I write haiku reviews on Instagram and Goodreads but am happy to provide more feedback, if requested.

The coziest love story but also with some soul searching! I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to read more by this author. It was my first read from Etta and I want disappointed!

What I absolutely adored about this was how refreshing the setting and the characters were! Academia vibes, forced proximity and a fun setting?! YES. I need to read more by Etta Easton STAT.

Thank you so much to Berkley publishing for my ARC!

4/5

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the advance copy of this!

This book will be out in March 4th.

The Kiss Countdown was Etta Easton's debut book and was absolutely charming! I was not sure if this book was going to be its own new story or set in the same universe as TKC. Turns out our female lead is the little sister of the male, Vincent, from The Kiss Countdown.

Just like with the first one, this was just also enjoyable!! Brianna is a Vice Principal with a very difficult principal and is upset when he chooses to use funds to redo the football field instead of a new library, she takes matters in her own hands. There was this cool opportunity to be a part of a Mars simulation with other staff members for a chance to a good chunk of money that would be used to upgrade the library.

Six weeks in a Mars simulation? Should be no issue but what Brianna was not expecting is to be trapped with her workplace crush and the principal's son Roman. She already is nervous around him but this is going to have them force to work together. I felt kind of bad for Roman because Brianna thought the worst of him. She thought he was there to jeopardize her chance at getting the funds. And this was throughout majority of the book.

Then you have Roman who never gave her any reason to doubt him besides being the son of her boss. He was doing his best in achieving the different missions. He was very open with his crush on Brianna. It was hard for her to navigate their mutual feelings for one another. She was technically his superior and even though they weren't in school, it still was a school event and was with other peers. No matter how much she tried, she just could not resist him. I know they were in this simulation and its not like they could properly date but I would have love to have seen them get to know each other more. It kind of was like "oh I like you, let's sleep together." Which yes happens but we usually get to see the couple get to know one another and build an intimacy.

Easton did not spend too much time with giving insight into the first book. But just enough of VIncent (he is a astronaut) and Amerie to give insight into their lives currently. Also got to see some of Brianna's relationship with her sister Camille who seems like such a wonderful person.

i love the concept of being in this controlled environment away from everyone over the summer. In my head I just picture the movie The Martian and the different space tasks that they had to do.

Looking forward to see if Easton sticks with space theme books (which I would be here for) or where she would pivot too!

In Etta’s debut THE KISS COUNTDOWN, we met Brianna an assistant principal who’s now agreed to spend their summer vacation in a Mars simulation in hopes of winning the prize money to upgrade the school’s library. Her principal’s son, Roman, a science teacher at the school joins the mission and now she has to decide if doing it for the right reasons, or trying to sabotage her chances when she starts to fall for him.

It’s got forced proximity, enemies to lovers and a great group of co-workers who will keep you entertained as the pressure heats up — and so do their feelings for each other!

Thank you to Berkley Romance and The Gloss Book Club for the chance to read and review this title, check out my full review on the Gloss blog!

Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance @acebookspub for the free book!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute read. Brianna is always looking out for others but she is also looking to make her mark in her profession as Vice Principal. Roman is the science teacher who she has a crush on but is also the principals son, who is putting a block in her plans. The story is a slow burn, great message about learning and finding your passion in life and it even had some funny moments. I loved the simulation aspect of the story and I love that it was about teachers and trying to save the school library. Definitely would recommend for cute and charming read. 3.5 ⭐️

Release Date: March 4, 2025

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Abbott Elementary vibes in "space"?? Uh yes.

I love a forced proximity trope, but I'd never considered doing it as a Mars simulator!! We follow Bri, a vice principal determined to save her school's library, only to find herself trapped in a tiny space with her forbidden work crush. To make matters worse, his father is actively sabotaging her at work. Can Bri truly trust Roman to help her get the money for the school? Their chemistry is undeniable though, so we get a little spice while they work out their issues. I enjoyed the references to The Kiss Countdown and hope that Etta continues with these STEM-themed books!

I enjoyed The Kiss Countdown, and so had high hopes for The Love Simulation. Mars mission simulation with forced proximity mixed with enemies to lovers? Sign me up! But.... it wasn't as good as The Kiss Countdown. And I really didn't like how the author glossed over the issues with the MFC sabotaging the MMC's suit and "killing" him within the simulation. If that wasn't bad enough, he forgave her.

