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Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Are you looking for a new spicy romance book to read and are looking for a review of The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood?

You’ve come to the right place!

Published in 2021, The Love Hypothesis has quickly become a Booktok sensation and one of the best examples of spicy romance books with a female character in STEM.

It’s a great book for people looking for a rom com with some twists.

In this article, I tell you everything you need to know about the Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!

The Love Hypothesis Cover and Quick Introduction

Author : Ali Hazelwood

Published : 2021

Number of pages : 352

Category : Contemporary Spicy Romance

Themes and tropes: Fake Dating, Age Gap, College Romance, Teacher, Opposite personalities, Grumpy sunshine, STEM

Set in: Stanford, California and Boston

Where to buy: Amazon | AbeBooks

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Boyfriend Rating: 💍💍💍

Likelihood of reading a sequel: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Love Hypothesis Summary

The Love Hypothesis is the story of Olive, a 3rd-year Ph.D. student in biology at Stanford and Dr Adam Carlsen, a scholar.

It all starts when Olive randomly kisses Adam so her best friend would think she is dating someone.

Her best friend likes Olive’s ex and Olive wants them to go out together but Anh refuses because, you know, girls code. And while honourable, it’s not actually what Olive wants since she has never really been into that guy.

After the kiss, things take a bit more proportion than anticipated and her and Adam end up agreeing on fake dating for a while.

Adam is completely different from Olive. They have different tastes in pretty much everything (especially food and movies). But as the fake dating game goes along, Olive starts developing feelings for his fake boyfriend.

I won’t tell you much more about it but there are also a lot of elements regarding academia, grants and their careers as a general thing.

The Love Hypothesis: Is it for you?

Yes it is for you for if you love:

Spicy romance
Book turners (I read it in a day so that’s how good it is)
Fake dating tropes

No it’s not for you if you don’t like:

Books that take place in a school environment (well college, they are in their late 20s and 30s)

I also wouldn’t recommend it if you are triggered by the following topics: loss of a parent, illness of a parent.

The Love Hypothesis Review: My Opinion

This book is a real page turner. I read it in a day! And while I do love a good rom com, it usually takes more time than a day to finish a book.

Overall, I thought it was a great story and very well written.

A lot of romance books can be a bit of slow burns and while Olive and Adam don’t actually get together until the end, there isn’t a single moment where you’re bored. There is always something happening.

Yet, it doesn’t feel like there are too many levels to the story. It just perfectly works together.

Things I loved about the Love Hypothesis

There are many things that I loved about the Love Hypothesis but the main one is that I thought Olive was a very strong character.

She works in science, which is an area that is notorious for being mainly male. It’s so amazing to see a female character evolving in this male dominated industry.

You will see that she faces mainly challenges because she is a woman and I loved how all these challenges were tackled. Because whether we like it or not, this is the reality of being a woman.

We are often undermined by men unfortunately and I loved the fact that the author tackled these topics.

I also loved the character of Adam. He is quite shy and doesn’t speak that much but you can just tell that he really likes Olive and that even though they are completely different, he loves her for who she is.

I also loved the secondary characters. They are funny and bring a lot to the story.

Things I didn’t like about the Love Hypothesis

There is actually barely anything that I didn’t like about this book. I thought it was rather perfect but if I were to point out some things, I wished there were more spicy parts. There is only one chapter really and a bit more would have been nice.

It would also have been nice to have a longer epilogue with more insight on their future life.

The Love Hypothesis Review: The Characters Ranked

Here are my favourite characters in the Love Hypothesis.

Olive. She is just a lovely character. She is modest, incredibly smart, funny, and quite shy at times. She simply has it all.
Holden Rodrigues. He is just the best friend we all want and brings a lot to the story. He is the one who pushes Olive to believe in herself and in Adam without even realising it.
Adam. I loved how he stood by Olive and just did the right thing. Also, I always have a soft spot for boyfriends who fell in love first.

Best The Love Hypothesis Quotes

“And then I’ll come find you, and I’ll take care of you.” – Adam
“Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.”
“Because 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.”
“I am going to take care of this,”
“I know it’s scary, being vulnerable, but you can allow yourself to care. You can want to be with people as more than just friends or casual acquaintances.”

FAQs about The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Now that you know everything about our review of the book, it’s time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about The Love Hypothesis.

What is the genre of The Love Hypothesis?

The Love Hypothesis is a contemporary spicy romance book featuring characters working in STEM.

Is the Love Hypothesis part of a series?

Unfortunately no but Ali Hazelwood has published other books such as Love Theoretically or Love on the Brain.

Is Love Hypothesis a spicy book?

Yes it is! There is one spicy chapter in the Love Hypothesis. It’s not as spicy as others but it’s still good.

Can a 14 year old read The Love Hypothesis?

No, there is one very spicy scene so this book is for 18+.

Is the Love Hypothesis a LGBTQ book?

Yes and no. The main characters are a straight couple however, two of the secondary characters are gay men.

What are the spicy chapters in the Love Hypothesis?

They are chapter 15 and 16 but mainly chapter 16.

How old is Adam Carlsen in The Love Hypothesis?

Adam Carlsen is 34 years old and Olive is 26.

Do Adam and Olive sleep together?

Of course they do. We won’t spoil it but it’s towards the end of the book.

Does The Love Hypothesis have a love triangle?

Not really. Both Olive and Adam think that there is a third person involved at some point but there actually isn’t.

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.

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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 .

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The Love Hypothesis (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

By ali hazelwood.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, a delightful rom-com about a fake relationship between a biology Ph.D. student and a professor.

In The Love Hypothesis , Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. candidate who shares a kiss with a handsome stranger in order make her friend think that she's in a relationship. She's horrified when she realizes the "stranger" is Dr. Adam Carlson, a prominent professor in her department who is known for being a hypercritical and moody tyrant.

She and Adam each have reasons for needing to be in a relationship, and they agree to pretend to date for the sake of appearances. Of course, as she gets to know Adam, it's only a matter of time before she starts feeling something for him, and it becomes clear that her little experiment in fake-dating just might combust...

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

Three years prior, Olive Smith talks to a guy when she's in the bathroom fixing her contacts (and can't see) after her Ph.D. candidate interview. She tells him about her passion for her research. She doesn't catch his name but remembers the conversation distinctly and wonders about the guy she met.

In present day, Olive is a biology Ph.D. student researching early detection methods for pancreatic cancer. She kisses a guy randomly in order to trick her best friend into thinking she's dating someone (so that her best friend Anh won't feel bad about dating Olive's ex). That guy turns out to be Dr. Adam Carlson , a young, handsome and highly-respected tenured faculty member in her department. He's also known for being hypercritical and moody.

Meanwhile, Adam's department chair is worried that he's planning on leaving for another university and has frozen some of his research funds. So, Adam he agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with Olive in order to give the impression he's putting down "roots" here, in hopes they will unfreeze the funds.

As Olive and Adam fake-date, they get to know each other. Olive sees that Adam is demanding and blunt towards his students, but not unkind or mean. Olive confides in him about her mother getting pancreatic cancer, which is why she's doing her research.

Olive soon realizes that she has feelings for Adam, but she's afraid to tell him. When he overhears her talking about a crush, she pretends it's about someone else. Olive also hears someone else refer to a woman Adam's been pining after for years and is surprised at how jealous she feels.

In the meantime, Olive needs more lab space and has been talking to Dr. Tom Benton for a spot at his lab at Harvard. When Tom arrives in town, it turns out he's friends with Adam. Adam and Tom are friends from grad school, and they have recently gotten a large grant for some joint research that Adam is excited about. After Olive completes a report on her research for Tom, he offers her a spot in his lab for the next year.

Olive and Adam's relationship continues to progress until they attend a science conference in Boston. Olive's research has been selected for a panel presentation, while Adam is a keynote speaker. There, Olive is sexually harassed by Tom, who makes advances on her. When she rejects him, he accuses her of someone who sleeps around to get ahead. He also says that he'll deny it if she tells anyone and that they won't believe her.

While Olive does finally sleep with Adam at the conference, she soon tearfully breaks things off since she doesn't want to complicate things with Adam's joint research project with Tom. Adam is also in the process of applying for a spot at Harvard.

Olive is certain no one will believe her about Tom until she realizes that the accidentally recorded the conversation where he made advances and threatened her. Meanwhile, Olive's roommate Malcolm has started seeing Dr. Holden Rodriguez, a faculty member who is a childhood friend of Adam's. Olive and Malcolm turn to Holden for advice, who encourages them to tell Adam about the recording. He points out that he thinks the main reason that Adam is considering a move to Harvard is because Olive is supposed to be going there.

Olive finds Adam and shows him the video. He is incensed at Tom and reports it to their faculty. When Adam returns from Boston, he reports that Tom has been fired. Meanwhile, Olive has been reaching out to other cancer researchers for spots at other labs, and she's gotten promising responses. Olive tells Adam that she loves him and that she never liked anyone else. Adam admits that he remembered her from the day he met her in the bathroom and that she's the one he's been interested in for years.

Ten months later at the anniversary of their first kiss, Olive and Adam re-create the kiss to mark their anniversary.

For more detail, see the full Chapter-by-Chapter Summary .

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Book Review

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood came out a few months ago, and I didn’t really pay much attention to it. However, people seem to really be enjoying this book, and after reading The School for Good Mothers , I was really in mood for something light and fun.

In the Love Hypothesis, Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. student at Stanford who ends up fake-dating a young and handsome tenured professor in her department. All the usual rom-com shenanigans ensue.

The Love Hypothesis is an unapologetically cheesy rom-com novel — with an upbeat attitude, meet cutes, fake-dating tropes, etc. — but it’s also a genuinely fun and often funny book. It hits a lot of familiar notes if you’re familiar with this genre, but somehow Ali Hazelwood has arranged them in a way that ends up being delightful and entertaining.

The book is super melodramatic at parts, uses so many tropes I couldn’t even list them all here if I was inclined to do so and is predictable in the way that rom-coms are always kind of predictable. That all said, I still had a fantastic time reading it and it flew by.

This is a short review because honestly it’s not that complicated to explain that this book is super cheesy and super fun.

Read it or Skip it?

If you like “chick lit” and rom-coms, you should definitely look into this book. I tend to be a little hypercritical of books in this genre, but I really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis . I found myself smiling and chuckling quite a bit as I read it.

