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Member Reviews

4.5 star

A super cute YA novel!! I adored the main characters so much, they both were relatable specially the FMC because I could see myself when I was younger. Such an empowering reading for girls and love the romance. There is not much to say just go read it!


Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange of an honest review :)

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This book was SOOO good. I loved seeing women in STEM and loved how the main character wasn't scared to be herself. I loveee the academic rivals to lovers trope so much so this was right up my ally. Would 100% recommend

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This was a cute YA book I was excited to read and fly through (only 270 pages!). I thought there was a bunch of quirky and silly references but overall it was a cute and quick read. Told from multiple perspectives, this story is about Bel and Teo who are an unlikely pair but fall for each other anyway. I do wish this was a rivals to lovers trope which i think could shave added to the spice a little more, but instead this was just a teammates getting to know each other and fall in love.

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4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday house for an ARC of this book!

I find myself struggling with ya romance these days, but this one was great! I LOVE the woman in stem trope in books, and this was done so well. The banter between Teo & Bel was everything!
One thing I really liked was the fact that the characters were pretty mature, and that’s hard to find in high school romance books.
Also, Bel is HILARIOUS. I love her and I want to be her best friend.
I definitely recommend this book!

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This was a charming story with a lot of potential, but at time the writing felt flat. The plot was interesting, but I had a hard time staying engaged in the book. The dialogue was forced, and at times didn't seem like teenagers.

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I'm a bit late for this, but I enjoyed this book. Of course, there were things that could have been done better in my opinion such as Theo's and Bel's rivalry going on for a little longer. The book's pacing was somewhat weird at specific points, but overall I loved this book.

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As a fan of stories about women in STEM, I was excited to read this YA take on the subject. I liked how the novel balanced coming-of-age storylines (including a romance) with social commentary about sexism within STEM and the pressure high schoolers face to achieve. The story is told through dual narrators, high-schoolers Bel and Teo, and I found both of their storylines compelling. Without getting too spoiler-y, I did really enjoy how the author handled the ending, giving the characters a happy ending while also allowing them to grow individually.

My Mechanical Romance reminded me a bit of Ali Hazelwood's STEM romances for adults, and this book is a good option for teens. I'd also recommend to fans of Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks.

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I love a good YA romance, and I really liked how this one had more depth with real struggles. Not just surface level issues.
Teo and bel were so cute together. I loved the banter between them. The characters had such great chemistry together. I loved seeing them bond over robotics.

I’m deducting a star only because I feel like the “fall out” was just ehh. Like just a fall out for the sake of having one in there. But overall, I would recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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i'll give the book 3 stars. The writing was okay, and the romance was average. Nothing remarkable, but was an enjoyable read. The Filipino rep was terrible. I think it was a decent YA book.

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Extremely extremely late to giving a review on this book. But here goes.
I read this book in one sitting which is insane because I normally try my best to stay away from young romance novels.
Oh my God you guys, I'm not really into the science thing because I really don't like it, but this book was amazing.
The representation was spot on, and I love how each character that was necessary was given enough "screen time"
This book deserves nothing less than 5 stars

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I'm going to be honest, it was the title that drew me to it as a massive MCR fan back in the day! That and the cover is beautiful but when I read the synopsis I got even more excited because STEM!

My Mechanical Romance is like Robot Wars with romance as well as a realistic look at what the world of STEM is like, particularly for women and people of colour. While Neelam might seem unlikeable to some given how hostile she is to Bel, she's integral to illustrating to Bel that the world of STEM isn't going to be a walk in the park but luckily the girls have one of their teachers, Ms. Voss to encourage them which was beautiful to see.

Bel was a super easy MC to relate to, she isn't sure what she wants or what she's doing and I think that's something a lot of people, teens or older, do struggle with at times. It was so satisfying to see her figure it all out and come into her own with it.

I really loved the banter and the chemistry between Teo and Bel, I shipped them so bad and I liked that Teo could open up to Bel and be different with her than the others and that Bel wasn't going to just go along with Teo and she pushed back against him.

While it did take me a little to get into this book, I really enjoyed it ultimately and the romance was really cute!

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This romance was so cute and funny. The characters were all interesting and unique and I found myself rooting for them individually, not just for the relationship. The STEM themes were really well done and I enjoyed the commentary about sexism in the field.

Overall, really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more YA from this author!

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edit : it has come to my attention that the filo rep wasn't depicted well and i can't say i was a huge fan of the indian rep either.

although the beginning is a bit difficult to get into, this book picked up quickly and was a wonderful journey right till the acknowledgements. bel and teo had a great dynamic but labeling them as academic rivals to lovers was a wrong choice since they had one argument which was sorted out pretty quickly. however, i loved how the sexism in STEM was tackled.

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This was such a lovely book with lots of important topics, mostly concerning college and leaving high school, which should be represented more. I enjoyed how it handled all of these, and the characters all felt very mature and realistic. I really adored this book..

The romance was adorable and the ideal representation of what a relationship ought to be like. Although there will always be conflicts and obstacles, communication is essential, and I loved how they understood this and began to discuss their issues more. I find the writing quite adorable and the characters quite relatable. I just love these nerds!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc in exchange for a review!

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A super cute enemies to lovers wholesome romance. It’s the second STEM book I’ve read recently (first one was The Love Hypothesis), and like that one, I found the technical aspects of My Mechancial Romance interesting and not boring or ‘over my head’ at all. I love Bel, she is determined and highly capable, and I appreciate that in a female character. Great banter. Highly recommend!

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A huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC!
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Academic rivals in STEM? Say less. This book was honestly so adorable and relatable. Being in STEM and Asian, it was amazing to see the different forms of representation throughout the story. And not to mention the the cute relationship between Bel and Teo (the way Teo cares for her absolutely makes my heart melt).

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I had no clue this was written by the same person who wrote the atlas six! The book was so fun. I was able to relate to the two mcs so well and their stem love was fun to watch. I don't read ya romance very often but it was great.

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The Filipino rep was treated as something to be laughed at, and I found that revolting. Can't stay silent on this the way the author stayed silent on the Philippine elections.

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my mechanical romance is genuinely one of the best ya romance books i've read in a while. though it didn't top my favorite olivie book (alone with you in the ether), it still stands on its own. i LOVED the characters. bel is amazing and i would break a neck for her if she wanted me to, teo reminds me (a little bit too much) of my high school crush, and i truly deeply love them both. their individual stories are not exactly new but it is still told with utmost care. the filipino rep made me so SO happy. i've never really thought of seeking it out and now that i've read it, im just now realizing how badly i wanted to see my own culture reflected back at me :( anyway, i love u olivie. my five stars will always be happily offered to you <3

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This book understood the assignment.
This was such a well rounded and well done academic rivals to lovers. I’m in love. The characters are adorable

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