The Love Hypothesis

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

If you would like to read a list of content warnings for The Love Hypothesis (warning for mild spoilers), please click here . 

SUBSCRIBE TO ALI'S NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND EARLY UPDATES

'The Love Hypothesis' won Amazon's best romance book of 2021, has a near-perfect rating on Goodreads, and is all over TikTok. Here's why it's such a unique love story.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

  • " The Love Hypothesis " grabbed the attention of romance readers everywhere in 2021.
  • It was named Amazon's Best Romance Novel of 2021 and was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award.
  • This book checks off all my boxes for a great romance read and is definitely worth the hype.

Insider Today

This year, Amazon named " The Love Hypothesis " by Ali Hazelwood the best romance book of the year. Even though it was only recently published in September 2021, "The Love Hypothesis" has quickly become a fan-favorite, with 88% of Goodreads reviewers giving it four- or five-star-level praise .

It was also nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award and is hugely popular amongst Book of the Month members , with only 1% of readers giving it a "disliked" rating.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

"The Love Hypothesis" is about Olive Smith, a third-year Ph.D. candidate studying pancreatic cancer at Stanford. In an attempt to convince one of her best friends that she's moved on from an old crush, she impulsively kisses Dr. Adam Carlsen, the department's notoriously brutal (but undeniably attractive) professor. After the kiss, Adam and Olive agree to fake a relationship so she can prove to her friend that she's happily dating and he can convince their department that he isn't planning to leave anytime soon.

I'm a little picky about my romance novels , so giving this read every bit of a five-star review didn't come lightly. My standards are high because the best romance novels have the potential to expose readers to authentic and imperfect relationships and offer new topics of discussion without making us feel like it's a story we've already read. 

With all the hype surrounding this new romance read, I couldn't resist picking it up.

Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books:

1. the story focuses a lot on olive and adam's lives outside their romance, making their love story more believable and interesting..

Romance novels tend to fall into a few popular tropes such as " enemies-to-lovers " or "forbidden love." "The Love Hypothesis" combines two of the most popular tropes right now, "Fake dating" and "grumpy/sunshine," really well — I loved the contrast between Adam's serious attitude to Olive's bright and sugary one. 

But despite following these tropes, the story feels fresh because it's also largely about Olive's work and its meaning to her. The only other romance book I've read featuring a STEM heroine is "The Kiss Quotient" , so I loved seeing that representation and learning about something new. 

The story honestly reflected the challenges Ph.D. candidates face in academia and that authenticity — deepened by the author's personal experiences — brought the characters, the settings, and the romance to life even more as Olive and Adam faced challenges with funding, time-consuming research, and questioning their sense of purpose.

2. The steamier scenes are also awkward and realistic, which made them even better.

In romance books, there are a few different levels of how graphic a steamy scene can get , from little-to-no detail to explicitly outlined movements. (I personally prefer mine to "fade to black.")

There was only one chapter with adult content, and it was definitely graphic. While I made a ton of ridiculous faces while reading and tried to skim past the parts that made me audibly gasp, I loved that it wasn't a movie-made, perfect sex scene with graceful movements and smooth dialogue. The scene was a little awkward, imperfect, and full of consent and conversation, making it refreshingly real.

3. The book deals with other topics besides the main love story, making it a much deeper read.

While it's wonderful to get swept up in the magic of a romantic storyline, having a secondary plot that addresses real issues is what makes a romance novel truly great . 

Mild spoilers and content warnings ahead: While "The Love Hypothesis" is a fun romantic read, it also addresses the pain of familial death, power differentials, intimacy challenges, and, most prevalently, workplace sexual harassment. 

Love is beautiful, fun, and amazing, but "The Love Hypothesis" takes the opportunity to also include conversations about serious issues. While these topics may be tough for some readers, I think these plot points, hard conversations, and complicated emotions take "The Love Hypothesis" to the next level and make it a five-star read. 

The bottom line

"The Love Hypothesis" has everything I personally look for in a romance novel: A unique storyline, authentic characters, and an important message. If you're looking for a perfectly balanced romance read, "The Love Hypothesis" is worth the hype and definitely one of the best romance books to come out in the past year.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Main content

The Bibliofile

Advertise   Contact   Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

the love hypothesis by ali hazelwood book review plot summary synopsis recap discussion spoilers

The Love Hypothesis (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

By ali hazelwood.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, a delightful rom-com about a fake relationship between a biology Ph.D. student and a professor.

In The Love Hypothesis , Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. candidate who shares a kiss with a handsome stranger in order make her friend think that she's in a relationship. She's horrified when she realizes the "stranger" is Dr. Adam Carlson, a prominent professor in her department who is known for being a hypercritical and moody tyrant.

She and Adam each have reasons for needing to be in a relationship, and they agree to pretend to date for the sake of appearances. Of course, as she gets to know Adam, it's only a matter of time before she starts feeling something for him, and it becomes clear that her little experiment in fake-dating just might combust...

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

Three years prior, Olive Smith talks to a guy when she's in the bathroom fixing her contacts (and can't see) after her Ph.D. candidate interview. She tells him about her passion for her research. She doesn't catch his name but remembers the conversation distinctly and wonders about the guy she met.

In present day, Olive is a biology Ph.D. student researching early detection methods for pancreatic cancer. She kisses a guy randomly in order to trick her best friend into thinking she's dating someone (so that her best friend Anh won't feel bad about dating Olive's ex). That guy turns out to be Dr. Adam Carlson , a young, handsome and highly-respected tenured faculty member in her department. He's also known for being hypercritical and moody.

Meanwhile, Adam's department chair is worried that he's planning on leaving for another university and has frozen some of his research funds. So, Adam he agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with Olive in order to give the impression he's putting down "roots" here, in hopes they will unfreeze the funds.

As Olive and Adam fake-date, they get to know each other. Olive sees that Adam is demanding and blunt towards his students, but not unkind or mean. Olive confides in him about her mother getting pancreatic cancer, which is why she's doing her research.

Olive soon realizes that she has feelings for Adam, but she's afraid to tell him. When he overhears her talking about a crush, she pretends it's about someone else. Olive also hears someone else refer to a woman Adam's been pining after for years and is surprised at how jealous she feels.

In the meantime, Olive needs more lab space and has been talking to Dr. Tom Benton for a spot at his lab at Harvard. When Tom arrives in town, it turns out he's friends with Adam. Adam and Tom are friends from grad school, and they have recently gotten a large grant for some joint research that Adam is excited about. After Olive completes a report on her research for Tom, he offers her a spot in his lab for the next year.

Olive and Adam's relationship continues to progress until they attend a science conference in Boston. Olive's research has been selected for a panel presentation, while Adam is a keynote speaker. There, Olive is sexually harassed by Tom, who makes advances on her. When she rejects him, he accuses her of someone who sleeps around to get ahead. He also says that he'll deny it if she tells anyone and that they won't believe her.

While Olive does finally sleep with Adam at the conference, she soon tearfully breaks things off since she doesn't want to complicate things with Adam's joint research project with Tom. Adam is also in the process of applying for a spot at Harvard.

Olive is certain no one will believe her about Tom until she realizes that the accidentally recorded the conversation where he made advances and threatened her. Meanwhile, Olive's roommate Malcolm has started seeing Dr. Holden Rodriguez, a faculty member who is a childhood friend of Adam's. Olive and Malcolm turn to Holden for advice, who encourages them to tell Adam about the recording. He points out that he thinks the main reason that Adam is considering a move to Harvard is because Olive is supposed to be going there.

Olive finds Adam and shows him the video. He is incensed at Tom and reports it to their faculty. When Adam returns from Boston, he reports that Tom has been fired. Meanwhile, Olive has been reaching out to other cancer researchers for spots at other labs, and she's gotten promising responses. Olive tells Adam that she loves him and that she never liked anyone else. Adam admits that he remembered her from the day he met her in the bathroom and that she's the one he's been interested in for years.

Ten months later at the anniversary of their first kiss, Olive and Adam re-create the kiss to mark their anniversary.

For more detail, see the full Chapter-by-Chapter Summary .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Book Review

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood came out a few months ago, and I didn’t really pay much attention to it. However, people seem to really be enjoying this book, and after reading The School for Good Mothers , I was really in mood for something light and fun.

In the Love Hypothesis, Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. student at Stanford who ends up fake-dating a young and handsome tenured professor in her department. All the usual rom-com shenanigans ensue.

The Love Hypothesis is an unapologetically cheesy rom-com novel — with an upbeat attitude, meet cutes, fake-dating tropes, etc. — but it’s also a genuinely fun and often funny book. It hits a lot of familiar notes if you’re familiar with this genre, but somehow Ali Hazelwood has arranged them in a way that ends up being delightful and entertaining.

The book is super melodramatic at parts, uses so many tropes I couldn’t even list them all here if I was inclined to do so and is predictable in the way that rom-coms are always kind of predictable. That all said, I still had a fantastic time reading it and it flew by.

This is a short review because honestly it’s not that complicated to explain that this book is super cheesy and super fun.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Read it or Skip it?

If you like “chick lit” and rom-coms, you should definitely look into this book. I tend to be a little hypercritical of books in this genre, but I really enjoyed The Love Hypothesis . I found myself smiling and chuckling quite a bit as I read it.

This book is a straight-up cheesy rom-com — it is funny, melodramatic and fun as hell. I thought it was great.

See The Love Hypothesis on Amazon.

The Love Hypothesis Audiobook Review

Narrated by : Callie Dalton Length : 11 hours 8 minutes

I listened to about half of this on audiobook. I think the audiobook is solid. The narrator is easy to listen to and does a good job with it.

Hear a sample of The Love Hypothesis audiobook on Libro.fm.

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of The Love Hypothesis

Share this post

Bookshelf -- A literary set collection game

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Middle of the Night

The Housemaid is Watching

She’s Not Sorry

The Seven Year Slip

Darling Girls

It Finally Happened + Summer Romances

Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (New & Anticipated)

The Housemaid Book Series Recap

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Bookshelf: Development Diary

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe thx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lythrumpress

The Love Hypothesis

  • Author: Ali Hazelwood

Category: New Adult

  • Chapters: 22
  • Status: Complete

Latest Chapters

Synopsis of the love hypothesis by ali hazelwood.

The Instant  New York Times   Bestseller and TikTok Sensation!

As seen on THE VIEW!

A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships—but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor—and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Rating & Reviews

Write a review.

There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.

You'll also Like

All He'll Ever Be by W. Winters

All He’ll Ever Be

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Say You Swear (Boys of Avix, #1) by Meagan Brandy

Say You Swear

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye

My Fault (Culpable, 1) by Mercedes Ron

My Fault (Culpable, 1)

Psycho Fae (Cruel Shifterverse Book 2) by Jasmine Mas

Psycho Fae (Cruel Shifterverse Book 2)

lythrumpress

Read Web Novels Online For Free !

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • DMCA Notices

Our Company

Stay connected.

  • Feel Good Fiction
  • Adult New Readers
  • Comics Series Starters
  • USA Road Trip
  • Have a Laugh
  • Love Your Pet
  • Book to Screen
  • Local History
  • Short Reads
  • Critical Darlings
  • Comic Strip Collections
  • For New Plant Parents
  • New Audiobook Additions
  • Listen to the Classics
  • Full Cast Audiobooks
  • Great Narrators
  • Try Something Different
  • 5-10 Hours Long
  • Fears for Your Ears
  • Perfect for Day Trips
  • Find Your Chill
  • Popular Magazines
  • In Stitches
  • Celebrity & Gossip
  • Music Magazines
  • Wedding Planning
  • Stylin’ & Profilin’
  • Travel and Outdoors
  • Track and Trail
  • Women's Lifestyle
  • Men's Lifestyle
  • Play in the Dirt
  • Start Your Engines
  • Kindle Books

Title details for The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood - Wait list

The Love Hypothesis

Description.

Now see Adam pine for Olive in a special bonus chapter! The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships—but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor—and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Expand title description text

  • Ali Hazelwood - Author
  • Callie Dalton - Narrator
  • Teddy Hamilton - Narrator

OverDrive Listen audiobook

  • ISBN: 9780593457580
  • File size: 341686 KB
  • Release date: September 14, 2021
  • Duration: 11:51:50

MP3 audiobook

  • File size: 341731 KB
  • Duration: 11:57:43
  • Number of parts: 12

OverDrive Listen audiobook MP3 audiobook

Fiction Romance Humor (Fiction)

Publisher: Books on Tape Edition: Unabridged

OverDrive Listen audiobook ISBN: 9780593457580 File size: 341686 KB Release date: September 14, 2021 Duration: 11:51:50

MP3 audiobook ISBN: 9780593457580 File size: 341731 KB Release date: September 14, 2021 Duration: 11:57:43 Number of parts: 12

  • Formats OverDrive Listen audiobook MP3 audiobook
  • Languages English

Why is availability limited?

Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.

The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:

Read-along ebook.

The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.

Recommendation limit reached

You've reached the maximum number of titles you can currently recommend for purchase.

Session expired

Your session has expired. Please sign in again so you can continue to borrow titles and access your Loans, Wish list, and Holds pages.

If you're still having trouble, follow these steps to sign in.

Add a library card to your account to borrow titles, place holds, and add titles to your wish list.

Have a card? Add it now to start borrowing from the collection.

Need a card? Sign up for one using your mobile number.

The library card you previously added can't be used to complete this action. Please add your card again, or add a different card. If you receive an error message, please contact your library for help.

Once Upon A Time Bookstore | 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020 | (818) 248-9668 | [email protected]

RSS Feed

Search form

  • Advanced Search

Store Hours

Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday: 11 am - 4 pm

Masks are optional but preferred at events

The Love Hypothesis (Paperback)

The Love Hypothesis By Ali Hazelwood Cover Image

September 2021 Indie Next List

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Description
  • About the Author
  • Reviews & Media
  • Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
  • Fiction / Romance / Workplace
  • Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
  • Kobo eBook (September 13th, 2021): $11.99
  • Kobo eBook (December 4th, 2023): $17.99
  • Library Binding, Large Print (February 1st, 2022): $43.64
  • More…

Dive into a good book!

Iced in Paradise: A Leilani Santiago Hawai'i Mystery By Naomi Hirahara Cover Image

Olympic Medal Worthy Books

Who Is Nathan Chen? (Who HQ Now) By Joseph Liu, Who HQ, Gregory Copeland (Illustrator) Cover Image

Staff Picks

Staff Pick Badge

Saving Winslow (Paperback)

This delightful family read aloud skillfully weaves empathy, compassion and family into a beautifully realized story – universal and timeless – I dare say a new classic, in the mold of Charlotte’s Web (without the talking animals). Ten-year old Louie is trying his best to save a mini-donkey, he named Winston, who was born prematurely and whose mother died giving birth. Louie’s track record is not so good at keeping animals in his care alive, but he has faith in Winslow and gives him everything he has – most especially his love. Louie is sure Winslow will survive, and uses his plight as connection to his older brother Gus’ absence serving in the army. Strong, fully developed characters come to life in Creech’s vividly, and deceptively short novel which will stay with you long after the satisfying last page. (Fiction, ages 7+) - Reviewed by Maureen

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Literature & Fiction
  • Genre Fiction

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Sorry, there was a problem.

Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Image Unavailable

The Love Hypothesis

  • To view this video download Flash Player

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Follow the author

Ali Hazelwood

The Love Hypothesis Paperback – September 14, 2021

  • Print length 400 pages
  • Language English
  • Publisher Berkley
  • Publication date September 14, 2021
  • Dimensions 5.48 x 1.06 x 8.2 inches
  • ISBN-10 0593336828
  • ISBN-13 978-0593336823
  • See all details

Related Climate Pledge Friendly items

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB) – Now with a larger display, adjustable warm light, increased battery life, and faster page

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

Reducing CO2

Reducing CO2 products reduce their carbon footprint year after year. Certified by the Carbon Trust.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) – With auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, 6.8“ display, and up

Get to know this book

What's it about.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Popular highlight

the love hypothesis graphic novel

From the Publisher

Customer Reviews
A fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction. A scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results. A collection of novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing. Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans. In this YA debut, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Editorial Reviews

About the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved..

