Defective,
Wrong and Missing Item
About the author.
Laura Steven is an author, journalist and screenwriter from the northernmost town in England. She has an MA in Creative Writing and works at a non-profit organisation supporting women in the creative arts. Her TV pilot, Clickbait, was a finalist in British Comedy's 2016 Sitcom Mission. The Exact Opposite of Okay is her first book for young adults.
Laura steven.
Laura Steven is an award-winning author from the northernmost town in England. She has published several books for children and young adults; her debut novel The Exact Opposite Of Okay won the inaugural Comedy Women In Print Prize, while The Love Hypothesis was optioned for TV by an Emmy-winning team. Her books have been widely translated, and her work has appeared in The i Paper, The Guardian and Buzzfeed.
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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
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Olive Smith is the main character and protagonist of The Love Hypothesis . She struggles with her self-image and tends to focus on all the ways she feels messy, rather than all the accomplishments she achieves. Since her mother died 10 years ago, she’s been alone, and her professional life is driven by the desire “to be less lonely” (8). After meeting Anh at their Stanford orientation and later Malcolm, Olive feels close to people for the first time in a long time, but her years of being by herself make it difficult for her to understand that people want to be around her. By extension, she struggles with the idea of people caring, even as Anh, Malcolm, and Adam continually show their support. She attributes her difficulties to being “wrong” in some way, demonstrating how her life events have had an impact on her that make her emotions difficult for her to confront.
By Ali Hazelwood
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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!
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“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
The Love Hypothesis was all over my insta feed, youtube, and even my friends were sending me Tik toks praising this book. Fake-dating, tall and small, grumpy and sunshine pair, it has everything I love in the book. But I had to wait a few months to get the book from my public library.
The Love Hypothesis is Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel, and it features fake dating, a STEM academic setting, chaotic besties, a demisexual protagonist, and lots of PSL runs.
Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith finds herself launched into a fake relationship with fellow grouchy Professor Adam Carlsen when her best friend Anh tries to set her up. Even more surprising, Adam agrees to buy Olive all the Pumpkin spice frappuccinos her heart desires. But the more time Olive spends with Adam, she discovers that there’s more to him than the arrogant professor who spooks his grad students. And a few perfectly timed kisses later, Olive realizes she has feelings for her fake boyfriend.
However, after attending a conference in Boston, Olive’s world is completely shaken, and her future in STEM is at risk. Luckily, Adam is there to support Olive through it, but she’s keeping a few big revelations from him. One, his research partner isn’t who he appears to be, and two, she’s deeply in love with Adam.
But finding the courage to confess to those things and save her career is a heavy burden, but Olive’s friends got her back.
This novel contains an academic STEM setting that I did not think I would enjoy (I was more passionate about the humanities). But the Love Hypothesis makes it work because sprinkled amongst the science experiments and research jargon are coffee dates, kisses, and lots of teasing that made me feel engaged with the story.
“It tasted like the rainbow.” “Like sugar and food coloring?” “My two favorite things in the universe. Thank you for buying it for me, by the way.” Ali Hazelwood 352
This book also emphasizes how mentally draining an academic career in STEM can be. But the strain is worse for women because of gendered discrimination. Additionally, the intersection of racial gendered discrimination is mentioned but not explored. Olive’s BFF, Anh, is Vietnamese American and champions her own BIPOC women in STEM organization in the novel, which was great. While I think this topic is worth exploring, I’m okay that it wasn’t part of Olive’s arc in this novel and that title Xl was instead.
When Olive and Adam decide to fake date, Adam teases that he’s adding more to his title IX complaint about Olive. However, when a colleague sexually harasses Olive, things become serious. Olive reacts out of anger and then despair when she realizes that filing a complaint could cause negative repercussions to her and Adams’ research. When Olive accidentally plays the evidence to her friends, she’s adamant that she wasn’t sexually harassed and is resolute to handle the situation by herself.
I liked that the book handled the situation by bringing in an outsider, in this case, Anh and Malcolm, to look at things objectively. Because it’s easy to lie to yourself, but it’s harder to do that surrounded by people who love you. I also liked that Olive took her power back and immediately looked for a way out of working with this person before she made up her mind to expose them.
