When I say this book was MADE for me, I mean it. You've got a cute romance, spooky conspiracies, cryptids, ALIENS. ....Hayden and Hallie!!
This book is the cutest! It's so fun! The conspiracy show plotline alone is spectacular but when you add in a romance that's so soft and cute and adorable... it's the perfect match!

Seriously if you have ever shipped Scully and Mulder, you NEED to read this book <3

Yep, it’s official— I’m in my cryptid hunting romance era.

This one is for the x-files and Ghost Hunters stans. The mulder x scully shippers. The girlies who’ve maybe found themselves deep on Appalachia tok or some other rabbit hole a time or two.

This was an absolute delight! I found myself laughing out loud A LOT and not just a little exhaled puff of air, full on laughter (and some possible snorting). It had a great balance of comedy, angst, sweetness and character development with a sprinkle of spicy that had me hooked. The witty banter was top notch!

I’ll take an ooey gooey cinnamon roll MMC any day… but one that’s also a hot, self-aware, conspiracy nerd who believes in Bigfoot, can laugh at himself and takes care of our FMC when she’s sick? You can call me a believer.

Hallie is trying to save her job as a producer at a media company and is forced to scramble to come up with an idea for a show. She finds Hayden, the good-looking but camera-shy host of a conspiracy theory podcast and thinks he can be the host of her show. It quickly becomes clear that the two of them have chemistry on screen and off.

This debut novel was so much fun and centered on a unique, entertaining concept. It was lighthearted and silly and I enjoyed how Hayden was able to laugh at himself. However, there is plenty of depth to the story as both Hayden and Hallie have struggled with important issues like grief, loss, sexism, and emotional abuse from a partner.

The conspiracy theory aspect was truly different from any rom com I’ve read before, and added a refreshing and playful take on a typical romance. I could definitely relate to Hallie as a skeptic but I appreciated how good-natured Hayden was about even the most “out-there” theories. This opposite-belief dynamic provided a lot of hilarious banter but also an opportunity for respectful disagreement and acceptance between the main characters. Overall, this was a one of a kind rom com that I wanted to savor and soak up.

Thank you to Mallory Marlowe, Berkley, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, I liked this one! "Hot monster hunter" meets web series producer who is trying to make a comeback after getting slandered by an opportunistic and gaslighting co-worker ex. Hallie and Hayden, skeptic vs. believer, and there was such sweet chemistry between the two. Nice villain foil in Hallie's super-creep of an ex-boyfriend. Hayden's earnest enthusiasm for his subject matter was quite endearing, and I found his personality to be charmingly written. And I loved Hallie's gradual re-discovery of her self-confidence. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review. I gave it 4 stars but it was closer to 4.5. I truly enjoyed this debut novel, I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Hallie works for an online web series production company. Dumped by her ex who claimed she wasn't talented or good enough, she's floundering. Hallie needs a great idea for a series, or she's fired. After scouring the internet, she finds Hayden. He's a conspiracy and cryptid explorer with a podcast. Doesn't hurt that he's cute either. If they can find a following and get enough ratings, Hallie will keep her job, and Hayden will gain exposure. But what happens if they fall for each other? I loved this book! It was adorable, and Hallie and Hayden were a great pairing. Both were good people, and supportive of each other even if they didn't see eye to eye. Very sad this book was over! Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A super cute and quick read! Love and other Conspiracies plays with the popularity of conspiracies such as Bigfoot and how they do well on YouTube. The two main characters were adorable. And I hope we get to see more from this author soon.

I think this is a fun rom com but unfortunately it wasn’t the book for me and I couldn’t get into it but I think it’s a great debut with a fun and unique plot, interesting characters, and I think other people will really love this book.

This was such a fun sweet romance! While I am a nonbeliever like Hallie, I am also super interested in learning the lore of all the various cryptids so of course I wanted to read a romance about a Mulder/Scully pairing doing a podcast on the hunt for Bigfoot and other cryptids! This was fun and chock full of Mulder and Scully action while also giving some serious emotional depth with his family and her ex. There was a good balance of fun and drama and of course I am all in on the romance plot. A great debut novel from Mallory Marlowe!

This book is just too darn adorable. What is not to love? The characters are so well written and not horrible fake and annoying. The story is a unique and fun twist that anyone could follow. I highly recommend this book to pretty much everyone who wants a fun love story.

Hallie and Hayden are so adorable....

