I have finally finished watching all seasons of The Big Bang Theory and I am currently up to date with Young Sheldon episodes. I say this because this book has that type of vibe to it. I adored this book. It is a perfect blend of nerdy science and theory with an unconventional love story that breaks your heart into millions of pieces.

Sophie is a series Physics student and has an interesting approach to solving time. She is known for her work and all that she can accomplish but that is put in jeopardy when she meets Jake. Jake is a serious person as well and they have to make some intense decisions along their paths.

"Why didn't the world's most brilliant woman have any idea of her own importance."

I have to say I often had the same above thought about Sophie the main character of this very unique love story.

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry is often a gut wrenching look at love wasted and at other times a brilliant new take on eternal love. Sophie is a physics prodigy at Yale when she meets fellow student and finance prodigy Jake. They have an instant connection and she eventually makes her life about him. Jake nobly feels her mind can change the universe and sacrifices their love for the greater good or does he?

Sophie sets out to prove that love is more than emotion and there is science behind the connections we feel and that those feelings exist through time eternal. I found this premise both amazingly analytical and poetic at the same time.

The writer has written the science portions of this novel in a way that any layperson can understand it. Trust me on this fact! Sophie is someone I understood. She is strong in her convictions of what she knows is true but does not often believe in herself to live in that truth. She is flawed but that made her very real to me.

Jake was a very frustrating character for me. I just found his flaws more self serving than Sophie's flaws. Are they the perfect couple meant to be? Can they find their way back to each other? Reading their story may just change your whole outlook on true love and what it really means.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
A week after finishing this book, I am still shocked at how upset and angry I was after reading this.

I loved the concept – in fact, Sophie's research, her theories, and how she lives her life were to me entirely understandable, but how she could just gloss over someone making such a huge decision on her behalf, that I will never get. Grrrr! I told you I was angry.

The romance was so spoiled by the arrogant, unfair, and ultimately selfish and stupid decision. I genuinely cannot get past how mad it made me. I don't care if it was done with a good intention, it was hateful, hurtful, and ruined everything that had gone before.

So, I enjoyed the academic ideas, I found some of the side characters vital to keep me reading, but Jake... yeah, not a good guy, not ever.

I just ADORED this one. Review and Giveaway! {#partner @atriabooks} Don’t you love books that surprise you? This one did, in the best way! This is the story of Sophie and Jake, who meet their first week at Yale, and are instantly drawn to each other. Sophie is a brilliant physics prodigy, while Jake has goals in the finance world. The book follows their relationship through several years, as they each grapple with big questions about love, their future careers, and their purpose in life. The writing is lyrical, smart, and deeply emotional, and the characters are beautifully drawn. I inhaled this in two days and felt strangely bereft when I finished—I missed the characters and wanted to know what happens next! If you love a deeply romantic story that is anything but your typical romance, don’t miss this one! Out 2/9.

This was a different book for me. It surprisingly delved rather deeply into physics. And while this book took time for me to get into it, it was a wonderful book. So, if you start reading it, don’t give up as it grows on you and it would be sad to miss out on such an original and lovely story.
Sophie was a prodigy from a young age and her mother tried to instill love into her life along with all manner of life outside of books. She always kept her in her proper grade and never let her advance too fast.
Jake had a rough life growing up that was filled with love until his dad changed. There were many lean years so he vowed to himself that he would have everything. Luckily, he’s prodigy in finance.
They meet their first week at Yale and instantly become a couple. Soon, Sophie doesn’t care about school anymore and during their second year together, Jake makes a tough choice hoping to get Sophie back to school, knowing she’s meant for great things.
While Jake was correct, he didn’t really understand what Sophie was working on although his plan seemed to spur her in the direction she needed to go.
There’s a great deal to love about this book but it was rather sad that so much time was wasted, although at the same time, it could really only happen the way it was written.
One thing really bothered me and that’s how much her mother loved her but she was basically dropped out the book with just snippets and I found that odd. It was integral to the book but strange considering how much love was there between them.

Two college students find true love and vow to stay together forever. When one of them makes a drastic decision, however, the other does everything she can to find a way to prove the tangibility of their love. Author Madeleine Henry intertwines science and feelings in the thoughtful, touching novel The Love Proof.

Freshman Sophie Jones arrives at Yale with the eyes of every person in the physics department on her. She’s a bona fide prodigy, one of those kids who did complicated calculations in their heads in elementary school. Experts say she has the potential to explain the mysteries of the universe with her intelligence.

