Wow. So i took this book up three days ago and save for other life activities, I've been on it because it is actually good. Romance are kind of predictable for me usually, but for this one I never imagined that despite the fact that their parents got married, Liz and Thomas would still get together. It's a new opening for me and I really enjoyed their romance and camaraderie.

It's a story of two doctors finding love despite their maybes and what if's and gosh, the character build up is nothing short of awesome. I can't even pick a favorite character.

Being acquaintances at the start, then being at odds, and finally coming together as a couple, Tom and Liz's journey elicit interest in the reader and reminds one that you should keep the conversation going in your relationship. It's good for your health. I definitely recommend it for it's relaxing.

Enemies to lovers is always a winning trope in my eyes and this did it well with a few interesting additions. The dual-perspectives were well written and added necessary context to many decisions made by the two main characters. I’m not sure how I feel about certain behaviours within the narrative, hence giving four stars instead of five, but it’s definitely worth a read and holds its own in the genre.

This was a lot of fun. The build up of Tom and Liz's relationship was really good and I loved that we saw every little moment that made them fall in love. The fact that they kept each others clothes from their first meeting was so cute.

I received an arc through netgalley.

The first chapter of this book was good, it seemed to set things up well. I thought Tom and Liz would be very likeable characters. Unfortunately, I was very wrong.
I think Tom and Liz were meant for each other by the end of the book. I have never read a book with two characters that really bothered me with how immature they acted towards each other. I was at least happy that they were acknowledging their behaviours by the end of the book. Liz's behaviours were some of the worst I have ever seen from a character (ex. the blue balls scene). The amount of sabotage these two were doing to each other was ridiculous. The lack of communication was a bit too much for me. I was also not really a fan of the pushing of these two being together when their parents were getting married. Felt a bit awkward.

This was a delicious read. I can say I’m in love with books settings in the STEM world and this book didn’t disappointed at all with great characters, amazing scenes and a good plot. Elizabeth is a funny girl and how she acted beside Tom it was incredible delightful, making me laugh a lot. Tom is a brilliant character and their scenes with Elizabeth it is so good and full of chemistry. Thank your for this amazing story and ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Age gap, enemies to lovers, location, hea this book has it all hot guy with an accent :)

Absolutely loved it.

Review: 5 Stars

First of all, **swoon**

This book was ADORABLE. I feel like I had a cheesy grin on my face the entire time I was reading it. I am giving this book 5 stars (which is rare) because it made me feel all the feels. It was so cute I could cringe - I really loved both of the main characters, and the dual POV was very well done. The slow burn was MINT and complemented by a lot of witty banter. The banter between the two main characters was the best part of the book. It was so natural and nerdy and sarcastic. And don't worry - there are some fantastic spicy scenes (I'd say a 2 or 3 out of 5 on the spicy scale).

I was a little worried during the prologue that the characters would be too nerdy for my taste, but the anime/microbiology/geneticist themes were not overdone at all. What a fantastic read. I am still smiling as I write this review.

Do you enjoy classic romcom themes? Good. This book has got them all. Enemies to lovers? Sign me up. Forced proximity? Even better. STEM? Absolutely! No matter your preference, this book has it.

So. Many. Tropes:
* small age gap (11 years)
* forced proximity (on so many levels)
* teacher/student
* forbidden love
* enemies to lovers
* revenge
** level 3 spice

This is a must read for fans of Love Hypothesis (and really, fans of all romcoms and contemporary romance). It was ridiculous, and predictable in all of the best ways.

Synopsis:

"But one thing was universally certain: in order to keep Elizabeth Maclean out of my reach and out of my head I was going to have to be a complete and utter bastard to her."

The book takes place in Glasgow, and follows the perspectives of Liz and Tom, two geneticists/microbiologists who have a tumultuous history in the lab. After what seemed like the perfect meet-cute at a mixer event at the University of Glasgow, Tom is assigned the role of Liz's PhD assessor. Over the next four years, Liz is forced to endure Tom's vicious scrutiny.

Fast forward four years, and Liz and Tom learn that - of all things - their parents are getting married....To each other. Just when Liz thinks she is finally free of Tom's brutal assessments, Tom's lab catches on fire and he ends up sharing a lab table with Liz, and Liz's landlord kicks her out of her apartment. In a perfect storm of calamities, Liz ends up moving into Tom's "mansion" of a townhome with Tom, Tom's mother, and Liz's father.

As their paths continue to cross, it seems unavoidable that Liz will need to learn to tolerate Tom. In what they both believe to be devious and secretive plans, Liz and Tom set out to make each other's lives miserable (in the style of How to Lose a Guy in 10 days), and in the process, are forced to confront their true feelings.

This one started out really great and I had high hopes. But there were many problematic things and that kind of put me off.

The plot was intriguing and I liked the whole forced proximity in more than one instance throughout the novel. I liked Liz's character. She was funny and fiesty. On the other hand, she did come off extremely unlikeable at times displaying similar juvenile behaviour like that of the MLC. For an almost 40 year-old man, Tom was wildly immature. His behaviour would have been better suited on a dumb teenage boy, who frankly, wouldn't know better because his a dumb teenage boy who hasn't lived a life. I couldn't get around what his personality was supposed to be. First he was showering Liz with the kind of treatment during her period that any girl would want and then he was being cold as hell because he wanted her to make the first move. In the end, he just came off as childish, underdeveloped and confusing.

This whole plotline would have been better suited with YA characters, as a matter of fact. I feel like the story would've been a lot more palatble if these weren't actually adults conciously behaving like children. While I commend their wokeness about their actions, it still left a rank taste in my mouth.

If you're a high functioning adult who can actually communicate well, this book will annoy the everloving bejeesus out of you. It's a decent enough read but I didn't care enough to finish it. I DNFd at like 90%, which is absurd because I might as well have suffered through the rest, but honestly, by 85% I was just done.

This was my first book by this author and I LOVED IT!! I devoured this book and found myself thinking about it often when not reading. This was the perfect rom-com with all good tropes! I can't find any other words to describe just how well done this book was, definitely one of my favorites of the year.

I found the push and pull relationship between Liz and Tom very entertaining in this book. Tom does many things to try to spend more time with Liz, while Liz tries to make life for Tom very difficult. Add to that friends and family forcing these two into close proximity and things are bound to happen. I really enjoyed having the narrative written from both Liz and Tom's perspective. It allows you to see and appreciate their journey throughout this book. I am looking forward to reading the other books as they come out in this series.

3.75/5

Tropes
-forced proximity
-(faked) grumpy/sunshine
-age gap
-MMC taking care of a hurt FMC

Overall this was a fun, quick read that fans of Ali Hazelwood will love. Theres a professor/postdoc relationship and a poster conference with some action in a hotel room, though I will say Liz's best friends are way superior to those in LH. Sadly I think the first chapter is the worst in the whole book, and may discourage some from reading on. The cringy dialogue does get better throughout the book, however if you aren't a fan of anime you may feel lost at times like I did.

I loved the banter and simmering tension these two characters had. They played a game of cat and mouse with eachother for the majority of the book, increasing in intensity with each interaction that had me thinking they'd finally cave to their feelings before one of them stepped away. It definitely kept me wanting more.

I would've given this book 4 stars, but the whole plotline of FMC's dad and MMC's mom marrying eachother and them becoming a sort of "step-sibling" just rubs me the wrong way, no matter how old they are. It really wasn't a big deal or taboo in this book, their parents even encouraging them to get together for most of the book, but that's one line I have trouble crossing. With the exception of that though, I thoroughly enjoyed the banter and setting of this book, and would recommend to anyone who loves a scientist office romance!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really nice read. The tempo is good, fast, but not so that you are lost in details; you get lost in the plot. For a moment it looks as if it’s going to go in circles and clichéd, but it is rapidly overcome with the funny and witty writing. The characters, not only the main ones, but also the supporting ones are solidly built and take their own space in the development of the narrative. The adult content, for me, is almost secondary. I really enjoyed this nerdy hate-to-love story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC!

