I have a deep appreciation for the overall narrative presented in Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus. The story revolves around the brilliant chemist, Elizabeth Zott, who defies societal expectations and challenges gender norms in the male-dominated field of science during the early 1960s. As an individual who runs several different chemistry programs in my own line of work, I was particularly drawn to the premise of this book.

However, despite my initial excitement, I found myself grappling with conflicting emotions towards the main character. Elizabeth's struggle to be taken seriously resonated with me on a profound level, as I have experienced similar obstacles in my own career. I admired her determination and relentless pursuit of her goals. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but be put off by her pretentious and snobbish attitude throughout the narrative. It created a disconnect that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the story and hindered my ability to fully appreciate Elizabeth's journey.

It's important to note that personal preferences and subjective interpretations play a significant role in our enjoyment of literature. While I acknowledge the author's intent to create a complex and multi-faceted protagonist, Elizabeth's demeanor just didn't align with my own sensibilities. This, in turn, affected my overall reading experience.

Despite my reservations, I must commend the author for creating a vibrant and original story. Lessons in Chemistry explores themes of feminism, societal change, and the power of unconventional thinking. The supporting characters introduced throughout the book added depth and nuance to the plot, contributing to its overall richness.

While I greatly appreciate the storytelling and the underlying messages conveyed in Lessons in Chemistry, my inability to fully connect with the main character, Elizabeth Zott, hindered my complete enjoyment of the book. Nevertheless, I encourage readers to approach this novel with an open mind, as personal preferences may vary.

Omg! This book!!! I went in thinning it was a rom com and it was not! But what a wonderful and empowering book for women. I love that it has a woman in science. Awesome read!!

In "Lessons in Chemistry," Bonnie Garmus writes an great debut novel that effortlessly blends the worlds of science, romance, and personal growth. Set in the 1960s California, the story follows Elizabeth, a bright and determined young woman who navigates the challenges of pursuing a career in chemistry while grappling with matters of the heart.
Garmus's portrayal of Elizabeth is pretty amazing in my opinion. As a female in a male-dominated scientific field, Elizabeth faces a plethora of hurdles and challenges (plusieurs bâtons dans les roues in good ol' French) that can be quite familiar to many even in our contemporary era . Her resilience and passion for chemistry make her a truly inspiring protagonist, and readers will find themselves invested in her journey from the very start.
The storytelling is both accessible and engaging, making this novel an excellent choice for a wide range of readers. Whether you have a passion for science, an interest in historical settings, or simply enjoy a captivating romance with depth!!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more from this author. As a reader, I am really motivated by character driven stories and I found myself quickly becoming immersed in these characters’ lives. Full review to come.

This book seems to be a love it or hate it book based on reviews.  I read for sheer enjoyment and entertainment. As such,  I enjoyed this book. 


A female chemist in a man's world of 1960 who is a strong female character.  She must work with men who don't accept her worth. She is also a single mom before it became common place.   There is an interesting cast of characters around  her that serve to make this an enjoyable read. 


I'm curious to see how this will play out in the upcoming series.

T%his is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Bonnie Garmus you have outdone yourself with this book. I enjoyed the characters and all of the chemistry lessons along the way. Recipes to add to the fun makes this book a real joy. I have reviewed this book At ReviewThisReviews.com and put it out there how much this book was a delight to read.

This book is a great one to share with all your gal pals and your reading groups. You won't be disappointed.

A women in the 60's using science to cook. Brilliant! Was the book laugh out loud funny, nope. Would I recommend it? Yes. It was different than a lot of the books I read, and that in itself made it interesting. The cover and title are fabulous!
A sincere thank you to NetGallery for this book.

I LOVED this book so much. It's like if Taylor Jenkin Reid wrote Mad Men but set it in a chemistry lab and on daytime TV. Bonnie Garmus's writing is so smooth and accessible, just like TJR's, so if you enjoy TJR's work, I think Garmus will become a new favorite of yours :)

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist who refuses to minizer herself despite the world conspiring to keep her contained. Elizabeth is so inspiring, especially as a woman in science, I feel empowered by her voice and determination.

Lessons in Chemistry follows Zott through her career as she fights to pursue her research in abiogenesis during the 1950s but takes a slight detour into daytime TV where she hosts a cooking show based in food chemistry.

I believe it's best to go into this blind. Lovers of science, food chemistry especially, will find this fascinating. If you aren't a lover of science, don't worry, Garmus does a great job keeping the jargon to a minimum making the science bits feel digestible and accessible to all.

I also loved how Garmus wrote certain sections of the story from the perspective of Zotts dog, six-thirty. Animal lovers will find their relationship incredibly heartwarming.


TW: rape on page, death on page, suicide (mentioned)

I want to start off by saying that I really loved this book - a definite 5 star read for me. With that, I think there were issues with the marketing. While the synopsis fit the plot, the book seemed to be marketed as more of a chick lit book which I think did it a disservice. I went into it blind and based on the cover was expecting a lil beach read, so the tone and storyline progression threw me off a little (also aware this has nothing to do with the author - LOVED the UK cover), but once I got past that, I really loved the book.

I absolutely adored this book. This is a must read for everyone. It was so clever and made me laugh out loud with its quirky characters and feministic story. What a debut!

