love hypothesis age gap

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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

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The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

Posted August 12, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction , Book Review / 4 Comments

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. 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.

So. I’m really not the best at reviewing books I absolutely loved because I don’t have many words! We all know I love fake dating romances, and I loved the idea of a STEM romance because science is cool and I really love and miss Big Bang Theory (and no, this isn’t like that per se, it’s just got super smart people spouting off science facts). Anyway, I immediately gravitated toward The Love Hypothesis because it sounded fresh and funny and unique. It was all those things and more! As always, my main points are bolded.

1. This book is so, so nerdy and I loved it. The people are a little awkward and extremely smart. There’s strong women in science, and I loved learning a little bit about the challenges women face in this field. Every chapter starts off with one of Olive’s hilarious little scientific hypotheses about love and life, each one teasing a bit about what’s coming up in that chapter. These made it very hard to stop reading because I’d get to the end of the chapter and decide to read and then BOOM. I’m intrigued again and must continue reading. Very clever. A lot of the book takes place on campus in the labs, and I thought it was such a fun setting with people working late and running experiments because science doesn’t wait for people to sleep or eat. There’s lots of science talk, there’s a science convention and people get all excited about presenting posters and attending talks and it’s all just so much fun. It reminded me a bit of Ross’s paleontology convention from Friends, just no Barbados.

2. Olive is sweet and strong. She’s smart and strong and totally dedicated to her cancer research. She’s looking for a lab that will accept her the following year so she can continue her testing with better equipment and proper funding. It matters more to her than pretty much anything. Everyone she’s ever loved has died, so she’s very reluctant to get too close to anyone except her two best friends. Relationships are scary and also a little confusing for her. It takes her a while to sort through her feelings and figure things out, and I loved watching her grow and evolve.

3. Dr. Carlsen (Adam) is a dreamboat. He’s seen as rude and lacking in compassion. He’s hard on his grad students, but it’s because he wants them to succeed. He’s super sexy and thoughtful and protective of those he cares about. He’s sarcastic, flirty, suave, and all the things I love in a hero. Olive is a little inexperienced in the love department, and there’s a scene where he puts all of his focus on taking care of her. Consent and comfort are so important to him, and the entire scene was him making sure she was ok. It just melted me, and I’ve never read another scene quite like this one.

4. The chemistry between Olive and Adam is insane. These two can throw the banter back and forth forever and get me laughing, but they can also build up a level of tension that makes you squirmy. There’s an age gap of about 8-9 years between these two, so Olive loves to make fun of him for being old. She also loves to make fun of his healthy eating habits. He likes to tease her about her love of sugar and poor taste in food. But then there’s a scene where Olive’s best friend kind of forces her to kiss Adam after he’s just pushed a car out of the road and is all sweaty, and wow. And then there’s a scene at the department picnic where Olive has no choice but to coat his muscley back in sunscreen (poor girl), and wow. Their relationship is sweet and spicy and tender, and I just love them.

5. Olive’s best friends, Anh and Malcolm, made me so happy. They are both scientists and work together, although their research is all different. Anh is the loyal best friend, who also mothers Olive and makes sure she doesn’t get skin cancer. Malcolm is Olive’s roommate, and he’s pretty much made of rainbows and sunshine. They love to discuss hot men and other fun things. I would love to be a part of this friend group. Adam’s friend, Holden, is another favorite character of mine. He gives great advice, really cares about his people, and is so happy all the time.

6. There’s some deeper issues at play that run throughout the story, including the #MeToo movement. All were treated with sensitivity and respect. 

7. There’s so, so much humor! I actually laughed out loud at one point, which never happens to me. I’ve been known to smile or silently laugh, but this was an actual audible laugh that startled me.

8. The writing is also spot on, and flowed so nicely that the pages practically turned on their own. 

All in all, this is a stunning debut for Ali Hazelwood. Strong women in science, a sexy doctor hero who values and supports those women, hilarious banter, strong friendships, and a very sweet love story all wrapped up into a glittery, sugary package. What’s not to love? I highly recommend The Love Hypothesis, and cannot wait to see what Ali Hazelwood does next!

