The Love Hypothesis

I loved this SO VERY MUCH. It's one of those books that left me smiling like a fool, with a full heart and a strong desire to start reading it all over again. The evolution of these characters from start to finish is intense, and I absolutely loved how everything came full circle by the end. One of my favorite parts of the story was trying to decipher our hero's quiet looks, moods, and glances - there is some outstanding subtlety to this love story. And it is definitely a love story. The romance is central throughout, with a light, fresh feel that gets richer and deeper as the story progresses. It tackles difficult subjects like sexual harassment and self-worth, while also remaining exceedingly light and uplifting for much of the book. And by the end? I was content, happy, and oh so satisfied to finally see these two fools get together. The story follows Olive, a 26-year-old grad student trying to cure cancer. She is still finding her confidence, but she loves what she's doing. So when Olive's best friend develops feelings for the guy Olive just started dating, she does the logical thing... kiss a random man to make her friend believe that it's all okay. Or at least that seemed logical at the time. Turns out, the random stranger that Olive kissed is none other than the most hated professor around, Adam (34). And while Olive has no desire to spend time with Adam, her impulsive act means that entering a fake relationship with the man is actually a good idea. But as the two get to know each other better, Olive discovers that the mercurial, moody professor might just be a sweetheart underneath his broody exterior. This is one of those books where the love story is SO completely unique. It's awkward, science-filled love - and I adored every minute of it. Sure, Olive might've been a bit too peppy and upbeat for me at the beginning, but that's all part of her character evolution. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and Adam becomes such a swoonworthy cinnamon roll by the end (with a little bit of alpha gruffness). It's a slow burn romance with one incredibly intimate and dynamic love scene - the intimacy and emotional connection are the shining stars here. Well, it's all pretty great, actually. This has such a vivid, distinct voice that I am very much looking forward to whatever's next from Hazelwood. Audio note: I switched back and forth between the audio and the ebook throughout - and the audio was excellent. This is told exclusively from Olive's point of view, so there's one narrator. She did a great job. The vibe feels young and fresh, with a voice that actually sounds like a 26-year-old. As a slow burn romance, this is perfect for listening at work - there's nothing steamy until later on, and the story is light and easy much of the time. Your only issue will likely be that work will take a backseat to listening, lol. The runtime is a bit longer than I'd like (11 hours), and I found it difficult to listen to the narrator's voice at a faster speed. I have no desire for the book to be shorter though, so just know that it may take awhile to get through. Overall, an excellent audiobook to go with an incredible read.

FINAL DECISION: This book is fun and light, like cotton candy. Even the "serious" storyline is really fluff because it lacks complexity. I liked the book, but I probably won't remember it in a year. That being said, the book is perfect for someone looking for a fun rom-com. THE STORY: Olive Smith is a STEM field Ph.D. candidate at Stanford. When Olive realizes that her best friend, Anh, is perfect for the guy that Olive is casually dating, Olive decides to help their romance along. Olive knows that Anh won't make a move even after a breakup because of Anh's loyalty to Olive. So Olive tells Anh that she has already moved on and is dating someone else. When Anh shows up at the lab when Olive is supposed to be on a date, Olive grabs the first guy she finds and asks him to kiss her. The man agrees, and Olive soon finds out that she has been kissing, Adam Adam Carlsen, a young brilliant professor, and a total jerk. Surprisingly, he also agrees to keep up the fake relationship facade telling Olive that he could benefit as well. There is an expiration date for the ruse, but Olive can't help but find that the fake relationship feels more real every one of those days. OPINION: I thought this was a sweet romantic comedy. Hazelwood's writing style is witty, charming, and engaging, and her characters are lovable, relatable, and full of personality. Rather than presenting a traditional alpha male lead who bulldozes his way into Olive's life, Adam is respectful, supportive, and willing to listen. Overall, this book is delightful and left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day, and it is a fun and lighthearted read that made me laugh and smile. The secondary characters and their romances made me smile as well. This book also has some grumpy/sunshine vibes as Olive teases Adam out of his being too serious and makes him see himself more clearly which I really loved. I also really liked that Adam is so supportive of Olive's work. The negative to me is twofold. First, I really didn't like the happy-for-now ending. I'm not sure that these two won't break up in a year. This is true especially because we don't really learn anything about these characters having a deep relationship. Instead, everything is funny and light. Even the serious items we learn are not really the stuff that sustains relationships. Second, the entire story was pretty shallow, and everything could be predicted from the start. There is a harassment story that was clear a mile away including how it would obviously be resolved. So while I enjoyed this book, it lacks the depth that would make me come back to re-read. WORTH MENTIONING: The pumpkin spice drink wars made me laugh out loud. CONNECTED BOOKS: THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is a standalone book. STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

