the love hypothesis ya

Literature & Fiction
Genre Fiction

Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Buy new: .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } -34% $10.60 $ 10 . 60 FREE delivery Thursday, May 23 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35 Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com

Return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

Go to your orders and start the return
Select the return method

Save with Used - Good .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } $8.88 $ 8 . 88 FREE delivery May 30 - June 6 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35 Ships from: Amazon Sold by: saveherenow

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

To view this video download Flash Player

The Love Hypothesis Paperback – September 14, 2021

Purchase options and add-ons.

Print length 400 pages
Language English
Publisher Berkley
Publication date September 14, 2021
Dimensions 5.48 x 1.06 x 8.2 inches
ISBN-10 0593336828
ISBN-13 978-0593336823
See all details

Frequently bought together

More items to explore

From the Publisher

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

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (September 14, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593336828
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593336823
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.48 x 1.06 x 8.2 inches
#224 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
#240 in New Adult & College Romance (Books)
#694 in Contemporary Romance (Books)

Videos for this product

Click to play video

HONEST REVIEW - what a cute rom com!

Zoey & Casey

Love this book !

Jannah's Best Finds 🛍️

Your New Favorite Romance Book! - Honest Book Review!

Sophia Doyle

One of the best books of the year!

My Level 10 Life-Erin & Dusty Branscom

The Love Hypothesis

Royal + Reese Favorite Amazon Finds

The Love Hypothesis - A Quick and Easy Read!

Steve & Megan

love this book- such a cute romance!!

Reegan Honaker

Look Inside "The Love Hypothesis"

✅ Honest Reviews by Naturetravelings

Customer Review: REYLO stans! this is for you!!

Katie Prouty

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

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Newsletter
About Amazon
Accessibility
Sustainability
Press Center
Investor Relations
Amazon Devices
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Sell apps on Amazon
Supply to Amazon
Protect & Build Your Brand
Become an Affiliate
Become a Delivery Driver
Start a Package Delivery Business
Advertise Your Products
Self-Publish with Us
Become an Amazon Hub Partner
› See More Ways to Make Money
Amazon Visa
Amazon Store Card
Amazon Secured Card
Amazon Business Card
Shop with Points
Credit Card Marketplace
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Your Account
Your Orders
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns & Replacements
Manage Your Content and Devices
Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
Your Ads Privacy Choices

Advertise Contact Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

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 .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

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

Share this post

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.

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.

She’s Not Sorry

The Seven Year Slip

Darling Girls

Yours Truly

The Coworker

Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (New & Anticipated)

The Housemaid Series Recap

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Bookshelf: Development Diary

Best Rom-Com, Beach Reads & Contemporary Romance Books

Buy new: .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } $22.00 $ 22 . 00 FREE delivery Tuesday, May 21 on your first order Ships from: Amazon.ca Sold by: Amazon.ca

Save with used - acceptable .savingpriceoverride { color:#cc0c39important; font-weight: 300important; } .reinventmobileheaderprice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerdisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventpricesavingspercentagemargin, #apex_offerdisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventpricepricetopaymargin { margin-right: 4px; } $19.78 $ 19 . 78 free delivery tuesday, may 21 on your first order ships from: amazon sold by: sustainable choices.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

To view this video, download Flash Player

The Love Hypothesis Paperback – Sept. 14 2021

Purchase options and add-ons.

Print length 400 pages
Language English
Publisher Berkley
Publication date Sept. 14 2021
Dimensions 13.92 x 2.69 x 20.83 cm
ISBN-10 0593336828
ISBN-13 978-0593336823
See all details

Frequently bought together

Popular titles by this author

From the Publisher

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.

Nope, nope, no.

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

Fuck her life.

Fuck. Her. Life.

Because Dr. Adam Carlsen was a known ass.

And Olive had just kissed him.

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.

Still, it was worth a try.

Surprisingly, it seemed to work.

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?"

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

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?"

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."

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

"The kiss. Explain."

Carlsen gave no indication of knowing who Anh was.

"Ah." His expression was unreadable.

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."

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

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-"

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (Sept. 14 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593336828
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593336823
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 304 g
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.92 x 2.69 x 20.83 cm
#32 in Feel-Good Fiction
#69 in Workplace Processes & Infrastructure
#73 in Workplace Romance

About the author

Ali hazelwood.

Customer reviews

Reviews with images.

Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon and Our Planet
Investor Relations
Press Releases
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Supply to Amazon
Become an Affiliate
Protect & Build Your Brand
Sell on Amazon Handmade
Advertise Your Products
Independently Publish with Us
Host an Amazon Hub
Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
Shop with Points
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Amazon Cash
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns Are Easy
Manage your Content and Devices
Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
Customer Service
Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads
Amazon.com.ca ULC | 40 King Street W 47th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 3Y2 |1-877-586-3230

'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.

Main content

ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

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

Share your opinion of this book

More by Ali Hazelwood

BOOK REVIEW

by Ali Hazelwood

More About This Book

13 Romance Authors Making Space in the Genre

PERSPECTIVES

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

More by Abby Jimenez

by Abby Jimenez

SEEN & HEARD

New York Times Bestseller

IT ENDS WITH US

by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2016

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

Hoover’s ( November 9 , 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

More by Colleen Hoover

by Colleen Hoover

Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

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

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. She currently works as a college professor and writes romance novels about women in STEM fields. The Love Hypothesis was her debut novel. This guide follows the 2021 Berkley edition.