This book is a straight-up cheesy rom-com — it is funny, melodramatic and fun as hell. I thought it was great.

See The Love Hypothesis on Amazon.

The Love Hypothesis Audiobook Review

Narrated by : Callie Dalton Length : 11 hours 8 minutes

I listened to about half of this on audiobook. I think the audiobook is solid. The narrator is easy to listen to and does a good job with it.

Hear a sample of The Love Hypothesis audiobook on Libro.fm.

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of The Love Hypothesis

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Bookshelf -- A literary set collection game

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.

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Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe thx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

Posted August 12, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction , Book Review / 4 Comments

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.

So. I’m really not the best at reviewing books I absolutely loved because I don’t have many words! We all know I love fake dating romances, and I loved the idea of a STEM romance because science is cool and I really love and miss Big Bang Theory (and no, this isn’t like that per se, it’s just got super smart people spouting off science facts). Anyway, I immediately gravitated toward The Love Hypothesis because it sounded fresh and funny and unique. It was all those things and more! As always, my main points are bolded.

1. This book is so, so nerdy and I loved it. The people are a little awkward and extremely smart. There’s strong women in science, and I loved learning a little bit about the challenges women face in this field. Every chapter starts off with one of Olive’s hilarious little scientific hypotheses about love and life, each one teasing a bit about what’s coming up in that chapter. These made it very hard to stop reading because I’d get to the end of the chapter and decide to read and then BOOM. I’m intrigued again and must continue reading. Very clever. A lot of the book takes place on campus in the labs, and I thought it was such a fun setting with people working late and running experiments because science doesn’t wait for people to sleep or eat. There’s lots of science talk, there’s a science convention and people get all excited about presenting posters and attending talks and it’s all just so much fun. It reminded me a bit of Ross’s paleontology convention from Friends, just no Barbados.

2. Olive is sweet and strong. She’s smart and strong and totally dedicated to her cancer research. She’s looking for a lab that will accept her the following year so she can continue her testing with better equipment and proper funding. It matters more to her than pretty much anything. Everyone she’s ever loved has died, so she’s very reluctant to get too close to anyone except her two best friends. Relationships are scary and also a little confusing for her. It takes her a while to sort through her feelings and figure things out, and I loved watching her grow and evolve.

3. Dr. Carlsen (Adam) is a dreamboat. He’s seen as rude and lacking in compassion. He’s hard on his grad students, but it’s because he wants them to succeed. He’s super sexy and thoughtful and protective of those he cares about. He’s sarcastic, flirty, suave, and all the things I love in a hero. Olive is a little inexperienced in the love department, and there’s a scene where he puts all of his focus on taking care of her. Consent and comfort are so important to him, and the entire scene was him making sure she was ok. It just melted me, and I’ve never read another scene quite like this one.

4. The chemistry between Olive and Adam is insane. These two can throw the banter back and forth forever and get me laughing, but they can also build up a level of tension that makes you squirmy. There’s an age gap of about 8-9 years between these two, so Olive loves to make fun of him for being old. She also loves to make fun of his healthy eating habits. He likes to tease her about her love of sugar and poor taste in food. But then there’s a scene where Olive’s best friend kind of forces her to kiss Adam after he’s just pushed a car out of the road and is all sweaty, and wow. And then there’s a scene at the department picnic where Olive has no choice but to coat his muscley back in sunscreen (poor girl), and wow. Their relationship is sweet and spicy and tender, and I just love them.

5. Olive’s best friends, Anh and Malcolm, made me so happy. They are both scientists and work together, although their research is all different. Anh is the loyal best friend, who also mothers Olive and makes sure she doesn’t get skin cancer. Malcolm is Olive’s roommate, and he’s pretty much made of rainbows and sunshine. They love to discuss hot men and other fun things. I would love to be a part of this friend group. Adam’s friend, Holden, is another favorite character of mine. He gives great advice, really cares about his people, and is so happy all the time.

6. There’s some deeper issues at play that run throughout the story, including the #MeToo movement. All were treated with sensitivity and respect.

7. There’s so, so much humor! I actually laughed out loud at one point, which never happens to me. I’ve been known to smile or silently laugh, but this was an actual audible laugh that startled me.

8. The writing is also spot on, and flowed so nicely that the pages practically turned on their own.

All in all, this is a stunning debut for Ali Hazelwood. Strong women in science, a sexy doctor hero who values and supports those women, hilarious banter, strong friendships, and a very sweet love story all wrapped up into a glittery, sugary package. What’s not to love? I highly recommend The Love Hypothesis, and cannot wait to see what Ali Hazelwood does next!

By Ali Hazelwood

4 responses to “ The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ”

“insane chemistry?” Sounds fun!

Great review. I’ve been waiting for this book and I”m so glad you liked it so much!

I can’t wait to read this one! It’s one of my most anticipated releases and reading your review just bumped it up to multiple spots haha! CANNOT WAIT! Hasini @ Bibliosini recently posted… Can Books Be Effective Horror? // Let’s Talk Bookish

Book was insightful and inspiring, right mix of teasing, drama, and nerdy science. Once picked up, the book just can’t be put down Check out @thehazelwoodfangpage on Insta

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The Love Hypothesis Kindle Edition

Print length 383 pages
Language English
Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
Publisher Berkley
Publication date September 14, 2021
File size 3306 KB
Page Flip Enabled
Word Wise Enabled
Enhanced typesetting Enabled
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	A fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction.	A scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results.	A collection of novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing.	Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans.	In this YA debut, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Editorial Reviews

Chapter One

Hypothesis: 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.

In Olive's defense, the man didn't seem to mind the kiss too much.

It did take him a moment to adjust-perfectly understandable, given the sudden circumstances. It was an awkward, uncomfortable, somewhat painful minute, in which Olive was simultaneously smashing her lips against his and pushing herself as high as her toes would extend to keep her mouth at the same level as his face. Did he have to be so tall? The kiss must have looked like some clumsy headbutt, and she grew anxious that she was not going to be able to pull the whole thing off. Her friend Anh, whom Olive had spotted coming her way a few seconds ago, was going to take one look at this and know at once that Olive and Kiss Dude couldn't possibly be two people in the middle of a date.

Then that agonizingly slow moment went by, and the kiss became . . . different. The man inhaled sharply and inclined his head a tiny bit, making Olive feel less like a squirrel monkey climbing a baobab tree, and his hands-which were large and pleasantly warm in the AC of the hallway-closed around her waist. They slid up a few inches, coming to wrap around Olive's rib cage and holding her to himself. Not too close, and not too far.

It was more of a prolonged peck than anything, but it was quite nice, and for the life span of a few seconds Olive forgot a large number of things, including the fact that she was pressed against a random, unknown dude. That she'd barely had the time to whisper "Can I please kiss you?" before locking lips with him. That what had originally driven her to put on this entire show was the hope of fooling Anh, her best friend in the whole world.

But a good kiss will do that: make a girl forget herself for a while. Olive found herself melting into a broad, solid chest that showed absolutely no give. Her hands traveled from a defined jaw into surprisingly thick and soft hair, and then-then she heard herself sigh, as if already out of breath, and that's when it hit her like a brick on the head, the realization that- No. No.

Nope, nope, no.

She should not be enjoying this. Random dude, and all that.

Olive gasped and pushed herself away from him, frantically looking for Anh. In the 11:00 p.m. bluish glow of the biology labs' hallway, her friend was nowhere to be seen. Weird. Olive was sure she had spotted her a few seconds earlier.

Kiss Dude, on the other hand, was standing right in front of her, lips parted, chest rising and a weird light flickering in his eyes, which was exactly when it dawned on her, the enormity of what she had just done. Of who she had just-

Fuck her life.

Fuck. Her. Life.

Because Dr. Adam Carlsen was a known ass.

This fact was not remarkable in and of itself, as in academia every position above the graduate student level (Olive's level, sadly) required some degree of assness in order to be held for any length of time, with tenured faculty at the very peak of the ass pyramid. Dr. Carlsen, though-he was exceptional. At least if the rumors were anything to go by.

He was the reason Olive's roommate, Malcolm, had to completely scrap two research projects and would likely end up graduating a year late; the one who had made Jeremy throw up from anxiety before his qualifying exams; the sole culprit for half the students in the department being forced to postpone their thesis defenses. Joe, who used to be in Olive's cohort and would take her to watch out-of-focus European movies with microscopic subtitles every Thursday night, had been a research assistant in Carlsen's lab, but he'd decided to drop out six months into it for "reasons." It was probably for the best, since most of Carlsen's remaining graduate assistants had perennially shaky hands and often looked like they hadn't slept in a year.

Dr. Carlsen might have been a young academic rock star and biology's wunderkind, but he was also mean and hypercritical, and it was obvious in the way he spoke, in the way he carried himself, that he thought himself the only person doing decent science within the Stanford biology department. Within the entire world, probably. He was a notoriously moody, obnoxious, terrifying dick.

And Olive had just kissed him.

She wasn't sure how long the silence lasted-only that he was the one to break it. He stood in front of Olive, ridiculously intimidating with dark eyes and even darker hair, staring down from who knows how many inches above six feet-he must have been over half a foot taller than she was. He scowled, an expression that she recognized from seeing him attend the departmental seminar, a look that usually preceded him raising his hand to point out some perceived fatal flaw in the speaker's work.

Adam Carlsen. Destroyer of research careers , Olive had once overheard her adviser say.

It's okay. It's fine. Totally fine. She was just going to pretend nothing had happened, nod at him politely, and tiptoe her way out of here. Yes, solid plan.

"Did you . . . Did you just kiss me?" He sounded puzzled, and maybe a little out of breath. His lips were full and plump and . . . God. Kissed. There was simply no way Olive could get away with denying what she had just done.

Still, it was worth a try.

Surprisingly, it seemed to work.

"Ah. Okay, then." Carlsen nodded and turned around, looking vaguely disoriented. He took a couple of steps down the hallway, reached the water fountain-maybe where he'd been headed in the first place.

Olive was starting to believe that she might actually be off the hook when he halted and turned back with a skeptical expression.

"Are you sure?"

"I-" She buried her face in her hands. "It's not the way it looks."

"Okay. I . . . Okay," he repeated slowly. His voice was deep and low and sounded a lot like he was on his way to get ting mad. Like maybe he was already mad. "What's going on here?"

