Ali Hazelwood maintains her status as the queen of pining/tension filled romance and I love it! I really enjoyed how these characters came with deep backstories and were absolutely not perfect. The flaws helped them become so entangled in each other and it was just great. Loved the spice also! I hope she continues the erotica journey for all of our sakes.

This book was so good, but if super spicy isnt your thing then move along, however it is done really well. I really enjoyed reading about these characters. THey were really fun and easy to relate to and I love to read about women in stem. I love that they both have alot of baggage and they arent scared to share it with the other.

3.5 stars!

In terms of the spice and romance, there was a lot more spice than I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised! I appreciated that the STEM aspects of the book wasn't overwhelming and the spicy scenes felt a lot more natural than some of her other books. However, it still felt very insta-lust. There was barely any development in their relationship before they started to act on their physical attraction and even after that, I didn't feel like they knew much about each other. This book was fine, but that's about it, I didn't really find anything particularly unique about the plot and I wasn't really connected to any of the characters. Rue and Eli's relationship is definitely more lust-driven and while I think the author did a good job making the story flow well, the story itself wasn't all that memorable. It's a simple and quick read but I just wish there was... more.

✨️Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the E-Arc of this book.✨️

“Being with you was a betrayal from the very start. I just couldn’t stay away.”

Not in Love is the first book by Ali Hazelwood that I couldn't fully connect with.

When I was 20% into the book, I suddenly realized that I was not liking it. In the end, I wouldn't have finished if I hadn't been hooked or liked it in some way, but for most of the book, I was lacking the connection I always feel with Ali Hazelwood's books.

I have mixed feelings about this book, and I don't know how to order everything I think about it, so let's organize what I liked from what I didn't.

Some things I liked:
-All the honest discussions about sexual relationships and how explorative the book is in that aspect.
-The talks about food insecurity. I really appreciate how Ali incorporated it into this book and how it was portrayed.
-Rue! I couldn't completely connect with her, but I liked that Ali wrote a character as complex as her ♥️
-Tiny. We love big dogs with ridiculous names here.
-I loved all the legal/financial drama.


Things that didn't work out for me:

-First of all, even though I wanted more than anything for a book by Ali to be narrated in dual POV, I didn't like it in this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the chapters narrated by Eli had been fewer and farther between. Most of his perspectives revolve around lusting over Rue. I love a male character who is completely gone for the female MC, but this was too much.
- Is it possible to say too much spice? Beyond 2-3 steamy scenes in a romance book, they seem unnecessary to me. When a book has too many sex scenes, it becomes boring very quickly for me, so I wasn't a big fan of that aspect.
- The initial interactions between Rue and Eli felt too anticlimactic and forced. It wasn't until 30-40% into the book that their 'situationship' started to feel more natural for me.
- I would have appreciated more character development instead of focusing solely on the sex scenes. I also think that the amount of sex scenes
took away the potential for a deeper emotional connection between the characters. I only felt their emotional connection towards the end.

At first, I thought I was going to give it a 3.5 star rating, but the aspects I disliked or didn't work for me were more significant than I initially realized.

It's not a bad book, just not entirely my cup of tea.

Not In Love follows Eli and Rue in a steamy, vulnerable, and surprisingly emotional forbidden romance while Eli and Rue navigate being on opposing sides of a business deal in the food science realm. I won’t lie when I say I was very unsure about this one from the 20%-60% mark, but by the end I really came to care about both of our main characters.

What I enjoy about this book:
- ELI! He the definition of Boy Obsessed! He worships the ground that Rue walks on and is so deeply attentive to her personality and needs. He had the charm I’ve come to love in ALL of Ali Hazelwood’s male leads with an extra spicy flare in there.
- Rue’s story and development. Rue was such a refreshing female lead, while I didn’t totally relate to her, I found her to be a very deep and beautiful character. Also was so happy to see a tall female lead.
- The conversation around food insecurity, this isn’t something I have ever seen talked about in a romance novel and I felt that Ali wrote about this in a way that really made me empathize with the characters and the issue at large. This brought me to tears and felt incredibly well done.
- The science and politics throughout the plot. I absolutely love some academic drama in novels and Ali did a great job pacing the overall plot of this book. Although the resolution did feel a little predictable, it really intrigued me the whole time and kept me glued to the book.
- I absolutely loved getting a dual, third person POV in this book!

