3.5 stars
I was a bit hesitant to jump into this one, but I'm glad I did. While I did find one part super annoying (I feel like the author feels the need to overly demean something for no reason in each of her books as a way to show her progressiveness... but it comes off just awkward and rude), I did enjoy how different this character was from her last few female girl characters.

I was obsessed by the end of the first chapter. If you love romance novels like I do, this should move its way to the top of the list. Eli falls fast and hard for Rue and I could not get enough of the way that this man was down bad for her.

Ali Hazelwood definitely took a turn from her usual STEMinist formula for this book, and I still enjoyed it! I think we all know what to expect from Ali Hazelwood’s books by now, and while they do all share similarities- I eat it up every time. However ‘Not in Love’ was different in a lot of ways from the plot, the relationship dynamics and the overall science content. It definitely took me longer to get into this book, and I would definitely say that it’s not as fun and fluffy as Ali’s other books, but I still think it was a great read. This book deals with a lot of deeper subjects that affect the character’s relationships and personalities such as child neglect, food insecurity, and taking on parental duties. I think that these were woven into the story and relationship between Eli and Rue really well and definitely added a lot of dimension to their romance. There is also dual POV in this which was a nice surprise and I know a lot of us have been rooting for it! Overall this wasn’t my fave Ali Hazelwood to date- but I still enjoyed it and was happy to see a bit of a different type of romance written by her!

This is another wonderful Hazelwood STEM story that I zoomed through. Rue and Eli are so perfect for each other. This is a forbidden romance – Eli is one of the partners trying to take over Kline, the Biotech company Rue works for. It’s an emotional and wonderful slow-burn romance and her steamiest book yet.

Rue and Eli connected on an app and were getting ready to meet up when Eli rescues Rue from an altercation and makes sure she gets home safely. The next time they see each other is at Kline’s big employee meeting about the takeover and Rue sees Eli with his partners on stage!

Rue is a brilliant biotech engineer who is working on her own project, a type of protective layer for fruit and vegetables to improve their shelf life. I admired this considering her past when she didn’t have enough to eat (childhood trauma and food anxiety). She is very reserved and quiet and loves her job. and she's worried about the takeover. She has a best friend Tisha, who is outgoing and very fun. I love the subtle humor between them. Rue has been working for Kline since before she finished her PhD a year ago and admires the CEO who is her mentor and friend.

As Rue and Eli get to know each other they find they have more in common than they knew. Their attraction is intense and I quickly turned the pages to see how they would be able to make their forbidden romance work. There are a few mysteries in the story. There is a mystery as to why Eli wants to take over Kline so badly and along the same lines, there is a villain that he and his partners are trying to uncover.

This story has some serious, heavier topics. Both Eli and Rue have childhood trauma and Rue has trouble from a family member that can be scary and is hounding her over inheritance issues. Eli is my favorite Hazelwood hero – he is patient and so kind. There is also a quick mention of our favorite chess players from Check and Mate! I am so thankful for my advanced copy of this fun book - I loved it! Thanks to Ali Hazelwood, Berkely and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ali Hazelwood has yet to dissapoint! Not in Love deviates slightly from her other novels (this one is definitely the spiciest one yet) but I think it's my favorite one so far.

I really enjoyed being in Rue's head as our main character. She is blunt and socially awkward, but not is a way that comes off as annoying. I will always love how strong and smart the author's female characters are. We do get chapters in Eli's POV as well and while the jump from Rue's first person to Eli's third person was a bit jarring at first, his chapters are also very enjoyable.

Rue and Eli are a great couple - there is plenty of communication, both in the everyday and on consent, and their conflicts don't feel like a convient way to move the plot along. They have real conversations about their wants, emotions, and past trauma.

There was more spice than I normally can tolerate in books but it didn't make me feel as bogged down as I would have expected. Ali Hazelwood writes her characters so well that even my ACE brain can wrap itself around the character's motivations enough to enjoy the spice for what it is.

