WHAT A STORY!

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth (who is also known as Olivie Blake) was my first book of this author and....
OMG! I LOOOOOVED IT!
Bel and Teo are in high school. He's the boss of the robotics team and she is the new girl in his team. Was it a good idea to follow her teacher's advice? What will all the other guys will think about Bel?

I totally DEVOURED this book!
At first I wasn't sure if I'd be in the mood for a cute high school romance... but it was SO MUCH MORE!
Alexene Farol Follmuth has a great way with words and I fell in love with the characters right from the start. ❤
My Mechanical Romance isn't just about a boy and girl falling in love.
It's also about growth, support, strength and faith. Talking about discrepancies in the technical world where there are more men than women. Well, and women who have to fight for their rights and how they have to earn the trust of others etc. It's nit even comical that there are so many differences between men and women which aren't even necessary.
Buuuut. Yeah, back to the book! ❤
I loved that this love story is such a great variety!
Awwww! And c'mon how can you not swoon about Teo - especially Bel and Teo together!
Both are wooooonderful characters! Both so different, but somehow kinda the same too.
It was wonderful to see how dislike can turn into so much more when you're willing to give someone else a chance. Fight against your prejudices and be open to one another. ❤

Thanks a lot to Alexene Farol Follmuth and Holiday House for this ARC via NetGalley.

This is my honest review in my own words.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book.

Starting this, my expectations were already high, but after reading, they were somehow exceeded! The characters were likable and easy to root for, even the side characters. The concept was something I loved. The writing flowed well and I loved the style the author wrote it.

I could understand the struggles Bel went through as a girl, and how women are mistreated in the workplace. I liked the way the author highlighted the way the opinion of men were considered more important than those of women.

The romance: it was so adorable and cute! Bel and Teo are great together. The fact that it was enemies to lovers was also an added bonus.

Overall, I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a book with lots of diversity, female empowerment, and great romance.

This was such a cute YA romance. I really liked how it was a slow-burn romance that slowly developed over the course of the book. I really liked the writing style which was different than I've seen for a lot of YA contemporary books and it felt a lot more sophisticated. Overall I loved the storyline and I am interested in reading more from this author.

I’m still smiling at how absolutely adorable this book is! It somehow combines nerdiness with feminism while normalizing women in science and I. Am. Here for it!! Plus you get the added bonus of friends encouraging you to just be you!

“You’re this new color I didn’t know existed and now I see it everywhere and I’m like, thank God I can see it now. Such a bummer if I never did.”

Isabel Maier’s character arc is phenomenal. Being thrown into a new school her senior year of high school is already discombobulating, but add on top of that a well-funded private school with an extensive robotics program she knows nothing about as well as her parents' new divorce and it goes to being outright overwhelming. OAs the story progresses, we get to see how she’s treated as a female in a STEM program and the differences she faces compared to her male counterparts. She has to fight for her place in this world, not just with the males but with every person who makes her feel inferior because of their preconceived notions of her.

“The world is not very helpful to a smart girl. More often it will try to force you inside a box. But I urge you not to listen.”

Everyone needs a cheerleader like Ms. Voss or Jamie in their lives! The supporting characters were so well written that it was easy to see them each with their own personality. Dash is hilarious, Neelam has some things to work through, and Teo… Oh, Teo.

“You don’t have to make the world perfect so people will love you.”

Mateo Luna is the other point of view we get to read and I loved his sections. His lifestyle and background were explained so well without having to go through chapters of explanation. You get a really good feel for who he is as a person so when you finally get to see them come together so naturally, it’s heartwarming. And that ending! That wasn’t the conclusion I expected - it was so much better!

There are so many inspiring quotes, but I think my favorite thing about it is that it’s actually really funny! Full of fun banter, competition, and exhilarating new love, My Mechanical Romance is my top YA read of the year for sure!

I have heard so much about this book on booktok and instagram, that when I saw the option for the arc I had to try!

