3.5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own!

I don't read a lot of romance novels. I don't always connect with the main characters and there's often some eye-rolling involved with the whole miscommunication trope that seems to be popular. Or worse, the controlling alpha male who is literally a walking red flag, but that's ok because he's hot? And of course, misunderstood so that's a great reason to completely ignore other people's boundaries.
...
So let's get on with the actual review now, shall we?

As I said I don't read a lot of romance novels, but I do enjoy them occasionally! The point I was actually trying to make is that I enjoyed this book a lot, in part because I did connect with the main character. I usually enjoy the so-called STEM-romance, and to read about women who are smart and standing their ground on the work floor. Even better when they're just a little clumsy, maybe a tad insecure or uncertain, and mask all of that with a good dose of sarcasm.
Clara, the main character in this book, definitely fits the bill. She made me laugh with her sarcastic comments and the way she's trying so hard to be professional and still smudging chocolate over her blouse right before an important presentation. (And I mean, she ís a professional and pretty good at her job.) It just feels like the kind of stupid thing I could have done myself!
Then of course, there's Henry. He's a great guy, who is kind, funny, good looking and also successful in his job. When he and Clara work together again after not seeing each other for years, I'm sure you can guess what will happen next.

I loved the banter, the sarcasm, the slow realisations of what Clara feels for Henry. The way they made themselves vulnerable around each other. I thought it was a really nice story. Maybe it wasn't the most compelling, suspenseful or tear jerking kind of book, but it was good in itself and I would certainly recommend it!

I couldn’t put this book down! The banter and the romantic draw of the book!! So so good! As someone who is in the medical and pharmaceutical field this is such a fun read! We love women in STEM!

I will say that some of the plot was a slight drag at moments, but for the author’s DEBUT novel??!?? Honestly, forgivable! Also, the discussion of the Clara’s struggle with love and believing someone could love her is something that many people, including myself, face. It is an important thing to talk about and be exposed to, especially young women who are discovering themselves, others, and the idea of love.

I cannot wait for this book to become the next Love Hypothesis! Sending good luck to the author and the publishing team and kiddos to an amazing book!

This book was an absolute delight to read. I love supporting other women scientists who also write romance, and this author certainly wrote romance well! I loved the science setting, theme, and education of both Clara and Henry. Their connection is palpable, even when they were in the friend zone. Their humor and jokes translated really well in this book that I often found myself smiling at their quick wit. The plot of the novel is well done and I love that the author didn’t shy away from showing the slimy characters that women can face in science. The characters were really multi-dimensional and while Clara has her faults, Henry does too (his could’ve been highlighted a bit more as a fault). I was thrilled that there was no drastic third act breakup, even though the ending was the tiniest bit rushed. When I saw this was a debut novel, I was even more impressed and will be happy to read more by this author in the future. Long live scientists also being romance writers for those of us who want more than one type of chemistry in our lives! 4.75⭐️, 2🌶

Title: The Hot Henry Effect By Lucy Chalice

To be released: May 16th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

"The Hot Henry Effect" by Lucy Chalice is a delightful romantic comedy that's both lovable and witty.

When Dr. Clara Clancy's important presentation is ruined by a mishap with a pain au chocolat, she's surprised to receive help from Dr. Henry Fraser, a charming and kind colleague from her university days.

Despite Clara's immunity to "The Hot Henry Effect," a phenomenon where people fall for Henry instantly, they rekindle their friendship easily.

However, both Clara and Henry harbor secrets that threaten to disrupt their newfound camaraderie.

The story had me giggling and smiling throughout, thanks to its charming characters and swoon-worthy moments.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and heartwarming read in the romance genre.

2.5 STARS

I wanted to like this book so much, but it really didn't hit the mark.

The characters were on the cusp of unlikeable for me, especially the FMC Clara. The author tried really hard to give her that classic British sarcastic sense of humour, but it was overdone and wound up being kind of cringy. The characters were so stereotypical that they almost felt like caricatures of real people, and because of this I found it difficult to relate to them and ever harder to root for them.

