I really enjoyed reading this book, I loved reading about the representation of women in stem and the twist on the academic rivals to lovers trope. Overall I thought this book was very unique and a cute quick read.

my mechanical romance is a book i picked up thinking it would be a cute romance and that’s it, but i found myself relating to these characters a lot, which is why this gets a 5 stars from me. it wasn’t perfect by any means and bel annoyed me a bit at the start, but she’s grown on me as the story went on.

i simply love books with characters in STEM and this delivered. the talk about robotics were so fun – i was never bored for a second. the author did such a good job with the group of friends in this book, they were all very interesting characters and their interactions were so freaking cute. the romance was adorable. i simply love teo and bel and how cute their relationship was. i also loved how well-paced their story turned out to be.

besides the romance, which is done wonderfully, the book also talks about the struggle of finding out who you are when it seems everyone else has it all figured out, about the burden of expectations and how damaging they can be. i truly loved how well the conversation around women in STEM was handled – it was a nice addition to the story. it’s also why i related to bel a lot, which was unexpected, truthfully. besides this topic, the book also delves into privilege and family struggles and, even if it’s got some deeper parts, it still manages to be light-hearted and extremely fun to read.

the writing was undeniably good with some really funny parts and some quotable lines, but it’s not as overly lyrical as her other novels are. the writing style fits the genre perfectly and i couldn’t stop reading after the 10% mark. it was that good of a book.

so, my mechanical romance is one of those books i’d suggest to anyone that wants a light-hearted book because it’s got loveable characters, a fun plot and some very interesting conversations on self identity and one’s place in the world.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was HOLY CUTENESS. I read it in one day, I was hooked. First can I say I love that it initially comes off as rivals trope but fades into slow crush!! Super innocent high school romance cute.

The robotics theme was super unique and different from most books I read however as I am a robotics and STEM nerd, I definitely geeked out hard.

Teo and Bel are honestly relationship goals; they pushed each other, and worked out their issues (even though they had a few teenagery spats, which made it more realistic for their age).

Definitely adding this book to my comfort reads!

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I absolutely loved it , im a huge fan of this author and this is her ya debut but what and amazing book to debut with .
i'll give an indepth review closer to the pub date

One of our main characters, Bel, is navigating a male dominated field and dealing with the frustrations that come along with that whilst simultaneously making friends, finding her place in life and falling in love.
We get dual POV’s of Bel and Teo and go along as they finish their last year of high school, building robots and deciding their futures.
This book does such a good job of showcasing the struggles women (in stem) face when dealing with men who refuse to view them as equals. Bel feels like she’s constantly having to fight for her voice to be heard on the robotics team.
The romance and friendships in this book were adorable, probably the cutest I’ve read in a long time.
Bel’s friendship with Jamie and Lora and Teo’s frienship with Dash (a truly A+ character) were not only beautiful, but also very believable.
I loved the writing style of My Mechanical Romance, it was very fast-paced and upbeat, the perfect book if you just want something cute and easy to read (but still with an important message—especially for the young adult audience it’s intended for.)
I admit, some parts of the dialogue and thoughts of the characters were a little pretentious at times, but I actually think it makes sense as this is a YA book and all teens are at least a little pretentious anyway (I know I used to be).
Overall, I had a great time reading this and recommend everyone who likes these kinds of stories to give it a chance.

I requested this book without knowing much about it. I just knew that the author is most known for her pen name, Olivie Blake and she owns my soul so I had to read this.

My Mechanical Romance follows a team of high school STEM students as they finish their senior year and all that entails.
Our main female character, Bel, is new to the school and just trying to fit in but when she is unexpectedly placed on the robotics team, her life begins to change drastically. I found Bel to be a very believable high school character. The issue I have with most YA contemporary is that it feels like the characters are either written too young or too old for the age they are supposed to be but this felt more like my personal high school experience than anything else I have read.
Bel is dealing with being a female in STEM, which isn’t easy to begin with but is especially difficult for someone in high school. I feel like this book tackled the struggle in a way that is absolutely reflective of real life. Teo, the main male interest, seems to be somewhat oblivious to how his female teammates are treated. I also love the way Teo’s character is portrayed in this book. The expectations that are put on his shoulders are so heavy because of who he is. I just loved the way the author was able to balance every conversation she put into this book.
This is going to be such an important book YA but especially for young women. I know that this book will inevitably be compared to The Love Hypothesis and I feel like that can be a valid comparison. Both books tackle what it is like to be a female in STEM on a way that feels honest. So I would say if you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis for that discussion, you would enjoy this book. But this book is very much geared towards younger audiences. The romance in this book is very sweet and innocent so just know that going in. But this is easily a book I can see myself buying and holding onto for my daughter to read in high school.

This book was everything. It was so, so, so cute. I loved all the characters and the plot. It never fell into stereotypical tropes. Bel and Teo were so perfect together. The ending worked so well and it was a little corny but I think it fit.