This was such a sweet, cheesy, YA romance book. Perfect for someone who's just getting into reading, and not sure where to start. There's no over the top drama, nothing that makes you question how realistic the book is. I also loved the fact it was promoting women in STEM and touched briefly on the stigma they face still.

There was no spice, or even any hinting to spice happening so it's perfect for a YA who wants to start reading romance. A very easy read and enjoyable. At 272 pages it's also not too long either so there's no unnecessary drama/tension.

Would vote 3.5 star if half options were available

“Take up your own space, Bel. Don’t let other people tread over it.” This was a story unlike any other-STEM, girl power, academic rivals, YA romance, fear of growing up- this one had it all!
Bel is a leading lady disguised in bird-studded jeans and funky rain boots. I loved the journey she took us on as she learned to trust her instincts and see potential within herself.
This book was filled with humor, giddy romance, and a girl with enough brain power to get the boys to take her seriously.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in robotics, as well as high school aged romance. It was sweet and hilarious and had me rooting for robots in a way I’ve never experienced before.
Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink for allowing me this early read in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars
I found this book absolutely cute and sweet, the typical teenage novel with the difference that here instead of talking about various dramas we mostly talk about robotics (of which you don't understand a fried sprout) and this element in itself makes me appreciate much more history. We are tired of the usual adolescent dynamics and inserting these themes is a breath of fresh air.
Female characters who like to do something that is considered mostly masculine, like robotics, is a big step forward.
The story is told from two different points of view and that's something I really appreciate.
I really liked it up to 70% but then I found the whole thing too long and repetitive, but it's a cute and funny reads.

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

My Mechanical Romance follows Bel who is very much encouraged to join the Robotics team at her private school. Bel is unsure of what she wants to do with her future and doesn't even know what Robotics is. In Robotics she meets Teo, a superstar in school, soccer, Robotics, and life. Teo sees Bel's potential in Robotics, but wants things done his way and doesn't give Bel the time of day, that is until late nights and Nationals are on the horizon.

I loved that this book centered around a colored women in STEM. I enjoyed the quick read and the back and forth point of views between Bel and Teo. I thought at times it was slow and skipped over paragraphs at a time that were not needed to enhance the storyline.

I also hated the format on my kindle (which this may be a me problem). The line cut off in the middle of words and left chunks of blank space from one line to the next. Every chapter started with the first letter of the first word on one line and then it skipped a couple lines to then finish the word. This was very annoying when reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars

“My Mechanical Romance” is a YA romance that centres around Bel, who is WOC that isn’t sure what she wants to do in life, and is essentially pushed into joining her school’s robotics team. She ends up clashing with the Captain, Mateo “Teo” Luna, until she doesn’t…

I thought that this was a cute YA read and overall I did enjoy it. The diversity and representation was really nice to see, and I could definitely relate to some of the family dynamics shown in the book.

Just to clear things up, Bel and Teo aren’t academic rivals to lovers, nor rivals I would say. They’re not enemies to lovers either more like “I don’t understand you” to lovers.

That being said, I wasn’t super invested in the characters or the entire story but I did really enjoy some parts and found myself smiling. I actually grew to like Neelams character, and by the end of the book, I did respect her.

All in all, if you are looking for a laid back cute romance read with diversity and women in STEM, give this book a read!
———
Other info:
- Spice? No
- Cheating? Brief mention but not between main characters
- OW/OM drama/ No
- HEA? Yes

“Maybe life hasn’t always pointed things out to me the way I was expecting, but if I was lucky enough to let the universe catapult me here, then all the hard stuff along the way was worth it.”

Many thanks to Netgalley, Holiday House and Alexene Farol Follmuth for the arc in exchange for an honest review! :)

I read this book so fast! It was a very wholesome read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Even though the overall pace of the book was a bit slow, it was written in such a way that it never lost my interest - despite my usual reads not being about robotics or science.

The female-driven mindset was something I immensely enjoyed. I can definitely relate to being in a work-field that is predominantly male and having to prove myself over and over again. This book went to show that there is still a certain stigma about women in science and its portrayal was executed brilliantly.

