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Review: The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood

October 22, 2021

The Love Hypothesis was a fun contemporary romance new adult book . The story easily kept me entertained until the very last page! Read my review below to find out why!

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 received this book for free from Penguin Random House INTL in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

There are no spoilers in this review.

This blog post contains affiliate links. If you buy something on my recommendation, I will receive a small commission. Purchasing via these links will not cost you any extra and will help me cover the costs of book blogging. You will find more info on my  privacy policy  and  disclaimer  pages. Thank you!

I ENJOYED…

• The original context! I don’t know about you but I’ve NEVER read a book taking place in grad school (What is up with that? Am I living in a cave or are there really not that common?!). I loved the fact that the story took place during that both exciting and confusing time after high school and just before entering the job market. I also loved the fact that the focus was on a female scientist! Yaaayyy to female scientists! We need more of those! To be honest I was a bit scared that all the science talk would confuse me because it’s definitely not my cup of tea but it was not an issue at all.
• The relatable flawed main character . She’s this sweet, nerdy and quirky woman who tries to find the cure of pancreatic cancer. Olive is both insecure and really hard working, spending most of her time in the lab for her reasearch. I found myself easily rooting for her , getting frustrated for her, wanting her to reach all of her dreams.
• The fake dating trope! One of my favorite trope! Even if the reason behind it was a bit lame and the motivation to keep it up was a bit unconvincing (in my opinion!), I still found myself laughing out loud at all those unlikely situations. And the banter… oh yes, the banter was gold ! The dialogues were witty and snarky and I absolutely live for those!
• All those important topics that were beautifuly tackled. This book was light for sure and it will definitely make your heart melt. Nevertheless, it still tackled important issues like school pressure . It was really well depicted in this book. How hard you must work to achieve your goal. How burn-outs are quite litterally just around the corner. The public speaking anxiety was also on point! Suffering from that as well, I found myself seen and heard and it felt freaking good.

• Last but not least, this story was about women, women in a field surrounded by men . As you turn the pages, you can see how women can be denied opportunities just because of their gender. How women are having issues just getting to be believed in. How women can feel inferior despite all their hard work and talent. All those additional obstacles we encounter just because we’re young and female in a predominantly male-dominated field.

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…

• I would have loved to see both POV! Unfortunately, Adam felt a bit bland. It was really hard for me to understand his personnality besides being constantly moody and sullen. I think that getting both POV would have made the character more lovable and the chemistry more “honest” and real.
• The sex part… I’ve got no issues with sex parts in books (beware, in case you didn’t see it up there this one is an adult book and sex is included) but I really don’t know how to feel about that particular part in this story. It felt like a lot, it was way too long for my liking without adding anything to the story.

If you’re looking for a fun, sweet and flirty read that’ll make your heart melt, The Love Hypothesis is the perfect match for you!

FINAL RATING : 3,5 drops!

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📚 Books similar to The Love Hypothesis that I’d recommend:

• For more books with the fake-dating trope , check out our recommendations of YA books with fake-dating !

Did you read The Love Hypothesis or do you want to? What’s the latest contemporary romance book you read and enjoyed? Let me know in comments!

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October 22, 2021 at 4:38 pm

I loved this book. I agree sex part was a bit long but I could overlook that as story was so amazing. Great review!

October 23, 2021 at 10:28 am

Yes, totally! Thank you so much! 😘😘

October 23, 2021 at 10:23 am

Great review! I also enjoyed this book and find it quite original and sooo funny.

