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madi_miss's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
readnoot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
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
3.25
This was a nice fluffy read to sink my teeth into! I thought that Olive and her overarching dilemma of worrying that anyone she loves will eventually somehow leave her were written rather compellingly; the reader could definitely understand her hesitations in admitting her true feelings to Adam and sympathize with her internal struggles over doing so. Adam was also a great love interest, as I never cease to admire when the MMC who has been in love with the FMC for ages and is finally getting an opportunity to be with her still gives her space, follows her lead, and refrains from sharing the depth of his feelings for her, essentially operating as if everything is business as usual even though it is torture for him. This type of I’ll-take-whatever-she-chooses-to-give-me MMC is a Hazelwood staple that does not go unnoticed or unappreciated, especially when there are so many romance books featuring overly possessive, basically misogynistic male leads who are somehow supposed to be read as caring and empowering when they are actually toxic and harmful. I would definitely recommend this novel if you are looking for an unproblematic romance with a happy ending!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual assault
jenmaysiereads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
2 out of 5 stars
‘The Love Hypothesis’ isn’t the worst book I’ve read courtesy of booktok, but it isn’t the best.
Hazelwood’s debut follows third-year Ph.D candidate Olive Smith, whose disbelief in lasting romantic relationships gets her in hot water when she panic-kisses a young hotshot professor in a bid to convince her best friend she is over her ex.
The professor in question is Adam Carlsen, well-known at their university for his bad attitude and rigorous scientific dedication. To her utmost surprise, Adam offers Olive an opportunity — to help keep Olive’s charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend in exchange for helping him convince their department he’s here to stay. But when a scientific conference gone wrong draws them closer together, Olive’s carefully calculated theories on love are thrown into chaos and she begins to wonder if her hypothesis on love may need to be put under the microscope.
As former fanfiction writer myself, I have to respect Hazelwood’s game for getting her Star Wars fanfic published and having it become a New York Times Bestseller. Despite the initial struggle of having to seperate this story from the ship it’s inspired by (as I am a Reylo hater), I still kinda ate this book up.
The writing style of this is very readable. The prose isn’t flowery nor particularly lush, but it also feels decently edited in a way that many rom-coms of late have been lacking. It’s highly digestible and made for a really quick, fun read which is exactly what I was after.
There are for sure some cringe moments — I’m pretty sure the description of Adam fitting Olive’s entire breast in his mouth (yes, the entire thing) mid sex-scene almost made me catatonic. Likewise, the scene in which Olive had to sit in Adam’s lap in a crowded lecture hall made me physically recoil given the characters were in a professional work setting. But it’s fun regardless of these moments.
The trope of ‘grumpy-sunshine’ rarely works for me unless it’s subverted in an interesting way, so the odds were stacked against ‘The Love Hypothesis’ from the beginning.
Likewise, as much as I am self-described slut for the ‘fake dating’ dynamic, contemporary romance books often seem to miss the mark with it more and more. In ‘The Love Hypothesis’ it felt like a contrived and immature method of getting the two main characters in close proximity — Olive’s excuse of needing to fake date Adam purely so her friend will date the guy she likes, is flimsy at best and annoying at worst. A lack of communication between characters is my pet peeve in books like these, particularly when it feels as immature and pointless as it does here.
Similarly, ‘fake dating’ is at its best — in my opinion — when nobody beyond the two main characters knows it’s fake. This dynamic raises the stakes of the fake relationship, causes a tension and a trust to build between the two protagonists that feels palpable. Personally, I find ‘fake dating’ in rom-coms to not really work as well as it ought too.
The cause of my lower rating stems from, what I feel, is the unnecessary inclusion of a sexual assault plot point. Personally, I’m not entirely sure why books purported as rom-coms insist on including scenes of sexual assault/harassment that are never properly addressed. While ‘The Love Hypothesis’ is not as bad as other books that share this feature, I still came away from the novel wondering why that sequence was necessary.
Sexual assault is hard to write about and have conversations about in general, but even more so when the book is attempting to be a feel-good, lighthearted romance and keeping everything surface level. It really does a disservice to such an important topic. If you’re going to include healing from sexual abuse trauma in a romance novel, it should not be used as a plot point to drive forward a contrived conflict.
