First of all, I've loved being included in these blog tours and truly appreciate the opportunity to participate! I've loved most books I've read by Ali Hazelwood, up to this point, so I was excited to check this one out! Unfortunately, I have to admit up top that not only was this my least favorite book by Hazelwood so far, but it was a let down of a read for me in most ways. Now, of course, this is a subjective take, especially the things that didn't work for me, and many of my complaints may work great for others!

First of all, I was disappointed to find that this was a duel POV romance story. Hazelwood has always been a favorite of mine for the simple fact that she writes single POV love stories, something that I always prefer. And, I'm sorry to say, but I think the change in format was for the worse in general. More often than not, I feel like authors end up using duel POV as a crutch when conveying the a love story. Instead of showing the romance building, the narrative simply switches between POVs where both characters simply tell the reader how much they adore the other. And we had much of that here. Gone was much of the nuance and the romantic scenes/action that show the characters growing to love one another.

What's worse, given the nature of the way this relationship builds, instead of telling the reader how much they each are growing to care for one another, we ended up with a whole lot of inner thoughts about simply wanting to jump into bed with one another. The male POV was especially rough in this arena. I don't care to repeat the number of times he reflects on how great of a lay Rue is. This is all fine and dandy, but not something I need to be in someone's head to hear about repeatedly.

I also thought the balance was off in this book between the spice scenes and the emotional development: there was too much of the former and not enough of the latter. Rue, in particular, had an interesting background and I enjoyed learning more about her backstory and watching her come out of her shell a bit Eli. But for his part, Eli felt a bit too much like your standard "golden retriever esque tech bro" type character. He also seemed to immediately fall into instalove/lust with Rue from their very first scene together, which didn't leave the story anywhere to go for him.

Unfortunately, I didn't love this book, which I'm so disappointed to report. I've really enjoyed Hazelwood's romances in the past, but many aspects of this were just never going to be for me (the duel POVS, the balance of spice to plot, etc.). Others who like these elements may enjoy this one more.

Rating 6: The duel POV hampered rather than helped the love story, and the spice scenes were not the best and overshadowed the plot.

Ali Hazelwood is a star and an autoread for me. To surprise of no one, this book was absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend it. I love the STEMinist series. I love that the characters are strong and self-sufficient and smart and in science. I love the relationships she writes about even if her formula (enemies to lovers plus power imbalance) are two of my least favorite tropes in romance. But the good outweighs the not-favorite-tropes because how good of an author Ali Hazelwood is. So keep them coming! Ready for the next one!

I absolutely loved this one from Hazelwood - sometimes she is hit or miss for me but this one is probably my favorite of hers so far!
Thank you for the opportunity to read early!

This is Ali Hazelwood’s spiciest read, and I am here for that! While the beginning took some time to get into, I ended up really enjoying the story and of course, all the science!

Read if you like:
-STEM setting
-Forbidden romance
-Grumpy heroine
-Spice

This had many of the trappings of a classic Ali Hazelwood--women in STEM, enemies to lovers, workplace romance--but it just felt unfinished. I wasn't drawn in by Rue and Eli's attraction, and the central conflict didn't seem like as big a deal as they made it.

Hazelwood also made the strange choice to have one of her dual POV characters narrate in first person, and the other in third person. This was jarring every single time they switched, and I don't understand why she wouldn't just pick one or the other. (I can't remember if she has done in this in previous books, but if so it didn't bother me as much.) And it kept me as a reader further from getting into Eli's head, which meant his side of the story wasn't as strong.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

What an angsty book baby. It's delectable even without the sexy scenes, but those scenes are well worth it. A corporate takeover, intellectual property drama, a friend group that I'd love to join? So MANY subplots! I love a STEM girlie going after a patent.

Rue and Eli are by no means meant to be. There's an intellectual attraction from the get-go that supersedes anything physical, and circumstance keeps thrusting them together. And then watching them grow together? Priceless! Seeing Rue learn how to pet a dog? Even better.

Can Maya and Hark get a book please?

Not in Love might be Ali Hazelwood's hottest book yet.

Yes, you'll still get the nerdy women in STEM thing and yes, you'll probably force REYLO fanfic out of your head at some point while reading it, but you also won't be able to put it down.

Not in Love is a gritty counterpart to Ali’s STEMinist romcoms. Ali’s notes at the beginning of the book help level set expectations for Rue and Eli’s story. As she notes, this is definitely a less comedic, more sexual story, but written in a way that drives readers through complex characters.

