THE LOVE SIMULATION – Etta Easton

Etta Easton’s latest romcom is a love letter to books, reading, and unexpected connections.

Brianna, a struggling vice principal, is determined to secure funding to update her school’s outdated library. Unfortunately, her biggest obstacle is the current principal, who would rather see his son, Roman, take her job. As a last-ditch effort, she joins a group of teachers in a Mars simulation program, where winning means securing the funds they desperately need. It seems like a straightforward plan—until Roman joins at the last minute. Brianna is convinced he’s there to sabotage her, but she can’t ignore the undeniable pull between them.

This is a sweet, feel-good story that you can devour in just a few sittings and finish with a smile. Brianna is deeply relatable—navigating adulthood, questioning her career path, and struggling with self-doubt, especially in the shadow of her wildly successful siblings. Meanwhile, Roman is the kind of romantic lead you can’t help but root for—reserved, kind, and genuinely deserving of the girl. His maturity adds depth to the story, and the chemistry between him and Brianna is off the charts.

If you love romcoms with forced proximity, STEM-adjacent settings, and slow-burn chemistry that pays off beautifully, The Love Simulation is a must-read. Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry, this charming romance is one you won’t want to miss.

This was really fun! Such an interesting setting and fun plot to set this romance in. I really enjoyed this but I think I over hyped it in my head I thought I would be obsessed and while I did enjoy this it wasn’t perfect and I found myself being pulled out of it more than I wanted. I think it’s just that the Roman felt a little flat for me but otherwise I liked the characters but didn’t love them. It was a really fun read, compelling plot, and Etta is doing Black love so well! Overall I liked this book and would recommend! 3.5-3.75⭐️

Briana is a vice principal at a school and despite doing her best for the students she is frustrated by the limitation of her position. The principal is constantly trying to push her out in favor of his son, and the objection of Brianna’s daydreams, and the vain of her existence Roman. The final straw of Briana’s frustration comes when a planned and fully funded library is scrapped in favor of a new football field, Brianna decides to take matters into her own hands. When an opportunity to participate in Mars Simulation where the grand prize would be enough money to fund the new library, there is only one problem, Roman is a participant in the simulation and Briana doesn’t know if he is a friend or a foe.

The is a very interesting take on a love story. I have to admit the idea is what drew me into reading it. The slow burn between Roman and Briana was a fun read. I don’t normally enjoy only having one POV but in this book I think it worked better as a single POV. Briana was dealing with a lot, her feelings of being inadequate and the least successful of her siblings and the constant fights with her boss all come together to weigh on her throughout the simulation. Reading how Brianna and Roman realize they have feelings for each other but Briana struggles with how to trust not only Roman but herself, is a fun read. The love simulation has an interesting premise relatable characters and overall it was a fun read.

This story was cute and cozy. A sweet slow burn romance between a principal and teacher who don’t quite see eye to eye but come together on a mission to raise money to remodel their school’s library. The characters came off a bit childish to me to say they are thirty somethings. Bri spent so much time in her head. It would have been great to get Roman’s POV. I think it would have helped make the romance a bit more believable. My fav part of this book was the space Mars simulation adventure. This was so fun and unique. I enjoyed how the teachers worked together to problem solve and make their way through the different tasks and experiments they had to perform. If you enjoy forced proximity, workplace romance, enemies to lovers and a story that kind of gives an Abbott Elementary vibe you’ll enjoy this one.

A solid easy read. Nothing too noteworthy about it, but fun to read! Looking forward to the next by the author.

The Love Simulation was a great premise! I love the idea of a scientific simulation and forced proximity is my catnip.

Unfortunately, I thought the relationship lacked believability and the simulation played out in a way that felt overly dramatic. Since the simulation was the main setting and the central element of the plot, the fact that it was recorded meant that we got almost no open and honest communication between the main characters.

I would love to read another of Etta's books because the setting of this one unfortunately hindered the character and relationship development. But I can tell she is a talented storyteller and will definitely read her books in the future.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was a delightful read, and if you're a fan of forced proximity and romcoms, you'll likely enjoy this one. The story centers around the female main character (FMC), who is the voice principal at her middle school. She grapples with her passion for the job while navigating her complicated relationship with the school’s principal. The FMC has a crush on the principal’s son, who also works as a teacher at the school, but professional boundaries keep her at a distance from all the staff. The plot takes an interesting turn when they both participate in a space simulation challenge, along with a few other teachers, to raise funds for a new library.

I really enjoyed the school setting and the teacher-focused storyline. The FMC's struggles with her job felt very relatable. The space simulation element was a fun twist, and I appreciate how the author often incorporates space-themed elements into her books. The romance was sweet and slow-burning, though I wanted a little more depth in their connection. While there were some adorable moments between the characters, a bit of miscommunication made it feel a bit shallow at times. However, it was still an enjoyable and steamy read when they finally came together.

I love romance that includes a stem focus, and this was such a unique choice. I loved the forced proximity in a Mars simulation. This was definitely a slow burn between Brianna and Roman, although their real life jobs and circumstances do make a relationship between them a little bit tricky. I enjoyed Brianna's journey to finding her passion and realizing that feeling like she was living in the shadow of her brother was actually clouding her from what she wanted in life. Roman is kind of a grump and serious so it was fun when she would get a smile out of him.

3.75 stars - I thought this was really sweet. I liked that the set up for this book was so different than other romances I've read and I'm always a sucker for forced proximity. I liked both main characters and thought their motivation for joining the simulation was interesting. Brianna's thoughts about remaining professional vs getting closer to Roman were a bit all over the place; in one moment she would declare that her crush was unequivocally over and in the next second be lusting over him again, which I get but it happened a lot and the back and forth was a little much for me.

All that said, I genuinely did enjoy this book and enjoyed the time I spent reading it. Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book - all opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

a super cute read! a vice principal hellbent on winning money to update their school’s library & a teacher who’s dad is the principal who pulled the library funding in the first place, spend their summer in a mars simulation to win the prize money.

I loved the premise & the characters themselves, it just felt too insta-lovey for me. the attraction was instant and then then they were confessing their feelings after they were mean to each other for the first 1/3 of the book??? I really did love Brianna and Roman as characters, and the other teachers who joined them in the simulation were SO fun!

would still recommend if you like a more insta-lovey, rom-com feel with forced proximity and a super fun concept! Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

The Love Simulation stands alone, but I found it nice to have read The kiss Countdown about her brother, Vince, the astronaut. A few scenes from that are referenced, and we get to know Brianna's family there.

Brianna is a vice principal and has advocated for money to be spent on upgrading the school library. The principal instead reallocates the money to a middle school athletic field. And his son, Roman, seems to be working with him against Brianna.

The story felt as much focused on the Mars simulation and the efforts for the library as on the romance. My favorite aspects were learning about what the simulation experience included. And of course, I was thrilled to see the emphasis on valuing a well stocked school library where all kids can find books about kids who look like them.

For me, the romance was fine. But the pacing felt a little off, with some parts being quite slow and others being too quick. Relatedly, I would have preferred more chapter breaks. One chapter was more than an hour long in the audio format. Other chapters were much shorter.

Sisi Aisha Johnson narrated the 10 hour audiobook. I loved her narration. I found myself switching to the audio format to enjoy her performance. I was especially impressed with her voicing of Roman.

4.5 stars rounded up

I wanted to love this book. The premise of passionate educators competing for money to fund a school library was one that speaks to me. Unfortunately, The Love Simulation just didn't hit for me.

There's nothing wrong with it, per se. The writing is tight and there were plenty of moments that gave me a chuckle. This is really a case of "it's not you, it's me." I struggled to connect with the main character, Brianna. Despite being in her early 30s and having experience as a high school guidance counselor turned vice principal, Brianna lacked the maturity I would expect for someone in either of those positions.

