Review: The Love Experiment

Title: The Love Experiment

Author: Kitty Wilson

Publisher: 15th July 2022 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Pages: 337 pages

Genre: romance, contemporary, women’s fiction

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

He can’t date, she doesn’t date…but what happens when they fall in love?

A gorgeous, laugh out loud romcom for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Emily Henry and all the best ‘Tiktok made me buy it books’!

Dr Lily Galbraith solves her city’s love problems with wisdom and wit every week on her widely popular Love Doctor podcast, but her own approach to romance centres on one goal: staying single. So when a meet-cute in the sauna brings gorgeous Jay Hooper into her life she knows she needs to run the other way.

Having just agreed to a bet with his sister that he’ll stop dating and searching for ‘Mrs Right’ for at least six months, Jay tries to ignore the attraction he feels for Lily, which is only intensified when they find themselves working together.

He can’t date, and she doesn’t date…but then again, rules are made to be broken, aren’t they?

My Thoughts

I went into The Love Experiment thinking it to be a fun rom-com. Marketed as a romance, I found it to be more contemporary with some heavy issues being addressed - issues such as infertility, loss and foster care, abusive relationships, drag culture and coming out  - all worthy topics but not what the blurb alluded to or I had been made aware of.

‘You’re right about how society shapes our attitudes and prescribes our behaviour by gender.’

Despite this book including tales of the importance of friendships, family and some great LGBTQ characters, it did not totally work for me. The writing was troublesome - sudden switches in viewpoint led to confusion and also the way some of the topics were handled, specifically regarding a person’s weight. Given this - and all the serious and complex issues placed under the microscope - it became in  many ways drawn out at times and more like a therapy session rather than a romantic comedy. There was a lot going on. I am usually onboard when a book is inclusive of more than just the romance but the in-depth analysis and serious mental issues addressed became too heavy.

‘You have allowed me to stop, recalibrate and adjust myself so I’m back on the course I wanted to be on.’

If you intend reading this book be sure to flick through it first rather than just basing your decision off the blurb. It leans towards the more psychoanalytical rather than light and fluffy read. It’s a shame as the chemistry between the two leading characters was good and some of their problems relatable. Unfortunately the writing style and execution did not lend any favours to the final story. 

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.