I'm a high school educator myself, so I jumped at the chance to read a romance between a science teacher and vice principal. Etta did not disappoint! I'll admit I don't know a ton about astronauts and some of their terminology, but it wasn't overly complicated to understand. Brianna is so fiery and passionate about her mission to save the school library and I admired her determination. You get a lot of Brianna's internal dialogue about how badly she wants this man, but I didn't mind. The banter was fun and there were multiple laugh-out-loud moments. This was overall a super cute, somewhat nerdy in the best way romance and I gained some knowledge along the way! There were some deeper topics discussed so be sure to read warnings if needed.

The mission: save the school library!

Brianna Rogers knows she tends to jump into things, but she can’t resist a fight for what she believes in—especially when the school principal cancels the library upgrade she’s been working toward and decides a football field is more important. Her solution? Sign up for a Mars simulation over the summer to try and win the funding.

With an astronaut brother, she figures she’s got this under control…until Roman Major, the principal’s son and surprise addition to the team, shows up.

If you’re a fan of romance with a side of space adventure, this one’s a blast!

Brianna’s fiery determination and her undeniable chemistry with Roman make for some laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of swoons. From their witty bickering to those slow-burn moments that had me grinning, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

The story is a fun, heartfelt journey about two people navigating ambition, attraction, and, yes, even simulated Mars drama—all for the love of a library.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this free ARC

I was lucky enough to win a copy of THE LOVE SIMULATION by Etta Easton in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe holiday season!

Cute romcom with tons of science-y aspects! For lovers of space + romance!

What’s to love…
- Educator FMC + STEM educator MMC
- did I mention STEM - I love a science-y novel
- interconnected standalone
- Bookish book (I mean the whole point is to get money for the library!)
- forced proximity
- family forward story and characters

What I didn’t love…
- she’s obsessed with him from the jump (that’s never gonna be a favorite for me) - and we spend a lot of time with her internal thoughts regarding how obsessed with him she is…
- the rivals aspect of this is a lot more miscommunication than actual rivals and it makes the stakes pretty low

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was cute! I loved the fact that the FMC was an assistant principal and her love interest a teacher at the school (I am an educator so that immediately pulled me deeper into the story).

There were some moments where I got a little bored with the simulation details but overall it was a cute story!

I received a free copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group; all opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

This is another sweet, spicy read from Easton, and I liked it just as much as The Kiss Countdown, to which it is a sequel (but could probably be read as a standalone). The characters are engaging as is the premise (I love the idea of a Mars survival simulation) and the humor and warmth aren't overshadowed in dealing with more complex and unhappier subjects. I'll be keeping Easton on my radar for sure!

For sensitive readers, this novel contains depictions of neglectful parenting, workplace harassment, graphic sexuality, and references to grief and trauma.

Reading The Kiss Countdown, and seeing the siblings interact absolutely made me want more of them! This book gave me everything I wanted and more regarding Brianna. The semi-focused unsure sister, still trying to figure things out felt so personal and i absolutely loved reading her journey. I can’t wait to read more for Etta!!

Brianna is a vice-principal who still hasn't found her real calling in life, but tiptoes around her interest for Roman, a teacher at her school and the principal's son. When they are thrown unexpectedly together in a NASA funded Mars simulation, Brianna has to decide whether Roman is telling the truth about his motivation - to help her complete the simulation and win funding for her struggling school.
This cute he likes only her story has a unique but creative premise to bring the leads together.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so this one was kind of a letdown for me. I'm really not into "instalove" as a trope, so when they were basically into each other from the start it just wasn't my vibe. I love Etta Easton's writing style, so I read until the end, but I just wish I could have seen more tension and growth between the two.

When a much-needed library renovation fund is reallocated for a new football field, VP Brianna struggles to find a way to help her students while the school's principal tries his best to thwart her. When a teacher proposes a contest that involves living in a space simulation for 6 weeks, Brianna agrees to participate as long as the money goes to the library reno. She never expected for her crush and potential nemesis Roman (the son of the principal) joins the expedition. Can the teacher pull together to complete the simulation and save the library?

This book was funny, with charming characters, a great STEM element and libraries. This is the first book I've read by Etta Easton, it will not be the last.

I’m still reeling from how much I loved this book! Brianna and Roman are absolute dynamite together. Their bickering, heated moments, and those unexpectedly tender scenes had me flipping pages faster than I could read. Watching Brianna and Roman navigate their fierce attraction while facing their own personal dilemmas was incredibly captivating. The emotional depth of their connection, combined with the steamy romance, made this book impossible to put down.