The Love Hypothesis also features great side characters like Anh and Olive’s roommate Malcolm. However, it’s Adam’s bestie- Holden- who has my heart. Holden is a ball of sunshine, laid back, and charming. Holden is a great juxtaposition to the grump Adam, and I wish he was in the novel more, but he does steal the scenes that he is in.
At its heart, the Love Hypothesis is a romantic comedy made up of great side characters and even better best friends. I thoroughly enjoyed the double date at the very end, and I thought it was the perfect way to end this book.
CW: Unconsensual kissing in the first chapter, sexual harassment, Mention of parental death, and discussions of gender discrimination.
Until my next review book besties I’ll be living in libros,
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Spotted: a fake-relationship turned real romance between a biology Ph.D. student and a biology professor, set in the familiar terrain of our very own Stanford University. Although I am not the biggest fan of romance books, Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel immediately caught my attention. This is it , I thought to myself. This could be Stanford’s very own “Pride and Prejudice”! Then I bought the book right away.
In “The Love Hypothesis,” author and cognitive neuroscientist Ali Hazelwood combines her two passions, writing and science, to give her readers a contemporary love story that reflects Stanford students’ frustrations with the elite institution. While delivering readers’ favorite romance tropes, Hazelwood also explores the fascinating world of biology and critiques academia as it exists today. In order to convince her skeptical best friend Anh that she’s in a happy relationship, Olive Smith, our protagonist and a third-year Ph.D. candidate, kisses Adam Carlsen, a professor notorious for giving low grades and harsh critiques. After the incident, Olive and Adam decide to fake-date so that Anh will continue to buy Olive’s charade and Stanford, convinced Adam’s there to stay, will fund his research. The two make a peculiar and even problematic couple because of their faculty-student relationship, yet their fake-dating persists.
Hazelwood began her writing career with Star Trek and Star Wars fan fiction, which she wrote frequently during the last year of her Ph.D. program. Along with her personal experiences in academia, these media franchises significantly shaped her novel. “The Love Hypothesis” incorporates emails between students and faculty members regarding research collaborations, portrays the day-to-day life of Ph.D. students in and outside of their labs and frequently mentions Olive’s work investigating blood biomarkers as an early-detection mechanism for pancreatic cancer, a real-life popular research area. Although Olive’s fictitious life is not a realistic depiction of life at Stanford, Hazelwood adequately portrays common student struggles and the work of today’s biologists. In the book, the emphasis on collaboration within the field of biology, depicted through Olive’s desire to partner with computational modelers, or even small details such as a graduate students’ eagerness to use the PCR machine first, reflect Hazelwood’s own knowledge and passion for the field. In addition, her love of Star Wars comes out through the characters of Olive and Adam, the former with a shy yet bubbly persona like Rey and the latter emulating Kylo Ren’s angst and detached attitude.
Reading the book through a Cardinal lens, you realize Hazelwood is not exactly campus-fluent. When Olive and Adam are setting the rules for their fake relationship, they agree to meet at Starbucks every Wednesday morning to make their relationship look more convincing, yet not once do they go to CoHo or Coupa. During their Starbucks dates, Olive constantly gets pumpkin spice lattes, and the two never go out to get boba. Considering the popularity of boba shops all around Palo Alto and the frequent door-dash boba orders during on-calls, it was especially peculiar that Olive and Adam did not participate in the boba culture at Stanford. Later, when Olive goes to visit Adam, he’s surprised to learn she doesn’t drive but instead bikes, as if he’s not seen the profuse bikes around campus. Compounding our confusion, Olive complains about there being no bike lanes around, which is very unlike anywhere near Stanford. It is also surprising that Olive never uses the Marguerite to get to the School of Medicine, a common practice among Ph.D. students.
Aside from documenting the ups and downs of fake-dating on the Farm, “The Love Hypothesis” strikes a more sincere chord, as it doesn’t shy away from criticizing the world of academia. Hazelwood highlights how STEM academia is problematic through Olive’s experiences as well as those of her close friends and Adam. She acknowledges and critiques the chronic underpayment of student researchers, cultural sexism in academia, racism in higher education and the demoralizing attitudes of faculty toward beginner researchers.
“Committing to years of unappreciated, underpaid 80-hour workweeks might not be good for [Olive’s] mental health,” writes Hazelwood, condemning the lack of appreciation researchers express for student work from the very first page of her novel. She further depicts Olive’s struggle with rent and meals due to her low salary in an expensive city. Through Olive’s personal struggles, Hazelwood attests that current researchers are not paid adequately by the multimillion-dollar institutions they work in, which often withholds them from feeling passion for their jobs.