My instinct to take a shot at this story was right. This book is brilliant and devastating because it is a true raw human experience.

Written in two timelines, present day in 1961 and the other 1952, Lessons in Chemistry spans almost a decade of Elizabeth’s life. In the present timeline, Elizabeth is the cook of the show, Supper at Six and the story begins at a point when she is at her worst – one of the lowest moments of her life. And as the reader, all I could think about is what happened? I wanted to know how this brilliant chemist came to this life crisis.

It’s the 1950s when all-male teams are the norm – a woman may be on the team but it’s her colleagues who get the credit for her hard work. Elizabeth, being Elizabeth, isn’t afraid to fight for the recognition she deserves. She needs something for her experiments and decides to get them from Calvin, meeting him for the first time. Calvin changes her life in every way possible. They even have a dog named Six Thirty. Doesn’t that bring a smile to your face?

Calvin is a huge part of the plot even when he isn’t there. I felt that was woven very well into the story. His own backstory and how he came to become the person he did is important in solidifying the chain of events that take place.

This review is incomplete with talking about Eizabeth’s neighbour, Harriet. Harriet lived across from Calvin for many years and though she hadn’t interacted with him much, she had been a keen observer of what was happening across the street. Her personal life sucked so she took an interest in Elizabeth. She wants to get out of her marriage and doesn’t know how. She takes a leap of fate and offers the new mom, Elizabeth, her help. I loved how they met!

Harriet represents the women who are stuck at home and in marriages that do not bring them any happiness. Suddenly, they have a brilliant scientist called Elizabeth who is on TV with a no-nonsense attitude: I am going to teach you how to make dinner and if you follow all my instructions, it’s going to be great. Elizabeth is unapologetic and that’s what made her so loved by her audience. She is a woman standing in front of them all, cooking, talking about chemistry concepts that are supposed to be outside the realm of women. Elizabeth’s closing line at the end of every show, “Children, set the table, your mother needs a moment for herself”, is a gift Harriet gave to her, one she passes on to all the women who watch her show. A moment to themselves in the middle of a demanding life. I will never forget this line.

Lessons in Chemistry is not just the story of the brilliant chemist, Elizabeth and how she met Calvin, and how they had Madeline and how Elizabeth ended up on a cookery show. It’s also about Madeline and Harriet and the challenges women faced in the 1960s. Elizabeth is a fierce woman who carries a pencil in her hair and will stab you if you deserve stabbing. You’ll love her! Give this book a shot if you are a fan of strong female protagonists and how women have combated outdated societal norms and expectations, making a way for other women to strive.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book for an honest review.

I read this book in 2 days! The characters, although they should be considered outcasts by traditional definitions, are completely relatable and loveable. Six thirty steals the show at times! The plot is easy to follow, even as it goes back and forth between timelines, and I applaud Elizabeth’s forward thinking on women’s rights. How appalling that what we take for granted now was not readily and logically given not even 75 years ago. I eagerly await more books from this author!

Wow did I misjudge this book when I started it. I was expecting (and fearing) it was going in a "The Love Hypothesis" direction (not a dig at that book or author, I'm just not a romance novel gal). I could not have been more wrong, or happier about being wrong. This book was totally unique in my experience, a realistic look at the culture of misogyny in science and in life in the 1960s, and in a way that still rings true today.

Elizabeth Zott is a protagonist you can root for, literally every secondary character is either charming (the world's smartest dog, neighbour who becomes family Harriet, or single-father Walter for instance) or believably awful (Dr. Donatti, Phil Lebensmal, Mrs. Mudford). It feels real. It balances tragic experiences and systemic disadvantage with the power of knowledge and community. It was funny and enraging and hopeful and it will be the book I think about the next time I encounter or read about the kind of chauvinism it depicts and that still exists.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Random House Canada for the ARC

Named one of the best books of 2022 for a reason, Bonnie Garmus has made a splash with this hilarious, quotable, amazing debut novel. I can't wait for this to come to Apple TV+ and delight viewers the way it has captured readers. Garmus has made an impact and I am excited to see what she comes up with next!

This engaging novel, while set in a different era, is relevant and engaging. You'll find yourself rooting for the main character and her family as they navigate some very challenging circumstances with both grace and abject determination. A quick read with a feisty heroine -loved it from start to finish and found myself hoping there will be a sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was well written, characters were well developed and experienced personal growth, and the story was very interesting and entertaining. It’s been awhile since I’ve read something I enjoyed as much as this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC - my apologies for the delay in reading and reviewing.

I really wanted to love this book it was. Good not great though.. the heroine just didn’t feel real to me. I wished she was better portrait.

An expert experimental narrative driven with sly and ironic observation and surprising wit. I can see why the world was abuzz

The premise of this book was so interesting, I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up.

The story sucked me in, and I was invested in the characters right away. It was witty and funny, with Elizabeth (the main character)'s daughter being one of the best parts of the book.

It was a meaningful and lovely read. One of my top for the year.

Loved this book and it drew me right in. Smart and sophisticated. Sweet and surprising. A modern feminist take on love and work. Would love to see what’s next for Elizabeth Zott.