Sophie doesn’t see herself as anything special. In fact, she’s always felt a little out of place with other people. Her parents adore and support her, even as her mother worries about her being isolated. Yet it’s when she’s alone that Sophie is happiest and most content.

In her first week at Yale, then, she’s shocked when she finds herself drawn to fellow freshman Jake Kristopher. Jake makes her feel like she’s home. She keeps getting the sense she’s known him for ages, that they’ve always been together in spirit. Jake feels exactly the same way, and within days they’re spending every free moment together.

Robert Malchik, Sophie’s advisor, starts the school year more excited than he’s been in a long time. Sophie’s gifts could forge new paths. In their first meeting, she says she wants to use physics to show that people can actually observe time and not just the fact that it’s passing. Malchik knows his own profile in the department and the university will go up by several notches with Sophie as his protégé.

Except ever since Sophie met Jake, she wants to do nothing but spend all of her own time talking to him, sitting with him, and loving him. Jake, too, feels like Sophie is his soulmate. With a difficult start in life, he’s starting to hit his stride as a student at Yale and Sophie makes his life complete.

Jake wants Sophie by his side every step of the way, and Sophie is eager to join him. But she starts neglecting her own work, and Jake is horrified at the thought that she’s so willing to give up so much of herself when it’s clear she still has so much to give to the world. Their bond defies rational thinking, but Jake knows for once they’ll have to approach their relationship in a cool-headed manner if Sophie is ever to fulfill her potential.

Author Madeleine Henry accomplishes that rare feat of using science to explain love and make it engaging. Sophie’s immense gift in physics means several mini lessons in the subject, but Henry doesn’t drag the lessons out. Combining complex concepts with easy-to-understand examples, Henry proves that even science can be romantic.

Both Sophie and Jake are endearing characters. Sophie’s childlike innocence will make readers yearn for their own childhoods. Jake’s determination to achieve his dreams no matter what it takes will remind readers of their own doggedness. Yet it’s Jake’s graciousness in accepting Sophie’s gift, and his demand that she continue exploring it, that makes this novel the perfect read for Valentine’s Day. Jake is real and flawed, but he also loves Sophie enough to push her toward her potential—even if she herself is reluctant to go there.

The only drawbacks of the novel come in two facets. The first is the use of omniscient voice. While it helps to establish the old-world romance feel the book projects, it also forces a little bit too much of a slowdown of reading.

The second drawback comes in the lack of development of Sophie and Jake’s parents. In particular, early in the book Sophie’s mother is her greatest champion, but midway through she nearly disappears. Vague references to her only make her loss that much more pronounced, a shame because Henry did such a fantastic job of sketching Sophie and Jake’s mothers with such few words. A few more lines would have helped round out the narrative about them too.

Despite that, this novel is a lovely treatise on the power of love and its inexplicable pull on everyone—even world-class scientists. Fans of love stories will thoroughly enjoy this one. I recommend readers Bookmark The Love Proof.

I'd give this story 4.5 stars! I'm deducting a half a star because there was just so much wasted time in this story between Sophie and Jake. Sophie is a brilliant physics student and Jake is a budding tycoon when they meet during their freshman year at Yale. Insta-love ensues but the way that this author describes it, it felt believable. Their love is all consuming and it brings up the question as to whether a love that deep can prevent those in the relationship from achieving their goals. Does true love transcend time? Believe it or not, the author uses physics to explain time theory in an engaging manner for this reader who was not a fan of Physics in high school or college! I couldn't put the book down. Angst warning for those who don't like that.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in return for my honest review.

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry is a poignant, thought-provoking romance that will take you on a philosophical deep dive. This beautifully written romance combines science, love, time, and the power of human connection into one heartbreaking story.

I was absolutely enthralled by this novel. The characters were complex and raw, which made me feel deeply for both of them. The story was emotional, beautiful, and left me pondering all sorts of questions. I didn’t read the blurb of this one and honestly I’m glad I went in blind. Take a chance on this one and let it take you on a captivating journey.

Huge thank you to Atria for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

A book weaving together love and time sounded perfectly appropriate for this time of year! At Yale University, Sophie Hones, a child prodigy studying physics and focusing on time, meets Jake, a scholarship student striving for financial success on Wall Street. The two are drawn to one another from the very first instant, feeling remarkably comfortable and intimate with one another. The omniscient writing style may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it works well here to provide additional insight into supporting characters and lends a fairy tale quality to this otherwise intellectual romance.

