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After her ex stole her last big show, Hallie has one last shot to come up with a new project and prove her worth to her company. Desperate for an idea - any idea - she stumbles across a late-late show about the unexplained. While she has no personal interest in the topic, she's drawn to the host of the show as he explains his theories. She's sure he is her ticket to the next big thing.

Hayden has spent his life exploring what others feel are conspiracy theories. Cryptids, aliens, and paranormal occurrences have always been part of his life, originating with his father's fascination. When Hallie explains her idea, he is sure this is a great opportunity to share his father's stories with the world, though he's not so sure about being on camera alone.

Over the course of their series, Hallie and Hayden may not find Bigfoot, but they might just find love.

This was a fun read exploring a few unexplained events. Fans of the X-files will love the growing relationship between Hallie and Hayden, especially as they explore their feelings and become a little more vulnerable to each other. This will also appeal to those who are fans of online vlogs or conspiracy theory Youtube channels, as they can experience a little taste of the unknown with a great romance.

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this was way too buzzfeed-esque and millennial-core for me to enjoy. I found it to be incredibly cheesy, and it was lacking most of what makes a single pov book good. the character development for our mmc was lacking, and their relationship had like zeroooo chemistry for me. it often felt like the relationship was in the background, which was disappointing. I could understand that if this was labeled women’s fiction, but it’s supposed to be heavy on the romance. I also found Hallie to give off weirdo coworker vibes when she talked about Hayden. she was obsessed when there was no insight he even liked her a smidgen.

not for me, and that’s okay!

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I cannot say enough great things about this debut contemporary romantic comedy from Mallory Marlowe. Thank you to NetGalley and the Berkley Publishing Group for gifting me an advanced reader copy of Love and Other Conspiracies in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Hallie Barrett works in the fast-paced world of web video, where the name of the game is how many views your videos get. Her ex dumped her as his girlfriend and his producer, and now Hallie needs The Next Best Thing to save her job.

Enter conspiracy theorist Hayden Hargrove.

Hayden has a successful podcast about cryptids, aliens, and government cover-ups. He certainly has a voice for podcasting, but as soon as Hallie sees Hayden on a late-night TV program, she knows he has the looks for video, too. Convincing Hayden to give the web series a shot is easier than Hallie expected, but the pair face an uphill climb. Hayden is a true believer, and Hallie doesn't buy a word of his theories. Not to mention Hayden's abysmal on-screen performance. With so much on the line, Hallie steps out from behind the camera and quickly becomes exactly what Hayden needs--both on screen and off.

Love and Other Conspiracies is outstanding. The story is fast-paced and contemporary, and the characters are smartly written--well-rounded, sharp, and funny as hell. Five big, bright, sparkling stars for this book!

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✨Close encounters of the tattooed and nerdy kind✨

I picked up this book solely on the fact that the cover had Bigfoot on it and it did not disappoint. A romance book revolving on hopefully finding Bigfoot? Count me in! This book has a little bit of everything for any reader. There is forbidden romance, comedy and sci-fi.

The banter between Hallie and Hayden is awkward, but cute and funny. The chemistry between the 2 main characters was definitely off the charts. The storyline starts off kind of slow but builds. The sub plot does lean a little bit of dark with Hallie dealing with trauma so make you you check the brief warning in the beginning.

Overall this is a really cute quick read for any one looking for a laugh.

🌶️🌶️/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I received this as and eARC from NetGalley and my opinion is offered freely.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
🧌 Cryptid Hunting
💜 Tattooed Cinnamon Roll MMC
😮‍💨 Forced Proximity
🎥 Work Environment Romance

✅ Mallory Marlow becoming an instant by author for me

If this is what Mallory delivers on her debut then I just know I’m going to continue to be blow away by anything she puts out.

The only thing I might love more than romance, is anything dealing with the supernatural and with so many creatures sprinkled throughout this book, Love and Other Conspiracies was an instant five star read for me.

Hallie and Hayden were adorable together with banter and moments where you will blush or 🥵

Overall, this is a light and quick read but the subplot does deal with slightly heavier issues. Add this one to your TBR for any time of the year but I think if you read this one in October, the season would make this already incredible book even better

The only thing that would’ve made me love this more would’ve been chapters from Hayden’s POV 🥹

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I knew this was a 5 star read for me by about 25% of the way through it. I loved Hallie. I loved how she dealt with her trauma and abuse. I love how she stood up for herself, but was also clearly frightened. I loved how Hayden was there and ready to protect her, but he did that by standing behind her. He was never trying to be prince charming and save her, he just wanted to be there. He fought for her in a way that felt real. He didn't force or beg her to stay. He didn't try to guilt her. He just loved her. I thought their relationship progressed very naturally and I laughed and smiled the whole way through. I loved the writing. I loved the side characters. I loved every single aspect about this. I loved that Hallie never made fun of Hayden for believing in conspiracy theories, she poked fun at him, but was never hostile or thought he was crazy for it. Hayden never got combative and tried to force her to believe. They just fit so nicely together.

I've used so many words to say: I adored this book and I will absolutely buy in the day it comes out.

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I loved this book. It had so much heart and these two characters deserved a HEA. I look forward to more books from this author.

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The romance between Hallie and Hayden was fun and engaging, and I enjoyed the conspiracy theory elements.

However, some parts felt a bit predictable, and the pacing was uneven at times. While the chemistry was palpable, I felt the story could have been tighter. If you enjoy lighthearted rom-coms with a unique twist, it’s worth a read, but it didn’t fully captivate me as much as I hoped.

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Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC!

Love and Other Conspiracies struck a perfect balance for me: it was so earnestly nerdy with banter and quips aplenty, yet also full of deep empathy when addressing grief and trauma. Hallie and Hayden’s chemistry is insane, but their individual and shared growth show that you can come out on the other side triumphant. I truly cheered and had a whole ass moment when Hallie sent The Email near the end of the book.

This book is a bear hug for anyone who is lonely, who embraces their weirdness even though it isolates them, who is consumed by grief, who is rediscovering who they are after losing themselves in an abusive relationship, who is afraid to let anyone see their most vulnerable self, who fears they aren’t good enough. And the dorky bits about cryptids/conspiracies are so, so much fun. Thank you Mallory Marlowe for this hopeful and romantic and nerdy (debut!) novel, and for the hilarious recurring joke about Zak Bagans.

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An interesting take on rom coms. I didn't think i would like a rom com that involved big foot but this ended up being cute.

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I loved reading this book! Its sweet light hearted and fun! Hallie and Hayden are an unlikely team. Hayden believes in cryptids and conspiracies while Hallie is the classic non-believer. Through out their adventures in producing a show for Skroll they two develop and unlikely romance in which Hayden gets her to atleast believe in something. . her self!

the characters are lovable and quirky with that one exception! The different adventures and settings keep you reading for more!

arc provided by netgalley

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My most anticipated romance release of 2024! I have been recommending this one to anyone who will listen (and some who refuse to listen!). This adorable book is a swoony-slow burn that isn't afraid to tackle the shitty things life throws at us, namely, podcast bros. Hayden our MMC thankfully restores our faith in some bros. I personally appreciated Marlowe's real-life interest in the paranormal - I think she wrote this for me! Excellent banter, smoldering chemistry, well-done spice aaaannnddd our FMC Hallie totally gets to stick it to her sh*tty ex in a truly cathartic way. THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE, BABIES!

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Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe was an absolutely delightful read. From the moment I opened the book, a smile graced my face and stayed there until I reached the final page.

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This is a debut romance from Mallory Marlowe, and while I absolutely loved the subject matter, the romance fell completely flat for me.

I was SO excited for this one because I love anything supernatural, and love that supernatural romances are becoming more popular.

