Book Review: ‘The Love Hypothesis’
Hypothesis: I won’t get over the fact that I’ve finished this book.
What It’s About (In My Own Words)
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
When third-year PhD candidate Olive Smith kisses a random man in a panic to convince her best friend she’s totally over her ex, she doesn’t expect him to be Adam Carlsen—Stanford’s most terrifying young professor and known menace of the biology department. She definitely doesn’t expect him to agree to keep up the ruse. But with funding deadlines, lab politics, and academic gossip circling like fruit flies around a compost bin, fake-dating Adam might be the most effective (and awkward) experiment of Olive’s life.
What starts off as mutually beneficial fakery soon turns into something much messier—and much more real. As Olive navigates the pressure-cooker world of academic research, she also finds herself confronting impostor syndrome, toxic hierarchies, and the terrifying prospect of actual feelings.
It’s nerdy, flirty, and emotionally honest.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: this book has the miscommunication trope. Yes, that one. The kind where you’re internally screaming “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER” while flipping pages at an alarming speed. And yet—yet—I devoured it. With a smile on my face. And maybe a couple of deep sighs that were not at all dramatic (they totally were).
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is a fake-dating, slow-burn academic romcom that delivers both serotonin and surprisingly sharp social commentary. We follow Olive Smith, a PhD candidate with a strong sense of ethics, poor impulse control, and no time for dating. Enter Adam Carlsen, a brooding, famously difficult professor with a soft side hidden under his grumpy exterior. What begins as a charade spirals into one of the most satisfying “oh no, I’m actually in love with him” epiphanies I’ve read in a while.
It’s tropey in all the right ways: grumpy x sunshine, fake dating, only one hotel bed (yes, it’s here, and it’s glorious). But what elevates this book is how Hazelwood weaves in a very real critique of academia. We’re talking underpaid grad students, condescending advisors, burnout, and the silent ways the system undermines women and people of colour. It’s all there—wrapped in a deceptively light package.
I loved that Olive’s passion for science was sincere and central, and that the book didn’t shy away from showing how demoralising and exploitative the academic world can be, especially for early-career researchers. And Adam? The man can write a recommendation letter and listen when a woman talks about sexism in science. Be still, my heart.
Yes, the plot hinges on some moments of willful ignorance that could’ve been solved with a single honest conversation. But I was invested. The chemistry was electric (pun intended), the pacing on point, the humour spot on, and I lost count of how many times I cackled out loud in public like a woman completely unbothered by social norms.
A final note for readers curious about spice level: yes, this book has open-door scenes1. But I loved how Hazelwood handled it. They’re contained within two back-to-back chapters, making it easy to skip if that’s not your thing, without losing any of the emotional or narrative momentum. Elegant solution, 10/10.
MOM BRAIN FILTER
Reading this felt like stealing time for myself—light and fizzy, but with enough substance to feel satisfying. It reminded me of how complicated it is to balance ambition, vulnerability, and burnout—something I think a lot about now, even outside the lab or lecture hall. Plus, reading a romance where the heroine isn’t just smart but also passionate about her field? A win. More of this, please.
READ IF YOU:
Love fake dating
Want a romcom that also tackles real-world inequities in academia
Crave a swoony, cinnamon-roll-in-disguise love interest
Think science is sexy (because it is)
SKIP IF YOU:
Can’t stand miscommunication (especially in the third act)
Need your romcoms to be 100% fluff, no commentary
Are allergic to lab settings or awkward conference presentations
⭐ RULING
Funny, nerdy, and surprisingly biting—The Love Hypothesis offers the perfect balance of tropey romance and academic realism. You’ll laugh, swoon, and maybe rage-quit your PhD program (again).
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YOUR TURN
Have you read this one? Did you also want to marry Adam or become Olive’s thesis defence hype squad? And if you haven’t read it yet, tell me:
Do you love STEM-set romances or prefer a different backdrop for your love stories?
What’s your favourite romance trope—and which ones make you want to throw the book across the room?
👇 Spill the tea.
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According to Romance.io, the book includes at least one intimate scene with the reader fully present, using euphemistic language for both the act and body parts.