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4 responses to “ The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ”

“insane chemistry?” Sounds fun!

Great review. I’ve been waiting for this book and I”m so glad you liked it so much!

I can’t wait to read this one! It’s one of my most anticipated releases and reading your review just bumped it up to multiple spots haha! CANNOT WAIT! Hasini @ Bibliosini recently posted… Can Books Be Effective Horror? // Let’s Talk Bookish

Book was insightful and inspiring, right mix of teasing, drama, and nerdy science. Once picked up, the book just can’t be put down Check out @thehazelwoodfangpage on Insta

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The Love Hypothesis – Book Review

• April 10, 2024

If you are a reader of romantic comedy, we’ve got you an extraordinary book for your next read. Join us today as we review “The Love Hypothesis” book, covering its storyline, characters, and where to get a copy. At the end of this book review, trust me you will have made up your mind to pick up this novel from the shelves.

What Genre is “The Love Hypothesis” book?

This book is a contemporary romance novel by Ali Hazelwood, published on September 14, 2021 by Berkley Books.. It falls under the broader umbrella of romance fiction, which typically focuses on romantic relationships and emotional development between characters. Within the romance genre, “The Love Hypothesis” might also be categorized as a romantic comedy or romantic drama, depending on its tone and themes.

A Glance into “The Love Hypothesis” Novel

“The Love Hypothesis” is an absolute page-turner that follows the story of a biology Ph.D. student, Olive Smith, and a professor at Stanford University, Dr. Adam Carlsen.

Fast forward nearly three years, and we catch Olive in a desperate act: she’s faking a kiss with a stranger, hoping her best friend would mistake it for a real relationship. In a bid to convince her friend, she locks lips with the first person she sees, only to realize it’s Adam Carlsen, her school professor—a total jerk.

Unexpectedly, Olive, usually quite perceptive, didn’t anticipate kissing not just any stranger, but a professor. What surprises her even more is when Adam Carlsen agrees to pretend to date her, but it becomes apparent he also has ulterior motives, realizing a genuine relationship could serve his own ends within the university community.

As Olive and Adam’s interactions fuel more speculation and gossip about their relationship, they find themselves slipping into a fake dating scenario, each with their own reasons for doing so. As the facade of their fake relationship begins to blur the lines of reality, Olive and Adam find themselves grappling with unexpected emotions. The gradual realization dawns on them both that what started as a charade has evolved into something genuine. The question looms: how long will it take for them to acknowledge their true feelings and abandon the pretense they’ve been upholding?

Did we love the overall storyline

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The pull was undeniable, filled with glamour, sensuality, and an intoxicating charm! As a huge fan of the fake dating storyline, I found this book incredibly enjoyable. It offers not only lighthearted fun but also a depth of emotional vibrancy.

Featuring a brooding male lead, a quirky female protagonist, and a narrative blending science with contemporary romance. The story unfolded through witty banter over drinks, heated arguments via text and casual conversations in the lab break room. Through these encounters, Olive finds herself growing closer to Adam than she ever thought possible. The storyline is captivating, blending elements of romance and humor smoothly, making it impossible to put the book down.

Editor’s Remark

As an avid fan of romantic comedies, I found myself utterly captivated by this book. While immersed in its pages, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions, from hearty laughter to the occasional tear shed, as the characters’ personalities resonated deeply with me. Have you ever read a novel and wished it would never end? That was exactly how I felt about “The Love Hypothesis.” I found myself completely engrossed, wishing the story could continue indefinitely.

In general, “The Love Hypothesis” delivers a delightful reading experience that will leave you smiling and feeling butterflies in your stomach. Hazelwood’s writing possesses a sharp humor, showcasing her talent in creating unforgettable jokes. The book is just so entertaining that I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a charming romantic escape! You can get yourself a copy of this amazing book from Amazon .

Frequently Asked Questions

The story centers on Olive, a graduate biology student, who finds herself entangled in a fabricated romance with her professor, Dr. Adam, while attempting to persuade her friend Anh about her dating experiences.

