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A review by lizgriffinwords
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
5.0
This is perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
I’ll admit my expectations were HIGH. Love Hypothesis was one of my favorite 2021 books, and I’ve adored the Loathe to Love You novellas. When close friends who had ARCs of Love on the Brain said it was even better… I was skeptical.
But it truly was astonishingly good, sailing right to the top 5 of my 2022 favorites list. Bee is a take-no-prisoners protagonist, competent in her field and sick of dealing with the BS of men who think they know better. One element I loved is that the unavoidable “conflict via misunderstanding trope” came BEFORE the actual relationship, instead of being the reason for the 85% breakup plot point common to all rom coms. Also the side characters were a hoot, especially Bee’s graduate assistant.
I listened to the audiobook in 1 day (well done, Brooke Bloomingdale!) and now I can’t wait to have the paperback in my hands so I can underline every relatable line about loneliness. I agree with Bee on this stance, and there’s no fictional-character-come-to-life who can get me out of it.
Also, Bee’s fainting spells sound a lot like some form of POTS, so there’s chronic illness rep as well.
And for all you thirsty babes, there’s WAY more spice than in Love Hypothesis.
Content warnings: death of parents (in past), dysfunctional/emotionally abusive family, child illness/seizures, realistic workplace/academia sexism, brief workplace violence. Check Ali’s website for an extensive list.
I’ll admit my expectations were HIGH. Love Hypothesis was one of my favorite 2021 books, and I’ve adored the Loathe to Love You novellas. When close friends who had ARCs of Love on the Brain said it was even better… I was skeptical.
But it truly was astonishingly good, sailing right to the top 5 of my 2022 favorites list. Bee is a take-no-prisoners protagonist, competent in her field and sick of dealing with the BS of men who think they know better. One element I loved is that the unavoidable “conflict via misunderstanding trope” came BEFORE the actual relationship, instead of being the reason for the 85% breakup plot point common to all rom coms. Also the side characters were a hoot, especially Bee’s graduate assistant.
I listened to the audiobook in 1 day (well done, Brooke Bloomingdale!) and now I can’t wait to have the paperback in my hands so I can underline every relatable line about loneliness. I agree with Bee on this stance, and there’s no fictional-character-come-to-life who can get me out of it.
Also, Bee’s fainting spells sound a lot like some form of POTS, so there’s chronic illness rep as well.
And for all you thirsty babes, there’s WAY more spice than in Love Hypothesis.
Content warnings: death of parents (in past), dysfunctional/emotionally abusive family, child illness/seizures, realistic workplace/academia sexism, brief workplace violence. Check Ali’s website for an extensive list.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Chronic illness, and Death of parent