This was the best binge-read of the year so far. It was beautifully written and explained without bogging the reader down with the math and science of it all. It had a "Gift of the Magi" quality to it, but doesn't all love? I'll admit I had anticipated a few twists that were not there, but I was still delighted all the same. This will be one I remember for a long, long time,.

A poetic look at how love endures across time. This book is a slow burn that will give you all the feels.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry.
3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)

Physics prodigy, Sophie is out to prove the science of soul mates and true love. She meets financial whiz kid, Jake at Yale and they fall in love. They are inseparable during their four years there. Graduation arrives and one of them makes a choice that will change their lives forever. A litle heavy on the math and science, but still approachable. It was nice to see a female character in a book not be relegated to a simpering caricature or the eye candy of the male character. I wish she would have been written with a little more backbone and that Jake hadn't been such a controlling force in the book.

I'm not exactly sure how to categorize this book - romance, science, science fiction-ish, cautionary tale; I"ve just no clue. Besides that, though, I did end up enjoying this book. At times it was frustrating - why don't Sophie and Jake just reach out to each other and reconnect? At times, beautiful - the descriptions of Sophie's "hallucinations" that are more like actual experiences of her memories with Jake. And, at times it was unbelievable or sweet or naive, or full of hope.

My biggest difficulty will be in whom to recommend this book to. I just don't know which audience it will truly appeal to.

I liked the overall concept of this but it was a little too much math and physics for me to really enjoy it. Maybe someone with better understanding of physics would enjoy it more but that’s not a good romance to me

Can love transcend time? In Love Proof by Madeleine Henry, Sophie thinks so. A certified genius with a personalized education plan at Yale, Sophie is determined to make a breakthrough in the study of time. She meets Jake on her first day and they quickly become inseparable. Equally driven, he spends his four years of college in awe of her talent and intellect. Upon graduation, reality dawns and they are pulled apart. Or are they?

I really loved the first half of this book. I was fascinated by all the theory and scientific discussion. Unfortunately, it was ruined when one character makes a choice for the other for their own good. I hate it when characters, or people, do that. The result is one kind of success, but a great loss of another kind. I'm trying not to spoil the story for you in case you would like to read it yourself. The Goodreads rating is nearly four stars and the reviews are full of praise, but I was disappointed.

I loved how brilliant Sophie is. Smart women, especially geniuses on the verge of scientific discovery, really appeal to me. I have no problem with a character like that who is maybe a bit naïve with other more practical things in life, but this went too far. Sophie has no agency or strength of her own. It felt weak and that made me sad.

Rounded down to 2.5 stars

Unfortunately, I didn't love this book even though I really wanted to. I really like Sophie, a physics prodigy, and the idea of soul mates or the belief that those we love always being with it and her goal, scientifically to prove that. Yet, I couldn't like Jake no matter how hard that I tried because he just seemed to be controlling to me, and that was a turn off. Also, it was a bit too much scientific at times instead of focusing on the characters, which made it just fall flat for me and it was a struggle to get through.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

This was a different, sweet, unexpected gem of a book! Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy, so of course growing up she did not have any friends, she would rather have spent her time with a book than dealing with others. I mean really, who wouldn’t these days? She counted her mother as her best friend, but when it was time to go to college, her mother was hoping she would finally meet a few people, but Sophie was ok with studying and soaking up all that she could with books. Enter Jake Kristopher. He and Sophie have an instant connection, and they are immediately inseparable for most of their college years. Then suddenly Sophie has a different reality, but she is determined to prove that love conquers all, even time.

This was so sweet, and heartbreaking at times, but yet I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The storyline was so different, and I really liked the direction it went, not too predictable, science was woven in throughout, and I was rooting for Sophie the entire time. I have never met a couple like Sophie and Jake, and I loved their story and both of their journeys. My only complaint about this one is that man I was not ready for it to end. I wanted more time with these two but I will survive, I suppose. I recommend this one even if you aren’t a huge romance person, it reads a little more on the contemporary side and was just so different than anything I have read lately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the e-galley to review.

