This was a sweet YA romance. I loved the dual POV's of Bel and Teo. Bel was a relatable character dealing with her parent's divorce and struggling with knowing what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Their was some romance but their was also focus on family and friend dramas and the stuggles women face in the STEM world. It was a fun read and I loved the ending.

A bit of a cliché start and dynamic, but the story is definitely fun. I wasn't expecting the dual POV when I began reading which was a welcome surprise! I loved the way it fleshed out the story and characters. Teo and Bel had distinct voices and sharp wit that flowed smoothly. The meme references had me chuckling all the way through. I wanted to see more of the side characters because I felt that they would had more significance to the lives of the two leads from how they were set up? We mostly see Teo and Bel together, but I wanted to see more of their relationships with other people, to see that other side to them. Though this is a romance after all, so it makes sense.

A sweet high school romance with a STEM twist that hasn't been seen before!

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.
Oh my! It was a wonderful book!

so cute, i really enjoyed it!!
had such a fun time reading it and it flew by. wasn’t anything utterly life changing but it was an enjoyable couple of hours for sure!

This is actually amazing. I was a bit on the fence about it, due to its hype on tiktok and such, but it was such a lovely read. While the romance aspect might be the main thing, the book also deals with a lot of other issues, such as the struggles of women in STEM and various family/friend drama. Overall, a quick and entertaining read.

I can't resist a STEM romance book! Devoured this in one sitting, and enjoyed every minute of it. I definitely recommend this to anyone else who is an avid fan of a STEM romance trope

I would literally read anything from this author so there is no surprise that I loved this book. I can't believe I was approved for this arc. This is my first time reading from this author's YA work and I loved it so much!

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.

I love reliving my youth with these fun YA novels and this did not disappoint. Although I couldn't relate to the women in stem aspect, I loved it!

I loved this book! It was a very heartwarming and cute YA romance book! I loved the relationships between the characters and enjoyed how unique our main character was :) Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a cute, short YA romance!

Thank you Netgalley for provinding this eARC for an honest review.
I have been wondering what rating I should give the book since it was better than expected.

This book has everything: rivals to lovers, women in STEM, learning to work as a team, discovering what do you want...

Maybe I couldn't truly believe the romantic part of the relationship, the beginning was a bit forced for me as well as the "academic rivalty" part buuuuut I really liked the characters: Teo memorizing the whole TS discography for Bel (❤️), Bel's development, their friends, Neelam... What I most like is that they seem "real" and you can relate to their behaviors, their fears and insecurities are real and can happen to anyone.

Also loved the fact on how they behave and react to situations quite normal and that can be seen in real life: divorced parents, being in a new school, unfair teachers, not getting along with everyone... (spoiler) That dose of reality of how can you fail despite trying with all your might. And it doesn't matters, because life goes on and you will have other oportunities ✨ (spoiler)

"Because she surprises me, because she makes me laugh, and because this, whatever it is, with her, is the only thing I ever do that's easy. Because wherever I am, I want her closeby."

I looooved this book. it was such a cute and fast read. My friend told me to request this book because she absolutely loved it and knew I would too. and boy, was she right.

A perfect YA romance for fans of rivals to lovers! I thought it was very sweet and was an addictive read for those looking for a wonderful romance with great representation and discussions of women in STEM.

I recently had the pleasure of reading My Mechanical Romance, a YA romance novel by Alexene Farol Follmuth. I don’t usually turn to YA romance because I tend to stick with new adult stories but I am glad I ventured out of my comfort zone! The story revolves around Bel, who is forced to join the robotics club at school and butts heads with the captain, Teo. As they work together to build a battle-ready robot for a championship, their rivalry turns into something more.

One of the things I loved about this book was how it tackled the difficulties women face in STEM fields, the American education system's inequities, and the pressures many teens face, all while offering great STEM representation for women. The secondary characters were also a great addition, offering support and encouragement to the protagonists.

Bel and Teo's relationship was well developed and their communication was spot on. It was refreshing to see a book couple talk to each other about what was bothering them so clearly. I loved seeing Bel grow in confidence and stand up to the people around her who have always put her in a box. I only wish that they were rivals for a smidge longer because that would have really added to the tension and made the happy ending so much more delicious in my opinion.

The town in which the story is set was also a highlight for me. It was cozy and I enjoyed meeting all of the characters and wanted to spend more time with them in the end. I do wish there was little more development for some of the characters though just because I liked them so much that having more would have been great!
I also didn’t know this at the time of reading but the author, Alexene Farol Follmuth, is the same person who wrote the Atlas Six which is a fantasy novel so it was cool to see her be able to switch between genres!
Overall, My Mechanical Romance was a good read, perfect for those who enjoy YA contemporary and coming-of-age romances, especially with STEM elements

This was such an interesting and incredible read, there was such depth and intrigue. I found myself completely entranced by the story.

If you're looking for a rollercoaster of emotions and unexpected twists, this book is for you! With vivid characters and a gripping plot, "My Chemical Romance" kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Follmuth's writing style is engaging and poetic, and the story deals with some deep themes like grief, addiction, and mental health in a sensitive way. I highly recommend it!

Robotics is one of those subjects that I was interested in as a kid but because I didn’t get any encouragement, the interest just sort of… fizzled. This book just reminded me that trying to break into a STEM field as a woman is not easy.

Bel kind of just falls into robotics and only then does she discover her passion for it. I love reading about her journey, finding something new that she ends up falling in love with.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. (The version I read was a finished copy.)

I had high hopes for this book, and they were met. It's YA but not cringey. The plot is well executed, and the writing is superb (as expected from Olivie Blake, aka Alexene). The characters are relatable, especially Bel, dealing with the pressure of uncertainty while others have their plans. The book addresses the issue of women in STEM, challenging stereotypes. The national competition was a proud moment for Neelam and Bel. The sweet and wholesome epilogue wraps it up. Overall, it's a must-read that exceeded my expectations.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publishers for the arc

I really enjoyed this YA novel! There is something about the cute slow burn of a highschool romance. I love any book with STEM. It would recommend this book and did actually recommend it to my young teenage daughter.
A sincere thank you to NetGallery for this book.

Cute and lighthearted. Bel and Teo have very sweet banter and I love how the book lightly addresses the issues of gender in STEM (particularly how subconscious biases from educators affects girls’ participations in STEM in schools).

Highly recommend reading this AND listening to it (at once)☺️