Rate: 4.5/5
Medium: Audiobook
Overview (No Spoilers):
Mixing STEM and romance! What a fantastic combination that I seriously can’t get enough of. Perhaps I should rethink my stance that romance isn’t a genre I typically gravitate toward. Hazelwood has me even breaking all of my nonnegotiable reading rules. I NEVER read the same authors back to back. And now I’m on my fourth straight novel by Hazelwood and loving every moment of it.
I couldn’t help but gush about this read to my coworkers, who in turn blew my mind by telling me that The Love Hypothesis was originally published under a different name as Star Wars fanfiction starring Rey and Kylo. In disbelief, I ran to go verify this fact, and it’s true! I can never picture Adam the same again.
The Love Hypothesis was seriously so cute and steamy. Having endured graduate school, I couldn’t imagine the scandal that would have ensued had a professor started dating a student but, ugh, talk about that chemistry. Yes, yes. I know Olive and Adam are biologists, so I’m not talking about that chemistry, but instead…that chemistry. Every interaction held so much tension and heated moments were positively above the melting point. Ok. I’ll admit I’m having too much fun with this review.
Sitting here typing up this review, I find myself smiling while thinking about the awkward and uncomfortable situations Olive and Adam would find themselves. Especially with Olive’s best friend endlessly pushing her into the most blush inducing exchanges.
Due to my history in grad school, the pressure and stress Olive was under was rather triggering. The vast unknown of your future as you near the end of your PhD is a whole new level of anxiety that Hazelwood perfectly details. This is why the horror of what happens to Olive, along with the betrayal of trust from someone in a position of power makes her situation feel that much more hopeless to untangle.
The supporting cast was absolutely fabulous from Olive’s best friends, Malcolm and Anh, to the other professors like Holden. Each character was unique and vibrant, drawing the reader into the drama and the suspense. I loved that Olive and Adam had initially made an appearance in my first Hazelwood read, which spoiled the ending of this read, though was it ever in question?
Overall, The Love Hypothesis was such a fun and gripping story that I seriously couldn’t stop reading it, desperate to find out how everything would resolve. I even read this story to my 20 month old during bedtime. I promise I edited the spicy parts. I see much more Hazelwood in my future as I’ve loved everything I’ve picked up of hers so far.
Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):
- What happened to Tom’s career after Olive’s revelations? How many other women had he abused?
- How could Olive’s friends leave her without a room?
- How much did Adam follow Olive’s work before her surprise kiss?
- And that kiss!!! What was she even thinking!! Kissing a prof and without permission? Insane!
- Holden and Malcolm are so cute but seriously what grad school allows the students to date professors
The Critiquing Chemist 