4.5 star
I haven't been the biggest fan of Ali's past books but this, this was great!
Each character had a personality, and I really enjoyed the humor most of them shared
My biggest gripes were the fact Ali uses a lot of the same tropes/similar plot lines in her books which don't give a lot of room for something new
So whilst this book was a little predicable and some parts had been done before, I found it throughly enjoyable to read
I also loved the Adam and Olive cameo, it was a pleasant surprise
Thankyou Netgallery and Little, Brown Book Group

☆☆☆☆☆

This book just made me feel like I was glowing from inside out - I devoured it in a day and fell in love with Elsie and Jack falling in love.

I just loved how Jack truly saw Elsie for who she is, and the small things he did to look out for her and care for her made me so happy🥲

I've somehow managed to STILL not read The Love Hypothesis but I'm definitely starting that next because I just loved this so much🤍

Thank you so much to Ali Hazelwood and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review




Review to be posted to Goodreads and StoryGraph on May 30th 2023

For as long as Ali is writing women in stem, I’ll be right there with her reading every word.

Jack, the male main character, is what sets this book apart from her previous books. This man is emotionally literate and I loved every second. Elsie is the people pleasing perfectionist burning herself into the ground to try and make everyone happy and keep her head above ground. Love theoretically centres around the theme of being your honest and true self and letting other people accept you for who you are instead of moulding yourself to be this perfect creation you have created. Being able to read Elsie and Jack’s journey both individually and together was so enjoyable and I loved how real and relatable it was.
The book, as previously mentioned, is of course centred in stem and academia, this time in the world of theoretical and experimental physics. As always this setting allows for some reflection on the highs and the very frequent lows of the academic world that are weaved into the story so well and make you question at the end, whether physics should be the next area you lose yourself in!

In summary, this book felt like a new direction for Ali Hazelwood which I was so pleased about and I cannot wait to read what Ali comes out with next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little brown book group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I love how Ali explores differ areas of STEM in her books, it gives the reader more insights to that world.. which is a nice change.
Like Ali's first book this is very similar tropes .
A great book over all.

Love theoretically follows Elsie an adjunct professor and professional fake girlfriend and Jack the brother of her latest fake boyfriend. They do not hit it of and then Jack turns out to be the phisacist that wrote the fake artikel that nearly ruined her field and also on the interviews commity of a job she really wants.

Love, theoretically is a good read. It is a fun storyline and it has likeable characters. I liked the Aro/ace and diabetes representation. I loved the cameo of Adam and Olive. It is similar to the other books Ali has written. This one has also an enemies to lovers/academic rivals trope. I would like to see Ali explore other tropes.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’ve read all of Ali Hazlewood’s books now and loved every one. I love the STEM settings - this one was particularly interesting since I know nothing about academia (and it sounds very stressful). The diabetes aspect was fascinating too - I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a romcom before. And of course Hazlewood writes the most fantastic sex scenes. Oh and it was so nice to catch up with Adam and Olive. Hazlewood has fast become and insta-read author for me.

3.5 3 1.
*I received ARC copy in exchange for honest review
- Fake dating
- Enemies × lovers
- Slow burn
- Adam & Olive cameo (a)
I went into this completing assuming this was going to be TLH
3.0 but I was surprisingly proved wrong. I actually think I enjoyed it more because I was not expecting to devour this! It follows FMC Elsie who is competing for an academic job role against another candidate. Only issue is one of the voting members for the job role just so happens to be the brother of the guy she is 'fake dating' and believes she is a Librarian - not a physicist.
The Adam & Olive cameo was perfect! It was so nice to see them in this book and felt natural for the concept of the scene they appear rather than just being thrown in randomly.
I would say this book is 'slightly' spicier than TLH however I did find the first few intimidate scenes cringe and gave me second hand embarrassment hence why have rated it lower than would have if these has been better written. During there the MC Elsie was so irky during and made me uncomfortable

Dare I say it? I think this might be my favourite @alihazelwood book to date. (There aren’t many that I haven’t read but I own them all so far)

Elsie is a theoretical physicist working in a low paid job, barely making enough to get by whilst still working in science. She is a total people pleaser and relies on a sideline job to be able to pay for her medical bill as she’s a type 1 diabetic. In this job she meets Jack (the brother of one of her clients). Elsie is convinced that he hates her, in this faux persona she’s a librarian which Jack finds confusing when Elsie rocks up as a interviewee for a faculty position at MIT. Jack is on the interviewing panel as the position is to work alongside him as he’s the one funding the role.

