Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

53 reviews

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

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funny 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

3.75

Ali Hazelwood's books are always a good bit of fun; however, I do have some issues with this one. First, the main character, while likable, is super frustrating. She's painfully oblivious and her capacity for denial is insane. It's never fun when you feel like you're miles ahead of the main character, and that was certainly the case here. Second, a lot of the plot deals with sexism in STEM, which is understandable, but the constant horribly misogynistic interactions we got to see kept me from having as much fun as I want to have with a romance novel and left me instead feeling like a walking, talking ball of rage. Finally, There's way too much focus on actual science here for my little liberal arts brain. I didn't need nearly as much information about their project as I got, and I found myself skimming whole sections because the characters where just talking shop. 
       That said, I did have good time with this book. The hero was super dreamy, most of the humor landed, and the sex scenes where great. I'd say if you didn't like The Love Hypothesis this one won't turn you into a Hazelwood stan, but if you like her work in general, it's defiantly worth your time.
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kshertz's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This was as addictive as The Love Hypothesis. I couldn’t put it down. I love the commentary on standardized testing. I love the Marie Curie facts. I love how clearly obsessed this man is with her. I love the sabotage and politics. I love the smut. The only reason it’s not 5 stars is much of it is SUPER predictable and one conversation would’ve cleared it all up. I don’t love that trope ❤️ But honestly will be recommending to everyone  
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nebraskanwriter's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad fast-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? Yes

2.0

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juliaaaaaa's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

3.0

the "im so tiny" and "oh hes so big" is making me sick, i just imagined she was 5'9 because she was giving tall vibes idk. 
the plot was soo predictable, i knew from the start levi was whatever username on twitter and that guy was shady. 
the sex scenes were weird, like ajsja "open your mouth" and "good girl" boy what the hell...

i enjoyed the love hipothesis wayy more. 
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chloelj27's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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edensreadingcorner's review against another edition

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funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

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niliii's review against another edition

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

4.0

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thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

First and foremost: Ali Hazelwood knows cute and quirky to a very tall, dark and handsome T. “Love on the Brain” was science + cuteness, encapsulated. You don’t have to know anything about neuroscience or space to understand the workplace romance fleshed out amongst these pages. It’s quite endearing, if a little repetitive. As many have pointed out, the plot and characters are very similar to Ali’s first steminist romcom and one of my personal favorites of all time, “The Love Hypothesis”. Forgive me for comparing them, but it absolutely happened!! I had no control over it!!

I love Levi, and I love Adam. But Olive >>> Bee for sure. Moving on.

For a neuroscientist working on a NASA-funded project, Dr. Bee Königswasser is quite the oblivious Damsel in Distress™ when it comes to her supposed grad school nemesis, Dr. Levi Ward. She is Tiny and Clumsy and Alternative Hair. He is Massive and Closed Off and Beautiful Green Eyes. Levi avoided her in grad school at all costs because He Hated Her So Much And There Is No Other Explanation. 

It’s your typical enemies-to-lovers romance, but I appreciated that the “enemies” part didn’t fester long. We all know the “enemies” trope is never that accurate considering at least one party is secretly in love the entire time. In this case, it’s glaringly obvious to everyone except our stubborn MC.

I enjoyed this novel, but it didn’t give me all of the swooning and butterflies that TLH gave me. Which, understandably, is hard to achieve. Still, I think it has long been a dream of mine to score a NASA scientist who named his cat Schrödinger.

Extra points for the extra steam in this one, though 🔥
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soniajoy98's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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stardustandrockets's review against another edition

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  • 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

It really had me in the beginning as being extremely cookie cutter and like the rest of Hazelwood's work. Which, it is, but it also had me on the edge of my seat. Was I also screaming at Bee for being am idiot basically the whole book? Yeah. But that's nothing new for me when it comes to romance books.

I know a lot of people had issues with this one (I see you, twitter discourse), but I enjoyed it overall. Though do I agree that all the male leads are basically carbon copies of each other in some form or fashion? 100%. Are they giants with large dicks? Absolutely. Weirdos in bed? Yup. (That's also coming from a sex-repulsed asexual, so take it with a grain or five of salt.)
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