The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is the Popsugar suggestion for thus prompt. Main character Olive Smith is asexual. It sounded like a fun read and it’s all over bookstagram so I though it would be a good summer read.

What it’s about?

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.

What I think:

This was a quick, fun read.

Hazelwood promotes women in STEM as her protagonists and main character Olive is surrounded by men in the science lab. As a PhD student she is constantly working and constantly broke.

Trying to convince her best friend that her love life is on track, Olive finds herself in a fake relationship with gorgeous but grumpy professor, Adam Carlsen.

Olive and Adam find themselves in increasingly awkward situations as everyone buys into their relationship. Some of it is a bit cringy – best friend Anh pushes Olive far beyond her comfort zone and in real life I cannot imagine any woman doing this to her girl friend in real life.

Their relationship develops slowly as they both overcome their issues and a few complications on the way and there’s not too much spice to distract from romance. As an asexual woman, Olive learns a lot about her own sexuality throughout the book as she gets to know Adam and finds him more attractive.

Overall this is a great escapist read that draws you in and will keep you reading just one more chapter. The supporting characters are fun and interesting and you will be rooting for Olive from page 1.

Love on the Brain is on my bedside cabinet waiting to be read and I think Ali Hazelwood is a writer I will definitely read more from.