In addition, while I found her insistence on maintaining a professional distance from the teachers she supervises during the school year believable enough, when she carried that insistence on remaining aloof into the Mars simulation, I just couldn't relate. These were people she had to live with in a confined space for six weeks and who she would need to depend on for her simulated survival. If there were ever a time to put that professional distance aside enough to become friends with people, the simulation seems like the time to do it. However, as someone who is self-employeed in a field where I don't need to supervise others, I'll be the first to admit my inability to identify with Brianna is most likely because I don't have a comparable frame of reference.

I also found the characters of Angie and Jordan annoying for various reasons. During the simulation, Jordan - who is supposed to be the team leader - is, by turns, overbearing or ineffectual. Angie spends all of her time in the simulation complaining that she should be on summer vacation (never mind the fact that she volunteered to be part of the project) and refusing to eat any of the food provided, opting to subsist on snacks she packed in her luggage instead. I think if I'd been in Brianna's shoes, I would have sabotaged their space suits within the first week.

Ultimately, I struggled to finish the book. That being said, I do think other readers will love it. If you enjoy contemporary romance, prefer something with low spice, and you're looking to diversify your reading, the author and all of the characters are Black, so this would be a good addition to your TBR. The Love Simulation might not be my cup of tea, but Etta Easton could very well be someone else's new favorite author. I hope other readers will check out her website and enjoy her work.

One thing I really love about Etta is her writing, no doubt about it. I was hoping to really love this, I think it started off extremely funny and quirky. I love the this idea was very unique. A Mars Stimulation with your crush and workplace boundaries!? Oh wow! But like with the first book, this was okay. I do believe if we got Roman’s POV sprinkled throughout it would have been even better! Thank you Berkeley for the ARC!

Summer break from school brings Brianna, a vice principal, and Roman, a science teacher, together in a friendly competition. Sparks fly between them, but Brianna’s determination to win casts a shadow over their budding romance. If she succeeds, she’ll secure a much-needed library upgrade for their school. However, Roman has his own plans for the school’s future. As the competition unfolds, an enemies-to-lovers dynamic emerges, testing their resolve and challenging their perceptions of each other.

This entertaining story is filled with delightful protagonists, engaging banter, and just the right amount of humor. The attraction between Brianna and Roman is undeniable, and the story unfolds as a slow-burn romance. But the contest itself—a Mars Simulation—adds an element of intrigue and keeps things interesting. The school environment serves as a captivating backdrop for their journey. In all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read from beginning to end.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Love Simulation by Etta Easton is the perfect he-falls-first workplace adjacent rivals to lovers story. Brianna is a vice-principal who just wants to get a library remodel built after the old library was partially destroyed. Her principal is trying to get her out by any means necessary to get his son (Roman) the job so he uses the money assigned to the library remodel to a new football field. To keep her word, Brianna decides to participate in a reality show competition that would pay for the remodel with some of her colleagues who are there for their own reasons. Roman shows up out of now "Houston, we've got a problem" because she just knows he is there to sabotage her so he can get her job. However, not everything is at seems and they start developing a friendship that could easily turn into more.

Okay so I loved this book. This book reminded me of the book "The Martian" in a "what if this was a love story?" sort of way. I thought the book was fast paced and the characters were very lovable. I also really liked that Brianna was trying to keep her professional boundaries as much as she could while also integrating herself into the group. I also loved the end of the simulation which might be a controversial take, I don't know but it made a lot of sense. Basically, if you like a closed door rivals to lovers story I think you will really like this book!

Tropes: workplace adjacent, rivals to lovers, he-falls-first

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and Etta Easton for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC!

