I finished this book so quickly. One of my favorite things about the Stem-inist novels is having really intellectual characters, at least in an academic setting. Rue and Eli are both complicated characters with complicated pasts, both in different ways. Unlike some of the other novels in this series, there are a lot more mentions of triggers. (The author has a great note about it at the beginning of the novel). Rue has a lot of things she tries to hide and run away from, except for her work. She has been through a lot, and is still going through a lot, and finds comfort in only meeting up with people once. Eli was meant to be a one-night stand, but when he shows up at her work, with his colleagues, it turns things upside down. They both have strong feelings for each other, even after only one night that didn't go the way they played. The writing of this book is really well done and I found the 'friend' characters really supportive for both Rue and Eli. Overall, a definitely darker story than the others, with a lot more betrayal by the others characters. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC!
I was nervous going into this one even though I'm already a huge Ali Hazelwood fan. I knew going in that this one was going to be tonally different from her other titles and the fact that this book is much heavier with the spice (I'm very indifferent when it comes to spice in books but if it ends up being too much and not a lot of other plot for me to focus one, I'll quickly lose interest)but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the fmc, Rue, and the way her social anxiety & her childhood trauma was dealt with (also, she was actually tall!). As for Eli, it did take me a good while to warm up to him. Sometimes i found his chapters annoying but necessary as you got more insight for the science/career plot of the book. I could've lived without knowing his lustful thoughts on Rue (look I get it dude, but like it was excessive) but towards the end, he did win me over. I did struglle with the first half of the book because it was so heavy on the spice but then once the career subplot started to come together and the feels started happening (lol, I'm trying so hard not to spoil, forgive me!). This book did deal with heavier topics that I thought were done pretty well and there was a bit of Ali's humor present in this but not as much as I would've liked. I wouldn't say this is one of my favorites but I did end up really liking it more than I thought I would.

Ali Hazelwood had me unexpectedly in tears over this biotech engineer finding her spicy/happy romance, which is not a reaction I've had when enjoying her books before. I literally did not move from my chair until I finished devouring this one.

Rue Siebert is a biotech engineer who openly tells her hookup app matches that there are no repeats in her world; they have one time with her. She is socially awkward with so many walls up after a childhood of poverty and neglect. One of her matches, Eli Killgore, unexpectedly shows up at her workplace with his business partners as they look to take over her firm. They're each torn between crazy chemistry and loyalty to their own friends and colleagues.

I loved both of these characters, their ethics and resilience after each going through so much in their lives. I loved that they bonded over exchanging stories from their past that they were ashamed of, and that it only made them fall for each other harder. If any of you experienced poverty or food insecurity as a child, this story will hit all your feelings.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for this ARC!

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ali Hazelwood is back with a forbidden romance set in the cutthroat world of biotech startups. Heroine Rue Siebert is a successful engineer facing a (supposedly) hostile takeover led by the infuriatingly attractive Eli Killgore. Their professional rivalry ignites a secret, passionate affair, fueled by undeniable chemistry but complicated by loyalty and deadlines.

I had such mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t love it, but I also couldn’t put it down. One of the things that I have always appreciated about Ali Hazelwood is that her writing typically feels quite natural, especially when it comes to dialogue. I can’t explain why, but her latest work felt a bit forced to me. (This is more of a commentary on the romance genre as a whole, but I think that popular demand for smut has pushed a lot of strong contemporary romance authors into cringe territory and I hate it.) The plot and characters were great. I love Rue’s quirky personality and the openness between her and Eli. I enjoyed the book, just not quite as much as her others.

Hazelwood is back to her roots with this book. This is a steamy (although not quite as steamy as "Bride." We're back in Hazelwood's comfort zone: writing in a STEM setting. While the competition between colleagues is a fun element that brought a lot of tension between our lovers, this didn't feel like writing growth or experimentation like the previous novel. It felt like she went back to writing what she's familiar with.

Overall, this is a perfectly fine yet forgettable STEM romance from Hazelwood—which are starting to blur together.

I was so excited to read this book and it definitely lived up to my expectations! Rue and Eli meet on an app for casual hookups but after their date is interrupted, Rue never expects to see him again. The next day, she learns that the engineering company where she works is undergoing a hostile takeover by none other than Eli’s finance company. Rue and Eli are torn between loyalty and their intense attraction.

This book had everything I love about Ali Hazelwood’s STEM romances, but this is definitely Ali Hazelwood’s spiciest book yet! It took me a little bit longer to connect with Rue, but after hearing her backstory, I definitely understood her better. Eli was so sweet and I loved how patient he was with Rue. I would love to get a story about Eli’s sister (and Hark). I definitely recommend this if you like Ali’s other books.

