Bel 👩‍🔧👩‍💻👩‍🚀

Es una de las protagonistas mujeres STEM mejores que he leído, es un claro ejemplo a seguir.
Bel es la representación de una chica inteligente que puede salir adelante, este libro es la prueba de que las chicas podemos conseguir un brillante futuro, que tal vez estemos aterradas al enfrentarnos a los estereotipos de las personas pero aun as, podemos ser el futuro de nuestro mundo. Una chica.👩
“You don’t have to make the world perfect just so people will love you,”
El libro empieza con una Bel que no le da importancia a su inteligencia, que sabe que es buena estudiante. Pero se reprime, me encanta que al final del libro vez como florece.
“honestly? physics is easy. “what's hard is feeling like I want to be invisible all the time.”
Como se da cuenta que tiene potencial de hacer grandes cosas y teniendo esa confianza y autoestima para luchar su batallas. Ella demuestra su valia, que merece ser parte del equipo. Sus ideas ingeniosas. y Que sea una testaruda🤣
Y Teo como se complementa como se dan seguridad ellos mismos.
Este libro es ideal para todo tipo de edades.
"If I want the world to recognize what I am truly capable of, I have to show them."🥽🥼⚙🔧💻💡👩‍🔧👩‍🚀👨‍🔬👩‍💻

We love girls in stem! this is such a fun romance full of brain and heart. I had a great time with this book and I bought it for my friend's teenage daughter.

What a refreshing YA read!
I'm a huge fan of YA, that's no secret. However it's not very often I read a book with STEM representation to this scale. The detail in the story makes all the difference. Thanks to Bel and Teo I felt like learned a thing or two about making robots. Their journey through the last year of high school brings back feelings and memories long forgotten. This was a great read. Shortened by my inability to put it down.
A great read for anyone entering their last year of high school and struggling with those all too familiar feelings of indecisiveness. It will spark imagination and inspiration alike.
Plus hello! Robot wars!

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It was extremely ya, and not in a good way. I wish I could say I liked this, but that is simply not true.

Fun cute YA novel with a STEM focus. Quick read, engaging and entertaining. I enjoyed the dual POV. You could feel the stress of senior year coming through the narrative.
It was great to see a main character have a definable arc and see real life situations that occur with women in STEM.

Engaging and cute.

My Mechanical Romance was divine! A cute romance with a STEM setting. Alexene is a beautiful writer and I can’t wait to read more from her!

I love a good YA book involving STEM! This was such a a cute relationship. This was so funny and real.

I loved «My Mechanical Romance» from the very start. It was a fast read, funny all throughout the book and with two incredible adorable main characters. However, I think its true power lays within Bel, its protagonist, a young woman who encapsulates the angst and fear of uncertainty when a person reaches their last highschool years. I felt right there with her and specially the feeling of being left behind, not knowing what one wants to do in the next step.

That, along with the STEM enviroment and the chemistry between Bel and Teo made «My Mechanical Romance» a novel I just didn't want to put down. Bel did seem a bit naive at times and I wish we got to see more of her live before Esex, but I enjoyed it a lot nevertheless.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I would be lying if the title didn’t draw me in. It reminded me of MCR. This is definitely your nerdy meets romance kinda novel. It was a quick read that is a nice break from your serious chonky novels.

Thanks be to Netgalley for sending me the ARC for My Mechanical Romance!! I loved loved LOVED this one.

You had me at the title, as I’m a huge fan of MCR, but then I learned this story was rivals to lovers with a robot war in between?? Sold. I had to find out more.

Follmuth is such an incredible writer. Her world-building in her other books is beyond anything I’ve ever encountered and, even here, in a contemporary setting, she manages to wrap you up in the world of electronic design and mechanics.

I laughed out loud reading this book. The characters were so funny and natural and I adored them. Bel is the best protagonist that I’ve read in a long time and she just kept getting better as the story progressed.

I’d recommend this book to my YA lovers out there. It’s hands DOWN one of the best I’ve read.

Madi

Honestly I wish I enjoyed the book more. The writing felt really choppy at parts. I don’t know how else to describe what else I just experienced. It had its moments but those moments were few and far in between.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ .5

Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for providing an advanced reading copy!

When I first picked up this book I was second guessing myself. As I've gotten older I find, understandably, that I don't resonate as strongly with a lot of the YA work. But knowing that Olivia Blake penned this one, I found myself curious.

When I first started reading, I thought it was cute. Bel was full of spunk, even if she wasn't exactly the most confident in herself and I was really enjoying her character. But the further I got into the story, I was realizing not just how cute Bel was, but how important her story was.

It was a bit of a slow start for me. Being a bit more on the artsy/creative side then the math and science side, I worried I might have some trouble getting into it, and perhaps that's why I found the beginning a bit slow. But I'm here to tell you that you don't have to have an interest in STEM to enjoy this and still appreciate it.

I think one of the things that really stood out to me was that even though there was a lot of strong women and empowerment, we still got to watch Mateo go through his own bit of growth, too. I love strong independent badass females, but I love when that can be achieved without cutting down the opposite sex to do it.

"My Mechanical Romance" brings a nerdy twist to young adult romance, and while it starts with a bit of a cliché dynamic, it's undeniably enjoyable. What caught me off guard pleasantly was the dual POV—a refreshing addition that added depth to the story and the characters. Teo and Bel's distinct voices and quick wit were engaging, and the meme references sprinkled throughout kept me entertained.

The strong point lies in the central characters, but I found myself wishing for more exploration into the lives of the side characters. They seemed set up to play a more meaningful role in the leads' lives, yet their presence remained somewhat limited. It would've been intriguing to delve deeper into Teo and Bel's relationships beyond their budding romance, providing a broader perspective.

Despite this, the book remains a charming high school romance with an original STEM twist that sets it apart from the usual narratives in the genre. Overall, it's a fun and sweet read that offers a fresh take on young love and the challenges faced by girls of color in STEM fields.

This book, while cute, did not suit my interest. I found it difficult to connect to the main character. However, I loved that it explored women in STEM.

Here we go again with the YA novels.. I should know better by now! Cutesy, angsty romcom for the YA crowd. But I could NOT stand the fem hating in STEM. That’s something I really, really dislike in the real world, and I like to think is getting better, but let’s be honest - it’s probably not! So I’m glad to have a YA book that covers this serious, real topic for readers of all ages. Finally, love that Bel is in the robotics club to show that women have a place in that (traditionally male dominated) world, too! Breaking down barriers, one at a time! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Debut YA romance. This was such a cute STEM romance! It was beyond sweet, wholesome, and surprisingly unique.

“What he and I have together is the best thing we’ve ever built.”

As a girl in STEM, I will simply eat up every single STEM girl romance, especially in the YA world. I think Alexene/Olivie is such an incredible, talented writer and manages to capture her characters so well while drawing you into the plot. I loved this!

I am enchanted by the delightful journey I found in *My Mechanical Romance*, written by the talented Alexene Farol Follmuth. Before I begin, I must thank NetGalley and Holiday House for providing me the opportunity to immerse myself in this incredible story. I discovered that the book has already been translated into Portuguese as "A Mecânica do Amor," and without a doubt, I will acquire a copy to reread this engaging narrative in my mother tongue.
The plot is a mix of young adult romance and romantic comedy, with elements that made me smile, sigh, and even reflect on important issues. The author, also known as Olivie Blake, gifts us with a story that goes beyond the cliché, exploring real challenges faced by girls of color in STEM fields.
The protagonist, Bel, is a character who immediately won my heart. Her initial disinterest in academic pressures and her journey to stand out in a predominantly male robotics club captivated me. When she accidentally reveals her talent, the irresistible club captain, Mateo Luna, steps into the scene, and the chemistry between Bel and Teo is palpable.
The dynamics between Bel and Teo are a delight to follow. The author has crafted multifaceted and authentic characters, giving voice to two perspectives in alternating points of view. The duality of views provides a deeper understanding of both their thoughts and emotions, enriching the narrative.
Follmuth addresses themes such as diversity and inclusion genuinely, without losing the romantic charm of the story. The plot highlights the importance of challenging gender stereotypes in fields traditionally dominated by men, such as STEM.
"My Mechanical Romance" is more than a charming love story; it is an inspiring reminder that girls can thrive in any field they choose. Follmuth's witty and engaging writing turns this narrative into a captivating and empowering read.

3.5 stars
A quick and cute read that takes the reader on a journey of growth as both an individual and as a team breaking down stereotypes one page at a time.

This was a short cutesy romance with which you can have a fun time with
I really liked the representation of girls in stem with being overlooked and suffering imposter syndrome in a field full of entitled men
There was also talk of not knowing what to do after high school and changing your mind about what you want to study
It had also a diverse cast with the fmc being half Filipino and the mmc being half Mexican
I think my favourite character was Jamie, who is the hopeless romantic. I also liked the main characters but I couldn’t see them as a couple. The only thing that really bothered me, was ofcourse the third act break up due to miscommunication, which could have been avoided from the beginning