3.5 stars, Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC!

This book is very different than Ali's previous STEM romance books. The STEM aspect doesn't play as big of a role as her other books. For me, that was a bit of a let down since it is what I loved so much about her other books. This is a classic work place romance. Ali really did raise the bar on her spice!!! Her spiciest to date.
I also really enjoyed how we got dual POV in this book! Eli was just so obsessed with Rue.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ali Hazelwood & Berkley for a digital ARC of Not in Love in exchange for an honest review.

I say it every time I write a review for Ali – she can do no wrong! I will forever read absolutely anything that she writes.

As always, Not in Love was spectacular and exactly what I hoped it to be & more!

In a nutshell, Rue is a biotech engineer at Kline, a promising start-up specializing in food science. Eli is the ringleader for the hostile takeover of Kline. This is a classic enemies-to-lovers romance in true Ali fashion.

The pacing was quick, the dialogue & characters were perfectly written, the plot was engaging and the spice was oh so nice!

Another 5/5 Stars for me! I will be highly recommending this title to my IG followers!

Well, I had other books to read first but it’s Ali Hazelwood… so, of course I jumped on reading her latest when I got an early ecopy.

Is the heroine actually tall in this one? Yes! Is the hero still tall, taller, tallest? Also yes. Listen, I’m beyond caring that AH has a general formula she tends to follow. The stories and characters are just that well written. I’m obsessed with her brand of “the hero falls first”, letting the leading lady have the greater and wider multi-faceted emotional journey. Though, it’s still balanced, with both Rue and Eli baring their souls in turn, exploring depths and connecting in special ways that does illustrate how unique and well paired they’ve been created. It’s a beautiful new romance.

Brilliantly STEM forward, as always, but I think we get a greater focus on the character’s personalities, backstories, and an increase in kinky steamy scenarios. And while we do get another (fantastic) smart and vulnerable scientist in Rue, the overall professional story arc, for both leads, was easily seen and didn’t captivate me much. I was all in for Rue and Eli’s emotional journeys instead. The crushing quirks of character and fate had me aching for them to find any bits of happiness.

Mostly though, I adore AH’s ability to create passionate and intense love stories while still maintaining high levels of respect for body and persons. No one ever crosses a line physically or emotionally, no pressure, no guilt. It feels so subtle, the willingness to wait or let go. I love it. A must read.

this was shaping up to be my favorite ali hazelwood book yet, but somewhere along the way, it lost me. i want to preface this by saying i tend to prefer closed door romances; leave out the sex scenes and instead show me the characters’ emotional connection — convince me they like each other beyond the physical (not that you can’t have both, but it seems to be mostly one or the other in my opinion).

this book sort of fell in between — copious amounts of sex (which i will say is not ms. hazelwood’s strong suit) and a tender emotional bond between our main characters, rue (incredibly relatable, emotionally unavailable girlie) and eli (kind of forgettable finance bro). it’s refreshing to read a book that centers on a woman who is shy and socially anxious but comes off as aloof and distant. she’s me! i’m not cold, i just don’t want to talk to people because (i don’t like them) i’m not particularly good at talking to people — and seeing that in rue was so reassuring. eli, i was less fond of but he was incredibly sweet to her and completely, utterly obsessed (just how i like my men)! rue and eli were both so vulnerable with each other, revealing little pieces of themselves they had hidden away or repressed for years because of the shame and guilt associated with those thoughts. what must it be like to be with someone who doesn’t judge you or criticize you but instead just listens? i certainly don’t know, but i loved reading about it. as great as all of this was, it was, much to my dismay, overshadowed by the sex and the physical attraction between the characters. the number of times eli thought about rue as a “fantastic lay” (or mentioned it to her face) is appalling. it just seemed so reductive, especially as their relationship grew and they began to like each other for more than just their bodies. it felt like all he really wanted her for, at least for the first 50-75% of the book, was sex. it was especially disappointing considering how much i was enjoying the story and the characters at first. i do think this is partially a me problem, as i am incredibly picky with romance. but if you like cutesy stem romances, relatable fmcs, obsessed mmcs, and a whole lot of smut, this is for you.

I have enjoyed previous books by this author which is why I requested this book, but this book really fell flat for me as a whole. The characters did not grow throughout the story, it felt like the book was rushed and didn't get the time it needed to be a better story. I did not connect with any of the characters well, and sometimes I get a little weary of everyone being perfect yet flawed but no growth throughout the book. The storyline had potential but it just didn't keep my interest, and this was just a lackluster read for me. It was a frustrating read, and usually this author has a story that keeps you invested and this time this book just wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Love the forbidden romance vibes. The insta-love was well done in my opinion. Or insta-lust I suppose. I could somewhat see part of the plot twist coming, but parts were still a surprise to me. I liked that their was a little mystery thrown in and it was about the person’s past, but in a different way than it typically is done in books.

