Love and Other Brain Experiments was so much fun to read! Frances and Lewis were amazing characters, and I enjoyed reading their dynamic from the start. Their relationships and journeys individually were also equally meaningful. I will absolutely be adding Hanna Brohm to my STEM Romance reading rotation!

This was a great book and I really enjoyed the characters. The banter between the FMC and the MMC was amazing.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

Dr. Frances Silberstein is a neuroscientist stuck in postdoc purgatory. Her career is shaky, her personal life nonexistent, and her best chance at turning things around is a summer conference which is unfortunately run by her successful ex.
Enter Dr. Lewis North, her sharp and frustrating rival. When their rivalry is mistaken for chemistry, Frances leans into the mix-up, agreeing to fake a relationship instead of compromising her work. What follows is witty banter, academic drama, and a romance full of heart.
Perfect for readers who love fake-dating, academic rivals, and smart, funny heroines.

Fake dating? Check. Academic rivals-to-lovers? Double check. Nerdy banter? Definitely. Love and Other Brain Experiments has all the makings of a great rom-com setup, and for a debut, it’s polished and confident. But while there were things I enjoyed, I didn’t end up loving this one as much as I’d hoped.

Frances and Lewis had great chemistry in moments—their banter and slow-burn tension worked well, and I liked how flawed and human they both felt. There’s also a lot of honesty about the struggles of academia, especially for women, which gave the book depth. Lewis’s soft, golden-retriever energy balanced nicely against Frances’s sharper edges, and I appreciated that dynamic.

That said, the story leaned much more heavily into the science side of things than I expected. I usually love a STEM romance, but some of the technical details here bogged the pacing down for me. More than once, I found myself skimming through the jargon-y sections just to get back to the actual relationship development. Where authors like Ali Hazelwood strike a great balance between science and romance, this one tipped too far toward the academic side and lost some of the fun for me.

Overall, this was a solid debut with strong themes and likable leads, but it didn’t quite hit the sweet spot I wanted. I think readers who really enjoy the STEM side of STEM romances will love this more than I did. For me, it was a good but not great read.

Fake Dating✅
Enemies to Lovers ✅
STEM & Academia ✅

This was a great Debut! This is my first time reading a STEM oriented book but I loved it! Frances and Lewis definitely had a lot to work through but it was a very enthralling read! I mean does fake dating ever work out that the couple doesn’t end up together?! Frances has to find herself and let go of the past to move forward not only in her love life but in her work life as well. Lewis has some explaining to do, but I really felt like he redeems himself. This overall was a very well written love story!

I felt like I wasn’t reading an Ali Hazelwood novel! It was cute and cozy and perfect for lovers of Ali Hazelwood. The love story felt believable and genuine and I loved the characters. The book felt a little on the long side hence the 4 star rating.

This was such a cute romance read and I absolutely adored it. Following two scientists who find themselves in a fake dating scenario made for a highly entertaining situation in this academic setting.

I loved how both Frances and Lewis grew a lot as characters as the story progressed. They had a nice balance between them and it was great to see how their relationship developed from a place of negativity to one that they both cherished.

Read this if you like:
🧠 Enemies to lovers
🧠 Fake dating
🧠 STEM romance
🧠 Slow burn

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of the book.

At the center of this intriguing story is Dr. Frances Silberstein, a neuroscientist whose professional life is in "postdoc purgatory." Once a brilliant grad student who famously turned down a job offer from her then-boyfriend (a decision fueled by a fierce desire to make it on her own), Frances now finds herself without job security and a glaring absence of a personal life. Her career is teetering on a precipice, and her best shot at salvation is a summer conference – the only catch? It's organized by her now wildly successful ex, who seems to have everything Frances is desperately chasing.
Enter Dr. Lewis North, Frances's perceptive, meticulous, and inconveniently attractive rival. When their initial "academic sniping" is hilariously misinterpreted as "flirtatious chemistry," Frances, driven by sheer desperation and the need to network, doesn't deny it. Faced with the ethical quandary of faking data (which is unequivocally out of the question for a scientist) versus faking a relationship, Frances chooses the latter, embarking on a charade that promises both professional opportunity and unforeseen emotional complications.
Overall, this story is an absolute must-read for fans of smart, character-driven romance. It expertly blends a compelling, high-stakes academic setting with a classic fake-dating trope, all anchored by a relatable and intelligent heroine. For anyone who enjoys witty banter, academic rivals, and a story that marries intellectual curiosity with heartfelt emotion, this book seems perfectly calibrated to deliver a thoroughly charming and engaging experience.

3.5/5 Stars

I’m the special brand of nerd who loves all things neuroscience related so needless to say, I was thrilled to receive this eARC. Overall, I enjoyed it! The writing style was great and the subject matter was fascinating. Although I got frustrated with her at times, I was really rooting for Frances. I also found the undertones throughout this book of women supporting women to be powerful. I loved how Frances and Vivienne became friend instead of the usual problematic patterns of women being at odds over an undeserving man.

Ultimately, however, I found most plot developments to be fairly predictable and the connection between Frances and Lewis to be lacking (although I must say, the spicy scenes were 🔥). The story was also a little drawn out and would likely have benefitted from being slightly shorter. I devoured the first half of the book, but my interest waned in the second half. The ending was a bit too cheesy for my personal taste, but still sweet.

If you’re a fan of STEM romances, I’d definitely recommend giving this book a go. Biggest thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review! ❤️

Frances and Lewis are both post docs with lots of professional conflict and yet a spark.

I found the concept interesting but just did not connect with either of the main characters by page 60–so I did not finish the book. I liked all the points of conflict for Frances—her ex and his fiancé, her nemesis, even her sister who had success with both romance and work. But, for me, Frances came across as more of a caricature and Lewis’s conflicting personalities did not make sense.

You may enjoy this book if you like
• STEM romance
• Fake dating
• Enemies to lovers???
• Forced proximity

Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for gifting me an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was not a surface-level, wink-wink STEM romance. This was the real deal—a totally authentic portrayal of what a career (and relationship) in science ACTUALLY looks and feels like. From the very first chapter it was obvious Hannah knows the world of STEM academia so deeply, and that she poured so much of her own experience into Frances’ journey. I found everything about his book so fascinating. And having been along for a STEM/academia ride myself, the accuracy really resonated with me.

I adored both Frances and Lewis, and the slow-burn of their relationship (despite the fake dating of it all) was delightful. I think was stood out the most to me was how realistic both of their characters felt, talked, and acted. These are scientists, after all, and it FELT like it. So often in STEM and science-adjacent romances, the characters only seem to be cosplaying as scientists, but really don’t embody many of the characteristics that are so prevalent among people in the scientific community. Frances and Lewis were the exception and I found them so endearing—as individuals and as a couple. Side note: the “he cleans her glasses” microtrope is one I didn’t know I needed but now can no longer live without. SWOON.

Hannah’s writing is gorgeous. I’m blown away that this was a debut because he voice feels so well-developed and really stands out in the genre. I LOVED this book and I’m so excited to see what she does next.

This is a good book for those who love romance and science mixed together in a book format. Dr.,Frances was offered a job by her boyfriend but she wanted to make a career for self and not accept a job as a handout.

I really enjoyed this debut from Hannah Brohm! Love and Other Brain Experiments is perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and STEM romance.

Frances is a relatable main character struggling to balance her career and her relationships. Lewis is her academic rival who says yes to fake dating her when she needs his help. I loved seeing their feelings grow, Lewis’ care for Frances and his support for her research. I also loved how he cleaned her glasses! A true gentleman 🥰 I was a bit nervous when their fake dating contract began but I really liked how it played out. I saw their characters grow and push each other to be better people and the ending was wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.

Love and other brain experiments missed the mark a bit for me in terms on story setting and pacing. The beginning chapters where the main love interest meet is so quick and a bit corny to me. I also found the hatred forced and not believable and that forced dating to also be awkward. There was a ton of inner monologue and over explanation here. I felt the story would have started better if the conference had started later in the book. This book had potential and I think that this is a great starting point for a debut romance novel and I will be excited to read them. As a reader I need to buy into some things and felt that this was forced at times.

Wow I can’t believe this is only a debut novel!