Hallie works in video production, and needs to find a stellar show to produce before she loses her job. She finds hunky Hayden by chance and takes a gamble on his "Out There" ideas on cryptids and conspiracies. She is working to beat her obnoxious ex, Cade, who used Hallie's talent and bro behavior to climb over her to the top of the company while breaking Hallie down.

This book was too cute. Hallie and Hayden end up bringing out the best in each other. The epitome of "s l o w b u r n". I love that both Hallie and Hayden are careful with their hearts...and each other's. There was just enough spice, and it was just as sweet during those parts as the rest of the story. The banter between believer and nonbeliever was very entertaining. <3 Why can't all guys be a little nerdy, hot, AND respectful??

Hallie and Hayden's story is such an easy, warm read. While the story itself is different than most love stories (aliens, bigfoot, Nessie, etc) it is a nice break from the normal romance scene. Thank you Mallory Marlowe, Berkley, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Opposites Attract: Hallie's a hardcore skeptic, and Hayden is a devoted (though sane) believer in monsters, ghosts, and (non-harmful) conspiracy theories

Colleagues to friends to best friends to lovers: they respect each other's work ethic and passion. They enjoy each other's company and love to banter and laugh

Decent pacing, medium burn with tension and teasing

Hilarious dialogue that I read aloud to my husband, because I was very amused

If you're a fan of Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural, it has those vibes

Could be more queer and diverse

I was genuinely surprised that neither of the main characters fall under the queer umbrella given the content matter. Anyone can love cryptids, but X-Files in meme-ably a queer awakening show

ALSO, this is definitely geared towards millennials and contains a lot of outdated internet humor references

I appreciated that it wasn't an enemies to lovers, it could have been, but seeing these two trust and respect each other from the beginning despite their differences was refreshing. They're both delicate for their own reasons, and reading along as they come to cherish each other, want to support and protect each other was very lovely

I am going to be screaming about this one for awhile - as in, screaming from the rooftops, because it's so good. As a certified Shaniac, alien curious, and probably one of only seven people who ever watched (much less obsessed over) the Project Blue Book TV show, Love and Other Conspiracies feels like it was made in a lab to appeal just to my weird intersection of interests, and WOW, does it pay off on every page. The writing is crisp and delightful, the banter is delicious, the world is rich and inviting, and when I finished turning pages, I was left wishing I could hang out with these characters forever. Highly recommended on every level!

This quirky, entertaining, and humorous take on the X-Files, coupled with higher chemistry and wittier banter, offers everything you need from a promising debut romance featuring opposites attracting and love in the workplace themes! While I'm not sure if the truth is out there, I'm a hundred percent convinced that love is in the air when I dive into Hallie and Hayden's paranormal adventures. It's the kind of concept that makes me wish there was a real TV show like this to watch.

Let's take a closer look at the plot: Hallie Barrett, creative, smart, and aspiring producer, knows how to craft a great show concept and execute it from scratch. However, her self-esteem takes a hit after her emotional ex, Cade, who was also her co-worker, steals her project and spreads rumors that she's difficult to work with. With her job on the line, Hallie has to come up with a new show project and pitch it to her boss in a few days to prove her worth at the studio.

As she searches through various media platforms, including podcasts, her hopes begin to wane until she stumbles upon reruns of a late-night docu-series about Bigfoot. It's not the concept that catches her interest but the charisma and quirky sweetness of the showrunner, Hayden Hargrove. Hayden, a successful cryptid expert on his podcast, has a large following and captures the attention of viewers effortlessly. Despite being a nonbeliever,

Hallie decides to reach out to Hayden. However, their initial meeting results in a disastrous Hollywood ghost tour, yet their undeniable attraction is palpable. Hallie manages to convince her bosses to greenlight the project, but there's one major problem: Hayden gets nervous in the spotlight, and Hallie finds herself questioning him and his conspiracy theories during filming. Little does she know, their banter attracts even more attention, turning her into the co-host of the show—the Skylar to his Mulder: one believer, one skeptic. Together, they set out to create a kickass show that includes ghost hunting, contacting aliens, and searching for traces of cryptids like Bigfoot, Mothman, El Chupacabra, the Yeti, Loch Ness Monster, and the Jersey Devil.

For the show to be successful, Hallie must focus on two things: not falling in love with her very attractive, goofy host, and ignoring the hurtful comments from her ex, who likely won't make her climb up the success ladder easy. However, that's easier said than done, especially when she spends most of her time with Hayden and their attraction threatens to set their entire show ablaze!

