A female STEM nerd falling in love? Sign me up.

The problem is that Ali Hazelwood's books are all the same: She's shy but a super genuis. No one understands her. Petite but with a good body. The men are always tall and handsome and surprise surprise, their cocks are huge and they know how to use it.

Hazelwood clearly knows her audience (geeky women), and her knowledge of the STEM world is on par. Sometimes she can go over on the pop culture references, but her audience is def younger women rather than her own age group (Hazelwood is pushing 40). All her novels are also enemies to lovers. That's the trope she's comfortable with.

Which, to be honest, is annoying because there are women in STEM who have long careers who also need love to. Why Hazelwood isn't taking this formula and running with it with the older crowd is disappointing.

The sex is fine. I've read better and I've read worse.

But the thing is, Hazelwood's books are candy and I'll be hate reading her stuff as it comes out. I do recommend her titles because she's tackling women who are often over look but I'll check them out of the library or grab it on Netgalley rather than buying it.

Ali Hazelwood did it again. In her follow up to The Love Hypothesis, she transported us back into a strong Stem-Fem led romance with an MMC to root for.

Another reylo fan fic? Perhaps, but even so, I loved this book. I'm also a sucker for enemies to lovers. Bee and Levi were adorable, and I like strong female characters. Its a slow burn romance, but it was worth the wait. Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.

After reading and loving The Love Hypothesis, I was so excited to read Love on the Brain. And it didn't disappoint. I actually think I loved this one even more. It was swoony, angsty, and just so delightful all around. The women in STEM aspect is always so interesting to me because science is not my thing, but I love to see women dominating in a male-dominated field! I can't wait to read more from her!

Thank you so much Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

Well, there is no doubt about it. I loved it! Ali Hazelwood just gets the perfect balance of nerdy and romantic, and Bee is such a relatable, quirky, lovable main character. I was rooting for her from page one. And Levi? Don’t even get me started. The grumpy-but-secretly-soft dynamic? Yes. Always yes. The banter between Bee and Levi had me smiling like an idiot, and I loved the slow burn tension that built up as they started working together. Their chemistry was just so good. Plus, all the STEM vibes and NASA setting made this feel fresh and unique. I learned a little, swooned a lot, and stayed up way too late reading. Also, props to Ali Hazelwood for writing female characters who are smart, ambitious, and funny without it ever feeling forced. I seriously didn’t want it to end. I'm excited to continue to jump into her work, especially as a STEM girlie myself!

Ali Hazelwood is very popular and I'm really glad other people enjoy her books, but they are not for me. Thank you for the ARC.

Listen, I went into Love on the Brain expecting science, banter, and some top-tier pining—and Ali Hazelwood delivered. We’ve got:

📚 Enemies to Lovers (or so Bee thinks...)
🏆 Workplace Romance (NASA, baby!)
🎭 Miscommunication (so much miscommunication)
🤝 Forced Proximity (hello, co-leads!)
💪 STEMinist Vibes (girl power meets lab coats)

Bee is quirky, hilarious, and obsessed with Marie Curie to a degree that might be concerning. Levi is the classic broody, secretly-in-love-with-her-all-along love interest, and the man is down bad. He glares. He broods. He literally makes a cat door to impress her. Iconic.

The tension? A++. The longing? Off the charts. The science? I think it made sense, but I was mostly here for the yearning.

Why not 5 stars? The conflict wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking, and sometimes Bee was so oblivious to Levi’s feelings I wanted to shake her. But overall, this book is nerdy, flirty, and full of swoony moments. If you love The Love Hypothesis, STEM heroines, and men who fall first and HARD, this one’s for you!

Also, bonus points for Schrodinger the cat.

Ahh! This was so cute! I absolutely LOVE all of Ali Hazelwood’s books! I love how she always brings awareness to the treatment of women in STEM and how she also always delivers a beautiful, well written romance with lots of swoon and spice! Bee and Levi were the cutest and I loved every minute of this book!

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy! This one wasn’t for me or the right fit for my mood at the time.

From Goodreads in 2022:

I'll admit, I was a little nervous going into Ali Hazelwood's second book. I loved The Love Hypothesis so much, and was afraid that Love On The Brain wouldn't live up to the legacy as has happened with past authors. But oh boy, did it. I truly can't decide which of her books I love more at the moment. They were both so good. I was given the opportunity to read this book before it's release date as courtesy of Ali, her publishing team, and the NetGalley team. (My first ARC!!!! In all my years of reading, l've never gotten the opportunity. Needless to say, screams were heard all throughout the house, and there was some excited jumping involved.) I easily tore through this book in just a few days. As I said before, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But it was such a refreshing plot and setting. It's enemies to lovers, of course, but is set in NASA of all places, and has so many layers to the story and different plot lines to follow I was concerned about how it would all be tied up in the end. This book was refreshing in a way that it went a little deeper than most ETL romances in that it included workplace sabotage, unusual family dynamics, real life problems for women in STEM, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this. One thing l've always loved of Ali's work is how you feel like you're REALLY connecting to the narrator, as they feel like a legitimate person with so many relatable thoughts and phrases and personality traits. (I'm personally obsessed with Bee being a die hard cat lady. Me too, girl.) I really loved this book, and can't wait to see what Ali Hazelwood brings to the table next. She's definitely made it to the list of authors for me where if they publish it, I read it. I'm super grateful I got the opportunity to read this book a little bit early. It made my little fan girl heart happier than I can explain.