There was simply no way to explain this. Any normal person would have found Olive's situation odd, but Adam Carlsen, who obviously considered empathy a bug and not a feature of humanity, could never understand. She let her hands fall to her sides and took a deep breath.

"I . . . listen, I don't mean to be rude, but this is really none of your business."

He stared at her for a moment, and then he nodded. "Yes. Of course." He must be getting back into his usual groove, because his tone had lost some of its surprise and was back to normal-dry. Laconic. "I'll just go back to my office and begin to work on my Title IX complaint."

Olive exhaled in relief. "Yeah. That would be great, since- Wait. Your what?"

He cocked his head. "Title IX is a federal law that protects against sexual misconduct within academic settings-"

"I know what Title IX is."

"I see. So you willfully chose to disregard it."

"I- What? No. No, I didn't!"

He shrugged. "I must be mistaken, then. Someone else must have assaulted me."

"Assault-I didn't 'assault' you."

"You did kiss me."

"But not really ."

"Without first securing my consent."

"I asked if I could kiss you!"

"And then did so without waiting for my response."

"What? You said yes."

"Excuse me?"

She frowned. "I asked if I could kiss you, and you said yes."

"Incorrect. You asked if you could kiss me and I snorted."

"I'm pretty sure I heard you said yes."

He lifted one eyebrow, and for a minute Olive let herself daydream of drowning someone. Dr. Carlsen. Herself. Both sounded like great options.

"Listen, I'm really sorry. It was a weird situation. Can we just forget that this happened?"

He studied her for a long moment, his angular face serious and something else, something that she couldn't quite decipher because she was too busy noticing all over again how damn towering and broad he was. Just massive. Olive had always been slight, just this side of too slender, but girls who are five eight rarely felt diminutive. At least until they found themselves standing next to Adam Carlsen. She'd known that he was tall, of course, from seeing him around the department or walking across campus, from sharing the elevator with him, but they'd never interacted. Never been this close.

Except for a second ago, Olive. When you almost put your tongue in his-

"Is something wrong?" He sounded almost concerned.

"What? No. No, there isn't."

"Because," he continued calmly, "kissing a stranger at midnight in a science lab might be a sign that there is."

"There isn't."

Carlsen nodded, thoughtful. "Very well. Expect mail in the next few days, then." He began to walk past her, and she turned to yell after him.

"You didn't even ask my name!"

"I'm sure anyone could figure it out, since you must have swiped your badge to get in the labs area after hours. Have a good night."

"Wait!" She leaned forward and stopped him with a hand on his wrist. He paused immediately, even though it was obvious that it would take him no effort to free himself, and stared pointedly at the spot where her fingers had wrapped around his skin-right below a wristwatch that probably cost half her yearly graduate salary. Or all of it.

She let go of him at once and took one step back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"The kiss. Explain."

Olive bit into her lower lip. She had truly screwed herself over. She had to tell him, now. "Anh Pham." She looked around to make sure Anh was really gone. "The girl who was passing by. She's a graduate student in the biology department."

Carlsen gave no indication of knowing who Anh was.

"Anh has . . ." Olive pushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear. This was where the story became embarrassing. Complicated, and a little juvenile sounding. "I was seeing this guy in the department. Jeremy Langley, he has red hair and works with Dr. . . . Anyway, we went out just a couple of times, and then I brought him to Anh's birthday party, and they just sort of hit it off and-"

Olive shut her eyes. Which was probably a bad idea, because now she could see it painted on her lids, how her best friend and her date had bantered in that bowling alley, as if they'd known each other their whole lives; the never-exhausted topics of conversation, the laughter, and then, at the end of the night, Jeremy following Anh's every move with his gaze. It had been painfully clear who he was interested in. Olive waved a hand and tried for a smile.

"Long story short, after Jeremy and I ended things he asked Anh out. She said no because of . . . girl code and all that, but I can tell that she really likes him. She's afraid to hurt my feelings, and no matter how many times I told her it was fine she wouldn't believe me."

Not to mention that the other day I overheard her confess to our friend Malcolm that she thought Jeremy was awesome, but she could never betray me by going out with him, and she sounded so dejected. Disappointed and insecure, not at all like the spunky, larger-than-life Anh I am used to.

"So I just lied and told her that I was already dating someone else. Because she's one of my closest friends and I'd never seen her like a guy this much and I want her to have the good things she deserves and I'm positive that she would do the same for me and-" Olive realized that she was rambling and that Carlsen couldn't have cared less. She stopped and swallowed, even though her mouth felt dry. "Tonight. I told her I'd be on a date tonight ."

"Ah." His expression was unreadable.

"But I'm not. So I decided to come in to work on an experiment, but Anh showed up, too. She wasn't supposed to be here. But she was. Coming this way. And I panicked-well." Olive wiped a hand down her face. "I didn't really think."

Carlsen didn't say anything, but it was there in his eyes that he was thinking. Obviously.

"I just needed her to believe that I was on a date."

He nodded. "So you kissed the first person you saw in the hallway. Perfectly logical."

Olive winced. "When you put it like that, perhaps it wasn't my best moment."

"But it wasn't my worst, either! I'm pretty sure Anh saw us. Now she'll think that I was on a date with you and she'll hopefully feel free to go out with Jeremy and-" She shook her head. "Listen. I'm so, so sorry about the kiss."

"Please, don't report me. I really thought I heard you say yes. I promise I didn't mean to . . ."

Suddenly, the enormity of what she had just done fully dawned on her. She had just kissed a random guy, a guy who happened to be the most notoriously unpleasant faculty member in the biology department. She'd misunderstood a snort for consent, she'd basically attacked him in the hallway, and now he was staring at her in that odd, pensive way, so large and focused and close to her, and . . .

Maybe it was the late night. Maybe it was that her last coffee had been sixteen hours ago. Maybe it was Adam Carlsen looking down at her, like that. All of a sudden, this entire situation was just too much.

"Actually, you're absolutely right. And I am so sorry. If you felt in any way harassed by me, you really should report me, because it's only fair. It was a horrible thing to do, though I really didn't want to . . . Not that my intentions matter; it's more like your perception of . . ."

Crap, crap, crap.

"I'm going to leave now, okay? Thank you, and . . . I am so, so, so sorry." Olive spun around on her heels and ran away down the hallway.

"Olive," she heard him call after her. "Olive, wait-"

She didn't stop. She sprinted down the stairs to the first floor and then out the building and across the pathways of the sparsely lit Stanford campus, running past a girl walking her dog and a group of students laughing in front of the library. She continued until she was standing in front of her apartment's door, stopping only to unlock it, making a beeline for her room in the hope of avoiding her roommate and whoever he might have brought home tonight. It wasn’t until she slumped on her bed, staring at the glow‑in‑the- dark stars glued to her ceiling, that she realized that she had neglected to check on her lab mice. She had also left her laptop on her bench and her sweatshirt somewhere in the lab, and she had completely forgotten to stop at the store and buy the coffee she’d promised Malcolm she’d get for tomorrow morning. Shit. What a disaster of a day. It never occurred to Olive that Dr. Adam Carlsen— known ass— had called her by her name.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08T6XN4FP
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (September 14, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 14, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3306 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 383 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1408725762
#73 in Workplace Romance eBooks
#368 in Romantic Comedy (Kindle Store)
#920 in Angel Paranormal Romance

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About the author

Ali hazelwood.

Ali Hazelwood is a multi-published author—alas, of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, crocheting, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Customer reviews

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Customers say

Customers find the characters loveable, witty, and charming. They also describe the emotional tone as heartwarming, brooding, and angsty. Customers appreciate the writing style, inclusion, and representation of women in STEM. They find the banter good and the vibe young and fresh. Customers describe the content as wholesome, with a nice bit of spice. They describe the plot as cute, realistic, and moving. They appreciate the nerdy references to science and research. However, some customers feel the sexual content is cheesy and gross.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book funny, charming, and heartwarming. They also say it's cheesy, wonderful, and addicting. Readers also mention that the book has some grumpy/sunshine vibes.

"...I liked the friend group and the amount of humor and nuance in the writing . And let's speak a moment about the cover...." Read more

"...This is cute and sweet. It’s cheesy , but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"...She did a great job. The vibe feels young and fresh , with a voice that actually sounds like a 26-year-old...." Read more

"...It is filled with humor and sarcasm. The dialogue is amusing and relatable with good banter. The characters are loveable and witty...." Read more

Customers find the characters loveable, witty, and cute. They also say the illustrator is amazing and the book has a vivid, distinct voice.

"...And let's speak a moment about the cover. The Illustrator is amazing and honestly, her cover is what sold me to take the leap and buy the book...." Read more

"... Adam is cute . I really wish this was dual POV. I would LOVE to experience the pining and brooding that I know was going on in his head. But alas...." Read more

"...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..." Read more

"...The characters are loveable and witty. Overall, it's charming , heartwarming, smart, and funny...." Read more

Customers find the plot cute, heartwarming, and frothy. They also say the conflicts and twists feel legitimate and not made for the novel. Readers say the pacing of the romance is perfect. They mention the characters are quirky, realistic, and moving.

"...So yeah, calling all geek-girls, this is a great romance book and I will definitely be reading more of the author's work in the future." Read more

"...is probably not going to be everyone’s favorite FMC but she’s dorky and believable ...." Read more

"...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...." Read more

Customers find the writing style flawless, enjoyable, and full of tropes. They also appreciate the inclusion and representation of women in STEM. Readers also love the continuous focus on consent, communication, and support.

"...I appreciated the women in STEM focus and the inclusion and representation in the book ...." Read more

"...Overall, it’s fun and cute. A perfect summer romcom. This was easy to read and I finished it very quickly...." Read more

"...The Love Hypothesis has a very simple style of writing to it, and I’m not saying that in a negative way...." Read more

"...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...." Read more

Customers find the book has a nice bit of spice, is wholesome, and sweet. They also say it's funny and light, like cotton candy.

"...This is cute and sweet . It’s cheesy, but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"...Tall, academic, and sweet … he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"FINAL DECISION: This book is fun and light, like cotton candy . Even the "serious" storyline is really fluff because it lacks complexity...." Read more

"...This book does contain spice . I would say 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers...." Read more

Customers find the chemistry class in the book nerdy, enjoyable, and chemistry-filled. They also say the book is accurate and a good science rom com. Readers also mention that the banter and chemy between the characters is electric.