Moreover, she repeatedly criticizes the sexist and racist practices in academia: “[Olive] was the only woman in the room, virtually alone in a sea of white men,” Hazelwood writes to expose the structural inequalities in academia that refuse women and people of color seats at the table. She reiterates throughout the book how the lack of diversity in Olive’s professional and academic environments makes her feel out of place and pushes her to doubt her own abilities, resulting in tremendous anxiety and imposter syndrome.
A breath of fresh air, Olive’s best friend Anh is characterized by her enthusiasm and optimistic outlook throughout the book, even in the face of constant gender discrimination. She is also the head of Stanford Women in Science Association and director of outreach for the Organization of BIPOC Scientists. Anh’s passion within the field and her positive perception of the future reflects a hope for change and highlights the importance of such organizations to diversify the field and create safer environments for women.
While it doesn’t feel true to Stanford at all times, Hazelwood’s novel presents both the beauty of biology and the downfalls of academia, all while narrating a gripping romance. Meanwhile, Hazelwood herself proves that one can follow their passions in STEM and creative writing simultaneously by excelling as a researcher and a novelist. For those who live for classic romance tropes, love biology or are looking for examples of how to reach faculty through email, “The Love Hypothesis” has you covered!
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective opinions, thoughts and critiques.
Leyla Yilmaz '25 is the vol. 264 Reads desk editor for the Arts & Life section. She is from Istanbul, Turkey and a prospective Biology major who enjoys frequent trips to the bookstore and collecting cacti. Contact the Daily's Arts & Life section at arts ‘at’ stanforddaily.com.
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The day before I was set to chat with Ali Hazelwood , the news broke that her debut novel The Love Hypothesis had officially become a New York Times bestseller , charting at #9 in print and at #11 on the combined print and ebook lists. Understandably, Hazelwood's recollection of the moment she found out about it from her editor at Berkley Publishing is a little hazy: "I think I had grilled cheese in my mouth. I have vague memories of trying not to choke."
But it's no surprise, taking into account that the book itself has been absolutely blowing up a certain section of TikTok lately — as well as considering The Love Hypothesis 's origin story. When Hazelwood decided to make the leap from writing fanfiction to becoming a published author, readers flocked in droves, and even though The Love Hypothesis is a completely original work, there are still some nods to its beginnings — like the cover, for example. In my conversation with Hazelwood, which you can read below, I spoke with her about how both her background in fanfic and in STEM informed the writing of The Love Hypothesis , the one steamy scene in particular that didn't make the final cut, and what she can tease about her next book.
COLLIDER: Congratulations on the book being out! I think some people know the backstory of how it came to be, but for those who don't, what's the genesis behind The Love Hypothesis ?
ALI HAZELWOOD: I think it was a lot of just luck and chances and opportunities. I was really, really into writing fanfiction, first for the Star Trek fandom and then for the Star Wars fandom. And I loved it. It was just, it was this amazing community. I made a lot of friends and I was just having a lot of fun. And then what happened is that I started slowly thinking about trying to write something original, just to challenge myself and to do something different. And while I was in that kind of mood, my agent started reading my fanfiction on AO3 and then she reached out with a DM. She was like, "I saw that you wrote something about maybe pulling some of your fics and reworking them. And I wanted to tell you that I'm a literary agent and I would love to see you some of your manuscripts, if you're interested in it."
And so that's how I took the fanfiction of mine that I thought was the most reworkable and I sent it to her and then I signed with her. And then after approximately 70 billion more revisions, both with her and an editor... we got a lot of RNRs [revise and resubmits] that didn't pan out but made the book better, because we got really good feedback. Then we ended up at Berkely with my current editor, Sarah [Blumenstock], who is amazing, and yeah, now it's out.
I feel like we're definitely seeing more authors who are like, "I totally got my background in fanfiction and there's nothing wrong with that." One of the more famous examples is obviously Christina Lauren.
HAZELWOOD: Christina Lauren. They're amazing.
Or even authors today who are like, "Oh yeah, I'm writing this mainstream book, but I still have an AO3 profile." So I appreciate that we're seeing the barriers break down around what the public perception of fanfiction is and how it really is such a great breeding ground for authors to find their voice.
HAZELWOOD: Absolutely. Fanfiction is just an amazing medium. It's great, like you said, to find your voice, to explore things that you usually don't find in traditional publishing. But it's also just great to feel a sense of community and to get to know people, to find someone who's like-minded and is interested in similar things. It's very hard to make friends as an adult. And I feel like I truly found my adult friends through fanfiction and through the fandom community.
And I just, I'm very grateful to my publisher that they embraced the fanfiction part. They were like, "Yes, we're going to own this. For the cover, we're going to use fanart made for the fanfiction, if you want to." They were just great with that. I do think traditional publishing is getting more and more interested in fanfiction and in embracing it. And maybe they're doing well because of money and marketing and stuff like that, but I'm just really happy that this is happening and that fanfiction is gaining legitimacy, because it always had legitimacy.
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I want to talk a little bit too about the setting of the book, and I know your personal background is in STEM. So did that inform your inspiration on where to set the story, drawing from your own experiences?
HAZELWOOD: Yeah, 100%. I'd been wanting to write fanfiction set in academia just because it's really... I'm a professor right now, but I feel like my entire adult life has been spent in academia. I feel like I would struggle to write any other setting, in a weird way. So it was just the more natural setting for a story. My next book is going to be set in academia and my third book is going to be in academia. And yeah, that's the easiest thing for me.
One of the things I personally love about the book is how it references romance tropes in the world, but then the book itself subverts the tropes. I'm thinking specifically about the only-one-bed scene, and then there's not only one bed, which felt like a really funny wink at romance readers. What made you decide to include that meta-awareness in the story?
HAZELWOOD: It's actually really funny. I never would have thought to include that if the story hadn't been fanfiction originally. I was posting it chapter by chapter and I was writing it chapter by chapter. And I remember all the comments saying, "They're going to go to the conference and there's going to be only one bed."
So it started as just like a conversation with other people in the fandom, who were at the same time writing fanfiction about other iterations of the same characters. It was just so much fun. It was kind of like a collective effort there.
You had talked about how when you were reworking the fic for publication, there were a lot of edits, and I'm assuming a lot of things ended up on the chopping block. Is there a deleted scene that didn't make it into the final novel that you maybe wished you could have kept in?
HAZELWOOD: So when Adam and Olive break up — not really break up, but when she goes to his hotel room and she's like, "It's over." Originally, they ended up having sex in that scene. And we took it out because we thought it was more poignant, or I don't know, more heartfelt if it was only a kiss. And it was, in a way, but the fanfiction person within me kind of misses...
Let them have one more time!
HAZELWOOD: The fanfiction ho within me was like, "I wish we had kept that sex scene." But honestly, honestly, we talked about it — my editor, my agent, and I — and it was a good call from a story-structure perspective.
So you mentioned you've got a second and third book in the works. I'm sure you probably can't really talk about book three yet, but is there anything you can tease about book two coming up?
HAZELWOOD: Book two is about a neuroscientist who is selected to work on a project at NASA. And she's super excited about it, until she gets told that the person she's going to co-lead the project with is an engineer that she used to work with in the past, and they're kind of enemies. Or at least she thinks they're enemies, one of those things. And that's the story of them working together on this project. And it's coming out in August 2022.
I thought it would be fun to wrap up with a couple of rapid-fire questions. Enemies-to-lovers, or friends-to-lovers?
HAZELWOOD: Enemies-to-lovers. Reylo forever.
Secret billionaire or secret baby?
HAZELWOOD: Secret billionaire.
Marriage of convenience or amnesia?
HAZELWOOD: Marriage of convenience.
Coffee or tea?
HAZELWOOD: Tea.
I feel like I know the answer to this last one, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Macfadyen Darcy or Firth Darcy?
HAZELWOOD: Macfadyen. I mean, 2005 forever. Even though I do appreciate Firth. He's a good high-quality Darcy, but it's just not my Darcy.
I feel like everybody has a very strong opinion, based on which one you saw first. That lake scene, I'm sure that's very formative.
HAZELWOOD: 100%.
But for me? He's walking through the field in the morning mist, and that's it. In the long coat.
HAZELWOOD: He says, "I love you" three times. I mean, she has bewitched him body and soul. Come on, come on. The hand flex!
The Love Hypothesis is currently available in print, e-book and audio wherever books are sold .
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The love hypothesis, common sense media reviewers.
Uneven romance has explicit sex, features women in STEM.
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
An author's note explains Title IX and offers webs
You have to be strong and tough to make it in the
Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. Th
Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very
An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attem
Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension,
"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k,"
A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of en
All characters are adults of legal drinking age in
Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few…
An author's note explains Title IX and offers websites supporting women and BIPOC women in STEM academic fields. The overall story provides insight into graduate and postgraduate academic life and careers, especially in STEM fields.
You have to be strong and tough to make it in the academic world, especially in STEM fields. Don't be afraid to speak up when you've been harmed or you learn about something unethical. Your web of lies will eventually come to light, and when it does, it may cause more hurt than being truthful from the start would have.
Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. They're extremely loyal and supportive of each other, and Anh creates chances to support other women, especially BIPOC women in STEM. Adam is very protective and kind on a personal level toward Olive, but to his students he's harsh and uncompromising and seems uncaring. Olive makes a grand gesture out of compassion for Anh and models perseverance in advancing her research and career.
Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very slim. Adam implies he's Jewish and is very tall and powerfully built. Best friend Anh's family is from Vietnam, and she identifies as a woman of color. Roommate Malcolm reads as White, dates men, and enters a romantic relationship with another man. Olive wonders if she's asexual.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attempted kiss and coercion. An excerpt at the end from a future book has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. A man pins another against a wall by the collar and threatens to kill him.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with some crude words like "clit" and "c--k." Good examples of consent are modeled, and birth control and being "clean" are talked about. A few times adults talk about sex or sex acts like sixty-nining, butt stuff, and getting a "hand job."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "f--king," "holy crap," "holy s--t," "pr--k," "s--t," "s--tshow," ass," "assness," "bitch," "bitching," "butt," "crap," "crapfest," "dammit," "goddamned," "hell," "jackass," "pee," "smart-ass." "Jesus" as an exclamation.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of entertainment franchises to establish character and setting.
All characters are adults of legal drinking age in California, where the story is set. Very little actual drinking is depicted, but there are mentions of past drunkenness, a weekly beer and s'mores night, and taking advantage of free alcohol at academic meetings and conferences.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with words like "clit" and "c--k." Main character Olive experiences verbal sexual assault, and an excerpt from another book in the back has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. Strong language includes "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "pr--k," "s--t," and more. Adults mention past excessive drinking, look forward to free alcohol at university events, and have a weekly "beer and s'mores night." Two characters remember one of them projectile vomiting after eating bad shrimp, but it's not described. Olive is an orphan with no family. Her mother died of pancreatic cancer, so grief and loss are important themes, along with the struggles women still face in STEM-related fields.
Community reviews.
Based on 1 parent review
THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is about Stanford graduate student Olive, who needs to convince her best friend, Anh, that it's OK for Anh to date a guy Olive had recently been seeing but wasn't really interested in. So she hatches a plan to "fake-date" none other than the Biology department's most prestigious professor, Adam Carlsen, who's also a huge jerk. As Olive and Adam's ruse gets harder and harder to keep up, Olive starts to feel like she wishes their dating wasn't actually fake. Will she be able to untangle her web of lies without ruining everything, for everyone?
This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters. Readers who enjoy very familiar romcom tropes will feel at home here, because this story is chock-full of them. The one explicit sex scene is easy to skip for those who aren't interested. A big drawback is Olive's truly bad and unrealistic decision making, which strains believability and takes the reader outside the story.
Families can talk about the graphic sex in The Love Hypothesis . Is it over-the-top? Realistic? Is reading about it different from seeing it in movies, videos, and other media?
What are some concerns about reading or watching explicit sex ? Do you compare yourself or your body to the characters? Does it make you afraid, feel creepy, or unsure about what sex is like for real people?
What about all the strong language? Is it realistic? Is it a big deal? Why, or why not?
Talk about women studying and working in STEM fields. What are some of the challenges Olive and Ahn face? How do they deal with them? Who supports them? What can men do to make STEM fields more welcoming and inclusive?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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Posted on Published: July 27, 2023 - Last updated: October 23, 2023
Categories Book Guide , Spicy Chapters
What are The Love Hypothesis spicy chapters? Well, this guide is for you! Though this book is not very spicy, it is still my responsibility to squeeze out the spiciest The Love Hypothesis spicy chapters possible for you. It’s also a book I recommend with the ‘who did this to you” trope!
Table of Contents
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 is a captivating and heartwarming romance that delves into the complexities of academia and love. The story revolves around Olive Smith, a dedicated PhD student, and Adam Carlsen, a charming and cocky professor. Both characters are beautifully crafted with depth and vulnerability, making them relatable and endearing to readers.
The romance between Olive and Adam is a slow-burn delight, filled with moments of vulnerability and tenderness that will leave you swooning. Their undeniable chemistry and emotional connection create an engaging and satisfying love story. The witty banter between the two adds a delightful touch to their interactions.
Ali Hazelwood’s writing is both engaging and emotionally resonant, effortlessly drawing readers into the world of academia and scientific research. The novel’s exploration of the characters’ hidden depths and vulnerability adds layers to the story, making it a truly captivating read from beginning to end. “The Love Hypothesis” is a must-read for anyone looking for a heartwarming and well-developed romance that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows—including her ex and his fiancée—will be there and eager to meet him.
She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won’t be easy to fool.
Enter Aaron Blackford—her tall, handsome, condescending colleague—who surprisingly offers to step in. She’d rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man.
But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.
This book was cute to read! Also have the only one bed trope and enemies to lovers (of course).
Twisted Games by Ana Huang
She can never be his…but he’s taking her anyway.
Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules: 1) Protect his clients at all costs 2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.
He has never once been tempted to break those rules…until her.
Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She’s nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed.
Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defences until he’s faced with a truth he can no longer deny: he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her.
Because she’s his.
His princess. His forbidden fruit. His every depraved fantasy.
Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses.
But when her brother abdicates, she’s suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted.
And as she navigates the intricacies—and treacheries—of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can’t have.
Her bodyguard. Her protector. Her ultimate ruin.
Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom…and doom them both.
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA.
A competitive figure skater since she was five years old, a full college scholarship thanks to her place on the Maple Hills skating team, and a schedule that would make even the most driven person weep, Stassie comes to win.
No exceptions.
Nathan Hawkins has never had a problem he couldn’t solve. As captain of the Maple Hills Titans, he knows the responsibility of keeping the hockey team on the ice rests on his shoulders.
When a misunderstanding results in the two teams sharing a rink, and Anastasia’s partner gets hurt in the aftermath, Nate finds himself swapping his stick for tights, and one scary coach for an even scarier one.
The pair find themselves stuck together in more ways than one, but it’s fine, because Anastasia doesn’t even like hockey players…right?
Twisted Hate by Ana Huang
He hates her…almost as much as he wants her.
Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn’t charm—except for Jules f**king Ambrose.
The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.
When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that’ll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.
No jealousy.
No strings attached.
And absolutely no falling in love.
Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who’s focused on one thing: passing the attorney’s bar exam.
The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable…no matter how good-looking he is.
But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there’s more than meets the eye to the man she’s hated for so long.
Her best friend’s brother.
Her nemesis.
And her only salvation.
Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they’re faced with truths that could either save them …or destroy everything they’ve worked for.
Twisted Hate is a steamy enemies with benefits/enemies to lovers romance. It’s book three in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.
Abou t The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
A typical billionaire romance that is quite popular. It’s one of the more famous ones of the genre, especially on Kindle Unlimited.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
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 – 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. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school – archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas… devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.
But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.
Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.
Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time.
Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.
Romance between a sunshine fashionable “it” celebrity girl with grumpy sea sailor local. Bright cheerful icon x cold ordinary sailor combo meal.
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This is a list of content warnings & content notes for The Love Hypothesis (includes mild spoilers):
Ali Hazelwood’s book the Love Hypothesis has taken blogs and BookTok by storm. After being named the best romance novel of 2022 by Amazon, this New York Times bestseller has also been signed by Bisous Pictures for a movie adaptation.
the Love Hypothesis originally started as a fan fiction on the relationship between Star Wars characters Rey and Kylo Ren. The novel opted out the futuristic sci-fi setting for a classic modern-day university romance with Adam Carlsen as Kylo Ren and Olive Smith as Rey.
