Oh. My. God.

This is my fifth Ali Hazelwood book, and she never disappoints! It's steamy, fast-paced and of course, angsty (which I love to see).

Not In Love follows biotech engineer, Rue Siebert, who finds out that the company she works for (and absolutely love, since it's started by her best friend, Florence) might potentially be sold to none other than Eli Kilgore—a man Rue almost hooks up with the night before—and his business partners.

The tension, the angst, the yearning—Rue and Eli’s chemistry is insane because of these aspects as well as the fact that they’re two incredibly well-portrayed and authentic characters. I mean this in a sense that they are flawed and openly so, admit it. We see that emotional unavailability is an issue that continuously arises as the two leads find themselves unable to walk away from one another. As the plot continues, they open up by telling stories that shaped who they are, and I absolutely loved this way of shaping a character; it minimises having to simply 'tell' readers of what happened, and adds a stake to the leads' relationships.

I found this to be a bit different than Ali’s previous work—in terms of character portrayals and writing. There’s even a trigger warning at the start of the book, which I appreciated, because as I mentioned, Rue and Eli are incredibly complex characters who sometimes make decisions based on impulse and experiences (which may be interpreted negatively by readers). On that note, this book is written in two pov’s: Rue, first person, and Eli, third person. I don't think I've seen that in a romance book. I also thought this contrast created that clear tension between the two leads, slowly building until they both give in.

I admit, the details of the workplace conflict was a bit difficult to follow, but regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and still understood the overall plot! And in case you’re still wondering—it is SPICY. As always, Ali Hazelwood delivers when it comes to a STEM romance (I'm suddenly a STEM student whenever I pick up here work)!! TAKE MY MONEY, QUEEN.

Steamy with a punch in the gut, you’ll enjoy this one if you’re a fan of the workplace conflict, forbidden romance and he falls first tropes (among many others!!)

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette AU and Ali Hazelwood for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. You can find a shorter version of this on my Instagram (@bookswithmeiv)

4.5⭐️

This was an emotional love-story between two individuals who irrevocably understood one another beyond the foundations of a sexual relationship. Rue and Eli were well developed characters and I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives as they divulged their histories. Not in Love is peak romance for me - I love messy characters with complex backgrounds that share sizzling chemistry; this novel delivered just that.

Although a very fleshed out story, some actions and events felt very fast paced while others were incredibly fleshed out which kinda threw me through a loop while reading. However, I found this to be an overall fun read and I didn’t want to put it down. This is easily another win from Hazelwood for me (but at this point, are we really surprised? 😅).

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

This is available for purchase right now! Pick this up please and let me know whether you think there may or may not be potential for a spin-off novel following Maya and Hark? Look, let’s just say I will read and devour it if it happens lmao

I always love a female main character who is a scientist and this one may just be my favourite so far! I adored how passionate Rue was about her project. Her character growth throughout the book was so great to read.

I also really liked Eli’s character. In particular, I liked how hard he fought for the things that were most important to Rue and how protective he was of her even when he’d only just met her.

As much as I love steamy romance books (and this one definitely fits that description), I did find for me, this focussed a little too much on that aspect of Rue and Eli’s relationship where I felt perhaps it could have shown us more of the other plot points. Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, but it probably isn’t one I would re-read over and over.

This book is such a breath of fresh air from Ali! i love all her STEM romances but something about this one just felt so different and revitalised. The writing is so well done and the characters are some of my favourites!

okay fair warning: this book is darker than their predecessors - that’s not to say that this book is, by any means, anywhere near the definition of dark, but it’s not an easygoing feel good romcom like the rest of her books (less so fairytale, more so healing if you get the gist)

however, since it *is* an ali hazelwood, we still get everything else an ali book never fails to incorporate:
✨the badass women in stem (which makes me doubt the ability of my stem-ness a little, but at least makes me feel cool for debatably-being-in-stem)
✨a huggable love interest
✨the bestest best friend ever (honest life goals)
plus lots of sarcastic quips and banter and alll the academic vibes!

my favourite part of the book is definitely the patent-y, sciencey part (i can’t say much else bcos *spoilers* but seriously, why don’t we have more romances set in a stem background??) i think it’s a perfect show of character growth and how different people think & work in reality!

on the flip side, as most of you probably know, smut isn’t reallyyy my thing & it’s definitely an major plot point in this book (and definitely harder to skip) 👀

but of course, there’s no way i can be anything but obsessed with an ali hazelwood book 🤩🤩

Thank you to Netgalley and Ali Hazelwood for the early review copy.