The plot used some good tropes; friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, workplace romance. However, miscommunication is a running theme for approximately 80% of the book, and it kind of ruined it for me. The last 10%, when the characters finally got together, it was like they went from 0-100 in the matter of an afternoon, this kind of gave me whiplash seeing as how hesitant the FMC had been to open up. I think it could have been improved by the characters getting together earlier, and giving them a bit of time to actually navigate a relationship.

** Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. **

"The Hot Henry Effect" by Lucy Chalice is a delightful rom-com that reads like a classic movie. Dr. Clara Clancy's career takes an unexpected turn when a mishap with a pain au chocolat jeopardizes a crucial presentation. Enter the charming and good-natured Dr. Henry Fraser, the oblivious subject of the Hot Henry Effect – a scientific phenomenon where everyone around him falls in love. As they reunite and navigate their friendship, secrets surface.
Chalice weaves an entertaining tale filled with laughter, heart, and charming interactions.
The dialogue is engaging, and the chemistry between characters makes for a swoon-worthy and smile-inducing read, perfect for romance readers.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.

This is a fun light-hearted read which is romantic in a science background. Enjoyed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

This was a really cute book. I've been loving the STEM romcoms lately and The Hot Henry Effect delivered. I think fans of Ali Hazelwood will love this book. The banter between the main characters was fantastic. I loved their relationship, and how quickly they were able to pickup with one another after 7 years apart. The MC was giving all the Henry Cavill vibes. There were some frustrating moments and the miscommunication trope hit hard.
Overall, it's a really sweet romcom and a fun read.

The Tropes:
- Friends to Lovers
- STEM romance
- He Falls First
- Unrequited Love
- Second Chance
- Slow Burn
- Workplace Romance
- Miscommunication

Thank you NetGalley and Lucy Chalice for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Just know that you are enough, exactly as you are."

What to expect:
- STEM Romance
- Friends to lover
- Unrequited Love
- Didn't know one another liked each other
- Second Chance
- Workplace
- Stalker
- Miscommunication Trope
- Daddy Issues

Clara and Henry use to know each other back in their day's at Oxford. However, after 7 years they lost touch and now they are back working together.

You can definitely see that Lucy Chalice has a thing for Henry Cavill (Not that we can blame her, who doesn't) - The mention of superman/ Clark Kent, highlander, even the cover I can see resemblance and not forgetting the lead man is called Henry.

I liked the idea behind the story and It was easy to read. I would have liked to have had more information between the two from past and present to see why they didn't stay in contact? Clara why didn't you get any therapy? especially with where she worked you would think they would encourage her to go and speak to someone. Mentally health is important. I wouldn't have minded Henry P.o.v. as well.

I didn't like was the description of the characters they felt underdeveloped and they felt a lot younger than they were meant to be. I felt that the chemistry that was building up between the two as soon as Henry finally said how he real felt kind of disappeared. Clara also had too many insecurities. I can understand having some insecurities as everyone has them, but we don't need constantly reminding of them.

I would have been quite happy without the miscommunication trope but that is personal preference as it is my least favourite trope- most of the time all the characters need to do is is to act like an adult and actually talk to each other.

This is on Netgalley side- if a book is marked as Erotica I was expecting a lot more than I was given and definitely spicer. It was quite moderate to say the least.

Again must express this is my own opinion and you should each make your own decision on whether you like a book or not.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the book for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are mine!

I wanted to love this... I DNFd at 68% because I knew there was no way this was going to redeem itself. If this book had been dual POV I might have loved it more, but since we never see Henry's POV and why he is SO IN LOVE with Clara, I just couldnt believe it.
Clara is also stereotypical pretty and smart but soooo oblivious. Her not being able to see any hint of Henry's crush just made me mad at her, and her coworker's also felt like stereotypes when expressing interest in her. I also didn't realize this at first, but this is totally Henry Cavill fanfic. Clara even calls him superman.

The love declaration was too much, him divorcing his wife for an unrequited crush was too much... this took "romance reasons" to the extreme.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read The Hot Henry Effect for my honest review.

There were a lot of elements to this story that I absolutely loved. A protective MMC that falls first (and hard), a slow burn, a smart FMC with the potential to kick serious ass, amazing secondary characters who ride or die for their person, seriously funny banter and wit...but there was something off here as well, and I cannot quite put my finger on it. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or certain parts of the plot that I did not resonate with, but I do not think overall that this book was my cup of tea. That being said, it was still enjoyable to me. It made me laugh and smile and I liked the ending. I also had somewhat different expectations as this was categorized under both Romance and Erotica on NetGalley, but I would absolutely disagree with the Erotica classification. I would consider the spice mild at best.

I'm happy to see another author embracing the STEM world and look forward to seeing more books by Lucy Chalice.

I enjoyed the banter and found the book was mostly cute and light-hearted. The obliviousness and denial were a little annoying. Talk to each other! Even after the story felt finished, there was another snafu that didn't feel necessary.

I picked up this book needing a bit of a palate cleanser after a particularly heartbreaking Kristin Hannah read. I was expecting just a cute, little romance, but this book was hilarious! I loved it! If you are a fan of Ali Hazelwood, I expect this one will be right up your alley. Our FMC, Clara, has been friends with colleague Henry for years. He has no idea that everyone refers to him as “Hot Henry,” because he is just that perfect (no really….he is). They reconnect on a project, sparks fly, and adorableness ensues. This one was adorable and I highly recommend grabbing it for a summer read when it is released in May!
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
4/5 stars

Hot Henry Effect by Lucy Chalice
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 16 May 2024
Tropes: Miscommunication, friends to lovers, workplace romance, grump/sunshine.

Honestly, this book was a tough read. It was incredibly slow and the main characters were not entirely likeable. I feel like the secondary characters are the ones that actually shined.

It’s unfortunate as the book had so much potential but just fell flat. I wish the author had just got to the chase instead of stringing along the reader.

Very solid rom-com, with likeable characters, good amounts of humour and steam and some suspense. Like the little sister of the love hypothesis - not quite as funny or engaging, but still a great read. I love the STEM theme - as a scientist myself, Clara's life felt very familiar to me (sans Hot Henry) and I found this aspect of the story was well portrayed (although often wander how non-scientists perceive these STEM stories and if they think they are horrible exaggerated or, even worse, dull). On the whole, I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy-to-read romcom to curl up on the couch with. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Lucy Chalice for the opportunity to read 'The Hot Henry Effect' in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, i really enjoyed this book! Its hard to find STEM romances, but i'm seeing more and more pop up, and especially as someone who studied engineering (different kind of engineering but still!) I knew I had to read it this when I saw it! Although it took a little bit to get into, i'm really glad I stuck it out because I ended up loving the book. Im excited to share this with fellow readers and friends!

Thanks again for the arc, it is always appreciated!

Massive thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read this.

After absolutely loving The love hypothesis I knew that the hot Henry effect would be right up my street. It was absolutely everything I hoped it would be.
If you like a slow burn where he falls first, grumpy x sunshine then absolutely read this book.
This book had me smiling from cheek to cheek, I loved the main characters and thought they were written so well.

4☆

This book took me a second to get into for the story line to develop but in the end I enjoyed the book. However, I wish there was a little more background story over their families and the time spent apart. Perfect for STEM book lovers.

Recommend if you are also a fan of Ali Hazelwood.

3.7⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter / HarperCollinsUK for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very quick, easy read. Henry was adorable and I really enjoyed the first 75% of the book. However I did think that the storyline could have done without the last miscommunication drama, it was resolved fairly quickly but was still a bit frustrating and unnecessary in my opinion, and is the reason I dropped my rating slightly.

However, overall it was a fun read, and I’ll be checking out this author’s work in the future.

This book was okay, not really my type of read but I can understand why someone would like it. Then referencing Ivana Trump tho was unneeded.