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alivotta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Death of parent
engr_jess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
wilybooklover's review
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Chronic illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Outing, Sexual assault, Classism, Cancer, and Acephobia/Arophobia
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
- 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
This book was fun and remarkably touching. Like all of Hazelwood's romances, it's a science-filled romance between a nerdy science girl up-and-coming in her career and a behemothly tall man well-established in his career. But this book is really about overcoming a people-pleasing mentality, drawing healthy boundaries, recognizing abuse and control in people you trust, and calling out well-meaning people when they cross the line.
I related a lot to Elsie. It's often hard to say no to people, especially when you think saying no will make them lose respect or liking for you. Elsie has to find herself and stand up for herself - even to Jack. And I enjoyed her friendship with CeCe, particularly the touching scene between them near the end.
I loved Jack's determination to break through Elsie's people pleasing and find out what she truly likes, but I did get annoyed with him a couple of times. I'm glad Elsie called him out, especially when he went too far into the patronizing/overprotective side of things.
I do wish there had been a bit more of Jack and Greg's brother relationship since it's so important to the first half of the book. I also think there wasn't enough exploration of how everything went down with the job interview process.
Moderate: Gaslighting
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
notamouse's review against another edition
4.0
Minor: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
meggiemeggie52's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Medical content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Misogyny
Minor: Outing
memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
it brought up a lot (for me as well i’m sure it did for others too) who have been in relationships (romantic and otherwise) where they make themselves what they think others want them to be until we can’t tell who we are and what we want apart from who we pretend to be.
i hate insta love and miscommunication trope usually but jack’s unrequited love for elsie throughout the book had me in a choke hold, it didn’t feel cheesy it just felt right. the miscommunication was done well enough that it didn’t feel dumb as they usually are, there was some genuine reason behind it, that no one would have realised in that situation.
i also loved sole aroace rep, it’s the one of the most forgotten about members of the lgbtq+ community and even though there wasn’t much about it, because it wasn’t the main characters, i think it was handled really beautifully, not overly-dramatised or glossed over.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, Child abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Outing
annabananadel's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
"I need you to pace us, because wherever it is that we’re going… I’m here. I’m already right here."
What can I say except that I'm running out of banter and funny annotation tabs? I can't help but laugh out loud.
Also, thank you, Ali, for the Adam x Olive cameo. One that is not really necessary but gave me a lot of feelings. I moss them already and would definitely reread TLH in the future.
Love, Theoretically is definitely a 5 🌟 rating. It’s been a long time since I actually LOL-ed. The comedic scenes and lines, topped up with the banters are chef’s kiss- amazing.
It also showed how bad academic politics really is. Ali really is an amazing writer because she conveyed how hard it really is to be a woman in STEM - but also showed how people like Jack who doesn’t judge them with anything but their outputs.
Elsie x Jack story is one of my favorites so far. The banter + emotional connection is on point and will make you fall in love with them both. Elsie’s mind is also amazingly written and I’m super glad that she’s in therapy.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness
annareadstoo's review against another edition
- 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 found Elsie’s story relatable - difficult family dynamic, imposter syndrome, a woman in a male dominated field in which she’s constantly being underestimated, financial struggles, and not knowing her worth in romantic relationships so she overcompensates for too long and completely removes herself from any real connections. At first I thought it was somewhat illogical to have a grown woman not know herself at all in any way, but then I thought about it more and felt really sad for her for how long she had been erasing herself because that’s how she thought she wouldn’t be abandoned.
i enjoyed the characters she used to demonstrate the variety of different ways people can take advantage of you. The mom calls and guilt trips and how it started from very very young with her diabetes diagnosis, her students emailing constantly, and even with her roommate and best friend. Hazelwood did a good job of making us feel like how Elsie would feel - constantly bombarded with having to fulfill the needs of others throughout the book, except for moments when she’s with Jack.
I do wish that we had a little more info on how they got the Smith family to just randomly accept that Elsie went from dating one brother to the other. The way that was written seemed a little bit like a cop out but the end.
Love her books, looking forward to the next one already.
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent