A fun, low-stakes read! Bri, a determined vice principal, competes in a Mars simulation to fund her school's library, all while navigating a crush on fellow teacher Roman. The setting was unique and the 'Abbott Elementary' vibe in the beginning was charming. While enjoyable, the romance felt a bit surface-level. Fans of forced proximity, slow burns, and workplace romances will enjoy this fluffy story. Bonus: it's set in the same universe as 'The Kiss Countdown,' but works perfectly as a standalone.

When Brianna Rogers’ school library upgrade is scrapped for a football field, she joins a Mars simulation to win funding—only to be stuck with Roman, the principal’s son and her biggest rival. As tension and chemistry ignite in close quarters, Brianna must decide: fight for her school or risk it all for the man she’s falling for.

This was such a quick, cute read! I loved seeing Black characters represented in a STEM-adjacent setting. Since they’re teachers, not scientists, the focus leaned more on their forbidden romance as vice principal and teacher, but the Mars simulation added a fun twist.

While nothing about this felt extraordinary, it was still an enjoyable read. The best part? Roman being completely smitten from the start. I just wish we got to see even more of those moments, since it’s told from Brianna’s POV. We see her obsession right from the beginning, but it was kinda too over the top too quickly.

If you’re into space vibes or just want a sweet Black romance, this one is a solid pick! 🚀💕

Perfect for you if you like:
STEM adjacent setting
Forbidden workplace romances
Light-hearted, low-stakes drama
Teachers

Similar to:
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert (haven’t read)
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Honey & Spice by Bolu Bablola

⛔️chapters 19 (very brief) and 21 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️mild language, this is extremely low angst so the simulation TWs feel more lighthearted

Good story. Interesting premise. And that was the most unique third act break up I have ever read. I wish the principal wasn’t Roman’s father because I kinda wish he got more of a comeuppance for all the stuff he pulled. I mean he got almost everything he wanted in the beginning with a brand new library thrown in. But overall cute and unique read.

3.5 stars rounded up to a 4

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of The Love Simulation in exchange for an honest review.

Brianna Rogers is the best kind of vice principal: she’s devoted, caring, and willing to put in hard work to get the best outcomes for her students. She gets along great with the kids and (most of) the teachers. The only thorns in her side are her boss, the school principal Mr. Major (an underhanded, manipulative jerk with questionable priorities) and science teacher, Roman Major, the principal’s son.

To anyone paying attention, it’s pretty clear that Roman has a big ole crush on Brianna, but because of her tense working relationship with the principal, she’s willfully dense when it comes to the attractive science teacher. She’s convinced that he’s playing the role of his father’s minion and that he’s in the plot to stop her beloved library renovation project in favor of a new sports field.

Then, Brianna is recruited to take part in a summer-long Mars simulation experiment. If she and the team complete all their assigned objectives and last the entire simulation period, the prize money will cover what she needs for the library. What she doesn’t anticipate is Roman Major also joining the team, and the prospect of all that time, in a sealed environment with her nemesis. He must be there to sabotage her, right?

As time passes and various challenges eliminate their teammates, they are left alone in the simulation. Roman is clearly ready to do the work and prove that he’s not the villain she thinks he is.

All in all, it’s a really interesting setup for a forced proximity romance. The simulation is so thorough that it really starts to feel like maybe they ARE astronauts on Mars, and not just in a bubble in the desert. The intimacy ramps up quickly but does so alongside the knowledge that they are constantly monitored for the experiment. So as Brianna gradually sheds her stubborn dislike of Roman, she’s still unable to act on it as freely as she might like, a necessary constraint that keeps the sexual tension high. It’s delicious.

Apart from a decision she makes in the third act (which is debatable but maybe understandable?), Brianna is a likeable character. She’s stubborn for sure, and that can be frustrating, but that ferocity of will also makes her a great candidate for the exact scenario she’s in. She’s going to win and she’s doing it for the children. Easy to cheer for that.

Roman is also likeable. Roman is charming, determined, and hard working, although sometimes frustratingly opaque. A little open, frank communication early on might have benefited both of them.

A good follow up to The Kiss Countdown (featuring Brianna’s astronaut brother but isn’t required reading to appreciate The Love Simulation.) Recommended for readers who appreciate a dab of sci-fi in their romance and for folks who kinda like a little claustrophobia in their love stories.