There’s an age gap of about 8 years between Olive and Adam, and because of that, Olive makes fun of Adam for being too old.

This book is ideal for those seeking a swift and effortless read without any lingering uncertainties.

In “The Love Hypothesis,” Olive’s age is 26.

Bisous Pictures, which secured the novel’s rights in 2022, is presently in the pre-production phase of the film adaptation.

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When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. 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.

Review: The Love Hypothesis, by Ali Hazelwood

[fa icon="calendar"] Sep 13, 2021 11:08:00 AM / by Suzanne

The Love Hypothesis pairs a 26 year-old grad student/researcher with a 34 year-old faculty member/researcher in a fake dating relationship for the ages. I flipping loved this book. Everyone told me I'd like it, but I couldn't stop picturing the male love interest, Adam Carlsen, as Adam Driver (this book started as Reylo fic) and I knew, just knew  I wouldn't like it because of that. I was so wrong.

This is somehow a debut novel. It doesn't read like a debut novel. It reads like a romance author at the top of their game and gave me all the feelings I want from a romance. I laughed, I cried, but most of all I was swept up in the love story. I read so much romance that it's rare I really feel  the romance anymore, but this single POV story had me convinced that love is real and these two people are in it.

I read this mostly on audio, but when the BOTM copy I had ordered at 2 am showed up a week before publication, I finished the book in print just so I could race through those last 80 pages. And now I'm bereft, having not only no more pages to read but no more books from Ali Hazelwood either. This book is nerdy and queer and funny and fresh and *ugh* I loved it.

Adam is determined to have Olive's consent at every step of the way, and Hazelwood manages to make it hot as hell. It's a slow burn which makes sense for the plot and characters, but it's definitely a burn. Turns out, this author can write great sex, too! Miracle of miracles, we get character development, plot that makes sense, quality sexytimes and a whole range of feels from a single book. 

One note - Olive is pretty clearly demisexual, but I don't think the word ever appears on page and it's clear she's struggled with her lack of sexual attraction in the past. On page, she says things like "I realized I could only be attracted to people if I had an emotional bond and trust with them, and even then not often" or "I wondered why I didn't seem to experience attraction, especially sexual attraction, like normal people". So this language may be off-putting to ace-spec readers, but it also feels natural for the character given her general dense-ness when it comes to caring about herself and not just science.

If you'd like to purchase a copy of this book, please consider using one of these links to support the site: Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Bookshop , Kobo , Libro.fm

I received a copy of this audiobook for review, but also purchased a print copy from Book of the Month.

Content warnings: sexual harassment and coercion by a potential supervisor (Olive's), past parental death from pancreatic cancer which is frequently mentioned because Olive's work is in pancreatic cancer detection, past parental neglect, past emotional abuse by a supervisor (Adam's), mentions of misogyny and racism in academia

Topics: review

Written by Suzanne

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Review: ‘The Love Hypothesis’ by Ali Hazelwood

The Love Hypothesis

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 a copy of The Love Hypothesis from the publisher when it was released, and the book had been staring at me to read it whenever I walked by it. I was hesitant because I’ve been burned lately by cartoonish covers being labeled as Romance, but once I started reading them, I realized they should have been labeled Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit. In the case of The Love Hypothesis, I didn’t get burned this time because this book was a Romance, and I enjoyed the storyline with this one and adored the characters.

This was the first book I read from author Ali Hazelwood, too, and I’m kicking myself for not reading her sooner. The whole time I was reading this book, I couldn’t wait to tell my oldest daughter, who is away at college right now, about it. This book is something I know she would enjoy, especially with it being a STEM romance.

I’ve always enjoyed the fake dating storyline in romance books and loved how Olive and Adam ended up stumbling into it. The whole reason behind the ‘fake relationship’ was to convince Olive’s friend she had moved on from a guy that her friend now was seeing that Olive used to date. Adam agreed to fake date Olive until a certain deadline. The more time they spent together, though, the more one of them or both were going to start having genuine feelings, and I was all for them developing into a real relationship, especially with how they had an instant chemistry between the two.