ATTENTION: I HAVE A NEW FAVORITE ALI HAZELWOOD BOOK 🗣️

Not only is this Ali’s horniest (and spiciest) book yet, but it’s so full of heart and growth and an MMC who is ✨obsessed✨ with her. Oh and did I mention it’s dual POV? CAUSE IT IS. Rue is deeply relatable and I felt very seen by her 🥹


I personally just vibe really well with Ali’s writing, but I’m telling you, this one might be a top fav. It’s currently tied with Bride lmao. Ali made me cry over these two idiots twice, which automatically makes this a great book in my eyes. But the way Eli was so patient, and consistent with Rue, just made me swoon. I love them.


**Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion

I love a good Ali Hazelwood novel, and this was no different. Her books always warm my heart even if they are a little cheesy sometimes. I can't wait to see what she does next

Rue and Eli are on the opposite sides of a battle for the company Rue works at. A relationship is off the table for them because of their roles in the companies and because of Rue's emotional unavailability. They form a no strings attached relationship while slowly realizing that there were always strings, they just didn't see them.

This is definitely Ali Hazelwood's least science based book. The plot of it is rooted in the relationship between Rue and Eli and the politics of Eli's company buying Rue's over the science of it. It made me realize that I do really love the science aspects of her books, but it didn't dampen my joy while reading this book.

Eli. Oh Eli. I love Ali Hazelwood's male love interests. I love how they're calm and balance out the female characters. She writes beautiful character relationships.
Rue. Initially, I was annoyed by her. Her constant "I'm so unlovable and don't understand human emotions and am not capable of love" gets really old. Unfortunately, all of her female characters seem to be written this way, but it makes for good character development so I guess there's that.

This joins the rest of my Ali Hazelwood books as a 5 star read. No one is surprised about this.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC, it was so good to be back in the world of STEM with a super steamy, vulnerable, and emotional romance from Ali!

When I say steamy, I mean STEAMY. The title is perfectly fitting because for the first 2/3 of the book or so it's not as much love as it is lust, and wow these scenes had me blushing! Eli and Rue no doubt have chemistry in the bedroom, but watching them develop that through their past and their openly vulnerable "stories" was a nice touch that allowed the reader to grow and like them as they grew together. Over the last 1/3 of the book we really see things coming together both professionally and personally for Rue and Eli. There was some "miscommunication" that I usually do not enjoy, however the missed communication was more in the professional side of the story. In the personal and romantic parts, Eli and Rue were exceptionally forthcoming about their past and their lives which was refreshing as we saw them figure out each other and their connection.

I say we grew along with them because that's really how I felt. The beginning had me hooked and curious, but the middle section almost lost me a bit as it was so focused on the sex that I really struggled to see their emotional connection coming through. As I said above, the ending of the book was really redeeming as the focus more on the characters themselves. Rue's past was the most touching, but left her feeling like a character that needed protecting and "saving", which was a little different than Ali's usual role of a powerful female lead and I still am not sure how I feel about it.

Definitely recommend for fans of Ali's other work, this was actually was a bit different and a bit deeper, which was a nice touch! Out this June 😊

Unpopular opinion… this might be my least favorite Ali Hazelwood book yet 😭. This sits somewhere between a 3⭐️ and 3.5⭐️ for me.

This book wasn’t horrible, but for me it was just ok, and the plot was lacking. This is very different than the other Ali Hazelwood books I love so much. And sadly this change of pace just didn’t do it for me.

In all honesty, I think the spice almost ruined it for me. I’m pretty sure this book is 80% smut. And I’m all for the smut, but something about this one irked me. And I think it might have been Eli. His character, the way he would act with and regarding Rue, the things he would say. SO many times I got ick vibes. There were definitely moments in there with things he would say that would just rub me the wrong way.

I’m all for smut but I really felt like it overpowered so much of the plot. Which was a bummer because I think the storyline had potential to pull me in but it fell so flat. I also wanted to learn more about Rue and her family and the food insecurity aspect.. such an important topic brought into a book to feel like it was buried under a bunch of smut.

Relationship wise… I wanted to see Rue and Eli’s relationship build a bit. See that development. But it was like some instant sexual attraction that somehow was instant love for Eli, and for Rue and her personality you could see it being an internal struggle learning that she might actually have feelings there. And I might be the odd one out with this view point (don’t come at me y’all!) but, due to these two dynamics and how Eli was, it felt like Eli was manipulating Rue half the time. Something was off and maybe I can’t even really pin point it. But I def didn’t get the best vibes from Eli. I really liked Rues character and loved that she is a woman who knows what works for her sexually and made it such a point to make sure Eli was on board with that. And yet somehow Eli convinced her to do what she stated she hated doing, and all of a sudden she didn’t hate it anymore. Not a fan. It was written in a way that felt like the “I can fix them” trope and that’s a hard no for me.

I did have thoughts throughout the book that maybe Rue is on the spectrum too. Which would be awesome representation in a book but then that never was clarified, and that let me down a bit. Because having a character with ASD would be awesome.

All in all, this book wasn’t for me.