Chapter One

Hypothesis: When given a choice between A (a slightly inconveniencing situation) and B (a colossal shitshow with devastating consequences), I will inevitably end up selecting B.

In Olive's defense, the man didn't seem to mind the kiss too much.

It did take him a moment to adjust-perfectly understandable, given the sudden circumstances. It was an awkward, uncomfortable, somewhat painful minute, in which Olive was simultaneously smashing her lips against his and pushing herself as high as her toes would extend to keep her mouth at the same level as his face. Did he have to be so tall? The kiss must have looked like some clumsy headbutt, and she grew anxious that she was not going to be able to pull the whole thing off. Her friend Anh, whom Olive had spotted coming her way a few seconds ago, was going to take one look at this and know at once that Olive and Kiss Dude couldn't possibly be two people in the middle of a date.

Then that agonizingly slow moment went by, and the kiss became . . . different. The man inhaled sharply and inclined his head a tiny bit, making Olive feel less like a squirrel monkey climbing a baobab tree, and his hands-which were large and pleasantly warm in the AC of the hallway-closed around her waist. They slid up a few inches, coming to wrap around Olive's rib cage and holding her to himself. Not too close, and not too far.

It was more of a prolonged peck than anything, but it was quite nice, and for the life span of a few seconds Olive forgot a large number of things, including the fact that she was pressed against a random, unknown dude. That she'd barely had the time to whisper "Can I please kiss you?" before locking lips with him. That what had originally driven her to put on this entire show was the hope of fooling Anh, her best friend in the whole world.

But a good kiss will do that: make a girl forget herself for a while. Olive found herself melting into a broad, solid chest that showed absolutely no give. Her hands traveled from a defined jaw into surprisingly thick and soft hair, and then-then she heard herself sigh, as if already out of breath, and that's when it hit her like a brick on the head, the realization that- No. No.

Nope, nope, no.

She should not be enjoying this. Random dude, and all that.

Olive gasped and pushed herself away from him, frantically looking for Anh. In the 11:00 p.m. bluish glow of the biology labs' hallway, her friend was nowhere to be seen. Weird. Olive was sure she had spotted her a few seconds earlier.

Kiss Dude, on the other hand, was standing right in front of her, lips parted, chest rising and a weird light flickering in his eyes, which was exactly when it dawned on her, the enormity of what she had just done. Of who she had just-

Fuck her life.

Fuck. Her. Life.

Because Dr. Adam Carlsen was a known ass.

This fact was not remarkable in and of itself, as in academia every position above the graduate student level (Olive's level, sadly) required some degree of assness in order to be held for any length of time, with tenured faculty at the very peak of the ass pyramid. Dr. Carlsen, though-he was exceptional. At least if the rumors were anything to go by.

He was the reason Olive's roommate, Malcolm, had to completely scrap two research projects and would likely end up graduating a year late; the one who had made Jeremy throw up from anxiety before his qualifying exams; the sole culprit for half the students in the department being forced to postpone their thesis defenses. Joe, who used to be in Olive's cohort and would take her to watch out-of-focus European movies with microscopic subtitles every Thursday night, had been a research assistant in Carlsen's lab, but he'd decided to drop out six months into it for "reasons." It was probably for the best, since most of Carlsen's remaining graduate assistants had perennially shaky hands and often looked like they hadn't slept in a year.

Dr. Carlsen might have been a young academic rock star and biology's wunderkind, but he was also mean and hypercritical, and it was obvious in the way he spoke, in the way he carried himself, that he thought himself the only person doing decent science within the Stanford biology department. Within the entire world, probably. He was a notoriously moody, obnoxious, terrifying dick.

And Olive had just kissed him.

She wasn't sure how long the silence lasted-only that he was the one to break it. He stood in front of Olive, ridiculously intimidating with dark eyes and even darker hair, staring down from who knows how many inches above six feet-he must have been over half a foot taller than she was. He scowled, an expression that she recognized from seeing him attend the departmental seminar, a look that usually preceded him raising his hand to point out some perceived fatal flaw in the speaker's work.

Adam Carlsen. Destroyer of research careers , Olive had once overheard her adviser say.

It's okay. It's fine. Totally fine. She was just going to pretend nothing had happened, nod at him politely, and tiptoe her way out of here. Yes, solid plan.

"Did you . . . Did you just kiss me?" He sounded puzzled, and maybe a little out of breath. His lips were full and plump and . . . God. Kissed. There was simply no way Olive could get away with denying what she had just done.

Still, it was worth a try.

Surprisingly, it seemed to work.

"Ah. Okay, then." Carlsen nodded and turned around, looking vaguely disoriented. He took a couple of steps down the hallway, reached the water fountain-maybe where he'd been headed in the first place.

Olive was starting to believe that she might actually be off the hook when he halted and turned back with a skeptical expression.

"Are you sure?"

"I-" She buried her face in her hands. "It's not the way it looks."

"Okay. I . . . Okay," he repeated slowly. His voice was deep and low and sounded a lot like he was on his way to get ting mad. Like maybe he was already mad. "What's going on here?"

There was simply no way to explain this. Any normal person would have found Olive's situation odd, but Adam Carlsen, who obviously considered empathy a bug and not a feature of humanity, could never understand. She let her hands fall to her sides and took a deep breath.

"I . . . listen, I don't mean to be rude, but this is really none of your business."

He stared at her for a moment, and then he nodded. "Yes. Of course." He must be getting back into his usual groove, because his tone had lost some of its surprise and was back to normal-dry. Laconic. "I'll just go back to my office and begin to work on my Title IX complaint."

Olive exhaled in relief. "Yeah. That would be great, since- Wait. Your what?"

He cocked his head. "Title IX is a federal law that protects against sexual misconduct within academic settings-"

"I know what Title IX is."

"I see. So you willfully chose to disregard it."

"I- What? No. No, I didn't!"

He shrugged. "I must be mistaken, then. Someone else must have assaulted me."

"Assault-I didn't 'assault' you."

"You did kiss me."

"But not really ."

"Without first securing my consent."

"I asked if I could kiss you!"

"And then did so without waiting for my response."

"What? You said yes."

"Excuse me?"

She frowned. "I asked if I could kiss you, and you said yes."

"Incorrect. You asked if you could kiss me and I snorted."

"I'm pretty sure I heard you said yes."

He lifted one eyebrow, and for a minute Olive let herself daydream of drowning someone. Dr. Carlsen. Herself. Both sounded like great options.

"Listen, I'm really sorry. It was a weird situation. Can we just forget that this happened?"

He studied her for a long moment, his angular face serious and something else, something that she couldn't quite decipher because she was too busy noticing all over again how damn towering and broad he was. Just massive. Olive had always been slight, just this side of too slender, but girls who are five eight rarely felt diminutive. At least until they found themselves standing next to Adam Carlsen. She'd known that he was tall, of course, from seeing him around the department or walking across campus, from sharing the elevator with him, but they'd never interacted. Never been this close.

Except for a second ago, Olive. When you almost put your tongue in his-

"Is something wrong?" He sounded almost concerned.

"What? No. No, there isn't."

"Because," he continued calmly, "kissing a stranger at midnight in a science lab might be a sign that there is."

"There isn't."

Carlsen nodded, thoughtful. "Very well. Expect mail in the next few days, then." He began to walk past her, and she turned to yell after him.

"You didn't even ask my name!"

"I'm sure anyone could figure it out, since you must have swiped your badge to get in the labs area after hours. Have a good night."

"Wait!" She leaned forward and stopped him with a hand on his wrist. He paused immediately, even though it was obvious that it would take him no effort to free himself, and stared pointedly at the spot where her fingers had wrapped around his skin-right below a wristwatch that probably cost half her yearly graduate salary. Or all of it.

She let go of him at once and took one step back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"The kiss. Explain."

Olive bit into her lower lip. She had truly screwed herself over. She had to tell him, now. "Anh Pham." She looked around to make sure Anh was really gone. "The girl who was passing by. She's a graduate student in the biology department."

Carlsen gave no indication of knowing who Anh was.

"Anh has . . ." Olive pushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear. This was where the story became embarrassing. Complicated, and a little juvenile sounding. "I was seeing this guy in the department. Jeremy Langley, he has red hair and works with Dr. . . . Anyway, we went out just a couple of times, and then I brought him to Anh's birthday party, and they just sort of hit it off and-"

Olive shut her eyes. Which was probably a bad idea, because now she could see it painted on her lids, how her best friend and her date had bantered in that bowling alley, as if they'd known each other their whole lives; the never-exhausted topics of conversation, the laughter, and then, at the end of the night, Jeremy following Anh's every move with his gaze. It had been painfully clear who he was interested in. Olive waved a hand and tried for a smile.

"Long story short, after Jeremy and I ended things he asked Anh out. She said no because of . . . girl code and all that, but I can tell that she really likes him. She's afraid to hurt my feelings, and no matter how many times I told her it was fine she wouldn't believe me."

Not to mention that the other day I overheard her confess to our friend Malcolm that she thought Jeremy was awesome, but she could never betray me by going out with him, and she sounded so dejected. Disappointed and insecure, not at all like the spunky, larger-than-life Anh I am used to.

"So I just lied and told her that I was already dating someone else. Because she's one of my closest friends and I'd never seen her like a guy this much and I want her to have the good things she deserves and I'm positive that she would do the same for me and-" Olive realized that she was rambling and that Carlsen couldn't have cared less. She stopped and swallowed, even though her mouth felt dry. "Tonight. I told her I'd be on a date tonight ."

"Ah." His expression was unreadable.

"But I'm not. So I decided to come in to work on an experiment, but Anh showed up, too. She wasn't supposed to be here. But she was. Coming this way. And I panicked-well." Olive wiped a hand down her face. "I didn't really think."

Carlsen didn't say anything, but it was there in his eyes that he was thinking. Obviously.

"I just needed her to believe that I was on a date."

He nodded. "So you kissed the first person you saw in the hallway. Perfectly logical."

Olive winced. "When you put it like that, perhaps it wasn't my best moment."

"But it wasn't my worst, either! I'm pretty sure Anh saw us. Now she'll think that I was on a date with you and she'll hopefully feel free to go out with Jeremy and-" She shook her head. "Listen. I'm so, so sorry about the kiss."

"Please, don't report me. I really thought I heard you say yes. I promise I didn't mean to . . ."

Suddenly, the enormity of what she had just done fully dawned on her. She had just kissed a random guy, a guy who happened to be the most notoriously unpleasant faculty member in the biology department. She'd misunderstood a snort for consent, she'd basically attacked him in the hallway, and now he was staring at her in that odd, pensive way, so large and focused and close to her, and . . .

Maybe it was the late night. Maybe it was that her last coffee had been sixteen hours ago. Maybe it was Adam Carlsen looking down at her, like that. All of a sudden, this entire situation was just too much.

"Actually, you're absolutely right. And I am so sorry. If you felt in any way harassed by me, you really should report me, because it's only fair. It was a horrible thing to do, though I really didn't want to . . . Not that my intentions matter; it's more like your perception of . . ."

Crap, crap, crap.

"I'm going to leave now, okay? Thank you, and . . . I am so, so, so sorry." Olive spun around on her heels and ran away down the hallway.

"Olive," she heard him call after her. "Olive, wait-"

She didn't stop. She sprinted down the stairs to the first floor and then out the building and across the pathways of the sparsely lit Stanford campus, running past a girl walking her dog and a group of students laughing in front of the library. She continued until she was standing in front of her apartment's door, stopping only to unlock it, making a beeline for her room in the hope of avoiding her roommate and whoever he might have brought home tonight. It wasn’t until she slumped on her bed, staring at the glow‑in‑the- dark stars glued to her ceiling, that she realized that she had neglected to check on her lab mice. She had also left her laptop on her bench and her sweatshirt somewhere in the lab, and she had completely forgotten to stop at the store and buy the coffee she’d promised Malcolm she’d get for tomorrow morning. Shit. What a disaster of a day. It never occurred to Olive that Dr. Adam Carlsen— known ass— had called her by her name.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (September 14, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593336828
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593336823
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.48 x 1.06 x 8.2 inches
  • #84 in Workplace Romance
  • #345 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
  • #1,092 in Contemporary Romance (Books)

Videos for this product

Video Widget Card

Click to play video

Video Widget Video Title Section

Look Inside "The Love Hypothesis"

✅ Honest Reviews by Naturetravelings

the love hypothesis graphic novel

HONEST REVIEW - what a cute rom com!

Zoey & Casey

the love hypothesis graphic novel

A sweet, rom-com that I still think about!

Royal + Reese Favorite Amazon Finds

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Love this book !

Honest Amazon Reviews ✅

the love hypothesis graphic novel

The Love Hypothesis

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Great Contemporary Romance Read

Toni Thomason

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Honest Review- The Love Hypothesis Book

✨ Katie Dansie ✨

the love hypothesis graphic novel

A #romancebook that follows a fake dating trope between two scientists.

Ember Morgan’s Amazon Favorites

the love hypothesis graphic novel

love this book- such a cute romance!!

Reegan Honaker

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Your New Favorite Romance Book! - Honest Book Review!

Sophia Doyle

the love hypothesis graphic novel

About the author

Ali hazelwood.

Ali Hazelwood is a multi-published author—alas, 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, crocheting, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Customer reviews

  • 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 66% 24% 8% 2% 1% 66%
  • 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 66% 24% 8% 2% 1% 24%
  • 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 66% 24% 8% 2% 1% 8%
  • 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 66% 24% 8% 2% 1% 2%
  • 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 66% 24% 8% 2% 1% 1%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book well-thought-out, funny, and worth the money. They also describe the characters as lovable, charming, and heartwarming. Readers appreciate the nerdy references to science and research. They describe the content as wholesome, with a nice bit of spice. Customers praise the plot as compelling, captivating, and modern. They find the emotional tone heartwarm, angsty, and brooding. However, some customers find the sexual content cheesy and gross. Opinions are mixed on the pacing, with some finding it quick and others finding it slow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book funny, charming, and heartwarming. They also describe the writing as clever and funny. Readers mention the book is highly addicting, with some grumpy and sunshine vibes. They appreciate the well thought out and young vibe.

"I loved this book! It was sooooo good ! This was my first time reading something by this author, and I am totally in love...." Read more

"...This is cute and sweet. It’s cheesy , but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"...She did a great job. The vibe feels young and fresh , with a voice that actually sounds like a 26-year-old...." Read more

"...I liked the friend group and the amount of humor and nuance in the writing . And let's speak a moment about the cover...." Read more

Customers find the plot cute, heartwarming, and frothy. They also say the conflicts and twists feel legitimate and not made for the novel. Readers say the pacing of the romance is perfect. They mention the characters are quirky, realistic, and moving.

"...This is a great story , and I definitely recommend giving it a try." Read more

"...is probably not going to be everyone’s favorite FMC but she’s dorky and believable ...." Read more

"...And it is definitely a love story. The romance is central throughout , with a light, fresh feel that gets richer and deeper as the story progresses...." Read more

"...So yeah, calling all geek-girls, this is a great romance book and I will definitely be reading more of the author's work in the future." Read more

Customers find the characters loveable, witty, and cute. They also say the illustrator is amazing and the book has a vivid, distinct voice.

"...I really love her writing style. The characters were super smart but not so smart that everything went over my head.I just loved Olive...." Read more

"... Adam is cute . I really wish this was dual POV. I would LOVE to experience the pining and brooding that I know was going on in his head. But alas...." Read more

"...Well, it's all pretty great, actually. This has such a vivid , distinct voice that I am very much looking forward to whatever's next from..." Read more

"...And let's speak a moment about the cover. The Illustrator is amazing and honestly, her cover is what sold me to take the leap and buy the book...." Read more

Customers find the book has a nice bit of spice, is wholesome, and sweet. They also say it's funny and light, like cotton candy.

"...This is cute and sweet . It’s cheesy, but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"FINAL DECISION: This book is fun and light, like cotton candy . Even the "serious" storyline is really fluff because it lacks complexity...." Read more

"...Tall, academic, and sweet … he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"...This book does contain spice . I would say 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers...." Read more

Customers find the chemistry class in the book nerdy, enjoyable, and chemistry-filled. They also say the book is accurate and a good science rom com. Readers also mention that the banter and chemy between the characters is electric.