Biotech engineer, Rue Siebert, has a handful of friends, financial stability she yearned for after her childhood, and her job working in food science. When her company announces a hostile takeover by none other than Eli Killgore, Rue's date from the night before, they're in trouble. Eli is used to getting what he wants until Rue, the one can't have but wants most.

If you thought Bride was something different for Ali, then this one will likely feel even more different. While her other books have been mostly light and fun, this one was still a great read but definitely heavier. There was an emphasis on the two MCs negative childhood experiences and family lives and a lot on food scarcity. But overall I really liked this one, I enjoyed the dynamic between the two MCs, Eli is kind of obsessed with Rue and I’m here for it. I also liked how much we got to see from some of the side characters too.

**3.5 Stars**

I am a huge Ali Hazelwood fan so I was super excited to get my hands on her newest book but I think this one was my least favourite by her so far 😭

Not In Love had her usual STEM theme, it is her spiciest book yet and she finally gave us dual POV but I just found it hard to connect with the storyline and characters at times and I think the physical connection between Rue and Eli completely overshadowed their emotional connection.

This wasn’t a bad book by any means and I did like it, but I just didn’t love it and it wasn’t a personal favourite.

Rue Siebert is a successful biotech engineer at Kline, with a career in the field of food science. She has overcome many childhood issues to get to where she is today and cherishes her friendships with her colleagues at Kline. When a hostile takeover, threatens to destroy when she holds dear, it is also devastating to know that it is due to Eli Killgore, a man that she is seriously attracted to. Eli and his business partners want Kline but he also wants Rue, a woman that he knows is 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.
A sizzling romance between two headstrong characters. I loved that Rue is an intelligent woman who despite her traumatic childhood, is driven to use science to solve many of life’s challenges. Likewise, Eli is so clear in his feelings for Rue and despite their agreement for one night, he can’t help but shown that he wants more in a relationship.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m waiting for the day when I’m not blown away by one of Ali Hazelwood’s books.

In short, I loved this book. The romance had a different vibe than what I had previously read by her eg. The Love Hypothesis; which gave off a more Rom-com atmosphere. Meanwhile, Not In Love, had a heavier tone to the romance, but it was still steamy as hell. Both Eli and Rue have a vulnerability to them that they share with one another through stories from their past. These stories usually have an element of shame or embarrassment associated with them and allow the characters to open up to each other and to us as a reader.

As far as the romance goes, this book has a lot of spice and I love that Ali always references consent in her spicy scenes. Rue and Eli’s first meeting is literally for a hookup through an app, but even prior to this they had discussed what they were open to doing and what they weren’t eg. Rue was not a fan of penetrative sex. There is nothing sexier than a partner respecting your boundaries in the bedroom!

The side plot of research patents etc was fascinating and I actually enjoyed that part of the story more than the romance at times. The STEM theme, which is Alis specialty, shone through like it always does.

On a side note, I see potential for some spin off stories in this same universe, which I am really hoping for. *Crosses fingers for a Hark/Maya book*

Big Thank-you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not In Love is the newest release from Ali Hazelwood featuring forbidden romance, lots of spice and angst, it is one of my favourite Ali books to date.

Rue Siebert didn’t have the easiest of upbringings and she doesn’t trust easily. She has fought for stability and to find her place as a biotech engineer at Kline with a focus on food science. After a hostile takeover, Kline is in the hands of Eli Killgore and his business partners(Harkness) who want control of Kline and its patents. When Rue realises she knows Eli from a one night stand gone majorly wrong things get awkward. But Rue and Eli cannot deny their attraction to each other.

I loved the vulnerability that both Rue and Eli experienced in this story. Often times they would say one thing but then we would also see their inner voice saying what they really wanted to say but couldn’t. These moments were a highlight for me throughout the book and really helped me connect with the characters. Despite these often unsaid truths, it felt like Rue and Eli understood each other and their needs.

Food insecurity is a huge aspect of this story. Rue’s research focus is improving the life of fresh produce and this stems from a childhood where she often didn’t know where her next meal would come from. It’s the driving force behind her and the uncertainty that comes from the Harkness take over really caused a lot of conflicting emotions for her, as well as Eli. Eli has his own reasons for wanting control at Kline and it is extremely difficult for both Rue and Eli to reconcile these reasons.

Not In Love is definitely a much spicier and kinkier book from Ali. The spicy scenes were explosive but I felt like there was a nice balance between these and the rest of the story. it was emotional, confronting and absolutely addictive.

Thank you to The Bookish Type and Hachette Australia for gifting me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Broccoli ... broccoli .... I need to stop. Stop and breathe after reading this book.

