Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

66 reviews

meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

As an author, Ali Hazelwood falls into the same camp as Elena Armas for me. I know when I pick up one of her books I will have to endure a plethora of cringey elements to her writing style (the incomprehensible height difference between her MMC and FMC, the extremely millennial humor, the almost hyperbolic quirkiness of her main characters, etc.) but I’m willing to do so for her silly, smutty, STEM romcoms that are nothing short of a fun time! Did I like that there was a hedgehog subplot in this book? No. Did Twilight need to be brought up every 5-7 pages? No. Do I think any actual 27 year old girl would willingly pair a sweater dress with thigh highs and then leave her apartment for a date? No.  But did I enjoy the academic enemies to lovers trope? Yes! Did the banter have me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time? Yes! Did I think the book explored some surprisingly deep truths on honesty and self advocacy as a form of love? Yes! 

If you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis (or Love on the Brain, though personally I try to forget it exists!) then you’ll like Love, Theoretically. If you can’t put up with cringe in exchange for a fun plot then look elsewhere for your romcom fix! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Outing

notmollie's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Abandonment, Acephobia/Arophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship

gabyhat's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

hopecobblepotworld's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I should write a long review and at some point I will but right now all I can say is I loved Love, Theoretically. I never thought Ali could write something as good as The Love Hypothesis. Well,  she did.  Brava!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Death of parent

britwalsh16's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this book in a day! I Love Ali Hazelwood, & the world she has built with her books! I’m not a STEM girl, & honestly I hated science class in school, but this world she created is addicting, even without a love of science! I loved seeing the callbacks & Easter eggs from her other books too; especially the cameos of past characters Adam & Olive! I loved being able to see what they are up to now!
As for the characters in this book, their chemistry was off the charts, Jack & Elsie make an adorable pair, & it’s fun seeing a fake dating trope where the couple that’s faking it ISNT the ones who fall in love! Not something you see often. 
But also, this book really called me out with Elsie & her people pleasing!  I’m not as good as Elsie, I can’t read people & make myself into the version they want, but I do people please A LOT! & some of the quotes in this book really hit close to home!  Idk if that’s a good thing or not yet. Lol 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Toxic relationship

geagleson9's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing

Moderate: Death of parent and Misogyny

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Alcohol, and Mental illness

abbi_paige's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Sexism

cibani's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

harmony822's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Classism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Vomit, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse

boba_n_books's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Though Ali Hazelwood tends to have a formulaic approach to her novels, they’re still so much fun! 

Love, Theoretically focused more on  academia, and, as someone who was highly involved in higher Ed, I appreciate the way power dynamics and everyday struggles were accurately portrayed. 

The one thing that did annoy me, though, was that the whole “honesty” thing reminded me of “naked truth” from It Ends With Us. 

Overall, this was a fun book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship