I was hooked from the very beginning on this book! This was a great read. Bel and Teo's story is so exciting and unique, and can't lie some parts gave me butterflies. They both push each other to be their best versions all the time. That is what makes their love so adorable - their banter and funny jokes! Bel and Teo's story is one I wish I could read again. This was an amazing story! Do not hesitate to read this book!

Jesus, wow. This book is really, really, really wow and awesome and amazing and - yeah, I'll stop now.

The cover? Devastating. Just look at the art there with Bel's bird and blue and red team! Muah!!

Gosh, I have got the worst book hangover over this book.

I mean where to even start? Everything in this is perfect. High school enemies to lovers, banters, cute and slow burn and so much more.

It's a romance between a weirdo girl and nerdy types hot boy. Haven't related to a character as much I did to them. Bel was amazing and she was so like me yet wasn't. The struggles of women in an academic field which is dominated by men are shown beautifully. I loved everything in here. I loved this book so much.

Do you get mesmerized while reading a great story? Like you can feel each and everything character feels, like you are practically living it? I did. This book made me. Author's writing style is sooo great!

And now My Mechanical Romance has became my one among my many fav. For a person who doesn't do re-read often, I'm sure as hell I'mma gonna pick this book soon. Again.

Thank you NetGally and Holiday House for the e-ARC.

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth

I loved this book. A young girl can rule the world ok not yet but in this story Bel a talented young girl who really is lost in what she really wants to do when she graduates high school. A teacher Mrs. Voss saw potential in her and pushed her to go into AP Physics and to try out for the robotics team. This story was great. I enjoyed every moment as I turned the page. It was well written and it was nice to see a book about young girls trying to find their way in STEM.

The author really showed how hard it is for young girls to succeed in fields that are supposedly meant for boys in academia. Then you mix in a cute high school romance when Bel and Teo find love in the robotics lab. It was so sweet and wholesome to see such a young love and reminds me what it felt like to fall in love for the first time.

I cannot stop praising this book it is well worth the read and anyone who loves YA romance and want something a little different with academia this book is for you. Maybe one day young girls will not be afraid to dream that they can do just as good as boy in any field of study and succeed. I hope one day that our education system will stop forcing young girls into certain directions and young boys into certain career choices. Girls are good at math and science too and can make great engineers!

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for a free copy of the book for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.75 rounded up

I love reading about Women in STEM! As a woman in a STEM field myself I love the representation, because let me tell you, we have it hard!

This book was the perfect mix of addressing a prevalent issue that is usually overlooked, and a cutsie romance; I really liked Bel and Teo and enjoyed reading from their POVs.

One of my favorite parts was how the author managed to show that discrimination against women can come even as the men in question are unaware or haven't set out to undermine a woman simply based on her gender.

Teo is amazing, but he couldn't even see the favoritism him and the other guys were getting from their teacher or how the teacher and even them often dismiss the girls, because this sort of behaviour is simply ingrained in their environment and it takes someone repeatedly pointing it out for him to actually notice.
Because people don't notice subtle injustices or dismissal of others when they're not the target of said behaviour.
I was often told that women aren't dismissed in my field, because I and a select few others managed to get where we are; sometimes even by other women who aren't in STEM, why? Because no one notices that we have to work twice as hard to get half the recognition men get!

That being said, I have to admit Bel wasn't exactly the best person ever, however I love that Neelam put her in her place by showing her the facts she was blind to, and that she did in fact learn from that.

Overall, this was such a fun read and I do recommend it.
Here's to more stories about women in STEM!

4.5 stars!
*Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with this advanced reader copy* I honestly went into this book completely blind in regards to plot, the cover was really the main thing that drew me in. However i’m genuinely so so happy I read this book! I was not expecting to love it as much as I did but it was so unbelievably cute! Both main characters had such different and unique personalities but putting them together was like peanut butter and jelly. The slow burn build up from being acquaintances to friends to eventually lovers was done beautifully. Last but not least, I am a sucker for a cute first kiss, and this book had easily one of the best written and cutest first kisses i’ve ever read. The build up alone to the scene of the first kiss had me absolutely melting. Overall this book was beyond cute from beginning to end.

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for the arc.

This was a young adult book the surprised me in a good way. Bel was a senior in high school transferring for her last year to a higher caliber school. When she stared she didn’t know what she want or her passions. But thru the help of a cast of very animated side character and especially high achieving Teo she finds not only her place at the school but a few passions and most of all her self. Teo one his end finds somethings he was missing as well. This book also introduce me to the world of robotics that I truly enjoyed reading about.

I saw myself in Bel in a lot of ways. That was one of my favorite things about this book. I experienced some of the thing the main character did and the author did such a good job capturing those kind of feelings in the moment. Also loved the robotics aspect of this. I knew very little about it going in but came out wanting to know more. Always happy to read involving young women getting into STEM. These characters also felt like they where in high school and not grown up which I appreciated. The romance between Bel and Teo was also one of the highlights for me, it was adorable to read them as a couple. The supporting cast was also a present surprise.

Overall this was a great young adult read that I would recommend. It was light hearted, with good banter and an overall enjoyable read. Giving it four stars.

I am not a re-reader. In my life, I have only ever re-read two books. Both instances were years after my first read-throughs, and only once I’d long forgotten everything important about the stories, so that I could almost pretend I was reading them for the first time. Yet, less than twenty-four hours after finishing My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth, with everything dear about it still fresh in my mind, I began my first re-read of what I anticipate will be many more to come. Every minute that I was not reading this book, I was desperate to get back to it. Although I devoured it in just one day (it would have been just one sitting if life had allowed it), once I reached the epilogue, I forced myself to re-read every paragraph three times before moving along to the next in a futile attempt to drag out the inevitable: the closing of the book, the parting from its world, the goodbye that was so unwelcome I’ve already returned.

My Mechanical Romance follows, in alternating points of view, Bel and Teo, two seniors at a rigorous private high school who become academic rivals-to-lovers. Bel has only recently transferred there, and while she gets good grades in order to keep her mother happy, she’s not at all particularly interested in school, extracurriculars, or her academic future. Teo, on the other hand, has taken full advantage of the ample opportunities his school has to offer. He’s used to pressure, he’s used to people counting on him, and he’s used to pushing himself. Their paths collide when Bel’s physics teacher, whose keen eye notices Bel’s hidden aptitude for mechanical engineering, gives her an ultimatum: transfer to AP Physics (the section Teo is enrolled in), tryout for the school’s robotics team (the very one Teo is captain of), and start applying herself, or fail her physics class.

This novel deftly pulls back the curtain on even the subtlest, most insidious manifestations of misogyny in our schools, which aim to keep young women from developing an interest in STEM. It is a triumphant, empowering story about young women taking up their space anyway, wherever they’d like to be. It is also a love letter to nerds, to the students who love learning for the sake of learning, to the students who find a thrill in building or creating or inventing. The novel’s particular strengths lie in its delightful characters, their endearing relationships, its sharp dialogue, and its snappy sense of humor, all of which had me smiling throughout the entire book. Bel’s point of view is bursting with her peculiar wit and charming strangeness, while Teo’s point of view reveals, piece by piece, his complexity and heart, so that it’s impossible not to love both of them, together and apart. Some of the secondary relationships that stand out are Teo’s relationship with his mother, Bel’s relationship with her brother, Teo’s relationship with his best friend Dash, and Bel’s relationship with Ms. Voss, the teacher who notices her talent and becomes a sort of mentor for her.

The book had its weaknesses—at times, the plot was predictable, and I found myself a bit lost in a few of the scenes—but they were few and didn’t draw me too far out of the story. Overall, the book is a comfort that I wish had never ended, and so, for the foreseeable future, you can find me tucked away in the nostalgia of its pages.

This book was so much fun. I was a bit worried about the dual POVS, but I think Follmuth pulled it off well.