"...Tall, academic , and sweet… he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"...I felt the world of academia was well established as it was shown, not told...." Read more

"..." is a delightful and charming romance novel that combines scientific curiosity with matters of the heart...." Read more

"...The chemistry was tangible right from the start and they were all so likeable (I even loved the names the author chose for them😆)...." Read more

Customers find the emotional tone of the book heartwarming, low angst, and real. They also say the attraction is almost tangible, and the book is incredibly intimate.

"...It's a slow burn romance with one incredibly intimate and dynamic love scene - the intimacy and emotional connection are the shining stars here...." Read more

"...The sex scene felt both hot and yet in some moments awkward , tender, and exposing (making it feel all the more real)...." Read more

"...I was enchanted, humored, encouraged and enlightened by this novel!..." Read more

"...She is so selfless ...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it very quick paced, while others say it feels kinda slow. They also mention that the sex feels rushed and that it feels like lazy narration and plot.

"...A perfect summer romcom. This was easy to read and I finished it very quickly ...." Read more

"...The runtime is a bit longer than I'd like (11 hours), and I found it difficult to listen to the narrator's voice at a faster speed...." Read more

"...-of-this-world amazing about it, but the tropes were fun, the story moved quickly , and, overall, it was a good read...." Read more

"I love this book. It was a bit slow and I feel like the book could have been a bit shorter but the story was worth it...." Read more

Customers find the sexual content in the book cheesy, gross, and annoying. They also say the main character is immature and annoying, and the book is ridiculous and offensive.

"...Content Warnings: There is one scene with explicit sexual content (or two if you count the bonus chapter), and characters discuss sex at other times...." Read more

"...It's weird and gross . Ok, tangent over...." Read more

"...So much second hand embarrassment in this book . I was literally cringing on behalf of Olive...." Read more

"...Smut score: 3.5/5 (slow burn, explicit but not super kinky other than *one* thing that had me going "ohhhh" 🥵🌶)..." Read more

Reviews with images

Customer Image

  • Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Top reviews from other countries

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • About Amazon
  • Investor Relations
  • Amazon Devices
  • Amazon Science
  • Sell products on Amazon
  • Sell on Amazon Business
  • Sell apps on Amazon
  • Become an Affiliate
  • Advertise Your Products
  • Self-Publish with Us
  • Host an Amazon Hub
  • › See More Make Money with Us
  • Amazon Business Card
  • Shop with Points
  • Reload Your Balance
  • Amazon Currency Converter
  • Amazon and COVID-19
  • Your Account
  • Your Orders
  • Shipping Rates & Policies
  • Returns & Replacements
  • Manage Your Content and Devices
 
 
 
   
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Notice
  • Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices

the love hypothesis graphic novel

That Artsy Reader Girl

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

Posted August 12, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction , Book Review / 4 Comments

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

So. I’m really not the best at reviewing books I absolutely loved because I don’t have many words! We all know I love fake dating romances, and I loved the idea of a STEM romance because science is cool and I really love and miss Big Bang Theory (and no, this isn’t like that per se, it’s just got super smart people spouting off science facts). Anyway, I immediately gravitated toward The Love Hypothesis because it sounded fresh and funny and unique. It was all those things and more! As always, my main points are bolded.

1. This book is so, so nerdy and I loved it. The people are a little awkward and extremely smart. There’s strong women in science, and I loved learning a little bit about the challenges women face in this field. Every chapter starts off with one of Olive’s hilarious little scientific hypotheses about love and life, each one teasing a bit about what’s coming up in that chapter. These made it very hard to stop reading because I’d get to the end of the chapter and decide to read and then BOOM. I’m intrigued again and must continue reading. Very clever. A lot of the book takes place on campus in the labs, and I thought it was such a fun setting with people working late and running experiments because science doesn’t wait for people to sleep or eat. There’s lots of science talk, there’s a science convention and people get all excited about presenting posters and attending talks and it’s all just so much fun. It reminded me a bit of Ross’s paleontology convention from Friends, just no Barbados.

2. Olive is sweet and strong. She’s smart and strong and totally dedicated to her cancer research. She’s looking for a lab that will accept her the following year so she can continue her testing with better equipment and proper funding. It matters more to her than pretty much anything. Everyone she’s ever loved has died, so she’s very reluctant to get too close to anyone except her two best friends. Relationships are scary and also a little confusing for her. It takes her a while to sort through her feelings and figure things out, and I loved watching her grow and evolve.

3. Dr. Carlsen (Adam) is a dreamboat. He’s seen as rude and lacking in compassion. He’s hard on his grad students, but it’s because he wants them to succeed. He’s super sexy and thoughtful and protective of those he cares about. He’s sarcastic, flirty, suave, and all the things I love in a hero. Olive is a little inexperienced in the love department, and there’s a scene where he puts all of his focus on taking care of her. Consent and comfort are so important to him, and the entire scene was him making sure she was ok. It just melted me, and I’ve never read another scene quite like this one.

4. The chemistry between Olive and Adam is insane. These two can throw the banter back and forth forever and get me laughing, but they can also build up a level of tension that makes you squirmy. There’s an age gap of about 8-9 years between these two, so Olive loves to make fun of him for being old. She also loves to make fun of his healthy eating habits. He likes to tease her about her love of sugar and poor taste in food. But then there’s a scene where Olive’s best friend kind of forces her to kiss Adam after he’s just pushed a car out of the road and is all sweaty, and wow. And then there’s a scene at the department picnic where Olive has no choice but to coat his muscley back in sunscreen (poor girl), and wow. Their relationship is sweet and spicy and tender, and I just love them.

5. Olive’s best friends, Anh and Malcolm, made me so happy. They are both scientists and work together, although their research is all different. Anh is the loyal best friend, who also mothers Olive and makes sure she doesn’t get skin cancer. Malcolm is Olive’s roommate, and he’s pretty much made of rainbows and sunshine. They love to discuss hot men and other fun things. I would love to be a part of this friend group. Adam’s friend, Holden, is another favorite character of mine. He gives great advice, really cares about his people, and is so happy all the time.

6. There’s some deeper issues at play that run throughout the story, including the #MeToo movement. All were treated with sensitivity and respect. 

7. There’s so, so much humor! I actually laughed out loud at one point, which never happens to me. I’ve been known to smile or silently laugh, but this was an actual audible laugh that startled me.

8. The writing is also spot on, and flowed so nicely that the pages practically turned on their own. 

All in all, this is a stunning debut for Ali Hazelwood. Strong women in science, a sexy doctor hero who values and supports those women, hilarious banter, strong friendships, and a very sweet love story all wrapped up into a glittery, sugary package. What’s not to love? I highly recommend The Love Hypothesis, and cannot wait to see what Ali Hazelwood does next!

Related Posts

  • By Ali Hazelwood

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

4 responses to “ The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ”

' src=

“insane chemistry?” Sounds fun!

' src=

Great review. I’ve been waiting for this book and I”m so glad you liked it so much!

' src=

I can’t wait to read this one! It’s one of my most anticipated releases and reading your review just bumped it up to multiple spots haha! CANNOT WAIT! Hasini @ Bibliosini recently posted… Can Books Be Effective Horror? // Let’s Talk Bookish

' src=

Book was insightful and inspiring, right mix of teasing, drama, and nerdy science. Once picked up, the book just can’t be put down Check out @thehazelwoodfangpage on Insta

web analytics

The Love Hypothesis

the love hypothesis graphic novel

The Love Hypothesis was all over my insta feed, youtube, and even my friends were sending me Tik toks praising this book. Fake-dating, tall and small, grumpy and sunshine pair, it has everything I love in the book. But I had to wait a few months to get the book from my public library. 

The Love Hypothesis is Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel, and it features fake dating, a STEM academic setting, chaotic besties, a demisexual protagonist, and lots of PSL runs.

Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith finds herself launched into a fake relationship with fellow grouchy Professor Adam Carlsen when her best friend Anh tries to set her up. Even more surprising, Adam agrees to buy Olive all the Pumpkin spice frappuccinos her heart desires. But the more time Olive spends with Adam, she discovers that there’s more to him than the arrogant professor who spooks his grad students. And a few perfectly timed kisses later, Olive realizes she has feelings for her fake boyfriend.