Jack is well known for not liking theoretical scientists as he published a paper about it thus cutting huge amounts of funding in the field. It’s also another reason Elsie is so sure he hates her, which makes the interview so much harder but also seems to put a fire in her belly as she’s literally fighting for a better life and she’s determined to give the favoured candidate a run for the position.

Elsie and Jack’s slow burn relationship worked so well for me. If you love Ali’s other books then you’re definitely going to love this one too ♥️

Thank you so much to @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Theoretically by @alihazelwood

5 Stars
I absolutely loved this.

Love, Theoretically is about Elsie, a theoretical physicist who has diabetes and is working tirelessly in a role she doesn't love for little money. She is struggling physically and mentally and moulds herself to be who she thinks others want her to be. She earns money on the side by being faux dates, which is how she meets the main male character Jack, who is the brother of her favourite client.

I adore Elsie. Firstly, I am so glad there was diabetes rep in this book. As someone that struggles with chronic illness, I always appreciate well written illness representation and Ali Hazelwood definitely did that here. Elsie is a complex character and her struggles really pulled on my heartstrings. In fact, I teared up multiple times! She is quirky and funny and smart and I want to be her friend!
Jack was a great lead male. A strong silent type, I loved what he brought out in Elsie and vice versa. I loved that underneath his stoicism he is equally geeky and weird! I have a huge crush on this man mountain and how he treats Elsie.

The smut is HOT. Like, seriously hot. I loved how realistic it was and how consent was a leading feature as well. Ali Hazelwood never fails in this regard.
The writing was brilliant and highly addictive so much so I read it in half a day! The aspect around academia and it's issues was really well done and there was definitely more about this compared to her other books.

I do have 2 tiny issues but because I adored this so much they aren't affecting my rating. Firstly there was one issue that in my opinion didn't get resolved and that I would have liked closure one. Secondly I wanted a bit more from the epilogue as I found it lacking.

Overall, a huge success and one I know I will read again and again. It's made me want to go back and read all Ali's other books again ASAP!

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I was going through a romance slump when I got approved for an ARC of Love, Theoretically.  I finished this in one sitting - THANK YOU Ali Hazelwood and Little Brown Book group for getting me out of my slump!

Premise: the MCs meet when Elsie (the female MC) is fake-dating Greg. She's therefore off-limits to Greg's brother, Jack (male MC) - the tall, well-built, blonde (gasp, Adam Driver with dyed hair?) physicist. She thinks Jack hates her, after misunderstanding a couple of overheard conversations, and also due to the pointed staring (sound familiar?) 

The rest of the story takes us through the growth of Elsie's character and the clearing up of misunderstandings between the two MCs until HEA. 

For those who have read Ali's previous work, this may sound like it's much of the same muchness.

I *have* read all of Ali Hazelwood's published romances starting from The Love Hypothesis. I recognise the criticism, I can see some merit in it - the novels are all set within academia or closely linked fields (er, that's kind of the point), there are notable similarities between her MCs across the books, there's often pining due to miscommunication etc. 

There's also enjoyable banter between the MCs, loads of chemistry, mostly well-written sex scenes, and LOL moments throughout every story. Love, Theoretically is no different.

So, my point? If you want something drastically different from Ali Hazelwood, this book isn't for you. If you are a fan (and I am), your expectations will be fully met by Love, Theoretically. If you've never read her work before, I am so excited for you to discover her.

PS - Ali, please, please, please, can we get a Cece and Kirk book/novella/something?

Thanks once again to the author and publisher for an advanced reader copy. This did not influence my review.


My review will be published on Goodreads on 6th June, 2023.

I haven’t read any of Ali Hazelwood’s previous books and so I have nothing to compare this to, but maybe that’s a good thing?