Plot Summary

Get access to this full Study Guide and much more!

7,650+ In-Depth Study Guides
4,850+ Quick-Read Plot Summaries
Downloadable PDFs

The Love Hypothesis is set in modern-day America and follows Olive Smith , a 26-year-old graduate student of biology at Stanford University. Olive’s research focuses on pancreatic cancer, but each chapter begins with a hypothesis about Olive’s love life or choices as is relevant to the chapter’s contents.

Two years before the main events of the story, Olive’s expired contacts act up right before her interview for Ph.D. candidacy at Stanford. While she waits in the bathroom for her eyes to stop watering, she meets Adam Carlsen , one of the foremost biology researchers in the world—though she doesn’t learn it was him until the end of the book. His wise words convince Olive that grad school is the right path, and two weeks later, she accepts an offer to study at Stanford.

The SuperSummary difference

8x more resources than SparkNotes and CliffsNotes combined
Study Guides you won ' t find anywhere else
175 + new titles every month

Almost three years later, Olive is trying to convince her best friend that she’s over her ex-boyfriend so her friend, who is interested in her ex-boyfriend, will date him. Olive is working in the lab on a night she said she’d be on a date when she sees her friend walk by. Desperate to appear on a date, Olive kisses the first man she sees, who turns out to be Adam. Adam has a reputation for being mean and terrifying, and he demands an explanation. Olive haltingly explains her situation, apologizes for the kiss, and runs away, hoping she never sees him again.

A few days later, Olive’s friend corners her in the lab. Before Olive can spin an explanation, Adam arrives and acts warmly toward her, which convinces Olive’s friend their relationship is genuine. Olive wants to keep up the charade until her friends are solidly together, and Adam needs to convince Stanford he’s not leaving to get his research funds unfrozen. The two decide to pretend they’re dating for a month in hopes their fake relationship will be mutually beneficial.

Olive’s area of focus is early detection for pancreatic cancer. Her mother died from pancreatic cancer because it was found too late, and Olive dedicates her life to the disease so other people don’t lose loved ones to it. Needing a better equipped lab for the next phase of her research, Olive contacts several professors at other universities, but only one responds—Tom Benton from Harvard. He’ll be visiting Stanford in a couple of weeks, and Olive frantically works on her project in the hopes he’ll give her space in his lab.

Meanwhile, she keeps up appearances with Adam, meeting him at the campus coffee shop once a week. At their second fake date, Tom Benton joins them. It turns out that he’s a friend of Adam’s and wants to meet this girlfriend everyone’s been talking about. After listening to her research pitch, Tom requests a report by the end of the week, which Olive delivers. A few days later, Tom offers her a spot in his lab next year.

Olive receives an email regarding a paper she submitted to an upcoming conference in Boston. Her paper was accepted for a panel, which means she’ll need to give a speech. She’s terrified, but Adam helps her prepare until she feels more ready. Olive’s friends found other accommodations for the conference, which leaves Olive to share Adam’s hotel room. Olive’s panel overlaps with the keynote speech, and Adam is the keynote speaker, which means he won’t be able to attend as he promised he would.

After the panel, Tom approaches Olive and forces himself on her. When Olive pulls away and threatens to report him, Tom threatens to publish her research under his name and insults her, calling her mediocre and talentless. Adam finds Olive crying in their hotel room. Olive tells him what happened but not who insulted her. They spend the evening together. He shares a similar story from his grad school years, and they make love.

Olive spends the next few days dealing with her emotions, breaking things off with Adam because she feels it’s the right thing to do. When she finally meets up with her friends, they hear Tom’s insults, which Olive accidentally recorded after the panel. They convince Olive to tell Adam the truth and report Tom. Tom is fired from Harvard, and Olive and Adam get back together. Olive finds a new lab placement closer to Stanford, and the two stay in California together.

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now

Related Titles

By Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood

Check & Mate

Love on the Brain

Love, Theoretically

Featured Collections

Appearance Versus Reality

View Collection

New York Times Best Sellers

Pride Month Reads

The Best of "Best Book" Lists

Truth & Lies

Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

Review Requests
Jen’s Reviews
Chelsea’s Reviews
Arielle’s Reviews
Cassie’s Reviews
Yearly Favorite Books
Jen’s Favorites
Christmas Romance Books
Top Ten Tuesday
Monthly Wrap-Up
Our Most Anticipated Releases
Author Signings

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.

Stay up to date on our latest book posts

They contain Reviews, Recommendations, Upcoming Releases & Giveaways! We don't want you to miss anything, so signup below!

I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Enter Email to Subscribe to Posts

Star-Crossed Ladies:

Recent reviews, fun lists about books.

✮ Christmas Book Recommendation List: What to Read This Holiday

✮ Favorite Enemies to Lovers Romances

✮ Books Every YA Fantasy Lover Should Read

✮ Platonic Relationships In Books We Love

✮ Books We Could Re-read Forever

Recommendations

Jen’s currently reading.

Chelsea’s Currently Reading

Share book reviews and ratings with Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ , and even join a book club on Goodreads.

Arielle’s Currently Reading

Anna’s currently reading.