My Mechanical Romance was a five star read from the first page. The MC, Bel, is snarky, smart, a female, and Filipino. Teo is also amazing. He is smart, snarky, and faces different challenges than Bel. I have so many thoughts for this book. Here are the things I love: the diversity is here, but not in your face or strongly pushed, I love how Bel faces challenges as a female wanting to go into STEM. I’m going to major in biology as a female. Bel really learns what she wants and she goes with the flow. She grows into herself. The book is fast paced and is never boring. I was speechless when I finished. Creating the robots and just growing into her own person and learning how to be assertive while navigating family life was something everyone can learn from. I love the girl power and how it also wasn’t in your face. It was there and important but wasn’t annoying. Another important thing was how the family relationships were normal. Bel and her brother had normal sibling dialog. I also loved how really high school was. There wasn’t mean girl or weird stereotypical ideas. One of my favorite quotes was “enemies to academic colleagues to lovers” that’s such a cute quote. Teo was very relatable and I loved how he grew. He’s another favorite book boyfriend now. I could go on and on about how amazing this book was and I can’t wait to preorder this!

This book was super cute. I absolutely flew through it with a bright smile on my face. I was kind of addicted to reading this book. Once I started reading it just wouldn't let me go. I also really loved our two main characters. I thought they were great to follow and I was really interested in the things they had going on. I absolutely loved the robotics element to this book. I thought it was very interesting and I really loved seeing the passion both of these characters had for it. I also just loved the group dynamic of the robotics team. The romance was also just the cutest thing ever and I loved the way it was set up. However, I did have some issues with this. There were quite a few time jumps in the book, which made it feel like I was missing some important developement scenes. That caused for the romance to feel a little bit insta-lovey and intense even though the book takes place over almost an entire school year. I also feel like in times this got a bit preachy about its messaging while other times it didn't get enough in depth at all. But overall I just had a blast reading this and that's all that really matters. This is definitely a book I recommend you pick up once it comes out.

4.5 ⭐ This book was so good!! Normally I have difficulty getting into YA romance, because oftentimes it feels unrealistic and too formulated to be enjoyable—I’m constantly feeling like the characters aren’t real people, even if they’re supposed to be. This book, however, does the complete opposite of that. It’s so well-paced and funny, and I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading. Bel is a fully realized, complex main character that I’ve rarely found in this genre, and Teo has got to be one of my favorite characters of realistic fiction ever—his characterization was done perfectly, and Farol Follmuth’s wonderful writing style makes all of it that much better. This book was such a fun—but also deeply real and full of realistic issues that teens face in real life—story that left me hoping for more of this style of book from Alexene Farol Follmuth. God I loved this book so fucking much. I can't wait for everything the author is going to do next.

This is the STEM academic rivals to lovers book of my dreams. It took me a while to get used to the writing style as I thought that it was a bit juvenile at first. But as soon as I got past 50 pages, I was hooked! I understand why the author took to this approach in writing, after all, it's a teen romance. I really have to give it to the author though because strangely this didn't feel like she was trying too hard to make it relatable for the younger audience, the dialogues were natural.

The cast of characters was a joy to read. The chemistry between our main protagonists had me giggling to myself at 2 AM in the morning. It's cheesy but never did it make me cringe as most romance novels do. I like how it touched on themes of gender biases, how sometimes people don't take young girls as seriously as they do with boys, as if their thoughts and opinions matter more than girls. If a girl succeeds it's because she's a hard worker, if a boy does he's just naturally gifted. That's what I always observed while growing up, especially when it comes to the academic world. And this book did not fail to show that side of academics. This book is relatable, and we get to see the characters grow and develop too. I don't know what else to say aside from the fact that I loved loved this!

I admit that I was hesitant at first since I had great expectations and the first few pages didn't hold my attention as well as I had hoped. Later on, though, I found myself smiling and giggling at these characters who I had assumed would bore me. If I'm being honest, it's not peak literature, but I adore it for what it is.

This has everything I've ever wanted in a book: it's a nice little STEM academic rivals teen rom-com that is delivered pretty well. I do have some issues with the writing style, which initially put me off. However, this was more of a personal taste and I eventually got over it and ended up enjoying it more than I thought. When it comes to this book, there's so much I could say. The characters are well-developed and endearing. I liked how it touched on so many topics, such as discovering one's passion and potential, as well as the uncertainties and existential crises that come with it, especially for disadvantaged children who may not have had the same headstart and opportunities as their more privileged peers. It realistically portrays complicated family relationships. It also addresses the gender biases that occur in a male-dominated field like STEM. Bel, Neelam, Jamie, and Lora all have my heart. I'm not sure anyone can understand how much I want to see these fictional characters succeed.

I adored this YA. Robotics, college applications, extracurriculars what more can run through Bel’s head, well maybe besides Mateo? Mateo is the captain of the robotics club and cares deeply for the club, all while butting heads with Bel who isn’t as focused.
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This book had so much. Academic rivals, a sharp and quick wit, which I always love and women in STEM. I hate to say this is a nerdy romance because I hate to classify smart as nerdy. I love to see differences and showcasing how difficult it can be for a woman in STEM and even more so a woman of color in STEM. I love seeing the diversity in this one, especially as a YA! This was a great one.

Thanks so much to #HolidayHouse for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars
Alexa, play team by Lorde.