I’ve got to say I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book. It’s got a good storyline and also has a tasteful amount of spicy scenes in my opinion. Like I said, I’ve not read her previous STEM centred books before and so didn’t really know what to expect but this has only made me more inclined to finally pick them up and read them.

The romance in this books is also really nice. I found myself smiling while reading and not cringing like I do reading a lot of other overly sexually graphic books. I also found all of the characters really likeable. I think some people might think Elsie’s lack of self-confidence etc to be a bit stereotypical and wet but I think her whole character development arc wouldn’t be possible without it.

In conclusion, I would 100% recommend this book. It’s not going to change your life (hence the 4 stars) but it is a really good read and I think a lot of people will enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

5 stars. And going on my coveted favourites shelf!

Elsie is trying her best to navigate her financially crippling career in theoretical physics. Making some extra money on the side brings her into the path of her great nemesis. Elsie struggles her way through complications, discrimination, misunderstandings and unexpected emotions to try and make a name for herself in her field. Along the way she discovers a lot about herself and her growing feelings for her archenemy.

Ali Hazelwood has become a go-to author for me. It’s refreshing to find such intelligence in a romance. I won’t pretend I understood all the science, but I understood the majority and got the gist of it. I also appreciated that Hazelwood didn’t talk down to the reader. The nerdy puns and movie references were delightful and made me laugh out loud too.

Elsie is very relatable and Jack is everything a girl could ask for in a romantic hero. I admired the way Hazelwood made their personalities fit together; as if they truly were each other’s missing puzzle piece. The happily ever after was a hundred percent believable as with Hazelwood’s other novels. The cameo of Olive and Adam was great fun also.

Love Theoretically was a very emotional journey. Along with the romance and comedy, Hazelwood really pulled at the heartstrings. The injustices done to Elsie had my guts twisting up, and I wanted to cry along with her. The daily challenges she was faced with, especially her medical needs, were relevant and understandable. I loved watching her personal growth through the story. It was empowering to see her challenge herself with her own self-discoveries; to find her feet and strive to change the things about herself she needed to. I think this was the reason this is a truly stand out book for me and going on my favourites shelf: Elsie was real, inspiring and relatable.

All in all, I adored this book. Intelligence. Humour. Originality. Ali Hazelwood delivered again.

Thank you so much to Little Brown Book Group UK and Ali Hazelwood for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll post the review to Goodreads and Instagram on 6th June 2023

SO this is NOT what I wanted BUT it probably WAS time. SO Love Hypothesis was one of the first romance books I read SO I ADORED IT and I think it would still hold up now as it holds a special place in my heart. Love on the Brain was not AS good but still VERY enjoyable and I absolutely LOVED the Novellas. So when I got accepted for this ARC I was absolutely ECSTATIC! And I still am so grateful I got to read it early and live the joy of being accepted for an ARC for one of my Favourite Authors.

Unfortunately this didn't HIT THE SPOT. It was still good don't get me wrong, if you like Ali Hazelwood you will enjoy it. But after 2 years of reading a LOT OF ROMANCE and reading like 180 ish books last year I now know my taste better than ever, and I don't think I will ever give a 5 stars to a romance book that is not Dual POV and listen Ali doesn't write in Dual POV and that is fine, I knew that going in, so it's not really a COMPLAINT. My main complaint is I just didn't FEEL the chemistry, I didn't feel the spark, it didn't feel like their relationship formed and flowed naturally. It was still funny and enjoyable and relatable but it just didn't HIT like I hoped it would!

It was enemies to lovers and I guess fake dating and fake-boyfriends brother if thats a trope? I feel like it is very similar to Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain I hope Ali can mix up the tropes and character descriptions next time!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery for the ARC and I will still be buying it to complete my collection

What drew me to Ali Hazelwood’s books in the first place (more specifically, The Love Hypothesis, which was my first read of hers) were the original and refreshing STEM-centred romance plots she created. Unfortunately, although I did really like Jack’s character and how different he was compared to Hazelwood’s previous male love interests, I do think that the romance in Love, Theoretically was not really developed enough (and where it was, it felt like a copy of her previous plots) and that some of the plot points (particularly the conflict in Jack and Elsie’s relationship caused by Elsie’s mentor, Dr. L) felt far too contrived. There were some good moments in Elsie’s character development but unfortunately this just wasn’t for me!