But the book itself is compelling - though the characters themselves are not always likable... the separation of the two felt a bit overly manufactured and forced, nor did I expect this book to cover quite as much time as it did. And the physics angle, as well as the other scientific facts into astronomy and other subjects, while interesting, served to draw the story out a bit. The author paints the university itself in quite a flattering light but this wasn't quite the light-hearted romance that I expected.

3.5 / 5

I think if I would have looked at this book through a purely scientific lens, I would have enjoyed it much more. But I went in believing this was a love story, and it is, but a despairing one.

Sophie Jones has a brilliant mind for physics, and early on her parents raised Sophie to love the world around her. When Sophie starts her studies at Yale, she works independently with Professor Malchik on her time theory.
Sophie is fascinated with time; she wants to prove that we can physically see time.

Sophie becomes distracted when she meets Jake Kristopher in her Intro to Psych class. They quickly start a whirlwind first-love romance. Sophie is late to her meetings with Dr. Malchik and soon her motivation for her work seems gone. Sophie begins to wonder if love can affect the movement of time.

Life takes a harsh turn and Sophie is left grasping for what to do, but time moves on. Eventually, she returns to what she knows: physics. She is determined to prove that there is such a thing as one true love in time and space.

Sophie, although very somber, was a character I liked, but I ached for her. Jake and his thought patterns were odd. I understand, wanting someone you love to chase their dreams and ambitions, but this seemed extreme, and a little self-centered. I did appreciate the speculative science in this story; time is a fascinating concept.

Thank you to @atriabooks for the digital ARC

Wow, all I can say is, this story kept me giggling! You will find yourself laughing out loud as you are reading THE LOVE PROOF by Madeleine Henry. She will have your emotions all over the place. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Sophie! What an awesome story. All of Madeleine’s characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again.


THE LOVE PROOF is a different story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down! You also won’t be able to stop yourself from laughing at Sophie and the situations she gets herself into! When Sophie meets Jake her life changes almost instantly! Both of them are so sure they know each other from a different place or different time.


THE LOVE PROOF is a book I never thought I would enjoy. I don’t do science or time travel but I actually loved it. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. Madeleine Henry sure knows how to hook the reader with an awesome story. I can’t wait to read more by Madeleine. She pushes the reader to ask the questions about love at first sight, soul mates, and if there is such a thing as instant love.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love.... I believe everyone has their own true love story. Each is unique, and so special. My love story with my husband started when I was 14, I am now 52. It stretches thru time and grows as we grow. That love gave us a son, and continues to grow today.

The Love Proof by Madeline Henry is another unique love story. Sophie is a child prodigy. She is what I would call book smart, but not smart in the ways of the world. I believe that she doesn't know her own true worth and when she meets Jake and finds her love, she gives him everything. In giving him everything she loses part of herself. Love Proof is a love story about having faith and knowing your heart.

I absolutely loved this book. The premise was so unique, while at the same time, relatable and easy to read. The story follows the lives of a young couple who meet in college. One is an academic prodigy, slated to solve some of the world's most unsolvable questions, and the other is poised for a strong financial career.

They fall in love deeply and quickly, and when it seems to distract the prodigy's future, her boyfriend ends the relationship so as not to slow her down. The rest of the story follows the course of their separate lives until they are finally reunited, learning that the most important lesson of all is how much we love and the relationship we have. I absolutely loved this story, the characters, and its moving message. I highly recommend this and plan on sharing my full review on my website closer to its February 2021 publication date.

Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

February is the month of love, friendships, romance. The Love Proof combines all these wonderful things into a wonderfully written, super unique novel, with an interesting take on romance, and the equations of love. I loved Sophie’s character, I definitely related to her on so many levels, super introverted and I loved school, learning, all the assignments.

When Sophie falls in love, everything is wonderful. It’s when the relationship doesn’t go quite as expected that she starts questioning everything about love, and what it truly means.

Like many of us do, we try to find answers online, answers that are non necessarily Google-able if you know what I mean. But Sophie is determine to find the right equations to answer her questions on love, and soulmates.

