love hypothesis book reddit

Review Requests
Jen’s Reviews
Chelsea’s Reviews
Arielle’s Reviews
Cassie’s Reviews
2021 Favorite Books
Previous Yearly Favorite Books
Jen’s Favorites
Chelsea’s Favorites
Christmas Romance Books
Top Ten Tuesday
Monthly Wrap-Up
Our Most Anticipated Releases
Author Signings

BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Synopsis: When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

The Love Hypothesis snuck up on me and captured my heart. It was addicting, sexy, angsty and thoroughly intoxicating! I’m sure a huge fan of the fake dating trope and it not only made this book a ton of fun but it had a lot of emotional power too. With a broody male, a quirky girl and a story filled with science, contemporary romance lovers will fall head over heels in love with this book!

“Have you considered getting a real girlfriend?” His eyebrow lifted. “Have you considered getting a real date?” “Touché.”

The prologue quickly pulled me in. Not only was the meet cute beyond adorable and memorable , but it was laced with emotion too. When we jumped two years and eleven months into the future in chapter one, we found Olive fake kissing some random guy. I was like what is even going on?! But it was because she hoped that her best friend would see her liking someone else and would then start dating her ex, who she never had feelings for. So to prove to her bestie that she had moved on, she kissed the first guy she saw. And it was Adam Carlsen who was a professor at her school and a complete jerk. It led to them fake dating and there’s so much more to the story then this but eeps I loved every minute of it!

“People who date, they—they talk. A lot. More than just greetings in the hallway. They know each other’s favorite colors, and where they were born, and they . . . they hold hands. They kiss.” Adam pressed his lips together as if to suppress a smile. “We could never do that .” A fresh wave of mortification crashed into Olive. “I am sorry about the kiss. I really didn’t think, and—” He shook his head. “It’s fine.”

Olive was a brilliant scientist in grad school, but she was a little unsure of herself at times. It took me a little while to warm up to her, and I wanted to shake her a time or two about her lying. I wanted her to be upfront and honest but as the story unfolded and we learned the whys behind her actions it was impossible not to love her. Her past and present helped mold who she was nowadays and we get to know every part of Olive. So during moments like when she explained why she was so passionate about her research, I got tears in my eyes. I loved her determination and dedication! And when she found her voice and the courage to say and do what she wanted, I was so proud of how far Olive grew from that first page till the last!

Olive laughed, and the way he looked at her, kind and curious and patient . . . she must be hallucinating it. Her head was not right. She should have brought a sun hat.

Adam Carlsen was such an unknown besides his reputation as an arrogant asshole. Yet each time we learned a little something more about Adam, I kept falling harder and harder. Adam knew how to take control and be in charge of a situation. Yes it sometimes made him come across as a complete and total jerk but other times it came across so hot *fans face*. He left me feeling beyond happy, giddy and counting down till his next interaction with Olive! But with Adam, I loved how he commanded attention from others without even trying. I also loved how his humor was so subtle and effortless; each time he made me laugh out loud he snagged another piece of my heart. Adam was caring, strong, beautiful, someone so easy to become obsessed with and the moments he was thoughtful made my heart exploded. I was absolutely obsessed with this broody man who oh so easily got added to my book boyfriend list!

“We are friends, right?” His frown deepened. “Friends?” “Yes. You and I.” He studied for a long moment. Something new passed through his face, stark and a little sad. Too fleeting to interpret. “Yes, Olive.”

Olive and Adam’s moments together created even more speculation and gossip of what was truly happening between them. So it easily led to them fake dating. They both had reasons behind wanting to do that. So each time they were together, I desperately wanted them never to part. I was obsessed with their coffee dates or when they ran into each other. Because even the most simplistic moments between them, like listening to a presentation or a school picnic, made me have butterflies in my stomach. The chemistry between them was through the roof hot. And while I guessed how quite a few things would play out, it never once took away from my love of this story. But one thing I didn’t guess correctly was how unbelievably sexy this book was. Pages upon pages of scenes had me melting into a pile on the floor. Together they were sigh worthy!

He took a deep breath. His shoulders rose and fell in time with the thudding of her heart. “I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”

The Love Hypothesis was a mixture of steamy and adorable, and landed right on my favorites list! It was impossible not to cry tears or stop the smiles that constantly appeared on my face. Ohhh plus it was so cute that Olive kept thinking of them as a book trope, like the fake boyfriend, possible one bed, her wearing his shirt and he’s speechless. It truly didn’t even matter that I’ve read so many of these tropes countless times, Olive and Adam made it feel unique on every single page. Now I now can’t wait to read whatever else Ali Hazelwood releases!

He tilted his head. “Standard protocol?” “Yup.” “How many times have you done this?” “Zero. But I am familiar with the trope.” “The . . . what?” He blinked at her, confused.

“It was good, wasn’t it?” Olive asked, with a small, wistful smile. She wasn’t herself sure what she was referring to. Maybe his arms around her. Maybe this last kiss. Maybe everything else. The sunscreen, his ridiculous answers on his favorite color, the quiet conversations late at night . . . all of it had been so very good. “It was.” Adam’s voice sounded too deep to be his own. When he pressed his lips against her forehead one last time, she felt her love for him swell fuller than a river in flood.

Stay up to date on our latest book posts

They contain Reviews, Recommendations, Upcoming Releases & Giveaways! We don't want you to miss anything, so signup below!

I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Enter Email to Subscribe to Posts

Star-Crossed Ladies:

Recent reviews, fun lists about books.

✮ Christmas Book Recommendation List: What to Read This Holiday

✮ Favorite Enemies to Lovers Romances

✮ Books Every YA Fantasy Lover Should Read

✮ Platonic Relationships In Books We Love

✮ Books We Could Re-read Forever

Recommendations

Jen’s currently reading.

Chelsea’s Currently Reading

Share book reviews and ratings with Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ , and even join a book club on Goodreads.

Arielle’s Currently Reading

Anna’s currently reading.

❤ Buddy read with my awesome friend Chelsea❤

Star-Crossed Ladies

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

'The Love Hypothesis' won Amazon's best romance book of 2021, has a near-perfect rating on Goodreads, and is all over TikTok. Here's why it's such a unique love story.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

" The Love Hypothesis " grabbed the attention of romance readers everywhere in 2021.
It was named Amazon's Best Romance Novel of 2021 and was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award.
This book checks off all my boxes for a great romance read and is definitely worth the hype.

This year, Amazon named " The Love Hypothesis " by Ali Hazelwood the best romance book of the year. Even though it was only recently published in September 2021, "The Love Hypothesis" has quickly become a fan-favorite, with 88% of Goodreads reviewers giving it four- or five-star-level praise .

It was also nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award and is hugely popular amongst Book of the Month members , with only 1% of readers giving it a "disliked" rating.

"The Love Hypothesis" is about Olive Smith, a third-year Ph.D. candidate studying pancreatic cancer at Stanford. In an attempt to convince one of her best friends that she's moved on from an old crush, she impulsively kisses Dr. Adam Carlsen, the department's notoriously brutal (but undeniably attractive) professor. After the kiss, Adam and Olive agree to fake a relationship so she can prove to her friend that she's happily dating and he can convince their department that he isn't planning to leave anytime soon.

I'm a little picky about my romance novels , so giving this read every bit of a five-star review didn't come lightly. My standards are high because the best romance novels have the potential to expose readers to authentic and imperfect relationships and offer new topics of discussion without making us feel like it's a story we've already read.

With all the hype surrounding this new romance read, I couldn't resist picking it up.

Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books:

1. the story focuses a lot on olive and adam's lives outside their romance, making their love story more believable and interesting..

Romance novels tend to fall into a few popular tropes such as " enemies-to-lovers " or "forbidden love." "The Love Hypothesis" combines two of the most popular tropes right now, "Fake dating" and "grumpy/sunshine," really well — I loved the contrast between Adam's serious attitude to Olive's bright and sugary one.

But despite following these tropes, the story feels fresh because it's also largely about Olive's work and its meaning to her. The only other romance book I've read featuring a STEM heroine is "The Kiss Quotient" , so I loved seeing that representation and learning about something new.

The story honestly reflected the challenges Ph.D. candidates face in academia and that authenticity — deepened by the author's personal experiences — brought the characters, the settings, and the romance to life even more as Olive and Adam faced challenges with funding, time-consuming research, and questioning their sense of purpose.

2. The steamier scenes are also awkward and realistic, which made them even better.

In romance books, there are a few different levels of how graphic a steamy scene can get , from little-to-no detail to explicitly outlined movements. (I personally prefer mine to "fade to black.")