"...Tall, academic , and sweet… he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"...I felt the world of academia was well established as it was shown, not told...." Read more

"..." is a delightful and charming romance novel that combines scientific curiosity with matters of the heart...." Read more

"...The chemistry was tangible right from the start and they were all so likeable (I even loved the names the author chose for them😆)...." Read more

Customers find the emotional tone of the book heartwarming, low angst, and real. They also say the attraction is almost tangible, and the book is incredibly intimate.

"...The sex scene felt both hot and yet in some moments awkward , tender, and exposing (making it feel all the more real)...." Read more

"...It's a slow burn romance with one incredibly intimate and dynamic love scene - the intimacy and emotional connection are the shining stars here...." Read more

"...The characters are loveable and witty. Overall, it's charming, heartwarming , smart, and funny...." Read more

"...She is so selfless ...." Read more

Customers find the sexual content in the book cheesy, gross, and immature. They also say the book is offensive, ridiculous, and jarring.

"...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...." Read more

"...It's weird and gross . Ok, tangent over...." Read more

"...So much second hand embarrassment in this book . I was literally cringing on behalf of Olive...." Read more

"...Smut score: 3.5/5 (slow burn, explicit but not super kinky other than *one* thing that had me going "ohhhh" 🥵🌶)..." Read more

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Julia's Bookshelves

Book reviews and book adventures, review: the love hypothesis by ali hazelwood, the tiktok viral book delivers on troupe filled twists and turns..

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Buy the book here
Page count: 384
Genre: Romance, comedy, contemporary, fiction
Content warning: Discussions of workplace harassment and assault

Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis has earned the title of being a “BookTok book” through being heavily read and discussed by content creators on TikTok. The romance novel has earned both praise and criticism from the community, with some hailing it for being sweet and funny, and others hating it for feeling cringe.

There’s one obvious trait about the fanfiction that sets it apart from other romance novels: the book has roots in fanfiction. One look at the cover and any Star Wars fan (me, I am the Star Wars fan in question) will immediately notice the cover star characters bear a striking resemblance to two familiar faces. Author Ali Hazelwood has been open about her own start as a writer of fanfic and how this helped start getting her own original work published.

There is a lot of discourse surrounding the value and validity of fanfiction, but I tend to stand with the principle that spaces encouraging new creative writers are a good thing. For those without access to creative writing programs, writing groups, or publishing industry connections, fanfiction websites might be the first place a young writer is able to share their work and receive feedback from readers and other writers.

Ties to fanfiction aside, The Love Hypothesis is an original work with original characters. The story follows Olive, a third-year Ph.D candidate who enters a fake relationship with notoriously brooding professor Adam Carlsen to convince her friend Anh that she’s over another boy in their program.

I read this book in one day. I bought it, brought it to local cafe, and read the whole thing before dinner time. It moved that fast. Each chapter begins with a “hypothesis” that gives a little clue about the action of the chapter. While Olive and Adam start off the book as strangers, the antics of the well meaning Ahn force the two into intimate and often humorous situations that grow the bond between them.

Outside of the romance, the book focuses on misogyny experienced by women in STEM fields and provides a look at the specific challenges that women like Olive face everyday. It was nice to read a lighthearted book that focuses on this issue but also showed the passions and achievements of women in STEM. Ali Hazelwood, who has a STEM background herself , does a nice job portraying of what the experience of women in academia looks like.

This book kept me reading because it does a nice job of growing a genuine connection between the two lead characters. I’ll admit that the story felt a bit absurd at the beginning, but the longer things played out, the more I found myself rooting for Olive and Adam. Hazelwood’s best moments in this story are the lighthearted and comedic ones where she leans into the fact that this story is cheesy and goofy.

There’s a nice inkling of self-awareness in the book, too. Olive seems pretty aware that she’s living out the plot of a steamy romance movie, even quipping once that she and Adam will likely end up experiencing the classic “one bed” romance troupe if she agree to share a hotel room with him.

If you’ve read my discussion of Vampire Academy, you’ll know that I am tired of stories about power imbalance relationships , specifically those between older men and younger women. Although Adam is not Olive’s direct supervisor and they do not work together, he still holds a high position in the department where she is a candidate. I was frustrated that this book once again represented an unrealistic desirability of dating one’s superior. Powerful and strong women do not need to date older men with higher positions to “meet their match”. It would’ve been simple for this story to take place between two Ph.D. candidates.

Power dynamics aside, there is one thing in this book that I just cannot get past: the recurring Title IX jokes. For a book that makes a point to tackle sexism and harassment of women in the STEM fields, I am surprised by the jokes about Olive and Adam reporting each other to HR. Sexual harassment of women in academia continues to be an issue, and it felt in poor taste that these jokes were included in the story.

It has been a long time since I have read a happy romance novel. I can say this: I had fun reading The Love Hypothesis . The overall story provided a funny, if unrealistic, get-together between two characters who could not be more different from one another.

'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.

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Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

IndieBound Bestseller

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS

by Ali Hazelwood ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 2021

Fresh and upbeat, though not without flaws.

An earnest grad student and a faculty member with a bit of a jerkish reputation concoct a fake dating scheme in this nerdy, STEM-filled contemporary romance.

Olive Smith and professor Adam Carlsen first met in the bathroom of Adam's lab. Olive wore expired contact lenses, reducing her eyes to temporary tears, while Adam just needed to dispose of a solution. It's a memory that only one of them has held onto. Now, nearly three years later, Olive is fully committed to her research in pancreatic cancer at Stanford University's biology department. As a faculty member, Adam's reputation precedes him, since he's made many students cry or drop their programs entirely with his bluntness. When Olive needs her best friend, Anh, to think she's dating someone so Anh will feel more comfortable getting involved with Olive's barely-an-ex, Jeremy, she impulsively kisses Adam, who happens to be standing there when Anh walks by. But rumors start to spread, and the one-time kiss morphs into a fake relationship, especially as Adam sees there's a benefit for him. The university is withholding funds for Adam's research out of fear that he'll leave for a better position elsewhere. If he puts down more roots by getting involved with someone, his research funds could be released at the next budgeting meeting in about a month's time. After setting a few ground rules, Adam and Olive agree that come the end of September, they'll part ways, having gotten what they need from their arrangement. Hazelwood has a keen understanding of romance tropes and puts them to good use—in addition to fake dating, Olive and Adam are an opposites-attract pairing with their sunny and grumpy personalities—but there are a couple of weaknesses in this debut novel. Hazelwood manages to sidestep a lot of the complicated power dynamics of a student-faculty romance by putting Olive and Adam in different departments, but the impetus for their fake relationship has much higher stakes for Adam. Olive does reap the benefits of dating a faculty member, but in the end, she's still the one seemingly punished or taunted by her colleagues; readers may have been hoping for a more subversive twist. For a first novel, there's plenty of shine here, with clear signs that Hazelwood feels completely comfortable with happily-ever-afters.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-33682-3

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021

ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE

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BOOK REVIEW

by Ali Hazelwood

More About This Book

13 Romance Authors Making Space in the Genre

PERSPECTIVES

NOT IN LOVE

by Ali Hazelwood ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2024

Business and personal proposals collide in Hazelwood’s strongest book yet.

Two people meet for a hookup before discovering they’re on opposite sides of a hostile business takeover.

Rue Siebert is used to approaching everything the same way—at a distance. Though she has good friends and professional success as a biotech engineer at Kline, a food science startup, her dating life is nonexistent. Meeting guys on apps for the occasional hookup keeps things uncomplicated, but it also means she’s never opened herself up to the possibility of a deeper connection. Enter Eli Killgore, whom Rue initially views as another one-and-done—except that he looks at her like she’s the best thing he’s ever seen. Just as Rue begins to reconsider her approach to dating, she discovers a problem she could never have anticipated. It turns out that Eli is leading a hostile takeover of Kline, and he has personal reasons for wanting to see this deal through to the bitter end. Neither expects to run into the other in the Kline office the morning after an unforgettable date, and Rue’s first instinct is to tell Eli to lose her number. Yet the harder they try to fight their mutual attraction, the more Rue and Eli keep giving in to it at the worst possible moments. Agreeing to a no-strings-attached affair is supposed to be a compromise, a way for them to get each other out of their systems, and other complications could throw a wrench into even the possibility of something deeper and more lasting. Hazelwood shows every indication of continually outdoing herself with this latest romance, her lush, evocative prose making Rue and Eli’s shared scenes dynamic and engrossing. While the story is set at a science company, allowing the author to incorporate her usual STEM backdrop, the plot is rooted more in boardroom warfare than in the lab. Dual perspectives also provide a change of pace from Hazelwood’s previous books, though having Rue’s sections narrated in the first person and Eli’s in a close third can feel incongruous. Still, this is a stirring romance.

Pub Date: June 11, 2024

ISBN: 9780593550427

Page Count: 400

Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024

JUST FOR THE SUMMER

by Abby Jimenez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2024

A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.

Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.

Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.

Pub Date: April 2, 2024

ISBN: 9781538704431

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Forever

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024

GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

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by Abby Jimenez

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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 postgraduate 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 and 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," "pee," "smart-ass." "Jesus" as an exclamation.

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 is 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 (1)
Kids say (2)

Based on 1 parent review

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 romcom 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, feel 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.

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Summary Book
The Love Hypothesis Summary of Ali Hazelwood's Book

The Love Hypothesis: A Contemporary Romance Masterpiece by Ali Hazelwood

Detailed summary.

Ali Hazelwood's debut novel, "The Love Hypothesis," takes readers on a captivating journey through the world of academia, friendship, and unexpected love. Published on September 14, 2021, this contemporary romance novel weaves together humor, heartwarming moments, and sizzling chemistry between the main characters. With a unique premise and memorable characters, this book is sure to keep you hooked from start to finish.

Olive Smith, Ph.D: Olive is a third-year Ph.D. candidate who is passionate about her research and has a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to relationships. She is determined, intelligent, and fiercely independent, but deep down, she longs for a connection that goes beyond the surface.

Dr. Adam Carlsen: Adam is a young professor who is known for his sharp wit and intimidating demeanor. Despite his tough exterior, he surprises Olive by agreeing to be her fake boyfriend to help her out of a sticky situation. As they navigate their fake relationship, Olive discovers that there is more to Adam than meets the eye.

