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Love and Other Brain Experiments: A Novel
Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Christina Lauren, a STEM academic-rivals-to-lovers rom-com set at a New York conference about two neuroscientists who are forced to pretend they’re dating, leading to unexpected chemistry and a heartfelt journey of self-discovery.
Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has success on the brain. As a grad student, she was offered a job by her brilliant boyfriend, but determined to make it on her own, she turned it—and him—down. Now, stuck in postdoc purgatory with no job security and no personal life to speak of, Frances is desperate to make a breakthrough. Her best shot is a summer conference packed with her field’s leading scientists. The only problem? It’s organized by her ex, who has found the success that’s eluded her. But backing out is not an option, because Frances desperately needs to network to save her career.
Enter Dr. Lewis her perceptive, meticulous, and inconveniently attractive rival. When their academic sniping gets mistaken for flirtatious chemistry, Frances doesn’t deny it—putting her integrity and career on the line. As soon as her prefrontal cortex is operational again, Frances realizes she needs to keep up the charade, or risk everything she’s worked for. Faking data is out of the question, but fake dating? That might just be the solution she needs.
But as Lewis starts to make her reward centers spark and a major setback has Frances questioning everything, she must confront what she’s willing to chase—for love, for science, and for the future she thought she wanted.
Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has success on the brain. As a grad student, she was offered a job by her brilliant boyfriend, but determined to make it on her own, she turned it—and him—down. Now, stuck in postdoc purgatory with no job security and no personal life to speak of, Frances is desperate to make a breakthrough. Her best shot is a summer conference packed with her field’s leading scientists. The only problem? It’s organized by her ex, who has found the success that’s eluded her. But backing out is not an option, because Frances desperately needs to network to save her career.
Enter Dr. Lewis her perceptive, meticulous, and inconveniently attractive rival. When their academic sniping gets mistaken for flirtatious chemistry, Frances doesn’t deny it—putting her integrity and career on the line. As soon as her prefrontal cortex is operational again, Frances realizes she needs to keep up the charade, or risk everything she’s worked for. Faking data is out of the question, but fake dating? That might just be the solution she needs.
But as Lewis starts to make her reward centers spark and a major setback has Frances questioning everything, she must confront what she’s willing to chase—for love, for science, and for the future she thought she wanted.
1 pages, Audio CD
Expected publication February 3, 2026
102 people are currently reading
17042 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Brohm
1 book133 followersHannah Brohm penned her first novel when she was a teen, and yes, it was about vampires. After studying psychology in university and graduating with a PhD in neuroscience, she rediscovered her passion for storytelling and swapped writing articles about brain science for swoony romance novels. Born and raised in Germany, Hannah lived in Portugal, the Netherlands and New York City before moving to London, where she now lives together with her husband and an ever-growing collection of books and handknit sweaters.
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December 4, 2025
Thank you so much to author Hannah Brohm and NetGalley/Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Love and Other Brain Experiments is an absolute must read for anyone who loves academic enemies to lovers! Publication date is February 3, 2026. I gave this one 4/5 stars ✨ 🩷
Our FMC, Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a relatable, brilliant, and anxious postdoc in her early 30s, diving deep into neuroscience related to memory, amnesia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I loved seeing her navigate her career, personal growth, and her anxiety.. she felt so real! That said, she wasn’t always the best sister to Karo, which added to her storyline.
Dr. Lewis North is the perfect mix of guarded and caring. He’s Frances’ longtime competitor and thorn in her side. Their chemistry is absolutely electric from the very start! I loved how their instant connection grows and deepens while they navigate rivalry and hidden feelings. Lewis slowly opens up and stands up for himself, making him incredibly easy to root for.
The fake dating premise was so much fun! There were a few misunderstandings that could’ve been solved with a little communication, but the chemistry, banter, and a clever twist at the end more than made up for it.
The supporting characters were fantastic too including Brady, Ada, and Karo, who all added so much charm and personality to the story.
The last chapters had me SOBBING in the BEST WAY possible. There was so much emotion, so many heartfelt moments, and some serious 10 Things I Hate About You vibes with paper and pencil confessions that just hit me right in the feels 😭🫶🏻
This book is full of chemistry, laughter, and heartwarming (sometimes heartbreaking) moments. If you love academic rivalry, fake dating, and characters who feel real and flawed but lovable, you don’t want to miss this one! 🩷
Love and Other Brain Experiments is an absolute must read for anyone who loves academic enemies to lovers! Publication date is February 3, 2026. I gave this one 4/5 stars ✨ 🩷
Our FMC, Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a relatable, brilliant, and anxious postdoc in her early 30s, diving deep into neuroscience related to memory, amnesia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I loved seeing her navigate her career, personal growth, and her anxiety.. she felt so real! That said, she wasn’t always the best sister to Karo, which added to her storyline.
Dr. Lewis North is the perfect mix of guarded and caring. He’s Frances’ longtime competitor and thorn in her side. Their chemistry is absolutely electric from the very start! I loved how their instant connection grows and deepens while they navigate rivalry and hidden feelings. Lewis slowly opens up and stands up for himself, making him incredibly easy to root for.
The fake dating premise was so much fun! There were a few misunderstandings that could’ve been solved with a little communication, but the chemistry, banter, and a clever twist at the end more than made up for it.
The supporting characters were fantastic too including Brady, Ada, and Karo, who all added so much charm and personality to the story.
The last chapters had me SOBBING in the BEST WAY possible. There was so much emotion, so many heartfelt moments, and some serious 10 Things I Hate About You vibes with paper and pencil confessions that just hit me right in the feels 😭🫶🏻
This book is full of chemistry, laughter, and heartwarming (sometimes heartbreaking) moments. If you love academic rivalry, fake dating, and characters who feel real and flawed but lovable, you don’t want to miss this one! 🩷
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well, damn, I didn't expect to love this book😭💗. REVIEW TO COME💕😘!!!!!!!!
꧁‿̩͙‿୨ ☮︎ ୧‿̩͙‿꧂🥀︎🖤✧My book girls have convinced me꧁‿̩͙‿୨ ☮︎ ୧‿̩͙‿꧂✧🖤🥀︎!!!!!!
The cover is so cutesy and pink😍😍!!!!!!!!
꧁‿̩͙‿୨ ☮︎ ୧‿̩͙‿꧂🥀︎🖤✧My book girls have convinced me꧁‿̩͙‿୨ ☮︎ ୧‿̩͙‿꧂✧🖤🥀︎!!!!!!
The cover is so cutesy and pink😍😍!!!!!!!!
February 3, 2026
This author has lived in Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and England, but decided to write a book about New York, like everyone else.
I mean, she’s lived there too, but what a missed opportunity! The FMC lives in Maastricht, the MMC in Berlin. So, New York? Really??
But that wasn’t the only issue I had with this book.
Frances was wronged by Lewis four years ago. Since then, he’s been publicly criticizing her work, and she’s been hating him. Plot twist—they’ve never met. Now, because of a series of unfortunate events, they are fake-dating.
Both MCs were so unlikable at the beginning, that I was hate-reading it at some point. I soldiered on, and they improved a little later on, but not enough to root for them. Frances was supposed to be a geek, but she came across as snobbish and obnoxious. Lewis was not that great either, I’m not sure I would’ve forgiven him so easily for that thing he did.
The writing didn’t work for me at all. The whole thing reads like a fanfiction; it’s choppy, there are loose ends and plot holes, the characters are one-dimensional, and there isn’t much more to this story than a few clichés.
I’m very disappointed. There was a lot of potential here, and I had high hopes for this book, but it would need a lot of editing before I’d recommend it.
Thanks Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.
I mean, she’s lived there too, but what a missed opportunity! The FMC lives in Maastricht, the MMC in Berlin. So, New York? Really??
But that wasn’t the only issue I had with this book.
Frances was wronged by Lewis four years ago. Since then, he’s been publicly criticizing her work, and she’s been hating him. Plot twist—they’ve never met. Now, because of a series of unfortunate events, they are fake-dating.
Both MCs were so unlikable at the beginning, that I was hate-reading it at some point. I soldiered on, and they improved a little later on, but not enough to root for them. Frances was supposed to be a geek, but she came across as snobbish and obnoxious. Lewis was not that great either, I’m not sure I would’ve forgiven him so easily for that thing he did.
The writing didn’t work for me at all. The whole thing reads like a fanfiction; it’s choppy, there are loose ends and plot holes, the characters are one-dimensional, and there isn’t much more to this story than a few clichés.
I’m very disappointed. There was a lot of potential here, and I had high hopes for this book, but it would need a lot of editing before I’d recommend it.
Thanks Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.5 stars
a remarkable stem romance perfect for fans of ali hazelwood!
from the moment i picked this book up, i wasn't bored for a second. and truly had such a fun time with this!!
this is also set up like an ali novel in the best way, academic rivals who used to have a friendship shared through their mutual studies. after a betrayal and long term feuding over journal and peer reviews—they meet for the first time on a flight on the way to a conference.
lewis is truly your perfect mmc, shy, attentive, intelligent, and caring. this guy likes our fmc wearing glasses and cleans them for her 🥹 he's read every single piece of work he's published
the banter and light hearted back and forth was wonderful! the emotional aspect of being tired and finally realizing living life to the fullest may be worth more than burning out in the labs ❤🩹
if stem romances and down bad mmcs' are up your alley, check this out on feb 3!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
i LOVE romances with women in stem !!!! like smart, intelligent, beautiful women with down bad men?!! and yk me i live for academic rivals !!! im SAT 🙂↕️
↪ started jan 10
↪ finished jan 12
a remarkable stem romance perfect for fans of ali hazelwood!
from the moment i picked this book up, i wasn't bored for a second. and truly had such a fun time with this!!
this is also set up like an ali novel in the best way, academic rivals who used to have a friendship shared through their mutual studies. after a betrayal and long term feuding over journal and peer reviews—they meet for the first time on a flight on the way to a conference.
lewis is truly your perfect mmc, shy, attentive, intelligent, and caring. this guy likes our fmc wearing glasses and cleans them for her 🥹 he's read every single piece of work he's published
the banter and light hearted back and forth was wonderful! the emotional aspect of being tired and finally realizing living life to the fullest may be worth more than burning out in the labs ❤🩹
if stem romances and down bad mmcs' are up your alley, check this out on feb 3!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
i LOVE romances with women in stem !!!! like smart, intelligent, beautiful women with down bad men?!! and yk me i live for academic rivals !!! im SAT 🙂↕️
↪ started jan 10
↪ finished jan 12
September 23, 2025
4.5 ⭐
This book is a must-read for everyone who loves STEM romances.
Frances is a neuroscientist, but even though she’s achieved success in brain research, her future still feels uncertain. She plans to network with other scientists in her field at a summer conference organized by her ex. By chance, her ex’s fiancée assumes she’s dating Lewis—her sworn rival. And so, to avoid looking bad in front of her colleagues, she convinces him to fake date her.
I loved this book so much! I adore reading STEM romances, even if I don’t always understand what the characters are talking about. Hannah Brohm herself has a PhD in neuroscience, and you can really feel that she has deep knowledge in the field.
I really loved the characters! Lewis was so kind and sweet, and whenever his cheeks turned red, I just melted! I admired Frances so much—how confidently she went after her goals, how she supported Lewis when he needed it most! And I absolutely loved the epilogue—the characters finally found their home together!
This is an incredible debut. I read the whole book in a single day because I simply couldn’t put it down! Now I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hannah’s next books!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓STEM romance
✓fake dating
✓slow burn
✓he’s her academical rival
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a must-read for everyone who loves STEM romances.
Frances is a neuroscientist, but even though she’s achieved success in brain research, her future still feels uncertain. She plans to network with other scientists in her field at a summer conference organized by her ex. By chance, her ex’s fiancée assumes she’s dating Lewis—her sworn rival. And so, to avoid looking bad in front of her colleagues, she convinces him to fake date her.