I had a lot of fun with this book. Love all the call backs to Kimberly Lemming (Yeeted was my favorite Mead Mishap novels to date). I love NASA and space themed things, and we need more rom coms like this. I enjoyed Kiss Countdown but I think Love Simulation is higher on my personal ranking scale. Highly recommend. Perfect book to uplift spirits. More please, Etta Easton!!

What a delightful & cute romcom!

The FMC Briana was super relatable. I really enjoyed her character and journey. I totally understood her struggles and sympathized. I also liked her disposition. She's a sweetheart. Roman is dreamy. I thought he was simply adorable. All the little things he did for Bri made me swoon. These two together had a lot of chemistry which made the forced proximity trope even better. This is a slow burn but twas worth the wait! The steam was great between these two.

I did like the plot and thought it was interesting. I don't think I've ever read a book where the characters are in a space simulation, very unique. The book gave me Abbott Elementary tv show vibes.

Would recommend if you enjoy Abbott Elementary and romcoms.

I enjoyed this book and was very happy with the ending. The Love Stimulation is the story of Brianna Rogers, who we met in The Kiss Countdown. We explore her struggles in her profession, personal, and love life. But with any struggle we know there will eventually be a happy ending. Brianna finds herself entering into a summer space stimulation with four of her colleagues in an effort to save her school’s library. But has she made the right choice? During this stimulation her professional boundaries and moral standards are tested. The story started out slow but the ending was pretty direct and to the point.

The Love Simulation delivers a fun romance following Brianna, a passionate vice principal, and Roman, a science teacher (and the principal’s son), as they compete for a grand prize to upgrade their school’s library. The premise was great, and the story was charmingly reminiscent of the show Abbott Elementary—full of humor and the relatable dynamics of a school setting but with a slight sci-fi twist. However, the romance itself didn’t quite land for me, the ending felt rushed, and I wish the outstanding supporting characters had been explored some more. Still, it certainly had a couple of truly touching moments, and its lighthearted, funny tone made for an enjoyable read. I will rate this book 3.5 stars.

A perfectly unique forced proximity romance that features two Black main characters who choose to spend their summer participating in a Mars Simulation contest in the hopes of winning $500,000 for their elementary school. Rivals to lovers has never been done so well in this fun, single POV story that will appeal to fans of authors like Denise Williams or Jasmine Guillory. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! I would have liked it more as a dual POV book but it was still a solid read and while it's book 2 of a series can be easily read as a standalone.

Things I loved about this book: the representation, seeing Brianna’s close familial ties, relating to her feelings of imposter syndrome (a 30 year old school vice principal is quite accomplished even if she did feel less than b/c of the success of her siblings), and the unique setting of a Mars stimulation.

I did struggle with why Brianna liked Roman outside of looks as her crush for the first 30+% of the book seemed wholly physical and he had the personality of a doorknob. It made it more difficult to root for them as the story progressed. I wish we would have seen a more 3D version of Roman sooner.

I enjoyed The Love Simulation—it kept me hooked from start to finish. Brianna Rogers is a character with so much heart and determination, and I couldn’t help but admire her drive to make a real difference at her school, even when the odds seem stacked against her. How she throws herself into the Mars simulation to prove a point about the library upgrade is bold and relatable. Roman Major, the brooding yet charming science teacher, perfectly balances tension and intrigue. Their back-and-forth banter and undeniable chemistry made for some great moments, especially when they were forced to work together in such close quarters.
What I really appreciated was how the story explored more than just romance—it dealt with loyalty, the tension between personal goals and professional duty, and the struggle of putting everything on the line for a cause you believe in. The simmering conflict between Brianna and Roman as they navigate their feelings amidst the high-stakes competition was well done.
By the time the romance took center stage, I was already invested in the characters and found myself rooting for them to figure it out. I loved how the story balanced the romance with the drama of the simulation itself and how it reflected Brianna’s journey of self-discovery. Sure, the plot felt a bit predictable at times, but I didn’t mind—it was the perfect amount of tension and sweetness.
The ending left me satisfied, and I appreciated how the author wrapped everything up. Overall, The Love Simulation was a fun, engaging read that didn’t disappoint. The romance and the personal stakes were just the right amount of compelling, and I couldn’t put it down until I knew how everything would unfold.