Alright you guys... Buckle up because this review is going to literally just be a random conglomeration of thoughts I typed out while reading this incredible book. First off... when I tell you I was giggling like a madwoman, screaming into an empty house laughing and also crying (both sad and happy tears)??? NO. JOKE. I LOVED the STEM in this book. As a science major (technically exercise science, but still close enough to where I took classes well into the science field), this was brilliant and so insanely fun to read! This setting was awesome because it was a school setting, however the ages were older than fresh into college. It was brilliant! When I tell you this book had all the best tropes in one... oh my god. Seriously!!!!! Grumpy hero, sunshine heroine, fake dating, slow burn... plus MORE??? Yes. I did say there's more! Isn't it wonderful?? Before I go into more depth of my love for the main characters, I have to say the friendships and side characters in this book were amazing! I loved the combined group of friends from both Olive and Adam. They were so endearing and lovable and I can't wait for books about them (because there was definitely the hinted possibility for some of these characters to have their own books... I will do anything for more books of these characters by this author!!!)! Alrighty. Now onto some of my favorite characters: Olive and Adam. Like don't even get me started on this being a reconstructed Reylo story, because my heart legit sings for that!!! You can totally see the inspiration in these characters and it's incredible! Olive: this girl was just downright awesome. I would adore being her friend. And she is not only an incredible girl, but an outstanding friend. She is so selfless. The lengths that she goes through to make sure her best friend is happy is so heartwarming and you just can't help but fall in love with her heart because it is just pure and sweet. Adam. Freaking. Carlsen. That's it. He's perfect. The perfect broody man. PERFECT. PERFECT. PERFECT. Here's a glimpse into my brain during a scene: Adam... muscles... lotttttts of muscles... moving a truck with a dead battery... the sweat... What I wouldn't give to have Adam Carlsen call me a smarts with a small grin or smirk... To answer that question, I would give literally anything. Can you tell this broke my brain? The way that Adam cared for Olive (in all ways... wink wink) was absolutely beautiful. He learned her so well and was able to be the support and love she hadn't had in so long. And it broke my heart just as much as it halted it because my goodness... it was the sweetest thing to see him being everything he possibly could be for her. And only her. Alright, as you can tell, I easily became absolutely obsessed with this book. I have been looking forward to it ever since I first heard about it (before it became popular on the social media platforms, yes I'm very proud of that thank you very much) and it absolutely lived up to and absolutely exceed and obliterated all expectations I had. This book has engrained itself in my brain and my heart and is an all time favorite that I will be sure to force people to read for the rest of my life because it is sheer perfection.

