I did not enjoy this book it had so many open door sex scenes and it didn't feel like anything else was going on in the book besides using so many "F" bombs.

I had read all her other books and enjoyed them. This one was just not for me and it is erotica romance and I prefer closed door.

If there’s one thing I adore about Ali Hazelwood’s books, it’s her main characters and Rue is truly one of a kind. Let’s fast-forward for a second though as the book starts with Rue meeting up with a guy and the hookup doesn’t happen. Of course, we find out the next day that her hookup aka Eli is planning to take over the company she’s working for along with his associate.

Given how close Rue is with her boss, she’s determined to stay away from him but the attraction between them is undeniable. Let me just start by saying that this book truly lives up to its title as it’s a lot of these two hooking up without many feelings involved and it’s a huge departure from the previous works of Ali Hazelwood’s.

Even so, Not in Love feels like something fresh for this author and I don’t know how I can go back to having anything else. Aside from the romance, Rue is working on something to help combat food insecurity which is something that’s very personal to her. In addition, Eli was tasked with raising his sister at a young age and he has a bit of trauma there. Honestly, these two are flawed but it just works.

Sometimes, it can feel like romances are a little too cinematic but Not in Love felt grounded completely in reality. It was nice to see these two having their romance while also dealing with challenges in their personal and professional lives. While it was a fun and sometimes spicy read, it doesn’t shy away from Eli and Rue’s baggage. Either way, that’s what made me love this book so much and it quickly became one of my favorites from Ali Hazelwood.

If you’re looking for something different yet with that trademark style Ali Hazelwood has, I think you’ll love this one. I also feel like it might bring in an entirely new group of fans to her work. We can only hope but Not in Love was an utter delight and a book I know I’ll be revisiting.

Ali Hazelwood's are always a fun read and I enjoyed Not in Love as well but it was not one of my favorites. I liked the hero and heroine, Eli and Rue, but I didn't connect with them as much as I have with her other books. Will still recommend to patrons interested in this genre

I’m beginning to think that Ali Hazelwood can do no wrong in my head. I have liked all of her books to some varying degree but never disliked any of them. I love that she has basically sold her soul to whoever started the Enemies to Lovers trope and now dominates it in her own right. The comedic, quirky, passionate writing always seals me in and I can never escape! This is most definitely your next read, immediately. It hits just as good! Rue is the cutest. AND feistiest.

ARC review: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. Thank you to Berkley Romance for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Not in Love comes out on June 11th and if you're an Ali fan, you definitely want to check this out!

I'm not sure I knew that Ali had the range to write this gritty, emotional book, but boy did she! This is probably my favorite contemporary romance from her (Bride is still number 1 overall)

I'll be honest, despite this being my favorite of her contemporaries, the book got off to a little bit of a rough start for me. I'm not sure exactly what it was - it was a little messy and I was getting a little frustrated by Rue's behavior. I do also think I had some unrealistic expectations about this book based on Ali's foreword that calls this book "erotica"...it just isn't. It's an emotional romance, certainly not a romcom. I think I would have liked the beginning a bit more if I didn't have the expectation that this was going to be erotica.

But then! The last 30-40% of this book got me and it got me good! I really loved how everything came together and how both Rue and Eli worked through their history to learn to trust each other. I also loved how much Eli understood Rue and was able to anticipate her reactions. And I thought her grand gesture at the end was super sweet. And I really loved the spice and light kink - I really do think this is some of Ali's best work and look forward to seeing more of her range!

Read this for:
- Almost one night stand to enemies to lovers
- Difficult family relationships
- Spice!!
- Women in STEM
- Angst
- Dual POV
- Forbidden romance

I've read many (most?) of Ali Hazelwood's books.and thought I knew what to expect when I started reading this one. Scientists? Check. Excellent pacing? Check. Snappy diaolg? Check. Steam? Boy howdy. The spicy bits were much more intense than I'd come to expect - not that I object - which drew me.out of the story occasionally. But it was also refreshing to have a not-so-paint-by-numbers relationship. Thanks for sharing this book with me. (Hat tip for the blink.and you miss it reference to Check & Mate.)

This one is a little different than what I think the average person expects from Ali. It feels more personal, more intimate. I think it's really lovely. I look forward to Ali's inclusion of neurodivergent characters, and I love that this hero adores how the heroine's brain works. The work drama and coworkers are interesting. I'd love to spend more time with them...perhaps a companion book featuring a very cool young lady and her older brother's grumpy best friend...anyway, I will continue snatching up whatever Hazelwood puts out. No one does steamy STEM like her.

Ali Hazelwood does it again! This is definitely her steamiest book yet, and I’m here for it. I loved the chemistry between Rue and Eli, as well as both of their back stories. Because of the way they were raised, I felt they complimented each other perfectly and are a book couple that feel like a real life couple. Made me laugh, made me cry, all the things! Can’t wait to continue to read every book Ali ever writes.

Finally an Ali Hazelwood book that didn't cause second-hand embarrassment because of the cringe of the FMC. She has finally stepped into a dual POV book (hers in first, his in third person), and to what benefit. These characters felt much more whole than her previous ones, and the humor and dialogue much more realistic.

Not in Love is workplace romance that begins with an intended anonymous hookup, but the characters find themselves on opposing sides of a corporate takeover. Eventually the two establish a casual relationship that they keep hidden for the sake of the merger but can't resist developing feelings.

The plot at times felt a little laggy and honestly could have been probably 50 pages shorter. Especially the conflict felt a little convoluted and rushed toward the end, which is a common theme of Hazelwood's books: pacing. However, a generally a very enjoyable step towards a slightly more angsty story from Ali Hazelwood.

I've taken some time to sort my feelings out on this newest addition to Hazelwood's oeuvre, but there's something decidedly lacking. It has all the mechanisms and formulas of a great romance, but the characters, the chemistry, and the storyline fizzle out halfway through the book. There's almost a sense of going through the motions and while it all works, it didn't capture my attention as usual. Both characters were borderline forgettable and the soft enemies to lovers made it feel flat rather than tense and thrilling.

Now, it could have been down to my mood, but I read two other romance books after this and I thoroughly enjoyed those so unfortunately, this one did not click with me. It's still worth the read!

I absolutely adored this book! We have ourselves a little forbidden love story between Rue, a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science, and Eli the man trying to steal the tech behind her friend's company. Talk about a scandal! They meet by chance through a dating app only to find themselves tangled in a secret workplace romance. Rue was bristly and stubborn yet I still related to her so hard. Eli, oh boy, he knew what he wanted and didn't let anything get in the way! I loved him so much as the romantic hero. I loved that they both had this traumatic family upbringing that gave them scars from the past. While the difficulties with their families were very different, it still gave them something to bond over and made them feel more like real people and not perfect storybook characters This was definitely one of Ali Hazelwood's steamiest books yet. the spice was so good and felt it was all relatable to the story and not just spice for spice's sake. But besides the steam and the romance, I loved that this really questioned the perspective on who the good and bad guys were throughout the book. Read if you like, enemies to lovers, dual POV and STEM-focused roles.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 6/11

this book is definitely more romance-y & less stem/science-y than ali’s books and i adored that. i had a really hard time connecting to these characters because of how fast the smut came without the emotional connection.

this book is SPICCCCYYYY. like probably too spicy for me (and i don’t mind smut at all) so if you are into that you will love this book LOL

if you are into spicy AF books, forbidden love, workplace romances, texas, stem, or law - i think you will love this book! the excessive spice was just not it for me.

It hurts me to write this review.
Ali Hazelwood has always been a favorite. When Bride was released, I was so excited to read a different genre and LOVED how she seamlessly moved into the fantasy realm. While I love when authors flex their writing chops by expanding on their published "norm," Not in Love's expansion into erotica was not for me. I know there is a vast audience for the crude language and sexual openness - but I am not a fan. I had to DNF this book at 33% when the main characters were discussing their sexual preferences while naked in a hotel room. Not my jam.
I don't post negative reviews on my page, and I am not planning to include this recap in my Goodreads because I didn't finish the book and can't speak to the story's entirety. But this is my honest review. Thank you for allowing me to preview the book.

Super smart and emotionally unavailable Rue and handsome former hockey player Eli meet on an app where they arrange a one night stand that is interrupted by Rue’s complicated past. Rue and Eli meet again when Eli shows up to Rue’s job as one of the financiers trying to overthrow the company Rue works for and is owned by her female mentor, based on Eli’s own complicated past. Rue is forced to decide where her allegiances lie in this emotionally deep, but very steamy romance.

I think the Love Hypothesis will always be my fave of Ali’s, followed by Love on the Brain. But I did enjoy this more than last year’s Love Theoretically.

What I enjoyed about this one was the complex backstories both characters had that led them to where they were mentally and emotionally when they met one another, damaged and unavailable looking for one night stands. I personally enjoy a little past emotional trauma and raw, complicated plot lines in my romance, which is why I’m an avid Abby Jimenez fan. Life is more messy like that.. less like instalove unless you’re just lucky. It was really fun getting to know Rue and Eli and see how they morphed into something beautiful together that they never thought possible. I also loved Rue as a character. Ali has a knack for writing hilarious, witty, sarcastic, and incredibly intelligent FMCs and I am totally here for all of it!!

Thank you so much to Ali, Berkley, and NetGalley for the e-galley!

I wasn't super into this book. I haven't read any Ali Hazelwood before this, and I'm not the biggest fan of both her writing, and the characters. I thought Rue and Eli were not super exciting, and I had a hard time finishing this book.

This was the most disappointing Hazlewood title I've read so far. The plot was thin and the characters were flat. I didn't feel either chemistry or love from either of the main love interests. The random insertion of hockey and ice skating felt out of place.
The tone was strange; switching between points of view and tenses could have worked with another style of writing, but it just felt clunky to read.

Not in Love is the latest quirky romance from author Ali Hazelwood proving that all is fair in love and science.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she's content with what she's got. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. But when her existence is threatened by a hostile takeover and its equally offensive frontman, Rue finds herself in an unexpected predicament. Eli Killgore has his reasons for wanting the company Rue works for and isn't afraid to go after what he wants. Unfortunately, that will make Rue off-limits to Eli. Soon, Eli and Rue will find themselves torn and unable to deny their burning attraction. Will Rue and Eli go all in and put their hearts on the line? You're gonna have to pick up a copy of this book to find out...

I absolutely adored Not in Love. Eli and Rue were fun characters and I enjoyed their witty/quirky banter. I loved the push and pull between Eli and Rue. I thought it led to some great chemistry. I'm a sucker for forbidden romances, and when you add in grumpy sunshine and enemies-to-lovers vibes, I'm a complete goner.

As always with Ali Hazelwood, there's more to the story than meets the eye. Not in Love isn't just a romance, but a story that isn't afraid to dive into the tough topics. I enjoyed everything about this book from beginning to end.

4.5 ⭐️

ok this was actually so cute!!!!! ali mentioned as an authors note in the beginning that not in love is moreso an erotic romance rather than a romcom and I do agree with that! this one was spicy 🥵 but I loved it none the less!!!!

from the start I was so intrigued by the characters— rue and eli and I immediately wanted to know where their situationship would head!!! and in addition to that there’s the overall plot relating to rue’s workplace that also had me on the edge of my seat. so it’s safe to say I was locked in from the beginning! rue is such an interesting character, she’s a successful engineer who’s work was motivated by her past growing up with food insecurity. so she has been working as an engineer (don’t ask me which kind bc I already forgot lol) to develop a product that can make produce last longer so people don’t run into the issues she had when she was younger :( I mean come on that is beautiful 🥹

eli and rue first meet through a sexy time app 😛 but their first encounter/meet up doesn’t go according to plan due to rue’s annoying loser brother crashing the “date”. after their meet up they’re both left wondering what could have been but rue has a strict one meet up only with all her booty calls. so they think they’ve seen the last of each other. UNTIL eli shows up to rue’s place as part of the company who’s basically gonna take over her company’s business!!!!! this added such a fun plot twist to the story!!!!!!

eli was immediately shaking in his boots so happy at the opportunity to see rue again and she was trying stay far away lollll. but that obviously didn’t last long! these 2 could not stay away from each other. I liked how eli slowly weasled his way into rue’s life. over time he was able to understand her better and found a way to slowly be let in. and I absolutely adored seeing the progress of their situation and friendship into more. there were so many beautiful intimate moments between them where they started to break down the walls. they’d both been through some difficult things in their childhood and it was beautiful seeing how they could relate and comfort one another. and the physical intimacy y’all 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 HOT HOT HOT!! I was actually drooling!!

my favorite aspect of the book was the way eli was so receptive to rue in every ways— sexually, emotionally, her past and at work. you can tell he adored her from the start!!!! he wanted to learn more about her and know how to be there for her. that made him so much hotter as a person I love him and want that for me :/

all in all I absolutely loved this book. I loved seeing how the plot relating to the workplace unfolded and everything in between! a captivating read from start to finish!!

First of all I’m so happy that Ali continues to write neuro diverse characters! Rue was an interesting character and I don’t think I’ve ever read someone like her, so I loved her and this aspect of the book.

However the insta love and Eli’s overall pov didn’t work for me. I have always said that I wanted a dual pov Ali Hazelwood book but it turns out reading the MMC siming this hard for the fmc isn’t really my thing.

This is just my personal preference, I think if people like insta love or the MMC falling this hard then they’d really love this book and love the dual pov component!

Overall, an easy read, with some science and some romance!

Thank you so much @alihazelwood, @berkley, @penguinrandomhouse, and @netgalley for the eARC of Not In Love by Ali Hazelwood. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As you all know, Ali Hazelwood is one of my all time favorite authors. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I cried a few happy tears when the invite to read Not in Love hit my inbox 😂.

I would never in a million years want to spoil anything about this book, because I know I would be devastated if it happened to me. Therefore, I solemnly swear on Dr. Adam Carlsen’s favorite lab coat 🥼 (you know he has one 👀), that I’ll keep my review spoiler free.

Ali Hazelwood states in the preface of Not in Love that this book is different from her previous releases…and she’s not wrong. Not in Love in goes much deeper than her prior books. It’s raw, honest, and emotional. You’ll learn so much more about the characters’ inner thought processes, as well as their backstories, than ever before. Make no mistake that I am Here. For. It! 👏👏👏

That being said, Not in Love still contains 100% of that Ali Hazelwood essence we’ve all fallen in love with. The witty banter is on point, the characters are unapologetically themselves, the spice is hot, and the STEM is present, but still accessible, to anyone who doesn’t have a PhD in biochemistry.

Bottom line:

🎓If Not in Love was a doctoral candidate, Dr. Adam Carlsen would give it its diploma.

🔭If Not in Love was an engineering project at NASA, Dr. Levi Ward would give it the green light.

🏫If Not in Love was a job applicant at MIT, Dr. Jack Smith would hire it for the job. (Yes, even if it was a theoretical physicist 😂).

In the pages you will find:

✌️Dual POV
🔬Science
🌶️ Spice
⛸️🏒Hockey AND figure skating!
🤝 Found family
🏠Complicated family dynamics
🐕An adorable dog 😍
📱Dating apps
🥚 An “Ali-verse” easter egg!
📖 Another unputdownable read by Ali Hazelwood!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

#alihazelwood #notinlove #thelovehypothesis #loveonthebrain #loathetoloveyou #lovetheoretically #checkandmate #Bridealihazelwood #berkleypublishing #penguinrandomhouse #netgalley #advancedreadercopy