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lilhappyhermit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ali Hazelwood got me again with another cute and fluffy STEM rom-com and honestly, I'm here for every second of it. Bee and Levi's story was so adorable. She was so convinced that he hated her and was out to ruin her career when in reality he's been pining for her for years and honestly, I was EATING IT UP. Once she finally starts to realize that her perspective on his actions are not what she thinks and starts seeing him for who he truly is, my heart was exploding. Also, the ending? WOAH. Wasn't expecting that at all and I was here for the plot twist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, and Gun violence
harvsgiraffe's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Infidelity
kathis_wonderland's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood is about Bee, who got a job at NASA as a neuroscientist. But her excitement is tempered, when she hears that she has to work with Levi, who despises her. When strange things happen at the lab, Levi steps up and helps Bee. Soon they both realise that they have a lot in common.
After already loving some of Ali Hazelwood's book, I was excited to get my hands on this book. I absolutely love to read about women in STEM. You can see that Ali Hazelwood writes from own experiences. The short author's note at the end of the book gives insights in why the topics addressed in the book are important to the author. I love that. As a going-to-be teacher I share Hazelwood's opinion on standardised tests. I loved the movement that was started in the book.
At the moment, I am fully into enemies-to-lovers books. I can't get enough of them. I immediately fell in love with Bee's style. The hair colour, her clothes - she's a legend. She faces a lot of struggles. Being a woman in STEM is not easy at all. I love how calm she remained when faced with misogynistic comments. I probably would have exploded. Levi gives Bee a lot of credit and defends her if needed. Both did not have the best start, which mostly was because of miscommunication. Their chemistry was okay. I honestly hoped for more. I also expected more spice. Most side characters did not grab my attention. I would have loved to read more about Lily and Penny. They are the sweetest.
This book was not as good as the other two books I read by Ali Hazelwood, but I enjoyed it a lot. I read it in one go. I started the book at midnight, only wanting to read one chapter. The next time I was checking the clock it was past three in the morning. Well, I did not get a lot of sleep, but it was worth it. Can't wait to read more books by Ali Hazelwood!
After already loving some of Ali Hazelwood's book, I was excited to get my hands on this book. I absolutely love to read about women in STEM. You can see that Ali Hazelwood writes from own experiences. The short author's note at the end of the book gives insights in why the topics addressed in the book are important to the author. I love that. As a going-to-be teacher I share Hazelwood's opinion on standardised tests. I loved the movement that was started in the book.
At the moment, I am fully into enemies-to-lovers books. I can't get enough of them. I immediately fell in love with Bee's style. The hair colour, her clothes - she's a legend. She faces a lot of struggles. Being a woman in STEM is not easy at all. I love how calm she remained when faced with misogynistic comments. I probably would have exploded. Levi gives Bee a lot of credit and defends her if needed. Both did not have the best start, which mostly was because of miscommunication. Their chemistry was okay. I honestly hoped for more. I also expected more spice. Most side characters did not grab my attention. I would have loved to read more about Lily and Penny. They are the sweetest.
This book was not as good as the other two books I read by Ali Hazelwood, but I enjoyed it a lot. I read it in one go. I started the book at midnight, only wanting to read one chapter. The next time I was checking the clock it was past three in the morning. Well, I did not get a lot of sleep, but it was worth it. Can't wait to read more books by Ali Hazelwood!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Gun violence
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Gaslighting, and Animal death
marygg3's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Amazing, I loved it, I adored it. It's even better than The Love Hypothesis.
Bee is the funniest, smartest, most idiotic and interesting woman ever!
Bee is the funniest, smartest, most idiotic and interesting woman ever!
And Levi? Oh my God, Levi! Smart, funny, cute, sexy, passionate. I mean, the man is a goddamned unicorn! He truly is the greatest Cute Sexy Handsome Guy ever!
I had a friend told me that she cried while reading this book because she realized that no one will ever love her as much as Levi loves Bee. And girl... same. Fucking hell, Levi just ruined everything, he had to go and be so perfect and now I will never settle for less so of course I'll end up living my best life with my cats and my vibrator.
Oh well, not everyone can be God's favorite like Bee.