However, after attending a conference in Boston, Olive’s world is completely shaken, and her future in STEM is at risk. Luckily, Adam is there to support Olive through it, but she’s keeping a few big revelations from him. One, his research partner isn’t who he appears to be, and two, she’s deeply in love with Adam.

But finding the courage to confess to those things and save her career is a heavy burden, but Olive’s friends got her back.

This novel contains an academic STEM setting that I did not think I would enjoy (I was more passionate about the humanities). But the Love Hypothesis makes it work because sprinkled amongst the science experiments and research jargon are coffee dates, kisses, and lots of teasing that made me feel engaged with the story.

“It tasted like the rainbow.” “Like sugar and food coloring?” “My two favorite things in the universe. Thank you for buying it for me, by the way.” Ali Hazelwood 352

This book also emphasizes how mentally draining an academic career in STEM can be. But the strain is worse for women because of gendered discrimination. Additionally, the intersection of racial gendered discrimination is mentioned but not explored. Olive’s BFF, Anh, is Vietnamese American and champions her own BIPOC women in STEM organization in the novel, which was great. While I think this topic is worth exploring, I’m okay that it wasn’t part of Olive’s arc in this novel and that title Xl was instead. 

When Olive and Adam decide to fake date, Adam teases that he’s adding more to his title IX complaint about Olive. However, when a colleague sexually harasses Olive, things become serious. Olive reacts out of anger and then despair when she realizes that filing a complaint could cause negative repercussions to her and Adams’ research. When Olive accidentally plays the evidence to her friends, she’s adamant that she wasn’t sexually harassed and is resolute to handle the situation by herself. 

I liked that the book handled the situation by bringing in an outsider, in this case, Anh and Malcolm, to look at things objectively. Because it’s easy to lie to yourself, but it’s harder to do that surrounded by people who love you. I also liked that Olive took her power back and immediately looked for a way out of working with this person before she made up her mind to expose them.

The Love Hypothesis also features great side characters like Anh and Olive’s roommate Malcolm. However, it’s Adam’s bestie- Holden- who has my heart. Holden is a ball of sunshine, laid back, and charming. Holden is a great juxtaposition to the grump Adam, and I wish he was in the novel more, but he does steal the scenes that he is in.

At its heart, the Love Hypothesis is a romantic comedy made up of great side characters and even better best friends. I thoroughly enjoyed the double date at the very end, and I thought it was the perfect way to end this book.

CW: Unconsensual kissing in the first chapter, sexual harassment, Mention of parental death, and discussions of gender discrimination.

Until my next review book besties I’ll be living in libros,

More books with boss babes

Romance Review Monday- Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Romance Review Monday- Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Whoa, if you are tired of boring romance novels with problematic storylines and toxic love interests, check out the brown sister series. Get a Life Chloe Brown is the…

' src=

Somewhere between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp is a must read for 2021

Hello readers! Today I’m going to review an upcoming latinx book. Originally, I planned to read Somewhere Between Bitter during Latinx heritage month, but because I have no self-control,…

Crazy Stupid Bromance takes toxic masculinity by the throat

Crazy Stupid Bromance takes toxic masculinity by the throat

Hello book lovers, I hope your reading this week is going great, or you found a new tv show or even a kdrama to binge. I’m currently reading the…

Share this:

One thought on “ the love hypothesis ”.

  • Pingback: Books with Pastels covers that are perfect for Spring

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

' src=

  • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
  • Subscribe Subscribed
  • Copy shortlink
  • Report this content
  • View post in Reader
  • Manage subscriptions
  • Collapse this bar

Profile Picture

  • ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

avatar

Awards & Accolades

Readers Vote

Our Verdict

Our Verdict

IndieBound Bestseller

Next book

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS

by Ali Hazelwood ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 2021

Fresh and upbeat, though not without flaws.

An earnest grad student and a faculty member with a bit of a jerkish reputation concoct a fake dating scheme in this nerdy, STEM-filled contemporary romance.

Olive Smith and professor Adam Carlsen first met in the bathroom of Adam's lab. Olive wore expired contact lenses, reducing her eyes to temporary tears, while Adam just needed to dispose of a solution. It's a memory that only one of them has held onto. Now, nearly three years later, Olive is fully committed to her research in pancreatic cancer at Stanford University's biology department. As a faculty member, Adam's reputation precedes him, since he's made many students cry or drop their programs entirely with his bluntness. When Olive needs her best friend, Anh, to think she's dating someone so Anh will feel more comfortable getting involved with Olive's barely-an-ex, Jeremy, she impulsively kisses Adam, who happens to be standing there when Anh walks by. But rumors start to spread, and the one-time kiss morphs into a fake relationship, especially as Adam sees there's a benefit for him. The university is withholding funds for Adam's research out of fear that he'll leave for a better position elsewhere. If he puts down more roots by getting involved with someone, his research funds could be released at the next budgeting meeting in about a month's time. After setting a few ground rules, Adam and Olive agree that come the end of September, they'll part ways, having gotten what they need from their arrangement. Hazelwood has a keen understanding of romance tropes and puts them to good use—in addition to fake dating, Olive and Adam are an opposites-attract pairing with their sunny and grumpy personalities—but there are a couple of weaknesses in this debut novel. Hazelwood manages to sidestep a lot of the complicated power dynamics of a student-faculty romance by putting Olive and Adam in different departments, but the impetus for their fake relationship has much higher stakes for Adam. Olive does reap the benefits of dating a faculty member, but in the end, she's still the one seemingly punished or taunted by her colleagues; readers may have been hoping for a more subversive twist. For a first novel, there's plenty of shine here, with clear signs that Hazelwood feels completely comfortable with happily-ever-afters.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-33682-3

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021

ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE

Share your opinion of this book

More by Ali Hazelwood

NOT IN LOVE

BOOK REVIEW

by Ali Hazelwood

BRIDE

More About This Book

13 Romance Authors Making Space in the Genre

PERSPECTIVES

IT ENDS WITH US

New York Times Bestseller

IT ENDS WITH US

by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2016

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

Hoover’s ( November 9 , 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

More by Colleen Hoover

HEART BONES

by Colleen Hoover

IT STARTS WITH US

SEEN & HEARD

Colleen Hoover Is Back. Let the BookTokking Begin

JUST FOR THE SUMMER

by Abby Jimenez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2024

A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.

Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.

Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.

Pub Date: April 2, 2024

ISBN: 9781538704431

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Forever

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024

More by Abby Jimenez

YOURS TRULY

by Abby Jimenez

PART OF YOUR WORLD

  • Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
  • News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
  • Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
  • Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
  • Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
  • More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
  • About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Go To Top

Popular in this Genre

Close Quickview

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Sign in with Google

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

  • Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

South Africa Kobo store

  • Bokmål
  • Español
  • Français
  • Português
  • Română
  • Türkçe

Shopping Cart

You're getting the vip treatment, your shopping cart is empty.

There are currently no items in your Shopping Cart.

1 audiobook monthly

+ free 30-day trial, recommended for you.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Fiction & Literature

The Love Hypothesis

  • Back to Fiction & Literature

ATiktok sensation and must-read STEM romance

The Love Hypothesis - ATiktok sensation and must-read STEM romance ebook by Ali Hazelwood

  • Preview saved
  • Save Preview
  • #3 in Nonfiction , Family & Relationships , Relationships , Love/Romance
  • #140 in Romance , Contemporary
  • #170 in Fiction & Literature

by Author Ali Hazelwood

Buy the eBook

You are in the South Africa store

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Not in South Africa ? Choose your country's store to see books available for purchase.

With an exclusive new bonus chapter... from Adam's POV Based on the available information and the data hitherto collected, my hypothesis is that the further I stay away from love, the better off I will be. 'Contemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist.' Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is on her way to a happily ever after was always going to be tough, scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting woman, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when he agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire and Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support (and his unyielding abs), their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion.

Olive soon discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

What the five star reviews are saying about The Love Hypothesis: 'Did I read this in 24 hours? Yes.' 'Funny. Snarky. Intelligent. Real.' 'If you're even slightly thinking about getting this book to read, just go a head and do it' 'Adam is just *swoon*' 'Ali Hazelwood has made herself an auto-buy author' 'It was just... perfect.' 'A heroine you will instantly fall in love with'

Ali Hazelwood's latest novel, Love on the Brain is out now.