Imposter Syndrome
Finding Your Calling
Trust
School Library
Letting Go of Built up Walls
I could not put this one down. I didn’t mean to finish it so fast but I did. This romance had all the feels and tension! I highly recommend it. From the space aspect to how Brianna feels with both her family and her career. Her passion to get those kids a library upgrade really spoke to me. I would say I related to her a bit. Her passion is similar if not the same as mine. Yes it a romance but it’s also so much more.
I’m at a lost for words! Just read it please! You won’t be disappointed! I’m trying my best to not spoil! Bear with me! He’s more open with her. She has her guard up because he’s her boss’s son. The Mars simulation bring them together along with 3 other teachers. She doesn’t want to cross the line of professionalism with personal BUT she feels lonely. She doesn’t get the gossip and she’s not particularly close to any of the staff. This simulation, if it’s a success, will get the school the library upgrade. Brianna thinks he’s there to sabotage everything. As you progress through this story, Brianna’s layers are peeled back little by little. She feels she doesn’t measure up and she has just this ONE goal in mind. For the kids. And don’t get me started on the ending. It may or may not have you feeling so much joy that you end in tears. It’s so beautiful.

Brianna Rogers has never shied away from a challenge. So when her principal decides to spend their budget on revamping the football field instead of the outdated library, Brianna decides to take matters into her own hands. She joins a group of teachers to participate in a six-week Mars simulation competition. As Vice Principal, Brianna has tried to keep her colleagues at arm's length, but she knows that prize money is just what the library needs, and she's willing to go out all to ensure she wins. But Brianna didn't count on Roman Major, the handsome science teacher and principal's son, to join their crew. Brianna and Roman have been hot and cold all year, and living in such tight quarters doesn't help their growing attraction. But when little things start going wrong with their mission, Brianna can't help but think that Roman has ulterior motives for being here. As the simulation winds down, Brianna has to choose between following reason or her heart.

I don't know what Easton puts in her books, but I'm hooked. I ate up her previous book, so it was no surprise that I did the same with this one. Her writing is breezy, and the sweet and steamy moments are perfectly balanced. I thought the premise of this was so fun. I loved the forced proximity we got from Brianna and Roman getting thrown together in small quarters. Watching them dance around one another before finally giving in to their feelings had me kicking my little feet. I saw how the third-act drama would play out, but I appreciated how quickly it resolved. The only other issue I had was that I wish Easton played up the competition element a little more because I kept forgetting that people could watch what they were doing in this Mars bubble. Other than that, I thought this was great, and I'll pick up whatever Easton comes out with next.

This was genuinely cute and also made me want to do a Mars simulation? I think I would love it without the actual threat of death, so it seems like a very exciting experience.

I loved Brianna’s closeness to her siblings in adulthood and the contrast of Roman’s dynamic with his own family - as well as how those played up the way they felt around each other.

Brianna is also absolutely ruthless and I adore her. No spoilers but when she made her choice I actually gasped and covered my mouth but I did not doubt her because she is smart and savvy.

And Roman is so sweet and respectful - even when it hurts his own feelings. He’s so into her and kind to her and even when he gives her space he doesn’t stop fighting for her.

Thank you for the free book, Berkley Romance! #berkleypartner #berkley #berkleybookstagram

Brianna is a vice principal who takes her role very seriously. She’s determined to earn money for the school library by participating in a teacher challenge to last for the whole summer in a Mars simulation. When she arrives, she’s shocked to see the her arch rival, the principal’s son, Roman there. She is sure he plans to sabotage her and ruin the mission, but Roman proves himself to be trustworthy. They find themselves falling for each other, but Brianna may have to make an impossible choice.

This was my first book from Etta Easton, and I really enjoyed it! Brianna was such a likable and relatable character. As a teacher, I appreciated her commitment and dedication to her students. The STEM and space aspect was a fun twist on the rom com, and a new spin on forced proximity. The chemistry between the two was palpable and created delicious slow building tension. I will definitely be looking forward to the author’s next book!

***Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC***
I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read with great pacing throughout. I instantly was reminded of Abbott Elementary with the school dynamics. The space simulation was such a good plot and felt like I was watching a reality tv show or space themed movie with all the challenges. Definitely a fun new take on forced proximity.
Since it was single POV, I didn't feel like there was enough understanding of the MMC feelings. It felt like it came almost too quickly. Just a little more tension or build up maybe.
Overall, this was a fun, quick rom-com read and I can't wait to see what's next from this author!