There was only one chapter with adult content, and it was definitely graphic. While I made a ton of ridiculous faces while reading and tried to skim past the parts that made me audibly gasp, I loved that it wasn't a movie-made, perfect sex scene with graceful movements and smooth dialogue. The scene was a little awkward, imperfect, and full of consent and conversation, making it refreshingly real.

3. The book deals with other topics besides the main love story, making it a much deeper read.

While it's wonderful to get swept up in the magic of a romantic storyline, having a secondary plot that addresses real issues is what makes a romance novel truly great .

Mild spoilers and content warnings ahead: While "The Love Hypothesis" is a fun romantic read, it also addresses the pain of familial death, power differentials, intimacy challenges, and, most prevalently, workplace sexual harassment.

Love is beautiful, fun, and amazing, but "The Love Hypothesis" takes the opportunity to also include conversations about serious issues. While these topics may be tough for some readers, I think these plot points, hard conversations, and complicated emotions take "The Love Hypothesis" to the next level and make it a five-star read.

The bottom line

"The Love Hypothesis" has everything I personally look for in a romance novel: A unique storyline, authentic characters, and an important message. If you're looking for a perfectly balanced romance read, "The Love Hypothesis" is worth the hype and definitely one of the best romance books to come out in the past year.

Main content

Review Policy
Non-Fiction
Author Interviews
A Bibliophile’s Escape
Amy’s Book Club

The Love Hypothesis Book Review

Title: The Love Hypothesis Author: Ali Hazelwood Type: Fiction Published: 2021 Pages: 384 TW: Cancer, Sexual Assault, Loss of a Loved One

“I’m starting to wonder if this is what being in love is. Being okay with ripping yourself to shreds, so the other person can stay whole.”

The Love Hypothesis centres on Olive Smith, a PhD student who is determined and headstrong. Then after a series of mishaps, she winds up fake dating the university’s most hated professor – Adam Carlsen. But keeping up the pretence is hard work and suddenly there are more complications, and the future of her research is at stake. As both of them come to realise their feelings aren’t what they first thought – should they risk it all for love?

Even more than the romance, this book was amazing in the way in portrayed the importance of friendship. Olive’s friends and the way they supported each other was really quite wonderful and I love the book for being more layered than just a cut and dry romance.

Now on to Olive and Adam… having almost exclusively read romance in February, I had very recent familiarity with love-t0-hate romances and I really did enjoy this one. Both characters felt three dimensional and with their own history and reasons for feeling one way or another. I think with all books in this genre, they’re most enjoyable if you don’t try and pick them apart, and overall I very much enjoyed watching their relationship blossom. I also appreciated that the sole reason for the third act drama wasn’t just miscommunication, and again it was more layered and had depth.

I think by this point, just about everyone has probably read this book, but just in case you haven’t and you’re looking for a cute, love-to-hate romance with a science-y twist, and strong female characters, then get yourself a copy of this!

It Ends with Us Book Review

The girl who reads on the métro book review, leave a response cancel reply.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

If We Were Villains Book Review

Our wives under the sea book review, publishers i’ve worked with:.

Stay up-to-date

Email address:

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding... six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

This was absolutely such a cute book and I hate myself for putting it off for so long! The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is such a sweet romance it left me giggling wildly to myself at two in the morning. I honestly think I may have found a new favorite author.

Olive is so smart and so cute. She actually is a female main character that can hold her own. She is smart, on her own. She has a life, of her own. Olive takes charge, loves her friends, and her life. And that’s where we get to the problem. She loves her friends so much, she decides faking a relationship is the best way to convince her BFF it is okay for her to date Olive’s ex. Enter, acerbic Adam, a hot big shot at the University Olive is studying at. Their chemistry was palpable. Sparks flew and many squeals were had by this reader at the many little moments between the two. Despite being the ‘big, bad jerk’ on campus, Adam sincerely cares. Cares about his students, his friends, and Olive.

The biggest obstacle that Adam and Olive have to face (despite the very obvious obstacle that takes place toward the end, yes another act 3 conflict) seems to be Olive herself. She is plagued with self-doubt and, despite all of the amazing things she is, she cannot seem to see that in herself. Olive constantly explains away all of the nice things Adam does and says, because he can’t obviously be falling in love with her just as she is him. Meanwhile, Adam also takes Olive at her word, believing the very same thing – she cannot possibly actually like him, the cold-hearted PhD mentor that lives to make others miserable. That fear of becoming vulnerable so you lie to yourself about the cues you’re picking up, the signs you’re seeing. With these two, it makes sense given their background, so I can’t be all too upset at the miscommunication trope being so prominent.

This review has taken me about a month to write because I just absolutely loved The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood so much I think it short-circuited my brain. It’s such a challenge putting to words the emotions this book gave me because all I want to do is scream enthusiastically. Absolutely recommending this one to all my romance lovers, especially those that enjoy the He Falls First/Harder trope.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review + Questions

Updated: Oct 25, 2023

When we chose The Love Hypothesis for our book club February book, I was feeling giddy and excited. But as I started reading that feeling slowly started fading away. But ... wasn't this book all hyped up on Bookstagram and TikTok? What was happening? Then a crazy thought entered my mind ... Was I too old for YA or NA books? Thankfully according to Marie Pabelonio, associate editor at Goodreads, NO. 😁😁 ( click here for the article ).

First things first , I'm not into the professor / student romance. Call me uptight, but it's just not my thing. And as it's not my thing in real life, then it's not something I particularly enjoy reading in books.

Second - Adam. I know he was supposed to come off as moody and sullen, but I found his character very bland. Very been-there-done-that. I hated finding out that he had actually been pining over Olive since their meet-cute. I don't see how that needed to be added to the storyline actually - it only made it worst for me! If Olive hadn't fake kissed Adam, then how long would he have continued to wait before talking to her?

Third - The first kiss. I thought their meet-cute was cute, but ..... the first kiss? Ughhhhh ... Olive kisses him, as she would have done to any random guy, because she wanted to fool her best friend into thinking that she was over the guy she last dated because her best friend was crushing on said guy but wouldn't do anything about it because she was thinking Olive was still into him. Again ughhhh ... These are PhD students, but why does it feel like I'm reading something outta high school? Also ... a stolen kiss is only sweet in movies and books. Trust me.

Fourth - Olivia and Ahn's friendship. Read paragraph above. If you need to go through all that to convince your best friend, then I question the friendship. If Anh is really her best friend, why can't they just have a sensible conversation about this? And what kind of best friend puts her friend time after time in embarrassing situations and expect her to do what she tells her to? Ahn was annoying!

Fifth - The sex scene. I was very shocked that it had unprotected sex. Someone assuring you that they are clean counts for nothing in my book and I think this shouldn't be included in books. Always practice safe sex. Someone in the book club also mentioned that she hated the way it was written and the words used. The word "pornographic" was mentioned during our book club discussion.

So is there one thing that I liked about this book? Yes!

Olive. But Olive without her friends and without Adam . Olive, a successful woman in STEM. She came from Canada and pursued her education in the US. Moreover, she experienced many difficulties and faced obstacles to have opportunities she deserved, but nevertheless she really fought to get them. I admire that about her, which is maybe why I am so upset at how she is represented in love and her friendships.

Book Club Questions:

Did you find that there first meeting was cute?

What did you think of Olive?

What did you think of Adam?

Did you find Olive immature at times?

How did you picture Olive physically?

What did you think of the side characters? Which one was your favorite? Which one was your least favorite?

Did you think that Anh was a cliché character?

Why do you think it was more important for Olive to deceive Anh than to tell her the truth?

How do you feel about unprotected sex in books? Does it ruin the sex scene for you?

How did you feel about how Olive managed the situation with Tom Benton?

How did you feel about the ending?

Do you think that this book was overhyped?

xoxo Elodie

*As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases

Books, Music, Series, & Movies

Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie | Book Review + Questions

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab | Book Review + Questions

Mr. Dickens and His Carol | Book Review + Questions

Entertainment

Academic Romance Is My New Favorite Book Genre After Reading This Debut Novel

Published on 8/31/2021 at 1:15 PM

If you told me that my favorite book of 2021 would end up being about two fake-dating scientists whose characters are loosely based on Rey and Kylo Ren from Star Wars, I would not have believed you. Fake dating isn't my favorite trope, science was my worst school subject, and while I've always enjoyed watching Star Wars, I wouldn't exactly call myself a fan. But that was before I read The Love Hypothesis (out Sept. 14) by Ali Hazelwood.

In the novel, Olive Smith is a biology PhD student who is on a mission to convince her best friend that she's in a relationship. Considering she's definitely single, and worried that her friend will learn the truth, Olive randomly panic-kisses the first man she comes across in the lab — who just so happens to be the notoriously intimidating Dr. Adam Carlsen, a professor in her department. Nobody is more surprised than Olive when Adam agrees to go along with her charade. But how long can Olive keep up the ruse of fake dating when real feelings become involved?

I have a thing for love stories in which the guy has harbored a years-long crush on the girl while she remains endearingly clueless (don't worry, I'm not giving anything away — it's pretty obvious from the start how Adam feels about Olive), and so I knew by Olive and Adam's second interaction that I would LOVE this book. Olive is smart, ambitious, and funny, Adam is tender and thoughtful, and together their connection is pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry (both the literal and figurative kind).

Their connection is pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry (both the literal and figurative kind).

This is Hazelwood's debut novel, but she's been writing fan fiction for years. I read that this book was actually based on a previous, and hugely popular, Star Wars fan fiction story she wrote a few years ago. So if you're a Rey and Kylo Ren stan , you should probably read this book. I mean, just look at the cover!

Standout Quote

"His eyes were on her, now. There was light in them that she didn't understand. 'You are not mediocre, Olive. . . And the work you presented is important, rigorous, and brilliant.' He took a deep breath. His shoulders rose and fell in time with the thudding of her heart. 'I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.'"

Get ready to dive into all things academia: the politics, the research, the nerdy banter. It's like a world of its own and reminded me a little of my own college days. This book has some funny antics but doesn't shy away from diving into the more serious side of academia (including sexual harassment).

Where You Should Read It

Snuggled up at a student cafe with a pumpkin spice latte (Olive's drink of choice).

Read This If You Like . . .

Rey and Kylo Ren fanfic, romance stories set in academia like How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams , or a fake-dating trope.

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt(s)

This novel can check off more than one 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt; just pick the one that fits best for you.

A book that's published in 2021
A book about a subject you are passionate about
A book you think your best friend would like

How Long It Takes to Read

The story is 360 pages long, and I read it every spare second I could over a weekend — and then immediately started over again when I finished since I didn't want it to end.

Give This Book to . . .

Friends who love Star Wars or smart and science-y love stories, who work in STEM, or who have ever fantasized about dating that really hot professor from college.

The Sweet Spot Summary

The Love Hypothesis ($14) follows Olive, a PhD student, who fake dates the one professor her peers love to hate: the intimidating (and intimidatingly hot) Dr. Adam Carlsen. She doesn't really believe in love, but if there's anyone who can convince her, it just might be Adam.

Emoji Rating

👩‍🔬 + 👨‍🔬 + 🔬 + 🔥

Editor's Pick
Romantic Comedies
Book Releases
Romance Novels
Book Reviews
Beach Reads
Editor Book Picks

Anastasia J. Gustafson

Teacher – Artist – Coach – Writer

“The Love Hypothesis” Book Review: Why You Should Read It And Leave The Guilt Behind

When I was in middle school, I loved to read ‘trash’. What I mean by this is that people often used derogatory language when talking about the things I enjoyed reading. Twilight ? For dumb girls. Manga? For weird girls. Fanfiction? Don’t even get me started on the social implications for reading that in the era of The Lightning Thief , The Hunger Games , or Divergent –all books I loved, by the way, but also books that were considered more socially acceptable for reading than fanfiction, Twilight , or manga.

But you know what? I’ve come to realize that the world just hates young girls for reading things that young girls love. So today, I’m writing a book review on a book that, maybe, someone out there would be afraid to outwardly say they’re in love with. Today, I’m going to tell you it’s ok to read ‘trash’. Because guess what? ‘Trash’ is literally my favorite thing in the whole wide world because it’s not trash at all. The books I love to read are precious to me, they make me laugh, they make me smile, and they even make me cry; sometimes, they literally give me the purest form of happiness since the invention of pumpkin bread. And I’m here to tell you that if you like reading these kinds of things, you are valid, you are not a ‘lesser’ kind of reader, and you are absolutely my type of person.

I just finished reading a book called The Love Hypothesis. And by finished reading, I mean that I literally read it two times in a row because it did something for me that no book has done in a really, really long time. I could not put that thing down. It felt like it was 6th grade all over again; I was like a starved, dejected, bookworm. I voraciously consumed the entire novel, two times over, in less that 24 hours.

The Love Hypothesis plays on the dating-a-teacher trope in a way that exceeds all of my preconceived expectations of the concept. Olive, our protagonist, ‘accidentally’ kisses the ‘known ass’, Dr. Adam Carlsen– in front of her best friend, Ahn, nonetheless, so that Ahn will feel less bad about dating Olive’s ex-boyfriend; to keep up the facade, Dr. Carlsen and Olive agree to a ‘fake dating’ contract for a month’s time so that Anh can date Olive’s ex guilt-free.

I’m sure you can see where this is going. But I promise you, you’re right, but it’s also so much better than anything you could have ever expected.

Here are a few reasons I’ve come to love this novel. I hope they resonate with you. I hope they empower you. And I hope they affirm to you that a ‘good’ book doesn’t necessarily take on a certain form.

1. The relationship between Olive and Adam is the perfect mixture of sunshine meets grumpy.

I fell in love with Olive quickly, and I found her sense of humor, her anxiousness, and her self-reliance very endearing. Every chapter starts with a hypothesis, and they worked as both a foreshadowing technique and also as an insight into Olive’s inner thoughts. The first hypothesis is relatable and hilarious. It reads:

“When given a choice between A, (a slightly inconveniencing situation), and B, (a colossal shitshow with devastating consequences), I will inevitably end up selecting B.”

I mean honestly, Olive, who hasn’t? But it was Adam who quickly stole my heart. (It helps that the cover alludes to his features as being almost identical to the very handsome Kylo Ren). After the kiss that started it all, we see the chemistry between the two building:

“‘Did you… Did you just kiss me?’ He sounded puzzled…There was simply no way Olive could get away with denying what she had just done. Still, it was worth a try.

‘Nope.’”

We’ve all been there. Well, maybe not. But for some reason, the way author Ali Hazelwood writes about uncomfortable, romantic situations makes us all feel like we have.

2. Hazelwood’s Take On This Trope Works To Address The Sexism It Usually Coincides With

What I like most about Hazelwood’s approach to this trope, however, is that Olive is not helpless. Sometimes, in books exploring the dating-an-older-professor trope, we see a powerless woman who is ‘saved’ by a big, strong, man. Not the case here. Olive is a graduate student at Stanford whose scientific work is thoughtful, unique, and important all on its own–without Adam’s intervention. She’s a woman in STEM, she’s a Canadian immigrant, and she’s also worked to overcome the many hardships experienced in her youth in order to be present at one of the most renowned science programs in the world. Does her life get easier in some ways while dating a revered, successful, and tenured professor with millions of dollars in funding for research? I mean, yeah. But only in little ways. Like not needing to take her bike home from classes everyday, and sometimes, on ‘Fake-Date Wednesdays’, she occasionally gets free pumpkin spice lattes and scones.

The relationship between Olive and Adam, while at first very awkward because of his position as a professor, doesn’t work within a power-imbalanced framework. Olive is not his student. She just so happens to be studying within the same department. Adam doesn’t do things so that Olive is more recognized or successful. Olive’s work naturally speaks for itself.

The two characters are written in a way that empowers them both. Hazelwood is very careful about this aspect of the relationship, and as a woman in college, I appreciate this careful acknowledgement of women’s autonomy and power in the work without a man’s intervention.

3. Romance That Keeps Me Coming Back For More (Sequel Please?)

One thing I appreciated in this book is that it had a story to tell about love, and by golly, it got right to it. As a reader, I’m not waiting around for the relationship to show up, for the circumstances to arise, or for Adam to interact with Olive. It’s right there from page one.

And for that, I just want to say one thing to Ali Hazelwood: Thank you. Thank you for giving me a romance novel that got right to the point. It was refreshing. But, it meant a few things for me as a reader:

I read everything and didn’t jump around trying to find the parts of the book that were ‘actually interesting’. I didn’t do this because I didn’t have to. I didn’t do this because the way the text, the characters, and the relationships were written was done with care; it had me holding onto each and every word until the very last page.
Because I was reading every word, I was noticing more stuff. Little hints, allusions, motifs, themes, and symbols. It made the reading more enjoyable for me.

The romance story starts on the first page and it carries on until the very last. Are there other plot lines and stories and threads ongoing throughout the novel? Yes, of course. But I didn’t have to wait through the first 12 chapters to get there. Instead, I got a full 25 chapters (plus and epilogue and prologue) that did what they set out to do: explore this accidental, hilarious, and endearing relationship from one comedy-blended-with-suspense-filled-page to the next. In fact, It left me hoping for a sequel.