From Lala’s Book Reviews TW/CW: sexual harassment, cancer, absent parents while growing up, foster home Look, if you’re even slightly thinking about getting this book to read, just go a head and do it because you defiantly won’t regret it, and if you have the book and thinking about reading it, just go a head and put down your current read and start this one. Because, a) it’s a super fast read, b) it’s highly addicting, and c) Adam and Olive’s relationship/banter is the best. Yes, I bought this book because of all of the hype that has been going around on bookstagram and booktok as partly because of the cover because it’s just the cutest. The Love Hypothesis has a very simple style of writing to it, and I’m not saying that in a negative way. The simplicity of the writing makes this slow flow in a steady way without any of those moments of wanting to skip entire pages or chapters to look for the story to pick up. I feel like sometimes when the writing is very over-the-top it’s a way of trying to compensate for the book lacking in some area from world building or character development, and the content of The Love Hypothesis is honestly one of the best books I’ve read this year and doesn’t need all of the glitz and glam that some books exudes. I think it also helps reflect the way that STEM fields see their work in a very black or white way even though getting to those points are anything but simple. From the very beginning of the book, I was pretty much hooked and by the time I got to like chapter 2 or 3, I knew that there was no way that I wasn’t going to finish this book. I literally had to make myself put this book down at times so I could be productive instead of binge reading. The Love Hypothesis honestly made me laugh so many times because Olive is one of the very few people who is able to bring about some emotion other than the typically broodiness from Adam, and his reactions and her actions are just hilarious. Olive found herself fake dating Adam in attempt to get her best friend Anh to see that Olive is over her ex Jeremy, so they can start dating because Anh wouldn’t make a move because of the bestie code, and Adam happened to be at the right place at the right time when Anh was walking through the building when Olive grabbed Adam kissed him very unexpectedly. One thing leads to another and *bam* they’re faking dating to not only prove that Olive has moved on but to also help Adam with the college. It’s like painstakingly awkward at first because Adam has a very real reputation on campus and the science field of being a very strict instructor who kind of has a habit of making students cry and drop out because of his not so nice constructive criticism, and even though Adam is very nice on the eyes and has a personality under his tough science exterior, it’s still very shocking to say the least. Their fake relationship progresses pretty well and they become actual friends in the process, and Olive has found someone to collab with her on her project, and that person just so happens to be one of Adam’s friends. Just as the date come for them to break-up, a lot of things happen with their relationship and something huge happens to Olive that makes her have to act quickly even when she doesn’t want to. Despite Olive being a relatively quiet, awkward person, she’s always able to put Adam in his place when his tough academic side is showing. She’s a hardworking student, a caring best friend, and committed to everything she sets her mind to doing. Adam is just *swoon*. He is in a very committed relationship with his job and takes it very seriously. He is this very straightforward person who doesn’t hold back except when it comes to his feelings with Olive. It’s very obvious that he cares for Olive because even though he puts up a “fight” towards some things he gives in and wants nothing more than to she her happy, and it’s just the cutest to see this man become so love-struck.

Better than I expected in the beginning, but as it progressed it got worse and worse for me. I loved the nerdy broodiness of the MMC and I loved how quiet and calm his energy is. There are complaints in other reviews of how he is always described as “large” or “huge” or “brood” or “tall”, and it’s definitely valid, but I don’t mind when men are described that way 🤷🏼‍♀️. The FMC, she’s a neurotic, clueless, but fun, banter-y lead. I liked her wit, her perseverance, her passion. I liked that at the end of the book she stood up for herself and the MMC 100% was there for her. The romance between the 2, though, felt a little stiff. It felt more forced than smooth. However, I did like them together, it’s just the chemistry was a little off. Also, this book is FULL of miscommunication, and that’s what drives a lot of the plot and that makes me sad. Miscommunication is one of my least fav things in stories, especially when it’s the “angst” or where the tension is coming from. And finally… This turned into a white man hating, woke fest. I felt really uncomfortable with how much race was brought up, how bad white men are because their white men, how poor the students are (makes sense because they are students) and the professors are just so “rich” and don’t really deserve it, and how the male best friend was comically and stereotypically gay, and to be honest, it was way too forward for me. It was just so many bad tropes slapped into one book. I couldn’t get behind it. It’s funny because the first book I have read of this author is Bride and that I gave 5 ⭐️’s. I loved it so much more and I know this is her most well loved book!

I think I put off reading this for so long because all the hype scared me. But let me tell you, it totally SURPASSES the hype! First, we need more books with women in STEM. And we need to see their struggles because they're real and everyone deserves to be seen in fiction. Ali's accurate portrayal of Olive's and Anh's experiences will help shed light and break down barriers. I didn't need to understand the science to completely love that aspect. On that note, this book flirts beautifully with a broad commercial audience and a very niche one. Well done! Second, this is told solely from Olive's POV and that was a brilliant choice. The voice is so unique and specific and very Olive that I almost forgot it was written in the third person. It's charming and quirky and enhances the story. Does that mean Adam comes off a little hard to read or understand? Absolutely. But watching Olive tease out details, learning about him alongside her, is part of the joy of this story. And because we don't have the same blind spots Olive has, we can see how much he cares for her WAY before she does. Being with her as she finally figures it out was delightful. Third, and this is my favorite part, the demisexual representation is incredible and so very necessary. While it exists in Olive's coding and isn't ever said, it's rare to find it done so well. And Ali is masterful at it! It makes sense that Olive would repeat certain things (like Adam's size or how hot he is) -- she's never experienced this kind of interest or attraction before and she's learning about it. The secondary characters are great -- I want a Malcolm in my life -- and the pacing is lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will recommend it to everyone!

