Reviews with content warning for Bullying - The Love Hypothesis

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Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

90 reviews

nplunkie's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found the book fairly slow for about the first half (after the initial few chapters). I felt some of the scenarios quite contrived and felt a bit shoehorned in to move the story along

e.g. sitting on the lap at a talk would be strange even if they weren’t fake dating. Anh also always being the pusher of these situations became repetitive

. I didn’t find the characters to be overly lovable or develop too much

Adam never actually taking any responsibility for how he passes on his feedback other than “it’s not personal so they shouldn’t be upset”

There’s about a chapter and a half of spice which I think is pretty good. Overall an enjoyable read just a few bits not totally to my personal taste

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chelseasofia's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

Ok, on the one hand this book was fun, had great STEM and science rep (which I know zero about but was delighted by the specificity of it all - it’s refreshing to see characters so knowledgeable in their field of work), and I really liked the characters and their growing relationship. They really *cared* for each other and were thoughtful about each other’s feelings and boundaries. It was fairly well written (not a ton of weird overly explanatory anxiety ridden character thoughts, only a few sprinkled hither and thither) and it did not feel like a chore to read (high bar I know).

On the other hand, I am tired of a few things that are still very popular in romance: the tall guy/short girl thing, likewise the repeated wonderment about how BIG he is (ok, I get it, a couple mentions would have been enough though), and the fact that two very intelligent people can’t make the logical conclusion to not pile on lie after lie, or that sacrificing yourself for the imagined happiness of someone else by continuing those lies is somehow “real love”, please. Also the miscommunications that don’t really make sense. Also the *ridiculous* ways that they’re forced to get closer in public (via Olive’s friend pressuring her) was just kinda dumb/not fully developed. I love tropes but let’s try and inject a little reality?

I did have to keep reminding myself that these people are in their 20s and not experienced at relationships, being honest with others about their feelings, or even with themselves. I know I didn’t tell someone I loved them when I was that age, so I guess I’m just over some of this stuff because I’ve read it a lot, and I’m old (sarcasm).

I did like Olive but I wished she didn’t have to be so unsure and tentative for so much of the book. And (spoilers?) when a big awful thing happens I wanted to scream at the way she was just going to push it down and try to continue as if nothing had happened. I guess that just means that I cared for the characters. But also, the big awful thing was really over the top, done by a capital-V Villain and it came completely out of nowhere. People who are abusers and manipulative don’t really go this hard this fast, do they? I wanted it to be a little more nuanced. But then again, maybe people are really this brazen and awful in academia. It did make for a great conclusion of the story later on.

The thing I liked most was them slowly becoming friends and coming to really care for each other in such a lovely way. And it all led to the one sex scene which was both tender and hot, with lots of good communication, plus the demisexual rep. Worth it. 🔥🔥🔥

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booking_along's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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luna_lovelace's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-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

“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you" - Adam

Tropes:

Opposites Attract, He Falls First, Slow Burn, Fake Dating

I loved reading this book from beginning to end. The opening was hilarious and immediately drew me in, leaving me thoroughly engrossed until the final page. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I laughed throughout the book, making the reading experience truly enjoyable. Although the spice level was on the low side, the build-up more than made up for it.

Olive is an incredibly selfless person who always puts the needs of others before her own, even when she knows she will be at a disadvantage.

For instance, she helps her best friend, Anh, pursue her crush, even though Olive used to have feelings for him too. This is where the fake dating comes in, but Olive did it for the sake of her friend. Additionally, there's a moment when she doesn't want to reveal to Adam what Tom said and tries to do to her because she's afraid he'll miss out on an important opportunity.

It's heartwarming to see how much Olive cares about the people she loves.

I also found Adam's character interesting. He's a highly dedicated professor who takes his research seriously, which unfortunately doesn't make him very popular. However, he has many close personal relationships that speak volumes about how much he's respected for his work.

Sadly, not all of his friends have his best interests at heart—looking at you Tom. There were several hints that Tom wasn't kind, especially when Holden warned Olive about him. I was shocked when Olive's friends found out the truth about Tom.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to read more books by this author!

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caitlinemccann's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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juul_c's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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lizzyjean's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

5.0

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK!!! I was so torn about what book should be my introduction to Ali Hazelwood, and I am SO glad that a girl in Barnes and Noble persuaded me to read The Love Hypothesis because WOW. This book is one of the best rom-com style books I’ve ever read! The development of Olive’s and Adam’s relationship was so adorable and beautiful. PLEASE read this book!!

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