A Final Note On ‘Trash’

This book slapped. I mean, it did everything a rom-com is supposed to do. And then it also dismantled some sexism, which is just extra cool, in general.

But the reason I wrote this book review is two-fold. Yes, this book was amazing. It got me excited in all sorts of nerdy, English-Major ways. But also, there are lots of people out there that, quite frankly, enjoy books like this. And more importantly, there are also lots of people–specifically women– who feel shame for liking texts like this because of the notion that texts like this are ‘trash’.

To that, I want to say something kind of controversial. Here it goes:

Literary feminism is respecting women for their choices, whether those choices are to read/write texts that are considered universally acceptable or not.

There is no male-directed equivalent to this book-shaming phenomenon. Men might be shamed, of course, for reading literature geared towards women. But that shame is also integral to liking something that is feminine.

This phenomenon resides in the reality that society loves to shame women for liking things women tend to like: pumpkin spice lattes, boy bands, and yes, romance novels.

It’s pervasive in our culture and it also makes literally no sense to do that. This negativity cultivates a very unnecessary shame-culture around femininity. And honestly, I’ve been fed up since 6th grade.

So, if you need someone to tell you that you’re valid, that the books you like are OK to read–and that those books are probably even good reads–then look no further, because here I am!

Go get that bread, read whatever you want, and pick up a copy of The Love Hypothesis so that you, too, may willfully oppose the patriarchy.

Student Teaching: A Journey At Round Lake High School

National Day On Writing Publication: “Why I Cook: (Book)”

New NCTE Publication: “Plagiarism Is Not on The Guest List”

The Love Hypothesis

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

If you would like to read a list of content warnings for The Love Hypothesis (warning for mild spoilers), please click here .

SUBSCRIBE TO ALI'S NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND EARLY UPDATES

Fall In Love With The Next 12 Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Silvana Reyes Lopez

Silvana Reyes is a Mexican book blogger. She enjoys all types of sub-genres, but loves a good love story. Romance fiction is her heart and joy and you might find her screaming about book releases on her Twitter account.

View All posts by Silvana Reyes Lopez

Last year brought us The Love Hypothesis . And it quickly went viral. It’s not an overreaction to say that this title hit it big and continues to do so even eight months after publication. With endearing tropes and an interesting storyline, it wasn’t a surprise when it became an instant New York Times Best Seller! Even videos featuring it on TikTok have amassed over 202.1 million views and growing by the minute. Ali Hazelwood, you created a work of art, and we’re very thankful you blessed us with it. If you’re looking for romance books like The Love Hypothesis , take a look at this list immediately.

The story follows Olive Smith, a third-year PhD candidate, who kisses the first man she sees in order to make her best friend, Anh, realize that Olive is okay for Anh to go after her ex-fling. Soon after, Olive finds out that she kissed the grumpy hotshot professor, Adam Carlsen. Surprisingly, Adam follows along, and now everyone at school thinks they’re dating… and he’s not saying otherwise.

With a slow-burn romance and some of my favorite tropes — like fake dating — in the mix, it’s easy to fall in love with The Love Hypothesis . Luckily, Hazelwood already has a sequel, Love on the Brain , coming out August 23rd this year.

Until then, here are a few books that’ll satisfy that Love Hypothesis void in your life. I organized this list in a way that you could find books that have not only the same tropes as Hazelwood’s book, but also a similar vibe.

Slow-burn Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Cover of The Beller and the Bear (books like the Love Hypothesis)

The Belle and The Beard by Kate Canterbary

After a life-changing event in her career, Jasper-Anne decides to run away from the city. Instead, she finds herself going to the rustic old cottage her aunt left her. But before she finally catches a breath, her grumpy next-door neighbor appears. Her plans slowly start to crumble when he enters the picture. Because Linden is everywhere and she cannot escape him. Nor does she want to.

A little bit of fake dating, annoyed-at-first-sight encounter, neighbors-to-lovers, and you have one big, exciting love story.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina is in dire need of a fake boyfriend to accompany her to her sister’s wedding in Spain. A little white lie sometimes does create irreversible problems. Lucky for her, her work nemesis, Aaron, lets her know that he’s available to help her out. Catalina, at first, isn’t too sure about this, but beggars cannot be choosers, and Aaron has officially become her fake boyfriend.

This slow-burn romance with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic is a sure favorite read if you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis .

Restore Me by J.L. Seegars

Since they met, Sloane and Dominic have been enemies. Whenever they are in the same room, they either ice each other out or they can’t stop bickering. They never agree on anything and they don’t plan to, ever. But life has other plans.

Now, Sloane and Dominic have to work together at work, creating moments where they have to spend time together. When Dominic saves her one night, their relationship quickly changes into something else. But how are they going to try a relationship when Dominic was her late husband’s best friend?

Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley

After the worst night of her life, when she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, Tam does the only thing that feels right at that precise moment: call her estranged best friend, Josh. They haven’t seen each other in years, but when Tam gives him the emergency code word that means she’s in trouble, it’s like no time has passed at all, and their friendship is still intact.

Tam decides to fly to Ponto Beach, where Josh lives, in order to regroup and fix her life immediately. They never thought about a romance between them throughout all those years; their friendship was too important to them. But being in closed quarters after so many years might finally bring their attraction out to the surface.

Grumpy/Sunshine Romance Books

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

Two opposites attract in this delicious romance that will, for sure, grab your attention — and heart — very quickly.

Battle Royal follows Sylvie and Dominic, two bakers who don’t have much in common. Sylvie does colorful cakes while Dominic creates minimalistic sweets. They just so happen to have neighboring bakeries. Now, they have to work together as judges in this reality TV baking competition and… it’s going to be hard for them both because they kind of don’t get along.

Everything for You by Chloe Liese

Chloe Liese returns with Everything for You , the fifth book in the fabulous Bergman Brothers series. The series follows a Swedish American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their own happily ever afters.

This book stars Oliver Bergman who has been playing soccer at a professional level for years now. He’s a rising star who can clearly see a future in the sport. While Gavin, who happens to be the captain of Oliver’s team, is suffering a downfall. His body hurts constantly, making it impossible to continue to do his best on the field. One day, their coach assigns them to be co-captains, and it couldn’t come at a worse time.

Marriage For One by Ella Maise

Rose just got the surprise of her lifetime: a stranger just asked her to marry him. Obviously, it happens to be a marriage of convenience. Though Rose does not know what he gains from it, she definitely needs his help. That’s how Rose finds herself married to Jack, a grumpy, suit-wearing man.

This book also has a slow-burn romance that will make you swoon so hard! The pining and yearning in the story are unreal, you have never seen anything like this.

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

This title can also be in the fake dating category in this list, so double points! Written in the Stars introduces Darcy and Elle, two women who couldn’t be more opposite. Darcy has been dealing with her matchmaking brother and she’s tired of it, so when the latest blind date goes wrong, she comes up with a plan to fake date Elle. Love is the last thing on her mind, but the gorgeous Elle is easily breaking down her walls.

Fake Dating Books

I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson

When your ex asks for a favor… Well, this happens to Kian Andrews when his ex, Hudson, asks him to meet up at a café. Kian doesn’t know what to think of it, maybe Hudson wants to apologize for how they left things! But no, he has it all wrong.

Hudson wants Kian to be his fake boyfriend while his parents are in town. But after the dinner, things get more complicated when Kian is invited as Hudson’s plus one at a wedding!

Act Like You Mean It by Shae Sanders

You know those times when you see actors, models, or celebrities dating someone who also happens to be a celebrity and you feel like they’re doing it for publicity? Act Like You Mean It is that.

August’s reputation is not looking good. His publicist and team come up with a plan for him to fake date a Black socialite. Xandra knows all about pretend relationships. She does it quite often with other celebrities in order for their image to improve and for them to still be relevant. This time she’s asked to be famous actor August’s girlfriend, and after the contract is signed, their pretend relationship starts!

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

Oh, if only you knew how many times my family has asked me when I’m going to get a boyfriend and get married… I understand plenty of what Kareena feels. If only I had a cute fake boyfriend to let my family know I’m alright.

The only thing Kareena wants is to have a relationship like her parents and to be able to fix up her mother’s house. But when her dad announces he’s selling the house, she doesn’t know what to do. Her father, though, makes her a deal: if she can get engaged in four months, he’ll give her the house. Enter Dr. Prem Verma, the man she had a one-night stand with.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Lovelight Farms is about Stella, who owns a tree farm, but is in dire need of financial help to save it. Luckily for her, an influencer is doing a contest on social media with a pretty impressive cash prize. The thing is… she needs a fake boyfriend to participate.