I love Ali Hazelwood, she can do no wrong. I took a break from her books for a while, but after reading Bride, I knew I had to get back into her catalogue. I find her writing reads like a fanficiton (we all know why) but I love that! It's quick paced and always grabs my attention.

I'm kind of getting sick of reading the same type of plotline of these STEM books - even the spicy scenes read exactly the same in all Hazelwood's books. It just gets kind of boring after a while - and the way the character talks to herself and saying really obvious things all the time is mind numbing.

Not my favorite Ali, but I still enjoyed! This one leaned a little bit TOO far into the science which does not appeal to me as a reader. I also found the 'spice' to be a little... off... to me. Overall, it was fun but probably will be forgettable. Thank you for ARC!

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood had its moments, but overall, it didn’t quite click for me. The STEM setting was fun, and the quirky banter had potential, but the characters felt a bit too similar to her previous work. The plot was predictable, and the pacing dragged in places. While it’s a decent read if you love the author's style, it didn’t have the spark I was hoping for.

Ali Hazelwood is just so good at what she does. She fully immerses the reader in the world she's writing without getting bogged down in detail (or coming off as if she doesn't know what she's talking about).

actual rating: 3/5 stars

love on the brain by ali hazelwood was a solid read, but, much like its predecessor the love hypothesis, it had some interesting moments that i can't fully get behind. let’s start with the good: the stem elements were pretty fun, and i actually learned a lot about neuroengineering and brain science, which i wasn’t expecting. i also appreciated the marie curie references—it gave bee, our protagonist, a unique vibe and helped build her character. i’m all for nerdy romance where we get to see a woman thriving in a traditionally male-dominated field. it was a nice change of pace from the usual rom-com setup.

that said, this book has some issues i can’t ignore, the main one being the "enemies to lovers" trope that felt more like "misunderstandings to lovers." bee spends a lot of time assuming that levi hates her, mostly because he’s not all up in her personal space, complimenting her at every turn. but when you think about it, there wasn’t much animosity on levi’s end. sure, he was a little distant, but was that really “enemy” behavior? the conflict felt a bit manufactured, and bee’s constant jumping to conclusions about levi’s feelings made it hard to believe in their “enemy” relationship. the back-and-forth was more about bee overthinking things than actual tension between them.

then there’s the spice, which... honestly, i don’t know what ali hazelwood is trying to do with these scenes. in love on the brain, we get dry humping against abs and tracing bulges, and i’m just sitting here thinking, what am i reading? i get that this is supposed to be spicy, but at some point it just became comical. i had to roll my eyes a few times at how over-the-top the physicality was. look, i know these books are supposed to be steamy, but sometimes i couldn’t help but wonder if i was reading a ya novel that accidentally slipped into an adult romance. the spice was... just not it for me.

character-wise, bee was fine, but there were moments where she didn’t make a lot of sense. she has this phd-level brain, but she’s also extremely prone to overthinking and jumping to conclusions. levi, on the other hand, was a bit of a cardboard cutout—tall, broad, mysterious, and, for the most part, just there. i didn't feel any real chemistry between them until the very end, and even then, it was hard to buy into their sudden connection after all the assumptions bee had made about him.

as for the ending? well, it took a sharp turn that i wasn’t expecting. suddenly we were in thriller territory, and it kind of threw me off. it felt like hazelwood tried to cram in one last twist for the sake of drama, and it didn’t quite work for me. it felt disconnected from the rest of the book’s tone.

overall, love on the brain is an easy, quick read with some funny and sweet moments, but it definitely has its flaws. the enemies-to-lovers dynamic didn’t quite deliver, and the spice left me shaking my head more than anything. if you’re a fan of hazelwood’s other books, you’ll probably enjoy this one, but if you’re like me and looking for a bit more depth in your romance, it might not be the one for you.

Love on the Brain is a delightful read, blending themes of science, enemies-to-lovers, and steamy, spicy scenes. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and the witty banter adds an enjoyable layer to their evolving relationship. The scientific setting provides a unique backdrop, making it feel fresh and engaging. The tension between the characters builds beautifully, leading to moments that are both heartwarming and sizzling. With its mix of humor, romance, and irresistible chemistry, this book is a perfect recommendation for fans of fun, steamy reads with a touch of nerdy charm. I’ll definitely be recommending it!

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended

Ali hazelwood cane write a book with a grocery list and I'll read it. this book is just so whole some. I Love every single character, and I am obsessed with every single of them. Ali has a way to talk about STEM without me feeling crazy or ignorant.