In "The Love Hypothesis," Olive finds herself in a tricky situation when her best friend, Anh, convinces her to fake a relationship to prove a point. In a moment of panic, Olive kisses the first man she sees, who turns out to be Adam, a renowned professor at Stanford University. Despite their initial clash, Adam agrees to help Olive by pretending to be her boyfriend.

As Olive and Adam navigate their fake relationship, they discover that they have more in common than they thought. Sparks fly between them, and as they attend a science conference together, their chemistry becomes undeniable. However, Olive is hesitant to let her guard down and risk her heart, especially when it comes to someone as enigmatic as Adam.

When Olive's career is put at risk during the conference, Adam surprises her by providing unwavering support and standing by her side. As they confront their feelings for each other, Olive and Adam must decide whether their fake relationship can turn into something real.

"The Love Hypothesis" is a delightful blend of humor, heart, and steamy romance. Hazelwood's writing effortlessly captures the complexities of love and relationships, while also highlighting the challenges of navigating academic life. The chemistry between Olive and Adam is palpable, drawing readers in and keeping them invested in their journey.

The novel also delves into themes of self-discovery, trust, and vulnerability. Olive's journey towards opening up her heart and allowing herself to be vulnerable is relatable and empowering. Adam's growth throughout the story adds depth to his character, transforming him from a seemingly unapproachable professor to a supportive and caring partner.

Overall, "The Love Hypothesis" is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and sizzling romance, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you rooting for Olive and Adam until the very end.

If you enjoyed "The Love Hypothesis," be sure to pick up the complete book to experience the full journey of Olive and Adam's romance. Alternatively, you can listen to the audiobook for a different experience of this captivating story.

To conclude, "The Love Hypothesis" is a captivating contemporary romance that will sweep you off your feet and leave you wanting more.

Happy Reading!

Buy The Love Hypothesis now - available on Amazon and other major book retailers.

9780593336823 (ISBN10: 0593336828)

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The Love Hypothesis

48 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Chapter 3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-11

Chapters 12-13

Chapters 14-15

Chapters 16-19

Chapter 20-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Chapters 16-19 Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 16 summary.

Adam rips his shirt off and pulls Olive to him, kissing her and running his hands over her body. The touches spark a range of sensations Olive’s never felt before, making her squirm. Adam tries to slide one finger inside her, but her tightness makes it difficult. She admits to having sex only a few times in college, which makes Adam recoil because she’s practically a virgin. She babbles on about how virginity works, which makes him laugh and draw her in for another kiss. Less flustered, Olive explains that she doesn’t “feel any sexual attraction unless I actually get to trust and like a person” (267), and he’s the first person she’s gotten close enough with to want sex.

Since Olive is inexperienced and tight, Adam starts by giving her oral sex until she orgasms. It takes some more work to get her open enough for intercourse, but once she is, they make fast, desperate love. Adam climaxes while muttering about how long he had wanted this and how he can never let Olive go. Olive climaxes right behind him, shivering with pleasure.

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Personal Development

The Love Hypothesis Series by Ali Hazelwood: The Complete Guide

Table of Contents

Hey. What’s up, guys? I hope you are doing well. Today, we will discuss one of the most famous and romantic series by Ali Hazelwood , “ The Love Hypothesis. ” I completed all these books a week ago, so I decided to share my memories related to this novel with you. LET’S START >

The Love Hypothesis series has been written by Ali Hazelwood, a New York Times bestselling author. She writes modern romcom novels about women in STEM and academia. She published this novel on September 14, 2021, and this book consists of 383 pages, which are good enough to evoke your soul letter on 2 more books that were released in this series.

In 2022, it was announced that a film conversion of the novel is in progress from Bisous Pictures. The Love Hypothesis has sold over 750,000 copies worldwide, and the series has three different romantic story books. I will discuss all the books in this epic review, so stay with me till the end.

Overview of the series:

The love hypothesis :.

The Love Hypothesis is an adult and romantic novel written by Ali Hazelwood. In this most-rated book, we read about the love story of Olives and Adam. Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. student at Stanford University. She is researching pancreatic cancer from which her mother died. And Adam, who is a professor at the same university. The university has banned funds for Adam to study in the medical field as they fear he will leave the university and go to another. They both do fake friendship with each other. So both can have benefits.

Love On The Brain:

This is another book in the series, “ The Love Hypothesis ,” released in 2022 and is also a standalone novel. This is the romantic story of Dr. Bee Königswasser, who works at NASA, which was her dream job. And Levi Ward, who is her nemesis from grad school. He was her co-leader in the project, and they were trying their best to work with each other and forget what happened in the school. After working together for an extended period, they start loving each other.

Love, Theoretically:

This is the final book of the series The Love Hypothesis, written by Ali Hazelwood and published in 2023. This is also a comedy and romantic novel. In this book, we follow the life of Elsie, who is a good physicist and a professor at three Boston universities. She is trying to do many jobs to fulfill her needs; she also does the job as a Fake girlfriend to be hired. But this affects her academic position too much. She meets Jack and falls in love with him.

The series mainly fits within the Young Adult Romance and Romantic Agog genres; all three books share contemporary romance and academic fiction genres.

RECOMMENDED AGE RATING:

The series is recommended for mature enough readers due to its severe and emotional content. Not that mature, 17-18+ is good. Readers above 35 may not have that much fun, but the young ones’ hearts will be filled with pleasure.

Be sure that you are mature enough to read mature content.

HOW MANY BOOKS IN “The Love Hypothesis” SERIES?

There are currently three books in “The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood,

The Love Hypothesis
Love on the Brain
Love, Theoretically

All these books were released one after the other in a sequence. The first book, The Love Hypothesis, was released in 2021; the second in 2022, Love on the Brain; and the last in 2023, called Love Theoretically. All these books have different storylines of different couples.

Best Reading Order for “The Love Hypothesis” Series :

I recommend you read all the books in sequence; otherwise, you will face many issues in understanding concepts and logic; you can also read them without sequence because they all have different stories. So, start with “The Love Hypothesis,” then the second part, Love on the Brain, and then at last, “Love Theoretically. This will be a good way according to my view of reading.

Love theoretically

The Love Hypothesis #1: Plot Summary

Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. student at Stanford University. She is researching pancreatic cancer from which her mother died. She did not believe in Love and romance, as her boyfriend had broken up with her a long time ago. But her best friend Anh believes in Love and romance. Anh and Olivia’s ex-boyfriend Jeremy like each other but can’t get into a relationship because she thinks she will hurt Olive if she goes into a relationship. Still, Olive has already told her she has been moved on and is no longer with Jeremy. To confirm this, one day, they were in the lab, and Ana dared Olives to kiss any random guy in the science lab. She had just kissed a guy, then learned that he was Prof. Adam, a famous scientist, and a handsome guy.

Olive told Adam why she did this and made plans with him to make a fake relationship with each other so people, including Anh, would think they were in a relationship. They start fake dating; after a few days of dating, Olivia starts having feelings for Adam, but she is afraid of telling him. One day, they both go to a conference where Adams’s friend Tom also comes. He was also a great scientist, just like Adam. When she was there at the meeting, Tom did a sexual harassment with Olive. She does not tell Adam this because she thinks he will not believe her.

	Berkley Books
	September 14, 2021
	English
	383 Pages
	The Love Hypothesis #1
	Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2021), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee (2022), Swoon Award for Contemporary Romance (2021), She Reads Best of Award Nominee for Romance (2021)
	Stanford University, Stanford, California (United States), Boston, Massachusetts (United States), California (United States)
	Olive Smith, Ph.D, Dr. Adam Carlsen
	0593336828
	978-0593336828

One day, Anh gets to know about the fake act of Olive and Adam, which they were doing, as well as she also knows that she was sexually harassed by Tom. She advises Olive to tell Adam about what happened to her. She hopefully gets to Adam and tells him everything with some proof, and Adams believes her and takes Olive’s side. After some time, Olive also said to him that she loved him very much.

Everyone likes tall, broody, sullen hunks with genius IQs. The Love Hypothesis

It seems to be that Adam also likes her, but he is not saying it clearly to her. They both start a good relationship and live happily, enjoying their life with romance and Love. They do everything they want to do wherever they want. They have sex whenever they want to do it. They kiss each other wherever they wish, and now they can’t live without each other.

This was a short summary of the novel; no spoilers are given.

Characters:

Dr. Adam Carlsen: A young professor who is harsh and hypercritical. This is what students say about him. The university has frozen his research funds because they are worried that he will leave and go to a different university; Adam has faked a relationship with Olive to make the science department believe that he plans to stay at Stanford University and will not go anywhere.

Olive Smith: She is a third-year biology Ph.D. student at Stanford University. She is doing research on pancreatic cancer from which her mother died. She has a fake relationship with Dr Adam Carlsen to convince her friend she got over her ex-boyfriend.

Love On The Brain #2: Plot Summary

Dr. Bee Königswasser is a neuroscientist working at NIH who received a prestigious chance to co-lead BLINK, a project at NASA concentrated on making helmets for astronauts that improve engagement through neurostimulation. Bee is thrilled, except she must work alongside Levi Ward, an engineer, and her old grad school nemesis. Bee went to Houston to start the task with her research assistant, Rocío Corporeal. When Bee formally begins work the next week, she finds that many of the gear and resources she had ordered have not yet arrived.

Her multiple emails to Levi to meet and discuss BLINK have been going unanswered. This, coupled with his general avoidance of her and the fact that she is kept out of the loop about team meetings, leads her to suspect that Levi purposely sabotages her involvement in the project. Levi discovers evidence that another firm is working on similar helmets, forcing their boss, Dr. Boris Covington, to push for the project to resume. With BLINK back on, Levi and Bee began cooperating closely, and she realized they had much more in common than she had ever guessed.

	Berkley Books
	First published August 23, 2022
	English
	368 Pages
	The Love Hypothesis #2
	Audie Award Nominee for Romance (2023), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2022), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee (2023), Swoon Award Nominee for Contemporary Romance (2022)
	Texas (United States), Houston, Texas (United States), Maryland (United States), Bethesda, Maryland (United States), New Orleans, Louisiana (United States), Louisiana, United States (United States)
	Bee Königswasser, Levi Ward
	0593336844
	978-0593336847

While working together one night, Levi and Bee find a file misplaced on the server in a row of strange circumstances. Levi calls a corrective meeting among the engineers despite Bee’s explicit request for him not to, which outrages her. Levi quickly apologizes for it, surprising Bee with his seriousness and respectfulness. There are many more hurdles in the story to love success.