Luka has been her best friend for years. When he finds out that she needs a pretend partner, he grabs the opportunity to make her see that they make perfect sense together rather than apart. He’s definitely not playing pretend.

I’m just like everyone else when it comes to trying to find my next great read. Sometimes I want books that are very similar to my favorites — like The Love Hypothesis readalikes mentioned here, or even books like Beach Read , The Kiss Quotient, or other romances — and sometimes I want something that’s a little outside my comfort zone. For these kinds of book recommendations and others, Book Riot’s tailored TBR service based on reading taste is perfect. Sign up here !

The Best Nonfiction Books of 2024 (So Far)

Series: Love Hypothesis

Love on the brain by ali hazelwood | book review.

Posted August 18, 2022 by Jana in Adult Fiction , Book Review / 8 Comments

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis--with explosive results. Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project--a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia--Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward. Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away. Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it's her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas...devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

I LOVED The Love Hypothesis (read my review at the link above), so I was incredibly excited to see Love On the Brain pop up on Netgalley and then even more excited when I was quickly approved! I read this 7 months ago, so I literally had no chill about it. I dove in immediately and had so much fun reading this quirky, nerdy romance. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. The first this you should know is that this is not in any shape or form a sequel to The Love Hypothesis . We’ve got completely different characters, a different setting, different science, same quirk. There’s no mention of anyone or anything from The Love Hypothesis so, while this is being marketed as part of the same series, it’s a standalone novel. Science and the author are the only two things that tie these books together.

1. Bee. When I think of Bee, I think of this little slice of puff pastry. She’s pretty adorable and quirky (I think I’m going to use this word to describe a lot about this book). Bee is a neuroscientist, who is on loan to NASA from NIH to collaborate on a project involving developing helmets for astronauts that offer transcranial magnetic stimulation. It sounds like it’s essentially a non-invasive way of stimulating the brain to help control mood? Who knows. The science was way over my head and, at times, made me glaze over and read the words but not actually know what I was reading. Anyway, Bee is very smart and sweet and spirited. she’s frequently underestimated and pushed to the side. She’s relatively fresh off a bad break-up (her ex cheated on her with her best friend), so there’s a lot of insecurity and issues with trust on her end. I felt for her and liked her a lot. Oh, she’s also obsessed with Marie Curie and I now know more about Marie than I ever needed to know. lol.

2. Levi is a major cinnamon roll. He’s the silent brooding type, who doesn’t always know how to process his feelings and act on them correctly and is just so sweet. I wanted to hug him and also give him a pep talk. I love how he treats Bee (he takes her seriously and really respects her), how he feels about her, and how he sticks up for what’s right and fair. Oh my gosh, there’s a scene where he has to go save her from a cemetery that she got locked into because she fell asleep after her run, and I was cracking up. And he loves cats. My goodness.

3. These two… oh my goodness. They are hilarious and frustrating at the same time. Their banter and flirtatious teasing of one another had me smiling a lot. Levi has been in love with Bee for years but has accidentally disguised that love as hate. She is convinced that he hates her, therefore she also hates him and he struggles to convince her otherwise! She jokes with him about it and brings it up all the time, and just when you think they’re turning a corner and she’s beginning to understand how he really feels, she says he hates her again and ahhhhhhhh!! LOL. Seriously, I relate to this part of Bee more than I’d like to admit.

4. There is some major heat in this book. Wow. And the swoons are there, too, OF COURSE. These two have some very sweet, romantic moments.

5. Bee’s co-worker… I cannot remember her name for the life of me. Oh my gosh, she is a dramatic hoot and really grew on me. I was rolling my eyes all over the place at first, but then I loved her. She also has an online friend named Schmac, and I loved her candid conversations with him about her life.

6. I’m not kidding when I say I glazed over the science bits and a lot of the info about Marie Curie’s life. Science and facts are abundant in this book, way more than I remember in The Love Hypothesis, and there were times when I feared I would not survive it.

7. Bee’s monologues include a lot of trademark symbols behind made-up phrases, which was annoying. I searched my eARC by “™” and got 42 results. It was excessive. We have WurstFest™ (aka Meatwave, aka a “dicksplosion in the testosteroven”); Cockcluster™ (meetings with only one woman in the room); Sausage Referencing™ (when a man vouches for a woman’s ideas, therefore making the rest of the men think it’s a better idea); The Cute Guy™, The Handsome Guy™, and The Sexy Guy™ (all of these “guys” are categories that Bee and her friend place guys in, and each category has different qualities); Hostile Companionable Silence™ (how Bee and Levi work), Levi Green™ (as opposed to an actual color), and Uh-Oh™. This was easily my least favorite part of the book. Every time I saw a ™ I wanted to throw my Kindle. I don’t like the use of trademark as a way to place emphasis on something or make it seem special. I see it on social media a lot, and it bugs me because that’s not how trademarks work! It’s like when people speak in hashtags (for example: “Hashtag best. summer. ever!”). Annoying. There’s a time and a place for hashtags, and there’s a time and a place for trademark symbols. This was not the time or the place for trademark symbols. Wow. That was a rant. Moving on.

8. There’s some major “You’ve Got Mail” vibes that I loved.

9. There’s also some drama and career scaries, a mysterious cat, and even a life or death situation and it all combined together to create quite the page-turner!

All in all, I really enjoyed Love On the Brain . The Love Hypothesis is still my favorite of the two stories, but Love On the Brain is filled with quirk, heart, nerdiness, and a heaping spoonful of swoons. If you like science, women in STEM, plucky heroines, and cinnamon roll heroes then I highly recommend this book.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Get the app
Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

The love hypothesis, common sense media reviewers.

Uneven romance has explicit sex, features women in STEM.

The Love Hypothesis book cover: A White woman in a lab coat and messy bun kisses a surprised looking White man with dark hair

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

An author's note explains Title IX and offers webs

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. Th

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attem

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension,

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k,"

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of en

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in

Educational Value

An author's note explains Title IX and offers websites supporting women and BIPOC women in STEM academic fields. The overall story provides insight into graduate and post-graduate academic life and careers, especially in STEM fields.

Positive Messages

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the academic world, especially in STEM fields. Don't be afraid to speak up when you've been harmed or you learn about something unethical. Your web of lies will eventually come to light, and when it does it may cause more hurt than being truthful from the start would have.

Positive Role Models

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. They're extremely loyal and supportive of each other, and Anh creates chances to support other women, especially BIPOC women in STEM. Adam is very protective and kind on a personal level toward Olive, but to his students he's harsh, uncompromising, and seems uncaring. Olive makes a grand gesture out of compassion for Anh, and models perseverance in advancing her research and career.

Diverse Representations

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very slim. Adam implies he's Jewish and is very tall and powerfully built. Best friend Anh's family is from Vietnam and she identifies as a woman of color. Roommate Malcolm reads as White, dates men, and enters a romantic relationship with another man. Olive wonders if she's asexual.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attempted kiss and coercion. An excerpt at the end from a future book has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. A man pins another against a wall by the collar and threatens to kill him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with some crude words like "clit" and "c--k." Good examples of consent are modeled, and birth control and being "clean" are talked about. A few times adults talk about sex or sex acts like sixty-nining, butt stuff, and getting a "hand job."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "f--king," "holy crap," "holy s--t," "pr--k," "s--t," "s--tshow," ass," "assness," "bitch," "bitching," "butt," "crap," "crapfest," "dammit," "Goddamned," "hell," "jackass," "Jesus," "pee," "smart-ass."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of entertainment franchises to establish character and setting.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in California, where the story's set. Very little actual drinking is depicted, but there are mentions of past drunkenness, a weekly beer and s'mores night, and taking advantage of free alcohol at academic meetings and conferences.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with words like "clit" and "c--k." Main character Olive experiences verbal sexual assault, and an excerpt from another book in the back has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. Strong language includes "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "pr--k," "s--t," and more. Adults mention past excessive drinking, look forward to free alcohol at university events, and have a weekly "beer and s'mores night." Two characters remember one of them projectile vomiting after eating bad shrimp, but it's not described. Olive is an orphan with no family. Her mother died of pancreatic cancer, so grief and loss are important themes, along with the struggles women still face in STEM-related fields.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

Parents say
Kids say (1)

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is about Stanford graduate student Olive, who needs to convince her best friend Anh that it's OK for Anh to date a guy Olive had recently been seeing but wasn't really interested in. So she hatches a plan to "fake date" none other than the Biology department's most prestigious professor, Adam Carlsen, who's also a huge jerk. As Olive and Adam's ruse gets harder and harder to keep up, Olive starts to feel like she wishes their dating wasn't actually fake. Will she be able to untangle her web of lies without ruining everything, for everyone?

Is It Any Good?

This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters. Readers who enjoy very familiar rom-com tropes will feel at home here, because this story is chock full of them. The one explicit sex scene is easy to skip for those who aren't interested. A big drawback is Olive's truly bad and unrealistic decision making, which strains believability and takes the reader outside the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the graphic sex in The Love Hypothesis . Is it over the top? Realistic? Is reading about it different from seeing it in movies, videos, and other media?

What are some concerns about reading or watching explicit sex ? Do you compare yourself or your body to the characters? Does it make you afraid, creepy, or unsure about what sex is like for real people?

What about all the strong language? Is it realistic? Is it a big deal? Why, or why not?

Talk about women studying and working in STEM fields. What are some of the challenges Olive and Ahn face? How do they deal with them? Who supports them? What can men do to make STEM fields more welcoming and inclusive?

Book Details

Author : Ali Hazelwood
Genre : Romance
Topics : STEM , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
Character Strengths : Compassion , Perseverance
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : Berkley
Publication date : September 14, 2021
Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
Number of pages : 400
Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
Last updated : April 2, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Check and Mate book cover: On a chessboard floor against a pink backdrop, a young couple with determined expressions shake hands, surrounded by large chess pieces

Check & Mate

Want personalized picks for your kids' age and interests?

You Have a Match

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

Teen romance novels, teen books trending on #booktok, related topics.

Perseverance
Great Girl Role Models

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Beyond the Bookends

A Book Blog for Women and Moms who Love to Read

16 Books Like the Love Hypothesis to Obsess Over

The Love Hypothesis is a phenomenon and has started a STEM romance wave. We created this amazing list of books like The Love Hypothesis so you can overcome that book hangover.

Love the enemies-to-lovers trope? What about workplace romances? We have them all right here!

*This post, Books Like the Love Hypothesis contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.

Table of Contents

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Olive Smith is a Ph.D. student who does not believe in her ability to be in love. When her best friend develops a crush on someone she dated briefly, she decides to kiss the first man she sees in order to prove she is over him.

That one kiss happens to be with THE Adam Carlsen, an academic genius. The two decide to fake-date and what starts out as pretend, becomes something more- for Olive. I loved this fake dating, office romance novel and it has a well-earned spot on its list of the best romance novels of all time.

Books like The Love Hypothesis with Characters in STEM

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

I was not prepared for this book! Reader beware that it is the Rosie Project with a sprinkle of Pretty Woman and a whole lot of 50 Shades.

It is not offensive in the least but, I listened to this one, and let me say that I am very glad that my kids were not in the car. I did not realize that some of the scenes would be graphic.

It is a great romance with a neurodiverse main character named Stella who hires an escort to teach her about relationships and I loved it. This contemporary romance is definitely on its way to classic status and has a well-earned place on our list of books like The Love Hypothesis.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

You know how this book is going to end even before you start reading it. However, that does not make the journey any less enjoyable. I found it to be cute and endearing.

Don Tillman is autistic and, as he’s the narrator, we get to listen to every unfiltered thought he has in his quest to find a wife. He approaches this in a scientific way and was a perfect pick for books like The Love Hypothesis . Don is also a character who reminded me of another favorite. If you loved this book, you can find more like it on our list of Charming Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine .

A brush with Love and more march 2022 novel ideas

A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings

Harper is a dental student who has worked so hard over the past three years to get into the best oral surgery program in the country. She will not let anyone or anything stand in her way. Her determination and grit remind me of Olive and this book needs to be included on a list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis.

When Harper crashes into Dan, a first-year dental student, everything changes. Despite being determined to stay “just friends”, Harper is finding that harder every day.

I enjoyed this pick from our list of romance books. There are detailed descriptions of Harper’s anxiety which at times is completely debilitating. I liked the fact that this book looks at anxiety and depression as a part of these characters without glossing over the realities.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

This was a book that I totally enjoyed. I read reviews that people didn’t like Chloe. They thought she was whiny and annoying. I completely disagree.

I thought that she was funny, quirky, and had more depth than I initially thought. It is a well-written romance with a little more story than I usually find in this genre and for this reason

Find this book in Books like The Love Hypothesis / Books with Colors in the Title

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry

⁣Is there a formula that can prove love exists? Madeleine Henry does such a great job of mixing love with a drop of science to create this love story that spans decades. ⁣Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy exploring time.

During her first week at Yale she meets Jake Kristopher and the two immediately start a romance. But when the romance starts pulling Sophie from school, their relationship is tested. ⁣

⁣Sophie throws herself into her work to prove what she has always known (I won’t spoil this adorable read but it’s perfect for a list of books similar to The Love Hypothesis ). I wish the book was a little bit longer because I want to know more.

Work Romances Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

As soon as I saw what this book was about, I knew I wanted to read it. I love Emily Henry books. Nora is a literary agent who is a shark for her clients. Her life is books and will stop and nothing for her job or her little sister, Libby.

When Libby begs Nora to take her to Sunshine Falls, the setting of one of her most famous books, she reluctantly agrees. When they get there, the town does not look anything like the book describes. In addition, her literary nemesis, book editor Charlie Lastra is in Sunshine Falls.

Now, Nora and Charlie find themselves together in a plot twist neither of them could see coming. This amazing romance about books is perfect for our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis and is a must-read if you loved the book.

The Ex Talk and other book reviews in February 2021 Novel ideas

The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I picked up The Ex-Talk because I wanted to read a romance by a Jewish author . I loved that this one featured a biracial, interfaith couple.

The concept was cute – two radio show hosts fake a relationship to try to get ratings. Except they are pretending they already dated and broke up… which eventually leads to them dating.

This fake dating book was a cute, easy read. This is an office romance novel that is perfect for books like The Love Hypothesis.

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

In this romance, Laurie is completely blind-sided when her partner of 18 years leaves her without warning. When her ex’s new girlfriend becomes pregnant within months of the breakup, Laurie is devastated.

When Laurie gets stuck in an elevator with Jamie (the office ladies’ man), they devise a plan. Laurie can get back at her ex and Jamie can get a promotion by showing he has a respectable girlfriend. But, as time goes by, it is harder to draw the line between fake and real. This is another office romance novel that is perfect for a list of books like The Love Hypothesis.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I’m an avid weather lover, so this was one of my most anticipated Winter 2022 new releases!

In this romance novel, weather girl Ari teams up with sports anchor Russ to get their feuding bosses back together Parent-Trap style. This sweet and hilarious office romance novel is perfect for a list of books like The Love Hypothesis as well.

Along the way, they kindle sparks of their own! There are lots of fun weather puns, adorable scenarios for both romantic pairs, and love scenes that aren’t for the faint of heart🔥🔥🔥.

The best part of all is that the book deals with REAL life issues like depression, body image, teen pregnancy, and complex families.

If you love workplace romances, head over to our post 14 Hot Office Romance Books You Need to Read Now for more.

Enemies to lovers books similar to the love hypothesis.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

When I learned that Tessa Bailey used Schitt’s Creek’s Alexis as her inspiration for Piper, I knew I had to read this grumpy sunshine romance.

After getting in trouble one-to-many times for her party-girl lifestyle, Piper and her sister are banished back to their late father’s hometown in Washington.

While she’s learning to be responsible and money-conscious for the first time in her life, she needs to try not to fall for a local fisherman, Brendan. This is a sailing novel with heat!

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books similar to The Love Hypothesis / Emily Henry books .

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!

This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)

Why We Love It: The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and we are all in. Find This Book in Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels / Books With a Color in the Title

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

Evie Dunmore’s debut novel spanned a series of badass women during the Suffragette era. While the story is a romance, don’t let that fool you! You’ll get a history lesson on the suffrage movement in English History as well as a lesson on Estate and Inheritance laws — which were still of utmost importance a few decades later when Downton Abbey takes place.

Annabelle Archer has the scholarship to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. In order to keep it, she must spy on the Duke of Montgomery and try to persuade him to the suffragette’s cause. The chemistry between these two crackled off the page in this romance. If enemies-to-lovers books are up your alley, this book is perfect for you and it is perfect for a list of books like The Love hypothesis.

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

This book was my choice for a classic adaptation and I loved this contemporary fiction book it. Food and romance are at the center of this book and I thought that it was done so well.

It has all the classic conflicts of Pride and Prejudice with a fresh new spin that made the book so relatable and easy to read. The conflicts make it perfect for books like The Love Hypothesis.

If you love Enemies-to-lovers books , we have an entire post!

Fake dating books like the love hypothesis.