I will say the balance of emotional connection to physical connection was something that wasn’t 100% there for me in a lot of the build of Eli and Rue's relationship. I was rooting for them by the end, but I would’ve liked a few more romantic moments earlier on in the build. It contained a bit more sexual material than I personally prefer, so I wouldn't suggest this one to someone who isn't comfortable with a lot of spice.

Overall, I really ended up loving this one despite having some gripes. Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC!

Mild Spoiler Warning:

I'm not going to say Ali Hazelwood doesn't have a formula. Headstrong, sort of aloof women in STEM who have to fight the patriarchy and find love in the process. Do I understand that? Yes, and I will eat it up every gods damned time. As opposed to some of her other titles, this one hit the spice early on. Many of the previous books are slow burn in the romance and sex area and while this one was a slow burn romance wise, it starts of almost immediately with girlie asking for her sex quota to be met (literally). The plot was fun even if a little predictable (The person who took advantage of a scientist in the past does it again? Shocking!) and Hazelwood is really making strides with the chemistry (pun intended). Both characters have so much emotional trauma and the little stories they trade make them feel like real people for both the reader and each other.

I love everything this woman writes. The absolute simp men, the complicated STEM-careered woman.

This one is steamier than her other books so know that going in!

How blessed are we to get two Ali books in one year?!?

While I truly loved this story, it was a bit more angsty than I'm used to with Ali's books.

It’s giving Lessons in Chemistry but make it smutty 😂
🧬
Rue meets Eli through a hook up app and even though circumstances keep them from actually hooking up, there is a connection there, despite neither of them wanting anything long term. When Rue realizes Eli is part of a company poised to take over her best friend’s tech startup up and where she works, now it’s off-limits for them to be together. Too bad they both struggle with that. As they continue their forbidden affair, things get messy in their personal and professional lives.
🧪
We all know @alihazelwood is the queen of the women in STEM romance and this is no exception. In fact, I think this might be her steamiest yet. I adored Rue’s character and felt like Eli was perfect for her. Set in Austin, close to where I live, was also neat to read about. This romance book releases June 11–the perfect romcom for summer!

CW: theft, food insecurity, poverty

A little too long imo.

Wow, I really liked this! Another STEM romance from Ali Hazelwood. Rue Siebert is working under her mentor / good friend Florence's biotech start up when their company is threatened to be taken over by a private equity firm, run in part by handsome Eli. Rue and Eli start a Romeo & Juliet-esque romance. Not in Love was really fun! The drama wasn't exhausting (haha) and the plot was great. Will definitely be ordering copies for my branch.

2.5 ⭐️

i love ali hazelwood, but i don't think this was one of my favs. it's not a bad book, but it took me a longgg time to finish this arc. while reading certain parts of the story, my mind would drift elsewhere probably because the characters were lacking an emotional connection. maybe because it felt a little insta-lovey? however, this is a lot steamier than her other books, so if you like spice i'd recommend this.

Story-wise this isn't my favorite from Hazelwood. But SMUT WISE??????? Holy Shit this is her hottest book by a longshot! I am hesitant to say that there was "too much" smut in this because I enjoyed every scene we got and these two had sexual chemistry like none other that lasted the entirety of the novel. I love how much space Hazelwood allows her characters to talk about sex and work on their sexual relationship even if the sex is "already amazing".

However, I do wish there was more of a balance within their romantic relationship between the constant sex and the "talking/just hanging out/getting to know you/tender" aspect of their relationship. At the end of the novel once love confessions were made I was like "If you say so!" I had a little bit of a hard time buying into them loving one another for more than how good their sex was. There was even a moment at the end where Eli lists out for Rue all of the relationship things he wants to do with her now that they know they're in love. I just wish we got to see some of those things instead of being told.

Outside of the smut, it took me a moment to adjust to how Hazelwood approached writing her first dual pov book. I wish she would've written both POVs in third person or both in first person to make the writing more cohesive. I loved both characters a lot though especially Rue.

I found the pacing of this book to be quite odd at times. It would go from a few days to a few weeks then back to a few days. It didn't feel consistent or smooth. I also found the plot involving Rue and Florence SUPER predictable. I was bored with that aspect of the story and wish Hazelwood would have done something different instead of relying on the "mentor betrayal" trope. I did love Eli and his friends and wish we got more of them because they were fun!

I also think the book left quite a few loose ends. I especially wanted to know if Rue got another job. Did her brother leave her alone even after the contract was signed? What happened with Florence and the company now that Harkness is on the board? Did Tisha also leave the company?

Finally for the love of god(!!!!) I need Ali Hazelwood to start stating the races of their characters of color. What race was Tisha? Because all we know is that she had dark skin and an ethnic-sounding name. That can be a million different cultural backgrounds. Same for Minani. She is great at including POCs but needs to do better at making them as distinct as her white leads.

3.5 🌟

I enjoyed this, it just wasn’t a fav. I really liked Eli and Rue and I was absolutely rooting for them, but I just didn’t feel too connected to them or super invested in the story. Overall, it was a good time, I just didn’t get that 4-5 star feeling from it!

Not in Love is a forbidden steamy workplace romance that follows Rue & Eli. Rue is a biotech engineer who works at Kline. Eli and his business partner want Kline. Rue & Eli meet during an attempted one-night stand, but neither realize they are on opposite sides of a business deal. Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli fall into a secret no-strings attached affair.

Sadly, not my favorite from Ali Hazelwood. When Rue & Eli meet, there is no denying their physical attraction to one another. The romance felt a bit lust-driven and insta-love, making it difficult to believe the character’s connection. Now this is pretty STEAMY. I love a good spicy scene here and there, but personally I think this book almost had too many spicy scenes. Instead of enhancing the romance, the physical scenes took away from their emotional connection. The character development was lacking a bit. It didn't feel like they knew each other well. I wish there were more scenes of the characters sharing in depth conversations, we get spurs of facts they share between each other, which felt a bit random. Also, Eli kinda gave me the ick at times, not my favorite male MC.

Overall, I enjoyed this but it wasn’t my cup of tea. I thought the plot was ok, I was more invested in the business drama than the romance. If you enjoy books with lots of spicy scenes, this is the book for you!

Thank you Netgalley & Berkeley Romance for this arc!

Can I just say that I'm here for Ali Hazlewood branching out from her "traditional" rom-com style that we've seen from her? This is an excellent addition to her other works and will hit the spot for those readers who want to work a little harder for the happily ever after! Eli is a dreamboat and the conflict of what's keeping them apart is well-rounded and believable. Would absolutely recommend to anyone -- those new to Hazelwood's writing or old fans!

ALI CAN DO NO WRONG!!!! How her books sucked me in every time is mind blowing. I love her writing, and although it might be confusing with some scientific terms, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. The characters grew on me with every page I read. I loved the character development and how the female main character progressed through this book. The relationship felt real and raw and I enjoyed reading about it. I will always recommend Ali to all my friends!

Thank you to Ali Hazelwood and Berkley for the e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I AM AN ALI HAZELWOOD STAN!! Between this book and ‘Bride’, I am now obsessed with her. I cannot choose a favorite book of hers between those two, and I refuse to do so 🤚🏻

HOLY HOTNESS!! This is by farrrrrr the SPICEST book Ali has ever written. It’s one of the spicer rom-coms I have ever read. And it was FABULOUS!! Eli is my new favorite book boyfriend😩🫶🏼 he can do absolutely no wrong and I will fight for him until the end of time.

This story took me by absolute surprise because in the beginning, this book didn’t actually draw me in initially. I kinda struggled with it there for a minute. But the character development 😩🤌🏼 The pining 😩🤌🏼 The spice 😩🤌🏼 The relationship development 😩🤌🏼 it all gradually sucked me in that when the main character felt joy or defeat or liters abt emotion ever… I FELT THAT SHIT IN MY GUT.

I will never shut up about this book or Eli. EVER💕

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

Not in Love felt like Ali Hazelwood stretching her wings as a writer-- introducing dual POV, varying up her characterization a bit, adding more spice-- and I loved it! Rue and Eli's rivals-with-benefits dynamic was compellingly-written, and I love the way that Hazelwood drew the gradual unfolding of their relationship as Rue and Eli learn to trust each other. Not in Love is now one of my favorites by Hazelwood, and I'm already eagerly anticipating her next book. Hazelwood will always be one of my go-to readers' advisory recommendations for romcoms, and I look forward to adding Not in Love to my list of recommended books. 5 stars/5.

Ali Hazelwood has written yet another damn near perfect, feminist romance! Every character is fully realized, especially our lovers... The sex scenes are always so HOT - consensual, normalizing using protection. The happy ending, although inevitable, isn't reached without a heart-wrenching struggle that ends with personal growth. So glad Hazelwood's romances and other writers like her are being published. May young people find these and read hard!

Sadly, not my favorite Ali Hazelwood but they can’t all be for me! The beginning starts off pretty chaotic. Hazelwood introduces our main character Rue (and her bff) with about a million little zingers that ensured I had no idea what was going on or who was talking. I might not have a PhD in anything, but I did eventually catch on.

The plot is fine, but let’s be real: I signed up for the romance. Rue and Eli meet on a tinder-esque date and it’s pretty much insta-love at first sight (or at least insta-obsession) for one party. I liked Eli and Rue and really appreciated the fact that they are very different from previous Hazelwood characters.

We do spend a LOT of time in the characters’ heads and I have to be honest, I didn’t love it. They have a lot of obsessions, quirks, and repetitive thoughts and at times that got a little exhausting. To be fair, I wouldn’t want anyone to spend that much time in my head.

There are a lot of side characters, some more likable than others, and some complicated legal/financial/science drama and I kind of hated the turn it all took.

This one is, not surprisingly, pretty spicy but I honestly needed more character development and less bedroom time. Again, I appreciated the uniqueness of the characters and the romance, especially coming from AH, but it just wasn’t really my cup of tea.

I know it probably sounds like I disliked this but it wasn’t bad by any means! It was a great story and unlike anything I’ve read before, it just wasn’t my personal favorite!

What starts as a one night stand turns into a sweet meet cute, Rue is sad about her rule to only meet once. But it turns out, Rue and Eli are in opposing sides of a company takeover. With Rue afraid to get hurt by showing her true self and Eli trying to right a long ago wrong, they still can't help but get close to each other.

One of my favorite things about Ali Hazelwood's books is her ability to make the conflict between characters not about the characters themselves. Like in this book, the two main characters didn't have a huge misunderstanding. At their core, they trusted each other and it was external forces that created the conflict. I appreciate that so much in romance novels. Miscommunication can feel so forced or fake. But in Not in Love, you can see why the characters are reacting how they are and withholding information from each other in a very normal way. As their trust deepens, they share more and more.

I loved Eli. I appreciate when my men are simps for their ladies. Eli is a smart man with a good job and emotional maturity. And he ADORES Rue from early on. I loved seeing in his head how much he cared about her, while he only shared things with her on the level she was comfortable with. This is why duel perspective can be so powerful!

My biggest struggle with the book was connecting with Rue. I think a lot of readers are going to connect with her because of her mental health struggles, as well as her past. As the story went on, I was definitely rooting for her. She was easy to cheer for. But I related a lot more with Eli. I'm sure I could go into a deep dive on attachment theory to explain why, but that is way too much for a review.

I also loved how the spice was handled in this book. Rue knows exactly what she wants and where her lines are. Eli is incredibly respectful, while also showing how desperately he wants her. I appreciated that even though their early encounters are far from perfect, they are still good. They playfully acknowledge tropes in a genuine way. They feel realistic and relatable.

All in all, a solid addition to the Ali Hazelwood collection. Fans of her work will be thrilled to check out her newest.