Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⬜
Title: Love on the Brain
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance
Setting: Houston, TX
Month Read: September 2022
Book Type: Paperback
Publication: August 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 354
TRIGGER WARNING-
Sexual Content / Guns / Attempted Assault / Misogyny / Cheating
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a community of women trying to mind their own business must be in want of a random man’s opinion."
No Spoiler Summary:
Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project--a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia--Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it's her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas...devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?
Review:
I'm in the minority when I say this based on what I've been reading online, but I liked this book more than I liked The Love Hypothesis (and man, I loved The Love Hypothesis). I found something really enticing about Bee and Levi, and I was more into this plot, and it seemed almost more realistic in a lot of ways than her previous novel. I loved Bee's manic, no-nonsense, clumsy personality, but also her being whip smart, dedicated, and above all, kind.
Levi is the perfect male lead. Sort of broody, sort of mysterious, 100% teddybear when you break down the walls. A tall, built, hot teddy bear, but one nonetheless. He is the nicest man, and how all in he is from -Day 1 is something I was so into in this novel. I know people say a lot of Ali's books are super similar, but there's something really comforting in that, and I find romances all sort of follow about 9 plots, anyway. It doesn't bother me knowing what I'm getting myself into (sort of like my recent review of The Kiss Curse).
Definitely recommend this if you like a cute romance, lovable enemies to lovers characters, and women in STEM!
Recommendation:
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Beach Read by Emily Henry
"She’s so mean. I love her."
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