Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood Book Review

Title: The Love Hypothesis
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: September 14, 2021
Pages: 352

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

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My Thoughts

Theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway has a Ph.D. in physics. But without an academic position, her income is not enough to sustain her. As a result, she results to fake dating to pay the bills.

Have you considered that maybe you’re already the way I want you to be? That maybe there are no signals because nothing needs to be changed?

Enter Jack Smith, the irresistible older brother of Elsie's "boyfriend" who somehow doesn't like her much. Even worse (and surprise!), he's on the judging panel between her job at MIT. What a disaster!

But I wonder if certain relationships are living proof of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle: their position and their velocity simply cannot both be measured at the same time, not even in theory.

Elsie won't go down without a fight though. Determined to get the job, she will go head to head with Jack. May the best physicist win.

There is no universe in which I’m going to let you go. I want to be with you, on you, every second of every day.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)

Jack Smith-Turner everyone! He's charming, playful, and patient; I love him for Elsie. The understanding he has with and of her, oh that's what makes him so great. And the playful banter at the beginning is to die for.

Can we talk about her roommate and friend Cece? Omg she sounds like so much fun to be around and honestly her relationship with Elsie is just so wholesome (Chapter 26!). 

Overall, Love, Theoretically was another amazing women in STEM read with the addition of quirkiness and fun. Also the cameo of Adam and Olive? It's a must-read! See you next book Ali Hazelwood! 

About the Author

Ali Hazelwood is the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, as well as the writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).