About this book.

  • Review Purchase
  • The Pull of the Stars
  • by Emma Donogue
  • eBook (ePUB)

Canada , Ontario

Add a Promo Code or Gift Card

  • Cart subtotal $10.00 HST $1.20 Total $11.20
  • By clicking Complete Purchase, you agree to Kobo's Terms of Sale
  • Complete Purchase

Thank you, John

Your order number is 123456789

We've sent your order confirmation and receipt to

[email protected]

Books related to The Love Hypothesis

More by ali hazelwood, ebook details.

  • Little, Brown Book Group
  • Release Date: September 27, 2021
  • Imprint: Sphere
  • ISBN: 9781408725757
  • Language: English
  • Download options: EPUB 3 (Adobe DRM)

You can read this item using any of the following Kobo apps and devices:

This is our South Africa store.

Looks like you're in Russia. You need a South Africa address to shop on our South Africa store. Go to our Russia store to continue.

Russia

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

  • Get the app
  • Movie Reviews
  • Best Movie Lists
  • Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

the love hypothesis graphic novel

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Best TV Lists
  • Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
  • Common Sense Selections for TV
  • Video Reviews of TV Shows

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

  • Book Reviews
  • Best Book Lists
  • Common Sense Selections for Books

the love hypothesis graphic novel

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

the love hypothesis graphic novel

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

  • Game Reviews
  • Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

  • Video Reviews of Games

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • Podcast Reviews
  • Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

the love hypothesis graphic novel

  • App Reviews
  • Best App Lists

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Social Networking for Teens

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

  • YouTube Channel Reviews
  • YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

the love hypothesis graphic novel

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

  • Preschoolers (2-4)
  • Little Kids (5-7)
  • Big Kids (8-9)
  • Pre-Teens (10-12)
  • Teens (13+)
  • Screen Time
  • Social Media
  • Online Safety
  • Identity and Community

the love hypothesis graphic novel

How to Prepare Your Kids for School After a Summer of Screen Time

  • Family Tech Planners
  • Digital Skills
  • All Articles
  • Latino Culture
  • Black Voices
  • Asian Stories
  • Native Narratives
  • LGBTQ+ Pride
  • Best of Diverse Representation List

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Multicultural Books

the love hypothesis graphic novel

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

The love hypothesis, common sense media reviewers.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Uneven romance has explicit sex, features women in STEM.

The Love Hypothesis book cover: A White woman in a lab coat and messy bun kisses a surprised looking White man with dark hair

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

An author's note explains Title IX and offers webs

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. Th

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attem

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension,

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k,"

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of en

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in

Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few…

Educational Value

An author's note explains Title IX and offers websites supporting women and BIPOC women in STEM academic fields. The overall story provides insight into graduate and postgraduate academic life and careers, especially in STEM fields.

Positive Messages

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the academic world, especially in STEM fields. Don't be afraid to speak up when you've been harmed or you learn about something unethical. Your web of lies will eventually come to light, and when it does, it may cause more hurt than being truthful from the start would have.

Positive Role Models

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. They're extremely loyal and supportive of each other, and Anh creates chances to support other women, especially BIPOC women in STEM. Adam is very protective and kind on a personal level toward Olive, but to his students he's harsh and uncompromising and seems uncaring. Olive makes a grand gesture out of compassion for Anh and models perseverance in advancing her research and career.

Diverse Representations

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very slim. Adam implies he's Jewish and is very tall and powerfully built. Best friend Anh's family is from Vietnam, and she identifies as a woman of color. Roommate Malcolm reads as White, dates men, and enters a romantic relationship with another man. Olive wonders if she's asexual.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attempted kiss and coercion. An excerpt at the end from a future book has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. A man pins another against a wall by the collar and threatens to kill him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with some crude words like "clit" and "c--k." Good examples of consent are modeled, and birth control and being "clean" are talked about. A few times adults talk about sex or sex acts like sixty-nining, butt stuff, and getting a "hand job."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "f--king," "holy crap," "holy s--t," "pr--k," "s--t," "s--tshow," ass," "assness," "bitch," "bitching," "butt," "crap," "crapfest," "dammit," "goddamned," "hell," "jackass," "pee," "smart-ass." "Jesus" as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of entertainment franchises to establish character and setting.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in California, where the story is set. Very little actual drinking is depicted, but there are mentions of past drunkenness, a weekly beer and s'mores night, and taking advantage of free alcohol at academic meetings and conferences.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with words like "clit" and "c--k." Main character Olive experiences verbal sexual assault, and an excerpt from another book in the back has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. Strong language includes "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "pr--k," "s--t," and more. Adults mention past excessive drinking, look forward to free alcohol at university events, and have a weekly "beer and s'mores night." Two characters remember one of them projectile vomiting after eating bad shrimp, but it's not described. Olive is an orphan with no family. Her mother died of pancreatic cancer, so grief and loss are important themes, along with the struggles women still face in STEM-related fields.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

  • Parents say (1)
  • Kids say (2)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is about Stanford graduate student Olive, who needs to convince her best friend, Anh, that it's OK for Anh to date a guy Olive had recently been seeing but wasn't really interested in. So she hatches a plan to "fake-date" none other than the Biology department's most prestigious professor, Adam Carlsen, who's also a huge jerk. As Olive and Adam's ruse gets harder and harder to keep up, Olive starts to feel like she wishes their dating wasn't actually fake. Will she be able to untangle her web of lies without ruining everything, for everyone?

Is It Any Good?

This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters. Readers who enjoy very familiar romcom tropes will feel at home here, because this story is chock-full of them. The one explicit sex scene is easy to skip for those who aren't interested. A big drawback is Olive's truly bad and unrealistic decision making, which strains believability and takes the reader outside the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the graphic sex in The Love Hypothesis . Is it over-the-top? Realistic? Is reading about it different from seeing it in movies, videos, and other media?

What are some concerns about reading or watching explicit sex ? Do you compare yourself or your body to the characters? Does it make you afraid, feel creepy, or unsure about what sex is like for real people?

What about all the strong language? Is it realistic? Is it a big deal? Why, or why not?

Talk about women studying and working in STEM fields. What are some of the challenges Olive and Ahn face? How do they deal with them? Who supports them? What can men do to make STEM fields more welcoming and inclusive?

Book Details

  • Author : Ali Hazelwood
  • Genre : Romance
  • Topics : STEM , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
  • Character Strengths : Compassion , Perseverance
  • Book type : Fiction
  • Publisher : Berkley
  • Publication date : September 14, 2021
  • Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
  • Number of pages : 400
  • Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated : April 2, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Check and Mate book cover: On a chessboard floor against a pink backdrop, a young couple with determined expressions shake hands, surrounded by large chess pieces

Check & Mate

Want personalized picks for your kids' age and interests?

You Have a Match

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow Poster Image

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

Teen books trending on #booktok, related topics.

  • Perseverance
  • Great Girl Role Models

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

PPLD Home

Book Review: The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis is a cute romance novel that takes place in an academic setting. Olive, our protagonist, is a PhD STEM student attending Stanford, and Adam, her love interest is a professor at the college. I was initially a little hesitant about this book because while the age gap between Olive and Adam isn't concerning, their power dynamic is. Conveniently, however, it is revealed that Adam is not one of Olive's professors and manages another section of students. Even though Adam and Olive were never really "teacher-student," it still made me a little uneasy, especially since the two attend the same college. The novel basically establishes its plot through Olive and Adam having a fake relationship together. Adam needs this fake relationship to convince his higher-ups that he's not leaving Stanford and has put down roots, in order to unfreeze funds needed for his research projects. Olive, on the other hand, needs a fake relationship to convince her best friend Ahn, that she has no feelings for a boy she had gone out on a couple of dates with, after realizing Ahn is interested in the same boy herself. In order to persuade Ahn to pursue her feelings, Olive strikes up this fake-dating deal with Professor Adam Carlsen, thus leading the two of them into a real future together.