Ali Hazelwood is a must read for me... Not In Love solidified my stance.
I thought the disclaimer at the beginning was very appropriate and spot - on. Hazelwood describes that book as less rom-com and more erotic romance - which is true. mostly. There is still plenty of comedic relief and banter but the steamy scenes are definitely more frequent and descriptive than some of her past novels. The way she ties in the elements of the MC's relationship to their shared emotional trauma is. very well done. Rue is indebted to Florence for helping her breakthrough in her professional field, but also for helping her find her place in the world. I loved the neurodivergent quirks of Rue and the way that her friends not only accept her, but embrace her. Eli and Rue meet by chance, but as their lives become more intertwined both personally and professionally, they begin to see that their connection may be unavoidable - not matter how hard they try. I will say, the one thing that struck me as odd was Florence commenting on Rue's haircut... I feel like I *get* where Hazelwood was going with this line of thinking, but it didn't hold true throughout the book and it felt like an odd placement of that type of comment/behavior since it was the first (and only) occurrence of such. Regardless, Hazelwood's books are smart, steamy, and just the right amount of hilarious to keep me coming back again and again. Although the love scenes were more frequent, they never felt gratuitous or unnecessary in nature (in my opinion) and I felt like they added to the storyline and the characters' development. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

THIS BOOK 🥹🥹🥹

Ali never disappoints and this book was no exception. I loved every minute of it. Eli and Rue were so tender and heartfelt and they made me feel every single one of the feelings. My heart is so full.

Ali Hazelwood's newest book is a sweet and steamy read with her classic STEM setting. I enjoyed reading this story and seeing Rue and Eli's relationship unfold. Fans of Ali Hazelwood's previous books will eat this up! I especially appreciated that Rue was a tall gal and that we didn't have another small female love interest.

ali hazelwood writes men that could never actually exist and that’s why i keep coming back for more. the things these men think and say KILL ME! the banter! the witty conversations! i need more from eli and rue asap!!

I love everything Ali writes and this one was no exception! It was PURE ANGST and steam and just amazingly written as usual! I can’t wait to scream about this one when it comes out!

I think this might be her best book yet. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

A very satisfying, originals romance! Rue and Eli were a great match-up. Loved how Eli saw the beauty in Rue, including her awkwardness, walls and all. Usually I love the spicy in romance, but for some reason they didn’t real click for me personally. However they really moved the relationship, so for that reason they worked. Definitely felt like an Ali hazelwood book for sure.

If there is one thing about me is that I will run to read an Ali Hazelwood book, and she did it again!
Not in Love was the perfect mix of humor, steam, heavy emotional baggage and academic politics. I'm usually not big on dual pov's but both characters were so interesting and had enough depth that it kept me reeled in every time there was a pov change. This was also very much her most angst-ridden book yet (and I'm here for it!!!) and ended being such a fun time following Eli & Rue.
In the end it's definitely up there with the love hypothesis and love theoretically for my favorites by Hazelwood!

An Electrifying Romance: "Not in Love" by Ali Hazelwood

Prepare to be swept off your feet and into a world of passion, intrigue, and undeniable chemistry with Ali Hazelwood's captivating novel, "Not in Love." From its pulse-pounding plot to its sizzling romance, this book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will leave readers breathless and begging for more.

At the center of the story is Rue Siebert, a fiercely independent biotech engineer whose world is turned upside down when her company, Kline, becomes the target of a hostile takeover led by the enigmatic Eli Killgore. Despite their undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli find themselves on opposite sides of a high-stakes business deal, torn between loyalty and desire.

What sets "Not in Love" apart is its electrifying romance, which crackles with tension and heat from the very first page. Ali Hazelwood has crafted a love story that is as forbidden as it is irresistible, drawing readers into a world of secrets, betrayal, and passion that will keep them guessing until the very end. Rue and Eli's chemistry is off the charts, igniting sparks that leap off the page and leave readers breathless with anticipation.

But "Not in Love" is more than just a steamy romance—it's a story about the power of love to transcend boundaries and defy expectations. As Rue and Eli navigate the treacherous waters of corporate espionage and personal desire, they must confront their own fears and insecurities, risking everything for a chance at happiness. Their journey is a testament to the transformative power of love, reminding readers that sometimes the greatest risks yield the greatest rewards.

Moreover, Ali Hazelwood's writing is nothing short of mesmerizing, weaving together a complex tapestry of emotions, suspense, and heart-stopping romance that will keep readers glued to the page until the very end. With its sharp dialogue, richly drawn characters, and pulse-pounding plot twists, "Not in Love" is a masterclass in storytelling that will leave readers craving more.

In conclusion, "Not in Love" is a must-read for fans of steamy romance and pulse-pounding suspense. With its captivating storyline, unforgettable characters, and sizzling chemistry, Ali Hazelwood has delivered a true gem of a novel that will leave readers swooning and clamoring for more. So grab a copy, buckle up, and get ready for a wild ride that will leave you breathless and begging for more.