October 23, 2021 at 10:29 am

Thank you so much! ☺️☺️ Yeeees, totally original and so funny 😁

October 24, 2021 at 1:29 pm

I really liked this book and ended up bumping up my rating to five stars just because of how much it cheered me up – I’m not very strict with ratings, lmao – but I definitely agree with the things you didn’t like. It would have been so much better to get both POVs! And the sex scene was extremely long – it made me feel like the author made it that long because it was the only sex scene in the book and there are usually multiple in adult romance novels. There was no need for it, tbh. Overall, this was a good romance novel, imo, but I’m a bit surprised by all the praise it’s gotten because I don’t think it’s as outstanding or unique as people have been saying. 😅

October 30, 2021 at 9:33 am

Glad to see I’m not the only one who felt that way!! YEEES! I totally agree! It was good but not THAT good 😅😅 Thank you so much for stopping by, happy reading 😘

October 25, 2021 at 4:37 pm

I absolutely adored this book! I didn’t really mind the sex part, I think it was necessary, especially since Olive is demisexual. I do wish this book had dual POV too though. Great review!

October 30, 2021 at 9:29 am

Yeees, a dual POV would have been awesome! Thank you so much for stopping by 😘😘

October 27, 2021 at 3:31 am

Have you read the bonus chapter with Adam’s POV?

October 30, 2021 at 9:28 am

Oh no 😱 There was a bonus chapter?! 😱

October 30, 2021 at 7:24 pm

Yes! You can read it via Ali’s newsletter

October 31, 2021 at 9:18 am

I need to check it out!! Thank you! 😊

October 27, 2021 at 4:44 pm

I completely agree with everything you said in this! I love that it took place in grad school, which I’ve also never read about. I also liked that she was a scientist and they talked basic science, but not enough to confuse us. While I love the fake dating trope, it definitely was a lame reasoning. I LOVED the banter, they were extremely funny. I agree with you, I’ve read sex scenes before, but I felt like this one was forced? Like it wasn’t necessarily at all, and could have been skipped over almost entirely. Great review! xx

Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com

October 30, 2021 at 9:32 am

YES, YES, YES! I agree with all of your points! 😁 Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! 😘😘

October 31, 2021 at 3:48 pm

As a woman in STEM, I was looking forward to this book so very much and it didn’t disappoint me! There were so many relatable aspects of Olive’s experiences that were just so affirming to read about. And personally I really enjoyed the way Adam absolutely adored Olive and would do anything to make her happy. I understand your point about him not being the most fleshed out, but I did feel like we got to see different sides of him when he was with Olive or his friends, versus when he was in a professorial role.

But ultimately this book just made me so happy that I gave it five stars! It might not be an all time favorite, but it is a temporary favorite for the way it made me smile and perked me up during a stressful point in my semester!

Great review!

November 1, 2021 at 9:51 am

That’s awesome! 😊 Thank you so so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! 😘😘

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The love hypothesis.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 2 Reviews
• Kids Say 2 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Uneven romance has explicit sex, features women in STEM.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few…

Why Age 17+?

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, b

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "f--king," "holy crap

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attempted kiss and coercion. An exc

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of entertainment franchises to esta

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in California, where the story i

Any Positive Content?

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. They're extremely loyal and supp

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very slim. Adam implies he's Jewish

An author's note explains Title IX and offers websites supporting women and BIPO

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the academic world, especially in

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with some crude words like "clit" and "c--k." Good examples of consent are modeled, and birth control and being "clean" are talked about. A few times adults talk about sex or sex acts like sixty-nining, butt stuff, and getting a "hand job."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Bulls--t," "clit," "clusterf--k," "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "f--king," "holy crap," "holy s--t," "pr--k," "s--t," "s--tshow," ass," "assness," "bitch," "bitching," "butt," "crap," "crapfest," "dammit," "goddamned," "hell," "jackass," "pee," "smart-ass." "Jesus" as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

An incident of verbal sexual assault with an attempted kiss and coercion. An excerpt at the end from a future book has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. A man pins another against a wall by the collar and threatens to kill him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A few food and beverage brands, and a couple of entertainment franchises to establish character and setting.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

All characters are adults of legal drinking age in California, where the story is set. Very little actual drinking is depicted, but there are mentions of past drunkenness, a weekly beer and s'mores night, and taking advantage of free alcohol at academic meetings and conferences.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Olive and Ahn are good models of women in STEM. They're extremely loyal and supportive of each other, and Anh creates chances to support other women, especially BIPOC women in STEM. Adam is very protective and kind on a personal level toward Olive, but to his students he's harsh and uncompromising and seems uncaring. Olive makes a grand gesture out of compassion for Anh and models perseverance in advancing her research and career.

