The Love Hypothesis

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.

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.

The Love Hypothesis was fun, smart, and completely addictive. The chemistry was undeniable, the banter made me smile, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Sweet, nerdy, and swoon-worthy—this book made me laugh, blush, and fall in love right along with the characters.

I wasn't planning on reading this book through the night and being a zombie in the morning but y'know what? Olive and Adam are more than worth the dark circles and red eyes! I'm ngl, I went into this feeling more than a little nervous cos the hype is absolutely wild around it, but I'm beyond chuffed to say that it was *chefs kiss* and definitely lived up to all the hype! The academic setting, the endearingly awkward moments, the witty and cheeky banter, the CHEMISTRY! And bedroom Dr. Adam Carlsen? HELLO! It was unexpected (not sure why cos the man is fine) and it was hot AF. So wow (so wow)! 🥵 Like, I don't know if I can even form coherent and non-rambly sentences for this review because I loved it so much? I'm gonna try though but also who am I kidding? This is going to be rambly and gushing and probably a mess but I hope it convinces you to read the book! 😂 You know when you start a new book and almost immediately know, within the first few pages, that you're going to love it? That was this book for me! Hazelwood's writing is so easy to read and full of quirky and humorous moments that made it so difficult to put this book down. I was surprised to find that I also really enjoyed the academic setting and I liked that it wasn't just a 'background' aspect to the story but an integral part of it. Although I'm not familiar with the academic world myself, I could tell that Hazelwood was and that came through clearly in the writing and it was immersive. It's a cutthroat world and the misogyny is rampant, as evidenced by Olive's and Ahn's experiences, and I appreciated that Hazelwood doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of what it's like to be in academia in general but specifically to be a woman in academia, in S.T.E.M. While the setting was great, it was the characters that won me over and I adored every single one of them. This book had such a fantastic cast of characters and I loved that the side characters felt well fleshed out too! I was immediately charmed by Olive's slightly chaotic and anxious but entirely adorable nerdy energy. She's wickedly smart and super passionate about her research into pancreatic cancer, but she's also witty and absolutely hilarious! She's a literal ray of sunshine and I loved being in her head so much that it was so easy to root for her success and happiness. I adored her friendships with Ahn and Malcolm, her ride or dies, and their friendly banter had me constantly laughing out loud (so much so that my sister asked me what I was reading that was so hilarious)! They were such a great group of friends and I loved seeing them achieve their dreams and finding their happiness alongside Olive. Now let's talk about the grumpy star of the show, Olive's long-time secret-admirer and everyone's favourite nightmare: Dr. Adam Carlsen. He's an absolute genius who takes his responsibilities as a science mentor very seriously and cares about his students and their success despite maybe not vocalising that in ways that people prefer. Underneath his gruff and intimidating exterior, he's loyal, so freaking cheeky and a total sweetheart, especially when it comes to Olive. I can't even describe the way my heart swooned at all the ways he was a simp for her but I am grinning big just thinking about it right now! Also, listen. I'm a big fan of hugely nerdy men that are hulkingly built (the contrast tho) and what can I say? This man was everything! And I mean, I already mentioned how knee-quakingly hot Adam is when he's unleashed in the bedroom so... I mean, I guess I'm just a fool for this man. 🙃 Although their fake dating kicked off pretty early in the story, the progression of their romance from strangers who tolerate each other on weekly fake dates to tentative yet adorable friends to swoontastic lovers was immaculately done! Watching them slip into easy, comforting, and totally cheeky banter the more they spent time together made me ridiculously happy. There's no doubt that Hazelwood does the slow-burn build-up extremely well and the more they got to know each other and found themselves in relationship-esque situations that had me squealing and giggling with utter delight, the more invested I became in their relationship. I mean, there was hand-holding, lap-sitting, sunscreen applying on naked backs!!! And I. Pls. I swoon. I cannot. I loved it so much and it's rare that I immediately want to go back and read the swoony bits the minute I finish a romance, but I immediately want to go back and read the swoony bits in this book already! 😂 I honestly don't know what else to say about this book other than to keep gushing about how swoony the romance was and how happy their interactions made me. I'm so glad that I finally shook off the nerves and dove into this because it was amazing. The only regret I have is that it's over and I already can't wait to read it again at some point because this has fast become one of my favourite romances—and definitely one of my top reads in 2021! All I can say is READ IT! Also, I thought I'd share some content warnings below because there are some topics and events that may be triggering for readers, so please read with care ❤️ CW/TW: Sexual harassment, mental abuse (between mentor/mentee, recounted), death of a parent (pancreatic cancer)

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.

My gosh I love Olive and Adam so much! Their relationship is beautiful and funny and so surprising. I didn't expect the depth of feeling their story and what unfolded would evoke. I was totally invested and absolutely fell in love with both of them. Also can't forget Olive's besties Anh and Malcolm who were hilarious. I'm new to this author's work. It was such a good book and I found it almost impossible to put down! Do yourself a favour and read it! Nice work Ali - you've made me an instant fan and can't wait to read more...

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