I'll admit, it took me a bit to start liking this. I'm a big fan of Alexene's work, and while I knew going in that this was going to be much different than her other books, it still took me a few hundred pages to get used to the writing style and overrall maturity level. But once I was in I was hooked.

Though Teo annoyed me throughout, I really enjoyed his and Bel's relationship, particularly towards the end. I usually dislike romance epilogues, but the one in this was so cute. The side characters made no impression on me, as they usually do, but I loved getting to read about Bel's relationship with her brother, and the bits where she discussed her parent's relationship hit a bit too close to home.

My Mechanical Romance is a solid YA debut by an already great adult author, and I can't wait to see what Alexene puts out next.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

First of all, I'm rounding down, but I would give this a solid 3.5 stars.

Genuinely had such a fun time reading this. It felt like candy for my brain, in the best way possible. The author KNOWS how to write romance that is sweet but never in a way that feels overdone, and the focus on the characters' lives and how that impacted their interpersonal dynamics was really nice.

However I do wish we had gotten more from characters outside of Bel and Teo. While they both shone, it felt like the author wanted to give other characters, such as Neelam and Dash, their own arcs, but they generally faded to a murky buzz outside of the perspective characters' emotions.

I think that's the failing of this book, which is that it is trying to do a lot, and doesn't quite deliver on all of the beats it wants to hit for both romance, and what it means to be a marginalized individual in a STEM field. It's trying to cover a lot of ground with a limited amount of space, so in some places, it really can wear thin.

But overall, did have a nice time, did love the characters and their relationships, and def would recommend this to someone looking for something fun and happy to read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Bel joins her school’s robotics club and soon finds herself at odds with the talented Teo Luna. Their rivalry soon develops into something more.

My Mechanical Romance is a cute STEM themed YA romance. I appreciate that the author wrote realistic situations into the plot - college application anxiety, not getting into the 1st choice of schools, changing academic interests. I like that while the storyline did have romance in it, it was also focused on Bel’s personal growth.

I have no words to describe how good this was. I have read previous books by this author (under olivie blake) so i knew i would like the writing style BUT THE STORY?? it was so cute. literally the perfect ya romance. i loved teo and bel they were the cutest. AND THAT ENDING?? it was actually perfect. i could cry right now.

i just finished reading so im still on that reader high but anyway I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS. I LOVE LOVE.

This is an ownvoices novel about biracial teenagers building robots! WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE!

I knew this was going to be good when I realized it’s Olivie Blake- but I had no idea what a RomCom by the author of The Atlas Six was going to look like. It turns out, it was hilarious & beautiful & perfectly captured the feeling of having a crush… WHILE BUILDING BATTLE ROBOTS. I love nerd love & I’m so happy to be seeing more books about girls in stem- there’s so much joy to be found in books that include positive representation.

Thank you so much netgalley & holiday house books for the eArc!

This is the STEM ya romance I would have loved to have read when I was in high school. This book is gonna mean so much to a lot of younger readers, especially girls who want to go into mechanical engineering and robotics. It tackles the issues of gatekeeping, microagressions, sexism, misogyny, and imposter syndrome, but it left me feeling so freaking hopeful. Hopeful that the younger generations will not face the same amount of gatekeeping and will know what it means to keep going in spite of that negativity.

Teo and Bel are so wholesome in this. Teo has his moments where you wanna shake his shoulders and say “how do you not see the differences?!” But I liked that he came to view the obstacles Bel faced in a different light as the book went on; it felt much more authentic that way. MMR also depicted strong, smart women but in various forms! Neelam really grew on me and Jamie and Lora were such supportive friends. Also, I loved the depiction of just how hard high school students work. This book is not spicy (obviously, because it’s YA) but it was really, really sweet! The epilogue chapter was amazing and had me tearing up 😭

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy!

4.5

I’ve read a few books under Alexene Farol Follmuth’s pen name, Olivie Blake and have enjoyed them so much it was a no-brainer to pick this up.

I found both Bel and Teo so interesting and relatable - I love them so much! The tension, the banter, the little details they remembered about each other AHHHHH it was such a delight to read. I dont think it was quite the academic rivals trope i was expecting but it truly felt a lot more natural than a lot of other romcoms!

The side characters were also great! They felt familiar and endearing if that makes sense. Alexene really really fleshed them out and made them distinct and lovable. I love the friendships in this book and how supportive they are of each other,

I love that this books shows the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated field. How hard it is to be taken seriously, how male colleagues will think you’re not good/smart enough and that you’re annoying if you do speak up, as well as how underestimated women are. It also did great on sexism, privilege, and family struggles! Also on being uncertain with your future. While this book touched on important topics, I also loved how it was still light-hearted and cute.

The Filipino rep in this book is unlike any I’ve seen before. I haven’t had the chance to see my culture represented in books but this one was such a great start. Although it wasn’t a lot, it was a lot more than other authors that just establish their characters having a certain heritage and not expounding on it. I truly commend Farol Follmuth for this! It made me feel seen being a Filipina living in North America.

I’ll definitely buy a copy of this once it comes out!