Who else could have the best, most loving man adoring her every everything, living the life of her dreams and having the most amazing, hottest, loveliest sex ever?
On a totally unrelated topic, science man! So interesting! And the Marie Curie references had me hooked. Bee's quirks and useless parasympathetic nervous system were the best ever.
Every single character was so likeable and engaging! Except Tim. Fuck Tim. And, honestly? Bee is a better person than me because I still think Annie can go fuck herself. But then again, there's a reason I'm not God's favorite.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Oh well, not everyone can be God's favorite like Bee.
Who else could have the best, most loving man adoring her every everything, living the life of her dreams and having the most amazing, hottest, loveliest sex ever?
On a totally unrelated topic, science man! So interesting! And the Marie Curie references had me hooked. Bee's quirks and useless parasympathetic nervous system were the best ever.
Every single character was so likeable and engaging! Except Tim. Fuck Tim. And, honestly? Bee is a better person than me because I still think Annie can go fuck herself. But then again, there's a reason I'm not God's favorite.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexism
abby_can_read's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
📖
I had a good time reading this book. Hazelwood is a talented author. The characters were fun and their relationships were good. I liked the pacing and the plot held my attention.
I had a good time reading this book. Hazelwood is a talented author. The characters were fun and their relationships were good. I liked the pacing and the plot held my attention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexism
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Infidelity
koistyfishy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 Imaginary Cat Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Ummmm being a woman in STEM ... I am offended.
Now, don't get me wrong — I deliberated on this internally for a while, and I believe there's a Catch-22 tied to this issue. So, I'm not sure if there was a way to avoid offending some people.
This is my first Ali Hazelwood and overall, I can't say I'm impressed. I didn't hate the book, nor did I love it. Without anything to compare it to, I can't say if my issues with the book are inherent to all her STEM novels or if it's just this one.
Now, onto why I say it's a Catch-22: this book can be both praised and criticized for its portrayal of science and people in STEM. On one hand, it's commendable as it initiates a conversation with readers who may not necessarily be familiar with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It makes these subjects accessible to everyone and provides insight into the layers within a research laboratory. Some may even argue that this book could serve as a positive influence in inspiring women and girls to pursue careers in the STEM field.
However, on the other hand, the overly stereotyped characters in this book completely undermine all the good it was trying to achieve. I do not believe one woman was NOT either overly quirky, awkward or had some unusual characteristic about her or they are absolute perfect snowflakes. Bee (who is named after a Bee, Buzz Buzz, has an unhealthy obsession with veganism and Marie Curie and is obviously "not like the other girls" as she has a septum piercing and purple hair).
My main issue with her character is that Ali Hazelwood gave her this annoying habit of thought vomit in her internal monologue, trying too hard to be funny by throwing random cliché references or puns about cocks and hoping that something might stick with the reader. Bee felt immature, childish, and seriously like she had just finished high school and was not almost thirty.
Then we have the portrayal that NO MAN IN STEM (besides apparently Levi Ward) is not a misogynistic Neanderthal who believes a woman's place is in the kitchen and not in a laboratory. Every single man in this book except Levi objectifies women, has something against women or women in STEM or just Bee. I don't know, but this stereotype of what men are like in the STEM field is entirely incorrect. While some aspects are true and historically STEM is mostly male-dominated, the constant reinforcement of "this is actually what they are like in STEM" is appalling and annoying.
Levi Ward? There's not much to say about the man as mostly he just grunts or speaks in one-liners, and we are told he had issues but is over them now. And the fact that he's been in love with Bee since seeing her the first time (talk about a little worrisome) — I just have no read on the guy! Good for him; he is perfect for Bee. I did dislike that their entire relationship was built on miscommunication or lack of communication though.
Overall, nothing in this book from a romance side stood out — it wasn't groundbreaking, novel, or worth a Nobel Prize in discovery. I am most likely going to forget about it. In the end, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing... just meh.
Trope Summary:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ STEM Setting
▶ Secret Pen Pals
▶ He is SOOOO BIG and she is so smol
▶ Workplace Romance
▶ Grumpy X Sunshine
▶ Cats
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Ummmm being a woman in STEM ... I am offended.