I adored Olive’s character and hated knowing what she went through when she was younger. She was a driven, brilliant character that I connected with right away, and she reminded me of my oldest daughter. I hated what happened to Olive during the conference and wanted to comfort her and encourage her to tell someone. Yes, this scene did bring out some emotions in me because I had experienced something similar while working in the Navy and hated that I never had the encouragement to do something about it. No woman should ever feel they can’t speak up about this issue, especially when the person threatens her. I’m grateful for how the book addressed the issue and thankful for Olive having some amazing friends and how Adam handled it, too.

Adam may have been a difficult college professor and a grump at times, especially to certain people, but he wasn’t that way with Olive. He had agreed to fake date her, and he was one of her biggest supporters. I loved how he was with her when they did eventually give in to their attraction to one another. (I highly recommend listening to the book because you’ll get a chapter in his POV, and you’ll fall head over heels for the man.)

This book is told mainly in the FMC’s POV, which I usually prefer reading dual, but I didn’t mind with this book. I preferred not knowing what Adam was thinking because it made it more mysterious.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I give the story 4.5 stars; I can’t wait for my daughter to read it when she has time between taking notes, writing essays, and studying for her degree. I also can’t wait to read more books from Ali Hazelwood.

Here are some of the trope(s)/element(s) that I found while reading this book that may appeal to readers: 💙STEM Romance 💙Fake Dating/Relationship 💙Age Gap 💙Grumpy vs. Sunshine 💙Slow Burn

Story Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5

Steam/Spice : 🌶.5

Standalone or Part of Series : Standalone

Would I recommend this book? Yes.

Genre/SubGenre(s) : Romance | Contemporary Romance

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. It will help sponsor future giveaways but costs you nothing extra. You can read the full disclosure underneath the  Privacy Policy .

About Ali Hazelwood

I’m originally from Italy, lived in Japan and Germany, and eventually moved to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. I recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies me. When I’m not at work you can find me binge-watching shows with my three feline overlords (and my slightly less feline husband), running, or eating candy.

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Love Your Shelf

The love hypothesis, by ali hazelwood.

This was initially pitched to me as “academic Kylo Ren and Rey fanfic,” and I was sold. Temporarily putting aside any and all feelings about The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker and about the ~actual~ relationship or lack thereof between Rey and Kylo Ren in the movies, I absolutely loved this. 

The novel told the story of Olive, a PhD student who is working to cure cancer, and Adam-Carlsen-Not-Driver, the gruff and brooding advisor in the department who has a reputation for being tough and unfriendly. After an attempt to convince her best friend Anh that she’s seeing someone goes awry, Olive and Adam enter into a fake-dating agreement, and at this point, you can probably guess where the story is going.

This was freakin’ adorable. I’m a sucker for a good fake dating trope, I’m a sucker for Star Wars, and just the sheer level of cuteness that was present in this book was too much for me. Adam-Not-Driver is a brooder in the best Darcy-esque way, and Olive had such a loving personality that made you just want to give her a hug…or rather, for Adam to give her a hug. As much as I love Star Wars , and as much as I loved the little nods Hazelwood made to this story’s origins (Adam being the overlooked child of a diplomat, anyone? and let’s not look over this cover art!), the characters held up on their own. Additionally, I thought Hazelwood masterfully wove trope after trope into the story, giving Olive an awareness of her position in a romance novel-y story itself that added both depth and comedic value, as well as some measure of realness:

“Adam.” She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “There will only be one bed.” 

He frowned. “No, as I said it’s a double–” 

“It’s not. It won’t be. There will only be one bed, for sure.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “I got the booking confirmation the other day. I can forward it to you if you want, it says that–” 

“It doesn’t matter what it says. It’s always one bed.”  

In terms of drawbacks, my qualms are minimal. While I didn’t love the hefty age gap/power gap, I appreciated the fact that it was addressed within the story and it wasn’t too overwhelming given that Olive didn’t work directly under Adam. I also really wish there was more at the end, though as you’ll notice, that’s something of a trend for me – while there were cute moments scattered throughout, I wished there had been more pages and more story after the Tom debacle. Even though I’m sad there wasn’t, I’m willing to acknowledge that that’s the sign of a truly good book. 