I loved this book so much! I adore reading STEM romances, even if I don’t always understand what the characters are talking about. Hannah Brohm herself has a PhD in neuroscience, and you can really feel that she has deep knowledge in the field.
I really loved the characters! Lewis was so kind and sweet, and whenever his cheeks turned red, I just melted! I admired Frances so much—how confidently she went after her goals, how she supported Lewis when he needed it most! And I absolutely loved the epilogue—the characters finally found their home together!
This is an incredible debut. I read the whole book in a single day because I simply couldn’t put it down! Now I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hannah’s next books!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓STEM romance
✓fake dating
✓slow burn
✓he’s her academical rival
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2026
I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved this. Usually, STEM romances can be tricky for me. Half the time I’m lost in the complex concepts (let’s face it, not all of us are born to be doctors 😭), but this book struck a perfect balance. To be fair, I didn’t grasp every single scientific detail, but honestly, I didn’t need to. It never felt overwhelming or like I was drowning in equations.
And can we talk about the rivals-to-lovers angle? 😭🤚🏼
I didn’t realize how much I needed it until now. 🤭🤭
Like it is SUCH an underrated trope. 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
Now on to the characters…
Frances is such a layered, relatable heroine—driven, brilliant, and fiercely determined to carve her own path in neuroscience. My heart genuinely went out to her as I felt her frustration, longing, and exhaustion after years of chasing dreams that seemed just out of reach, yet she kept pushing forward, refusing to give up. 🫂 There’s something incredibly inspiring about her resilience, and I loved that the story included so much of her personal growth, not just her romantic escapades. 👏🏼
And then there’s Lewis—meticulous, perceptive, and inconveniently attractive 😉, with a quiet confidence that makes him magnetic without being overbearing. He’s sharp and exacting in his work, but he also has an unspoken kindness and attentiveness. Watching him navigate both his rivalry with Frances and his own feelings, so patient, thoughtful, and unexpectedly vulnerable, added real depth to the story. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
My only complaint is I do wish we got inside Lewis’s head… 😔 BUT even without it, the slow unraveling of their dynamic was beautiful. From their almost comical first “meet cute” to discovering each other as rivals, and then the delicious tension of fake dating turning into real feelings 😏—it’s exactly the kind of setup that makes your stomach flutter. (ALSO!! The secret pining?! I loved every second of it😩).
I also adored Frances’s journey outside of romance. Watching her misunderstand Lewis’s actions and intentions, only to slowly realize that she had been seeing things through her own assumptions and bitterness, was so satisfying. It really shows how easy it is to misread people and unintentionally create conflict—and how rewarding it can be when you finally understand both someone else and yourself through simple communication .
Honestly, for a debut, this book is absolutely stunning. It’s witty, smart, heartfelt, and full of tension that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last. I’m already itching to see what this author does next. Five stars, no question. 🩷🩷
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”If he'd turn his head slightly, if he'd put his ear to my chest, he'd hear the way my heart tattoos its pattern of unforeseen attraction into the underside of my skin.”
“There's something awake in his eyes, an unwavering focus, when he listens to me talk.
I feel his attention like a touch to my temple, a nudge to my chin, a physical connection that grounds me in the here and now.”
“In his hands I feel precious, cared for, enough.”
“There is no limit to the ways I want you."
"I've never felt this way before. Attraction, sure. Appreciation, maybe comfort, too. But not this endless wonder. Like I'm a kid again, going to bed after the best possible day, but scared to fall asleep because I don't want it to end. That's what it feels like when I'm around you."
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
🧠 rivals → lovers
🧠 fake dating
🧠 slowburn
🧠 miscommunication
🧠 STEM romance
🧠 single POV (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Hannah Brohm for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
spice rating:【 🔥🔥 】
swearing: yes
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
i’m not really in the mood for a STEM romance, but this is due on February 2nd so I need to get a head start… i’m hoping it’s good 😭
And can we talk about the rivals-to-lovers angle? 😭🤚🏼
I didn’t realize how much I needed it until now. 🤭🤭
Like it is SUCH an underrated trope. 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
Now on to the characters…
Frances is such a layered, relatable heroine—driven, brilliant, and fiercely determined to carve her own path in neuroscience. My heart genuinely went out to her as I felt her frustration, longing, and exhaustion after years of chasing dreams that seemed just out of reach, yet she kept pushing forward, refusing to give up. 🫂 There’s something incredibly inspiring about her resilience, and I loved that the story included so much of her personal growth, not just her romantic escapades. 👏🏼
And then there’s Lewis—meticulous, perceptive, and inconveniently attractive 😉, with a quiet confidence that makes him magnetic without being overbearing. He’s sharp and exacting in his work, but he also has an unspoken kindness and attentiveness. Watching him navigate both his rivalry with Frances and his own feelings, so patient, thoughtful, and unexpectedly vulnerable, added real depth to the story. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
My only complaint is I do wish we got inside Lewis’s head… 😔 BUT even without it, the slow unraveling of their dynamic was beautiful. From their almost comical first “meet cute” to discovering each other as rivals, and then the delicious tension of fake dating turning into real feelings 😏—it’s exactly the kind of setup that makes your stomach flutter. (ALSO!! The secret pining?! I loved every second of it😩).
I also adored Frances’s journey outside of romance. Watching her misunderstand Lewis’s actions and intentions, only to slowly realize that she had been seeing things through her own assumptions and bitterness, was so satisfying. It really shows how easy it is to misread people and unintentionally create conflict—and how rewarding it can be when you finally understand both someone else and yourself through simple communication .
Honestly, for a debut, this book is absolutely stunning. It’s witty, smart, heartfelt, and full of tension that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last. I’m already itching to see what this author does next. Five stars, no question. 🩷🩷
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”If he'd turn his head slightly, if he'd put his ear to my chest, he'd hear the way my heart tattoos its pattern of unforeseen attraction into the underside of my skin.”
“There's something awake in his eyes, an unwavering focus, when he listens to me talk.
I feel his attention like a touch to my temple, a nudge to my chin, a physical connection that grounds me in the here and now.”
“In his hands I feel precious, cared for, enough.”