❤ Buddy read with my awesome friend Chelsea❤

Star-Crossed Ladies

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

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

Entertainment

Academic Romance Is My New Favorite Book Genre After Reading This Debut Novel

If you told me that my favorite book of 2021 would end up being about two fake-dating scientists whose characters are loosely based on Rey and Kylo Ren from Star Wars, I would not have believed you. Fake dating isn't my favorite trope, science was my worst school subject, and while I've always enjoyed watching Star Wars, I wouldn't exactly call myself a fan. But that was before I read The Love Hypothesis (out Sept. 14) by Ali Hazelwood.

In the novel, Olive Smith is a biology PhD student who is on a mission to convince her best friend that she's in a relationship. Considering she's definitely single, and worried that her friend will learn the truth, Olive randomly panic-kisses the first man she comes across in the lab — who just so happens to be the notoriously intimidating Dr. Adam Carlsen, a professor in her department. Nobody is more surprised than Olive when Adam agrees to go along with her charade. But how long can Olive keep up the ruse of fake dating when real feelings become involved?

I have a thing for love stories in which the guy has harbored a years-long crush on the girl while she remains endearingly clueless (don't worry, I'm not giving anything away — it's pretty obvious from the start how Adam feels about Olive), and so I knew by Olive and Adam's second interaction that I would LOVE this book. Olive is smart, ambitious, and funny, Adam is tender and thoughtful, and together their connection is pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry (both the literal and figurative kind).

Their connection is pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry (both the literal and figurative kind).

This is Hazelwood's debut novel, but she's been writing fan fiction for years. I read that this book was actually based on a previous, and hugely popular, Star Wars fan fiction story she wrote a few years ago. So if you're a Rey and Kylo Ren stan , you should probably read this book. I mean, just look at the cover!

Standout Quote

"His eyes were on her, now. There was light in them that she didn't understand. 'You are not mediocre, Olive. . . And the work you presented is important, rigorous, and brilliant.' 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.'"

Get ready to dive into all things academia: the politics, the research, the nerdy banter. It's like a world of its own and reminded me a little of my own college days. This book has some funny antics but doesn't shy away from diving into the more serious side of academia (including sexual harassment).

Where You Should Read It

Snuggled up at a student cafe with a pumpkin spice latte (Olive's drink of choice).

Read This If You Like . . .

Rey and Kylo Ren fanfic, romance stories set in academia like How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams , or a fake-dating trope.

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt(s)

This novel can check off more than one 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt; just pick the one that fits best for you.

A book that's published in 2021
A book about a subject you are passionate about
A book you think your best friend would like

How Long It Takes to Read

The story is 360 pages long, and I read it every spare second I could over a weekend — and then immediately started over again when I finished since I didn't want it to end.

Give This Book to . . .

Friends who love Star Wars or smart and science-y love stories, who work in STEM, or who have ever fantasized about dating that really hot professor from college.

The Sweet Spot Summary

The Love Hypothesis ($14) follows Olive, a PhD student, who fake dates the one professor her peers love to hate: the intimidating (and intimidatingly hot) Dr. Adam Carlsen. She doesn't really believe in love, but if there's anyone who can convince her, it just might be Adam.

Emoji Rating

👩‍🔬 + 👨‍🔬 + 🔬 + 🔥

Editor's Pick
Romantic Comedies
Book Releases
Romance Novels
Book Reviews
Beach Reads
Editor Book Picks

Mar 15, 2022

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review + Questions

Updated: Oct 25, 2023

When we chose The Love Hypothesis for our book club February book, I was feeling giddy and excited. But as I started reading that feeling slowly started fading away. But ... wasn't this book all hyped up on Bookstagram and TikTok? What was happening? Then a crazy thought entered my mind ... Was I too old for YA or NA books? Thankfully according to Marie Pabelonio, associate editor at Goodreads, NO. 😁😁 ( click here for the article ).

First things first , I'm not into the professor / student romance. Call me uptight, but it's just not my thing. And as it's not my thing in real life, then it's not something I particularly enjoy reading in books.

Second - Adam. I know he was supposed to come off as moody and sullen, but I found his character very bland. Very been-there-done-that. I hated finding out that he had actually been pining over Olive since their meet-cute. I don't see how that needed to be added to the storyline actually - it only made it worst for me! If Olive hadn't fake kissed Adam, then how long would he have continued to wait before talking to her?

Third - The first kiss. I thought their meet-cute was cute, but ..... the first kiss? Ughhhhh ... Olive kisses him, as she would have done to any random guy, because she wanted to fool her best friend into thinking that she was over the guy she last dated because her best friend was crushing on said guy but wouldn't do anything about it because she was thinking Olive was still into him. Again ughhhh ... These are PhD students, but why does it feel like I'm reading something outta high school? Also ... a stolen kiss is only sweet in movies and books. Trust me.

Fourth - Olivia and Ahn's friendship. Read paragraph above. If you need to go through all that to convince your best friend, then I question the friendship. If Anh is really her best friend, why can't they just have a sensible conversation about this? And what kind of best friend puts her friend time after time in embarrassing situations and expect her to do what she tells her to? Ahn was annoying!