As such, I feel I cannot give this book a higher rating — even though I did mostly enjoy my time reading it.
On a more personal note, this book also makes mention of a mother passing away of cancer which is something due to my personal circumstance I’m rather sensitive about. Prior to coming across it in the book, I’d never heard mention of this facet of the story so coming across it organically without anticipating it was rather an unpleasant surprise. However, this is mostly a me thing and I don’t begrudge the book for the inclusion this but I’d be remiss to think that didn’t put a damper on my enjoyment.
All this to say, while ‘The Love Hypothesis’ was not a smash hit for me; I definitely can see the appeal and it’s one of the stronger ‘booktok romances’ that I’ve tried.
Hazelwood is an author who I’m certain I will be revisiting.
This one just didn’t go the distance for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Cancer, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
shlymiller's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I just couldn’t get past the premise of this book and the few scenes that absolutely were not okay conduct between a professor/student.
This book explores themes of sexual abuse, academic pressure, women in STEM, and the demisexual experience in a good way, but there were just parts of the story that felt gross and I couldn’t get past.
Definitely a romance, definitely fanfic-ish.
This book explores themes of sexual abuse, academic pressure, women in STEM, and the demisexual experience in a good way, but there were just parts of the story that felt gross and I couldn’t get past.
Definitely a romance, definitely fanfic-ish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
hannah_hall's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
5.0
This book had me kicking my feet and giggling every three pages. I could not put it down. Thank you to Ali Hazelwood for putting in overtime at the slay factory so I could make this book my entire personality for the past 26 hours.
Also…
Dr. Adam Carlsen 🤭🤩🥰
Also…
Dr. Adam Carlsen 🤭🤩🥰
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
hjb_128'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Emotional abuse
princess_sara_sparkles's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.75
Fun! Good spicy scene
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
mollywoods18's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Grief
marief21's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
anxious_owl's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I have a love and hate relationship with this book. It started fun, but it got boring mid book.
I couldn’t love it.
Like why did Adam like Olive? What made him like her for two consecutive years, when he never even spoke to her once, other than that awkward talk in the bathroom and after the kiss? It makes him look like a stalker.
How many time is Olive going to complain or describe how large and antagonistic Adam was. It became repetitive. We get it he is tall and perfect, but isn’t the nicest person in the world, no need to repeat it so much.
I don’t want to say much about it, as to not spoil anyone the story, but at some point it was pretty obvious how he felt for her. Like there is no way Olive was that dense.
Lastly, why are her friends so awful? Specifically Anh. She was ridiculously annoying, and for someone who was constantly described as Olive best friend, and the person that understood her the most, Anh failed to realize when Olive was uncomfortable, sad, and in absolute distress. In other words, when Olive needed her the most she was oblivious to it. Her friends didn’t add much to the story. They were there for decoration.
Also, wtf is wrong with having freckles?
This book was a mess, and it makes me sad because i kind of liked how it started, until she gave the lamest excuse for having kiss Adam, it went downhill from there.
I couldn’t love it.
Like why did Adam like Olive? What made him like her for two consecutive years, when he never even spoke to her once, other than that awkward talk in the bathroom and after the kiss? It makes him look like a stalker.
How many time is Olive going to complain or describe how large and antagonistic Adam was. It became repetitive. We get it he is tall and perfect, but isn’t the nicest person in the world, no need to repeat it so much.
I don’t want to say much about it, as to not spoil anyone the story, but at some point it was pretty obvious how he felt for her. Like there is no way Olive was that dense.
Lastly, why are her friends so awful? Specifically Anh. She was ridiculously annoying, and for someone who was constantly described as Olive best friend, and the person that understood her the most, Anh failed to realize when Olive was uncomfortable, sad, and in absolute distress. In other words, when Olive needed her the most she was oblivious to it. Her friends didn’t add much to the story. They were there for decoration.
Also, wtf is wrong with having freckles?
This book was a mess, and it makes me sad because i kind of liked how it started, until she gave the lamest excuse for having kiss Adam, it went downhill from there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault