Summary

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. 

Review

Be still my #Reylotrash heart. 💕

Okay, so, if you didn’t already know this, The Love Hypothesis started its life as Reylo (Rey + Kylo Ren, Star Wars) fanfiction. Do you need to know anything about Star Wars to fully appreciate this book? No. Is it SUPER EXTRA LEVELS OF AWESOME if you do? Very much yes.

I’m not even sure where to start with my love of this book. It’s got tropes on tropes on tropes – a little mistaken identities, a little enemies to lovers (or at least slight animosity to lovers?), a heaping dollop of fake relationship, mutual pining… I just can’t. It’s too good, can I just read it again please? I finished reading a physical copy of this book and then immediately went and bought the audiobook version, because I knew it would be a multiple re-reads type of book.

The chemistry between Olive and Adam is explosive. Their banter is great, and also I kept picturing Adam Driver as Adam and, well, DROOL. In addition to being really funny and steamy and comfy, it also touches on some real issues with being a woman in STEM.

I am just STUNNED that this is Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel. You’d better believe I’ll be autobuying whatever she releases next.

A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.