The MMC and FMC were likable from the very start. This book is definitely for the STEM-lovers and Ali Hazelwood lovers for sure. Both main characters showed growth development and good communication (most of the time) and were actually able to resolve their issues like actual adults which was nice to read about. This may just be my preference but the chapters seemed a bit long to get through and was a bit slow paced until the halfway point. However, this was definitely a slow-burn and the tension was chef’s kiss! Can’t wait to read more books from Hannah!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

I was so excited about the premise of this book that I texted my best friend this summary:

A young postdoc has just broken up with the guy she used to work for, who now happens to be running the big conference™️. She's on a flight to attend, despite her fear of flying, when—unbeknownst to her—she meets her academic rival™️. The flight attendant intervenes, asking her to help this guy condense his long abstract into a word-count-compliant one. As if that wasn’t enough, the plane hits turbulence, and he comforts her through her fear of flying.

Then they get to the abstract, and she realizes—GASP—it’s her academic rival, the one who publicly disagreed with her research! They land at their destination and part ways, both heading to the same conference. She goes to check in and is greeted by a fabulous woman, who turns out to be her ex’s postdoc. Oh, and she’s engaged to the ex?!

Lucky for our heroine, the man from the plane shows up again, also checking in. In a classic case of miscommunication, the engaged lady assumes that the two rivals are romantically involved.

I loved watching the characters grow together, and seeing Frances navigate her relationships and make genuine, self-driven changes was so satisfying. Her journey felt authentic and well-crafted.

This book played out better than how I hoped it would. It might sound a little cliché, but fans of Ali Hazelwood will definitely enjoy this stem romance. I can’t wait to see what Hannah does next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced digital copy of this book. This review is my personal opinion.

I enjoyed. The Ali Hazelwood of it all? Very up my alley. I thought the tension was great because they (well… SHE) had ACTUAL REASONS not to like him. The hating of the love/hate made sense!! I was also really happy with how the dynamic of their past was handled. I liked that it was complicated and Not Linear and everybody made mistakes all over the place. I think I could have done with a slightly shorter third act but I also loved that the characters clearly thought through their actions and the effort was There. I obviously know nothing about neuroscience but I found this to be really believable (especially for fake dating, which…). I would very much like to read a book either entirely about or just written by Brady, who was the star of the show. And KARO! I love when people call people out! Sometimes you need to hear what you need to hear.

Finally, as someone who ALSO obsessively reads acknowledgements, I was Very Happy with the Aaron Tveit mention and now need to have some thoughts. I will be thinking.

This is a fun story with a meet-cute on a plane….except the couple already knows each other and they’re professional enemies. Frances is struggling with getting the money she needs for her post-doc, and Lewis is a fellow neuroscientist who is always critiquing her work. When she accidentally implies they’re dating to her former boyfriend’s new fiancée, they decide to pretend.

I was glad to see some character development in this one. Frances is single-minded about her work in a way that was frustrating to me. This book also convinced me that academia is a terrible career choice!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc

This was my first ARC read. Hannah Brohm what a great debut! I cannot wait to read more.

I am a sucker for academic rivals to lovers!
After meeting on a flight to a conference and learning the guy sitting next to her is her academic rival, Frances wants nothing to do with Lewis. But a misinterpretation and no correction leads to fake dating, flirting, banter and practice kissing

Frances and Lewis got me giggling and kicking my feet with their flirty banter and teasing.
Meet cute
Set in NYC
Fake dating
Flirty
Teasing
The BANTER!!
I oddly liked the stem talk and conversations surrounding academia and being a woman in your field.
He cleans her glasses!!
You can feel the chemistry within the first three chapters.
4.25 stars, I need everyone to pick up this debut!


*Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you for the opportunity to read this incredible book in advance! ❤️

This story was simply perfection. As someone who loves the academic rivals to lovers trope, I found every aspect of this book absolutely delightful. The banter between the characters was sharp and entertaining, while the flirtation was nothing short of breathtaking. I also enjoyed the added layer of chaos brought in by the presence of an ex it made the plot even more compelling and fun.

Reading this book was an absolute joy. It not only entertained me from start to finish but also left me hopeful about finding a love as strong and inspiring as the one between these two characters. They truly set the bar for relationship goals.