Now, don't get me wrong — I deliberated on this internally for a while, and I believe there's a Catch-22 tied to this issue. So, I'm not sure if there was a way to avoid offending some people.
This is my first Ali Hazelwood and overall, I can't say I'm impressed. I didn't hate the book, nor did I love it. Without anything to compare it to, I can't say if my issues with the book are inherent to all her STEM novels or if it's just this one.
Now, onto why I say it's a Catch-22: this book can be both praised and criticized for its portrayal of science and people in STEM. On one hand, it's commendable as it initiates a conversation with readers who may not necessarily be familiar with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It makes these subjects accessible to everyone and provides insight into the layers within a research laboratory. Some may even argue that this book could serve as a positive influence in inspiring women and girls to pursue careers in the STEM field.
However, on the other hand, the overly stereotyped characters in this book completely undermine all the good it was trying to achieve. I do not believe one woman was NOT either overly quirky, awkward or had some unusual characteristic about her or they are absolute perfect snowflakes. Bee (who is named after a Bee, Buzz Buzz, has an unhealthy obsession with veganism and Marie Curie and is obviously "not like the other girls" as she has a septum piercing and purple hair).
My main issue with her character is that Ali Hazelwood gave her this annoying habit of thought vomit in her internal monologue, trying too hard to be funny by throwing random cliché references or puns about cocks and hoping that something might stick with the reader. Bee felt immature, childish, and seriously like she had just finished high school and was not almost thirty.
Then we have the portrayal that NO MAN IN STEM (besides apparently Levi Ward) is not a misogynistic Neanderthal who believes a woman's place is in the kitchen and not in a laboratory. Every single man in this book except Levi objectifies women, has something against women or women in STEM or just Bee. I don't know, but this stereotype of what men are like in the STEM field is entirely incorrect. While some aspects are true and historically STEM is mostly male-dominated, the constant reinforcement of "this is actually what they are like in STEM" is appalling and annoying.
Levi Ward? There's not much to say about the man as mostly he just grunts or speaks in one-liners, and we are told he had issues but is over them now. And the fact that he's been in love with Bee since seeing her the first time (talk about a little worrisome) — I just have no read on the guy! Good for him; he is perfect for Bee. I did dislike that their entire relationship was built on miscommunication or lack of communication though.
Overall, nothing in this book from a romance side stood out — it wasn't groundbreaking, novel, or worth a Nobel Prize in discovery. I am most likely going to forget about it. In the end, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing... just meh.
Trope Summary:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ STEM Setting
▶ Secret Pen Pals
▶ He is SOOOO BIG and she is so smol
▶ Workplace Romance
▶ Grumpy X Sunshine
▶ Cats
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Gun violence, and Death of parent
thecandiegirl's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, and Sexism
witcheep's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is very predictable: from the begining alone I could guess the ending for Bee and Levi (and the knotting of their present, past and online identities ) accurately, though there were a few unexpected twists along the way.
"If nice means being alone, then so be it."
"I can give you nice. I can give you better than nice. I can give you everything."
This doesn't mean that I wouldn't have enjoyed the book — the opposite is true, actually. I wanted to know how the truth would unfold and how the relationship would gradually evolve from assumed hatred to something much warmer. I had to consume this book as fast as possible, it fit my current mood for reading perfectly: the book offers such a warm and fuzzy romance read with just the right amount of turmoil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Infidelity
hjb_128's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
tor_tor_199's review
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I LOVED this book!! Had so much fun listening to their story! Wasn’t expecting that ending at ALL!
Cute enemies to lovers story, some cat content (literally), office romance, smarty pants. As a current PhD student I also really appreciated the content against GRE! Super enjoyable(sorta predictable) and the steam *chef’s kiss* 🥵!
Wish we got a little more of Levi’s backstory. Honestly would read another book about these two characters!
Definitely will be reading more Ali Hazelwood!
Cute enemies to lovers story, some cat content (literally), office romance, smarty pants. As a current PhD student I also really appreciated the content against GRE! Super enjoyable
Wish we got a little more of Levi’s backstory. Honestly would read another book about these two characters!
Definitely will be reading more Ali Hazelwood!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Gun violence, and Death of parent