Fifth - The sex scene. I was very shocked that it had unprotected sex. Someone assuring you that they are clean counts for nothing in my book and I think this shouldn't be included in books. Always practice safe sex. Someone in the book club also mentioned that she hated the way it was written and the words used. The word "pornographic" was mentioned during our book club discussion.

So is there one thing that I liked about this book? Yes!

Olive. But Olive without her friends and without Adam . Olive, a successful woman in STEM. She came from Canada and pursued her education in the US. Moreover, she experienced many difficulties and faced obstacles to have opportunities she deserved, but nevertheless she really fought to get them. I admire that about her, which is maybe why I am so upset at how she is represented in love and her friendships.

Book Club Questions:

Did you find that there first meeting was cute?

What did you think of Olive?

What did you think of Adam?

Did you find Olive immature at times?

How did you picture Olive physically?

What did you think of the side characters? Which one was your favorite? Which one was your least favorite?

Did you think that Anh was a cliché character?

Why do you think it was more important for Olive to deceive Anh than to tell her the truth?

How do you feel about unprotected sex in books? Does it ruin the sex scene for you?

How did you feel about how Olive managed the situation with Tom Benton?

How did you feel about the ending?

Do you think that this book was overhyped?

xoxo Elodie

*As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases

Books, Music, Series, & Movies

Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie | Book Review + Questions

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab | Book Review + Questions

Mr. Dickens and His Carol | Book Review + Questions

Fall In Love With The Next 12 Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Silvana Reyes Lopez

Silvana Reyes is a Mexican book blogger. She enjoys all types of sub-genres, but loves a good love story. Romance fiction is her heart and joy and you might find her screaming about book releases on her Twitter account.

View All posts by Silvana Reyes Lopez

Last year brought us The Love Hypothesis . And it quickly went viral. It’s not an overreaction to say that this title hit it big and continues to do so even eight months after publication. With endearing tropes and an interesting storyline, it wasn’t a surprise when it became an instant New York Times Best Seller! Even videos featuring it on TikTok have amassed over 202.1 million views and growing by the minute. Ali Hazelwood, you created a work of art, and we’re very thankful you blessed us with it. If you’re looking for romance books like The Love Hypothesis , take a look at this list immediately.

The story follows Olive Smith, a third-year PhD candidate, who kisses the first man she sees in order to make her best friend, Anh, realize that Olive is okay for Anh to go after her ex-fling. Soon after, Olive finds out that she kissed the grumpy hotshot professor, Adam Carlsen. Surprisingly, Adam follows along, and now everyone at school thinks they’re dating… and he’s not saying otherwise.

With a slow-burn romance and some of my favorite tropes — like fake dating — in the mix, it’s easy to fall in love with The Love Hypothesis . Luckily, Hazelwood already has a sequel, Love on the Brain , coming out August 23rd this year.

Until then, here are a few books that’ll satisfy that Love Hypothesis void in your life. I organized this list in a way that you could find books that have not only the same tropes as Hazelwood’s book, but also a similar vibe.

Slow-burn Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Cover of The Beller and the Bear (books like the Love Hypothesis)

The Belle and The Beard by Kate Canterbary

After a life-changing event in her career, Jasper-Anne decides to run away from the city. Instead, she finds herself going to the rustic old cottage her aunt left her. But before she finally catches a breath, her grumpy next-door neighbor appears. Her plans slowly start to crumble when he enters the picture. Because Linden is everywhere and she cannot escape him. Nor does she want to.

A little bit of fake dating, annoyed-at-first-sight encounter, neighbors-to-lovers, and you have one big, exciting love story.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina is in dire need of a fake boyfriend to accompany her to her sister’s wedding in Spain. A little white lie sometimes does create irreversible problems. Lucky for her, her work nemesis, Aaron, lets her know that he’s available to help her out. Catalina, at first, isn’t too sure about this, but beggars cannot be choosers, and Aaron has officially become her fake boyfriend.

This slow-burn romance with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic is a sure favorite read if you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis .

Restore Me by J.L. Seegars

Since they met, Sloane and Dominic have been enemies. Whenever they are in the same room, they either ice each other out or they can’t stop bickering. They never agree on anything and they don’t plan to, ever. But life has other plans.

Now, Sloane and Dominic have to work together at work, creating moments where they have to spend time together. When Dominic saves her one night, their relationship quickly changes into something else. But how are they going to try a relationship when Dominic was her late husband’s best friend?

Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley

After the worst night of her life, when she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, Tam does the only thing that feels right at that precise moment: call her estranged best friend, Josh. They haven’t seen each other in years, but when Tam gives him the emergency code word that means she’s in trouble, it’s like no time has passed at all, and their friendship is still intact.

Tam decides to fly to Ponto Beach, where Josh lives, in order to regroup and fix her life immediately. They never thought about a romance between them throughout all those years; their friendship was too important to them. But being in closed quarters after so many years might finally bring their attraction out to the surface.

Grumpy/Sunshine Romance Books

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

Two opposites attract in this delicious romance that will, for sure, grab your attention — and heart — very quickly.

Battle Royal follows Sylvie and Dominic, two bakers who don’t have much in common. Sylvie does colorful cakes while Dominic creates minimalistic sweets. They just so happen to have neighboring bakeries. Now, they have to work together as judges in this reality TV baking competition and… it’s going to be hard for them both because they kind of don’t get along.