The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) by Jasmine Guillory

This was such a fun read- it was perfect to take with me for a weekend away. When Alexa gets stuck in an elevator with Drew, she makes the crazy choice to accompany him as a fake wedding date to a wedding the next day. If you love fake dating books, this is one of the books like The Love Hypothesis you must read.

What she didn’t account for was the fact that there might be some real attraction between them. She is a good girl and he is a commitment-phoebe. Can they make it work? We think you’ll love this wedding book.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

For the last two years, I have been emotionally dependent on romance books to take me away from the reality of the pandemic. Every time I think that things are looking up, I am thrown for a loop.

Tara does not do relationships because one heartbreak is enough. But, when she meets her best-friends new brother-in-law, sparks fly between them.

Suddenly, Tara finds herself in a dare to date the gorgeous and tempting Seth Kim without falling in love. This book was everything that I hoped it would be and is perfect if you loved the love hypothesis book.

More Books Like the Love Hypothesis

Lessons in Chemistry and more goodreads choice awards 2022 books

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

April 2022 gma book club pick.

I don’t even know where to begin with this unique contemporary fiction story. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50s when women were expected to know their place in society — their place being the kitchen and the home.

Elizabeth struggles to be taken seriously in her field and as a single mother, in this amazing book. So when an offer to host a cooking show for women is put in her path, she reluctantly takes it.

She uses her no-nonsense attitude and chemistry principles to teach the women in America to not only cook but to follow their dreams outside of the home.

Zott is a quirky character like Eleanor Oliphant with a charming daughter and a dog whose inner monologue is as quirky as hers. An absolutely wonderful book about motherhood! You can also find this book on our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis as well.

Are you looking for the perfect book for your next book club? Check out our Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Guide. If you love this book and are looking for more, we also have 15 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry .

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is a romance novelist who has never been in love and she is beginning to think she has lost her mojo. Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker who is thrown off balance when he needs to create a reality TV show.

When he convinces Fizzy to be the star of this show, sparks fly. The two have undeniable chemistry but will this ruin the TV show that is supposed to be about finding Fizzy’s true love? The show is supposed to see if chemistry is the same as compatibility. It is in essence, the science of love.

This was a delightful celebrity romance and is perfect for anyone looking for books like The Love Hypothesis.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Bee is a brilliant and unconventional scientist who lives by a strict code “What would Marie Curie Do?” She even has a secret Twitter account to help other female scientists in a male-dominated workplace.

When she is offered her dream job at NASA, she cannot wait to start until she realizes that she is not the lead scientist. She is the co-lead with her work nemesis Levi Ward. To make matters worse, he seems to be sabotaging everything that she tries to do. Could there be a better pick for enemies-to-lovers books?

Ali Hazelwood does an amazing job of writing fantastic romances while still including the struggles that women have to deal with daily.

Find this Book in Office Romances / Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Beach Reads 2023 / Audie Awards 2023

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Any romance novel by Ali Hazelwood has become a must-read so, it is no surprise that I jumped at the chance to read her newest STEMinist romcom!

Elsie has learned to live two lives; an adjunct professor in theoretical physicist by day and a fake girlfriend the rest of the time (to make ends meet). She has also learned to read people and become the Elsie that they want her to be.

When she interviews for her dream job as a theoretical physics professor at MIT, her two worlds collide. How? I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Elsie learns what she really wants an how to ask for it in a delightful and charming way.

This steamy romance novel is a must-read from our ultimate list of beach reads. It’s one of my picks for the best romance books of 2023 too! If you are looking for books for summer, this one is for you.

The Complete List of Romance Tropes: Our 12 Favorites

Looking for more romances categorized by trope? Here’s all of our favorites.

Ultimate List of Romances

If you love The Love Hypothesis and all things romance, then this is the list for you! We have this list carefully divided by sub-genre.

Are there more books similar to The Love Hypothesis we should add to this list?

Co-founder and Editorial Director

Jackie is the mother of three children and a Speech-Language Pathologist who uses her love of books to create language-based learning opportunities in her speech therapy practice and with her own children. Her 20+ years of experience in regular and special education classrooms ensures the website content is relevant and informative. She started this website with Kirsten to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids.

Internet Archive Audio

This Just In
Grateful Dead
Old Time Radio
78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
Audio Books & Poetry
Computers, Technology and Science
Music, Arts & Culture
News & Public Affairs
Spirituality & Religion
Radio News Archive

Flickr Commons
Occupy Wall Street Flickr
NASA Images
Solar System Collection
Ames Research Center

All Software
Old School Emulation
MS-DOS Games
Historical Software
Classic PC Games
Software Library
Kodi Archive and Support File
Vintage Software
CD-ROM Software
CD-ROM Software Library
Software Sites
Tucows Software Library
Shareware CD-ROMs
Software Capsules Compilation
CD-ROM Images
ZX Spectrum
DOOM Level CD

Smithsonian Libraries
FEDLINK (US)
Lincoln Collection
American Libraries
Canadian Libraries
Universal Library
Project Gutenberg
Children's Library
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Books by Language
Additional Collections

Prelinger Archives
Democracy Now!
Occupy Wall Street
TV NSA Clip Library
Animation & Cartoons
Arts & Music
Computers & Technology
Cultural & Academic Films
Ephemeral Films
Sports Videos
Videogame Videos
Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

Wayback Machine (iOS)
Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

Explore the Collections
Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

The Love Hypothesis

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

Graphic Violence
Explicit Sexual Content
Hate Speech
Misinformation/Disinformation
Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

25,832 Views

81 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

In collections.

Uploaded by sn830 on August 6, 2022

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Helpful Book Guide: The Love Hypothesis Spicy Chapters List and Review

Posted on Published: July 27, 2023 - Last updated: October 23, 2023

Categories Book Guide , Spicy Chapters

What are The Love Hypothesis spicy chapters? Well, this guide is for you! Though this book is not very spicy, it is still my responsibility to squeeze out the spiciest The Love Hypothesis spicy chapters possible for you. It’s also a book I recommend with the ‘who did this to you” trope!

Table of Contents

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

The Love Hypothesis Review

The Love Hypothesis is a captivating and heartwarming romance that delves into the complexities of academia and love. The story revolves around Olive Smith, a dedicated PhD student, and Adam Carlsen, a charming and cocky professor. Both characters are beautifully crafted with depth and vulnerability, making them relatable and endearing to readers.

The romance between Olive and Adam is a slow-burn delight, filled with moments of vulnerability and tenderness that will leave you swooning. Their undeniable chemistry and emotional connection create an engaging and satisfying love story. The witty banter between the two adds a delightful touch to their interactions.

Ali Hazelwood’s writing is both engaging and emotionally resonant, effortlessly drawing readers into the world of academia and scientific research. The novel’s exploration of the characters’ hidden depths and vulnerability adds layers to the story, making it a truly captivating read from beginning to end. “The Love Hypothesis” is a must-read for anyone looking for a heartwarming and well-developed romance that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

books like the Love Hypothesis

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

The Spanish Love Deception Spicy Chapters

Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows—including her ex and his fiancée—will be there and eager to meet him.

She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won’t be easy to fool.

Enter Aaron Blackford—her tall, handsome, condescending colleague—who surprisingly offers to step in. She’d rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.

But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.

This book was cute to read! Also have the only one bed trope and enemies to lovers (of course).

Twisted Games by Ana Huang

She can never be his…but he’s taking her anyway.

Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules: 1) Protect his clients at all costs 2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

He has never once been tempted to break those rules…until her.

Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She’s nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed.

Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defences until he’s faced with a truth he can no longer deny: he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her.

Because she’s his.

His princess. His forbidden fruit. His every depraved fantasy.

Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses.

But when her brother abdicates, she’s suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted.

And as she navigates the intricacies—and treacheries—of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can’t have.

Her bodyguard. Her protector. Her ultimate ruin.

Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom…and doom them both.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA.

A competitive figure skater since she was five years old, a full college scholarship thanks to her place on the Maple Hills skating team, and a schedule that would make even the most driven person weep, Stassie comes to win.

No exceptions.

Nathan Hawkins has never had a problem he couldn’t solve. As captain of the Maple Hills Titans, he knows the responsibility of keeping the hockey team on the ice rests on his shoulders.

When a misunderstanding results in the two teams sharing a rink, and Anastasia’s partner gets hurt in the aftermath, Nate finds himself swapping his stick for tights, and one scary coach for an even scarier one.

The pair find themselves stuck together in more ways than one, but it’s fine, because Anastasia doesn’t even like hockey players…right?

Twisted Hate by Ana Huang

He hates her…almost as much as he wants her.

Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn’t charm—except for Jules f**king Ambrose.

The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.

When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that’ll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.

No jealousy.

No strings attached.

And absolutely no falling in love.

Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who’s focused on one thing: passing the attorney’s bar exam.

The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable…no matter how good-looking he is.

But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there’s more than meets the eye to the man she’s hated for so long.

Her best friend’s brother.

Her nemesis.

And her only salvation.

Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they’re faced with truths that could either save them …or destroy everything they’ve worked for.

Twisted Hate is a steamy enemies with benefits/enemies to lovers romance. It’s book three in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

Abou t The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

spicy books on kindle unlimited The Fine Print Spicy Chapters

A typical billionaire romance that is quite popular. It’s one of the more famous ones of the genre, especially on Kindle Unlimited.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project – a literal dream come true – Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school – archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas… devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time.

Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

Romance between a sunshine fashionable “it” celebrity girl with grumpy sea sailor local. Bright cheerful icon x cold ordinary sailor combo meal.

The Love Hypothesis Spicy Chapters

As many readers may know (especially romance book readers), oftentimes we like to seek out book tropes and read romance books that include the book tropes we usually like and the book tropes we want to read at the moment. It’s what drives a lot of book recommendations and is a common way we seek out books to read. If you are a reader who is interested in:

Tracking tropes that you have already read
Tracking tropes that you would want to read in the future
Collect original trope ideas that you came up with (and haven’t come across before)

Then this book trope reading journal is perfectly made for you!

Subsribe to my newsletter!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Please subscribe to my mailing list to get a FREE colouring book, and follow me on my social media accounts if you want more posts like this! I really appreciate the support <3.

Recent Activities

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

IMAGES

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis
“The Love Hypothesis” Book Review: Why You Should Read It And Leave The

VIDEO

Love Hypothesis 💃🕴️ #booktube #shorts
Endosymbiont Hypothesis book ll FSC

COMMENTS

The Love Hypothesis: a personal review : r/books
The way the novel is written almost contradicts Hazelwood's attempt to address feminism; having made Olive nothing more than a mess, always in need of rescue. There was tremendous potential to make her a legitimate role model with an actual personality, instead the character fell flat. Adam, on the other hand, is always serious and put ...
The love hypothesis : r/RomanceBooks
The love hypothesis. Critique. I'm about 70 pages in…. I can see why people like this book, but I just don't understand why authors write in 3rd person. I personally find it very confusing on who's talking, compared to when it's either single POV all the way through, or each chapter specifies who's POV you're reading.
Book Review: "The Love Hypothesis" is a sweet, steamy, utterly
The Love Hypothesis is out September 14, 2021 and is available for preorder now. Special thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the advance copy for review purposes. book reviews , Romance Arezou Amin August 18, 2021 book review , romance novel , reylo , debut novel , Ali Hazelwood 3 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis snuck up on me and captured my heart. It was addicting, sexy, angsty and thoroughly intoxicating! I'm sure a huge fan of the fake dating trope and it not only made this book a ton of fun but it had a lot of emotional power too. With a broody male, a quirky girl and a story filled with science, contemporary romance lovers ...
Review: Why 'the Love Hypothesis' Is Such a Hit Romance Novel
Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books: 1. The story focuses a lot on Olive and Adam's lives outside their romance, making their love story more believable and ...
The Love Hypothesis Book Review
The Love Hypothesis Book Review. "I'm starting to wonder if this is what being in love is. Being okay with ripping yourself to shreds, so the other person can stay whole.". The Love Hypothesis centres on Olive Smith, a PhD student who is determined and headstrong. Then after a series of mishaps, she winds up fake dating the university's ...
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Finally picked up The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, and boy, was it worth it! This cute and sweet romance had me giggling wildly at 2 AM. Olive, a smart and independent character, takes charge, leading to the hilarious fake relationship with Adam, the supposed 'big, bad jerk.' Their palpable chemistry and miscommunication struggles make this a must-read for romance lovers.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
First things first, I'm not into the professor / student romance. Call me uptight, but it's just not my thing. And as it's not my thing in real life, then it's not something I particularly enjoy reading in books. Second - Adam. I know he was supposed to come off as moody and sullen, but I found his character very bland.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Book Review
The Love Hypothesis. From. $14. $14 at Amazon. In the novel, Olive Smith is a biology PhD student who is on a mission to convince her best friend that she's in a relationship. Considering she's ...
"The Love Hypothesis" Book Review: Why You Should Read It And Leave The
The Love Hypothesis plays on the dating-a-teacher trope in a way that exceeds all of my preconceived expectations of the concept.Olive, our protagonist, 'accidentally' kisses the 'known ass', Dr. Adam Carlsen- in front of her best friend, Ahn, nonetheless, so that Ahn will feel less bad about dating Olive's ex-boyfriend; to keep up the facade, Dr. Carlsen and Olive agree to a ...
The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships-but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this ...
Fall In Love With The Next 12 Books Like The Love Hypothesis
The Belle and The Beard by Kate Canterbary. After a life-changing event in her career, Jasper-Anne decides to run away from the city. Instead, she finds herself going to the rustic old cottage her aunt left her. But before she finally catches a breath, her grumpy next-door neighbor appears.
Love Hypothesis Archives
Love On the Brain by Ali Hazelwood Series: Love Hypothesis #2 Published by Berkley on August 23, 2022 Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy Pages: 384 Format: eARC Source: Publisher (Netgalley) Add to Goodreads Buy on Amazon. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with ...
The Love Hypothesis Book Review
Parents say Not yet rated Rate book. Kids say ( 1 ): This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful ...
16 Books Like the Love Hypothesis to Obsess Over
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren. Felicity "Fizzy" Chen is a romance novelist who has never been in love and she is beginning to think she has lost her mojo. Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker who is thrown off balance when he needs to create a reality TV show.
The Love Hypothesis : Ali Hazelwood : Free Download, Borrow, and
An illustration of an open book. Books. An illustration of two cells of a film strip. Video An illustration of an audio speaker. ... Share to Reddit. Share to Tumblr. Share to Pinterest. ... the-love-hypothesis-by-ali-hazelwood Identifier-ark ark:/13960/s27jthxd7jf Ocr tesseract 5.2.0-1-gc42a
Helpful Book Guide: The Love Hypothesis Spicy Chapters List and Review
The Love Hypothesis is a captivating and heartwarming romance that delves into the complexities of academia and love. The story revolves around Olive Smith, a dedicated PhD student, and Adam Carlsen, a charming and cocky professor. Both characters are beautifully crafted with depth and vulnerability, making them relatable and endearing to ...
20 Books Like The Love Hypothesis
The Spanish Love Deception By Elena Armas. The Spanish Love Deception is a romantic comedy novel that uses the fake dating trope just as expertly as The Love Hypothesis. However, instead of the romance unfolding in an academic setting, the premise is that the protagonist, Catalina, is looking for a date to attend her sister's wedding.

BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Enter Email to Subscribe to Posts

Star-Crossed Ladies:

Recommendations

Chelsea’s Currently Reading

Arielle’s Currently Reading

Star-Crossed Ladies

'The Love Hypothesis' won Amazon's best romance book of 2021, has a near-perfect rating on Goodreads, and is all over TikTok. Here's why it's such a unique love story.

Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books:

2. The steamier scenes are also awkward and realistic, which made them even better.

3. The book deals with other topics besides the main love story, making it a much deeper read.

The bottom line

The Love Hypothesis Book Review

Share this:

It Ends with Us Book Review

If We Were Villains Book Review

Stay up-to-date

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review + Questions

xoxo Elodie

Related Posts

Academic Romance Is My New Favorite Book Genre After Reading This Debut Novel

Standout Quote

Where You Should Read It

Read This If You Like . . .

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt(s)

How Long It Takes to Read

Give This Book to . . .

The Sweet Spot Summary

Emoji Rating

“The Love Hypothesis” Book Review: Why You Should Read It And Leave The Guilt Behind

Recommended Articles

Student Teaching: A Journey At Round Lake High School

National Day On Writing Publication: “Why I Cook: (Book)”

New NCTE Publication: “Plagiarism Is Not on The Guest List”

The Love Hypothesis

Fall In Love With The Next 12 Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Silvana Reyes Lopez

Slow-burn Books Like The Love Hypothesis

The Belle and The Beard by Kate Canterbary

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Restore Me by J.L. Seegars

Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley

Grumpy/Sunshine Romance Books

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

Everything for You by Chloe Liese

Marriage For One by Ella Maise

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Fake Dating Books

I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson

Act Like You Mean It by Shae Sanders

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

You Might Also Like

Series: Love Hypothesis

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

A Lot or a Little?