Ali Hazelwood has done it again!! I say this with every one of her books, but this might be my favorite one yet. Rue goes from socially awkward to less socially awkward with Eli, and he is just so in love with her that he is so patient with her. While there were plot twists that I did see coming, there were also plot twists I didn't see coming, and that made this book so fun to read. Ali will continue to be an auto buy author for me if she continues to put out books with such likable and relatable characters

This was actually my first book by this author and honestly? Im hooked.

I love this author's writing style, they flow well and keeps you wanting to read more and more and more.

And if all of her books are this spicy? Sign me uppp.
And the banter between characters?! Chefs kiss. Give me ten of em.

The only thing I didn't like is how the MMC brings up his ex. Like.....just stop..please.

““I thought I could never be happy. But with you, Eli… I have never felt the way I do with you. Never. And I think that’s why it took me so long to put words to it.”

Rue and Eli. After meeting on a dating app and a failed attempt of a one-night-stand, Rue was shocked to find out that Eli was the man that was trying to buy out the company she works at, which made it harder for them to stay away from each other.

Eli is the epitome of love at first sight and is a simp for Rue!! Both characters aren’t my absolute favorites compared to other Ali Hazelwood’s characters, but I did enjoy some parts of the book!!

🧪READ IF YOU LIKE🧪:
- dual POV
- she’s grumpy, he’s sunshine
- opposites attract
- he falls first
- age gap: 6 years
- forbidden workplace romance
- one night stand
- frenemies with benefits to lovers
- STEM: biotech engineer

cw: grief, food insecurity, child neglect

DNF at 46%. I couldn't get into the characters and really didn't care about the outcome or them as a couple. The plot was also just not there. As in, I'm nearly halfway through the book and I fail to see the plot (beyond sex and opportunities to have sex) show up for more than a few pages at a time.

Rue Siebert has finally built the life she always dreamed of: stability, success, and a solid footing as a biotech engineer at one of the hottest food science startups. Then Eli Killgore walks in. He’s sharp-suited, maddeningly smug, and the face of the company trying to destroy everything she’s built. But when a boardroom battle turns into a secret affair, Rue is faced with an impossible question: how do you fight for your future when it might mean losing your heart?

Tropes
* Enemies to lovers
* Workplace romance
* Forbidden love
* Opposites attract
* Secret relationship
* STEM heroine
* Grumpy x grumpy-but-soft-for-her
* Dual-layered tension—emotional and corporate
* A heroine who is brilliant, guarded, and deeply relatable
* Eli, a cinnamon roll in wolf's clothing (aka soft-hearted corporate shark)
* Smart dialogue and sizzling chemistry
* Hidden vulnerability behind ambition

Ali Hazelwood returns with a mature, steamy, and emotionally rich workplace romance that proves love and science are equally unpredictable. Not in Love captures the push and pull of desire, professional conflict, and buried trauma with razor-sharp insight. Rue is a fierce and vulnerable STEM queen who’s clawed her way to stability, only to be sideswiped by Eli, the infuriatingly hot, devastatingly earnest rival she should definitely hate. But Hazelwood gives us a tender slow-burn that blossoms into something deeper and messier than either of them expects. Their chemistry crackles, but it’s the emotional stakes and ethical complexity that truly shine.

Ali Hazelwood puts out romances faster than I can keep up with, but every time I read one I love it. NOT IN LOVE was no different. As always, I love how Hazelwood incorporates girls in STEM. Our main character Rue is a food engineer and the company she works for has been purchased by a private equity firm in a bit of a hostile takeover. One of the owners is a guy she met on a hookup app named Eli and it all takes off from there. Both Rue and Eli were great characters who had interesting stories and I was glad Hazelwood wrote from both of their POVs. This was a pretty steamy read, but I really enjoyed their communication throughout and how their relationship progressed. I also really liked all the side characters and I'm jazzed to know Hazelwood's newest (Problematic Summer Romance) features two characters from this story!

Look—at this point, I know exactly what I’m getting with an Ali Hazelwood book, and that’s honestly part of the appeal. Not in Love follows her usual formula: smart, slightly awkward woman + broody hot man + one big miscommunication + a whole lot of chemistry. And guess what? It still works.

I don’t remember a ton of plot specifics (these books aren’t really built to linger), but I do remember breezing through it with a smile. It was fun, it was flirty, and it gave me exactly the kind of dopamine hit I wanted when I picked it up. Hazelwood has found her niche, and while it’s not revolutionary, it’s reliable—and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

it took me a pretty long time to get into this book because it was so different than ali’s others books but once i committed to it i was fully into their romance and relationship. very mature and bordering on erotic which i loved ali for going this direction

Steamy chemistry and all the best feels. I adore Hazelwood and can't wait for the next title. I really like seeing women in STEM fields and it is refreshing to read something different. Great book!

one thing about an ali hazelwood book is it's going to be a good time! not in love falls somewhere in the middle of the pack for me. i found the outside conflict to be super interesting and i liked the way rue and eli worked together and began trusting each other throughout the story. they had great chemistry that developed over time, and all the side characters were super fun as well! i didn't feel like i fully connected with the main characters as an outside perspective, so i don't think this one will ultimately end up being super memorable to me, but i did enjoy my time with it.

I’ve had very mixed results with Ali’s books, but I absolutely adored Not in Love! Rue and Eli were such a great pairing, their chemistry, banter, spice level in the book was all fantastic. I genuinely could not put this down once I started. The audiobook was fantastic as well (I alternated reading and listening).

To my surprise, this was absolutely a hit for me. I loved both THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS and LOVE THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood but haven't kept up with some of her more recent releases (also like how does the woman write so much!!) and I wasn't sure how I would feel about the premise of this one. but make no mistake, Ali Hazelwood knows how to write a man that is down bad for his woman and truly what more could I ask for. Yes this book is very spice-forward but the heart of the story is in Rue and Eli both opening up, storylines that I found to be particularly heartwarming. I understand why this book didn't work for everyone but it worked for me!

Not my favorite Ali Hazelwood book, but still one good enough for me to want to finish it. We read it for our monthly book club and although I had to rush the ending (even though the book itself did that too), I liked it okay.

The first book I read by Ali Hazelwood was a paranormal romance and I felt pretty meh about it. But after reading Not In Love, I get the hype around this fantastic author. While the story was quite steamy and a great romance, Hazelwood does a great job of exploring heavier themes including estranged family, food insecurity, and other topics. I loved the STEM aspect and having a strong female character who is afraid to be herself. I'll definitely check out more from her after reading Not In Love.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story. Two emotionally-damaged people who have been betrayed by negligent, abusive parents and unscrupulous bosses, find a connection and acceptance that neither expected. Although, on the surface, their goals seem to be working against each other, the growing feelings they have for each other can’t be denied. I love how Hazelwood portrayed Rue’s autism and Eli’s innate understanding of her neurodivergency and needs. He’s the perfect book boyfriend who not only accepts her uniqueness, but gives her the support and protection she’s never had. I also enjoyed Rue’s relationship with her best friend, Tisha.

If you enjoy frenemies to lovers romances with an element of mystery mixed with corporate greed, you’ll enjoy this latest offering from Hazelwood. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I loved this slow burn romance and felt it was a different style of writing then what l've previously read from Ali Hazelwood. I loved Rue and her love for food conservation and science. I loved how she knew what she wanted and didn't settle for anything less. I also loved Eli and how he fell for Rue first. I loved how much Eli loved Rue and thought about her and how to get her to fall for him. The spice in this book was amazing and I really enjoyed the dual POV. I love how layered Rue's character was and I enjoyed how Eli and her told stories of their childhood and secrets they wouldn't tell anyone else. I love STEM romances and this book did not disappoint.

Ali is kind of a hit or miss author for me but I enjoyed this one! I do love how all of her books highlight women in stem and I love a good at odds over work trope so this hit a lot of great things for me

This was just too tropey for me. I wanted to love it because I love allllll other Ali Hazelwood and I struggled with this one.

After seeing others reviews of this book, I decided that it is not something I will enjoy because it has too much explicit content for my preferences.

I have chosen not to review this title. I appreciate the story the author was trying to tell, but it fell short with me and I was not able to feel like I was connected in any way to the characters. I do generally enjoy titles by this author, so this was a surprise for me, but it just didn't connect.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review one of your titles and look forward to the next one on my list!