The story centers around Olive Smith, a third-year PhD student who is determined to convince her best friend that she is over her ex. She ends up fake dating the university’s most feared and cold-blooded professor Adam Carlsen.
Although Hazelwood doesn’t describe much of what the characters wear, her description of each character’s personalities makes it easy for the readers to imagine their styles. Read on to see the outfits I put together for five the Love Hypothesis characters based on their portrayals in the novel!
Let’s start with Dr. Adam Carlsen, a grumpy 34-year-old professor in the biology department. Although he is known as the most hated person at Stanford due to his harsh feedback on student research papers, we find out towards the end of the book that he has good intentions. Adam Carlsen does have a soft side, especially when it comes to his fake girlfriend Olive.
Besides Olive, there is one other thing that Adam loves: Henley shirts . This shirt appears in almost all of his outfits. Even on his first date with Olive, Adam chooses to wear a Henley shirt with jeans and a red flannel shirt – the color being a nod to Kylo Ren’s lightsaber. To match the Star Wars origin, Adam also wears black combat boots to rebel against the Knights, or in this case, Stanford’s professional dress protocol.
As the smart and witty main character, Olive devotes most of her time to research on pancreatic cancer. After losing her mother to cancer, she finds it hard to open up and trust others because she has a fear of people leaving her. Cue Dr. Adam Carlsen to break down her walls and earn her trust with her favorite pumpkin spice lattes and salt and vinegar chips.
Besides spending time with Adam and her two best friends, Olive is usually stuck in the lab doing research. And what better way to say “I will be caffeinated and stuck in my lab all day” than with an oversized shirt , leggings and a messy bun? Olive’s most iconic outfit in the book is the black wrap dress , trench coat and black pumps she wears to speak at the SBD conference.
Anh Pham – the root cause of our two favorite characters’ fake dating – is a Vietnamese American PhD student. Besides being Olive’s loyal friend, she also appears as a motherly figure, especially when she nags about sunscreen application. When she’s not busy taking care of Olive, Anh devotes her time to the BIPOC science community as she tries to make a difference for women in STEM.
Since Ahn is involved in many organizations and constantly on the go, she’d probably pick an outfit that screams comfort but still looks professional. A casual blue button-up , dress pants and dress sneakers would be perfect. For date nights, she can switch the dress pants to a plaid skirt for a more girly look, topping off with a white button-up and blazer for a girl boss moment.
Malcolm is Olive’s roommate and best friend. As the biggest flirt on campus, he is known for being a ball of sunshine and rainbows as he chats up basically anyone with a pulse. Towards the end of the book, he settles down with Holden Rodriquez, another sunshine at heart.
Because of his flamboyant personality, Malcolm wouldn’t hesitate to flaunt a patterned shirt , and pair it with corduroy pants and colored sneakers . Even on his lazy days, you’d never catch him in something boring. Only Malcolm could radiate teddy bear energy by wearing a fuzzy bear print sweatshirt – to get more hugs of course.
Holden Rodriquez is to Adam Carlsen as Anh is to Olive. Besides both being professors at Stanford, Holden and Adam are also childhood best friends. The difference is that Holden has a golden retriever personality while Adam most definitely doesn’t.
Because of Holden’s bright nature, he’d likely pick a light-toned polo shirt (slightly influenced by Adam’s Henley shirt obsession) and tan straight-leg pants . But don’t be fooled by the friendly demeanor as Holden is not someone to take lightly. He has many secrets, not to mention a fixed opinion about a certain someone. Channel his multifaceted personality with glossy patent loafers with unexpected details like a velvet panel.
As a typical Gen Z, Bernice spends most of her time on the internet. Besides familiarizing herself with every iconic meme, she also looks for style inspirations and new makeup releases. Coming from a health communications background, she continues to feed her thirst for knowledge by delving into the scientific names and benefits of each skin care ingredient.
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3.27. 1,366 ratings262 reviews. An LGBT romantic comedy with a twist from the Comedy Women in Print prize winner Laura Steven, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay. A hilarious love story with bite, for fans of Sex Education, Booksmart, Becky Albertalli's Love, Simon and Jenny Han's To All The Boys I've Loved Before.
I love The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, and I know it was originally a fanfic published on AO3. I've read the book at least three times, and I've been trying to figure out which Star Wars characters some of the side characters are based on. ... This sub is for fanfic recommendations and discussion related to LGBT pairings and characters in ...
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.
Analysis. "The Love Hypothesis" is a delightful blend of humor, heart, and steamy romance. Hazelwood's writing effortlessly captures the complexities of love and relationships, while also highlighting the challenges of navigating academic life. The chemistry between Olive and Adam is palpable, drawing readers in and keeping them invested in ...
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.
Chapter 10. On Wednesday, Olive and Adam are texting and teasing each other when Anh comes in and comments on how in love with Adam she is. Anh says that she feels better about dating Jeremy, since she sees how much Olive likes Adam. As Anh leaves, it dawns on Olive that Anh is right.
9781405296946. Physics genius Caro Kerber-Murphy knows she's smart. With straight As and a college scholarship already in the bag, she's meeting her two dads' colossal expectations and then some. But there's one test she's never quite been able to ace: love. And when, in a particularly desperate moment, Caro discovers a (definitely ...
An LGBT romantic comedy with a twist from the Comedy Women in Print prize winner Laura Steven, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay. A hilarious love story with bite, for fans of Sex Education, Booksmart, Becky Albertalli's Love, Simon and Jenny Han's To All The Boys I've Loved Before. Physics genius Caro Kerber-Murphy knows she's smart.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis has earned the title of being a "BookTok book" through being heavily read and discussed by content creators on TikTok. The romance novel has earned both praise and criticism from the community, with some hailing it for being sweet and funny ...
The Love Hypothesis. Paperback - 1 March 2020. by Laura Steven (Author) 4.0 90 ratings. See all formats and editions. EMI starts at ₹101 per month. EMI options. Save Extra with 2 offers. Bank Offer (32): 10% Instant Discount up to INR 1250 on Axis Bank Credit Card EMI Trxn.
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." —New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren "Funny, sexy, and smart. Ali Hazelwood did a terrific job with The Love ...
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Add to Goodreads I purchased this book with my own money, non ad/gifted. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating. This gifting in no way alters my review and I remain impartial. Published: September 14th 2021 by Berkley / Little Brown Rating: ★★★★★ (5) Genre:
Olive Smith. Olive Smith is the main character and protagonist of The Love Hypothesis. She struggles with her self-image and tends to focus on all the ways she feels messy, rather than all the accomplishments she achieves. Since her mother died 10 years ago, she's been alone, and her professional life is driven by the desire "to be less ...
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 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 also features great side characters like Anh and Olive's roommate Malcolm. However, it's Adam's bestie- Holden- who has my heart. Holden is a ball of sunshine, laid back, and charming. Holden is a great juxtaposition to the grump Adam, and I wish he was in the novel more, but he does steal the scenes that he is in.
"The Love Hypothesis" incorporates emails between students and faculty members regarding research collaborations, portrays the day-to-day life of Ph.D. students in and outside of their labs ...
The day before I was set to chat with Ali Hazelwood, the news broke that her debut novel The Love Hypothesis had officially become a New York Times bestseller, charting at #9 in print and at #11 ...
Written by Ali Hazelwood The Love Hypothesis follows the main character Olive in trying to convince her best friend, Anh into thinking that her dating life is going great. In order to convince Anh, she pretends to date her professor, Adam. Olive and Adam try to convince everyone around them they are in love. But while convincing everyone, they forget that their feelings are supposed to be fake.
Kids say ( 2 ): This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters.
The Love Hypothesis is a captivating and heartwarming romance that delves into the complexities of academia and love. The story revolves around Olive Smith, a dedicated PhD student, and Adam Carlsen, a charming and cocky professor. Both characters are beautifully crafted with depth and vulnerability, making them relatable and endearing to ...
This is a list of content warnings & content notes for The Love Hypothesis (includes mild spoilers): Death of one of the main characters' parents in the past (due to cancer) Workplace sexual harassment of the main character ( NOT from Adam, the love interest) Power differential (Olive is a student and Adam is a professor; they clear out their ...
the Love Hypothesis originally started as a fan fiction on the relationship between Star Wars characters Rey and Kylo Ren. The novel opted out the futuristic sci-fi setting for a classic modern-day university romance with Adam Carlsen as Kylo Ren and Olive Smith as Rey. The story centers around Olive Smith, a third-year PhD student who is ...