The added romance aspect was in tune with the theme of the book. We start with Bel, who has just transferred schools in her senior year, has no idea what to do with her life yet and is semi-forced to sign up for the robotics team by her guidance counselor Ms. Voss. The team is led by our male lead Teo Luna, who is the complete opposite of Bel yet somehow they end up making a great team, leading them to become friends and maybe more..?

We see both of them grow and interact through-out dual POVs, both dealing with their own kind of pressure and having to live up to expectations from others and themselves, and grow closer to each other. It’s a very realistic take on how YA relationships would be like.

My biggest gripe with this book is that the main female lead, Bel, was written in such a forced quirky way, giving me such manic pixie vibes. However I will add that this only seemed to happen from Teo’s POV, as she seemed much more relatable and likable in her own POVs.

Overall, I was surprised with how much I ended up liking this book and its characters - yes, even Neelam despite it all - and probably will end up getting myself a physical copy once this book gets released.

Also, am I the only one who kept reading his name as Leo Tuna??

(3,5/5 stars but pulled up to 4 because I loved the writing style and their cute relationship!)

3.75/5☆

Even though I’m not really into robotics this was still such an enjoyable read! The romance was adorable and I loved the writing! We also got to see the mc’s family dynamics, friendships and a lot of cultural representation ,which made me enjoy the book even more. The only thing I struggled with was picturing the robotic parts she described but that’s probably because English isn’t my first language. ( And my lack of knowledge in those topics of course XD ).

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I was so intrigued by the concept of this book. It is a YA romance that is touching on inequality in STEM, specifically in engineering and robotics - since it seems like a lot of STEM conversations in books recently has been related to things like biology and chemistry - as well as discussing what it is like to be a high school senior. Since this book switches perspectives between the two leads, Teo and Bel, who both come from very different backgrounds, it gives a nice contrast to the story and shows a wide range of scenarios that can happen as a senior in high school. What is it like to have everything figured out but have immense pressure to be the very best, feeling like everyone depends on you? That is what Teo deals with throughout the book. Bel, on the other hand, strives to find her purpose and place in the world, while being a free spirit and female in the sciences, which is historically unkind to non-male presenting folx.

It is a very cute story, and I think it will appeal to a lot of different people. It is definitely YA and has a lot of great messages in it, but it wasn't quite my cup of tea. I think for me I was just getting too annoyed at some of the behaviors Teo and Bel had, specifically things that made them who they were, so it made it a little more difficult for me to read. However, I think this is a very necessary book to exist, and I think there is a wide range of people who will really enjoy this story.

Rating: 4.5 stars


"I've always believed that there's a possibility for everything in the world to collide for a single perfect moment, and that sometimes if you're lucky, you get to have one for yourself. This one is ours."

When Bel shows a talent in engineering at school she joins the robotics team. Enter Mateo Luna the captain of the club. Although they butt heads occasionally Mateo sees Bel as an asset on the team to win Nationals.

This is Alexene's YA debut (pen name Olivie Blake) This is set in high school and is enemies to lovers story in STEM. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked how there was minority representation. Bel our FMC is half filipino and enjoys engineering. In STEM it's hard for women to be seen as an equal in the field. I thought the struggles she faced were very relatable.

Also when she was struggling with college applications and life after graduation I totally understood that on a personal level. I liked the interactions between Mateo and Bel, he was getting used to her quirkiness and her knowledge on mechanics. It was nice to see Mateo slowly have Bel help him and use her input.

The side characters were fun group of people. There were also robotic wars that got super intense and the explanation of building robots and mechanisms were very interesting.

I liked the gradual progression of Bel and Mateo's relationship from hating each other to falling in love. They were so cute. I loved how Bel chose what she wanted to do in college it was her decision nobody else's. One more thing, I really loved the epilogue we got a glimpse of what their lives looked like after their high school graduation. It was the perfect ending.

Definitely check this one out!

Release date: May 31, 2022

Thank you to @netgalley and Holiday House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all this is amazing. Second, just, girls in STEM <3

I loved the characters from their personality to their looks. Bel, she was amazing, creative, funny, and outgoing. Teo, who’m I even thought arrogant at first surprised me. He was actually caring, soft, and yes he had his flaws but showed me he had more to it. Even the side characters were well written, just like Dash, Ms. Voss, and Neelam (my favorites). I had fun reading their robot fights, their experiences and struggles while trying to find themselves. I can even relate to Bel on not having life decided. And her clothes, don’t get me started, I loved it.

I had a great time reading this. Because really, who doesn’t like building robots and falling in love at the same time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I just want to note that I am definitely part of the minority of readers who did not enjoy this book so I would still recommend reading this if you're interested in it.

I really wanted to love My Mechanical Romance, I really did. The concept of women in STEM and the diversity in this book seemed right up my alley but the execution just fell flat.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the writing style and that's probably where majority of my negative feelings for the book comes from. There was a lot of internal monologue included, which I understand was probably used to provide a bit of backstory, but I felt that a lot of it was unnecessary and didn't contribute anything to the plot. Additionally, I also didn't really like any of the characters.

Nothing in this book stood out to me and my attention kept drifting every time I was reading it. I definitely thought that there was potential in this book but it was a bit of a let down for me, I was just hoping for more.

where to start :). The book is a fast paced romance book with science in it for the geeks in here ;). The way it was written is so easy to understand and fun to read!
I really loved that the book included STEM. It’s so great to see female MC try and succeed in a class that has mostly boys in it. The way Bel (MC) was first hesitant and had troubles throughout just makes it way more real. The book really tells a lot more about robot building and programming. For the people who love science and love this is the perfect book!


The story is a slow burn which is so thrilling and keeps you reading cause you just want to know what happens with Teo and Bel. And their romance was super cutely written. The way you got to see both their pov on how they fell for each other that makes the book so great. The author made you fall in love with how they both aren’t perfect but still perfect for each other.

Even though the book starts slow. I loved every second of reading it. A great book to put on your tbr list!

Absolutely incredible. My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth (aka Olivie Blake, the author of the marvelous Atlas Six) is funny, nerdy, cute, and so, so important.

Our two leads, Isabel "Bel" Maier and Mateo "Teo" Luna, are such realistic portrayals of teenagers, and their love story was so adorable I am still squealing in joy. Watching them bond after their initial animosity and slowly become friends and lovers was a true delight, and their banter—THEIR BANTER—was so witty and hilarious and teenager-like. I don't know how Alexene Farol Follmuth captured pure teenage energy so impeccably well, but the chaos was immaculate and it made for an insanely addictive read. I downloaded it to Kindle the moment I got the email from Netgalley and genuinely did not put my phone down once until I finished it. If you're going to pre-order just one book this entire year, it should be this one. I promise it'll be worth it.

This book is chock-full of diverse and unique characters (the side characters are great, especially Neelam—girl, I feel your anger), but out of all of them, my favorite has to be Bel. As a fellow Asian-American girl in STEM, I also related so intensely to Bel. Her insecurity regarding being a girl in STEM and her worry about not being heard or listened to in a room full of boys—relatable as hell. This is my life! These thoughts are my thoughts! The author really took a peek into my brain and decided to call me out in her book.

In all seriousness, though, so many of these experiences are practically universal for girls of color in this field. There were so many moments that I recognized, and there were even moments that I had gone through but didn't realize contained thinly-veiled racism or sexism until I read this book. So many of us live through so many microaggressions that they're almost normalized, and this book really shed light on all the pervasive forms they can take, as well as the gradual but very apparent harm they cause. But on top of this, I also really REALLY appreciated how Bel's character is more than her insecurities. She's clever, unique, artsy, funny, smart, and more. She's such a fully fleshed out character, and the author really lets her personality shine through. Honestly, if any book deserves the labels of "eye-opening" and "life-changing," it would be this one. Because that's what it did for me. 