After reading "The Love Hypothesis" I was looking for other books with a similar setting and stumbled upon this one... it did not disappoint!
The Unbalanced Equation is set in Glasgow (so expect a lot of rain), where we meet Tom and Liz. He's a researcher and professor at Glasgow's University and she has just begun her PhD there, due to a not-so-little incovenience they find themselves working in the same lab (and on the same bench), but their story goes a while back.
I'll be honest, sometimes I couldn't really agree with some of the characters' decisions along the way, but it was fine in the end, it needs to be like that sometimes! The book is told in double Pov, so we have an insight into both characters' perspectives, which I really enjoyed. It surprised me more than once, when I thought I knew for sure where the narration was headed... it wasn't, that kept me on my toes. There were some deep moments, alternated with others more light, funny and also teasing and flirty, with a sprinkle of anime references here and there, all surrounded by the atmosphere of a cold scottish winter.

Overall I enjoyed reading it and it remains a perfect read for when you're in the mood for something light and laidback!

Tom and liz meet at a social gathering. Tom falls first in love with Liz and all her geek hobbies here. To too many drinks they get into a situation of going for it or not.
The day after the event, Tom hears that he will be Liz's PhD Assessor. This means no relationships and dates with Liz. For 4 years Tom pretends not to be in love and keeps his feelings hidden. This makes her really mean to Liz and she really hates him too. She thinks he's the biggest asshole there is and is finally happy to get rid of him when she goes to work in another lab. Which is not the case because Tom's lab goes up in flames and he has to work in the same lab as Liz.
Tom and Liz happen to both go to the same restaurant where they find out that Liz's father and Tom's mother are getting married. Is this karma for his behavior? Or a sign to try anyway?

Did I want to read this book just because it featured laboratory? Yes. Point out I study laboratory myself and because of this I like these books more.
When I read the synopsis I immediately felt The love hypothesis. And I loved this one so I couldn't resist diving right into this book. And I am not disappointed! The book is already better because of the dual POV! You also read from Tom which is always very nice. I thought it was really great and comical. Liz's lame jokes sometimes made me laugh so much that I even got the question at work: why are you laughing?
The friendship that slowly develops between Tom and Liz is so cute. In all her hatred for Tom she gave it a chance and they are so much fun together.
Even when Liz was on her period, Tom took care of it. A little before that she had pulled a stunt on him that he was really angry about, but despite that he got all kinds of nice things and went to watch anime with her. Who wouldn't want a Guy like that? I'm still waiting for one.
The bond that Liz develops with Tom's mother is so beautiful. They grow closer and Liz does so much for her.
Liz's father isn't too fond of Tom. Which isn't crazy after all he had heard from Liz about Tom. Despite everything, he gives Tom a chance to prove himself.
I also really like the fact that it was said in the book that not every woman wants to have children and get married. I understand this feeling very well and also thought it was nice to read it in a book

The spice was not too much and also fit well into the storyline. The scenes in it gave me butterflies and were real🥵

Perfect for fans of The Love Hypothesis. Liz and Tom are so amazing together and their banter is top tier. Once I realised this book was set in Glasgow I was behind excited. It was so refreshing to read a book about Scottish people that didn't have 'aye' in every second sentence. They included words real Scottish people actually say!! Liz's humour was so relatable and honestly I could see myself in her. I loved her and Tom's relationship.
My only *thing* I would pick up on is Tom's behaviour for his age. This man was supposed to be 38 and was acting like a man in his twenties.
That being said, I ADORED this book. I can't wait for the rest of the Trilogy!

The book was nothing short of amazing.
Tom was a cocky arrogant guy and Liz was a sassy student with an attitude that challenged Tom. Their chemistry was felt just by reading. When Liz decided to play games with Tom it took their chemistry to a whole new level.
I really liked the book as a whole, it is a perfect work, enemies to lovers romance. however I feel that Liz’s reason for not wanting marriage and not wanting to have kids is not talked about enough and her back story with Elliot, like why is she somehow “traumatized” by commitment. But this is my personal opinion.
I’d rate the book 4,5 / 5 ⭐️ if possible.

