“I am going to take care of this,” he told her. There was something determined, earnest in his eyes. Olive had never felt safer, or more loved. “And then I’ll come find you, and I’ll take care of you.”
– The Love Hypothesis
Summary and Thoughts
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.
I had expected big things from The Love Hypothesis, due to its myriad positive reviews . . . and yet, it still blew me away. The scenario is expected – a fake dating scheme that results in true love – but the characters’ STEM backgrounds, witty observations, and heartfelt dialogue push the story to new heights. Our main leads are Olive Smith – a nervous but upbeat graduate student, and the young Dr. Adam Carlsen (and don’t worry, the story makes sure there aren’t any school violations or ethics problems here, which I appreciated). It’s a sunshine-thunderstorm relationship, though Adam spends far more time being gentle than coarse (which I vastly prefer. His “mean” episodes are mainly for “off-the-page” moments). I enjoyed seeing their relationship blossom, though in my opinion, there were a few too many misunderstandings to navigate. The resolution was also a bit hasty, but like any romance novel, there’s still a happy ending to luxuriate in. All in all, The Love Hypothesis is must-read for fans of contemporary romance, witty banter, and sweet/steamy moments.
Notable Reviews:
For Those Who Enjoyed:
- The Roommate by Rosie Danan
- Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
- The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Soloman
- Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle
Star Rating
4.5/5
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