3.5/5 stars - Thank you to Berkley Romance for this e-ARC! The Love Simulation follows Bri, a vice principal at a middle school who is determined to receive funding for her school's library. She has a crush on a fellow teacher Roman, who is also the son of the school's principal. Conflict arises because Bri thinks Roman is competing for her vice principal position. Bri, Roman, and a few other teachers agree to compete in a Mars simulation to win money for the school's library.

I liked that this book takes place in the same universe as The Kiss Countdown. Our FMC (Bri) is the little sister of the MMC in The Kiss Countdown, but the Love Simulation can be read as a standalone novel. The first few chapters of the book reminded me of Abbott Elementry! The setting of the Mars simulation was very unique in my opinion. This was a cute read, but the romance in this book felt very surface-level. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fluffy, low-stakes book. Read if you enjoy:

- Forced proximity
-Slow burns
-Workplace romances
-Single POV

2.5 stars

i’m sad to be giving this book such a low rating, cause i really did enjoy Etta Easton’s debut but The Love Simulation fell flat in comparison. i liked the premise of the characters participating in a mars simulation where they have to “survive” in order to earn money for their school, but the romance wasn’t doing it for me. i didn’t even think Brianna or Roman were unlikable necessarily, cause they were fine. it’s just that they were lacking chemistry and their connection felt surface level and kind of.. bland? with no sort of stakes or anything. It felt like Brianna was more into Roman than he was her and the writing with all its pop culture references were dragging me out of the story. The setup for this was so unique but I couldn’t connect to the characters and was a bit bored by it all. I think others could like this more but it didn’t stand out for me personally.

This one was just so fun! I absolutely love Abbott Elementary and the two MCs, Brianna and Roman, were definitely Janine and Gregory coded.

Combine that with a close proximity, high stakes challenge, rivals to lovers chemistry, and fun, snappy dialogue, and this was an absolute blast (wink wink) from start to finish!

This was such a beautiful story of family, doubt, trust, and love. The characters in this book were so raw and unfiltered, and the stories shared and arcs that were drawn together were so important and so impactful. This resonated in a way that contemporary romances haven’t for me in a while, and that’s pretty incredible.

Wow! This was such a beautiful story. It’s the epitome of stepping out of your comfort zone to find your true love. Parts of the storyline reminded me of Abbott Elementary and kept me laughing. I just kept thinking about the episodes when Ava had a crush on Gregory. The Love Simulation follows Brianna, Vice Principal of a middle school, who has a crush on the Principal’s son, Roman. She set professional boundaries among her and the staff so she felt like she had to withstand a certain image and not act on it. When Jordan came to her and few other staff members about joining a space simulation to raise money for the school library she was all for it.

Could you imagine taking part in a space simulation for 6 weeks with your crush! I was rooting for Roman and Brianna throughout the whole book! I could sense a strong connection from the time they were in the teachers lounge making tea. Even though everyone stayed away from Roman due to his father being the principal, he was actually really loving and attentive when it came to Brianna. I knew once they were together for such a long period of time and forced proximity, they were going to explore what could happen between them.

ARC Review: The Love Simulation by Etta Easton
Pub Date: March 4

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the early #gifted copy of the book! All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #berkleypartner

Bri is a middle school vice principal. When the principal walks back a promise to fund a new library for the school, Bri takes it upon herself to join a Mars simulation which comes with a prize for the school if the team survives. The team is made up of other school employees including Bri's nemesis and the son of the principal - Roman. She suspects that he is on the team for nefarious reasons but she also can't help herself being drawn to him.

I really liked this unique concept and was really excited for this book! There were some things that I thought worked well - the simulation and the side characters - and some that I struggled with. It was a very quick read which I also liked.

This one focused a little too much on the simulation portion for me to really believe in the relationship. Honestly the relationship almost came out of left field for me. I was really interested in the simulation so I did actually enjoy that but given that this is a romance book I did expect a bit more set up for the actual romance. The third act conflict was wilddddd to me honestly - the whole ending of the book just kind of went off the rails.

I wish I had liked this more but ultimately I think it wasn't quite for me!

Etta Easton has done it again!!! Lately romance has been over run with stories that feel like we've read it before, however picking up an Easton book I know I am reading a story that I've never read before! The setting of this story being a school with a not so nice principal, a new vice principal trying to navigate how to interact with her peers and juggle her new position, a moody teacher that she keeps having intimate thoughts and small moments with. I loved the use of forced proximity in this story. It was fun, quirky, and the common goal added necessity and pressure when their team mates started getting eliminated. Watching Roman and Brianna was a sweet experience. Their small moments felt so important and were amazing foundation blocks for their eventual love. This was a fun and sexy romance!

A fun, sexy second installment of the lives and loves of the Rogers family. Brianna, the youngest Rogers sibling finishing the school year as a Vice Principal at a Houston school. Brianna is smart, sassy feels like a failure compared to her astronaut brother and physician sister. She tried a few different careers but has kinda fallen into the education field because she loves kid. The Principal of the school is a gruff, seemingly humorless grump who clearly doesn’t like Brianna and wanted his teacher son, Roman, to have the VP job. Brianna thinks that Roman is very attractive but she thinks that he resents her getting the VP job. The school’s library is in sad shape and Brianna really cares about book access for the students. The Principal has taken money that the School Board allocated for a new library and is using it to upgrade the football field. Brianna is desperate to find a way to get money for the library and decides to give up her summer vacation plans and join colleagues to spend 2 months cut off from the world in a NASA Mars simulator. If Brianna and her colleagues can stick it out, they will win a big cash prize that may be used for the library upgrade. Brianna is surprised on the first day of simulator to find that Roman is a last minute substitute for the team. Brianna is convinced that he’s there to sabotage their chances of winning. What could go wrong???? They are very clearly attracted to each other but can they get over themselves to find out if their relationship could be more.

This book is so sweet. The main character is my name twin AND I love it when a character loves books and reading as much as I do, so fun!

As the vice principal of a middle school, Brianna Rogers constantly finds herself at odds with her principal in the fight for what she believes is best for her students. As a result of their latest faceoff, she has signed up with a group of four other teachers from her school to participate in a Mars simulation. Their main goal is to try and win the grand prize money for the new school library that the principal has continually put on pause. Roman Major is not supposed to be on this team, but at the last minute, he's swapped in. As a science teacher at the middle school, Brianna's forbidden crush, and the principal's son, Roman has thrust Brianna into an emotional whirlwind as she tries her hardest to win this library for her students. Even though she's had feelings for him from jump, she doesn't know if she can trust him to help her bring home the prize. Etta Easton takes us on an out-of-this-world journey to Brianna and Roman's happily ever after.

Easton really did write a brilliant story. The plot didn't feel the most realistic because I'm not sure how many of us would find ourselves in a Mars simulation with the love of our life, but that didn't take away from the story for me. We still got to see the inner workings of a young woman learning what he true purpose is and how to be validated enough within herself to stand up for that. I would've loved to experience more of Roman's perspective, but just from Brianna's lens we were able to witness his drastic growth in his self-actualization as well.

Much of the plot felt predictable to me, but I like predictability (that's why I read contemporary romance). I do enjoy how Easton presented their conflict towards the end as resolvable. There was a dusting of a miscommunication trope, but I would more accurately consider it mistrust that really irked me. I didn't see that coming lol.

There were some tidbits about the characters that I wish the author would've revealed or incorporated earlier on. I don't think it served us much to keep those to the end.

Overall, I do think this was a well-written, enjoyable, fluffy, kick-my-feet-in-the-air story. Brianna is literally me, and I don't care what anyone else has to say about that. I appreciated how seen both Brianna and Roman each felt by the other and the accountability they were able to take for their actions. The character development was definitely there.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Romance, and Etta Easton for giving me the opportunity to read and review Brianna and Roman's sweet story! I do look forward to what else this author has in store.

Read this if you like:
•forced proximity
•science
•libraries

Brianna is a VP at a school and is trying to safe their library & rebuild after a hurricane ruined it. Her coworker ropes her into a 6 week Mars Simulation and the winners get money towards the school. This was a cute, fun and spicy forced proximity romance. Roman doing small things for her was so cute. Thank you Berkley for the eARC

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I am so grateful I got to read the ARC and when I say this book GAVE! It gave. I truly loved learning more about Brianna Rogers (Vincent sister from The KISS Countdown). I related to her so much. So much so she frustrated me at times. This book was a book that I was able to visualize every word and I love when an author does that to me. Etta Easton is such an incredible writer. Her words come to life. I loved Brianna (FMC) and Roman (MMC) and all of the other characters truly added their own value. I felt every character mentioned needed to be there. Thanks again for another amazing read Etta Easton.

Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!