The real villain is love: an unstable isotope, constantly undergoing spontaneous nuclear decay. Love On The Brain

Dr. Bee Königswasser : SHE works at NASA, and it is her dream job.

Levi Ward : He is Dr. Bee’s nemesis from grad school. He was her co-leader in the project.

Love theoretically #3: Plot Summary

Elsie is an overworked and underappreciated adjunct lecturer at three Boston universities who loves speculative physics but dislikes teaching. To cover her medical expenses and make up for her poor salary as an adjunct, Elsie works for an app called Faux that lets users hire people to act as their girlfriends.

Greg Smith has been a client of Elsie’s for some time, and she assumes they are friends, but she feels distressed by Greg’s older brother, Jack, who thinks she is lying to Greg about who she is. One day, Elsie meets the constituents of the MIT physics branch; she is surprised to learn that Jonathan Smith-Turner is Jack Smith , her client Greg’s judgmental older brother. She begins to trust Jack, who has known through his brother that he and Elsie were only acting to date to alleviate his driven mother and hide the secret that Greg is aeromantic and has no interest in dating anyone.

	Berkley Books
	First published June 13, 2023
	English
	389 Pages
	The Love Hypothesis #3
	Nominee for Best Romance (2023)
	Boston, Massachusetts (United States), University of Massachusetts (United States), Massachusetts (United States), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (United States)
	Elsie Hannaway, Ph.D., Jonathan Smith-Turner, Ph.D., Olive Smith, Ph.D, Dr. Adam Carlsen, Greg Smith, Monica Salt, Ph.D., Dr. Christophe Laurendeau, Dr. Georgina Sepulveda
	0593336844
	978-0593336847

Once he realizes that Greg and Elsie were never together, Jack reveals that he has always had feelings for her and only appeared to hate her because he was protective and envious of Greg.

“Have you considered that maybe you’re already the way I want you to be? That maybe there are no signals because nothing needs to be changed?” Love, Theoretically

The storyline was engaging and interesting, allowing me to read until the end. The characters and the relatable everything are highly appreciable. The well-developed plot, the twists, and the thrilling managements were great.

The writing style and storytelling were beyond my thoughts about this series. Some plot twists were clear to get what would happen next, but sometimes I need clarification about what is happening in this stage, so I repeat it.

The emotional and mental states of the characters sometimes did not show depth and genuineness. The book leans towards a more formulaic romantic approach. So I recommend reading this series; this will increase your knowledge of Love. So go grab it before it’s too late 🙂

CONCLUSION:

Be ready for an incredible journey with Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis series! It’s all about Love, drama, and amazement. Whether you’re a big fan or just starting, these books are like a cluster of feelings with lovely characters. You should totally read all the books. Each story is like a big hug of emotions – sometimes happy, sometimes sad, but always fascinating. So, grab these books, dive in, and prepare for a super awesome time!

About the author.

More From Forbes

A psychologist explains the 4 ‘love lies’ that couples tell each other.

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Love can make us do crazy things—including deception. Here’s why we do, and the sweet (and ... [+] not-so-sweet) forms that they take on.

When we truly love someone, we often go to great lengths to protect and preserve that love. And sometimes, along the way, this means telling little white lies to the person we care about—ones that don’t necessarily serve to harm, but rather to protect the peace.

According to a 2013 study from the journal Communication Sciences , these lies aren’t the same as the everyday fibs we’re used to. The study found that there are four main reasons we tell these lies to our partners, resulting in a mix of sweet little lies, and others that aren’t quite so sweet. Here’s how “love lies” often manifest, and the different ways they protect our relationships—and, sometimes, endanger them.

1. Relationship Maintenance

The authors outline that one of the major reasons why partners lie to one another is for the sake of maintaining the relationship. Some partners might slip out the occasional white lie for the sake of avoiding confrontation or lightening the mood. However, these kinds of lies occasionally serve to elicit negative feelings—such as jealousy—for the sake of making oneself feel better. For instance:

Avoiding turbulence. One participant in the study shared, “Today I started having a pregnancy scare, but I didn’t want to tell him, because if it was nothing, he would have been scared and worried for nothing.” These kinds of lies serve to avoid arguments, stress or tension.
Maintaining positivity. After a hang out with his partners colleagues, another participant sweetly confessed, “I told her I was having a good time when I really wasn’t. I know it is important to her that I get along with her work friends.” You might tell these kinds of lies to make your partner happy.
Eliciting guilt. Another participant expressed how, to restore balance after an argument, they lied about crying: “I wanted to make him know that I was really upset about a rude comment. By telling him I cried, he felt more sorry.” These lies are less benevolent, and serve to promote equity by maladaptive means.

Nate Diaz Vs. Jorge Masvidal Results: Winner, Highlights And Reaction

Apple iphone 16 pro major design upgrade coming, new report claims, apple loop: iphone 16 pro specs, apple watch 10 design leaks, paying for apple’s ai, 2. managing face needs.

The authors also explained that some forms of deception serve to protect face needs. Specifically, face needs refer to our (or our partner’s) need to feel respected, included and liked. In essence, these lies are told in the hopes to spare our or our partner’s feelings—especially in situations where the truth might be harsh or hurtful. For example:

Self-presentation. You might lie to your partner to “save face,” or not give off a bad image. For example, one participant exaggerated the amount of work she’d done for the day to her partner, and explained, “He wants me to do good, and I didn’t want to look like a slacker.”
Protecting your partner’s feelings. One participant sheepishly confessed, “She asked me if I thought her cheeks were getting fatter. I kind of did, but I told her no. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.” These lies are much less affronting than certain truths.
To avoid unwanted activities. Often, we might lie to avoid doing certain things. One participant lied about why she suddenly wasn’t able to visit her partner, and said, “I didn’t feel like going over to his house, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”

3. Negotiating Tensions

Sometimes, we lie in hopes to rectify imbalances between our and our partner’s needs, wants or desires. When we want one thing, and our partner wants something else, a white lie can sway them in our favor. For example:

Autonomy vs. connection. One partner in the study wanted to spend time with another, but the latter partner wasn’t in the mood—thus, they lied about needing to “have some personal time and space,” because he “just needed to be alone.” Others, however, told more wholesome lies in order to get their other half to spend more time with them: “I told the little lie so I could spend a few more minutes with him driving back to my place. It usually drives me nuts to waste time like that, but it never hurts to spend a few more minutes together.”
Openness vs. closedness . Sometimes, partners may lie to avoid divulging information that the other desperately wants to know. One participant—after lying about the true nature of their secret—expressed that they, “Don’t feel it’s any of his business,” while another shared, “It’s private, and I wouldn’t tell him.”

4. Establishing Control

Some lies have more malicious purposes. These deceptions serve to give one partner an edge over the other, to make the other feel bad, or—more malevolently—to blatantly control their thoughts or actions.

Guilt-tripping. Some lies serve to “guilt” partners into making changes. One participant lied in order “to make her feel bad about sleeping all day and getting nothing done”—which he claimed to be in the hopes of her being more productive thereafter.
Gaining the upper hand. One participant explained that, after telling their partner a nasty lie, “I did this to make her feel bad and then comfort her out of this to build myself up.” This lie served to place him in a savior-like position.
Outright controlling. One participant lied to his partner in order to spend the night how he had wished, and explained “A friend of mine who gets along really well with my girlfriend kept texting me about getting lunch and watching the game together—us 3. I ignored his texts and didn’t tell my girlfriend ... because she probably would have wanted to hang out.” This lie of omission served to control a situation in a way he deemed fit.

It’s no secret that we all lie from time to time, even to the ones that we love. However, not all lies are created equally. Some come from a place of genuine love and affection, whereas some serve to place boundaries that would otherwise be difficult to make—and others have more toxic purposes. While well-intentioned lies can sometimes smooth over minor bumps in the road, they should never become a go-to option. In a truly loving and healthy relationship, honesty and openness are vital. That being said, some love lies allow partners to bask in the bliss of ignorance. When told from a place of affection, they help us keep the peace, protect feelings and even add a touch of sweetness to our interactions.

Are lies silently infecting your relationship? Take the Authenticity In Relationships Scale to know if you need professional support.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Six Misconceptions We Have About Romantic Love

Love is everywhere you look. People talk about love in pop songs, on TV, across social media, over dinner, at work, and in school hallways. There is also growing scientific interest in romantic love, as is evident from the increased number of publications on this topic, the organization of conferences—and the Greater Good Science Center’s new project on the science of love, which launches this month.

Why? First, romantic love pertains to virtually everyone. More than 80% of American adolescents reported to have been involved in at least one romantic relationship by the age of 18, according to one 2003 study , and love has been observed in almost all cultures that have been studied . Second, when people fall in love, it greatly affects their lives . People are sometimes even willing to change their friends, job, country, or religion to be with their beloved.

But do we really understand love? Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about romantic love permeating popular media, the scientific community, or both. Some of these stem from the assumptions we make about romantic love. Others arise from hypotheses or interpretations put forth in scientific articles being cited in other articles as empirical evidence. Collectively, these misconceptions hamper the progress of the scientific understanding of romantic love—and they can lead any of us astray when we think about love in our own lives. Here are six misconceptions about romantic love that are not supported by the research to date.

1. Romantic love is not necessarily dyadic or even interpersonal

The first misconception is that romantic love is something that must exist between two people. For example, an anonymous reviewer of one of my manuscripts commented, “It’s odd that ~1/6 of the sample who were purportedly ‘in love’ were not in a relationship with the target of their love.”

Contrary to what the reviewer seemed to think, it does not take two to love. While romantic love has obvious interpersonal aspects (i.e., people are in love with another person and romantic relationships involve more than one person by definition), romantic love is not necessarily dyadic or interpersonal. For example, people can develop love feelings for someone before they become involved in a romantic relationship—and they can still experience love feelings after a relationship has ended. People can be in love with someone who doesn’t love them back. People can love someone they have never been and will never be in a romantic relationship with. People can experience love feelings for someone they have never even interacted with. Examples of this are love at first sight and parasocial attachment to celebrities or fictional characters in movies, TV shows, video games, and books.

So, romantic love is not always a social process and does happen outside of relationships. The misconception that romantic love only happens within relationships has led some people to confuse relationship satisfaction and love feelings. But people can be satisfied with a relationship if it fulfills some need (such as money, housekeeping, sex, protection, child care, status, personal growth), even if they don’t love their partner. And in abusive relationships, it is possible that the victim loves their abuser while being unsatisfied with the relationship. So, relationship satisfaction is not the same as how in love someone is.

2. Love is not an emotion

Many of us believe love is an emotion, like fear, anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, and joy.

Although scientists do not agree on how many and which types of love exist, they do agree that there are multiple types of love—and that’s actually one reason to assume that love as a whole is not an emotion. For example, researchers have distinguished between infatuation (aka passionate love) and attachment (aka companionate love). Infatuation is the early stage of love that is associated with euphoria, nervousness, and butterflies in the stomach. Attachment, on the other hand, takes time to develop and is a calming, comforting feeling.

There are also reasons to assume that the different types of love themselves are not emotions either. First, love elicits various emotions depending on the situation. Loving someone who loves you back can make you experience the emotion joy, while loving someone who does not love you back can make you experience the emotion sadness.

There’s another reason why the different types of love are not really emotions: My own neuroscience research finds that distraction after a romantic breakup decreased negative feelings but not the intensity of love, and that negative reappraisal of an ex-partner (e.g., “They weren’t so great”) decreased love intensity yet increased negative feelings.

Those observations suggest that love regulation and emotion regulation are distinct. In other words, love regulation targets love feelings (such as infatuation and attachment), whereas emotion regulation targets emotions (such as fear, anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, and joy).

Finally, love can be very long-lasting, whereas emotions are usually quite fleeting. Research has shown that emotions typically last for a half hour up to several days. The longest-lasting emotion was sadness, which can last two to five days. In contrast, it is not uncommon for infatuation to last for weeks or months and for attachment to last for years or decades.

Rather than an emotion, scientists have called love an attitude, a script, or a motivation or drive—like craving, lust, hunger, and thirst.

3. Romantic love does not just have positive effects

The third misconception is that romantic love has mainly positive effects.

Of course, love has many positive effects on people and society. Infatuation, for example, elicits positive emotions such as euphoria, and romantic relationships increase happiness and life satisfaction. But it is often overlooked that love has many negative effects on people and society, as well.

First, love can elicit several negative emotions. Infatuation is stressful, love can be accompanied by jealousy, the death of a romantic partner may elicit intense grief, and unreciprocated love and romantic breakups trigger sadness and shame.

Second, love can reduce general well-being. Romantic breakups are a main risk factor for depression in adolescents. And dysfunctional romantic relationships and romantic breakups are associated with decreased happiness and life satisfaction.

Third, people who are in love may be distracted from their duties (such as work or homework) because they think about their beloved all the time. Even though this may not bother the infatuated person, it may result in a loss of productivity or at least frustration in the people around the lover.

Fourth, love plays a role in several mental disorders (such as sexual dysfunctions, paraphilic disorders, and erotomanic and jealous delusional disorders), as well as in suicidal behavior. Finally, love is associated with criminal behavior such as stalking, domestic violence, and homicide.

It may be clear that love has both positive and negative effects, the latter of which cause substantial individual, social, and economic burden. I hope that scientific research on romantic love can both increase the positive effects of love and decrease its negative effects on people and society.

4. There is no love brain region, love neurotransmitter, or love hormone

It’s important to know that each brain region, neurotransmitter, and hormone has multiple functions—and also that each function requires multiple brain regions, neurotransmitters, and hormones. Love affects behavior, feelings, thoughts, and bodily responses in many different ways. And each of these “symptoms” of romantic love depends on different brain regions, and multiple neurotransmitters and hormones.

Take, for example, the fact that people have better memory for information that has to do with their beloved, which is related to how arousing this information is. We know that better memory for exciting information depends on two brain regions called the amygdala and the hippocampus, the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, and the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Therefore, it can be expected that those parts of our nervous systems are involved in the better memory for information related to the beloved.

Wife hugging her husband from behind, with trees in the background

Greater Good Resources for Love and Connection

Articles, videos, and podcast episodes to help you strengthen your relationships and show love to those around you

Or consider this: We get clammy hands when we are infatuated. Researchers know that this sweating is part of the flight-or-fight response and involves release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain. Therefore, that brain region and neurotransmitter likely play a role in getting clammy hands when infatuated.

Even though scientists typically understand that there is no dedicated love component in our nervous systems, they could improve the focus of their research questions and designs by understanding romantic love as an emergent process that consists of numerous moving parts, each with its own neurobiological basis. But why should everyone else care? Because, perhaps, if you share this understanding of love feelings as complex neurological processes, you might better understand why love can feel so complicated to you! 

5. A love drug won’t be developed anytime soon

There is a misconception that we will soon be able to the develop a love drug, which is something that people have pursued for ages, for example through sorcery. Even nowadays, people across the world wishfully use aphrodisiacs and love philters. Although evidence-based pharmacological manipulation of love feelings may be possible at some point, several issues prevent the development of an effective and safe “love pill” in the short term.

We are only just starting to learn which neurotransmitters and hormones might play a role in the different types of love. For example, several neuroimaging studies have shown that certain brain regions (such as the caudate, putamen, ventral tegmental area, insula, cingulate cortex, and inferior frontal gyrus) are more active when people view pictures of their beloved than when they view pictures of other people. Some of those brain regions (especially the caudate, putamen, and ventral tegmental area) contain a lot of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The activation of these dopaminergic brain regions in response to the beloved has been taken to mean that romantic love is associated with high levels of dopamine. However, it is important to note that the method used in those neuroimaging studies (functional magnetic resonance imaging) only shows what areas of the brain receive extra oxygen through blood. But this method cannot show whether dopamine is released.

As far as I know, there is only one study that has actually measured dopamine levels when people view pictures of their beloved (compared to when they view pictures of friends), using a method called positron emission tomography. That study shows more dopamine release when people view the beloved (as opposed to the friend) in two brain regions that are called the medial orbitofrontal cortex and the prefrontal cortex. This study surprisingly did not find more dopamine release when people viewed the beloved than the friend in the more typical dopaminergic regions that received more oxygen through blood in previous studies. So, more research is needed on whether and where dopamine is released when people see their beloved.

As another example, it has been suggested that romantic love is associated with low levels of serotonin because of its resemblance with obsessive-compulsive disorder. But in one study, women who were in love had higher serotonin levels in their blood than women who were not in love. And obsessive thinking about the beloved in these women was associated with higher, rather than lower, serotonin levels in their blood. So we cannot conclude at this time that romantic love is associated with low serotonin levels.

Crucially, to develop a “love pill” we would have to prove that changing the level of some neurotransmitter or hormone actually changes the intensity of love. But most studies so far have only compared people who are in love when they view pictures of their beloved with when they view other pictures. It would be informative, but more difficult, to compare people who are in love with people who are not in love. Or, even better, to compare people before and after they fall in love.

It would also be challenging to design a drug that changes love feelings for one person specifically, which would be desirable in at least some situations. For example, someone who is married might want to decrease their love feelings for a crush without changing (or while increasing) their love for their spouse. And because the neurotransmitters and hormones involved in love have many different functions, any love drug that affects the levels of these neurotransmitters or hormones may have side effects that could be adverse. So, unfortunately, it will be a while until you can use a love drug to change how in love you are, if ever.

6. Romantic love is not uncontrollable

However, there are many situations in which it might be beneficial to change how in love you are—and my research says that you can. The solution is not drugs, but rather intentional thinking.

In some situations, love feelings may be stronger than desired, such as when people are still in love with an ex-partner, when the love is forbidden, and when people are in love with someone who treats them poorly. In situations like those, people may want to decrease how in love they are, which can help them cope with heartbreak. It can also help people to stop pursuing an inappropriate partner or to put an end to a dysfunctional (e.g., abusive) relationship.

At other times, love feelings may be weaker than desired, such as when they decline over time in long-term relationships. In situations like that one, you may want to increase how in love you are, which could help you maintain long-term relationships.

Nevertheless, many people think that love regulation is difficult or even impossible. But my research suggests that people can become more or less in love by doing or thinking certain things. One study shows that something as simple as looking at pictures of the beloved increases infatuation and attachment. Another study finds that thinking about positive aspects of the beloved (“they are so smart,” “he is such a good cook”), the relationship (“we agree on how to spend our money”), and the future (“we’ll live happily ever after”) increases attachment. And yet another of my studies suggests that fantasizing about having sex with your beloved (such as imagining something you would like your partner to do to you during sex) increases sexual desire and infatuation. These are strategies that you can use to strengthen your love feelings for someone.

In another experiment, thinking about the negative aspects of the beloved (“she never puts the cap on the toothpaste”), the relationship (“we fight a lot”), and the future (“we won’t stay together forever”) decreased infatuation and attachment. These are strategies that you can use to weaken your love feelings for someone.

So, in contrast to what you may think, it is beneficial and possible to change how in love you are. Give it a try when you find yourself more or less in love than you’d like to be!

This article is a shortened and revised version of “ Refuting Six Misconceptions About Romantic Love ,” published in May 2024 by the journal Behavioral Sciences .

About the Author

Sandra Langeslag

Sandra Langeslag, Ph.D. , is an associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She is the director of the Neurocognition of Emotion and Motivation (NEM) Lab. Her research focuses mainly on the interaction between romantic love and cognition.

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What it's like to think about and want sex all the time — and the consequences

A woman lies in bed with striped blue covers pulled up to her eyes. She looks to the side with a playful expression.

Veronica thinks about sex all the time.

She says while being constantly horny can be "lovely", it's often exhausting — and distracting.

While the stereotype of men always wanting sex and women doing what they can to avoid it might ring true for some, there are women like Veronica (who asked we don't use her real name) who feel ruled by sexual desire.

That can be tricky to navigate at times, according to sex educator Emily Nagoski, especially because there is a long history of telling women that pursuing sexual pleasure is reserved only for men.

So what happens when women are horny — really horny — all the time? ABC podcast Ladies We Need to Talk spoke to Ms Nagoski and a few sexually charged women to find out.

Understanding high sexual desire

There's not much research into why some women have higher sexual appetites than others, but Ms Nagoski says sexual response is the product of a balance between excitatory and inhibitory processes .

"The first part is the sexual excitation system — or the gas pedal.

"It noticed all the sex-related information and in the environment. That's everything you see, hear, smell, touch or taste.

"It notices all your internal bodily sensations and it notices everything you think, believe or imagine — anything it codes as being sex-related, and it sends that turn-on signal that many of us are familiar with."

She says fortunately, we also have the "brakes", which notice "all the good reasons" not to be turned on right now.

We all have different things that turn us on and off, and some people have more sensitive accelerators or brakes than others.

"Women with low sensitivity brakes tend to be the ones who engage in higher risk behaviours … that they know intellectually, have a higher risk of unwanted consequences," Ms Nagoski says.

How high sexual desire can impact relationships

Veronica's constant thoughts around sex have caused her feelings of shame.

She says her impulses mean she hasn't always practised safe sex, and some of her choices have ruined relationships.

"And I have ended up making some terrible mistakes with other people and hurting people; hurting my friends because of things I've done."

Veronica's high sexual desire also leads to awkward moments with strangers.

"I have ended up coming out with … a dirty joke or something … when obviously that's a very inappropriate thing to be saying to someone who I'm hiring to put gyprock on my walls."

In the early days of new relationships with men, Veronica says they're happy to "keep up". But it doesn't last.

It's something Sarah can relate to, who says she'd like to be having sex with her boyfriend once or twice a day. Instead, it's once or twice a week.

"It's really shitty on my self-esteem," says Sarah, who we've given a pseudonym.

"That is mainly due to … the stereotype that all men want it all the time.

"And so then I look at my boyfriend and think, why doesn't he want it all the time? Is there something wrong with him, or is there something wrong with me?"

Communicating about desire with your sexual partner

Talking about sex is typically more difficult than having it, says Ms Nagoski.

Communicating with our sexual partners about our desires is key to meeting one another's needs, she says.

"If your partner just isn't under any circumstances interested in having as much sex as you would like to have — you have a lot of options.

"Are there non-sex ways to get some of those needs met for high desire women?"

She for some people, sex is a powerful and efficient way to experience connection, but there are "a lot" of other ways to experience that.

Looking to Sarah as an example, Ms Nagoski says her partner may feel pressured to perform or obligated to have sex all the time — which is more often a brake as opposed to an accelerator.

Taking away the expectation or pressure around sex can for some people create room for desire to build, she says.

Although the mismatched sex drive with her partner sometimes makes Sarah feel rejected, she also calls it her superpower.

"I realise that I really love my capacity for pleasure … and I actually wouldn't trade that for the world."

Finding a sexual match

Two women in bed lying down and holding each other together and kissing.

Jade, who also asked we keep her name confidential, didn't discover her high sexual desire until later in life.

She was in a heterosexual relationship with a sex life she described as "OK".

Jade began questioning her sexuality and eventually left the marriage. Sex with a woman for the first time was her sexual awakening.

"It was all-consuming to begin with … I couldn't really think of anything else."

When Jade met her now wife, they were having sex about seven times a day.

Four years later it happens about once most days. Jade says she's pleased their desires are evenly matched.

"I would be really disappointed if I was with someone who didn't have a sex drive like mine."

While we might feel sexually compatible with someone, Ms Nagoski says our interest in sex can fluctuate throughout life.

"It's really about how you feel about this moment in your life and the changes that are happening in your body, and what's going on with all of your relationships and your overall situation in life."

While high sexual desire "took over most of her life" for a long time, Veronica says she's more comfortable with it today and makes better decisions.

"It would have been nice if I could control it more, but I don't think I would change it."

ABC Everyday

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Man, woman and baby walk along holding hands in a story about the expectations and pressure to have sex after childbirth.

Date nights can help couples, but they can't replace these smaller habits

A couple looks serious while playing chess in their living room. The woman sits on the couch while the man sits on the floor.

Lust is easy, love isn't. If you want both in a long-term relationships then you need to work at it

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The Love Hypothesis
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Love Theoretically: From the bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

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Hypothesis Song ("Love Yourself")
Hypothesis Testing 01: Going To Court
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COMMENTS

The Love Hypothesis: Recap & Chapter-by-Chapter Summary
Chapter 10. On Wednesday, Olive and Adam are texting and teasing each other when Anh comes in and comments on how in love with Adam she is. Anh says that she feels better about dating Jeremy, since she sees how much Olive likes Adam. As Anh leaves, it dawns on Olive that Anh is right.
The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis is a romance novel by Ali Hazelwood, published September 14, 2021 by Berkley Books.Originally published online in 2018 as Head Over Feet, a Star Wars fan fiction work about the "Reylo" ship between Rey and Kylo Ren, the novel follows a Ph.D. candidate and a professor at Stanford University who pretend to be in a relationship.
The Love Hypothesis Summary and Study Guide
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2021) follows a female scientist's comedic journey to true love that's fraught with lies, tears, and awkward moments. The book was an instant NY Times bestseller, a BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021, and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist. Born in Italy, Ali Hazelwood moved to the United States via Japan and Germany to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
Amazon.com: The Love Hypothesis: 9780593336823: Hazelwood, Ali: Books
Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found ...
Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
What are the spicy chapters in the Love Hypothesis? They are chapter 15 and 16 but mainly chapter 16. How old is Adam Carlsen in The Love Hypothesis? Adam Carlsen is 34 years old and Olive is 26. Do Adam and Olive sleep together? Of course they do. We won't spoil it but it's towards the end of the book. Does The Love Hypothesis have a love ...
BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis snuck up on me and captured my heart. ... 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 ...
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 ...
Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Synopsis. In The Love Hypothesis, Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. candidate who shares a kiss with a handsome stranger in order make her friend think that she's in a relationship. She's horrified when she realizes the "stranger" is Dr. Adam Carlson, a prominent professor in her department who is known for being a hypercritical and moody tyrant.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Published by Berkley on September 14, 2021 Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy Pages: 384 Format: eARC Source: Publisher (Netgalley) ... They are both scientists and work together, although their research is all different. Anh is the loyal best friend, who also mothers Olive and makes sure ...
Amazon.com: The Love Hypothesis eBook : Hazelwood, Ali: Books
98. $9.63. $9. . 63. A fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction. A scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results. A collection of novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing. Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating ...
Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis has earned the title of being a "BookTok book" through being heavily read and discussed by content creators on TikTok. The romance novel has earned both praise and criticism from the community, with some hailing it for being sweet and funny ...
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
23. Our Verdict. GET IT. IndieBound Bestseller. An earnest grad student and a faculty member with a bit of a jerkish reputation concoct a fake dating scheme in this nerdy, STEM-filled contemporary romance. Olive Smith and professor Adam Carlsen first met in the bathroom of Adam's lab. Olive wore expired contact lenses, reducing her eyes to ...
The Love Hypothesis Book Review
Kids say ( 2 ): 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.
'The Love Hypothesis'
'The Love Hypothesis' by Ali Hazelwood. Goodreads rating: 4.28 My rating: 5 stars — A Must Read Genre: Contemporary Romance Published: 2021 by Berkley Books. Escape the long and dark ...
Summary of The Love Hypothesis (Characters and Analysis)
Ali Hazelwood's debut novel, "The Love Hypothesis," takes readers on a captivating journey through the world of academia, friendship, and unexpected love. Published on September 14, 2021, this contemporary romance novel weaves together humor, heartwarming moments, and sizzling chemistry between the main characters.
PDF The Love Hypothesis
"I do not." She sighed, slumping against the tiled wall. "It's my contacts. They expired some time ago, and they were never that great to begin with. They messed up my eyes. I've taken them off, but . . ." She shrugged. Hopefully in his direction. "It takes a while, before they get better." "You put in expired contacts?"
The Love Hypothesis Chapters 12-13 Summary & Analysis
Chapter 12 Summary. Adam goes away for a few days to work on research with Tom. While he's gone, Olive spends time with her friends, works, and tries to forget about her emotions. Anh and Olive get together for beer and smores, and Anh lays out her plans for the future. Despite all the struggles, she wants to stay in academia and carve out a ...
Review: The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood
Overall: ★★★★★/5. Romance: I loved Olive and Adam together. Their chemistry was very cute. BUT. I must say, I absolutely hate the torture authors put us through when one character ...
The Love Hypothesis Chapters 16-19 Summary & Analysis
Chapter 16 Summary. Adam rips his shirt off and pulls Olive to him, kissing her and running his hands over her body. The touches spark a range of sensations Olive's never felt before, making her squirm. Adam tries to slide one finger inside her, but her tightness makes it difficult. She admits to having sex only a few times in college, which ...
The Love Hypothesis
Written by Ali Hazelwood The Love Hypothesis follows the main character Olive in trying to convince her best friend, Anh into thinking that her dating life is going great. In order to convince Anh, she pretends to date her professor, Adam. Olive and Adam try to convince everyone around them they are in love. But while convincing everyone, they forget that their feelings are supposed to be fake.
The Love Hypothesis Series By Ali Hazelwood: The Complete Guide
The Love Hypothesis has sold over 750,000 copies worldwide, and the series has three different romantic story books. I will discuss all the books in this epic review, so stay with me till the end. Overview of the series: The Love Hypothesis: The Love Hypothesis is an adult and romantic novel written by Ali Hazelwood. In this most-rated book, we ...
A Psychologist Explains The 4 'Love Lies' That Couples ...
Love can make us do crazy things—including deception. Here's why we do, and the sweet (and ...[+] not-so-sweet) forms that they take on. getty. When we truly love someone, we often go to great ...
Six Misconceptions We Have About Romantic Love
In some situations, love feelings may be stronger than desired, such as when people are still in love with an ex-partner, when the love is forbidden, and when people are in love with someone who treats them poorly. In situations like those, people may want to decrease how in love they are, which can help them cope with heartbreak.
PDF The Love Hypothesis
"I do not." She sighed, slumping against the tiled wall. "It's my contacts. They expired some ti me ago, and they were never that great to begin with. They messed up my eyes. I've taken them off , but . . ." She shrugged . Hopefully in his direction. "It takes a while, before they get better."
What it's like to think about and want sex all the time
In the early days of new relationships with men, Veronica says they're happy to "keep up". But it doesn't last. It's something Sarah can relate to, who says she'd like to be having sex with her ...

Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

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'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

NOT IN LOVE

JUST FOR THE SUMMER

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