If you love Star Wars (or don’t), are a fan of academic romances and happily-ever-afters, or love a brooding Darcy character, this is the one for you.

Aaaand with that, I’m excited to give The Love Hypothesis a solid 5/5 stars and the power of my full recommendation. 

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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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Book Review: The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis is a cute romance novel that takes place in an academic setting. Olive, our protagonist, is a PhD STEM student attending Stanford, and Adam, her love interest is a professor at the college. I was initially a little hesitant about this book because while the age gap between Olive and Adam isn't concerning, their power dynamic is. Conveniently, however, it is revealed that Adam is not one of Olive's professors and manages another section of students. Even though Adam and Olive were never really "teacher-student," it still made me a little uneasy, especially since the two attend the same college. The novel basically establishes its plot through Olive and Adam having a fake relationship together. Adam needs this fake relationship to convince his higher-ups that he's not leaving Stanford and has put down roots, in order to unfreeze funds needed for his research projects. Olive, on the other hand, needs a fake relationship to convince her best friend Ahn, that she has no feelings for a boy she had gone out on a couple of dates with, after realizing Ahn is interested in the same boy herself. In order to persuade Ahn to pursue her feelings, Olive strikes up this fake-dating deal with Professor Adam Carlsen, thus leading the two of them into a real future together.

The Love Hypothesis, in my opinion, has everything critical for a good, cheesy, romance. The fake-dating trope, many sweet situations, and a love interest who seems cold and cruel on the outside, but turns out to be a softie just for Olive. While the novel may have the right ingredients for a swoon-worthy romance, however, there was something missing. Olive as a protagonist was a very 2d character and was someone I could not find myself relating to or even being interested in. While it was refreshing to see a female woman lead pursuing a career in STEM, there was nothing else all that interesting about Olive. I also didn't like the author's choice of using the topic of sexual assault only as a plot device, in order to bring the story forward and the characters closer.

On the other hand, Adam was a classically written love interest. Strong on the outside, and soft on the inside, he had all the criteria needed for a typical male lead in a romance novel, and while it may seem overdone to some, I think Adam was a great portrayal of such traits.

Overall, The Love Hypothesis was an interesting romance novel, and I enjoyed its academic setting and some of the scenes involved. However, there were a couple of aspects of the story that could have been tweaked to make the story more enjoyable. In my opinion, many romance-lovers would probably enjoy this novel, but I found myself wanting more.

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The Love Hypothesis

If, like me, your catnip is the taciturn, brainy, hot hero who is secretly a big squishy marshmallow at heart, look no further than this awesome debut!

Description

The Instant New York Times Bestseller and TikTok Sensation! As seen on THE VIEW! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021 When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. 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.

About the Author

Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Praise for The Love Hypothesis

An Indie Next Pick! "A literary breakthrough… The Love Hypothesis is a self-assured debut, and we hypothesize it's just the first bit of greatness we'll see from an author who somehow has the audacity to be both an academic powerhouse and divinely talented novelist."— Entertainment Weekly “ C ontemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist... The Love Hypothesis has wild commercial appeal but the quieter secret is that there is a specific audience, made up of all of the Olives in the world, who have deeply, ardently waited for this exact book.”—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author “Funny, sexy and smart, Ali Hazelwood did a terrific job with The Love Hypothesis .”—Mariana Zapata, New York Times bestselling author “This tackles one of my favorite tropes—Grumpy meets Sunshine—in a fun and utterly endearing way...I loved the nods towards fandom and romance novels, and I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!”—Jessica Clare, New York Times bestselling author "Pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry."—Popsugar "A beautifully written romantic comedy with a heroine you will instantly fall in love with, The Love Hypothesis is destined to earn a place on your keeper shelf."—Elizabeth Everett, author of A Lady's Formula for Love "Smart, witty dialog and a diverse cast of likable secondary characters...A realistic, amusing novel that readers won’t be able to put down."— Library Journal, starred review "Hilarious and heartwarming, The Love Hypothesis is romantic comedy at its best...a perfect amalgamation of sex and science, sure to appeal to readers of Christina Lauren or Abby Jimenez."—Shelf Awareness "With whip-smart and endearing characters, snappy prose, and a quirky take on a favorite trope, Hazelwood convincingly navigates the fraught shoals of academia...This smart, sexy contemporary should delight a wide swath of romance lovers."— Publishers Weekly