I'm a self-confessed Ali Hazelwood fan but still had some trepidation going into this one. I guess I just didn't want to be disappointed having built it up in my mind.

Safe to say, I wasn't disappointed. Not in the least.

This has some of the usual aspects we know and love of Hazelwood's work - women in STEM, seemingly tough men with a sensitive underbelly, some steam, and lessons learned along the way. Rue (as in the Hunter Games so I was already dying) works for a company being taken over by a financial group called Harkness. She has a chance meeting with one of the (later known to her) directors on a hook up app. They can't stop thinking about the other but it happens to be because the date went pearshaped and they wonder what could have been. That and the chemistry between them.

Rue is (as can be with Hazelwood's FMCs) a difficult nut to crack. She's strong but vulnerable and this what made me really like her. Eli - I'm not sure what words can be said about this guy that do him justice. He's the ants pants as far as I'm concerned.

"You can tell me more stories. The awful, secret ones. I'll listen and tell you mine". (I'd write the steamy ones that curled my toes but save that for your reading pleasure).

I did love that we get his view though it is a little different in it's provision than Rue's. I read a review that this one was considered steamier that Hazelwood's other works which if you're thinking Check and Mate was new adult so fair comment but otherwise this is more talking and exploring because of the preferences of the two main characters. Healthy and well depicted absolutely and I was there for it. Everyone will have to read it to decide if it's steamier because it's such a personal preference.

Thanks to the publisher for my Netgalley ebook.

All Hazelwood knows how to write men new tave MMCS
I honestly could not put this book down! I did not expect it to have this much spice, but I'm not complaining t
Eli was just
ugh, perfect. And Rue was so relatable in so many ways and was just a refreshing FMC!
I love how strong and smart Rue is, and in addition shes so u apologetically herself. What she went through as a child was written well, and so many will be able to relate to her.
Rue and Eli's relationship was so well done. It went so real with how they navigated their relationship physically and emotionally. Normally when books have a lot of spice, for me it tends to hide the connection with the characters, but this was not the case! Ali did so well with creating a strong (and hot) physical connection with these characters but you could still feel the emotional side of it. I loved it.

(Will be posting this on Instagram)

Not In Love
Ali Hazelwood

“So I’m going to impart a piece of wisdom to you. Ready?”
“Go ahead.”
“No one dies of a broken heart.”

Ali Hazelwood is back in her smuttiest book yet.
Rue and Eli are on opposite sides of a hostile takeover, but their inescapable attraction threatens to disrupt everything.

“She’s alone in this mess she’s made for herself. She has always been her own personal endgame. Played shady games, won shady prizes.”

This feels like when someone has always been cute and is trying out an edgy new look. That summarises Ali this year, she had ‘Bride’ that was genre bending but still undoubtedly cute and lovable, especially the “my wife” vibes. 🔥 (Bride is still sitting pretty as my front runner for favourite book of 2024).

Now we have ‘Not in Love’, with a FMC that has a dislike for penetrative sex. It’s not the usual ballpark I associate with an Ali novel! Cue the
“Are you anticipating curing me with your magic cock?” Lines and we still have our romance, abet different.❤️‍🔥

“Seems late in the game to worry about whether I’ll murder you.”

Fans of the instant attraction, he falls hard and fast rejoice. There is a strong emphasis on the sexual relationship and boundaries, more so than the emotional relationship to me. I developed stronger feelings of attachment towards the friends circle who consistently showed up and added much appreciated banter.

However this book comes home strong. I didn’t necessarily connect with our FMC for the first half due to a strong part of her character traits, direct, robotic and lacking social cues. But our MMC was solid. And the ending definitely came home strong in typical Ali fashion.

“The world was a constant, full-on maelstrom, and my emotions were the one thing I could govern. Eli Killgore looked like the kind of person who’d love to take that away from me.”

To all my fellow #Aliverse fans, I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on this book. It’s definitely been one of my most anticipated reads and I absolutely squealed when @hachette granted me this ARC! Thank you ☺️

“In my defense,” Eli said, “I didn’t know you were there. Or that I’d been put in speakerphone without my permission. I could have opened with a murder confession.”

Not in Love is released 11th June!

“No. People can have all sorts of desires and avoid imposing them on others without their consent. I trust you.”

(REVIEW POSTED JUNE 9th)

// not in love

this felt a lot deeper than previous Ali Hazelwood titles i’ve read. it covered grief, insecurities, anxiety and feelings of inadequacy.