This book is so good, perfect for this month of February. It reminded me of some of my favorite rom com movies, and read so much like one, I could envision it on the big scree. *Maybe someday*. I highly recommend this witty, cute romance novel, you’ll love it, and you’ll find it keeps you page turning, AND almost wish it was bit longer :)

Madeleine Henry's new novel The Love Proof proves that she is a gifted writer. Sophie Jones is a beautiful and innocent college freshman when she meets handsome and kind Jake Kristopher in their first week at Yale. Sparks fly between them and their love is quick and intense. There is much more to both characters than their looks. Sophie is an Einstein like physics protege who will study time privately with a professor as her mentor. Jake longs to make a fortune as a hedge fund manager and works tirelessly to reach this goal. Jake realizes four years into their relationship that Sophie is no longer the intense physicist he fell in love with. She cares only about him and his success. He believes he must end their relationship to allow Sophie to reach her stratospheric potential. Henry's thought provoking plot is full of interesting characters and back stories. The Love Proof will definitely tug at your heartstrings.

Every once in a while, I find a book that just quietly settles in my heart. Madeleine Henry does this in THE LOVE PROOF with a story that challenges love’s place in the universe and its power to reach through time and space.

I worried initially that the science shared within the pages of THE LOVE PROOF would pull me out of the book. Instead, the science is shared in a way that readers can relate to. And, while the story alternates through the past and present, it’s easy to follow.

There’s very little I can share about the actual plot without giving away the story. THE LOVE PROOF is equal parts academic and heart-wrenching and it sings to the power of love and how it affects time and space throughout the universe.

4 Stars. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This is one of those interesting reads where I am not sure if my rating would apply to everyone. Just to people who go in looking for similar things to me. If you go in looking for the science-aspects related to this story, you may enjoy it more. Unfortunately, I was more interested in how the romantic-love aspects would play-out in this story about science as it was the driving force. So, it really is a case of it could still be for you.

I kept waiting for more from this book. THE LOVE PROOF is a cross between fantasy romance and speculative fiction but not in the sense of faeries and vampires ‘fantasy’. This is the kind of fantasy where true love is revealed as a primary force in the universe; love as a beacon allowing humans to transcend three dimensional time and space. Except it is discussed endlessly rather than portrayed in an enticing fashion, and so, I kept hoping and waiting for more from author Madeleine Henry. This is more a book of ideas than one of relationships, although it masquerades as ‘women’s fiction.’ It has received glowing reviews and I am in a minority with my rather qualified impression. So, read it and see what you think. I received my copy from the publisher from NetGalley.

2.5 stars

The Love Proof by Madeleine Henry is about a physics prodigy named Sophie Jones who plans to prove her theory about the nature of time while studying at Yale. But shortly after she arrives at school, she falls in love with Jake Kristopher. Their whirlwind romance distracts Sophie and ultimately leads her on a new mission to use physics to prove the correlation between love and time.

This book was a very unique love story, and it definitely didn't follow the patterns of a traditional romance. And it was not at all what I was expecting. I read a blurb that said it was perfect for fans of The Time Traveler's Wife, and I guess I was expecting actual time travel to happen in this book. But that didn't happen. This book is more of a philosophical and theoretical book about time, not a book about time travel. So I was a bit disappointed, because I kept waiting for something to happen. Instead it was mostly just the characters talking about their theories about time.

I didn't love the writing style. It is written in third person and shifts back and forth between explaining the thoughts and feelings of all the characters, and with all the shifting, I just never felt connected to any of them. It was also hard to root for Sophie and Jake, as their romance was so immediate. I didn't feel any connection build between them, so it was hard to emotionally connect with their story. I probably connected better with Sophie, but Jake was not an appealing character for me and I struggled to understand why Sophie was so in love with him.

So, this book was a bit of a miss for me. But I did appreciate the unique concept, and I may have enjoyed it more if I started the book with different expectations. If you enjoy a philosophical story with a lot of thinking and not a lot of action, this unformulaic romance might be a good fit.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for sending me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

In THE LOVE PROOF, Madeleine Henry tells the story of Sophie and Jake, who fall soul-deep into love in college at Yale and whose relationship threatens their potential futures and gifts to share with the world. Ultimately, the choice for each is between their inner gifts and their love -- and in this story, heart beats intellect, however brilliant and amazing that intellect might be. I so enjoyed this book for its lush descriptions, deep exploration into each character's brilliance and how one's genius works within one's life, one's family, work, and love. I thrilled at every turn of events, never knowing what was going to happen next, but trusting a terrific author and storyteller to tell this incredible story with rarely seen kindness, candor, and art. I received an early reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.