I do have to say rue’s “I don’t do love” and eli’s lack of character development held this back from being a 5 star read for me. eli’s whole personality was being obsessed with rue at points and it got somewhat tired. I’m also not the biggest fan of workplace romances so I wasn’t as invested as others might be.

🎧 thank you so much to libro.fm for an alc. callie dalton and jason clarke brought these characters to life so perfectly.

thank you to berkley romance and netgalley for an earc!

read if you like
✨ forbidden
✨ workplace romance
✨ just once to get it out of our system

Ali Hazelwood’s novels typically run more towards a slow burn love story but Not In Love immediately introduces the heat and the flame just gets hotter as the story moves forward, never dimming. Not quite erotica, but the steamiest novel I’ve read in quite awhile. So, if you are leary of explicit scenes, especially in audio books, you may want to steer towards a paperback that you can skim through. This author has always done a great job at building up the tension in the two main characters, and because she’s taken away the ‘will they or won’t they’ build-up she supplies us with a really great subplot, the reason for Kline’s takeover.

In an interview I read with the author, she described this novel as being full of “angst”. I’d certainly agree. Rue delves into this secret relationship with Eli, has constant regrets, and her friends don’t want her to have this relationship. Eli, too, has friends who don’t agree with his pursuit of Rue. Reading both character’s POV’s help the reader understand these characters and definitely adds to the emotional tension. I was thankful for Eli’s point of view because Rue comes off as kind of a cold character, hiding all of her wants and needs behind this cool persona. A facade she uses to protect herself from hurt. If I hadn’t been able to see how Eli viewed Rue, it may have been difficult to get past her walls and identify with her and like her.

I truly enjoy these STEM romances by Hazelwood. She is now not the only one writing in this sub-sub genre, but I favor her style and look forward to seeing what aspects of real-life women she will write into her characters. Rue was a little more difficult to like, but I still appreciated her differences and loved how Eli viewed and was attracted to her character. Their love story was different, a little more antagonistic, and yes “angsty”, but I still enjoyed reading their story.

"I'd rather not surround myself with someone who'll hurt me just to get ahead."

To tell you the full and entire truth, I apply for arcs of Ali Hazelwood for my very best friend, who loves her as much as I love Nora Roberts. She gets to devour them, and I get to enjoy the journey of watching her love an author so entirely. It's not that I don't enjoy Ali's books, because I do, and more so with each that I read, it's just that I wouldn't pick them up on my own time if I didn't have a reason to do so.

I think that has officially changed with Not in Love. I love when you can watch an artist build their craft over time, come into themselves, and find who they are in whatever they create. Ali's voice gets more and more clear with each story she tells us, and this one really hit for me. I loved Rue's reasoning for what she does, how she feels, and how unapologetic she is at being herself. It's so rare to see a female character not be made to change while also remaining kind-hearted and good. She never pushes who she is into other people's faces, doesn't expect them to like her, and keeps to herself whenever she feels like a bit too much for the world.

Some may say she puts herself into a box. I say that she respects her boundaries and never pushes herself to be something she isn't. It's beautiful, creative, and entertaining. I was lost in getting to know her. It was so relaxing to watch someone fall in love with a person and not an idea. Because I think that's what Rue and Eli had been missing, why they thought they would never find a person to love. They didn't take a moment to understand that it comes from falling in love with a soul. Choosing someone, no matter how broken you feel or act. Being there for all the parts of someone they believe isn't enough.

And while all of Ali Hazelwood's books are love stories in one way or another, this one was a friendship story as well. Of how sometimes friends break your heart, and sometimes that hurts so much more than any other. How sometimes you trust the wrong people, and sometimes it isn't because they're terrible, but because they thought they were doing the right thing, selfishly, for themselves.

Eli and his friends joke about how "it's the friends you make along the way" that matter, but I think that is the true gift of this story. That it is the friends you make along the way. That it always should be. That they're going to encourage and embrace you for all you are without any gains or expectations other than a shared joy in never holding yourself back.

I loved this book. I'm so grateful to my own very best friend that gets me to read things I never would have picked up on my own. I can't imagine not having been able to read this, experience it, love it. Thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to slow-burn fall in love with Ali Hazelwood. I hope you can feel just how truly honest this review is.

Book Review: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

"Not in Love" by Ali Hazelwood is a delightful, heartwarming, and romantic read.
Rue Siebert, a biotech engineer, has her world turned upside down by a hostile takeover led by the irresistibly attractive Eli Killgore. Despite being on opposite sides, Rue and Eli can't deny their attraction, leading to a secret, no-strings-attached affair.
The story is engaging and romantic, with a perfect mix of workplace drama and tender moments. The characters are well-developed, hardworking, and loyal. The push-pull dynamic between Rue and Eli kept me hooked, and their chemistry is undeniable.
Ali Hazelwood's writing is heartfelt and light, making it easy to root for Rue and Eli. Even though it's different from her usual STEM-focused romances, Hazelwood's storytelling captivates me every time. This book is a must-read for romance fans looking for an entertaining and steamy love story.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own

I had to read this book two times in order for me to form a cohesive thought about it. To me, this is by far Ali’s best book and that’s high praise from me given the fact that I have been eating her books up since The Love Hypothesis release day. I loved this book so much (if you couldn’t tell already). I loved the depth of these characters, the tell-me-something-you-haven’t-told-anyone-else before that existed throughout Rue and Eli’s forbidden and steamy situation-ship. Eli is THE epitome of boy-obsessed, he is the blueprint. Rue’s character was amazing and I just love her and the development her character had. I like that even when she has an aloof personality, you can tell how much she cares and knows exactly what she wants.

