Let me start by saying that I LOVE ADAM CARLSEN 😭😭 Also, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood was SOOO good but probably so bad for my actual well-being haha. I recently came to terms that I need to change the type of guy that I always end up liking aka those who are tall, quiet, and who I later realize are emotionally unavailable. This book definitely does not help me with this because now I want an Adam Carlsen. I know he’s the emotionally available version of my type, but I’m not going to find that where I live. Overall, I really did enjoy this book, and I’m excited to read more from Ali Hazelwood.

For those who haven’t heard about this book (I don’t know how that could be possible, but we try not to assume in this household), it’s all about what would happen if you mixed the fake dating trope with the world of scientific academia. The main character is named Olive, who is a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford. After a few lies to her best friend Anh and one impulsive kiss later, Olive finds herself fake dating the young notorious professor Adam Carlsen. Although Olive tries to keep herself at an arm’s length away from Adam, she always finds herself in compromising situations with him. She also can’t help noticing how brooding, attractive, and oddly sweet he is towards her.

Although I love the fake dating trope, the one that truly gets me in my heart is when the brooding male is sweet and all smiley with the heroine. It makes me want to squeal from the cuteness every time! It was so absolutely obvious that he already liked her, and I enjoyed every second of it. I mean, come on, he literally carried a chocolate-covered protein bar just for Olive even though he hates chocolate😭😭💖💖

Olive is a strong woman in STEM, and I always appreciate my fellow “O” name companions… but she really got on my nerves sometimes. She was so tough on Adam, and I understand it… but also I don’t. Adam has a reputation for being a tyrant and rude, but Olive never even talked to him that much. I know her close friend really disliked him, but I didn’t like how she would assume the worst and guess what Adam was thinking or how he would respond. It was kind of unfair because he was super kind to her.

Later on in the book, I realized that Olive assumed the worst all the time because of her insecurities and abandonment issues. Olive’s actions still irritated me sometimes, but it’s because my insecurities are very similar to hers. It makes me a little empathetic, but at the same time, I’m sick of myself being so irrational sometimes too.

There were a few scenes that had me confused as to where the characters actually were because of the lack of description, especially when it came to the setting. For example, I had a difficult time picturing them parting ways after they got coffee. The scenes in the hotel room confused me at times too. However, this novel contains my favorite banter EVER! The dialogue is extremely witty, and it’s very entertaining. It kept my attention the whole time—even the scientific banter (it reminded me of the time I told my past crush that I liked gold without the “A” ✨chemistry reference✨)

The misunderstandings were really sad at points because it was so obvious they both liked each other. Adam should be proud that he’s BFFs with Holden Rodrigues because Holden gave Olive the push she needed to finally stop all the lying. Holden is a very likable and charismatic character. He is silly, but he is very wise and insightful when he needs to be.

⚠️SPOILER⚠️ Although the novel might’ve been going for a secret reveal, maybe more subtle hints throughout the novel about Tom’s true nature could’ve made the scene more cohesive. It seemed like too much of a difference between Tom’s facade and the change after he revealed how he really was. He became more arrogant and aggressive. One or two scenes of Tom touching Olive’s arm or hand or shoulder could have made the change in character more natural. Another idea could be to hint at Tom’s feelings towards Adam. Maybe he could say something about Adam’s achievements in a slightly strange tone, which could hint at the bitterness and jealousy Tom feels. However, perhaps the whole scenario just shows how good some people are at acting. ⚠️END OF SPOILER⚠️

I applaud the overall flow and progression of the story though. I literally read the whole second half of the book in one day. The hypothesis at the beginning of each chapter is a brilliant concept. There were many times when I thought I would take a break, but the hypothesis for the next chapter intrigued me too much. They’re also just kind of fun to read and allow for a little glimpse of what’s to come.

Rating: 9.47/10

Thank you, everyone, for checking out my blog! I hope my new-found love for Adam Carlsen does not hinder my ability to find love with a man IRL. What’s your favorite trope and your favorite example of this trope? Let me know in the comments below. I hope you all enjoyed reading. I’ll see y’all in the next post!