Love on the Brain
An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A #1 LibraryReads and Indie Next Pick!
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesisāwith explosive results.
Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Kƶnigswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering projectāa literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academiaāMarie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad schoolāarchenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps itās her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideasā¦devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, thereās only one question that matters: What will Bee Kƶnigswasser do?
A #1 LibraryReads and Indie Next Pick!
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesisāwith explosive results.
Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Kƶnigswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering projectāa literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academiaāMarie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad schoolāarchenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps itās her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideasā¦devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, thereās only one question that matters: What will Bee Kƶnigswasser do?
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Community Reviews
Pros:
I loved the women in STEM aspect of this book. I really enjoyed learning more about neuroscience, Marie Curie, and how flawed the GRE system is. I was living for the Elon Musk and Fox News slander, and there were parts of the book that made me laugh. Also I love cats. The PokƩmon reference was cool, too.
Cons:
Miscommunication was pretty heavy on both sides which was superrrr frustrating. The beginning of their romance was giving contrived. Some cringe writing at parts (see: "okay daddy", "camel dick", and "it's going to be a craptastic weekend"). Bee being small and Levi being massive didn't do it for me. Also third act breakups suck
I loved the women in STEM aspect of this book. I really enjoyed learning more about neuroscience, Marie Curie, and how flawed the GRE system is. I was living for the Elon Musk and Fox News slander, and there were parts of the book that made me laugh. Also I love cats. The PokƩmon reference was cool, too.
Cons:
Miscommunication was pretty heavy on both sides which was superrrr frustrating. The beginning of their romance was giving contrived. Some cringe writing at parts (see: "okay daddy", "camel dick", and "it's going to be a craptastic weekend"). Bee being small and Levi being massive didn't do it for me. Also third act breakups suck
Never been much fan of Disney's princess as little kid, however as I've grew up, romantic comedy turned into one of my favorite genres of films and books. Whenever I'm feeling a bit sad/stressed I know that I need to pickup a rom-com and it's all good. I just loved the mix of humor, emotion, and readability.
'Love on the Brain' by Ali Hazelwood was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I was not disappointed. I was a huge fan of Aliās debut, The Love Hypothesis, but my goodness, Love on the Brain just hit even better and I loved it even more! It has everything that I want to read: STEM characters, snarky humor, snort-laugh and laugh-out-loud funny situations, slowburn romcom of enemies to lovers, vegan things, brain tech, some science trivia, clever kittens, lots of steamy activities and gots a 'You Got Mail' vibe, as the two main characters correspond via Twitter without knowing who they are DMing.
"Bee Kƶnigswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away."
So overal, without spoiling anything, Bee is quirky and unique, without being over the top. And Levi is dark and broody, but with a heart of gold. A slow burn enemy to loverās romance begins, as Bee learns that Levi never hated her, and his feelings were quite the opposite. With each passing day, Bee sees Levi becoming an ally, backing her up, seconding her ideas to management; and the chemistry between them heats up.. I mean, for real, it's hotter than summer time
'Love on the Brain' by Ali Hazelwood was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I was not disappointed. I was a huge fan of Aliās debut, The Love Hypothesis, but my goodness, Love on the Brain just hit even better and I loved it even more! It has everything that I want to read: STEM characters, snarky humor, snort-laugh and laugh-out-loud funny situations, slowburn romcom of enemies to lovers, vegan things, brain tech, some science trivia, clever kittens, lots of steamy activities and gots a 'You Got Mail' vibe, as the two main characters correspond via Twitter without knowing who they are DMing.
"Bee Kƶnigswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away."
So overal, without spoiling anything, Bee is quirky and unique, without being over the top. And Levi is dark and broody, but with a heart of gold. A slow burn enemy to loverās romance begins, as Bee learns that Levi never hated her, and his feelings were quite the opposite. With each passing day, Bee sees Levi becoming an ally, backing her up, seconding her ideas to management; and the chemistry between them heats up.. I mean, for real, it's hotter than summer time
Love on the Brain ā Book Review
In Love on the Brain, we meet Bee, a passionate neuroscientist whoās just landed the opportunity of a lifetime: co-leading a cutting-edge neuroengineering project with NASA. Itās everything sheās worked forāuntil she finds out sheāll be sharing the role with Levi Ward, her aloof and seemingly hostile grad school nemesis. Bee is convinced Levi canāt stand her and would rather see her fail than collaborate.
But when odd setbacks begin to derail the projectāmissing equipment, unexplained delaysāLevi surprisingly steps up as an ally. As he reveals a softer, more sincere side, Bee begins to question everything she thought she knew about him. And when it comes time to take a leap of faith, will Bee have the courage to follow her heart?
A sweet friend of mine (thank you Kitty! @kittyleestboeken š«¶) recommended Love on the Brain after I gushed about The Love Hypothesis, promising it had the same cozy, comfort-read energy. She was right (not that I ever doubted her š)! While The Love Hypothesis still holds the top spot for me, this one came closer than I expected. Itās overall an adorable, nerdy STEM rom-com filled with clever banter, fun characters, and plenty of heart.
Bee was instantly likableāI may not share her science-savvy brain, but I connected with her in plenty of other ways. Levi took a bit longer to win me over, but once his true intentions were revealed, I found myself rooting for him just as much. Their shared love of cats and animals? An absolute bonus. š»
The book also includes meaningful chronic illness representationāsomething Iām always grateful to see. Bee navigates life with a fainting disorder, while Penny, who has epilepsy, truly shines as a supporting character. Sheās an absolute delight and reminded me so much of my sweet Clara. š
While the plot was definitely predictable, it delivered that familiar, comforting feeling I love in a good rom-com. That said, I know predictability might be a drawback for some readers, so itās worth mentioning. Thereās moderate language and a decent amount of smut near the end, which may not be for everyone. Itās not my particular cup of tea.
All in all, this was a feel-good read Iād happily revisit, just skipping all the spice next time. Due to the language, smut, and a few elements that go against my personal beliefs, Iām giving it a 4.25 āļø. Without those things, it easily wouldāve been a solid 5 āļø for me.
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QOTD: Whatās your favorite enemies to lovers romance youāve read? QOTD: Whatās your favorite enemies to lovers romance youāve read?
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