Love, Theoretically (Paperback)
June 2023 Indie Next List
“Love, Theoretically combines meme-based humor, sizzling romantic tension, soul-searching personal growth, and blazing critiques of the glaring disparities in academia. This book isn’t just awesome in theory — it’s a proven fact!”
— Sarah Knapp, Inkwood Books, Haddonfield, NJ
Staff Reviews
The best STEM romance yet from Ali Hazelwood. I love to see an author settle in and improve and grow their storytelling craft with each book. This book comes with the good stuff: complex characters, each with rich history, and a wavy plot that gives us the hilarious highs and lows Hazelwood is known for. Tension lingers on every page, heated glances spear across rooms, and our hero and heroine pine in secret. Keep 'em coming Ali, and I'll keep reading them.
— Sam
Ali Hazelwood is the quen of STEM. I love a 'he fell first' trope and this book totally delivered (with a side of enemies to lovers). It was gut-wrenchinging to follow Elsie's struggle in her career, especially when she is so passionate! This book will have you blushing and almost giddy when you start to dive into Jack and Elsie's romantic story.
— MicahAn Indie Next and Library Reads Pick!
Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain.
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.
Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
“It would be so easy to hate Ali—who is brilliant and funny and the most delightful writer…but it’s far more productive to create a shrine I can worship at, praying for her to finish another book quickly. LOVED. IT.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult
"Whenever I want a sexy, witty, delicious romance, told in a fresh and intelligent voice, I read Ali Hazelwood. Prepare to get addicted. Each book is pure joy."—Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author
"The reigning queen of STEMinist rom-coms returns with a tale set in the cutthroat world of eliteacademia full of delightful humor, realistic emotions, and the messy search for self-acceptance."—Booklist, starred review
"A decidedly quirky and thoroughly charming tale...Geeky science jokes, humorous student emails, and expertly delivered snarky banter enhance the narrative. Readers will cheer for Jack and Elsie and their bumpy road to happily ever after."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Hazelwood’s latest STEM-set novel may be her best yet, addressing not only discrimination among different realms of physics, but the unconscious bias Elsie has to continually fight as a woman in her field...A dynamic rivals-to-lovers romance."—Kirkus, starred review
Praise for Ali Hazelwood
“Hazelwood is an absolute romance powerhouse.”—New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren
“Hazelwood proves that she is the perfect writer to show that science is sexy as hell.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult
“Gloriously nerdy and sexy, with on-point commentary about women in STEM.”—New York Times bestselling author Helen Hoang on Love on the Brain
“Funny, sexy and smart, Ali Hazelwood did a terrific job with The Love Hypothesis.”—New York Times bestselling author Mariana Zapata
“STEMinists, assemble. Your world is about to be rocked.”—New York Times bestselling author Elena Armas on Love on the Brain