Love, Theoretically
"The reigning queen of STEM romance."âThe Washington Post
An Indie Next and Library Reads Pick!
Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain.
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, sheâs 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, itâs a pretty sweet gigâuntil 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 mentorâs career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And heâs 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 butâŚthose long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when sheâs with him? Will falling into an experimentalistâs orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
An Indie Next and Library Reads Pick!
Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain.
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, sheâs 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, itâs a pretty sweet gigâuntil 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 mentorâs career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And heâs 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 butâŚthose long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when sheâs with him? Will falling into an experimentalistâs orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
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Community Reviews
âÂÂSomewhere along the way your wires got crossed. Your brain decided that you're not worth people's time and effort, and that if you ask for anything, they won't just say no, they'll also leave youâÂÂŚThat's not how love works, Elsie. But don't worry for now. I'll show you."
I enjoyed the comedy of this book first, then the romance. Even with all the science lingo and academia talk it was an excellent read as usual.
ADAM AND OLIVE SHOWED UP AND I CRIED. I LOVE THEM. Loved the book too. It was really nice to read. Would definitely read again. Jack gets on my nerves sometimes though.
Loved this book! AliâÂÂs STEM romances have been very hit or miss for me and this one checked all my boxes (and some boxes I wasnâÂÂt aware). As a chronic people-pleaser I felt so seen by Elsie, and her relationship with Jack was the cutest, most wholesome and wonderful thing IâÂÂve read in a while. From the first chapter, I immediately felt their chemistry and shipped them and continued to fall more in love with them as the story went on. 5/5 âÂÂ︠this may become my new comfort novel.
I started this book first on audible, but I didnât love the narrator (sorry⌠đŹ)
I did love the book though & Ali is great at creating complex characters. This was the first time Iâve read a book set in academia & I really appreciated the different perspective.
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