Something else I really appreciated is the commentary on the pressure the American school system puts on high schoolers/teenagers in the college process. Teenagers have to juggle classes, GPAs, APs, extracurriculars, and more while completing incredibly high-stakes applications and making huge decisions about their futures all while going through puberty and falling in love for the first time. We see, through multiple characters, different ways in which all this stress can take a toll on someone's mental health. And not to get into spoilers, but I really appreciated the way Bel's story played out. CollegeTM can feel so much like an end-all be-all, especially to high schoolers going through the process, but life is SO MUCH MORE than what happens when you're 18, and there are so many future possibilities that one mistake never has the power to "ruin your life forever."
Overall, My Mechanical Romance was an easy five out of five stars. I have not stopped thinking about this book since I read it, and I would recommend it to absolutely EVERYONE who has a brain and/or a heart. This books means so, so much to me, as I'm sure it will for so many other people in my (and Bel's or even Neelam's) shoes, and I can't wait for this book to get out into the world and exist for all the people who need it. 

(p.s. If anyone wants to make bel's bird jeans and sell them on etsy just know that there is demand. I would buy them instantly. please do this for a desperate girl with no sewing talent)

(Huge thank you to Netgalley, Holiday House, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure about this book when I first started because the attitude of the main character was very...lethargic about life in general, so the tome reflected that. This ended up being a good thing, though, because you saw how she came to find her passion and friends who care about things. She grows a lot. through the story. I also liked the ending of the story. I won't say any real spoilers, but it, like any romance, does have a happy ending, of course, but the happy ending feels very realistic and I loved it. It shows that sometimes things take a little longer to work out than we wish them to, but everything works out in the end.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Holiday House, and Alexene Farol Follmuth for the eARC of My Mechanical Romance.

Okay okay okay, where do I start? I hope you don't mind, but I'm just going to word vomit and hope for the best. I have removed spoilers at this time since they cannot be blocked on NetGalley, but they are available on both Storygraph and GoodReads as I can hide them.

First, I want to address the idea that this book is an "enemies to lovers" romance. My standards for enemies to lovers is pretty high, however, I would be more inclined to call it "rivals to lovers", especially in this particular setting. The relationship itself is preeeeetty cute. I loved their banter and the general growth of their relationship. The chemistry was definitely there and I couldn't get enough of how they opened up to each other over time. Nothing was rushed, but always moving.

However, the ending!!! Oh my god, the ending!! Not the epilogue, but the last few chapters where Bel sees some of the hard truths that her choices have led her to. Loved loved loved that she wasn't able to just coast through on her good luck and apart intelligence. Actions have consequences and I'm happy that was represented.

My favourite characters, by far, are Dash and Neelam. I have such a soft spot for side characters that help build the main characters. Dash, as Teo's best friend, not only supported him but gave him a bit of a reality check. Whereas Neelam and Bel were rocky from start to end, they really brought out the best in each other. Actually, all the side characters were wonderful. Lora and Jamie were delightful and added some non-STEM minds to the mix. Bel's brothers were a great balance to the conflict occurring in their family. Teo's family grew, the Robotics club was adorable, and Ms. Voss gave it her all.

The only side character that I wanted to smack was Mr. Mac. But I think that was the point? Especially as a female science teacher, Mr. Mac made my blood boil, and the ending didn't feel really justified. "I see you" didn't fix his behaviour for me.

I will absolutely be recommending this to my students. It's a lighthearted and funny read that has layered characters and a setting that I wholeheartedly want to get my students involved in.

It's official- I love this book! My Mechanical Romance is about two academic rivals in the STEM robotics field. This book was an adorably wholesome enemies to lovers high school rom-com. I found this book pulling me in by the second. This book was a little slow, but the plot and characters made it very appealing. I thought Teo Luna made an excellent lead in this book- the author showcased his flaws which made him so loveable. I also ADORED Bel's personality. I thought that Ms. Voss was a great supporting character. I wish I had a Ms. Voss in my life! I also found Dash to be very charming. And finally, Neelam. Initially, I wasn't fond of Neelham, however I found that the more I read, the more I could empathize with Neelham and her struggles. Overall, this book was so much more than I expected! Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to read this amazing YA debut when it comes out on May 31st!