kshertz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-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? No
5.0
I couldn’t stop reading this book once I started. Every new book she writes becomes my new favorite. I loved the banter, the science jokes, the cheese info. Definitely the cheese stuff made me feel seen. This book boyfriend Jack is just … perfection. He’s obsessed with her. My favorite. The smut is great, I would’ve loved more but I’ll take it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Cancer, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, and Sexism
lujisa's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Cancer, and Medical content
theonewheresamreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
Hated Elsie at the start (Ik it’s the point and all but good lord it was annoying) but obviously came to love her 🥰 think the 3rd act break up was actually really needed and like I could see why it was done, they probably could’ve just talked but I think she needed the space so yeah 😋 Diabetes and AroAce rep (I would say main character but that’s like kind of just a head canon but yeah Greg 100% confirmed Dhdhhd)💪
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexism, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia and Outing
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
sarahamuller1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexism and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Cancer
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I may be in the minority here, but… Well. Let me just word vomit below because I have a lot to say. This may be a jumbled mess of thoughts but I don’t know how else to review this. I’ve had some time to think about it, and I don’t know what else to say except ALL of this so. Yeah. Some spoilers ahead I guess???
This storyline is so TIRED. Please, Ali Hazelwood, get some new material. Enemies to lovers, terrible miscommunication that could’ve been nipped in the bud at the very beginning of the book if not for a stupid argument in which the heroine decides not to tell the truth for a very stupid reason. Cold, mysterious, unreadable massive huge beautiful man. Small, average, “I hate all men” quirky smart FMC who of course knew the MMC previously and OF COURSE what do you know—he’s standing between her and a new job. Students and staff alike fawning over him like Dr. Indiana Jones. I understand it’s a male-dominated field but maybe instead of continuing to harp on that you just focus on the female accomplishments?? Heroine who is a genius but also somehow so so stupid and unaware. She’s not like other girls, she loves cheese!!! Liking cheese is not a personality trait!!!! Always assuming the MMC hates her, vocalizes it, doesn’t let him correct her. MMC does everything in his power to get rid of meanies toward FMC without her knowing, tho it’s obvious!! BECAUSE HE LIKES HER!!! Damsel in distress. The fact that she has type 1 diabetes isn’t because it’s an important part of Elsie’s story, it’s literally there so that Jack can swoop in and save her when her sugar levels are messed up to show what a true hero he is to Elsie’s measly fragile form.
While I’m sure it’s all scientifically sound, it feels like Hazelwood is spouting off useless, unnecessary jargon that may or may not have anything to do with the plot, perhaps only serving to show that this is the STEM world and us common folk know nothing. Idk.
A PICTURE OF HER IN HIS BEDSIDE TABLE??? THEY’RE NOT EVEN FRIENDS THAT’S SO CREEPY.
“Feminist” but every single one of her main characters is a damsel in distress and needs the very big tall hulking man to take care of her and make everything better for her. Always has to be taken care of.
I just wanna talk to Ali’s husband. Are they okay?
NO MORE GROWLING!
WHY IS JACK ALWAYS WEARING A HENLEY?! THERE ARE FAR MORE ATTRACTIVE ITEMS OF CLOTHING!!
Love the Adam and Olive cameo tho ugh my heart.
The cheese fascination is just weird okay.
Why are there so many strange sexual situations and conversations. It just feels icky. Just feels almost nonconsensual. Says she doesn’t like it or do it but then he does it and suddenly it’s okay?? “I’m getting used to it.” GIRL WHAT.
So much of the miscommunication that goes on much longer than it needs to is simply because the characters don’t have the chance to FINISH THEIR FRICKIN SENTENCES.
Diverse neurodivergent rep, lgbtq rep is good tho.
Elsie acts like all of her students are dumb idiots; no idea how they got into college.
Stalker obsessive tendencies, they’re not even technically together and he’s already talking about moving in together and being in love???
Always “sweetheart” and she doesn’t even want to have sex!!! Like this is so unserious about something very serious!!! No protection of course that never happens, so vague. Man is always so experienced. Blah.
There does NOT need to always be a legit evil villain in a contemporary romance. Like wtf.
Jack wants Elsie to be honest about what she wants and not be a people pleaser but he LEGIT DECIDES FOR HER and tells her they’ll work on things that she doesn’t know she wants like that’s quite the opposite of what he preaches??!
Doesn’t remember taking off her bra but OH WELL!!
She says early on, adamantly, that she’s medium everything including medium height. SO HOW BIG AND TALL IS JACK THEN THAT HE STILL DWARVES HER?? 7 FT 7 IN?!
Things move and escalate incredibly too fast.
Elsie wouldn’t have made the decision in the end or be inclined to if it weren’t for Jack and his friends. STILL NOT EXACTLY HER OWN CHOICE IDK WHAT YOU SAY.
How can your supposed best friend NOT KNOW your real favorite movie???? TO BE COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS THAT YOU DON’T LIKE THE MOVIES SHE MAKES YOU WATCH?!!
I feel so strongly polarizing to Ali Hazelwood’s writing just because I loved LOVED The Love Hypothesis so much. And everything since has just been… copy and paste, and the paste is sticking and it gets printed wrong and things get hard to read and…
Still. I read it. I finished it. I was invested in it. Just. Bombastic side eye.
This storyline is so TIRED. Please, Ali Hazelwood, get some new material. Enemies to lovers, terrible miscommunication that could’ve been nipped in the bud at the very beginning of the book if not for a stupid argument in which the heroine decides not to tell the truth for a very stupid reason. Cold, mysterious, unreadable massive huge beautiful man. Small, average, “I hate all men” quirky smart FMC who of course knew the MMC previously and OF COURSE what do you know—he’s standing between her and a new job. Students and staff alike fawning over him like Dr. Indiana Jones. I understand it’s a male-dominated field but maybe instead of continuing to harp on that you just focus on the female accomplishments?? Heroine who is a genius but also somehow so so stupid and unaware. She’s not like other girls, she loves cheese!!! Liking cheese is not a personality trait!!!! Always assuming the MMC hates her, vocalizes it, doesn’t let him correct her. MMC does everything in his power to get rid of meanies toward FMC without her knowing, tho it’s obvious!! BECAUSE HE LIKES HER!!! Damsel in distress. The fact that she has type 1 diabetes isn’t because it’s an important part of Elsie’s story, it’s literally there so that Jack can swoop in and save her when her sugar levels are messed up to show what a true hero he is to Elsie’s measly fragile form.
While I’m sure it’s all scientifically sound, it feels like Hazelwood is spouting off useless, unnecessary jargon that may or may not have anything to do with the plot, perhaps only serving to show that this is the STEM world and us common folk know nothing. Idk.
A PICTURE OF HER IN HIS BEDSIDE TABLE??? THEY’RE NOT EVEN FRIENDS THAT’S SO CREEPY.
“Feminist” but every single one of her main characters is a damsel in distress and needs the very big tall hulking man to take care of her and make everything better for her. Always has to be taken care of.
I just wanna talk to Ali’s husband. Are they okay?
NO MORE GROWLING!
WHY IS JACK ALWAYS WEARING A HENLEY?! THERE ARE FAR MORE ATTRACTIVE ITEMS OF CLOTHING!!
Love the Adam and Olive cameo tho ugh my heart.
The cheese fascination is just weird okay.
Why are there so many strange sexual situations and conversations. It just feels icky. Just feels almost nonconsensual. Says she doesn’t like it or do it but then he does it and suddenly it’s okay?? “I’m getting used to it.” GIRL WHAT.
So much of the miscommunication that goes on much longer than it needs to is simply because the characters don’t have the chance to FINISH THEIR FRICKIN SENTENCES.
Diverse neurodivergent rep, lgbtq rep is good tho.
Elsie acts like all of her students are dumb idiots; no idea how they got into college.
Stalker obsessive tendencies, they’re not even technically together and he’s already talking about moving in together and being in love???
Always “sweetheart” and she doesn’t even want to have sex!!! Like this is so unserious about something very serious!!! No protection of course that never happens, so vague. Man is always so experienced. Blah.
There does NOT need to always be a legit evil villain in a contemporary romance. Like wtf.
Jack wants Elsie to be honest about what she wants and not be a people pleaser but he LEGIT DECIDES FOR HER and tells her they’ll work on things that she doesn’t know she wants like that’s quite the opposite of what he preaches??!
Doesn’t remember taking off her bra but OH WELL!!
She says early on, adamantly, that she’s medium everything including medium height. SO HOW BIG AND TALL IS JACK THEN THAT HE STILL DWARVES HER?? 7 FT 7 IN?!
Things move and escalate incredibly too fast.
Elsie wouldn’t have made the decision in the end or be inclined to if it weren’t for Jack and his friends. STILL NOT EXACTLY HER OWN CHOICE IDK WHAT YOU SAY.
How can your supposed best friend NOT KNOW your real favorite movie???? TO BE COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS THAT YOU DON’T LIKE THE MOVIES SHE MAKES YOU WATCH?!!
I feel so strongly polarizing to Ali Hazelwood’s writing just because I loved LOVED The Love Hypothesis so much. And everything since has just been… copy and paste, and the paste is sticking and it gets printed wrong and things get hard to read and…
Still. I read it. I finished it. I was invested in it. Just. Bombastic side eye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Outing, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Cancer, and Xenophobia
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
STEMinist and STEAMy, this latest rom-com from Ali Hazelwood does not disappoint. (Unless, like many vocal pre-read-reviewers on Goodreads, you want it to be COMPLETELY different from her previous books, in which case I might suggest reading any of the hundreds of thousands of books written by other authors.)
Have I mentioned, by the way, that I love it when the conflict in an emerging relationship (i.e., the third act breakup) is organically developed from the backstory and from characters responsibly working through their baggage rather than from a simple miscommunication? Ugh. So good. Anyway... pick this up if you:
Have I mentioned, by the way, that I love it when the conflict in an emerging relationship (i.e., the third act breakup) is organically developed from the backstory and from characters responsibly working through their baggage rather than from a simple miscommunication? Ugh. So good. Anyway... pick this up if you:
- were on the fence about The Love Hypothesis but like the idea of rom-coms featuring women scientists finding love (and a fitting career and health insurance)
- are prepared for mature, explicit communication, in and out of the bedroom
- are prepared for groan-worthy science puns
- are intrigued by an acrimonious hedgehog roommate
- like the "friend's brother" trope and the subversion of the fake-dating trope
- are a recovering people pleaser or peacemaker or (thanks, patriarchy and gender roles!) only girl in your family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Chronic illness, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Grief, Alcohol, and Cursing
Minor: Terminal illness, Outing, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Cancer
uranaishi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Sexism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use, Cancer, Infidelity, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Excrement, and Outing
More...