Tropes:
▫️Workplace romance
▫️Enemies-to-lovers
▫️Friends with benefits
▫️Forbidden love
▫️Women in STEM

Thank you to Ali Hazelwood, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Not In Love, a bit more than Love Theoretically but not as much as Love on the Brain. I appreciated the dual points of view, although some of Eli's thoughts were a bit cringey. Both main characters were well fleshed out, had lives and relationships outside of each other (which is always a plus) and had great chemistry. Honestly, the chemistry between them had me blushing and fanning myself at times. This one was a lot spicier than Hazelwood's previous titles, and I'd say her writing of intimate scenes has vastly improved. When it comes to M/F romances, I love when the male main character falls first, and the way Eli's feelings for Rue were written is masterful, and so I'm still thinking about them days after having finished it. I will be recommending this book to patrons at my branch, and really anyone looking for a romance rec. We've already ordered multiple copies. Thank you for granting my request for this ARC.

Thank you to the wonderful people at Berkley for letting me read the ARC of Not In Love.

So I was really excited to pick up Not In Love because I not only enjoy Ms.Hazelwood's quirky humor but I love how she brings a mix of STEM and awkward human beings into spotlight because everyone deserves to be a main character of their lives. The excitement I felt when I first realized this is her first dual POV was no joke, However it hurts my being that this is by far my least favorite full length book to the day from her(yup I'd place her novellas on top of this one) it also has the least STEM factor to it focussing a lot on corporate/finance which was fine but one might get lost in the corporate/finance jargon while trying to understand the conflict

While I admit that lust to love/ let us get it out of the system doesn't always work for me, I thought the beginning of the story was promising. A one night stand gone wrong or right(?) when the hero had to become her knight in the shining armor than her amour (see what I did there?) but things get even awkward when Eli the supposed knight shows up at Rue's work place with a possibility of him becoming her boss. While there is a potential for forbidden romance, I felt like it was wasted, I didn't know half the time what their intentions were towards each other. It is quite lust driven and the intimacy part lacked any emotional depth to me personally, it was just an intense immediate attraction that cannot be satiated for either of them.They turn to be each other allies because they can appreciate each other even with their flaws

I get that the FMC is supposed to be reserved, closed off, emotionally unavailable human but every time there needs to be a communication as one would expect, Rue chooses sex instead because it is too much of an emotion to put into words for her.After a few times it felt redundant and that didn't make me root for Eli or Rue because I felt like MMC had nothing to add to the story rather than being Rue's comfort cushion whenever she needed a backing? His POV is the most underutilized and easily forgettable. There is also secondary plot happening on the side but I was equally confused with it and how it played out, the conflict that arises is something you could see from afar but I honestly didn't feel the friction from any side because Rue and Eli were technically not co-workers nor will their situationship is going to cause any damage to their respective careers. There is also a tiny incident with Rue's brother and I honestly don't even know what to gather from it? it seems like Rue gets to mess up and be tragic about it and Eli would understand and support, I really had hard time understanding both Eli and Rue's characterizations other than the fact they might not be acceptable per society norms but are perfect for each other.

This honestly felt like its written in haste, the writing was very different from her previous books. Overall I really struggled but I am sure many people will enjoy it, sadly it isn't for me.

Rating- 2.5

Whew, this one is steamy!

Rue is a no-strings attached kind of girl with one rule with men - no repeats. When her night with Eli is interrupted by family drama, she is intrigued enough by Eli to give him her number. The next day she sees him - as his company is acquiring hers. There is a lot of drama that unfolds but I really loved the draw between the two characters - and whew, did I mention this one is steamy?!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

If there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that I love a man pathetically (I say as affectionately as possible) down bad and obsessed with his girl, and Eli... now that is a pathetically down bad man obsessed with his girl!!

Eli and Rue had such an interesting dynamic that I could not help but devour. Their no strings attached forbidden affair was so juicy and HOT that I was itching just to have them in the same scene together bc their tension and chemistry begged for release. like talk about palpable tension!!! This is definitely Ms. Ali's hottest and sexiest book and it had me blushing!!

I loved Rue and Eli's frank discussions about sex, their past trauma, and their vulnerabilities surrounding their family. And their forbidden affair just added to the stakes of the story. I love romances that start out physical and detached and turn into something real and meaningful and Ali Hazelwood did such a great job incorporating those inner thoughts.

The surprise mmc pov (third person) MADE this book. I don't know if it would have worked as well as it did if it hadn't included Eli's pov, and I loved that it was in third person too. We're supposed to be in rue's head but with Eli, it's more about his intentions, and that was so important to me as the reader! No strings attached could be considered cold and uncomfy if we're only in one person's head, so while we all know Ali's men are always obsessed, it was nice to have that further validated through his pov, and it honestly made me love him more.

Really loved this book and I'm excited for what Ali Hazelwood will feed us next.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. it comes out 6/11!

Rue Siebert is comfortable with her life, friends, and job and she doesn’t want to make any changes. In marches Eli Killgore, who is also happy with the status quo, and is on that path towards revenge. Neither of them expect their workplace attraction to turn into a workplace romance. Especially when Eli is attempting to take over the company of her close friend and boss. But their undeniable attraction to each other, and the forbidden element of their relationship, keep them turning back towards each other. This witty contemporary STEMinist romance is perfect for fans of Helen Hoang.

Not in Love is Hazelwood’s best and spiciest work to date. The novel follows Rue and Eli on opposite sides of a hostile takeover fighting their intense attraction to each other. Honestly, Not in Love will definitely be making my favourite books of 2024.

Rue and Eli’s chemistry is fire hot. Their attraction to each other was immediate and the subsequent angst was delicious. Rue and Eli’s personalities and social tendencies complimented each other with Eli being the more outgoing of the two.

Not in Love is a he falls first forbidden romance and I loved every second of it. Eli became obsessed with Rue in all the best ways.

Not in Love is Hazelwood’s least STEM focused novel in that while Rue works in STEM, her job, though the catalyst of the novel, takes a backseat to Rue and Eli’s developing feelings/relationship more so than her previous novels.

Not in Love also touched on themes of food insecurity and difficult family dynamics that didn’t feel shoehorned into the novel. Instead, Hazelwood offered a nuanced look at food insecurity and its aftereffects.

Overall, Not in Love is Hazelwood’s spiciest novel yet but it’s also her best. The characters’ chemistry and angst both fire and so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Oh my! First of all, Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me early access to one of my most anticipated books of the year!

I am a huge fan of Ali Hazelwood. She can literally do no wrong and she did it again with Not in Love.

Like A lot of her other books this one is set in STEM. Not in Love however, is a bit steamier than we are used to. And by a bit I was like OMG!

We have forbidden romance, close proximity, he falls first, let’s get it out of our system, and a lot of Angst but still funny. Ali adds in some serious subjects in this book and did a great job.

Rue and Eli meet on a dating app but nothing ends up happening and they are left thinking they will never see each other again. However, Eli’s company is buying out a loan for Rue’s company and they become a little bit of enemies. However, they can’t seem to escape each other and they figure they just need to get it out of their system.

I loved getting to know Eli’s character through his POV. We didn’t really get to see dual POVs in some of her other books.

Rue was also great! I loved her loyalty and honesty. I loved her sense of humor (though she wasn’t born with one). It broke my heart that Rue thinks she’s not good enough and that stories just don’t have happy endings.

I love how they both had difficult backstories and find comfort in one another. A question for a question and tell me a story. There is so much intimacy between these two.

Def recommend!

I'm officially an Ali stan, I guess.

I thoroughly enjoyed Not in Love! Our heroine, Rue, and our hero, Eli, have an undeniable attraction but plenty of baggage forcing them to pause amidst some incredibly... spicy... happenings HAHA. We're onto our SECOND tall girly, and I'm into this trend of MCs not being absolutely aloof to everything coming out of the love interest's mouth. I also loved the overall cast of characters, much like I did with BRIDE. That being said, it's not a full five for me because of the conflict and twist - which I predicted and also felt was entirely AVOIDABLLEEEE.

I love Ali Hazelwood, so it was a no-brainer that I would leap at the chance to read an early copy through NetGalley.

This book was a stem-romance with a healthy touch of mystery and intrigue. Turns out, I like a little mystery with my romance! Rue's backstory with poverty and food insecurity gave her character depth from her scientific drive to her "quirky" habits, which makes it even more upsetting when Eli's business partners want to take over the company she works for. To make it even more uncomfortable, the night before Rue and Eli had a one night stand through a dating app, and now they have to see each other all the time.

You've got forbidden romance, enemies to lovers. LOTS of spice, science, mystery, and tons of dry humor (omg Rue is the best!). I wholeheartedly recommend.

What was supposed to be a one-night stand—but appears to have the potential for more—turns into an unexpected workplace romance in Ali Hazelwood’s Not in Love.

Rue Siebert is dedicated to her biotech engineering job and to her mentor, the the head of Kline, her employer. It may not be the fullest life, but she has her science, a few friends, and her plants. And whenever she feels the need for additional outlets, she uses apps to seek out one-time only hookups.

And that’s just fine—really, it is—until one of the men with whom she matches shows up at her work as one of the business partners at a firm that wants to take over Kline and to dethrone Rue’s beloved mentor.

Eli wants Kline and its tech, but he also wants Rue. He feels a connection with her, and he wants more. He’s not just attracted to her; he likes her and wants to get to know her.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Women in STEM
- Found/chosen family
- Forbidden romance
- Higher heat / more open-door love scenes than previous Hazelwood novels
- Building a physical connection before opening up to more of an emotional one
- Both MCs with baggage they need to work through

My enjoyment of the book grew as Rue and Eli spent more and more time together. I especially loved the last third of the book.

Fair warning: this feels emotionally heavier than Hazelwood’s previous works. I highlighted multiple passages of dialogue and snippets of the characters’ internal monologues that ripped my heart wide open.

I received an advance copy of the book from Berkley and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I’ve definitely griped about this before, but it really gets me when a book cover and description do not match up to the story content inside. I’ve enjoyed Ali H books in the past - they’ve all been romance or ya romance and overall have had a romcom type vibe. The description of this one and cover art? Very much in line with her others. The actual content? Not so much.

I get a sinking feeling as soon as I saw the authors note just before chapter one, but by that point it’s too late. I’d already committed to the book. Don’t get me wrong I very much appreciate and encourage authors notes and content warnings. However, I would have appreciated that the cover and blurb gave me an inkling to so I’d have known this one was not for me.

In case it wasn’t clear, this story was not one for me. Not my cup of tea at all. I had some issue with some of the content warning items that existed in the story. I’m not one for insta-lust and honestly this one had too much spice and not enough plot. I was disappointed.

Again while not my cup of tea, I’ve heard from many that they really liked it or loved it. So for fans of the author, those who prefer a bit more spice and/or darker tones to their romance this might be the book for you.

loved this book! Hazelwood's foray into the supernatural aside, I've been pretty middling on her contemporary romances. This one verges more into erotica, as her author's note says, and I'm excited about her growth and change over these last few years. I think this is a strong story and represents a slight change in direction for her work.

I do think that complaints of no plot in Hazelwood's books are exaggerated, she does write plot. I think criticism of her heroines as being all Mary Sue-ish orphans is valid, but I think this book and her more recent work is a good response to that. Hazelwood's books are profoundly about trauma, abandonment, and growing trust. I think a lot of the criticism re: the plots is that they can be a bit predictable, but I think it doesn't effect the quality of the reading experience. I don't need everything to be a twist, I want to be able to try to follow along and get the picture, especially if I'm invested in the characters.

Rue is maybe my favorite FMC she's written so far, and Eli my favorite MMC. They're both profoundly emotionally damaged, with similar tragic stories, but they have both built lives for themselves. I thought their journey together was very reflective of where they both are, and I really liked the dual POV.

In general, this worked very well for me. I think the prevailing desire to hate popular things might prevent some readers from picking this book up, but I do think it's her best yet.

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. Sometimes with authors, I find myself saying "the first book was my favorite" much like I love the first albums of my favorite bands best. Ali is an exception; Love, Theoretically dethroned The Love Hypothesis as my number 1. Then Check & Mate pushed LT out of the way. Then Bride knocked my socks off. Well, meet my new new favorite Not in Love.

✔️ One Night Stand (almost)
✔️ Insta Lust
✔️ Workplace
✔️ Black Cat/Golden Retriever

If you are an Ali fan, there are still lots of her hallmarks here. The banter is still hilarious; the themes of found family and loyalty and trust are on point and on full display; the steam and spice and dirty talk were perfection.

However, this is also a pretty different book in that we know the MMC's POV! And it's not written in first person! There were also lots of pretty serious trauma that the FMC went through and is dealing with so this felt like the most emotionally heavy of Ali's books.

The emotional journey was tremendous and I loved the slow burn woo and watching Eli work so hard to win Rue over and how he clearly prioritized her comfort and happiness from the start. He is kind of the embodiment of why I gravitate towards cinnamon rolls - he takes care of her with such care (I know that is a weird sentence but it is true!!).

I loved it, am still thinking about, and kind of want to read it all over again. 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

Not In Love is a very different vibe of book from Ali Hazelwood’s previous works. While she did an amazing job with it, it was missing a little bit of the signature Ali ~sparkle~ for me.

Don’t get me wrong - I enjoyed the book! I think this was one of the strongest plots that she’s written so far. What I think struck me as a bit odd was the shift in the writing between Rue’s POV chapters and Eli’s POV chapters. Rue was written in first person, while Eli was written in third. It made for a bit of a weird reading experience, and also made the transition between POVs a little clunky. Now of course I read an ARC, not the finished copy, so there’s no guarantee that this stayed true to the end of the publication journey, but it seems unlikely that so much of the book would change between ARC distribution and final pass pages.

Now onto the things I did enjoy! I loved Rue and Eli’s sense of humor. Their banter was great, especially once Rue gets more comfortable. I also appreciate how Eli accepted Rue’s (imo autistic coded) personality for exactly who she is. She was one of the most distinct FMCs that Ali has written, and I really enjoyed reading her inner thoughts and watching her process things.

While this isn’t my favorite AH book, it still hit the spot. 4 stars.

I will post my review on Instagram and Amazon on publication day.