If you've enjoyed Ali Hazelwood's books previously or enjoy reading contemporary romance, I'd recommend picking this one up.

Rated 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

Immediately sent in an order to buy this for my works catalog. Anything Ali Hazelwood is TOP NOTCH. I love everything she writes, truly and I personally own all of them as well. The chemistry (ha-ha) between characters are nothing short of quirky perfection.

Unfortunately, I think it's time for Ali Hazelwood and I to break up.

This book was even more boring than the last one. All the usual Hazelwood tech and scientific word vomit now sprinkled with more uses of the word "fuck"!

Ugh.

I kept going back and forth between a 4.5 and a 5 but the ending solidified this one as my favorite book by Ali. Love theoretically is my second favorite!!

The crazy thing about this is that tbh I couldn't relate to these characters as much as I related to Elsie and Jack from LT but I loved that because I was able to put myself in their shoes and understand them. You don't have to be 100% compatible with someone to understand what they're going through and feel empathy towards them. I loved these messy, complicated and complex characters so much. Eli and Rue got me GOOD.

They were everything to me. But what I loved the most about this story is how fun, fast paced and sexy it was. Eli is so hot and I loved how he accepted Rue as she was. She didn't had to change who she was in order to be seen by him. He understands her and worships her in a god kind of way. I loved that about this romance.

A few things that are worth mentioning:

- this has dual POV (his is written in 3rd person and it as a game changer) 10/10

- This one focuses the least in the STEM aspect compared to her previous books. The science of it all is in the background. The romance is the star of the show and I DEVOURED IT!

- This is her spiciest book (I haven't read bride) this is like a 6/5 in a spicy scale. PURE DELICIOUSNESS

- She incorporated the hockey trope in here and I was MELTING!!!!

- Her writing was IMPECCABLE!!! It's insane how good she wrote this one.

Perfect, just perfect!!!

Thank you so much Berkeley for the reader advance copy.

While there are other Hazelwood books that I've enjoyed much more (Love, Theoretically still holds the top spot overall), this one really seems to be evidence of how much she's grown as an author — and not just in terms of changing up the physicality of the characters she's written. The dual POV was an interesting shift, although I was a little thrown by the first-person/third-person difference between Rue and Eli at first, even if switching back and forth between them was less jarring as the story continued. Without going into spoilers, some sections of prose frankly blew me away, and this one really felt like it had more emotion and angst (in a good way) woven through the overall romance rather than hovering too much in straight rom-com territory.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hazelwood has completely knocked it out of the park with this one. Admittedly I've been a fan of her since her debut, but this spoke to me like nothing else.

Not in Love is another scientist romance, this time between Rue Siebert, a stoic scientist who'd rather keep people at arm's length than let them intuit the extent of her social failures, and Eli Killgore, a man looking to buy the company she works for and who finds himself fascinated by her against his will.

The characters feel remarkably real. I related heavily to Rue and found myself tearing up as she learned she could be happy. Eli and Rue's relationship was charged with brilliant sexual tension that I've rarely seen in other books, and the slow and devastating collide was thrilling to read about. Hazelwood has outdone herself with this one, I think, and I'm so thrilled to see where she goes from here.

“Ask me for anything, he thought, anything at all, and watch me give it to you. Whoever came before me, they had no idea. I’m up for the challenge.”

Ahhhhh I had such a fun time reading this one! Ali’s romances never disappoint and this one lived up to my expectations! I was expecting something similar to her other books & characters, but for some reason it felt different to me in a good way — still feels like an Ali classic.

I love that the FMC Rue isn’t “small” but is actually almost as tall as Eli which is really refreshing. The characters felt very deep and it was easy for me to connect with them — Rue and Eli both have issues from their pasts but find that they can reveal anything to each other.

Eli felt different from her other MMCs — he is so obviously into Rue and isn’t grumpy about it. I adored him!!

“We don't make small talk. We cut through the flesh and show the stories that live in our skeletons.”

I definitely find this to be Ali’s most emotional read (which I love) so I strongly recommend this book. The STEM girlies will love this one!!

Thank you for Berkley & NetGalley for the advanced copy! Not in Love releases on June 11.

a quick and cozy read. i love the stem aspect of ali hazelwood romances, but they are starting to blend together and feel the same. neverthe less, this is great for when you want a steamy, cozy read.

Another fantastic novel from Ali Hazelwood. I loved having the dual perspectives on this one and this definitely felt like one of her spiciest novels.

I think this may be my new favorite from Ali Hazelwood! It wasn’t as science heavy - thank goodness, I’m sick of those honestly - and it was so sexy! The steam was piping and I’m not mad at it!

ali, my girl… keep GOING. don’t change ANYTHING! this is not a request, it’s a DEMAND!

people criticize ali’s books — alleging that they have too similar of plots — but idgaf! if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! someone having a certain style, approach, and/or theme isn’t a bad thing! she’s a romance auteur folks. you could tells it’s hers just by reading the description.

another excellent entry in smart and sexy hazelwood literary universe. she came, and she conquered. INSANE leads, i love them both. eli’s immediate obsession with rue? YES. rue, loving him, but taking a bit to come to terms, put a name to it? YES.

not too much drama (romantically) in the third act which i APPRECIATE. great side characters. witty dialogue. HOT bedroom scenes. dual pov, done WELL. cute chapter naming convention.

WILL READ EVERYTHING ALI EVER WRITES! she has never let me down (everyone chill tf out, the novellas were CLASSIC)!

#netgalley

Ali Hazelwood is brilliant. I love everything she’s written and this is no exception. She does have a certain formula that works - there’s always a betrayal from a close friend or advisor in the STEM that the brilliant and patient love interest helps with and I fall for it every time.

What to expect in Not in Love:
-dual pov
-let's get it out of our system
-grumpy/sunshine (she's grumpy)
-STEM setting
-forbidden romance
-🌶🌶🌶 (def Ali's steamiest)

Rue, a biotech engineer, owes her life work to her mentor and the company she created - Kline. So when a group swoops in to buy Kline and potentially put Rue and her coworkers out of a job - she's not thrilled. And to make matters worse - the one night stand that Rue was supposed to hook up with just so happens to be...you guessed it - one of the partners wanting to take over Kline.

Eli has his own reasons for wanting to take over Kline, but he clearly wanted to spend more time getting to know the elusive Rue Siebert. But Rue doesn't do strings or repeats. And she especially doesn't want to get entangled with Eli who she views as the enemy. But the chemistry between Eli and Rue is undeniable. Will they find a way to have a relationship with one another even though they are at a crossroads?

Everytime Ali Hazelwood writes a book I think "this is my favorite Ali Hazelwood books" and then she finds a way to write another book that I absolutely love. I know I say I love whatever current male lead Ali has written about but gah Eli...he's so swoony and sweet and sexy. AND AND AND we get this point of view - which I love even more! This isn't a slow burn romance - Rue and Eli meet on an app to have a fun one night stand with no strings. Rue doesn't do strings and Eli while always respecting her wishes wants more than that. While I do have a hard time with insta-love, I never felt that way with Rue and Eli. They had such an emotional connection and by the end of the books I had tears running down my face.

Does Not in Love have the classic Ali Hazlewood humor - yes! I was laughing out loud during so many parts of this book. But Ali also touched on heavier subjects that made me love these characters even more.

cw: parent neglect/abandonment, parental death, starvation.

5 Stars!! I have absolutely devoured every Ali Hazelwood book out there, and “Not in Love” is no exception. I haven’t re-read Ali Hazelwood’s books in a bit, but this one seems to have a bit more emotional heft to it than the others, and that added depth just added something to this book that I can’t put my finger on but made it completely irresistible. I was irrationally angry when I had to put it down. Ali has a way of writing relationships that makes each book couple my new “favorite” but I really think Eli and Rue are!!