THe first red flags for me were Hallie's budding emotions that seemed incredibly random and one-sided. It started early, and beyond just immediate attraction which, fine, I totally get, took a really sharp turn into her saying things like "I can't hook up with a co-worker" or "it would be inappropriate to start a relationship with someone I'm working with" when this man hadn't seemingly returned almost any feelings towards her. There was just nothing he did that indicated that he felt the same, and she continued to talk about all of these feelings as if he also was exhibiting them.

It became repetitive as well, by the 40% mark I was a little tired of her bringing up how she simply couldn't hook up with a co-worker.

This was single POV as well which didn't exactly help as I think there would have been more depth to Hayden and an understanding of his budding emotions if we had that dual POV. Hayden just wasn't a fully developed character.

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If you need a change up in your reading or pallet cleanser book between intense thrillers, you gotta try this one! This one is absolutely hilarious & will make you giggle the whole way through.

Hallie is trying to keep her job of being a producer, but needs to prove her worth before getting laid off. She comes across Hayden’s podcast and YouTube channel about conspiracies and other theories that he challenges through his travels and studies. She decides to reach out and see if he’d like to partake in a tv series that features what he does — & it soars from there!

I loved how quirky our two main characters were & how light this style of writing was. Hallie is very driven & you can see her confidence build overtime. Hayden is your dreamy MMC but I did take a star off bc I was hoping he was a little more confident in himself with relationships than what it showed. It fit his character development through the book, but I like them a little manlier 😂 LOL. Overall great read and super fun!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for my digital arc!

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This was such a cute little romance, and it was an absolute delight to read. I loved all the cryptid and conspiracy theory bits thrown in, which are topics not usually touched on in romcoms.

The buildup of the relationship between Hayden (conspiracy theorist and cryptid afficionado) and Hallie (self-proclaimed non-believer) felt natural and organic. Despite their apparent differences, they were a great match for one another. Their electric chemistry helps develop their workplace romanc into a healthy and caring relationship.

This book also touches on some tough subjects as well, and it was nice to see these characters work through their feelings and grow together.

This is Marlowe's debut novel and I look forward to seeing what other stories she has in store.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC for review.

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1.5 -- this was so disappointing and I'm going to try my best to outline all the things that didn't work for me, so that other people know what they're getting into. I have no doubt that this is gonna land great for some people, but it did not for me. I am very picky with romances and even more so with romcoms. That said, I was super excited when I read the blurb for this one and requested the ARC right away.

The biggest disappointment was that the monster-hunting was entirely glossed over. In my opinion, there is absolutely no reason to base your concept off of buzzfeed unsolved without actually including that in the book itself. I was expecting to see Hallie and Hayden get closer over the course of writing their scripts and shooting their episodes. Maybe something spooky happens, and they have to lean on each other and then it's like an "oh, touching" moment. But nope! Basically all of the cryptid and ghost hunting was a fade to black. The most egregious example was the Bigfoot hunt. It's "time to hunt Bigfoot" -- paragraph break -- [arrive home from Bigfoot hunt]. Like, what?! It's a waste of my time to not deliver on a premise that is meant to be different and stand out.

In that vein, for a MC that is sooo concerned about how she does or doesn't stand out amongst her peers, etc. Hallie is... boring. The romance is boring. The sex scenes were boring. The villain was boring. The story -- because it doesn't actually use the cryptids to the benefit of the plot -- is boring. Nothing about this stands out from any other contemporary romcom. Well, "contemporary." There were many parts of this that read like they were written in 2011 and not edited for a 2024 pub date. The blue hair, the quirky patterned leggings, the Nyan Cat Conference Room. I was just waiting for someone to have a mustache tattoo. But then it was clear that it was supposed to be set in 2024 because of influencer talk, etc. It made all those references seem really cringe and out of place.