Read this book! If you do nothing else please read this book! It is cute, fun, dramatic, and an all around good time. Our main characters Brianna and Roman are workplace colleagues that join a Mars simulation to win money for their school’s library. It is a workplace, forced proximity trope that is so fun to watch play out. The characters felt real and were full of life and I completely understood their emotions during the simulation. The author also paid special attention to the details of what it’s like on Mars which made it feel realistic to what they were dealing with.
With the relationship between Roman and Bri I loved watching them in their mutual pining and having it flourish into more during the simulation. There was obviously distrust on Bri’s side which made sense since Roman’s dad was horrible and her boss. However I felt the third act break up was a bit unnecessary. It was great for drama but I personally don’t like third act break ups even though in this case it made sense. I would have loved to see how they handled their relationship at work but the ending was still cute and satisfying. This was a great book and I definitely recommend it to everyone!

Etta Easton does it again! She stole our hearts with The Kiss Countdown—a fake dating romance between a Black astronaut and a struggling party planner. Now, she’s back with The Love Simulation, keeping the space vibes alive but adding a fresh twist that had me hooked.

This time, we’re following Brianna Rogers, a vice principal who is fed up. She’s sick of watching school funds disappear into football fields while the library gets left behind. So, what does she do? She signs up for a Mars simulation competition, where the winning team gets a major cash prize—one big enough to finally fund the library her students deserve.

But plot twist—Roman Major (yes, that Roman), the moody science teacher and son of the very principal she’s beefing with, joins the simulation last minute. These two have always had tension—some hot, some icy cold—and now they’re stuck in a fake Mars colony, forced to work together. And let’s just say, the chemistry? Undeniable.

Easton gives us banter, tension, and forced proximity done right. Brianna and Roman’s dynamic is full of fire, and the stakes? High. If you loved the mix of science, romance, and Black excellence in The Kiss Countdown, you’re gonna eat this one up.

So, if you’re into STEM romance, forced proximity, and a love story that’s literally out of this world, The Love Simulation needs to be on your TBR. Because one thing about Etta Easton? She delivers every time.

ETTAAAAA, I was not prepared for your pen game!

Hey world, I loved this book and will absolutely be reading The Kiss Countdown at some point. Let’s talk about why this was everything.

Brianna is a high-spirited vice principal who just wants to make her school better, but the principal is shutting her down at every turn. To make things worse, he is actively trying to push Brianna out of her position so his son—who just so happens to be her love interest—can take her job. See how it is already getting messy? But that is not even the main plot.

A group of teachers enters a six-week Mars simulation to raise money for the school library, and to Brianna’s surprise (or let’s be real, not surprise), Roman shows up. So now they are stuck together for six-ish weeks, and let me tell you, this is how you do forced proximity. Things unfold, tension builds, and they fall in love in the cutest way. Like, this man made paints for her. I think about that very often.

This book was so much fun, and I was fully invested. If you love forced proximity, workplace drama, and romance with heart, you need to read this.

Etta Easton is 2/2 with me. The Love Simulation was so sweet, I might have a cavity. I was fully engaged in the story from page one and I stayed engaged until I reached the end. I thought the workplace, light enemies-to-lovers vibes were perfect, add in the forced proximity and you have the ingredients for a great romance. Brianna was funny and frustrating, I think I enjoyed her loosening up the most. Roman is so swoon and I could tell from the beginning that he was smitten with the Vice Principle. There was just the right amount of tension in this one as well. I do have to say that I would have LOVED to hear from Roman, just a chapter or two but that’s the only thing I would change about this one!!! Thanks to Berkley for the ARC, all thoughts and feelings are my own.

I wanted to like this book - I really did. I like STEAM books, and particularly love spacy things. That said. Ugh.

Brianna and Roman were fine on their own, but I just did not buy their "romance." There was no chemistry, and their whole relationship just seemed so shallow. Nothing connected them deeply beyond the plot, and there were really no conflicts or stakes. The "conflict" comes from miscommunication (my least favorite trope).

I did love the Mars simulation setting, though. 10/10 for setting.