Everything for You by Chloe Liese

Chloe Liese returns with Everything for You , the fifth book in the fabulous Bergman Brothers series. The series follows a Swedish American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their own happily ever afters.

This book stars Oliver Bergman who has been playing soccer at a professional level for years now. He’s a rising star who can clearly see a future in the sport. While Gavin, who happens to be the captain of Oliver’s team, is suffering a downfall. His body hurts constantly, making it impossible to continue to do his best on the field. One day, their coach assigns them to be co-captains, and it couldn’t come at a worse time.

Marriage For One by Ella Maise

Rose just got the surprise of her lifetime: a stranger just asked her to marry him. Obviously, it happens to be a marriage of convenience. Though Rose does not know what he gains from it, she definitely needs his help. That’s how Rose finds herself married to Jack, a grumpy, suit-wearing man.

This book also has a slow-burn romance that will make you swoon so hard! The pining and yearning in the story are unreal, you have never seen anything like this.

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

This title can also be in the fake dating category in this list, so double points! Written in the Stars introduces Darcy and Elle, two women who couldn’t be more opposite. Darcy has been dealing with her matchmaking brother and she’s tired of it, so when the latest blind date goes wrong, she comes up with a plan to fake date Elle. Love is the last thing on her mind, but the gorgeous Elle is easily breaking down her walls.

Fake Dating Books

I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson

When your ex asks for a favor… Well, this happens to Kian Andrews when his ex, Hudson, asks him to meet up at a café. Kian doesn’t know what to think of it, maybe Hudson wants to apologize for how they left things! But no, he has it all wrong.

Hudson wants Kian to be his fake boyfriend while his parents are in town. But after the dinner, things get more complicated when Kian is invited as Hudson’s plus one at a wedding!

Act Like You Mean It by Shae Sanders

You know those times when you see actors, models, or celebrities dating someone who also happens to be a celebrity and you feel like they’re doing it for publicity? Act Like You Mean It is that.

August’s reputation is not looking good. His publicist and team come up with a plan for him to fake date a Black socialite. Xandra knows all about pretend relationships. She does it quite often with other celebrities in order for their image to improve and for them to still be relevant. This time she’s asked to be famous actor August’s girlfriend, and after the contract is signed, their pretend relationship starts!

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

Oh, if only you knew how many times my family has asked me when I’m going to get a boyfriend and get married… I understand plenty of what Kareena feels. If only I had a cute fake boyfriend to let my family know I’m alright.

The only thing Kareena wants is to have a relationship like her parents and to be able to fix up her mother’s house. But when her dad announces he’s selling the house, she doesn’t know what to do. Her father, though, makes her a deal: if she can get engaged in four months, he’ll give her the house. Enter Dr. Prem Verma, the man she had a one-night stand with.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Lovelight Farms is about Stella, who owns a tree farm, but is in dire need of financial help to save it. Luckily for her, an influencer is doing a contest on social media with a pretty impressive cash prize. The thing is… she needs a fake boyfriend to participate.

Luka has been her best friend for years. When he finds out that she needs a pretend partner, he grabs the opportunity to make her see that they make perfect sense together rather than apart. He’s definitely not playing pretend.

I’m just like everyone else when it comes to trying to find my next great read. Sometimes I want books that are very similar to my favorites — like The Love Hypothesis readalikes mentioned here, or even books like Beach Read , The Kiss Quotient, or other romances — and sometimes I want something that’s a little outside my comfort zone. For these kinds of book recommendations and others, Book Riot’s tailored TBR service based on reading taste is perfect. Sign up here !

The Most Anticipated Books of Summer, According to Goodreads

Beyond the Bookends

A Book Blog for Women and Moms who Love to Read

16 Books Like the Love Hypothesis to Obsess Over

The Love Hypothesis is a phenomenon and has started a STEM romance wave. We created this amazing list of books like The Love Hypothesis so you can overcome that book hangover.

Love the enemies-to-lovers trope? What about workplace romances? We have them all right here!

*This post, Books Like the Love Hypothesis contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.

Table of Contents

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Olive Smith is a Ph.D. student who does not believe in her ability to be in love. When her best friend develops a crush on someone she dated briefly, she decides to kiss the first man she sees in order to prove she is over him.

That one kiss happens to be with THE Adam Carlsen, an academic genius. The two decide to fake-date and what starts out as pretend, becomes something more- for Olive. I loved this fake dating, office romance novel and it has a well-earned spot on its list of the best romance novels of all time.

Books like The Love Hypothesis with Characters in STEM

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

I was not prepared for this book! Reader beware that it is the Rosie Project with a sprinkle of Pretty Woman and a whole lot of 50 Shades.

It is not offensive in the least but, I listened to this one, and let me say that I am very glad that my kids were not in the car. I did not realize that some of the scenes would be graphic.

It is a great romance with a neurodiverse main character named Stella who hires an escort to teach her about relationships and I loved it. This contemporary romance is definitely on its way to classic status and has a well-earned place on our list of books like The Love Hypothesis.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

You know how this book is going to end even before you start reading it. However, that does not make the journey any less enjoyable. I found it to be cute and endearing.

Don Tillman is autistic and, as he’s the narrator, we get to listen to every unfiltered thought he has in his quest to find a wife. He approaches this in a scientific way and was a perfect pick for books like The Love Hypothesis . Don is also a character who reminded me of another favorite. If you loved this book, you can find more like it on our list of Charming Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine .

A brush with Love and more march 2022 novel ideas

A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings

Harper is a dental student who has worked so hard over the past three years to get into the best oral surgery program in the country. She will not let anyone or anything stand in her way. Her determination and grit remind me of Olive and this book needs to be included on a list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis.

When Harper crashes into Dan, a first-year dental student, everything changes. Despite being determined to stay “just friends”, Harper is finding that harder every day.

I enjoyed this pick from our list of romance books. There are detailed descriptions of Harper’s anxiety which at times is completely debilitating. I liked the fact that this book looks at anxiety and depression as a part of these characters without glossing over the realities.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

This was a book that I totally enjoyed. I read reviews that people didn’t like Chloe. They thought she was whiny and annoying. I completely disagree.

I thought that she was funny, quirky, and had more depth than I initially thought. It is a well-written romance with a little more story than I usually find in this genre and for this reason

Find this book in Books like The Love Hypothesis / Books with Colors in the Title

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry

⁣Is there a formula that can prove love exists? Madeleine Henry does such a great job of mixing love with a drop of science to create this love story that spans decades. ⁣Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy exploring time.

During her first week at Yale she meets Jake Kristopher and the two immediately start a romance. But when the romance starts pulling Sophie from school, their relationship is tested. ⁣

⁣Sophie throws herself into her work to prove what she has always known (I won’t spoil this adorable read but it’s perfect for a list of books similar to The Love Hypothesis ). I wish the book was a little bit longer because I want to know more.

Work Romances Books Like The Love Hypothesis

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

As soon as I saw what this book was about, I knew I wanted to read it. I love Emily Henry books. Nora is a literary agent who is a shark for her clients. Her life is books and will stop and nothing for her job or her little sister, Libby.

When Libby begs Nora to take her to Sunshine Falls, the setting of one of her most famous books, she reluctantly agrees. When they get there, the town does not look anything like the book describes. In addition, her literary nemesis, book editor Charlie Lastra is in Sunshine Falls.

Now, Nora and Charlie find themselves together in a plot twist neither of them could see coming. This amazing romance about books is perfect for our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis and is a must-read if you loved the book.

The Ex Talk and other book reviews in February 2021 Novel ideas

The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I picked up The Ex-Talk because I wanted to read a romance by a Jewish author . I loved that this one featured a biracial, interfaith couple.

The concept was cute – two radio show hosts fake a relationship to try to get ratings. Except they are pretending they already dated and broke up… which eventually leads to them dating.

This fake dating book was a cute, easy read. This is an office romance novel that is perfect for books like The Love Hypothesis.

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

In this romance, Laurie is completely blind-sided when her partner of 18 years leaves her without warning. When her ex’s new girlfriend becomes pregnant within months of the breakup, Laurie is devastated.

When Laurie gets stuck in an elevator with Jamie (the office ladies’ man), they devise a plan. Laurie can get back at her ex and Jamie can get a promotion by showing he has a respectable girlfriend. But, as time goes by, it is harder to draw the line between fake and real. This is another office romance novel that is perfect for a list of books like The Love Hypothesis.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I’m an avid weather lover, so this was one of my most anticipated Winter 2022 new releases!

In this romance novel, weather girl Ari teams up with sports anchor Russ to get their feuding bosses back together Parent-Trap style. This sweet and hilarious office romance novel is perfect for a list of books like The Love Hypothesis as well.

Along the way, they kindle sparks of their own! There are lots of fun weather puns, adorable scenarios for both romantic pairs, and love scenes that aren’t for the faint of heart🔥🔥🔥.

The best part of all is that the book deals with REAL life issues like depression, body image, teen pregnancy, and complex families.

If you love workplace romances, head over to our post 14 Hot Office Romance Books You Need to Read Now for more.

Enemies to lovers books similar to the love hypothesis.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

When I learned that Tessa Bailey used Schitt’s Creek’s Alexis as her inspiration for Piper, I knew I had to read this grumpy sunshine romance.

After getting in trouble one-to-many times for her party-girl lifestyle, Piper and her sister are banished back to their late father’s hometown in Washington.

While she’s learning to be responsible and money-conscious for the first time in her life, she needs to try not to fall for a local fisherman, Brendan. This is a sailing novel with heat!

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books similar to The Love Hypothesis / Emily Henry books .

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!

This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)

Why We Love It: The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and we are all in. Find This Book in Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels / Books With a Color in the Title

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

Evie Dunmore’s debut novel spanned a series of badass women during the Suffragette era. While the story is a romance, don’t let that fool you! You’ll get a history lesson on the suffrage movement in English History as well as a lesson on Estate and Inheritance laws — which were still of utmost importance a few decades later when Downton Abbey takes place.

Annabelle Archer has the scholarship to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. In order to keep it, she must spy on the Duke of Montgomery and try to persuade him to the suffragette’s cause. The chemistry between these two crackled off the page in this romance. If enemies-to-lovers books are up your alley, this book is perfect for you and it is perfect for a list of books like The Love hypothesis.

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

This book was my choice for a classic adaptation and I loved this contemporary fiction book it. Food and romance are at the center of this book and I thought that it was done so well.

