Olive Smith has been on her own since 16. She’s insecure, hard working, and a brilliant biologist. As a PhD candidate she spends most of her time in her research lab and trying to find funding for project. When she realizes that her bestfriend Anh is interested in her ex-boyfriend (who she didn’t really like to begin with), Olive needs to prove to Anh that she has moved on. When Anh shows up when Olive is suppose to be on a date, she panics and kissed the first guy she meets. Unfortunately for her, it happened to be Adam Carlsen a notoriously difficult professor. Instead of being upset with Olive, he instead agrees to ‘fake date’ Olive in an effort to not only convince Anh of their relationship status but also to help release some of his own funding. Everything is going to plan, until Olive realizes she may have more than just ‘fake’ feelings for Adam. What could go wrong!
This was my second Ali Hazelwood book and I just adore her writing. I love the witty banter between character, the obvious chemistry between our leads, and I love that she writes quirky but intelligent women. Olive is one of the most promising PhD candidates, though she constantly doubts herself but we see so much growth in her confidence levels as the story goes on. Adam was a great counter to Olive quirkiness. I always feel that opposites balance each other out, and for Olive and Adam they had just enough in common to really hit it off.
I’m not always a fan of the ‘fake dating’ trope, but I did enjoy the reasoning behind Olive’s plan. I mean who else would ‘fake date’ a guy to convince your bestfriend they can date your ex? Realistically, I enjoy romances that have strong friendships built into them just as much as I enjoy the main romantic relationship. It really adds to the stories, in my opinion plus Anh in this case is such a badass. She’s continuously striving to create opportunities and encouraging women and young girls to get into STEM.
I read Love on the Brain prior to this one and even though this one is great, I really enjoyed Love on the Brain more. Which is why I’m rounding this book down to 4 stars. Still I highly recommend if you’re looking for a smart and fun romance with minimal steam. It is just the cutest book and I can’t wait to read more from Ali Hazelwood.
TW: There is an appearance of sexual harassments within the story, but it’s tastefully added and relevant to the story.
See my review for love on the brain here
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