I absolutely loved how even though Eli and Rue had trouble with the concept of dating, this “enemies with benefits” situation led them to find comfort and learn how to love one another. I am obsessed with this book, I can’t stop talking about it!

3.5 This is my fourth Ali Hazelwood, and by now I kind of know what to expect, but this one is definitely steamy compared to the other STEAM romance books I have read from her. There is of course conflict about the two main characters being together, but oh how they do love to be together. There was so many spicy scenes in here that I started to look forward to the times when they weren't between the sheets so that I could get a moment to cool down. The story kept me engaged and I was interested in what was going to happen next, but I didn't feel the same connection that I felt in previous books by this author that I enjoyed. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

Just to put it out there I have read all of Ali's books and aside from 1 love them all and this one is not any different! One thing I did like was that at the beginning of this book Ali put a disclaimer that this one is not like her others and while I agree with that you still get everything you love about her books. Things I loved in this one; he fell first, like right away, the backstory for Rue which is a huge part of her character and the spicy scenes!! Highly recommend this one if you have enjoyed any of her previous works or just want to give her a try but know this is open door. Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for my gifted copy of review! I also preordered this one because I loved it so much! Out now!!!

1.5 Stars
I spent way too long trying to read this because honestly, these MCs were so insufferable to me. I think Rue is supposed to be neurodivergent but she really didn't have much of a personality to me and even her best friend and that friend's sister made comments about how unlikeable she is, so I really could not understand why Eli was so obsessively into her. Eli's POV was always about wanting to hook up with Rue and that was pretty much his entire existence. Their thing is pretty much being terrible people and sharing stories of the terrible things they've done and I just don't get it. I usually devour steamy books but I did not enjoy the insta lust in this one at all and found it difficult to connect with any of the characters. I wanted to like this so bad, especially since I've enjoyed the other books by this author that I've read but unfortunately, I don't think this one was for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!

🔬Not in Love 🔬

“It’s because with you I never have to worry about being too odd, too unlikable, too out of tune. You never make me feel anything other than just right.”

Oh, precious Eli and Rue. There were so many deeper feelings at play in this story. Rue and Eli both have pasts that they are still working through. They found their sexual chemistry before they felt comfortable exploring their emotional connection.

I truly enjoyed watching them each discover what they needed and learn to ask for it. The ending was just chef’s kiss perfection. I adored following Rue and Eli.

If you’re looking for Hazelwood’s usual recipe in a light fluffy romance, this is not quite that. But you should still give it a try because the darker journey is worth the light at the end! And the chemistry is definitely worth it.

Check this one out for:
🔬 Forced proximity / workplace romance
🔬 Rivals with benefits to lovers 😏
🔬 Women in STEM queens
🔬 Delightful supporting cast of characters

Not in Love is on shelves June 11, 2024! Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

First and foremost, I want to give a huge thank you to Berkley and Ali Hazelwood for the copy of this eARC.

At the start of our story: Rue and Eli match on a dating app. Everything is going swimmingly, and the two really hit it off. So much so that they’re about to do the no-no cha cha, but fate intervenes. They end up going separate ways, and then Rue arrives at work the next day for a meeting only to discover…
Uh oh. He’s the enemy.
Dun dun dunnnn!!!!

His company has bought out the loan that helped create her company. Which isn’t normally something to panic about, but there’s rumors that there’s more to it, and everyone will soon be out of a job. Eli’s boss wants him to keep Rue close. While Rue’s boss wants her to stay as far away from him as possible. The heat builds as they both try to save their careers without hurting the other.

Unfortunately, I was not in love with this book. Normally I eat Ali Hazelwood books up like they’re my favorite meal, but this one fell short for me. I wished that all the characters dove a little deeper. The groundwork was there, but I wanted MORE from each of the relationships. There were a lot of very interesting side characters that I wanted to know more about, but never quite got that satisfaction.

The concept was so interesting, but I deeply disliked the MMC Eli. The way he spoke to Rue was so uncomfortable. There was something about him that made his flirty statements come across as creepy as opposed to swoon-worthy. What I found most jarring was the way the POVs were set up. I was ecstatic to discover that this was dual POV… until I got to Eli’s chapter… Rue’s chapter were written in first person, while Eli’s were in third. As much as I tried to get used to it, the switch back and forth kept pulling me out of the story.

This is by far Ali’s spiciest book yet, but there were times where I felt like the spice took away from the plot. It felt like that was the only chemistry these characters had, and they didn’t belong together otherwise. BUT, much of that could be my own bias. I’m not a huge fan of insta-lust, and that was definitely where this book was headed from the start. I love when there’s heat between characters, but I was craving something a little more substantial between these them.

All in all, it was interesting watching these two try to navigate their precarious situation at work while juggling their feelings for one another. This book may not have been for me, but I recommend that you give it a try. It’s a spicy forbidden workplace romance, and has all the STEM goodness we know and love from Ali wrapped in a much different package than normal. I love that she took risks with this book, and tried something new. Especially after releasing Bride in the same year! It seems like she’s living her best life, and exploring different interests / writing styles. I have a feeling this year of releases in particular will attract a new audience, and I’m excited for what new opportunities that brings her.

Although this book wasn’t my favorite, I’m still looking forward to what comes next. The reviews for this one are very divided so you’re either going to love this book or hate it, but that shouldn’t stop you from picking it up.