The plot revolves around Brianna, a vice principal, and Roman, a science teacher, who unexpectedly end up competing together in a space-themed competition. Brianna has always kept her crush on Roman in check, maintaining professional boundaries. But with six weeks stuck together in the competition, will she be able to stick to those boundaries?
This was such a cute read and I loved the backdrop setting it’s different than the traditional setting.

This book was cute. Loved the banter between characters, loved the sibling connection and appreciated all side character personality.

3.5/5 ⭐
.5/5 🌶️

Cute sophomore read! This was a unique setting for an enemies to lovers plot. The simulation narrative was fun and I guess a lot less predictable than I anticipated. It was also a creative forced proximity scenario that didn't bring the ending we expected!

Overall, I enjoyed watching their friendship grow but feels we skipped a bit of depth in them falling for each other. I would have loved to see Roman a bit more vulnerable and Bri to have a bit more self assurance.

Thank you #netgalley and #berkley for the ARC!

This is a story that hit me in my core as it hit on many things that are not only important to me, but many of the struggle Brianna had are ones that I have experienced. When I can relate to a character, it makes the book that much more impactful. I think what I loved most about this was how real that Roman and Brianna's story was. There are times when you can read a romance book and everything is so obvious, I never expected the twist that came in this one and it was handled with absolute perfection. I'm excited to go back and read The Kiss Countdown.

DNF @42%

Absolutely nothing is happening with the romance. Unless you count everything the main character makes up in her head.

The Love Stimulation was such a fun surprise! The characters had amazing banter, and the tension between them kept me flipping pages. The balance of heartfelt moments and spice was just right, making this an addictive read. If you love cute romance, this one’s a must read!

This was such a cute, cozy read! It was on my radar because Etta Easton's The Kiss Countdown was one of my favorite books of 2024. Being a woman in STEM who has always dreamt of going to space camp and considers Dr. Mae Jemison one of her heroes, I knew that I had to read this. Brianna being the boss Vice Principal that she is aims to saves the school's library by competing to win a prize in a Mars simulation. There's one small thing, Roman, the son of her arch nemesis and boss, also comes along for the ride. But can she trust him? Once she sees him shirtless, can we even trust her to make the right decision?! Listen, I might not trust myself. LOL
I thought Brianna was delusional the entire time. (My bad girl.) I also wanted to see more of their interactions to understand why they were a match. It felt very much like instalove until I saw more in the last 20% of the book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this little rom com. I look forward to reading whatever Easton writes next. Bonus points if it's science related too. Can we get Angie's story?

The Love Simulation by Etta Easton is a rom-com set against the backdrop of a Mars simulation. In this story we follow Brianna Rogers, a vice principal determined to win a grant for her school's new library, and Roman Major, a science teacher who complicates her plans. Easton's writing is engaging, with well-paced humor and heartfelt moments that make the characters relatable and endearing. The tension between Brianna and Roman, coupl.ed with the unique setting that they find themselves in, makes the romance in this story all the more enjoyable. This is a fun and heartwarming read that explores themes of ambition, teamwork and unexpected love. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an out of this world romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkely, and the author for the eArc in exchange for my honest opinion. These thoughts are my own.

I so badly wanted to love this one as much as I loved this author's debut, but it unfortunately did not hit as hard for me.

Starting with what I did love: the setting. I thought it was such a fun spin on the forced proximity trope, and honestly would have loved to see more of the tasks and the overall vibes of the simulation explored. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters at the beginning. What can I say, I sometimes love the angst that comes from a misunderstanding of feelings like that.

As for Brianna, I loved and was frustrated by her in equal measure. I had so much respect for her dedication to improving her school's library, and I enjoyed her dynamic with her students. And watching her learn to build friendships with her colleagues was so wonderful. At the same time, I was *so* annoyed with how the third act conflict was handled. While I think it was warranted that Brianna be upset with Roman for not telling her the truth, by the end of the story he apologized, and I would have liked to see Brianna do more to apologize for what she did in the third act. The way that conflict unfolded gave me such an upsetting feeling, I just wish it had been handled and/or resolved differently.

Would I recommend this one? I don't know. On the one hand, there is a lot of things to enjoy about this story. On the other, there are some aggravating elements that make it hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend it.