This was a different, emotional approach to romance in a way that shows Ali’s breadth as a writer. I enjoyed the dual POV and the exploration of characters that have prickly sides to them! Rue and Eli’s approach to navigating a sexual relationship as it transitions to a romantic one may not be for all readers, but it’s heartbreakingly relatable and poignant for the readers it IS for.

It was an honor to read this book and I love to see the ways Ali grows/changes/explores as a writer🤍

I could not put this one down!! THIS IS BY FAR ALI’S HORNIEST BOOK!!! Ahhh the SPICE WAS great, but at times it felt a bit redundant! I wanted to see more of their emotional connection, but I was happy to get it towards the end of the book. While this was spice heavy it also handled serious topics such as mental health + food insensitivity so well!! I loved seeing the different representation there as food is something I struggle with on and off!! I loved seeing an FMC (Rue) who was different from her others a lot more closed off and I def related to aspects of her.

Eli? FOREVER OBSESSED WITH HOW FERAL Ali writes her men. I loved how kind and patient he was with Rue. & never forced her hand. He just was so kind. & the mouth on this man? YES PLS 🧎🏽‍♀️

I absolutely loved the dual POV + specifically the 3rd POV from Eli!!! The forbidden aspect of their relationship was so thrilling I couldn’t get enough.

⭐️: 4.5/5

Rue Siebert has for the most part, achieved the things she dreamed of as a kid, until a hostile takeover threatens her place of work, Kline, headed up by Eli Killgore and his business partners. Rue finds herself torn between her loyalty to her boss and her company, and her growing attraction to Eli, but when they throw caution to the wind and engage in a no-strings-attached secret affair, it’s not only Rue’s company that’s at risk, it’s her heart.

I swear, Ali Hazelwood’s writing, stories, and characters are like crack. I can’t stop reading when I start, and I’m just so obsessed. I love how her female characters are always strong women in STEM, but are also not mirror images of eachother, showing that strength can come in different forms. I appreciated the warning she put at the beginning of the book about potential triggers, since it is true that this one deals with characters with more troubled and traumatic backstories than what may be more typical of a romcom. The story departs from Hazelwoods steminist novel norm too in the sense that there’s no fake dating in this one, which, although I love a fake dating romcom, was a refreshing change. I absolutely loved watching the story come together and the highs and lows of Rue figuring out herself and her life, and I can’t recommend this one enough! For me, this may have been one of Hazelwood’s best, although I’d be at a total loss on how to rank them, since they’re all so addictive and swoony. Definitely check out the CWs before jumping in though! 💕

3.75⭐️ Thank you so much Berkeley Romance for the ARC🤍

I have really enjoyed/loved all of Ali’s books, but I have to say this wasn’t my favorite of hers. This wasn’t a bad romance by any means, but it didn’t hit for me personally as much as her others.
One thing I have always really liked is Ali’s MMC’s, and Eli was no exception. I loved his personality and I’m always here for a guy that’s so down bad for the girl lol.
Rue wasn’t my favorite FMC, but I still liked her! I enjoyed seeing them come together.
The science in this one didn’t feel as sciency and I wasn’t really completely following at some points.
Overall, not my favorite, but glad & grateful that got a chance to read a free copy early!

This was a great read!
I was completely captivated the entire time. I loved Rue and Eli. It was amazing seeing their relationship develop throughout the book.
This is definitely a must-read book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the book!

Another read outside of my usual area, but I also devoured this in one sitting! I adored the characters in this one!

Another Ali Hazelwood masterpiece! I enjoyed this one so much! Rue just might have wormed her way into being my number one favorite of the Hazelwood main characters . And Eli!!!! Ughhh!!! The communication in this book is also something I absolutely appreciate, and I cannot wait for the next book from Ali!

I absolutely adored Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. I have been a huge fan of all her books, and this one was no exception. Rue and Eli were both great characters, and though I was occasionally frustrated with them, their actions made sense with their characterization. The romance progressed differently than in other Ali Hazelwood books but I did not enjoy it any less. Though it is probably not my absolute favorite of her books, I still loved it and would give it 5 stars.

Say hello to my new favorite Ali Hazelwood! I didn’t think anything could top Check and Mate but I’m so happy Hazelwood blew me away two books in a row (Also loved that Check and Mate Easter egg in this one).

The lust at first sight, the angst, the forbidden romance, the reluctant to love heroine, the total simp of a hero, the tragic backstories that made them think they didn’t deserve love, and the way they were absolutely unable to stay away from each other! Ugh, it just totally worked for me. I’m a bit partial to a hookup to lovers trope when it’s done right. I just could not get enough of these two characters.

I went in knowing this was Hazelwood’s spiciest book yet, veering away from romcom and more towards erotic. Which had me very worried because her spicy scenes can read a bit unnatural to me. But the spice in this was way better written and the chemistry was off the charts. So yay for me, but if spice isn’t your thing, there’s quite a bit of explicit scenes in this.

I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with Hazelwood’s new book this summer. if you’re a fan of spicy, angsty reads and STEM heroines, this cannot be missed!

Ali Hazelwood is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors and Not in Love solidly keeps her in that spot! I really enjoyed every aspect of this book - the romance, the relationships, the friendships... Just pure perfection. I couldn't put it down!

This has shot up to number two on my list of Ali Hazelwood favorites. It was mature but not boring. It was sweet when it needed to be and it was other ways when it needed to be ;). This felt like a raw and real relationship.

Rue Siebert has gone through a lot to get to where she is today. A rough upbringing led her to pursue a career in bioengineering, where she dedicated countless hours working on a patent close to her heart at Kline, one of the most promising start-up companies. But when a hostile take-over, headed by her almost one-night stand, threatens everything she worked so hard for, Rue is left scrambling. Eli Killgore and his business partners will do whatever it takes to get Kline. They have a not-so-great history with the company's founder and are looking for justice. Eli is usually focused on the task at hand, but Rue is a distraction he doesn't foresee. The attraction between the pair is undeniable, and they know that acting on it would jeopardize their careers, but that doesn't stop them from wanting to.

We can all agree that Hazelwood has a formula she never seems to deviate from, so I went into this expecting it to be like all her previous books. I figured we would get a teeny, quirky woman and a towering broody love interest with a lot of science and angst thrown in. So I was surprised to find that wasn't the case. It was still chock-full of science bits that I didn't care about or fully understand. We still got our tall, pensive male MC, but instead of the early-2000s cringey FMC, we got Rue who was the complete opposite. She was cold and aloof and so unlike any other Hazelwood heroine I've read from, and I enjoyed it. She and Eli were both so analytical, and I liked how they showed each other the worst parts of themselves, and both stayed despite it all. I thought the smut overpowered the plot, but it was still a quick read despite not being my favorite of hers.

As a big time Ali Hazelwood fan I am sad to say that I did not enjoy this novel. In my ranking of Hazelwood books, this is on the low end and I am unfortunately very disappointed. Check & Mate, Love, Theoretically, and Bride, are all novels I’ve given 5 stars to, read multiple times, and raved about on multiple social media platforms. I love this author and her novels. I did not love this book though.

There’s a few reasons for my low rating and ranking, but here’s the gist of it (spoilers to follow):
-The novel felt disjointed in a way I can’t explain very well, but the pacing was odd and the plot and the things driving the plot just didn’t fully grip me like Hazelwood’s books normally do.
-There’s a pretty major plot hole in the way Rue grew up. I appreciate the way the author brought in food insecurity, especially for children in America, and how it’s a major problem. This just wasn’t handled well in the novel. Rue’s trauma from food insecurity and quite frankly a traumatic childhood isn’t truly tackled and reads as more of a mild attempt to give Rue a traumatic enough backstory to make her quirks understandable.
-Furthermore, food insecurity in this novel is used as a way to give Rue some depth as a character, but all it did was leave me confused and here’s why: fact 1 is that Rue grew up incredibly food insecure with a Mother who often didn’t provide the food her and her young brother needed. Fact 2 is that somehow with a neglectful mother who couldn’t be bothered to go to the grocery store, Rue was able to practice, train, and compete in competitive ice skating enough that she gets a full scholarship to a major university. How? Her Mother is working multiple jobs or sometimes no jobs, how would her Mother not only have the time to take Rue to and from practice, but also how would she have the funds to pay for practice, a coach, equipment, competitions, travel, etc.? It doesn’t make sense. That’s an expensive sport.
-There’s a lot of technical jargon used to explain patents, patent law, how PhDs work, grad student work, etc. It’s all quite confusing, especially as someone who has never done PhD work in a STEM field.
-You see on the cover how Rue looks like a thin, pretty woman but generally not curvy? Yet in the book she’s described as “round” “soft” and she has big breasts and a butt that jiggles and I’m sorry but where is that represented in the cover? Like at all? I’m getting 2000s skinny from the cover only to find out our heroine is actually a curvy girl with an undercut. I loved reading about the latter and would’ve loved to have seen that represented on the cover.

Here’s the thing though: the spice is great. Probably some of her best spice yet. The male main character is great, and he’s down BAD. I really enjoyed the two together and I enjoyed how into her he was, but there was something just off about this novel. It didn’t have the Hazelwood magic in my opinion.