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The Love Hypothesis | Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

“I’m starting to wonder if this is what being in love is. Being okay with ripping yourself to shreds, so the other person can stay whole.” –        Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis

Have you ever wanted to read or finish a book really bad, yet at the same time wanted to read it ever so slowly, savouring every dialogue, every situation, so that it never ends?

Well, this gem of a book is one such read. I had a copy of The Love Hypothesis with me for the past few months, and now I regret not reading it soon enough. But enough said about it, let’s get this reviewing business done. Do continue reading, for you are sure to be thanking me later.

Tropes covered

• Fake dating
• Grumpy vs sunshine
• Slight age gap
• Academia/college romance

The story as it goes

Olive Smith is a 3rd-year Ph.D. student who doesn’t believe in long-term relationships. Olive’s best friend Anh is silently crushing on Olive’s ex but doesn’t want to take it forward for the fear of hurting Olive’s feelings.

To prove to Anh that she is over him, and in a quick spur-of-the-moment decision, Olive panics and kisses the first man she lays her eyes on.

As fate would have it, it turns out to be none other than Dr. Adam Carlson, a young brilliant professor, known for his notorious harshness towards his students, his overtly critical nature, and moodiness.

“He’d clearly never seen a rom-com or read a romance novel in his life.”

So, it comes to Olive as a big surprise when he agrees to be her secret boyfriend to help convince her friend.

But what happens when during a big science conference things go wrong for Olive? Adam surprises her yet again by supporting her.

Will Olive’s hypothesis on love change as things start getting serious between Olive and Adam?

My thoughts

I loved this book. And that’s an understatement. Being a science nerd myself, I quite enjoyed the whole academic setting of this book. I am all for finding non-invasive techniques for the early detection of cancer , so it was refreshing, and a new premise to read in a book.

STEM as a field is difficult for women, given their struggles and difficulties. These day-to-day hindrances due to being in a male-dominated field are highlighted quite well in the book, without it being overbearing. And with Olive playing the main character who is so innocent and adorable, one cannot help but root for her. She is the perfect sunshine to Adam’s grumpiness.

To top it all, the witty banter between these two was so funny, I do not remember the last time I chuckled so much because of a book. And each time Adam ends up calling Olive ‘You’re SmartAss’, the reader in me is in love.

“You kiss him and next thing you know he’s saving your ass and he’s buying you scones and calling you a smart-ass in a weirdly affectionate tone”

Coming to the passion and its intensity , there isn’t too much steam, though. It only comes towards the end, but even then, it is so worth reading.

And what to say about Adam Carlson! with all his quirkiness, and never-deviate-from-the-routine attitude, he has become my new favourite.

There is just one thing, though, I wish there was a chapter from Adam’s point of view, maybe a bonus chapter or an extra epilogue. Hell, anything would have worked.

Nonetheless, with a good plot, some great writing, and amazing character development , The Love Hypothesis is a 5⭐book for me, and clearly justifies all the hype it has been getting.

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of The Love Hypothesis using the link below.

This review is contributed by Dr. Nitisha Shah. Nitisha is a 37-year consulting homeopathic physician based in Mumbai. You can connect with her on her Instagram page @our_readingjourney, which she started in January 2021 to talk about her and her 7yr old daughter’s reading journey.

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About the Author

Dr. nitisha shah.

Dr. Nitisha Shah is a 37-year-old consulting homeopathic physician based in Mumbai. You can connect with her on her Instagram page @our_readingjourney, which she started in January 2021 to talk about her and her 7yr old daughter’s reading journey.

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