Bri is a middle school vice principal who does not get along with her principal. Especially because he doesn’t want to make upgrading the school library a priority. Roman is one of her teachers, and the principal’s son. So when she joins a summer program to earn money for the library and shows up, she’s suspicious he’s there to sabotage. The program involves simulating life on Mars for six weeks by having to complete tasks in an isolated, harsh environment. As team members drop off one by one, Bri and Roman are the only ones left. But she still does trust him.

I liked Bri, although she came off a bit flighty. She struggled to find her purpose in life and jumped from idea to idea. And the chemistry she had with Roman was palpable. I definitely would have liked his POV! He was a great character and his relationship with his dad would have been interesting from his POV.

I found the plot fascinating. As a child I used to dream of space travel, and this book had all those vibes. They had to wear space suits when they left their pod, and combat dust storms, and search for rock samples. It was a great location for a forced proximity romance. And the romance was good. Lots of pining. A great forbidden aspect, and a pretty good, fade to black spicy scene. There’s a pretty dramatic third act breakup, and I thought the resolution of that was pretty easy.

The narrator did an excellent job. Her inflection and voices really carried the story.

Overall it was a solid romance with a really unique setting.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Etta Easton’s first book, and while The Love Simulation wasn’t as strong for me, I still enjoyed it. The light science-y vibes are once again fun, and I particularly enjoyed the academic environment with the teachers and their competition, as well as the space simulation itself. There’s also some light references to the first book, although this is not a formal series.
Brianna is a sympathetic protagonist, and I love her devotion to her job and drive and passion in general. I did find her complex feelings toward Roman to be a bit all over the place, because on the one hand, she’s pretty gaga for him, but on the other, he’s also her professional rival, and there didn’t seem to be a consistent through-line for that. And the result was that the stakes and tension felt rather low.
Roman is a solid love interest, and he’s definitely swoon-worthy. But I feel there was definitely more to explore and flesh out with him, particularly if he’d been given his own POV. He’s not flat by any means, but I can’t help but feel like there was a lot of missed potential given his position as the principal’s son to be probed further.
The romance overall was pretty cute, even if it was fairly low-stakes in the grand scheme of things. The simulation provided some fun challenges and a unique environment for them to explore their chemistry, and they were fairly easy to root for.
This was a pretty cute read, and I’d recommend it to readers who are in search of Black romance with a focus on the education and STEM fields.

My first Etta Easton book! Why did this make me wanna find a mars simulation and sign up for it, knowing my ass would not survive like that? Lord help me. This was a really great book especially for it taking place in mostly one setting. It reminded me of when I watched 47 meters down and how intrigued I was at the amount of storytelling someone could do in one place. This book was quick, witty, steamy, tension-filled, and emotional all in one. I might need to go back and read the kiss countdown bc this was just a ton of fun & one of the only books I felt the FMC made logical decisions throughout the entire book LOL

3.5 ⭐️ this was so cute and unique! I’ve enjoyed Etta’s stories involving space and the Mars simulation was so cool to read about, it almost felt like a reality tv show.

I definitely understood Brianna’s trust issues and setting her guard up around others and I melted anytime Roman took the extra time to reassure and validate her. I think there were some moments between them felt a little too surface level and I wanted a bit more within their forced proximity and forbidden romance, but I still thought it was cutie!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I loved the unique concept of this romance!

Vice Principal Brianna and 4 teachers from her school decide to spend six weeks of their summer participating in a Mars simulation, trying to win money for their school to get a whole new library. She doesn’t count on Roman coming along, the one teacher she has had a crush on and the son of the Principal she doesn’t get along with.

The simulation added so many fun elements to the story with all of the tasks the teachers are required to do and the emergencies they are forced to respond to. It made me want to participate in one of these scenarios of my own, though maybe not for a full six weeks! The forced proximity begins to weigh heavily on our characters as time goes on and their team size shrinks down, leaving a smaller team that is forced to rely on one another.

There is a lot of internal conflict for Brianna throughout this book, as she faces whether or not a VP should be able to build friendships and relationships with her coworkers. She tends to close herself off from others rather than open up, and I was dying for her to feel comfortable with everyone and like she was an important part of the team. Her thoughts felt on brand and authenic to her character even if they did make me crazy a few times!

Overall this was a cute second book about the Rogers siblings after we got her brother Vincent’s love story last year. Will we get a third book for sibling three??

Thank you to Berkley for the arc. All opinions are my own.