“There is no limit to the ways I want you."
"I've never felt this way before. Attraction, sure. Appreciation, maybe comfort, too. But not this endless wonder. Like I'm a kid again, going to bed after the best possible day, but scared to fall asleep because I don't want it to end. That's what it feels like when I'm around you."
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
🧠 rivals → lovers
🧠 fake dating
🧠 slowburn
🧠 miscommunication
🧠 STEM romance
🧠 single POV (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Hannah Brohm for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
spice rating:【 🔥🔥 】
swearing: yes
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
i’m not really in the mood for a STEM romance, but this is due on February 2nd so I need to get a head start… i’m hoping it’s good 😭
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Love and Other Brain Experiments
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑
꒰ Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a postdoctoral neuroscientist in her early 30s, residing in the Netherlands. While on a flight to the anticipated Sawyer’s Summer Seminars in New York, which is organized by her well-known ex-boyfriend, she gets acquainted to Lewis North who was also attending the 2-week conference.
To her surprise, she discovers that he is actually Dr. Theodore L. North, a fellow cognitive neuroscientist and academic rival who has a reputation for frequently critiquing her published research papers online. ꒱
Release Date : February 3, 2026 ⟢
⌞ What To Expect: ⌝
⌗ rival (neuro)scientists
⌗ STEM romance
⌗ fake dating with scientific integrity
⌗ kissing to test out hypothesis
This book is Brohm's debut novel, but it changed the way I view STEM books and definitely raised the bar for me. Honestly, I don't often read STEM books or contemporary romance, but this is now the benchmark I want for my STEM romances. The idea of kissing each other to test their hypothesis? I AM SEATED.
Hannah Brohm is not only a romance author but also a neuroscientist! I was surprised to learn this after reading the book as I found Frances's internal dialogue and our character's thought processes absolutely fascinating, so learning this after reading the book was mind-blowing.
𓏲⋆🖌️.* Dr. Frances Silberstein : A brilliant neuroscientist who is deeply rooted to her research to investigate memory loss and the mechanics of the memory in the human brain, especially since her sister’s accident hit so close to home. I didn't expect to find a connection with Frances, particularly regarding her stress and anxiety related to her career. Her job situation is unstable, causing her to move countries and constantly worry about her future, both personally and professionally, especially in an era when many tend to equate self-worth with occupation.
𓏲⋆🗒️.* If you’ve been following my updates, you’d know that I wasn’t a fan of Dr. Lewis North at first! But let me tell you... he completely won me over! Behind that confident façade, there is so much more to him, especially his struggles with his self-esteem and proving himself to his family. The way he genuinely cares for Frances? It just melted my heart. From surprising her with donuts to cheer her up to that absolutely adorable moments when he cleans her glasses - let's say I was hooked.
I loved the character growth in both of them—it felt unfiltered and real. Mature communication dealt between two overthinkers. Lewis's constant support for Frances allows her to be her true self, while Frances is there for Lewis during his lowest moments, dealing with his parents' (father's) scrutiny over his passion and work.
If we are being honest, I thought their reason for the fake-dating bit was a bit overdramatic. However, that makes sense for academic overthinkers who prioritize their work and reputation first and foremost.
My favorite quote is actually the epigraph because of how sweet it was:
Thank you to Edelweiss, Atria Books, and of course, Hannah Brohm for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
⋆˚࿔
pre-read : the cover got me.
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑
₊˚ʚ ❝ “You have no idea how much bandwidth you take up in my head. ❞
꒰ Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a postdoctoral neuroscientist in her early 30s, residing in the Netherlands. While on a flight to the anticipated Sawyer’s Summer Seminars in New York, which is organized by her well-known ex-boyfriend, she gets acquainted to Lewis North who was also attending the 2-week conference.
To her surprise, she discovers that he is actually Dr. Theodore L. North, a fellow cognitive neuroscientist and academic rival who has a reputation for frequently critiquing her published research papers online. ꒱
Release Date : February 3, 2026 ⟢
⌞ What To Expect: ⌝
⌗ rival (neuro)scientists
⌗ STEM romance
⌗ fake dating with scientific integrity
⌗ kissing to test out hypothesis
This book is Brohm's debut novel, but it changed the way I view STEM books and definitely raised the bar for me. Honestly, I don't often read STEM books or contemporary romance, but this is now the benchmark I want for my STEM romances. The idea of kissing each other to test their hypothesis? I AM SEATED.
*·˚ ༘ ➳ ♡ ❝ The data?”
“Yes, the data. The kiss. ❞
Hannah Brohm is not only a romance author but also a neuroscientist! I was surprised to learn this after reading the book as I found Frances's internal dialogue and our character's thought processes absolutely fascinating, so learning this after reading the book was mind-blowing.
❝ I’m miles behind where I thought I would be, pushed to the sidelines and watching everyone else race ahead while my feet are stuck to the ground. ❞ ؛༊
𓏲⋆🖌️.* Dr. Frances Silberstein : A brilliant neuroscientist who is deeply rooted to her research to investigate memory loss and the mechanics of the memory in the human brain, especially since her sister’s accident hit so close to home. I didn't expect to find a connection with Frances, particularly regarding her stress and anxiety related to her career. Her job situation is unstable, causing her to move countries and constantly worry about her future, both personally and professionally, especially in an era when many tend to equate self-worth with occupation.
.☘︎ ݁˖ ❝ From a scientific standpoint, purely objectively speaking that is, he does have his attributes. I guess with his swooping hair and those clear blue eyes, strong arms and bashful smile, you could even call him cute. ❞
𓏲⋆🗒️.* If you’ve been following my updates, you’d know that I wasn’t a fan of Dr. Lewis North at first! But let me tell you... he completely won me over! Behind that confident façade, there is so much more to him, especially his struggles with his self-esteem and proving himself to his family. The way he genuinely cares for Frances? It just melted my heart. From surprising her with donuts to cheer her up to that absolutely adorable moments when he cleans her glasses - let's say I was hooked.