I first read The Love Hypothesis back in August 2022, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorites. So when I heard a collector’s edition was being released, I didn’t even hesitate—I needed it. And wow, it absolutely delivers! The redesigned cover is even more stunning in person, and the foil-stamped book sleeve makes it feel like a true keepsake. The new endpapers, featuring beautifully illustrated scenes of Olive and Adam by Lilith Saur, are a perfect touch. I also loved the STEM-inspired stenciled page edges—such a clever detail! Inside, there are cute, nerdy chapter doodles scattered throughout, which made the reading experience even more fun. But the real treat? A bonus chapter with that kiss, this time from Adam’s point of view. Trust me, it’s everything fans could want and more. This edition is a book lover’s dream—thoughtful, gorgeous, and completely collector-worthy! ************************************************************* 🎧Audiobook review from August 2022🎧 If you told me a fake-dating, science-loving romance would have me rooting from the prologue, I’d have raised an eyebrow—then immediately hit play on the audiobook. Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis hooked me so hard I’m pretty sure Adam and Olive moved into my brain rent-free. Olive’s adorably nerdy charm and her journey to embrace both her scientist smarts and womanly confidence had me cheering her on throughout the whole book! And then there’s Adam. A hot, smart guy with a dry sense of humor and surprisingly great bedroom skills. Honestly, what more could you ask for? The audiobook really brought the story to life. Teddy Hamilton’s voice made Adam impossible not to love, and Callie Dalton captured Olive perfectly. If you want a romance that feels real and fun, this one’s a winner—especially on audio.

This is one of my favorite Ali books, the mix of science and romance knocked out of the park. I will re read this over and over again.

I think The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood highlights everything that a lot of us have come to love in romance. The most attractive aspect of romance for me is the quiet moments that you can have with someone. Not just when you can be quiet with them and they with you, but the soft words you can exchange with them. Your darkest moments and deepest fears, spoken softly only for their ears. A friendship that runs deep and a familiarity that’s both surprising and not. The Love Hypothesis brings all this to the reader and more. It delivers interpersonal relationships, friendships, day to day struggles and the strength to overcome them. I’m usually not so fond of the fake-dating trope, simply because you can generally guess the direction everything heads in and know the typical stops the author will pull. However, I think my favourite part of the book is fake-dating tropes being mentioned in the book itself as a trope and all of them rolling their eyes about the rom-com happening in the life of the heroine (including the heroine). Ali Hazelwood calling out her own trope was a certainly fresh take on it and altered how it felt a reading about it. That being said, the relationship between the H and h mostly felt like a deep friendship with long held affection for one another. They slipped into that space rather naturally and it was like a warm cup of something held between my palms on a cold day. The side characters were all what gave the book so much authenticity. Sure, they added to the humour and angst between the characters, but they also provided a sense of home and love for one another. They were the protagonists’ found family but that was not their only role. They had struggles of their own and personalities outside of being a supporting character. So much so that a spin off series on them wouldn’t be out of place at all. The miscommunication trope is not my favourite and I didn’t enjoy it too much in this book either but it didn’t get dragged out and drive us mental for the most part which I’m thankful for. Also it created a lot of anticipation in the readers, waiting for the moment the miscommunication would clear. Another very important an interesting aspect was handled in this book as well. Something that involved the heroine take a big and brave step. Just like the miscommunication trope, this part of the book created a lot of tension and makes the reader eager to see the resolution. However in both cases the chance to actually see the resolution properly felt robbed. We see the step being taken, but not the reactions as such? In the sense, after the step is taken, the next chapter starts sometime later, thus we only hear about what happened rather than see it. After having waited so long, I guess I felt a little disappointed. However, The Love Hypothesis is a warm warm read. I highly recommend. Expect some tears, lots of laughter, feels and love. Four and a half stars!

Un libro davvero carino e ben scritto. Fin dalle prime pagine s’intuisce che l’autrice descrive contesti e dinamiche che conosce bene e questo aggiunge sicuramente autenticità ai personaggi e fluidità alla narrazione. I protagonisti sono un po’ due nerd che si sono trovati e proprio per questo mi hanno conquistata: fenomenali nel loro mondo, due imbranati in amore. In più punti mi sono trovata a sorridere/ridere alle loro vicende o ai loro dialoghi e questo è l’aspetto principale che mi ha spinta a dare 5 stelle. Mi sono divertita a leggere il libro, la storia mi ha presa subito e mi ha tenuta incollata alle pagine fino alla fine, la lunghezza a mio avviso è giusta e anche se la storia in alcuni punti è forse un pochino inverosimile, non lo è mai troppo da stonare. Non mi è dispiaciuta nemmeno la narrazione in terza persona che di solito non amo. I personaggi secondari sono fantastici e anche gli intrecci della trama sono ben sviluppati. Super carini gli intro dei capitoli in stile teoria scientifica! Condivido una recensione che ho letto riguardo la parte spicy del romanzo (un po’ imbarazzante e secondo me dallo stile narrativo completamente sbagliato per la caratterizzazione dei personaggi), ma è solo una parentesi e quindi, per me, trascurabile. Era la mia prima volta con questa autrice ed è stata una piacevole scoperta. Se avete voglia di una lettura leggera e che vi lasci il sorriso sulle labbra, siete nel posto giusto.

LITERALLY MY FAVORITE BOOK SO FAR!! This is a fake-dating/grumpyxsunshine trope ! I love how the characters develop in this book, the plot twists, the revelations as well as the small jokes here and there which made it very entertaining for me. I also LOVE the age gap!! I literally finished it in 3 days hahaha Anyways, I don’t want to spoil anyone so GET.THIS.BOOK

"The Love Hypothesis" ist ein absoluter Genuss und eine der besten Liebesgeschichten, die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe. Dieser Roman verbindet brillant die Welt der Wissenschaft mit der des menschlichen Herzens, und das Ergebnis ist ein einzigartiges, fesselndes und berührendes Leseerlebnis. Was mir besonders gut an diesem Buch gefallen hat, ist der ungewöhnliche Ansatz, eine romantische Geschichte in der akademischen Welt der Wissenschaft zu verankern. Die Autorin fängt die Spannung und Herausforderungen des wissenschaftlichen Lebens ein, und es ist erfrischend, eine Protagonistin zu sehen, die so intelligent und ehrgeizig ist. Die Romanze zwischen den Hauptcharakteren ist wunderschön geschrieben. Sie entwickelt sich auf natürliche und glaubwürdige Weise, und die Leser werden sich schnell in ihre komplizierte, aber letztendlich herzerwärmende Liebesgeschichte verlieben. Die Dialoge sind witzig, die romantischen Momente sind süß und die Konflikte sind real und nachvollziehbar. Die Charaktere sind gut entwickelt und authentisch. Ihre Schwächen, Stärken und Ängste sind klar und verständlich dargestellt, und man kann sich leicht mit ihnen identifizieren. Die Nebencharaktere sind ebenso vielfältig und interessant und tragen zur Tiefe der Geschichte bei. Darüber hinaus ist der Schreibstil der Autorin flüssig und ansprechend, und sie versteht es, die Leser mit jedem Kapitel tiefer in die Geschichte hineinzuziehen. Insgesamt ist "The Love Hypothesis" ein exzellenter Roman, der eine inspirierende und herzerwärmende Liebesgeschichte bietet, die von Tiefe, Intelligenz und einer Prise Humor geprägt ist. Ich kann dieses Buch ohne zu zögern jedem Romantikliebhaber empfehlen und vergebe dafür voller Begeisterung fünf von fünf Sternen.

It's nice, I am enjoying it.