It has all the classic conflicts of Pride and Prejudice with a fresh new spin that made the book so relatable and easy to read. The conflicts make it perfect for books like The Love Hypothesis.

If you love Enemies-to-lovers books , we have an entire post!

Fake dating books like the love hypothesis.

The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) by Jasmine Guillory

This was such a fun read- it was perfect to take with me for a weekend away. When Alexa gets stuck in an elevator with Drew, she makes the crazy choice to accompany him as a fake wedding date to a wedding the next day. If you love fake dating books, this is one of the books like The Love Hypothesis you must read.

What she didn’t account for was the fact that there might be some real attraction between them. She is a good girl and he is a commitment-phoebe. Can they make it work? We think you’ll love this wedding book.

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

For the last two years, I have been emotionally dependent on romance books to take me away from the reality of the pandemic. Every time I think that things are looking up, I am thrown for a loop.

Tara does not do relationships because one heartbreak is enough. But, when she meets her best-friends new brother-in-law, sparks fly between them.

Suddenly, Tara finds herself in a dare to date the gorgeous and tempting Seth Kim without falling in love. This book was everything that I hoped it would be and is perfect if you loved the love hypothesis book.

More Books Like the Love Hypothesis

Lessons in Chemistry and more goodreads choice awards 2022 books

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

April 2022 gma book club pick.

I don’t even know where to begin with this unique contemporary fiction story. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50s when women were expected to know their place in society — their place being the kitchen and the home.

Elizabeth struggles to be taken seriously in her field and as a single mother, in this amazing book. So when an offer to host a cooking show for women is put in her path, she reluctantly takes it.

She uses her no-nonsense attitude and chemistry principles to teach the women in America to not only cook but to follow their dreams outside of the home.

Zott is a quirky character like Eleanor Oliphant with a charming daughter and a dog whose inner monologue is as quirky as hers. An absolutely wonderful book about motherhood! You can also find this book on our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis as well.

Are you looking for the perfect book for your next book club? Check out our Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Guide. If you love this book and are looking for more, we also have 15 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry .

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is a romance novelist who has never been in love and she is beginning to think she has lost her mojo. Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker who is thrown off balance when he needs to create a reality TV show.

When he convinces Fizzy to be the star of this show, sparks fly. The two have undeniable chemistry but will this ruin the TV show that is supposed to be about finding Fizzy’s true love? The show is supposed to see if chemistry is the same as compatibility. It is in essence, the science of love.

This was a delightful celebrity romance and is perfect for anyone looking for books like The Love Hypothesis.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Bee is a brilliant and unconventional scientist who lives by a strict code “What would Marie Curie Do?” She even has a secret Twitter account to help other female scientists in a male-dominated workplace.

When she is offered her dream job at NASA, she cannot wait to start until she realizes that she is not the lead scientist. She is the co-lead with her work nemesis Levi Ward. To make matters worse, he seems to be sabotaging everything that she tries to do. Could there be a better pick for enemies-to-lovers books?

Ali Hazelwood does an amazing job of writing fantastic romances while still including the struggles that women have to deal with daily.

Find this Book in Office Romances / Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Beach Reads 2023 / Audie Awards 2023

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Any romance novel by Ali Hazelwood has become a must-read so, it is no surprise that I jumped at the chance to read her newest STEMinist romcom!

Elsie has learned to live two lives; an adjunct professor in theoretical physicist by day and a fake girlfriend the rest of the time (to make ends meet). She has also learned to read people and become the Elsie that they want her to be.

When she interviews for her dream job as a theoretical physics professor at MIT, her two worlds collide. How? I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Elsie learns what she really wants an how to ask for it in a delightful and charming way.

This steamy romance novel is a must-read from our ultimate list of beach reads. It’s one of my picks for the best romance books of 2023 too! If you are looking for books for summer, this one is for you.

The Complete List of Romance Tropes: Our 12 Favorites

Looking for more romances categorized by trope? Here are all my favorites.

Ultimate List of Romances

If you love The Love Hypothesis and all things romance, then this is the list for you! We have this list carefully divided by sub-genre.

Are there more books similar to The Love Hypothesis we should add to this list?

Co-founder and Editorial Director

Jackie is the mother of three children and a Speech-Language Pathologist who uses her love of books to create language-based learning opportunities in her speech therapy practice and with her own children. Her 20+ years of experience in regular and special education classrooms ensures the website content is relevant and informative. She started this website with Kirsten to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids.

Not In Love

A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science.

Rue Siebert might not have it all , but she has enough : a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Check & Mate

In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut , life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….

From A Certain Point Of View (Star Wars)

Celebrate the lasting impact of Return of the Jedi with this exciting reimagining of the timeless Star Wars film featuring new perspectives from forty contributors.

On May 25, 1983, Star Wars cemented its legacy as the greatest movie franchise of all time with the release of Return of the Jedi . In honor of its fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains to droids and creatures. From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists.

Love, Theoretically

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.

Love On The Brain

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project — a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia — Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school — archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

Loathe To Love You

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a collection of steamy, STEMinist novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing–with a special bonus chapter!

Under One Roof An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell–a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.

Stuck with You A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry–and love–to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.

Below Zero A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

The Love Hypothesis

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.

Under One Roof

As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.

Stuck With You

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station—but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams…but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?

