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.

I first read this book over a year ago, and I’ve revisited it at least three times now. The Love Hypothesis is a contemporary romance set in the world of academia and told from the perspective of PhD student Olive Smith. Olive possesses several traits that make her my favorite type of lead character—intelligence, resilience, and understandable flaws. She’s imperfect, but that gives her room to grow during the story. Hazelwood provides us with enough background to understand why Olive fears abandonment and feels a need to lie (she’s an orphan who lost her mother tragically and who struggles with relationships), but the plot never becomes weighed down by exposition. Instead, the story jumps straight into a fake dating arrangement between Olive and the broody but brilliant Professor Adam Carlsen. If you’re looking for popular fake-dating tropes, this has what you need (forced proximity, sharing a room, pining, almost-strangers to friends to lovers). The lead characters share humorous and awkward moments as they try to act like a couple, but they also have heartfelt interactions. While still occasionally “antagonistic and unapproachable,” Adam encourages Olive as she works on her projects and seeks new research opportunities. At the same time, you can see Olive help Adam to address some of his own fears and challenges. They help each other to find their best selves—even if they still have to overcome a few hurdles before they realize what they truly need. Adam’s character growth may seem more subtle than Olive’s, but that goes back to the point of view. We see the story from Olive’s perspective. If you want more insight into Adam’s character, I highly recommend the bonus chapter from Adam’s point of view (available on the author’s website or in the audiobook). The first time I read the story, I went through this bonus chapter at the end, and I believe it added to my experience. Even without this chapter, though, Olive’s story and growth are moving, and knowing the reveals at the end of the book, I would recommend re-reading this one a second time. One area that gives some readers and critics pause regarding this book relates to Olive’s sexuality. Olive struggles to define her sexuality, and I’ve read reviewers who believe she shouldn't have described her sexual uncertainty as having something “wrong” with her in one particular scene. I can understand where these reviewers are coming from, but I can also understand why Olive made these comments. It goes back to the flaws she’s dealing with from the beginning of the book. She lies to others—and to herself—to try to protect herself and not lose people. In the moment in question, she doesn’t want Adam to leave her, but she doesn’t know how to describe her sexual needs. Olive is not yet honest with herself or with Adam (because she’s still learning lessons at this point of the book), and I believe this is why Olive defines herself this way. She still needs to learn there is nothing “wrong” with her, and that people can love her without her telling lies. Content Warnings: There is one scene with explicit sexual content (or two if you count the bonus chapter), and characters discuss sex at other times. There is also an assault, but not within the main pairing. Audiobook: I’ve listened to the audiobook narrated by Callie Dalton with the bonus chapter read by Teddy Hamilton, and I enjoyed listening to the narration at normal speed. Adaptations: A film adaptation of this book is currently in pre-production, so I may update this review once it’s released. Lastly, for the Reylos out there (and I count myself among you), you’ll be able to see parallels between the pairing you love and the leads in this book, and you may have an easier time picturing the cast of characters. However, you don’t have to be a Reylo to enjoy TLH. I highly recommend this book to any fan of romcoms in need of a fake-dating/pining/triumph-of-the-underdog story. If You Liked This Book: You may want to try Hazelwood’s Love on the Brain, which also features an intelligent female lead and fun romance tropes. Happy Reading!

5 -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I'll just do what Dr. Aslan always says." "And what's that?" "Carry myself with the confidence of a mediocre white man." The Love Hypothesis is an adult contemporary romance following third year Phd student, Olive Smith, as she seeks to convince her best friend that she is happy and not pining after the man said friend is now with. Yet in the case of Olive, her masterful plan to convince her friend of this is to kiss the nearest man beside her and announce they are dating...and it just so happens to be the infamous Adam Carlsen, a young, hot, and intimidating professor who has everyone on edge. For some strange reason though...he agrees to fake dating and the fun ensues. For me this was a delightful romp into a romance that was light and fluffy but still with substance to sink your teeth into. I enjoyed how Olive is this individual focused on the need for evidence to prove things and also the struggles she has as woman seeking to make it in the world of academia. Her doubts and also her successes drew me and had me rooting and commiserating. Adam is a unique character but in many of the traditional ways. He is this aloof figure to many of the other characters for his brutal honestly and inability to be nice about it. Yet with Olive we see him try. I appreciated how much he embraced himself as he was but also recognized that new relationships me new rules. This is a man with a hard exterior but once you crack it...he's is just adorable. This book does contain spice. I would say 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. It is a slow burn romance as these characters aren't really expecting something up it hits them upside the head but when it does it was well written and the scientist can be just as passionate and romantic as others. "You're not mediocre, Olive... I wish you could see yourself the way I see you." In terms of world building, I felt it fit the perimeters of a traditional contemporary romance set in the now. I felt the world of academia was well established as it was shown, not told. I enjoyed the balance of exploring this world, having other characters paint it, and how well it gave light to the story. The story takes the delicious trope of fake dating and launches it into the world of academia with conferences, research proposals, and grant applications. It worked for me. I enjoyed the slices of life that were highly gratuitous (cough cough shirtless Adam scene cough cough) but gave a lightness to this book. It made it so the twist caught me off guard but then reminded me of the many issues that stem in male dominated academia sectors, though, it didn't really give light to the opposite side of the issue. I felt things tied themselves up well in the end and I was thoroughly satisfied with my read. If you love rom-coms with all the sexual tension in STEM worlds alongside fake dating, slow burn, and delightful banter you are in for a ride. I am on an Ali Hazelwood kick now!

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!

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.

Ooo I loved this. A sweet and Pining love story. Definitely in my top 10. Swoonworthy love and giggle worthy banter makes for a great novel.