⋮ ⌗ ❝ What’s more loving than telling someone you accept them the way they are? Annoying quirks, and all? That it doesn’t matter if they hate public speaking, that they cannot figure out emojis for the life of them, that they use scientific discussions as a way to ignore their feelings? Because you love them anyway? ❞ ♡
I loved the character growth in both of them—it felt unfiltered and real. Mature communication dealt between two overthinkers. Lewis's constant support for Frances allows her to be her true self, while Frances is there for Lewis during his lowest moments, dealing with his parents' (father's) scrutiny over his passion and work.
If we are being honest, I thought their reason for the fake-dating bit was a bit overdramatic. However, that makes sense for academic overthinkers who prioritize their work and reputation first and foremost.
My favorite quote is actually the epigraph because of how sweet it was:
❝ Remember when you came up to me and asked what statistical model I used in my Bachelor thesis? Favorite moment of serendipity, right there.
This one was always going to be for you. ❞ ˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
Thank you to Edelweiss, Atria Books, and of course, Hannah Brohm for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
⋆˚࿔
pre-read : the cover got me.
November 12, 2025
▹TL;DR Review: This debut delivers everything I love in a contemporary STEM romance—academic rivals-to-lovers tension, a vivid NYC setting, and authentic glimpses into the pressures of academia. While I was hooked by the characters and atmosphere, the story juggled a few too many conflicts, leaving some resolutions underdeveloped—but overall, it’s an engaging and enjoyable read I’d still recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. This is my honest review. Love and Other Brain Experiments comes out February 3, 2026!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Buddy read with my sweet bestie Lina!
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein is stuck in post-doc limbo, desperate for a breakthrough and job security. When she attends a conference organized by her ex-boyfriend, she clashes with her rival Dr. Lewis North. After a misunderstanding at the conference makes them appear to be a couple, Frances and Lewis decide to fake-date—all in the name of career strategy. But as fake becomes real, Frances must decide what she’s truly chasing: for love, for science, and for her future.
– FMC: Dr. Franziska Silberstein (aka “Frances”). 32 years old. Born in Germany, but has lived all over. Loves both neuroscience and computer science. Wants to be taken seriously on her own and not with the help of a man, but also struggles a bit with self-worth.
– MMC: Dr. Theodore Lewis North (aka “Lewis”). Neuroscientist. Born in NYC, but has lived all over. Makes questionable choices, but has a good heart. Likes to challenge Frances. Not super great at communication skills.
– Location: New York City and the Netherlands (briefly)
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2 open-door explicit spicy scenes
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, fake dating, STEM/academia setting, forced proximity
– Content warning: misogynistic ex, work-field politics, pitfalls of academia, gray areas on giving credit to intellectual property, panic attacks
– Representation: women in STEM, vegetarian FMC, lactose intolerant MMC
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Love on the Brain by Rihanna
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Romance stories where the FMC is in STEM, like Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
➼ Academic rivals to lovers, like the books An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister and Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy————✧———————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This debut novel has so many components that I love in contemporary romance: men and women in STEM, academic rivals to lovers, all in a NYC setting. That said, I sometimes felt like too much conflict was going on, and not enough connective tissue to explain the conflict resolution.
What I Loved:
1 • The academic side of the story was so interesting and while I’ve never been in academia, it felt relatable. The politics, gender inequality, and cutthroat competitiveness really comes through in this book
2 • The STEM atmosphere. I am the complete opposite of this (I’m a “creative”, so I find this so refreshing and exciting). It is even more pronounced in this book than other similar STEM romances, and I like that a lot
3 • The main characters in the first half of the book. From Frances and Lewis’s meet cute to their first week together had a lot of juicy tension, not just romantically, but professionally also
4 • Lewis’s character depth, as shown by his familial issues
5 • The unlikely friendships that are formed by some of the characters
6 • The ending was really cute
What Didn’t Work for Me:
1 • The abundance of conflicts. I think Lina and I counted around 9 conflicts throughout the story (some are related to others so maybe this number is inflated). I wished that maybe 1-2 of those conflicts didn’t happen to give more room for the resolution of the other conflicts to be fleshed out a bit more
2 • Lewis’s communication skills (or lack thereof). And then his excuses for the choices he made that created conflict with Frances
3 • Frances (specifically in the last half of the book). I feel like for someone so analytical, she made a lot of rash conclusions and decisions based off of everyone else’s actions. I wished she found her voice a little more
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Despite my critique, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read it whenever I wasn’t. I also really enjoyed this as a buddy read, but that's probably just because Lina is amazing.
__________________
Buddy read with my gal Lina. Bring on the STEM romance rivals!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. This is my honest review. Love and Other Brain Experiments comes out February 3, 2026!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Buddy read with my sweet bestie Lina!
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein is stuck in post-doc limbo, desperate for a breakthrough and job security. When she attends a conference organized by her ex-boyfriend, she clashes with her rival Dr. Lewis North. After a misunderstanding at the conference makes them appear to be a couple, Frances and Lewis decide to fake-date—all in the name of career strategy. But as fake becomes real, Frances must decide what she’s truly chasing: for love, for science, and for her future.
– FMC: Dr. Franziska Silberstein (aka “Frances”). 32 years old. Born in Germany, but has lived all over. Loves both neuroscience and computer science. Wants to be taken seriously on her own and not with the help of a man, but also struggles a bit with self-worth.
– MMC: Dr. Theodore Lewis North (aka “Lewis”). Neuroscientist. Born in NYC, but has lived all over. Makes questionable choices, but has a good heart. Likes to challenge Frances. Not super great at communication skills.
– Location: New York City and the Netherlands (briefly)
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2 open-door explicit spicy scenes
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, fake dating, STEM/academia setting, forced proximity
– Content warning: misogynistic ex, work-field politics, pitfalls of academia, gray areas on giving credit to intellectual property, panic attacks
– Representation: women in STEM, vegetarian FMC, lactose intolerant MMC
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Love on the Brain by Rihanna
╰┈➤ ❝And I run for miles just to get a taste, must be love on the brain❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Romance stories where the FMC is in STEM, like Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
➼ Academic rivals to lovers, like the books An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister and Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy————✧———————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This debut novel has so many components that I love in contemporary romance: men and women in STEM, academic rivals to lovers, all in a NYC setting. That said, I sometimes felt like too much conflict was going on, and not enough connective tissue to explain the conflict resolution.
What I Loved:
1 • The academic side of the story was so interesting and while I’ve never been in academia, it felt relatable. The politics, gender inequality, and cutthroat competitiveness really comes through in this book
2 • The STEM atmosphere. I am the complete opposite of this (I’m a “creative”, so I find this so refreshing and exciting). It is even more pronounced in this book than other similar STEM romances, and I like that a lot
3 • The main characters in the first half of the book. From Frances and Lewis’s meet cute to their first week together had a lot of juicy tension, not just romantically, but professionally also
4 • Lewis’s character depth, as shown by his familial issues
5 • The unlikely friendships that are formed by some of the characters
6 • The ending was really cute
What Didn’t Work for Me:
1 • The abundance of conflicts. I think Lina and I counted around 9 conflicts throughout the story (some are related to others so maybe this number is inflated). I wished that maybe 1-2 of those conflicts didn’t happen to give more room for the resolution of the other conflicts to be fleshed out a bit more
2 • Lewis’s communication skills (or lack thereof). And then his excuses for the choices he made that created conflict with Frances
3 • Frances (specifically in the last half of the book). I feel like for someone so analytical, she made a lot of rash conclusions and decisions based off of everyone else’s actions. I wished she found her voice a little more
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Despite my critique, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read it whenever I wasn’t. I also really enjoyed this as a buddy read, but that's probably just because Lina is amazing.
__________________
Buddy read with my gal Lina. Bring on the STEM romance rivals!
October 18, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this was a super cute STEM rom-com full of cute, playful banter!
looking forward to reading more from this author!!
this was a super cute STEM rom-com full of cute, playful banter!
looking forward to reading more from this author!!
November 13, 2025
3.75 / 5 Stars
I really love reading academic rivals to lovers (one of my new favorite tropes) and this was a really great debut novel. There were just a few things that fell slightly short for me. In “Love and Other Experiments,” Frances is heading to a neuroscience conference in NYC with some hesitations. First, it’s been five years since she broke up with her ex, the same man who is organizing the conference. And she’s heading there unsure if she will get grant money to stay in the Netherlands. Oh, and she hates flying. So when a fly attendant seats her next to a man who needs help with an abstract, Frances is happy to help, until they hit turbulence and she literally clings on to this man for dear life. Handsome and kind at first, he turns out to be her biggest academic nemesis – the man who constantly criticizes her papers and stole credit for her idea four years ago. And while people can contain multitudes, Frances just cannot reconcile her idea of Dr. Lewis North with the man who was nice to her when she had a panic attack. When her ex’s new fiancee interprets her and Lewis’s interaction as dating, Frances doesn’t correct her. And then it is too late to say “JK” without everyone thinking that Frances is a liar and questioning her integrity. Naturally, they decide to fake date. But turns out bicker can be foreplay for these two hot dummies.
You will probably like this book if you like:
👩🔬 STEM academia setting
👩🔬 Rivals to lovers
👩🔬 Fake dating
👩🔬 “We should practice kissing for … science”
👩🔬 He loves her glasses
👩🔬 Complicated family dynamics
👩🔬 Discussions of sexism in the workplace
I love an academic rivals to lovers storyline because it is usually grounded in some level of respect and mental attraction. Frances and Leo had a lot in common and pushed each other to be better scientists which in turn pushed each other’s buttons which I love. It led to some really fun banter. I also love that these two thought through their fake dating scenario extremely logically. Is fake dating still kind of silly? Sure, but there were no flaws in logic for why they should fake date.
I liked that both of them got depth from their family relationships and work lives. Lewis was the black sheep of his family for being a scientist (I know, it made me eye roll a little), but it did explain his lack of communication skills. And I think the details about Frances experiencing sexism (and having to work twice as hard to get half as far) were really thought provoking and really well done.
There were just some plot holes that made it a bit hard to buy into the story fully. First, it was exceptionally hard to believe France did not know what Lewis looked like and vice versa. These two have been rivals for four years and Frances didn’t google him once? Not even to print out his picture so she could throw darts at it? Second, the explanation for why Lewis “stole” Frances’ work made sense but why he never apologized just didn’t add up (so that was a -1 in the Lewis column). Third, these two have a lack of communication (not even a miscommunication) which leads to the third act conflict that really rubbed me the wrong way (sorry, I made myself laugh with that innuendo given that this is a romance novel 😂). It just didn’t sit well with me given everything between Lewis and Frances. Frances’ conflict with her sister also felt like it came out of nowhere and felt like a pile on for poor Frances when she was down and out. And finally, there were a few plot points that were used that felt like loose ends (like that damn notebook – iykyk) and therefore felt like they were used for the sake of creating drama instead of being integral for the plot.
The very end had a cute wrap-up that did make the third act conflict feel a little better so I did feel slightly more satisfied. If you like fake dating and you like STEM, you may really like this book. It had way more science than other STEM focused books that I’ve read which was really interesting (even if some of it went over my head). And I think I would definitely read another book by this author.
Big thank you to Kelsey for being the best reading buddy and holding my hand through my third act crash out 😂!
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2026
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Getting to do another buddy ready with my love, Kelsey! I feel like I've had some good luck with academia nerds (complimentary) in love so I am looking forward to this one!
I really love reading academic rivals to lovers (one of my new favorite tropes) and this was a really great debut novel. There were just a few things that fell slightly short for me. In “Love and Other Experiments,” Frances is heading to a neuroscience conference in NYC with some hesitations. First, it’s been five years since she broke up with her ex, the same man who is organizing the conference. And she’s heading there unsure if she will get grant money to stay in the Netherlands. Oh, and she hates flying. So when a fly attendant seats her next to a man who needs help with an abstract, Frances is happy to help, until they hit turbulence and she literally clings on to this man for dear life. Handsome and kind at first, he turns out to be her biggest academic nemesis – the man who constantly criticizes her papers and stole credit for her idea four years ago. And while people can contain multitudes, Frances just cannot reconcile her idea of Dr. Lewis North with the man who was nice to her when she had a panic attack. When her ex’s new fiancee interprets her and Lewis’s interaction as dating, Frances doesn’t correct her. And then it is too late to say “JK” without everyone thinking that Frances is a liar and questioning her integrity. Naturally, they decide to fake date. But turns out bicker can be foreplay for these two hot dummies.
You will probably like this book if you like:
👩🔬 STEM academia setting
👩🔬 Rivals to lovers
👩🔬 Fake dating
👩🔬 “We should practice kissing for … science”
👩🔬 He loves her glasses
👩🔬 Complicated family dynamics
👩🔬 Discussions of sexism in the workplace
I love an academic rivals to lovers storyline because it is usually grounded in some level of respect and mental attraction. Frances and Leo had a lot in common and pushed each other to be better scientists which in turn pushed each other’s buttons which I love. It led to some really fun banter. I also love that these two thought through their fake dating scenario extremely logically. Is fake dating still kind of silly? Sure, but there were no flaws in logic for why they should fake date.
I liked that both of them got depth from their family relationships and work lives. Lewis was the black sheep of his family for being a scientist (I know, it made me eye roll a little), but it did explain his lack of communication skills. And I think the details about Frances experiencing sexism (and having to work twice as hard to get half as far) were really thought provoking and really well done.
There were just some plot holes that made it a bit hard to buy into the story fully. First, it was exceptionally hard to believe France did not know what Lewis looked like and vice versa. These two have been rivals for four years and Frances didn’t google him once? Not even to print out his picture so she could throw darts at it? Second, the explanation for why Lewis “stole” Frances’ work made sense but why he never apologized just didn’t add up (so that was a -1 in the Lewis column). Third, these two have a lack of communication (not even a miscommunication) which leads to the third act conflict that really rubbed me the wrong way (sorry, I made myself laugh with that innuendo given that this is a romance novel 😂). It just didn’t sit well with me given everything between Lewis and Frances. Frances’ conflict with her sister also felt like it came out of nowhere and felt like a pile on for poor Frances when she was down and out. And finally, there were a few plot points that were used that felt like loose ends (like that damn notebook – iykyk) and therefore felt like they were used for the sake of creating drama instead of being integral for the plot.
The very end had a cute wrap-up that did make the third act conflict feel a little better so I did feel slightly more satisfied. If you like fake dating and you like STEM, you may really like this book. It had way more science than other STEM focused books that I’ve read which was really interesting (even if some of it went over my head). And I think I would definitely read another book by this author.
Big thank you to Kelsey for being the best reading buddy and holding my hand through my third act crash out 😂!
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2026
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Getting to do another buddy ready with my love, Kelsey! I feel like I've had some good luck with academia nerds (complimentary) in love so I am looking forward to this one!
November 7, 2025
This was such a heart-warming, heart-pounding, good read. I lapped up every page and fell in love with both Lewis and Frances. I was rooting for them the whole way through and couldn't get enough of these two adorable nerds in all their brilliant scientific brains.
The fake dating scene will always be a favorite for a very good reason. This was so well done, I truly enjoyed every single chapter.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
The fake dating scene will always be a favorite for a very good reason. This was so well done, I truly enjoyed every single chapter.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
July 23, 2025
This was my first ARC read and it did not disappoint! This was also my first Hannah Brohm book and it won’t be my last. This book is a super cute rom-com that is filled with cute and funny banter. The MMC and FMC find themselves at the center of a sticky situation and the only solution is fake dating. As you can imagine how that plays out in the best way possible. This book was a great read!
September 4, 2025
LIFE IS WORTH LIVING 🎵🎵
Waaaww this was so good, I read it in under 24 hours, it felt just like an Ali Hazelwood book and I’m saying that in the best way possible. I am definitely not objective about it because I am literally the target audience for this kind of book but IT WAS SO GOOD.
Little synopsis:
Frances and Lewis meet in a transatlantic flight, sitting next to each other and when Frances tries to help Lewis shorten his abstract, she understands that he’s actually Dr North, her academic rival who nitpicks every scientific paper she writes. They are both headed to the same academic conference in New York and they’ll be in a sticky situation that will force them to spend time together.
The characters felt very real and the struggles of working in STEM and academia were nicely written. I think even though I understand all the science talk, that people will follow easily everything is explained in simpler terms without making it arrogant or condescending.
Frances’ stress and anxiety about her work and all the discourse about tying your self worth to your work felt so RAW. I loved her journey and I’m so glad about the ending of the book.
The tension is HIGH between our MCs and they flirt over email and science.
The most unrealistic thing about the story is the fact that Lewis is a man in STEM who actually has emotional intelligence and can read social cues…thank god for fictional men.
Oh and Hannah? Please write more 🥹
Tropes:
- Academic rivals to lovers
- Fake dating
- Scientific conference
- Nerdy banter
- He cooks for her
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
Thanks to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Hannah Brohm for the ARC.
Waaaww this was so good, I read it in under 24 hours, it felt just like an Ali Hazelwood book and I’m saying that in the best way possible. I am definitely not objective about it because I am literally the target audience for this kind of book but IT WAS SO GOOD.
Little synopsis:
Frances and Lewis meet in a transatlantic flight, sitting next to each other and when Frances tries to help Lewis shorten his abstract, she understands that he’s actually Dr North, her academic rival who nitpicks every scientific paper she writes. They are both headed to the same academic conference in New York and they’ll be in a sticky situation that will force them to spend time together.
The characters felt very real and the struggles of working in STEM and academia were nicely written. I think even though I understand all the science talk, that people will follow easily everything is explained in simpler terms without making it arrogant or condescending.
Frances’ stress and anxiety about her work and all the discourse about tying your self worth to your work felt so RAW. I loved her journey and I’m so glad about the ending of the book.
The tension is HIGH between our MCs and they flirt over email and science.
The most unrealistic thing about the story is the fact that Lewis is a man in STEM who actually has emotional intelligence and can read social cues…thank god for fictional men.