I just finished The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. Macfarlane and it sure packed a lot of punch while covering several of the best Rom-Com tropes. This was a fast and fun read for me and I especially loved all the trickery and revenge dished out by the main heroine.

The initial meeting of Dr Thomas Henderson and PhD student Elizabeth Maclean is akin to that of a Cinderella nature. There is an instant connection and an obvious chemistry, but all that comes to a screeching halt when Dr. Henderson is assigned as Elizabeth's assessor. What's an upstanding professional to do in this situation? Tom makes the choice to be anything but charming over the course of the next four years to assure that there is no chance of chemistry between these two scientists.

After enduring four years of pure hell from the worlds most cold hearted assessor, Liz is happy to finally be starting her career. Just when everything is looking up Liz is given the surprise of her life. Her dad announces his engagement to none other than the mother of her biggest nemesis. And just like that things go from bad to worse to even worse.

As our to MCs are repeatedly thrown back into each other's lives all kinds of fun pursues. This book is full of revenge, sabotage and all kinds of sexual tension. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns of this story and was pleasantly surprised by the unusual HEA at the end.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Hate to love, STEM, sizzling chemistry, forced proximity and a family wedding.

The book is amazing though somehow I thought their parents wedding was unnecessary and made things a little weird.

Other than that I liked the book Tom and Liz had amazing chemistry and I loved their flirty banter.

Also I absolutely LOVE the nerdy references and how Liz and Tom met and can I just say I love Daichi (all hail the man who made our ship sail)

Also bonus points to Tom for coming back to Liz in a storm and checking up on her and also the man sat and treated her like a Queen during her periods. That makes him like a 15 but he also was slightly dumb and meddled in her life so brings him a little down.

Also I love how they represented people who want to be in a serious relationship and get married but don’t want kids, because that’s ok and I loved how they talked about it.

Overall I felt the book was a little long but it was a fun book so 3/5 from me.

This one was entirely too long. Where was the editing? How many times did conversations and inner monologues have to be rehashed? You can't call characters anime lovers and have the only reason they are be that they watch popular title movies once in a while. Patrons will still read, but will they enjoy? There are better science nerd romances out there.

Packed with several of my favorite tropes, including; age gap, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, STEM workplace, and he falls first, making this book hard to put down. We get to read from both of our main character’s points of view, Tom and Liz.

This book opens with an instant attraction between Tom and Liz at the department social. Liz is a first-year Ph.D. student, and Tom is a professor and assessor. They were interrupted before anything could happen. The next day Tom is assigned to Liz as her Ph.D. assessor. This means no dating. Instead of being an adult, he decided the best way to block flirting was to be an absolute dick to her.

After four long years, Liz was excited to be free of Tom upon completion of her Ph.D. finally. Just as she was living her best life away from Tom, life threw her an unexpected curve ball. Tom is now working alongside her in her new lab. That same day her dad announces that he is engaged to Tom’s mom and will be getting married in a few short months. And to add the icing on top of the cake, Liz also gets kicked out of her apartment, forcing her to move in with Tom, her dad, and Tom’s mom until she can find a new apartment.

These two main characters’ dynamic was absolutely amazing. Throw some pent-up sexual tension, and this book is perfect. They also had great banter and chemistry, making me want to keep reading to know what was coming next.

The one thing that I wasn’t a huge fan of was the manipulation present. Both characters manipulated each other, but Tom’s was on another level. I’m not a big fan of some of the things Tom did. If I was in Liz’s shoes after some of it, I don’t think I would have talked to Tom ever again.

But the way he took care of Liz when she was on her period made my heart absolutely melt. I love when characters are understanding and helpful during another character’s period. The whole scene made my heart so happy.

This book was overall such a great read. It was light, fun, and, overall, a quick and engaging read! This book is a four-star read! If you liked The Love Hypothesis, you’d also love this book! This is a must-read for 2022. Make sure to pick up a copy on 9/15!


Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!