The Love Proof, by Madeleine Henry, is a beautifully written book about Sophie Jones, physics prodigy, who’s life work is to prove that people we love, will always be with us. Freshman year, at Yale, Sophie meets Jake and they fall into a unique relationship based on love and comfort. Both are young and naive and the relationship consumes them. During a down time in Sophie’s life, when all hope is lost, Sophie, goes back to her first love, physics. She will try to prove that true love, can last a lifetime, within all realties. The story is told over many years and the details and the character development is great. I felt like I knew both of the characters so well. I loved how the author told this story and loved how the characters intertwined. This was a five star read for me. This is my first book by Henry and it won’t be the last. Henry is such a beautiful story teller and I want to thank her and Netgalley for my copy for an honest review.

I struggled with this book. The beginning was cute with Sophie and Jake falling in love at Yale. I did like the emphasis that Sophie's mom put on her being an empathetic child building relationships and not just someone who was a genius. What ended up bothering me was Jake thinking that he was in control of Sophie and her life. The fact that he felt it was his duty to break up with her so that she could change the world was so self-centered. He didn't give her any choice or say in the matter, just decided he knew what was best and forced her to deal with it. And as a result, they both lived miserable lives. I don't even feel like the ending made the whole story worth it. Is a scientific breakthrough worth the happiness of your life? Basically... Sophie deserved better. It was an interesting concept and I like the idea of soul mates or whatever, but the execution was lacking for me.

I picked up Love Proof for Valentine’s Day and it was the perfect read!⁣ (thanks Atria books and NetGalley)
⁣
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). I wish the book was a little bit longer because I want to know more. This romance is mixed with a little something more that will make you question what love means and if its possible to stay true to yourself while loving someone else completely.

I can tell this is going to be an excellent book club book, because I did not like it at all and still wish I could have a cheese & cracker fueled conversation about exactly why. I know I am going to be in the minority on this one.

Henry’s writing is so readable and there are many interesting character dynamics in play, but the plot did not work for me at all. I kept waiting for the something, but everything remained flat.

My book club notes would be: wtf Jake, seriously; also, smartwatches?

I was very excited for this one but unfortunately it did not work for me. It took me quite a while to get into the story and I really lost interest again by the end.

I will say the character development was well done.

I will confess straight out that a lot of the physics Madeleine Henry discusses in The Love Proof went way over my head, so I just sort of handwaved that it all makes sense. Even if the science is beyond me, the emotions of this book certainly are not. Sophie and Jake are completely devoted to each other—they meet on the first day of college at Yale and spend the next four years in their own bubble of two, never interacting (as far as the reader can tell) with any other students or roommates. But her devotion to their relationship turns Sophie away from her study of physics, and Jake worries that she’s abandoning the brilliant future others have predicted for her. In an attempt to “help” Sophie reach her potential, Jake breaks off their relationship shortly after graduation. And while his decision does lead Sophie to the groundbreaking career Jake wants for her, it also launches both of them on solitary paths through life that are almost painful to read about.

The Love Proof is one of the most creative romances I’ve read in a long time, and Henry lets the story unfold with a patience that I didn’t feel while reading it! My biggest complaint is that I desperately wanted the book to be longer—while block theory might prove that Sophie and Jake’s story already has a complete beginning, middle, and end existing in time, I wished more of it had been set down on the page.

I really loved this book and I am not typically partial to romance sort of books. I loved it! Yes both were immature at Times but they were still adorable and still in love. It did make me sad that they hadn’t spent more time together because of his stubbornness mostly but it still felt redemptive.

Review will be posted on 2/25/21

Sophie and Jake are both freshman at Yale. Sophie is a brilliant physics prodigy determined to understand time and the universe. Jake is a scholarship student and has worked very, very hard to get to Yale and his focus is on finance. Despite their differences, they find themselves attracted to each other and feel an instant connection. This is all well and good except that Sophie is now distracted from her studies. The first taste of young love is all consuming and instead of throwing herself into her work, she is now spending all her time with Jake. They share something special, but as time goes on, Jake realizes that their relationship is stifling Sophie and he breaks it off. He says it is for her own good, but Sophie really struggles with this. Readers start wondering if she will ever rebound. Will she meet her full potential at Yale or squander all of her dreams living in the past with Jake? Meanwhile through her heartbreak, Sophie continues to examine how love and time are intertwined. Madeleine Henry's The Love Proof is a smart and unique love story that truly made me think.