The banter was here, the internal and external struggles were balanced really well, this was a textbook ya contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed myself and I think you will too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book. It was realistic with well rounded characters and an adorable love story anyone could get behind. I related a lot to Bel & Teo was a gem. Loved the STEM aspect of the story and that they highlighted robowars, which brought me right back to my childhood haha (my brothers would watch robowars on TV all the time growing up). I definitely shed tears of joy at the end. 10/10 would recommend.

4.5⭐️Thank you to Net Galley & the publisher for the eARC! To be honest this book really blew me away and was more than i expected it to be. I’m very picky with the YA i read because i feel like sometimes they are very cringey books and too forced. This was not like that and at point i forgot it was YA. I feel like i really loved and connected with both characters. They are both going through problems that any high schoolers go through. I feel like i could connect with step cause the problems he was going through is something i struggled with; same with Bel. Both characters were easy to love and understand. Their banter was amazing, and actually entertaining. THE TROPES, that’s all i’ll say. You will 100% be swooning over teo. The only reason it’s not five stars is because i felt like it was a bit slow at the beginning BUT when it did pick up it made up for that. Also the epilogue i feel like really brought the book together and was perfect for this book. If you want a quick and fun read i definitely recommend this book. Make sure to check it out on May 31st!

Thank you to NetGallery and Holiday House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This light-hearted book shows women finding their passions, pursuing their dreams and defying societal expectations.

The characters have so much personality and are so relatable to people I’ve met during my life. They are flawed but wholesome and true. The relationship between Bel and Teo is adorable, the type of love you want to have. The diversity in this book makes it even better!

This is a book I wish was around when I was growing up. We need more women in STEM and this book proves that girls are just as good as boys, if not better. And they have a better sense of style.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review

a young adult romance with enemies to lovers and WOMAN IN STEM. We follow Bel who joins the schools robotics team and there she meets Teo who is sweet and nice and uwu my bby I LOVED how Bel interacted with her teacher, It reminded me of some teachers i used to have in high school and how much i miss them
The romance was so sweet and beautiful it made me burst the biggest UWU ever.... also can we admire the title???

The problem i had with the book was the lengh, it was so short and i wanted more and more of it :(

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an eARC of this book for an honest review.

It's a refreshingly fun read. College romance isn't a new genre, but the storyline revolving around a bunch of kids building robots for combat was interesting. The chemistry between the protagonists was cute and not at all clichéd. The story felt a little slow, although, I'll admit I was glued throughout.

The story is narrated from the perspectives of the protagonists, Bel and Teo. However, if the author hadn't mentioned who was narrating at a particular moment, it would be difficult to know which character it was. They both sounded same. That's the only fault I found. Otherwise, all the characters are well written and very likeable.

I totally recommend this book if one wishes to read something light and fun.

This was so cute! I found all the characters interesting and likable. I did cry a few times, it brought me memories back from when I was that age. An overall really great read. I think my only complaint would be the formating on Kindle but that's an easy fix.

OHHH MYY! This book was so exciting and had me hoookedd since the start! I loved it. There’s something so exciting and unique about Bel and Teo’s story and can’t lie some parts gave me butterflies. I love that they both push each other to be their best version all the time. Their love is so full of banter and funny jokes and that’s what makes it so cute!! I wish I could read bel and teo’s story all over again. yes , it was THAT good! Pls stop thinking and read this book already!!!

I love books with women in STEM, so I HAD to read this. Filled with angsty teen drama, it was an easy escape into the world of highschool mechanical robot fighting. Dealing with themes of sexism, identity, love, and finding balance between the expectations others place on us and those we place on ourselves. It highlights that apprent failure is not the end, and sometimes something better can come from those experiences.

One robotics team, a girl who can’t decide her future, and a boy who knows exactly what his future is finally clash and sparks fly. Bel is terrified of the future, she’s been avoiding her college apps, zero extracurriculars, and just wants to get by but when a missing assignment lands her on the robotics team her life is about to get turned upside down. Cue, Mateo Luna, the captain of the robotics club, handsome, talented, rich, and a genius with his life planned out. Teo and Bel couldn’t be more different from each other but surprisingly Bel has a knack for design and Teo is set on winning the competition. Soon they find themselves arguing and slowly getting to know more about each other and surprising the other. Bel couldn’t care less while Teo cares too much, and maybe they’ll both even each other and teach each other something that the other needs. This was a super cute enemies- to- lovers romance with a great focus on girls of color in STEM, the idea of finding a place for yourself at your own pace and knowing your limits, and about first love and finding a balance in your life. This was seriously such a great read and I couldn’t recommend it enough. Bel is a great protagonist and as a girl of color myself who did join a robotics club in high school and had a giant fear of college apps and thinking about my future, her struggles were relatable and she didn’t take things standing. Bel was a wonderful protagonist to read from. Teo was a cute love interest, yes he can be a bit rude but he acknowledges his mistakes and he does try and do better, he’s dealing with a lot of pressure and feeling like he needs to live up to everyone’s expectations and when he finally meets someone who doesn’t want anything from him he’s confused and a little thrown by how blunt and weird Bel is. Together they make a sweet pair, they’re partners in building a robot and friends who support one another, and two people who just want to follow their passions.

*Thanks Netgalley and Holiday House for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 34%
I went into this book with really high expectations. It looks so adorable, and I love books that feature women in STEM. Not to mention this is by the same author that wrote The Atlas Six (under the pen name Olivie Blake) which I really enjoyed. Sadly, what I read did not reach the bar that I placed for it and it just got to a point where I could not read anymore.

My Mechanical Romance is a dual POV book, told from the perspectives of our two main characters, Bel and Mateo. Bel is new to the school and is on the verge of graduating, but she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. All she knows is that she enjoys building and designing objects. Mateo (who also goes by Teo) is the school heartthrob who also happens to be one of the smartest in the school, captain of the soccer team, AND captain of the robotics team. When Bel is forced to join the robotics team, her and Teo don't get along, until they do.

It sounds promising right? And it was, for less than a split second. Right off the bat, I noticed that the writing style seemed a bit too dense for my tastes. It seemed like the author wanted to give us new information about the characters every time they spoke which got a bit tiresome in some spots. To be quite honest, it felt a lot like we were being info-dumped on and I wasn't the biggest fan (though I know some people would enjoy that).

The thing that really did me in for this book was the random sexist comments that were made. I know that's part of the point of this book, the whole "empowerment" thing, but it really didn't sit right with me. Every ten seconds Bel would think something along the lines of "Teo and the rest of the robotics team hate me because I'm a girl" and it would end up being almost true? Like I signed up for a romance, not to listen to Teo whine about how she showed him up a couple times. I was willing to push past it until he said this line: "...from the time I've spent watching her, I've noticed she only has two modes: super aggressive or super passive." He says this because she stands up for herself. No thank you. If I wanted an entitled, rich, sexist love interest, I'd read a dark romance.

Overall, I didn't absolutely hate this book, but I didn't like it enough to keep going. It had a good concept. Maybe if I kept going, it would've gotten better, but I couldn't stand to read another word out of it until it did.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC copy in exchange of an honest review.

1.5 stars.

I liked this book. At first I was worried because I’m not familiar with physics nor robotics. So those parts I had to overlook or ask my husband. Otherwise it was a great message to girls that they can achieve their goals in science and be just as competitive as the guys. This story was about Bel who moved to a new school senior year of high school. She had to make new friends, new classes and join the robotics team. In the course of the year she learned about herself, gained new amazing friends, and developed a friendship with Teo ( the team leader of robotics). What I didn’t care for was Bels physics teacher. I wished more was done with his story since I don’t think one person can change him. The epilogue was cute and ended very well. If you like sweet romances with lots of science this one is for you!

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Incredible!!! I loved all the characters, and I loved the relationship!!!! I really loved the authors writing style, and loved the way these characters felt real with how perfectly their flaws balanced with their characteristics. This is the gold standard for Romance books! Will for sure buy a copy when it releases :)