Diverse Representations

Olive reads as White, is from Canada, and is very slim. Adam implies he's Jewish and is very tall and powerfully built. Best friend Anh's family is from Vietnam, and she identifies as a woman of color. Roommate Malcolm reads as White, dates men, and enters a romantic relationship with another man. Olive wonders if she's asexual.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Educational Value

An author's note explains Title IX and offers websites supporting women and BIPOC women in STEM academic fields. The overall story provides insight into graduate and postgraduate academic life and careers, especially in STEM fields.

Positive Messages

You have to be strong and tough to make it in the academic world, especially in STEM fields. Don't be afraid to speak up when you've been harmed or you learn about something unethical. Your web of lies will eventually come to light, and when it does, it may cause more hurt than being truthful from the start would have.

Parents need to know that Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis is an adult romance set in the higher levels of academia at Stanford University. Ph.D. candidate Olive starts a fake relationship with a professor in hopes of inspiring her best friend to go for the man she's really interested in. Other than a few kisses and some romantic tension, there's only one sex scene, but it's extended, explicit, and meant to arouse. Oral and genital sex, manual stimulation, genital penetration, sucking nipples and genitals, and orgasm are described in detail with words like "clit" and "c--k." Main character Olive experiences verbal sexual assault, and an excerpt from another book in the back has sexual harassment and cyberbullying. Strong language includes "c--k," "d--k," "f--k," "pr--k," "s--t," and more. Adults mention past excessive drinking, look forward to free alcohol at university events, and have a weekly "beer and s'mores night." Two characters remember one of them projectile vomiting after eating bad shrimp, but it's not described. Olive is an orphan with no family. Her mother died of pancreatic cancer, so grief and loss are important themes, along with the struggles women still face in STEM-related fields.

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (2)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Good for kids

What's the story.

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is about Stanford graduate student Olive, who needs to convince her best friend, Anh, that it's OK for Anh to date a guy Olive had recently been seeing but wasn't really interested in. So she hatches a plan to "fake-date" none other than the Biology department's most prestigious professor, Adam Carlsen, who's also a huge jerk. As Olive and Adam's ruse gets harder and harder to keep up, Olive starts to feel like she wishes their dating wasn't actually fake. Will she be able to untangle her web of lies without ruining everything, for everyone?

Is It Any Good?

This romance set in the lofty world of a prestigious graduate school program has its ups and downs. It's refreshing to see women in STEM represented and important to highlight how much many women struggle in that world. The Love Hypothesis has some funny banter, especially with colorful supporting characters. Readers who enjoy very familiar romcom tropes will feel at home here, because this story is chock-full of them. The one explicit sex scene is easy to skip for those who aren't interested. A big drawback is Olive's truly bad and unrealistic decision making, which strains believability and takes the reader outside the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the graphic sex in The Love Hypothesis . Is it over-the-top? Realistic? Is reading about it different from seeing it in movies, videos, and other media?

What are some concerns about reading or watching explicit sex ? Do you compare yourself or your body to the characters? Does it make you afraid, feel creepy, or unsure about what sex is like for real people?

What about all the strong language? Is it realistic? Is it a big deal? Why, or why not?

Talk about women studying and working in STEM fields. What are some of the challenges Olive and Ahn face? How do they deal with them? Who supports them? What can men do to make STEM fields more welcoming and inclusive?

Book Details

• Author : Ali Hazelwood
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : STEM , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Perseverance
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Berkley
• Publication date : September 14, 2021
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 18 - 18
• Number of pages : 400
• Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
• Last updated : April 2, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to read next.

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The Love Hypothesis

48 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Chapter 3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-11

Chapters 12-13

Chapters 14-15

Chapters 16-19

Chapter 20-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Summary and Study Guide

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2021) follows a female scientist’s comedic journey to true love that’s fraught with lies, tears, and awkward moments. The book was an instant NY Times bestseller, a BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021, and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist. Born in Italy, Ali Hazelwood moved to the United States via Japan and Germany to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She currently works as a college professor and writes romance novels about women in STEM fields. The Love Hypothesis was her debut novel. This guide follows the 2021 Berkley edition.