Sophie is an interesting character in The Love Proof. Henry depicts a prodigy very well. I found her backstory to be very interesting, especially her childhood. The way that Sophie thinks about time also is very thought provoking and even if you don't have a background in physics, you can still appreciate her scientific discussions. So, obviously, The Love Proof is a very academic story.

Once Sophie meets Jake in The Love Proof, he balances her out in a way that I wasn't sure was even possible. He irons out her quirks and is a calming presence in her life, but the more they get involved, the more Sophie is removed from what makes her brilliant. Once they do separate, Sophie can't help but feel like they are still connected. This sends her on a mission to figure out the connection between love, time, and the universe.

Jake is an interesting character in his own right in The Love Proof. While I didn't always agree with his choices, I could understand where he was coming from. As the years go on, he becomes extremely successful, but he hasn't forgotten Sophie. I loved how even though there were times they weren't together, it seemed that in some way they were. Jake was always keeping an eye on Sophie as the years went on, which shows how he is also having trouble forgetting his first love.

If you are looking for a heartfelt read that will make you think, look no further. The Love Proof is probably one of the most intellectual books I've read in a long time and it had me wondering about life and connections right along with Sophie.

What a smart and interesting love story! The MC was unlike any other I've seen in novels lately, and that was refreshing to see. The STEM focus was also wonderful, and well-researched, too.

The Love Proof is a unique read. Reading the summary here on goodreads, you might think this is just another romance. Two people meet at college and fall in love. However, this is not at all your typical romance novel. It isn't steamy, it isn't a rom-com. It is the look at the life span of true love. Sophie and Jake meet when they are both Freshmen at Yale and are both immediately drawn to each other. Sophie started college as an award-winning math prodigy who some predicted would be the next Einstein. She has a private class with a physics professor who has high hopes of having a breakthrough. However, Sophie is lured away from her studies by her deepening love for Jake. As a young adult, a shocking change in her life makes Sophie turn her attention back to physics and she winds up making a big break through. The book follows Sophie and Jake through multiple decades of their life.

There is a lot of theorizing about love, time, physics etc. in this book along with themes of being all absorbed by love and listening to your heart vs. your head. It is definitely an intellectual take on love but approachable and readable. Sophie is always young at heart and is described several times as seeming younger than her age. She is definitely someone who falls deep into her passions, whether it's love or her studies. For me, there was definitely a feeling of sadness for time wasted in this one, similar to how I felt years ago when I read Captain Corelli's Mandolin. We are left wondering "what if".

I rate this between 3.5 and 4 stars.

I was hooked into this story right from the beginning. I instantly connected with the main characters and their story enveloped me until the end. There were both happy and sad times, which are needed for a really good book. I truly enjoyed reading this book. This is my book club’s pick for this month and luckily we are getting to chat with the author via Zoom. I would definitely recommend this book for book clubs and those who enjoy contemporary fiction with romance. If you haven’t read any romance and you’re wanting to try it, this would be a great choice. It has a really good balance of the characters’ lives with the romantic relationship mixed in there. It doesn’t go overboard with anything. It feels right for the story.

Beautifully written, deeply emotional, and all-too timely, The Love Proof is a gorgeous story about a brilliant woman who sets out to scientifically prove that the ones we love are always connected to us—even when we are physically apart.

The Love Proof is a metaphysical romance, which is a unique take on romance fiction that explores love in its many forms.

Is love an emotion?

An experience?

Is it a kind of desire?

Are other kinds of love fundamentally different from romantic love?

I appreciated all the research Madeleine Henry did for this book, and sometimes too many facts it seems could take away than add to the story.

The transitions between scenes, chapters, and storyline could be better, as I found myself going back and rereading when I would get lost. An adjustment on the pacing will really improve the flow, which would tell the story better, and really take this book to astronomical heights.

I loved the setting of the story, and and how we were able to follow through with the characters many many years later. I thought the last part of the story was somewhat rushed and some things still needed to be resolved in order to fully round out the complete story. However, I still got the overall theme and message between the main characters Jake and Sophie, and what Henry wanted to accomplish in this novel.

For a unique take on love and it’s many forms, this is a book for you.