The third act drama didn't quite land because it presupposes that there is audience overlap with a Joe Rogan knockoff and the cryptid hunting show. Mehhhh, I found that a little hard to believe, even if it was just trolls. Plus, speaking of YouTube... Now, I may have a different perspective on this because of my own personal circumstances. My partner is a YouTuber, so there were a number of things that Hallie and Hayden were doing where I was like "uhhhh, I don't think someone with a hefty following would be doing that on social media." In particular, that they were live updating their pages with where they were and what they were doing and also that they had comments/DMs turned on for their social media. Yeah, no. I can see where it can add to the ambiance of creating the image that they make YouTube videos, but... Comments, especially. The comments felt included to inject drama into a situation that would otherwise fall very flat and be repetitive of the same conflicts that had been happening the whole time.

Finally, Hayden. I found his character to be really lackluster, even though he should have been so fun! It felt like he was there just to tell Hallie how great she was and give her orgasms she never succeeded in having with other people before. There was some attempts at depth added with his parents, but it struggled from the same issues that I had with the rest of the book. Telling rather than showing. And there would be these moments of learning more about Hayden but the whole moment is us just in Hallie's head hearing about how she's reacting to this information. None of it stands on its own. Then, there's the podcast to webseries jump. Hayden had a popular podcast and had guest starred on a TV show successfully for YEARS and then all of a sudden when it's the webseries, he's wooden and not good at conveying information. It didn't track. It felt contrived so there was a reason why Hallie had to be cohost when it could have been as simple as Skroll being like "hey you need a cohost." But nope! Hallie is the special one, Hayden can't do it without her. Even though he had been for years. My final critique on Hayden's character is less with this book specifically and more the romance genre (and society lol) at large. Here is this podcast guy and cryptid hunter who has a history of being bullied as a kid. And he's the lead in a romance! But don't worry. He's still 6'4" with a six pack who runs a marathon every morning and has a perfectly chiseled jaw with just the right amount of scruff who is killer at sex and always smells amazing even after the marathon. Oh but no he's still a weirdo nerd, he has glasses! duh! Can a romantic lead PLEASE just be a guy? Like, just some guy PLEASE. This would have been the perfect opportunity for something unconventional. But like with most everything else in this book, it doesn't actually want to break the mold. It just wants to pretend that it's breaking the mold.

It's passably readable, so I didn't DNF. If you want a buzzfeed unsolved esque romcom, skip. if you like generic romcoms, you'll probably dig this.

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I had a great time reading "Love and Other Conspiracies." At one point, I found myself wondering if this was a "Buzzfeed Unsolved" fan-fiction, but in the best way.

The charming banter and tension between the characters were perfect. It's very much a scenario where coworkers are forced to be in close proximity, and naturally, the "one bed" trope takes the spotlight here. I'm a sucker for the "one bed" trope, and adding ghosts to the mix got me very excited.

I really enjoyed the conspiracy and cryptid information throughout the book. As someone who falls somewhere between being a skeptic and a believer, I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the world of the mystical within the story.

Overall, "Love and Other Conspiracies" was a delightful read that flawlessly blended romance and a touch of the unexplained.
I give it 4/5 stars and 3/5 on spice.

Thank you to Mallory Marlowe, Netgalley, and Berkley Publishing group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you Berkley for my copy. Wow wow wow! I can't believe this is a debut. This cutie will be one of my fave romances of the year, no doubt. Laugh out loud with plenty of tenderness, swoon and banter- this love story was hilarious. I loved how the characters took care of one another and how their romance grew.

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Hallie Barrett does not believe in herself because her toxic ex has led her into believing things about herself that no one else does. When her job is on the line and she has to brainstorm a new production idea, she finds Hayden, the conspiracy theorist who runs a podcast, and her future looks bright.

I absolutely loved Hayden and Hallie and this was probably one of my favorite romances I have read in a long time. It perfectly satisfied by romantic nerd side. Their characters are wonderful and the story was great. I also happened to unintentionally learn a few cryptid facts in the process which doesn’t hurt. The banter between the main characters was perfect and I binged the last half of this book so quickly. There is some spice and I would recommend checking the author’s trigger warnings, but I will definitely recommend this book to people I know.

Thank you so so much to Netgalley and Berkley for the early copy of this wonderful romance.

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