Rue is complicated, witty, smart (of course!), caring, and honest. With Ali’s other books the heroines that we know and love are the “sunshine” in the relationship and usually bubbly and all smiles. Rue is not that and honestly it was so refreshing to see. She is nothing but herself and she does not pretend. Ali writes her so intriguingly and I just wanted more and more. Eli is the perfect compliment to Rue. He’s kind, loyal, funny/sarcastic, and gentle. Both of them are beautiful and hot - of course. (Eli’s a former hockey player - enough said.)

Eli falls fast and hard for Rue, and the chemistry between the two is phenomenal. The steam in this book is off the charts (her steamiest book yet and you don’t have to wait long for it either!). Beyond their sexual chemistry, I fell in love with how Eli accepts Rue for exactly who she is and never pushes her to change or gets exasperated when she doesn’t respond “normally.” And Rue is the perfect fit for Eli and balances him out. Reading this book, you just crave the scenes they are together in and you never want it to end.

Pick this up immediately. You won’t regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

5 STARS⭐️

Wow. I am once again obsessed with another Ali Hazelwood book!! I will truly read anything she writes, she is incredibly talented. I love how the most recent books she has published are unique and have a range of personalities!

This book is meant for people who enjoy angst and complex love stories. Eli and Rue are absolutely perfect for each other and I LOVED how Ali crafted their story. This was spicyyyyy and I loved every bit of it. Rue is a girl who knows what she wants (not necessarily emotionally) but it was empowering to read her character!! Eli is the PERFECT man for her. In true Ali fashion, the man is absolutely irrevocably obsessed with the fmc and would do anything for her.

I really enjoyed how this one was a bit "unconventional" in terms of the love story, both characters have a lot of emotional baggage that makes them more complex (especially romantically). However, Ali made it extremely special, and watching them both be able to heal together and be their most vulnerable selves with each other... was perfection.

Rue is a wonderful character. I ADORED her. She is the type of character that jumps off the page because of how alluring she is. She is not your sunshiny girl who always plasters on a smile, she is so much more than that. She has a past that allowed her to get where she is today and has always been a bit of an enigma. When Eli comes into the picture, I believe Rue can recognize who she is and truly feel seen. It was beautiful to witness her growth and her ability to feel loved after turning a blind eye to it beforehand. As I mentioned before, I loved Ali's ability to include a fmc who knows what she wants sexually and isn't afraid to communicate that!

Eli is everything & more. Eli is also a layered character with trauma that he carries around with him. He is unabashedly obsessed with Rue even though she has her walls up. I am SO happy that Ali did his POV, it added so much to the storyline and it does allow you to feel and connect to his character. This man has a heart of gold and is also not afraid to communicate what he wants and likes. I loved his ability to be there for Rue but also respect her boundaries. He waited for her to be ready and showered her in care, love, comfort, and affection. What a man!!!!

This is Ali's most adult book to date, it includes emotional storylines, traumatic pasts, and a ton of spicy scenes. I absolutely loved every bit of it, I am so happy that she is venturing into this territory and I would love to see more of this style in the future!

These two characters make up such a beautiful story about healing, acceptance, vulnerability, and breaking down walls to let others in. I just love how organic their love story was, it progressed so naturally and by the end of it, I wanted more!! I specifically loved that they shared stories as a form of getting closer, it was special and made my heart ache for them!!

What to expect:
- Forbidden Love
- Angst
- Broken families / Traumatic pasts
- Spiceeeee
- Boy OBSESSED
- Enemies with benefits ;)

thank you netgalley and berkeley publishing for this incredible arc!

so i have read most of ali hazelwoods books (still need to read bride and check & mate) and one thing i have to say about this one…this is my most favorite one ive read by her. it was incredible. it has to be her most spiciest too like i couldn’t believe it! but it was the perfect blend of spice and plot and i could just feel the connection between these two. Ali is an instant read for me and BRB while i catch up and read the two books of hers i haven’t read. LOL
this was such a great read and i know people are going to eat it up when it’s released.

also i have never given an ali hazelwood book less than 5 stars. just saying…. SHES AMAZING