The Love Hypothesis, in my opinion, has everything critical for a good, cheesy, romance. The fake-dating trope, many sweet situations, and a love interest who seems cold and cruel on the outside, but turns out to be a softie just for Olive. While the novel may have the right ingredients for a swoon-worthy romance, however, there was something missing. Olive as a protagonist was a very 2d character and was someone I could not find myself relating to or even being interested in. While it was refreshing to see a female woman lead pursuing a career in STEM, there was nothing else all that interesting about Olive. I also didn't like the author's choice of using the topic of sexual assault only as a plot device, in order to bring the story forward and the characters closer.

On the other hand, Adam was a classically written love interest. Strong on the outside, and soft on the inside, he had all the criteria needed for a typical male lead in a romance novel, and while it may seem overdone to some, I think Adam was a great portrayal of such traits.

Overall, The Love Hypothesis was an interesting romance novel, and I enjoyed its academic setting and some of the scenes involved. However, there were a couple of aspects of the story that could have been tweaked to make the story more enjoyable. In my opinion, many romance-lovers would probably enjoy this novel, but I found myself wanting more.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

site categories

Bbc olympics commentator corrected by co-host after misgendering u.s. shot putter raven saunders.

  • Netflix Argentina Slate Includes Adaptations Of Graphic Novel ‘El Eternauta’ & Comic Strip ‘Mafalda’ And A Local Version Of ‘Love Is Blind’

By Stewart Clarke

Stewart Clarke

More stories by stewart.

  • Media Veterans Jeff Bewkes, Howard Stringer & Jeremy Fox Launch Thoroughbred Studios & Cut Overall Deal With iHeart For Drama Podcasts Based On Real-Life U.S. Events
  • The Camden Film Quarter: Inside The Blockbuster Plans For A New Film & TV Neighborhood In The Heart Of London

Netflix Argentina's El Eternauta

Netflix has unveiled a deep slate of originals out of Argentina including an animated adaptation of iconic comic strip Mafalda from Oscar-winning director Juan José Campanella . Another adaptation is El Eternauta , based on the graphic novel of the same name. There will also be a local version of dating series Love is Blind and a three-part doc about Argentine soccer star Ángel Di María.

Related Stories

Felicia Pride, and Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison in A Different World TV series

'A Different World' Sequel Series About Whitley & Dwayne's Daughter From Felicia Pride In Works At Netflix

Andrew Sodroski

Netflix Series On '70s Philadelphia's Main Line Murders From Andrew Sodroski, Aggregate In Early Development 

Watch on deadline.

Héctor G. Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López’s graphic novel ‘El Eternauta’ is also headed to Netflix with Bruno Stagnaro directing. K&S Films will produce the live-action series, which follows a group of people who survive a snowfall that kills millions, and then have to fight a mysterious alien threat.

Elsewhere, Netflix has greenlit a local version of its dating show Love is Blind . Darío Barassi and Wanda Nara will present the Argentine version of show. It will be produced by Fremantle.

With sporting docs in vogue, a series about Ángel Di María is in the works. The soccer star played for his country as well as the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid. He left Portuguese side Benfica at the end of last season.

Other original series on the slate include Atrapados , based on the Harlen Coben novel ‘Caught’ and produced by Haddock Films.

There are several movies including Diego Lerman’s El hombre que amaba los platos voladores , which will play in competition at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

Must Read Stories

Paramount global braces for new round of layoffs as q2 earnings hit.

the love hypothesis graphic novel

Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, Bill Burr To Star In ‘Glengarry’ Revival In 2025

Warner bros. discovery shares plunge to new low after earnings, write-down, jason reitman’s ‘saturday night’ trailer: first glimpse at ‘snl’ origin story, read more about:, subscribe to deadline.

Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.

No Comments

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Quantcast

COMMENTS

  1. The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis is a romance novel by Ali Hazelwood, published September 14, 2021 by Berkley Books.Originally published online in 2018 as Head Over Feet, a Star Wars fan fiction work about the "Reylo" ship between Rey and Kylo Ren, the novel follows a Ph.D. candidate and a professor at Stanford University who pretend to be in a relationship.

  2. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood: 9780593336823

    About The Love Hypothesis. Now see Adam pine for Olive in a special bonus chapter! The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

  3. The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis. The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic ...

  4. The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships-but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this ...

  5. Review: Why 'the Love Hypothesis' Is Such a Hit Romance Novel

    Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books: Advertisement. 1. The story focuses a lot on Olive and Adam's lives outside their romance, making their love story more ...

  6. Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

    The Love Hypothesis is an unapologetically cheesy rom-com novel — with an upbeat attitude, meet cutes, fake-dating tropes, etc. — but it's also a genuinely fun and often funny book. It hits a lot of familiar notes if you're familiar with this genre, but somehow Ali Hazelwood has arranged them in a way that ends up being delightful and ...

  7. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

    A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships—but her best friend does, and that's what got ...

  8. The Love Hypothesis Kindle Edition

    The Love Hypothesis has wild commercial appeal but the quieter secret is that there is a specific audience, made up of all of the Olives in the world, who have deeply, ardently waited for this exact book."—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author "Funny, sexy and smart, Ali Hazelwood did a terrific job with The Love Hypothesis ...

  9. The Love Hypothesis

    A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships—but her best friend does, and that's what got her ...

  10. The Love Hypothesis: ATiktok sensation and must-read STEM romance

    Ali Hazelwood is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, Love on the Brain, Love Theoretically, Check & Mate and Bride, as well as a 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 US to pursue a PhD in ...

  11. The Love Hypothesis (Paperback)

    An Indie Next Pick! "A literary breakthrough…The Love Hypothesis is a self-assured debut, and we hypothesize it's just the first bit of greatness we'll see from an author who somehow has the audacity to be both an academic powerhouse and divinely talented novelist."—Entertainment Weekly "Contemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist...

  12. The Love Hypothesis

    An Indie Next Pick! "A literary breakthrough… The Love Hypothesis is a self-assured debut, and we hypothesize it's just the first bit of greatness we'll see from an author who somehow has the audacity to be both an academic powerhouse and divinely talented novelist."— Entertainment Weekly " C ontemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist...

  13. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, Paperback

    Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a 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 US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found ...

  14. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

    The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Published by Berkley on September 14, 2021 Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy Pages: 384 Format: eARC Source: Publisher (Netgalley) Add to Goodreads Buy on Amazon. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

  15. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

    Olive soon discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope. Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN: 9781408725764. Number of pages: 400. Weight: 260 g. Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 28 mm. MEDIA REVIEWS.

  16. The Love Hypothesis

    Fake-dating, tall and small, grumpy and sunshine pair, it has everything I love in the book. But I had to wait a few months to get the book from my public library. The Love Hypothesis is Ali Hazelwood's debut novel, and it features fake dating, a STEM academic setting, chaotic besties, a demisexual protagonist, and lots of PSL runs. Summary:

  17. THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS

    THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS. Fresh and upbeat, though not without flaws. An earnest grad student and a faculty member with a bit of a jerkish reputation concoct a fake dating scheme in this nerdy, STEM-filled contemporary romance. Olive Smith and professor Adam Carlsen first met in the bathroom of Adam's lab. Olive wore expired contact lenses, reducing ...

  18. The Love Hypothesis ebook by Ali Hazelwood

    Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners. *. When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships but her best ...

  19. The Love Hypothesis Book Review

    Kids say ( 2 ): This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters.

  20. PDF The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis ." —New York Times bestselling author Mariana Zapata "This tackles one of my favorite tropes—Grumpy meets Sunshine—in a fun and utterly endearing way. . . . I loved the nods tow ard fandom and romance novels, and I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!"

  21. Book Review: The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis, in my opinion, has everything critical for a good, cheesy, romance. The fake-dating trope, many sweet situations, and a love interest who seems cold and cruel on the outside, but turns out to be a softie just for Olive. While the novel may have the right ingredients for a swoon-worthy romance, however, there was something ...

  22. The Love Hypothesis Read Free Online by Ali Hazelwood

    The Love Hypothesis. As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists ...

  23. Netflix Argentina Unveils Slate

    Netflix Argentina Slate Includes Adaptations Of Graphic Novel 'El Eternauta' & Comic Strip 'Mafalda' And A Local Version Of 'Love Is Blind'