Overall, this is an easy-to-read, highly enjoyable debut romance with lovable, uniquely charming characters that I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I absolutely adored this book! I had so much fun reading it. Hallie is a web series producer who could soon be out of a job if she doesn’t come up with an idea for a new show for a workplace competition. Late one night, she stumbles across a TV show called Cosmic Conspiracies and sees an extremely hot man talking about Bigfoot. From the moment he appeared on the page, I fell in love with Hayden. This hot weirdo will steal your heart!

Immediately Hallie knows Hayden could be the ticket to a new web series and job security. He agrees to meet her, and to her surprise, he agrees to do the show… only he’s a disaster on camera. When Hallie gets on camera with him, they have instant chemistry — and both of them know Hallie has to be part of the show, too. Her skepticism is the perfect counterpoint to his outlandish theories. I was actually laughing out loud at some of their arguments about conspiracy theories and cryptids.

They start searching for ghosts and cryptids, which was a lot of fun to read given their believer vs. nonbeliever dynamic. The humor is balanced with heart and real issues the characters are facing related to their pasts. It was lovely to watch these two people — who are both lonely and doubting themselves in their own ways — find comfort in their friendship and, gradually, in their growing feelings. What a joy it was to watch them open up to each other and fall in love.

Once you start this book, you won’t be able to put it down. I can’t wait to read what Mallory Marlowe writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

LOVE AND OTHER CONSPIRACIES is for every single person who ever shipped Mulder and Scully so hard. It is for people who watched Roswell, original and reboot, unironically, and for those who want to believe, not just cryptid theories, but also in love.

Mallory Marlowe crafted a beautiful, aching exploration of what it is to find your way back from a damaging and painful relationship and choose to believe in hope and love again. Hallie is perfection: a nuanced strong showrunner and producer who grapples with sexism in the workplace, the resulting insecurities, and the claws of an abusive ex she works with. She feels so real and relatable that watching her gradually unfold and learn to trust is a fantastic journey, even if there are a few almost-kiss moments that made me a temporarily cross; I SEE YOU PLAYING WITH MY HEART ON THAT PLAYGROUND ROCKETSHIP, MALLORY.

Hayden’s character arc is equally breathtaking, handling grief and misunderstanding from his parents, and proving once and for all that it is possible to be a non-problematic conspiracy theory lover. I absolutely adore him, and on that note I have to go play “David Duchovny Why Won’t You Love Me” by Bree Sharp on repeat and think about Hayden. And Hallie. And how many copies of this book I am going to buy and just throw at everyone I love once it comes out. I don’t just want to believe, I BELIEVE in Love and Other Conspiracies.

Thank you Mallory Marlowe, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for the eARC!

We've got a FMC who works for an Expy of Buzzfeed and a devout Cryptid and Conspiracy theorist MMC.

Also incredibly biased because this book hits every single one of my favorite tropes. I just can't get enough of gradually growing relationships.

What I can get enough of though is internet humor. Oof. This book gonna date itself in a few years. Memes aren't exactly known for their longevity.

Reccomended Vibes for Enjoying this Book:
-Revisit the Buzzfeed site, do a cryptid related quiz
-Make a drink that's radioactive looking in color. Bonus points if you add an alien related garnish.
- Watch X-Files and/or Inside Job
- Read some Hurt/ Comfort trope Fanfics
- Look at a vintage meme, preferably of the Sad Keanu variety.

Actual rating: 3.75

This was such a fun and cute read. One of the best parts about the book is as the banter between Hayden and Hallie while they were filming. The non-believer/believer bit worked very well with this story. I also really enjoyed the writing. I found it to be engaging. However, I still found myself desiring more from the romance. As unique as this plot was, I hope that going forward that Marlowe can strengthen the romance even more. Overall, I 100% will be recommending this to others.

Loveable characters, an amazing plot, swoon-worthy chemistry, and a captivating writing style, what more could one ask for in a rom-com narrative. Absolutely loved reading this stellar debut.

4.25 stars

I rarely love a romance book, but I freekin love this one. It has all the elements I’m looking for. I’m a sucker for anything involving conspiracies and this was just right for that. This book was light, fun, cute, exciting. I’ll definitely need a physical for my bookshelf when it’s released. I can already see a re-read in my future!

The narration is extremely heavy and I wasn’t personally having fun. I stopped after chapter 1. I think this will be a three star read for most with four for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.