Love Theoretically, Ali Hazelwood

Garabrandt Reviews

Dec 19

Title: Love, Theoretically

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Pages: 400

Genre: Contemporary romance (sub-genre: enemies to lovers).

Is this book part of a series? Yes, this is from The Love Hypothesis series, book three. There will be a small cameo, but if you don't catch the other books first you won't be lost.

I discovered this book via... my author-stalking tendencies. I actually bought this book months ago in paper, but I am really bad at taking books with me now and read mostly on my phone so it takes longer to read.

Published: June 13th, 2023

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she's an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it's a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor's career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he's the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she's with him? Will falling into an experimentalist's orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

I bought this book in paper on release day, fully intending to read it quickly and start passing it around my bookish circle. I am learning that I have gotten lazy. I don't take paper books outside most of the time anymore- why, when I have access to over one thousand books in the palm of my hand? So it sat, known but forgotten, by my purse in it's bookbag.... I finally realized that I had been putting it on the back burner. I bought the audiobook edition yesterday and ignored the world until I finished it, because once I got into it there was no stopping. Over nine hours of content on my day off. I will still be buying my absolute favorites and books I want to share in paper... but I may have to admit that my inherent laziness makes me grab for my phone instead of paper anymore. The paper copy has already been passed to the first of my bookbuds on the list.

I have the biggest author-crush on Hazelwood. Her male leads are smart, driven, sexy and loyal... if a bit backwards in how they show their feelings at first. Still, what's a romcom without a little (or a lot of) misunderstanding? Ever since I read The Love Hypothesis I have been an absolute fangirl over Adam Carlson. Seriously. Best. Book-boyfriend. Ever. Or so I thought... but with my last two reads, he may have competition. Jack is amazing. I absolutely love him for the way he pursued Elsie once he understood what was going on... Hell I loved him for the fact that it was obvious to everyone (but Elsie) that he wanted her, but was never going to make a move on "his brother's girl".

Elsie herself was an amazing character. She's smart and sassy, strong and caring... but an absolute pushover. She has learned to rebuild herself depending on the needs of her companion- a great talent for someone that needs to pay her student loans by fake-dating. She has a giant chip on her shoulder and preconcieved notions... but even she can see when she isn't being fair, and I admire that.

This was a smart, funny, utterly charming read. I loved it. The characters were amazing, the plot was actually really good, and it was excellently executed. Plus, it was just plain sexy (level four spice, maybe?). For me, this is a five star book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

As far as adult content goes, there is language, sexual content, drinking and gaslighting/ bullying. While geared towards adults, I would say it's still within the perameters of New Adult books as well. Let's say sixteen and up.