Publisher: 13th June 2023 by Little, Brown Book Group UK
Pages: 368 pages
Genre: romance, contemporary, women’s fiction
Rating: 4.5 cups
Synopsis:
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.
Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
My Thoughts
Ali Hazelwood is back again! Yes, the queen of STEM romance is releasing her third book and it’s another sure-fire winner! I will admit that I have not read her previous two: I ventured into Love Hypothesis and did not get very far before putting it aside. Third time lucky I guess as I just had to see what all the fuss was about and I am sure glad I did. With the most likable characters and a fave trope of mine - enemies to lovers - I was hooked from the very beginning.
“Bold of you to assume that the real me is my best hand.” That stupid, crooked half smile is back. “Foolish of you to think it isn’t.”
Yup! I adored this book and smashed through it ever so quickly, breathing in the fresh air of fun and laughter! Elsie is one of the most endearing main characters I have read in a long time and Jack ticks all the boxes and then some for leading men.
‘It’s complicated, being a woman in STEM. Even more so when you’re young and unproven. And even more so when you have a semipathological need to get along with others.’
This is quite an academic book (yes, I know it’s STEM) but I was pleasantly surprised with revelations about the life of an academic. There is much covered but I was never bored or confused, in fact, quite the opposite - I found it riveting - the experimentalist versus theoretical physicists. Even though I know next to nothing about physics, it was interesting to learn of the dynamics of working in research programs and the jobs you have to take to hopefully end up where you want to be. Being a female in this field would also bring its own challenges and Ali covered all of this extremely well.
‘I’ve seen you play half a dozen different roles for half a dozen different situations, switching personalities like you’re channel surfing, and I still have no idea who you are.’
Elsie is a people pleaser and this is all about her journey to learn to be honest. The fact that Jack is there and wanting to support her on this journey makes the story so engaging. Elsie needed a support crew as she undervalues herself in so many ways. Undoubtedly the chemistry is off the charts but for me, ultimately, it was Elsie’s journey that I found the most engaging and satisfying. Her struggles and questions could be any one of us and that made her so relatable.
Love, Theoretically is a book I didn't want to put down. Laughing at everything from the Bill Nye to Twilight references, feeling for Elsie and her diabetes, cringing at family dynamics, working out how to make ends meet - it all comes together for a highly recommended read.
“When’s the last time you had someone in your life you could be completely honest with, Elsie?”
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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