Plot Summary

The Love Hypothesis is set in modern-day America and follows Olive Smith , a 26-year-old graduate student of biology at Stanford University. Olive’s research focuses on pancreatic cancer, but each chapter begins with a hypothesis about Olive’s love life or choices as is relevant to the chapter’s contents.

Two years before the main events of the story, Olive’s expired contacts act up right before her interview for Ph.D. candidacy at Stanford. While she waits in the bathroom for her eyes to stop watering, she meets Adam Carlsen , one of the foremost biology researchers in the world—though she doesn’t learn it was him until the end of the book. His wise words convince Olive that grad school is the right path, and two weeks later, she accepts an offer to study at Stanford.

Almost three years later, Olive is trying to convince her best friend that she’s over her ex-boyfriend so her friend, who is interested in her ex-boyfriend, will date him. Olive is working in the lab on a night she said she’d be on a date when she sees her friend walk by. Desperate to appear on a date, Olive kisses the first man she sees, who turns out to be Adam. Adam has a reputation for being mean and terrifying, and he demands an explanation. Olive haltingly explains her situation, apologizes for the kiss, and runs away, hoping she never sees him again.

A few days later, Olive’s friend corners her in the lab. Before Olive can spin an explanation, Adam arrives and acts warmly toward her, which convinces Olive’s friend their relationship is genuine. Olive wants to keep up the charade until her friends are solidly together, and Adam needs to convince Stanford he’s not leaving to get his research funds unfrozen. The two decide to pretend they’re dating for a month in hopes their fake relationship will be mutually beneficial.

Olive’s area of focus is early detection for pancreatic cancer. Her mother died from pancreatic cancer because it was found too late, and Olive dedicates her life to the disease so other people don’t lose loved ones to it. Needing a better equipped lab for the next phase of her research, Olive contacts several professors at other universities, but only one responds—Tom Benton from Harvard. He’ll be visiting Stanford in a couple of weeks, and Olive frantically works on her project in the hopes he’ll give her space in his lab.

Meanwhile, she keeps up appearances with Adam, meeting him at the campus coffee shop once a week. At their second fake date, Tom Benton joins them. It turns out that he’s a friend of Adam’s and wants to meet this girlfriend everyone’s been talking about. After listening to her research pitch, Tom requests a report by the end of the week, which Olive delivers. A few days later, Tom offers her a spot in his lab next year.

Olive receives an email regarding a paper she submitted to an upcoming conference in Boston. Her paper was accepted for a panel, which means she’ll need to give a speech. She’s terrified, but Adam helps her prepare until she feels more ready. Olive’s friends found other accommodations for the conference, which leaves Olive to share Adam’s hotel room. Olive’s panel overlaps with the keynote speech, and Adam is the keynote speaker, which means he won’t be able to attend as he promised he would.

After the panel, Tom approaches Olive and forces himself on her. When Olive pulls away and threatens to report him, Tom threatens to publish her research under his name and insults her, calling her mediocre and talentless. Adam finds Olive crying in their hotel room. Olive tells him what happened but not who insulted her. They spend the evening together. He shares a similar story from his grad school years, and they make love.

Olive spends the next few days dealing with her emotions, breaking things off with Adam because she feels it’s the right thing to do. When she finally meets up with her friends, they hear Tom’s insults, which Olive accidentally recorded after the panel. They convince Olive to tell Adam the truth and report Tom. Tom is fired from Harvard, and Olive and Adam get back together. Olive finds a new lab placement closer to Stanford, and the two stay in California together.

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Everything You Need To Know About ‘The Love Hypothesis’ Movie

Every product on this page was carefully chosen. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure .

Ali Hazelwood took over the bestsellers list with her ultra-cute and utterly STEM-tastic 2021 release, The Love Hypothesis . The New York Times bestseller became a TikTok sensation and was a BuzzFeed best summer read.  

In October, Hazelwood posted to Instagram with exciting news about the upcoming movie adaptation of her buzziest novel, The Love Hypothesis . It is safe to say that we are all eager to see Olive and Adam on the big screen. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ali Hazelwood (@alihazelwood)

What is the premise of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel The Love Hypothesis ?

Graduate student Olive Smith plans to attain her Ph.D. Nothing can derail her focus, not even the aloof hotshot professor that sends students running from his office in tears.   

By all accounts, Olive knew that she, an exhausted and overworked grad student, probably registered as nothing but a blip on Adam Carlsen’s radar. And that would be true if Olive had never accosted said professor with an uninvited kiss. 

What should have been a one-and-done smooch to curb her besties concerns over her dating life quickly spirals out of control when news of the “relationship” trickles down the STEM department grapevine.

To say that the pair are in a tricky predicament would be the understatement of the century.

Who is creating The Love Hypothesis ?

According to Deadline , Elizabeth Cantillon and MRC Film’s romance label Bisous Pictures has partnered with Ali Hazelwood to adapt her New York Times bestseller The Love Hypothesis to the big screen. 

“Bisous Pictures is thrilled to be working with Ali to amplify her voice and bring this magical book to the screen,” Cantillon said.

Hazelwood added, “It’s a true privilege to have Elizabeth and such a talented and experienced team of people working on adapting The Love Hypothesis, and I’m very excited for this next step in Olive and Adam’s story!”

Who is in the cast of The Love Hypothesis ?

There is no news on casting decisions yet. However, many fans hope to see Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley bring Adam and Olive to life. 

When is the release date of The Love Hypothesis ? 

The Love Hypothesis is currently in pre-production, so there is no information on the release date for the movie yet.

Is there a trailer for The Love Hypothesis ?

There is no trailer for The Love Hypothesis .

What other adaptations can you expect in the upcoming year?

In addition to the movie The Love Hypothesis , there are more book adaptations to look forward to in 2023: A Court of Thorns and Roses , Daisy Jones and the Six , It Ends with Us , Red, White, and Royal Blue , The Idea of You , The Inheritance Games , The Selection , The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo , and Uglies .

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In Defense of Single Point Of View Romance Books

Megan Mabee

Megan Mabee has been filling notebooks with her story ideas and favorite book quotes since she first began reading. She enjoys board gaming, rewatching Miyazaki movies, and building Legos with her preschooler. Megan holds a Master of Library and Information Studies degree from UNC Greensboro and a Public Librarian Certification. Megan has worked in a college bookstore and high school library, and she now loves talking books in the public library where she works and as a Bibliologist at TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations .

View All posts by Megan Mabee

There’s a style of romance books I have always loved, and while I once thought they were the norm, I’ve since discovered they’re not: single point of view (POV) romances. For as long as I can remember, romance novels written from only one perspective have been my favorite. As I’ve read more widely in the romance genre though, I’ve come to realize dual POVs, or books that switch between the love interests, are more common. Despite this, I remain steadfast in my preference for one perspective in romance books.

I love reading romances, and I enjoy writing them too. When it comes to finding people who actually want to read my writing, I lucked out with the delightful writing critique group I discovered at a Barnes and Noble in my town (shoutout to my writing crew!). We’ve been meeting twice a month for years now, and these fellow writers have become dear friends of mine. When we meet, we read aloud samples of our writing and then the group provides constructive feedback. It was during one of these meetings where I first became aware that my single POV romance novel was not usual for the genre.

After sharing an early chapter in my draft, one of the group members commented that while single POVs are not often standard in romance, she thought it worked well in my novel. This comment took me by surprise, but I realized she had a point. My love for reading single POV romances had translated into me writing a romance novel from a single POV. Yet when I reflected on the romances I’d read recently, more often than not, they included dual perspectives. Romance novels such as Seven Days in June , The Kiss Quotient , Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating , The Flatshare , Get a Life, Chloe Brown , This is My Brain In Love , and Ayesha At Last , all followed this style of alternating narrators.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved all of these dual perspective romances. However, I can sense that my preference still resides with single POV love stories. Romance novels such as The Love Hypothesis , To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before , The Henna Wars , Well Met , One True Loves , Red, White and Royal Blue , Beach Read , Honey Girl , and It Sounded Better in My Head all take place inside the head of only the main character. These are the romance books I fall hardest for.

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In a blog post , romance writer Winter St. James reflects on single POV vs. dual POV romances. She highlights the disparity between the two styles, remarking, “I’d say the vast majority of romances are written from dual perspectives, but that doesn’t mean single POV is dead.”

So, Why Don’t We Have More Single POV Romances? And What’s So Great About Them?

Oh, the tension….

St. James shares her thoughts on a benefit to the single POV romance, noting, “Not knowing exactly what one protagonist is thinking can be an excellent source of tension.” I couldn’t agree with her more, and this is one of the reasons I love single POV romances. When I’m only inside the head of the main character, I’m craving to know the hidden thoughts of the love interest. At the same time, I don’t want to be explicitly told them. Instead, I want to read between the lines to determine their feelings based off what they say and how they act.

St. James goes on to counter the idea of creating tension though, explaining that,”If you keep one protagonist blank, you might gain tension, but you may lose that sense of intimate connection with that character. And if the reader feels a real connection to both protagonists, it can make the romance deeper and more affecting.”

I can see where St. James is coming from, and why it is many romance writers will choose to write dual perspectives for this very reason. However, I’d argue that I can feel a real connection to a book’s love interest without being inside their head. How’s that, you may wonder?

Aligning With Real Life Experiences of Love

Single POV romance books mirror falling in love in real life. We can’t read the thoughts of the ones we love in our own lives. When we’re catching feelings for someone, we have to muddle our way through it, including all of the awkward moments, misread signals, and agonizing inner debates over whether or not the other person actually likes us back. That’s how falling in love works. When I read a book that places me in the head of only one character, I get to vicariously live that relatable experience.

As the protagonist second guesses their love interest’s feelings, I’m right there with them, cringing and sweating the load too. When the love interest suddenly shows their feelings through their words or actions, I’m flooded with butterflies of joy. Whether it’s as straightforward as a profession of love, or as subtle as a shared look or a spark from an accidental touch, I’m right there with the protagonist internally shrieking with delight, heart fluttering in dizzy excitement and surprise.

Falling in love with fictional characters is one of my favorite past times. When I read romance, I want to experience the romance as if I am the main character. I can’t be inside the other person’s head because that’s not how romance works in real life. I want to experience it as true to the real experience as I can. A single POV romance allows me this opportunity.

What Do You Think?

How do you feel about POV’s in romance? Are you a single POV or dual POV fan? Do you like living in the head of just one person, or do you need be inside multiple? Can you form a connection to the main character and the love interest(s) if you’re only reading from one perspective? To dig further into the topic of POV’s in romance, take a look this Rioter’s thoughts .

And, if you haven’t read many single POV romances, I recommend checking them out. As you live inside the head of just the protagonist, I hope you feel that echo of how falling in love in real life feels like too.

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The Love Hypothesis Movie: What We Know

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood has a movie adaptation in the works. For all the details about this film adaptation of The Love Hypothesis, here’s what’s we know about The Love Hypothesis movie:

What’s it about? What’s the plot of The Love Hypothesis?

In The Love Hypothesis , Olive is a third-year biology Ph.D. candidate who shares a kiss with a handsome stranger in order make her friend think that she’s in a relationship. She’s horrified when she realizes the “stranger” is Dr. Adam Carlson, a prominent professor in her department who is known for being a hypercritical and moody tyrant.

She and Adam each have reasons for needing to be in a relationship, and they agree to pretend to date for the sake of appearances. Of course, as she gets to know Adam, it’s only a matter of time before she starts feeling something for him, and it becomes clear that her little experiment in fake-dating just might combust…

See the Full Review and Summary of The Love Hypothesis from The Bibliofile.

What format will it be? Will the The Love Hypothesis adaptation be a Movie or a Series?

It’s planned as a feature movie .

Who’s behind it?

Bisous Pictures owns the rights to The Love Hypothesis.

From author Ali Hazelwood: “It’s a true privilege to have Elizabeth and such a talented and experienced team of people working on adapting The Love Hypothesis, and I’m very excited for this next step in Olive and Adam’s story!”

What’s the status of the The Love Hypothesis adaptation?

The adaptation is currently In Development . In an interview in July 2023 , Ali Hazelwood discussed her excitement at receiving the script for the upcoming adaptation and how the project was paused during the writer’s strike.

Who’s in the cast?

No casting details have been released yet.

See the full cast (when available) on IMDB .

When will it be released?

Currently unknown.

Is there a trailer or teaser available?

Not yet! Stay tuned.

The Love Hypothesis Movie Development Timeline

September 14, 2021 The Love Hypothesis (novel) is released.

October 7, 2022 Bisous Pictures Lands Rights To Ali Hazelwood’s ‘The Love Hypothesis’

July 7 2023 Ali Hazelwood discusses receiving the script for the The Love Hypothesis movie adaptation

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Unprofessional MIT Professors: A Review of “Love, Theoretically”

Author Ali Hazelwood has released “Love, Theoretically” as the third installment of her series “The STEMinist Novellas.” The author began this trilogy in 2021, with her debut book being “The Love Hypothesis.” 

Yet, as much as I enjoyed “The Love Hypothesis” and its sequel book “Love on the Brain,” I found that “Love, Theoretically” was laced with subplots that did not have satisfying endings. Her books are rooted in scientific academia, and while her characters face dilemmas that all women in STEM have experienced, Hazelwood forgot to flesh out a few ideas that could have increased the quality of the novel significantly. 

The book follows protagonist Elsie Hannoway as she pursues a prestigious tenured position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Elsie describes several instances of her receiving emails from students blowing off class for excuses that are seemingly made up. 

At the start of the story, Elsie is an MIT adjunct who struggles with students that blow off her classes. During the tenure application process, she meets with one of the professors on the hiring committee, Monica Salt. This is where the problems start – Monica is a stranger to her, but pulls Elsie aside anyway before the interview and offers advice on how to impress the committee. This is pretty unprofessional already, but it’s made even worse when Monica shares the same tips with another candidate, George. 

Then, when they are taking a break from the interviews, Dr. Jonathan Smith-Turner (commonly referred to as Jack Smith, with little explanation as to why he goes by Jack,) asks Elsie to meet him in the bathroom because she is his brother’s escort. 

Yep, you read that right. Elsie Hannoway is a doctor by day and an escort by night.

It is extremely unusual that anyone would tell a prospective candidate to meet them in the bathroom to talk, but that is exactly what Jack asks Elsie to do. Was there no other hallway where they could speak privately? Then, they overhear a discussion (while still in the bathroom) that discredits Elsie’s work as a theorist (a major plot in the book is that Elsie is a theoretical scientist and Jack is an experimental scientist, and the two fields have a very strained relationship,) which causes Elsie to jump to extremes and immediately believe that Jack has a vendetta against her.

Hazelwood sets up these conflicts, but can’t seem to follow up and resolve them. The only thing that remains consistent is Jack and Elsie’s relationship, which starts on a very peculiar note.  

Jack immediately recognizes Elsie as his brother’s “girlfriend” when she enters the room to be interviewed, and is instantaneously curious as to why she lied about her occupation as a librarian when meeting her as his brother’s date. 

Jack later confronts Elsie about her night work, but the confrontation is quickly forgotten because Elsie has type one diabetes and has conveniently forgotten to eat, causing her to pass out. She passes out twice in the early stages of the novel, but it then seems to disappear as a problem, like many of the other forgotten subplots. 

The job comes up again at a mixer at Monica Salt’s house, where it’s discovered that her son, Austin Salt, is one of Elsie’s clients. Elsie worries that Austin will say something to his mother, but Jack quickly defends her and when she asks him about it after they leave the mixer. He assures her with a subtle “don’t worry about it,” saying he “took care of it.” Now, as much as readers can assume that he threatened him with some kind of blackmail to remain silent, it seems unlikely that a problem like this would be kept so quiet if Austin Salt was as bad as he appeared to be. It shows that a lot of the characters and subplots have the potential to be fleshed out, but have no actual depth in the book. 

The other candidate, George, apparently has been a long-term friend of Jack and is a woman whose full name is Georgina. She meets Elsie and immediately takes a liking to her, and the two quickly become friends. George hosts an event at her house, and a colleague of Jack’s named Andrea (nicknamed Andy) drunkenly, verbally eviscerates Jack for consorting with theorists like Elsie. 

Shortly after this encounter, Jack and Elsie get into a fight regarding Elsie’s career and the not-so-sudden animosity between Jack and Elsie’s shared advisor, Christophe Laurendeau (or as Elsie calls him, Dr. L). Jack’s disdain for Dr. L began when he was young and read his dead mother’s journals regarding her work in academia as a theorist.

Jack had written an article in anger while he was still in high school that gained a lot of attention, despite his lack of experience in the academic world. Jack explains that the article was specifically targeted at Dr. L, but it shamed the name of theorists in the academic world. 

Jack keeps this from Elsie, which causes their brief split before Elsie shows up at MIT after confronting Dr. L about how horrible he was to Jack’s mother and how he has made it difficult for Elsie’s career to progress. There is no explanation for the motive behind his actions in regards to Elsie or Jack’s mother. The only possible reason is that he is looking for a feeling of control that he lacks in every other area of his life. As much as the article that Jack published tarnished the work of theorists, it did not destroy Laurendeau’s career as he had once hoped. 

If this sounds confusing, that’s because it is. This lack of motive is particularly unsatisfying, and while all of this is going on, Elsie seems to have a lot of pent-up guilt over something that is beyond her control. This leads Elsie to hold secrets from many important people in her life, and Jack notices, pushing her to come outside of her comfort zone and learn to be comfortable in what she feels. 

That being said, the relationship that Elsie has with her family is extremely complicated. Her mother is dependent on her to solve the problems in her house, and Elsie feels constantly guilty for having type 1 diabetes, a medical condition that she has no control over. 

The story was presented in a way that made it seem like Elsie’s relationship with her family was going to be a significant part of her story in this novel. Yet, nothing changes with her family – in fact, the way the problem seems to resolve itself is Elsie essentially telling her family “I’m not a therapist and I don’t care about appearances. Deal with it.” 

There is a lot of information throughout the novel that points to Elsie’s behavior being caused by her poor relationship with her family, since she was often unable to express herself. Elsie describes how her role within her family seemed to change overnight, and there is no other explanation or depth to the problem. It appears as though she grew up in a lower-middle-class family that dealt with fighting siblings and parents who did not care so long as it did not affect their image, which is contradictory to the description she gives of an early childhood memory that she appears to be fond of. 

There is an unusual hostility in the relationship that her twin brothers have that remains unspoken. She somewhat clarifies that her strained relationship with her parents comes from them paying for her health bills (which is something her parents should provide for their child without complaining, since the alternative would likely be Elsie dying,) but there is no indication as to why her relationship with her brothers is strained aside from the fact that they do not seem to care about anything but themselves. 

The underwhelming end to the problems that seemed to cause the biggest problems in Elsie’s life managed to decrease the value of this book. It seemed like Hazelwood was looking to add more depth to her romance novels aside from being in the workplace and on some dates. However, if I were an editor, there is no way I would allow a book to be published that did not properly insert these subplots that have a major contribution to the overall trajectory of the story. 

I have enjoyed Hazelwood’s work before, but I am hoping that if she continues on this path of including more depth in her work she will work on thoroughly developing the plotlines that she incorporated into her story.

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