# The Love Simulation by Etta Easton - Review

"The Love Simulation" delivers a fresh and captivating enemies-to-lovers romance set against the unique backdrop of a Mars habitat simulation. Brianna Rogers, a passionate vice principal fighting for her school's library, and Roman Major, the enigmatic science teacher with possible ulterior motives, create an irresistible dynamic as they navigate close quarters and competing interests.

What sets this book apart is Easton's skillful handling of the misunderstandings between the protagonists. Unlike many romances where miscommunications feel contrived, here they emerge organically from the characters' established personalities and histories. Brianna's impulsiveness and Roman's secretive nature create genuine obstacles that feel authentic rather than manufactured.

The Mars simulation setting provides both an innovative framework for forced proximity and clever parallels to the characters' emotional journeys. As Brianna and Roman adapt to their simulated environment, they simultaneously navigate the uncharted territory of their growing feelings.

My only minor critique is that I would have appreciated more development of the supporting cast, particularly the team member who initially spearheaded the Mars mission. These characters show promise but don't maintain their presence throughout the story as fully as I'd hoped.

Nevertheless, Easton crafts a compelling romance with the perfect balance of tension, humor, and heart. The chemistry between Brianna and Roman sizzles, and their individual character arcs are satisfying as they each confront their fears and assumptions.

As my first introduction to Etta Easton's work, "The Love Simulation" has certainly guaranteed I'll be seeking out more of her novels. Highly recommended for romance readers looking for something beyond the typical settings with characters who will steal your heart.

After reading the Kiss Countdown I was SO excited to pick up Etta Easton’s upcoming book. My review for The Kiss Countdown is coming up (waiting for my Afterlight Edition) but I finished The Love Simulation just as quickly! A group of teachers stuck in a Mars mission simulator for a whole summer to win a new library? Sounds like my kind of party!

I enjoyed the cameo appearances from all the characters I grew to love in the Kiss Countdown and also appreciated getting to know Brianna more intimately. I related to her ambition and drive, and also her self-doubt. Her character is resilient, if a little lost, and I appreciated her growth over the course of her time in the Mars simulation.

Roman’s character was a bit of an enigma to me, as I wasn’t entirely sure of his motives from start to finish. The romance between Brianna and Roman felt abrupt and I found myself divested from it by the time I hit 60% of the book. I was really more interested to see how they’d fare the rest of their time in the simulator.

While the romance was a let-down for me, I genuinely think this was a wonderful story that centers motivated Black educators in the face of a systemically broken education machine. Thank you to Etta Easton for highlighting book bans, the opportunity gap, systemic racism within American education! I appreciated the attention brought to the counter-productive nature of punitive measures in schools, leading to the school-to-prison pipeline.

Overall I’d recommend this book to folks seeking a unique romance plot, educators, and anyone who loved The Kiss Countdown as much as I did!

“I’ll take you however I can have you. In here, where it’s just us. Out there, in front of everybody. I’ll follow your lead.”

This felt like Abbott Elementary, but if Janine and Gregory were spicy. So I was ALL IN.

~ Vice principal and science teacher
~ Off-limits, forced proximity, and one bed
~ Tension building but they’re on camera with an audience
~ Race against the clock in a Mars simulation setting

Brianna is passionate about her job but she can’t seem to win with Principal Major set on squashing every idea she brings to the table. She doesn’t want to throw in the towel just yet, but if she can’t secure new books and a school library for the students, she’ll have to consider going where she’s respected. When she hears about a Mars simulation with a hefty grand prize attached, she trades her summer vacation basking under palm trees to join other teachers at the school for a months-long experience emulating space instead. It doesn’t hurt that the guarded and attractive science teacher (and principal’s son!) joins the simulation, creating opportunities to get close and personal while working toward their goal.

Etta Easton is an auto-read author for me and I’ll read anything she creates. These space romances are quickly becoming my favorite type of romance and Easton created another perfect love story with THE LOVE SIMULATION. I loved Brianna’s passion to bring diverse books to the kids, but y’all can have your red dirt and sulphur-tinged air because I wouldn't last five minutes in that simulation chamber. This can be read as a standalone but I liked how it brought back Vincent and Amerie from THE KISS COUNTDOWN, this time focusing on Vincent’s younger sister. The way Principal Majors treats Brianna really grinded my gears and I don’t get how she could look past that to be with his son. Tensions build quickly when locked in a space chamber together, but with cameras always live streaming for friends and family back home, they’ve got to stay focused on the task at hand, not each other. But don’t worry, they still have ways to get creative and they’ve got a whole summer to get to know each other.