Rue has a hard time communicating and a tendency to self isolate. she was very relatable in parts.

there’s a lot more spice in this one, which makes sense for the characters backstories.. however it did unfortunately detract from the character development, which i would’ve like to seen fleshed out more

there was a few big storyline’s; both personal and professional.. this ultimately meant some parts felt rushed

this started off super strong and was overall an enjoyable read

thankyou to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the eARC

Overall, I really enjoyed Not In Love. I ripped through in a couple of sittings. Die hard Ali Hazelwood fans will find her trademark readability, STEM backgrounding and, characters with human-ness. This is not written with her natural lightness but rather a maturity that gets to come out to play. It is an evolution rather than a departure. If Bride was a risk for the AH-fandom, this is also a calculated risk.

My fussy disappointment was I felt the character development was stiffled by the spicy physical interactions. This has a higher 🌶️ rating with the first spice at 35%. I am not your best judge of spice, at my admission and AH has a reputation for not writing the “best” sex scenes so, go with that. Expect explicit open-door, often, and you won’t be surprised.
I could “see” the character background but didn't always feel it. I was happy to read Rue as a neurodiverse introvert with strong anxiety traits. There is discussion of past trauma and conversation about food insecurity which was a gorgeous motivator and behaviour modifier for Rue. Our MMC, Eli, fits the Ali Hazelwood hyper masculine yet respectful, big smart bloke playbook. I was impressed by the sensitivity around encouraging open dialogue and some of his insights into Rue’s behaviour are quite touching. Interestesting to observe the characters be emotionally stilted on one level but emotionally intelligent in another. Consider this MMC like a lovesick 21 year old rather than a 30-something. He falls early and hard. His POV certainly steps up the language and behaviours of previous AH MMCs and his overall desires are heightened to a point of (male) overwhelm.

The overall plot of STEM versus corporate conflict and underhanded business goings ons was a nice departure and well handled. I can see the potential for more in this Ali-verse as Hark and co continue on their path to make STEM startups more profitable.

With thanks to Hachette Australia New Zealand, Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this before release. Alll opinions and grammar errors are my own.

- STEM setting
- Forbidden/secret romance
- Enemies with benefits
- Dual POV (finally!)

What you can expect in Not in Love:
- An OBSESSED MMC who's the definition of down bad. Ali knows how to write an obsessed hero, but dare I say Eli takes the prize? He's a total simp for Rue and balances being hot AF with being kind, patient and understanding.
- A forbidden/secret/enemies-with-benefits situation with a built-in deadline.
- Ali's hottest, most sex-positive book yet. We're talking multiple open-door scenes because these two have INSANE chemistry 🔥.
- Ali's most emotionally vulnerable/angstiest book yet. Rue's story is going to hurt your heart, and you'll want to protect her at all costs.

Firstly, Thank you to Net Galley, Hachette Australia and Ali Hazelwood for the early review copy of Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood.

I gave this book a 4.5 star rating.

one word: STEAMY!!

I absolutely loved the spice in this book! Although it was a little different to most books I've read by Ali Hazelwood, it worked SO well.

I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone. It was a really enjoyable read that I could not put down!!

Another Ali Hazelwood hit that I completely loved. Alis latest addition to the steminist verse is not one you want to miss!

This is definitely Ali's steamiest novel yet with her two characters Rue and Eli navigating a forbidden affair in the midst of a gruelling company take over. Both characters had a lot of baggage to work through and I loved the dynamic Ali created with them sharing an awful story about themselves each time they saw each other. This is Ali's steamiest novel yet and her lates addition to the STEM universe with our main character who is a food scientist. If you've loved Ali's previous works then I think you are going to love this!!

Thank you Hachette and net galley for letting me read this one early.

I absolutely adored this book! Eli and Rue had great chemistry from the beginning, and I couldn't help but find myself smiling at the banter between them. He fell first and fell hars, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for Rue!

Despite wanting different things from the initial relationship, the strong connection made for a great opportunity to try new things. I loved every time they asked each other if they wanted to hear a story, and it quickly became their unique way to bring up or discuss topics that may be difficult or uncomfortable.

This may be my favourite Ali Hazelwood book yet!

I actually LOVED this book. Not In Love by Ali Hazelwood is totally different to all of her other books, it is super character driven with sprinkles of STEM-charged plot throughout.

Eli and Rue both have a lot of history and baggage, and Not In Love explores how two people can work through their differences to fall in love. There's forbidden love, secrets, enemies to lovers and plenty of STEM references that were far too smart for me to understand.

This is the steamiest Ali Hazelwood book so far, so strap in and prepare for a very interesting ride.