Goodness! Where to begin with this book?

As per usual, I'm obsessed with Ali Hazelwood's writing style; she writes with such an engaging, witty, "laugh-until-you-think-your-sides-will-split" tone, and it keeps me turning the pages. I really enjoyed Jack and Elsie's love story and the twist on the fake dating trope, and I particularly loved Elsie's personal development (it's so nice to see a female character learning to vocalize her own desires). I also really enjoyed Elsie and Cece's friendship; the part where Cece pelts Elsie with cheese is so relatable as a twentysomething that's lived with many friends over the years.

I must admit that the novel does feel very similar to a lot of Hazelwood's other works (e.g. Love Hypothesis, Love On The Brain); going forward, I'd really love to read something from Hazelwood that isn't set in the world of academia. That being said, Hazelwood really does do STEM romance well, so I can hardly blame her for sticking to what she excels at!

Overall, a fluffy, delightful read.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! Having only read The Love Hypothesis previously but having been aware of Hazelwood’s other stories, I had an idea of what to expect and even though I knew what would happen, it still didn’t stop me from being literally obsessed with it! It was impossible to put down and I just loooved it!!!

ARC Review

This is very, at its core, Ali Hazelwood in the characters and the writing but I have to say I still loved it!! You have the woman in stem - but in this case also academia. You have the trademark grumpy MMC who has always been in love with the FMC too!

Although this is very typical and similar to the previously published works by Ali, it’s still a brilliant book. I really liked how a career in academia is portrayed and it’s not all sunshine and roses. As well as that, I liked the way healthcare & insurance was covered. I did feel some of the physics themes were overwhelming and confusing (as someone who hates physics I did not understand any of it).

I really loved Jack, him & Adam are my fave Ali Hazelwood men. I would say Jack is even on the same level. Idk I was obsessed with him the second we got past his grumpy exterior. I loved the way he viewed Elise and saw through her - I loved how he challenged her!

Overall an enjoyable book but go into it knowing it’s v similar to her other published works!

This is SUCH a brilliant read. The best kind of science romance with the most loveable characters. And some damn good thirsty chapters… I WANT MORE

Will also be posting an Instagram post when I get my physical copy of the book! (Bookishsoph_)

Where do I begin? When I got accepted to read this before it was published I was so excited! So thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.

Reading Ali Hazelwoods writing is one of the most comforting and amazing reading experiences I’ve ever had! When I read the love hypothesis way back in 2021 I became obsessed. And love theoretically does not disappoint.

This book follows the story of Elsie and Jack who are honestly great! The tropes in this book are grumpy sunshine, which Ali Hazelwood writes so well! Elsie is a people pleaser through and through and will/can be anything you want her to be. Jack is a strong minded academic who cannot seem to stomach Elsie. The romance in this book is so good, feels so real and raw. The miscommunication trope is one I normally cannot stand but I think in this book it was done really well! Elsie and jacks friendship and relationship blossoms right in front of us as we get to see them have “honesty” which is just such a cute concept and I loved it so so much! (If you know you know)

I cannot wait to have the physical book in my hands!! Everyone needs to preorder this asap🤍

Oh god, where do I start?!

I don’t know how Ali Hazelwood does it, but EVERY book she writes is one that I hold close to my heart.
The plot was amazing! The romance was perfect and the amount of spice was just enough to make it exciting!
It took me a little while longer to read this book than ones on my normal TBR but I think that’s because Ali allowed the reader to really get to know the characters and developed layers to each one which meant that I came away from every chapter reflecting and thinking about how their life experiences shaped them and their actions throughout Love Theoretically.

I was slightly worried towards the beginning that it was a bit slow but once I got past the first two chapters I was hooked!

What makes this book different from others I’ve read? It’s allowed science and romance to go together and even for people who don’t necessarily like STEM or romance, it had the perfect balance that basically anyone could read!

Thanks Ali for another gem in the book world, can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy!