I have heard a lot about Ali Hazelwood’s books for a long time! I know a lot of people really enjoy her books, and I knew a lot about The Love Hypothesis (LH) from my friends. Because I can be so easily influenced by books and feel the need to develop an opinion about EVERYTHING, I decided to pick up one of her books. Based on what I had heard about LH, I wasn’t sure her books would be for me. And I definitely have a lot to say!

Firstly, this book was a very quick read! The prose is very simple, so I can understand why people enjoy these books; they’re the equivalent of watching a feel good rom com, which I also enjoy!

However, I felt a lot of the stories and tropes I knew from LH very much applied here. I have heard from others that Ali Hazelwood’s books fulfill a similar trope in most of her writing, and that rings true for me. The woman who never feels special; she’s plucky and a little awkward! The successful man who brooding and serious, but has a good heart and a troubled past. He will literally look at her like she hung the moon, and she will somehow misconstrue this for hatred. She has a fully formed prefrontal cortex and a doctorate but acts like a teenager for some reason!

I definitely do not mind tropes as a card carrying member of Ao3, but for me, there is no transformation of them to make stories more interesting. I don’t really get a sense of why Elsie and Jack are into one another, other than physical attraction; I’ve never found that that makes for a long standing relationship. Honestly, I understand Ali recognizes this, but Elsie needs therapy long before she needs to be in a relationship. I find a lot of her interactions with Jack uncomfortable.

The most interesting parts of these stories are actually the academia, but they are not explored to an interesting depth for me in service of the romance. I believe Hazelwood’s issues with misogyny in the field are real, but the discussion is very surface level. There are so many repetitive parts (Elsie taking her people pleasing or mistrust of Jack, even after she has the whole truth of him) that could have been used to develop any part.

I really tried to give this book the benefit of the doubt, but so much of it was lacking and exactly what I expected of it, not for the best.

Finally, I’ll leave you with somewhat of an aesthetic note: some of my “favorite” lines:

• The usage of the term “4evah”

• “Did I pop your apology cherry?”

• “Are you not letting him smack the salmon because of the article he wrote?”