Thanks @berkleyromance for the copy!

Thank you Netgalley & Berekly romance for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed the unique setting of being stuck in a Mars simulation as it helped add a great layer to the close proximity trope. I also really liked Roman; he came across as grounded, mature, and genuinely good-hearted.

Brianna, on the other hand, was a bit much at times. Her repeated inner monologue of liking Roman and then not liking him started to wear on me. Their dynamic reminded me a lot of Abbott Elementary’s Janine and Gregory! I was initially leaning toward a three-star rating, but Roman and those letters completely won me over. I also appreciated Brianna’s selflessness in choosing the Mars simulation for the children.

Now, I’m definitely planning to go back and read Book 1, I want to learn more about her brother’s love story!

I loved this! As a former teacher, the characters in this book were so fun and relatable. If you're a fan of Abbott Elementary, you'll enjoy it. This romance was full of pining and forbidden feelings, thrown into forced proximity. Lots of laughs, and kicking my feet. It was nice slipping back into the same world as the author's first book, The Kiss Countdown, and seeing where those characters are now. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this arc, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed The Love Simulation overall! The characters had a fun, sitcom-like charm that reminded me of Abbott Elementary, and they made me laugh throughout. The story itself was solid, but it didn’t quite hit the same as The Kiss Countdown. There wasn't the same kind of excitement that comes along with fake dating. I think this story was more about instant love, but it was a little too instant. Some parts felt rushed, which took away from the buildup, but the ending was very sweet and heartwarming. If you’re looking for a light, fun read with lovable characters, this one is worth checking out!

Rating: 4/5

One of my favorite tropes in contemporary romance is forced proximity and The Love Simulation employs that trope with such an unique premise that really charmed me.

Brianna, the FMC, is a middle school vice-principal. Dedicated to her students and to her job, her main goal is to upgrade the library at her school so that her students have access to more current books. Unfortunately for her, the biggest roadblock to her endeavor is the school’s principal who uses the funding set aside to renovate the library to pay for a brand new football field.

To that end, Brianna decides to join some of the teachers at her school in a Mars simulation where the team will live and work in a habitat meant to feel and look like Mars for several weeks in order to win a grand prize that could help pay for her library upgrade. The only problem? The last minute addition of Roman Major, the science teacher she’s been crushing on for months…who also happens to be the son of the school principal and who was supposedly in line for the vice-principal job before Brianna was hired instead.

The whole Mars simulation thing feels a little like a reality show because they’re also being recorded and taped except for certain places in the Habitat including the bedroom which conveniently allows for the couple to engage in some shenanigans in relative privacy.

Before any shenanigans can occur however, Brianna and Roman have to clear the air. Brianna is suspicious of Roman’s motives and thinks his father sent him to sabotage the simulation in an effort to derail Brianna’s plans to upgrade the library. (Seriously, what is this man’s problem with kids reading and having access to books?!?! What’s he got against libraries?!?). Roman proves he’s willing to be a team player and do everything in his power to help them win the grand prize.

Part of the simulation involves wearing space suits and going out into fake Mars to run experiments and the team members have to be properly attired at all times and have their oxygen hooked up or else they risk “dying” (reality tv show elimination). To absolutely no one’s surprise, the team members eventually get picked off until it’s just Brianna and Roman in their cozy little Mars habitat and that eventually leads to shenanigans on the faux red planet.

Despite Brianna’s internal struggle to believe in Roman’s true motives, she gives in to her long standing crush even while debating the wisdom of hooking up with a teacher who works at the same school she does. She’s always been conscious of her role as vice-principal and created a boundary when it comes to forging friendships with her colleagues since she’s kind of their boss. So, for her to throw caution to the wind and embark on a fling with Roman speaks to just how deep her feelings run for him.

It’s the third act breakup that really feels like the weakest part of the book. I know the author felt that a third act breakup was needed and I don’t necessarily disagree, but I’m not sure the way it plays out in the book was the best way to do it. And then the actions taken by Brianna after the big fallout feels deeply uncharacteristic of her and I’m surprised the consequences of that partifcular choice aren’t bigger. In short, the resolution of the story feels rather quick and very abrupt after she chooses to do what she does.