Hi! Hey! Hello!

I’m Ali, and I write contemporary romcom novels about women in STEM and academia. I love cats, Nutella, and side ponytails. I’m also currently learning to crochet, so as you can tell I’m a super busy gal with an intense and exciting life!

SUBSCRIBE TO ALI'S NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND EARLY UPDATES

IMAGES

The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis
The Love Hypothesis (édition collector augmentée)
“The Love Hypothesis” Book Review: Why You Should Read It And Leave The
Love Theoretically: From the bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

VIDEO

Tip#27
Hypothesis
The Mysterious Birth of the Moon
What is the Scientific Method?
Exploring the mysteries of China's unique natural glass
Hypothesis Testing: Two Populations

COMMENTS

The Love Hypothesis by Laura Steven
She has published several books for young adults—such as the bestselling Every Exquisite Thing, YA Book Prize-shortlisted The Society for Soulless Girls, and CWIP award-winning The Exact Opposite of Okay—many of which have been widely translated and optioned for TV and film. ... The love hypothesis of Laura Steven focuses a lot on different ...
The Love Hypothesis Kindle Edition
The Love Hypothesis has wild commercial appeal but the quieter secret is that there is a specific audience, made up of all of the Olives in the world, who have deeply, ardently waited for this exact book."—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author "Funny, sexy and smart, Ali Hazelwood did a terrific job with The Love Hypothesis ...
The Love Hypothesis
An Indie Next Pick! "A literary breakthrough… The Love Hypothesis is a self-assured debut, and we hypothesize it's just the first bit of greatness we'll see from an author who somehow has the audacity to be both an academic powerhouse and divinely talented novelist."— Entertainment Weekly " C ontemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist...
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 by Ali Hazelwood: 9780593336823
About The Love Hypothesis. Now see Adam pine for Olive in a special bonus chapter! The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.
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
The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation!As seen on THE VIEW!A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 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 ...
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 ...
The Love Hypothesis : Hazelwood, Ali: Amazon.ca: Books
The Love Hypothesis. Paperback - Sept. 14 2021. by Ali Hazelwood (Author) 4.5 65,702 ratings. See all formats and editions. The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one ...
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 a book by Ali Hazelwood
The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 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 ...
The Love Hypothesis: a personal review : r/books
The Love Hypothesis: a personal review . Having first come across this book on TikTok, I was intrigued. I have read multiple reviews that have described the romance and characters as unconventional and explored from a new angle. ... It read like a YA novel at best and nothing that happened it in seemed even remotely believable whether it be ...
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 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.
BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
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 ...
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) Add to Goodreads Buy on Amazon. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Book Review
The Love Hypothesis ($14) follows Olive, a PhD student, who fake dates the one professor her peers love to hate: the intimidating (and intimidatingly hot) Dr. Adam Carlsen. She doesn't really ...
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
First things first, I'm not into the professor / student romance. Call me uptight, but it's just not my thing. And as it's not my thing in real life, then it's not something I particularly enjoy reading in books. Second - Adam. I know he was supposed to come off as moody and sullen, but I found his character very bland.
Fall In Love With The Next 12 Books Like The Love Hypothesis
The Belle and The Beard by Kate Canterbary. After a life-changing event in her career, Jasper-Anne decides to run away from the city. Instead, she finds herself going to the rustic old cottage her aunt left her. But before she finally catches a breath, her grumpy next-door neighbor appears.
16 Books Like the Love Hypothesis to Obsess Over
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren. Felicity "Fizzy" Chen is a romance novelist who has never been in love and she is beginning to think she has lost her mojo. Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker who is thrown off balance when he needs to create a reality TV show.
Home
The Love Hypothesis 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 ...

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

The Love Hypothesis Paperback – September 14, 2021

Frequently bought together

More items to explore

From the Publisher

Product details

Videos for this product

HONEST REVIEW - what a cute rom com!

Love this book !

Your New Favorite Romance Book! - Honest Book Review!

One of the best books of the year!

The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis - A Quick and Easy Read!

love this book- such a cute romance!!

Look Inside "The Love Hypothesis"

Customer Review: REYLO stans! this is for you!!

About the author

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

Top reviews from other countries

The Love Hypothesis (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

Full Plot Summary

Book Review

Read it or Skip it?

The Love Hypothesis Audiobook Review

Book Excerpt

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

The Love Hypothesis Paperback – Sept. 14 2021

Frequently bought together

Popular titles by this author

From the Publisher

Product details

About the author

Customer reviews

Top reviews from Canada

Top reviews from other countries

'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

JUST FOR THE SUMMER

IT ENDS WITH US

Please select an existing bookshelf

Please sign up to continue.

Almost there!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

The Love Hypothesis

Summary and Study Guide

Related Titles

Featured Collections

BOOK REVIEW: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Enter Email to Subscribe to Posts

Star-Crossed Ladies:

Recommendations

Chelsea’s Currently Reading

Arielle’s Currently Reading

Star-Crossed Ladies

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Academic Romance Is My New Favorite Book Genre After Reading This Debut Novel

Standout Quote

Where You Should Read It

Read This If You Like . . .

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt(s)

How Long It Takes to Read

Give This Book to . . .

The Sweet Spot Summary

Emoji Rating

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review + Questions

xoxo Elodie