I liked the story, it was engaging and the premise was fun. I loved the group stuff where they are trying to complete the missions on fake Mars and have to work together as a team and I loved the ways in which Roman and Brianna look out for each other and take care of each other. I also loved the reality tv aspect of it that allowed Brianna and Roman to end up by themselves on the Habitat once the rest of their team had been elinminated from the competition.

But I’m not sure about the way the third act was written and I’m not sure why the principal was so against Brianna and her plans for the library. That part was never fully explained to me and at the end of the book, everyone seems to be getting along well and there’s just a very cursory explanation of how those relationships were resolved. In short, I wish the book had dug just a little bit deeper and given us more in terms of how the relationship between Roman and his father was fixed and also, giving us more in terms of how Brianna and Roman repaired their relationship. The journal was a nice touch but I’m not sure it was enough.

Despite my feelings about the conclusion of the book, I still had a good time reading and I just liked the premise so much. Both Brianna and Roman were likable and engaging and I’m a sucker for close proximity and secret mutual pining. I liked that they acted like adults (for the most part) and had difficult conversations when needed (again, for the most part). All in all, it was a fun bit of escapism on a fake planet Mars.

This was a wonderful follow up to Easton's debut! I enjoyed getting to know more about Brianna, since she was one of my favorite characters from the last one (although to be fair I loved them all, even the somewhat overprotective mother). I think the author did a good job of showing the pressure that sometimes unintentionally can get put on Black people, especially when they're in a family of successful siblings.

Brianna also coming to the realization that she didn't want to be a Vice Principal after all she did to ensure the library would be built was also nice to see. Everyone told her she was good at it and even her nemesis Principal Major couldn't deny that. But just because someone is good at something doesn't mean that they should make a career out of it and Brianna wasn't cut out for that. Her finding her true calling at the end was nice to read.

Some people may think the back and forth between her trust of Roman was a bit much but I understood it because nothing ever showed that he really cared until almost the very end. And then she realized her mistake but he had also made some along the ways. So two flawed people recognized this, called themselves out on it, and wanted to work together to fix it so they could have a future. That was good to see as well.

I don't know if Easton's next book will be about a character we've met here or someone else but either way I'm eagerly looking forward to it. Because between the humor, heart, and heat, she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine.

I was so excited to get this story early from NetGalley after reading The Kiss Countdown which is about Brianna’s brother.

Roman and Brianna were a cute love story with a novel storyline. Brianna was a memorable character who was fighting for a school to get a library upgrade after the principal rescinds their agreement. When she joins a Mars simulation to support her school but has to spend the time with her secret crush, a hot science teacher who happens to be the principal’s son.

It didn’t hit me and make me swoon like The Kiss Countdown and the burn was too slow for me but enjoyed the read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Brianna Rodger’s is a middle school vice principal who is truly FOR the students & staff. She cares deeply about their well-being and getting the resources they deserve. When Principal Major decides last minute to reallocate the library refurbishment fund to the football field, Brianna is distraught. She impulsively joins a group of teachers for a Mars living simulation to raise new funds for the library. Being the sister of an astronaut, she feels like she has a good idea what is in store for her. But she is thrown off by the unexpected addition to the team, Roman Major (the principals son and 7th grade science teacher). Despite the tension that has been present since Brianna got the VP job over Roman, she still cannot stop herself from wanting to know him better.

Can they manage to keep their hands off each other long enough to finish the experiment and save the library, or will the tension between them lead to failure?

I LOVED this one. It was the perfect ratio of science and romance. Not too much science to where you felt stupid (well at least I didn’t, a 7th grade science teacher lol) and the romance plot still was very prevalent and well thought out.

The only part I wasn’t ecstatic about was toward the end when she had to make the decision to trust or not to trust (sorry to be vague, I don’t want to spoil anything!) It obviously in Brianna’s characterization to not trust easy, but I feel like after all that they had talked about and the trust that was gained, she could have given her trust a little easier. (But also I have trust issues too, so I would’ve been sus.)

The ending was such a great resolution and cap to the end of their story! I loved the storyline and the pacing was perfect.

Just absolutely adored everything baout this I LOVED The Kiss Countdown, one of my favorite 2024 reads, and I have been eagerly anticipating Etta Easton's second book. Highly recommend!