Oh and Hannah? Please write more 🥹
Tropes:
- Academic rivals to lovers
- Fake dating
- Scientific conference
- Nerdy banter
- He cooks for her
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
Thanks to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Hannah Brohm for the ARC.
December 30, 2025
it’s a lovely day to talk about a NEW and CUTE debut book STEM romance novel because if u’re looking up for more stories involving fake dating and STEM this one could be the one for 🫵🏻 so be ready to read about my thoughts… ;)
if u’re an ali hazelwood fan like me i know u’ll enjoy frances and lewis’s story because because i certainly did! from the start i was sat and ready to fly in NY with our lovely and relatable main characters ;”)
from the start it was obviously that u could feel the chemistry between frances and levi until she found out who levi was and the professional history they had involved but life happens and u never know right? and these two will have to fake dating and ikyk 😁 feelings will be involved with also the professional aspect that frances has to face respect lewis and so everything mixes and here u’re served with an interesting and adorable romcom!
and the outcome of our couple’s love… 100% correct and not only! i really appreciated how hannah brohm portrayed frances’s feelings towards her career and love! she was truly a lovely and inspiring female main character! levi oh levi the thoughtful man he were… to have more men like him… but besides from this i truly loved to read how he tried with his family and remained true to his beliefs!
lewis and frances in the end were really cute but most importantly very mature! it was so refreshing to see them communicating and understanding each other it was truly something else and i definitely appreciated that <333
last but not least i would like to thanks netgalley and aria & aries for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
if u’re an ali hazelwood fan like me i know u’ll enjoy frances and lewis’s story because because i certainly did! from the start i was sat and ready to fly in NY with our lovely and relatable main characters ;”)
from the start it was obviously that u could feel the chemistry between frances and levi until she found out who levi was and the professional history they had involved but life happens and u never know right? and these two will have to fake dating and ikyk 😁 feelings will be involved with also the professional aspect that frances has to face respect lewis and so everything mixes and here u’re served with an interesting and adorable romcom!
and the outcome of our couple’s love… 100% correct and not only! i really appreciated how hannah brohm portrayed frances’s feelings towards her career and love! she was truly a lovely and inspiring female main character! levi oh levi the thoughtful man he were… to have more men like him… but besides from this i truly loved to read how he tried with his family and remained true to his beliefs!
lewis and frances in the end were really cute but most importantly very mature! it was so refreshing to see them communicating and understanding each other it was truly something else and i definitely appreciated that <333
last but not least i would like to thanks netgalley and aria & aries for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
February 2, 2026
4.3 stars!!
Thank you to Atria Books, Hannah Brohm, and Netgalley for the ARC!
I found this to be a fun and cute little romance! i love women in STEM (since I am one) and it’s always so refreshing to see
Frances, our FMC, seemed to be pretty good overall as a character, Lewis too - they both had good attributes, but alongside that they had flaws they were able to recognize which is important
there was a lot of miscommunication between the two that annoyed me, but it got resolved over time
I found that I was hooked the whole time too, I was so excited to get back to the story and see where it would go. I was so happy that the characters all got to see a happier ending, even some of the side ones like Karo
I honestly loved Brady, we love fanfics in this house!
Overall, a fun and engaging storyline!
Thank you to Atria Books, Hannah Brohm, and Netgalley for the ARC!
I found this to be a fun and cute little romance! i love women in STEM (since I am one) and it’s always so refreshing to see
Frances, our FMC, seemed to be pretty good overall as a character, Lewis too - they both had good attributes, but alongside that they had flaws they were able to recognize which is important
there was a lot of miscommunication between the two that annoyed me, but it got resolved over time
I found that I was hooked the whole time too, I was so excited to get back to the story and see where it would go. I was so happy that the characters all got to see a happier ending, even some of the side ones like Karo
I honestly loved Brady, we love fanfics in this house!
Overall, a fun and engaging storyline!
December 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC copy of this book - releasing Feb 2026
STEM romance, rivals to lovers, fake dating
Frances is a neurology research scientist PhD - her world revolves her career. After being burned by her last relationship and men in academia, she is stubborn to a fault to succeed on her own merit. Hence why, with her current contract ending, she’s heading to a big science convention - hosted by her ex - in hopes of networking and finding another lab and job. On the plane ride over, she meets a charming fellow intellectual and sparks fly - until she realizes this is a fellow scientist in her field who has openly criticized her for years - Lewis. Immediately their rivalry kicks into full gear - both proud and neither taking any criticism well. But when they get to the conference and people mistake their bickering for flirting - Frances is so flustered she doesn’t correct them - and then is trapped by not being able to go back on her word. Not wanting to look like an unreliable fraud, she decides to proposition Lewis to fake date to maintain their reputations. But as their chemistry grows, into a tentative friendship and then the start of something more, can a short term fake relationship become more when it started as a lie and their insecurities and past keep building up walls between them?
STEM romance, rivals to lovers, fake dating
Frances is a neurology research scientist PhD - her world revolves her career. After being burned by her last relationship and men in academia, she is stubborn to a fault to succeed on her own merit. Hence why, with her current contract ending, she’s heading to a big science convention - hosted by her ex - in hopes of networking and finding another lab and job. On the plane ride over, she meets a charming fellow intellectual and sparks fly - until she realizes this is a fellow scientist in her field who has openly criticized her for years - Lewis. Immediately their rivalry kicks into full gear - both proud and neither taking any criticism well. But when they get to the conference and people mistake their bickering for flirting - Frances is so flustered she doesn’t correct them - and then is trapped by not being able to go back on her word. Not wanting to look like an unreliable fraud, she decides to proposition Lewis to fake date to maintain their reputations. But as their chemistry grows, into a tentative friendship and then the start of something more, can a short term fake relationship become more when it started as a lie and their insecurities and past keep building up walls between them?
July 25, 2025
What a fabulous debut!!
This book is for STEM lovers, but really anyone who loves a great slow-burn, fake-dating romance. Both characters were extremely likable and had tremendous growth throughout the book. I appreciated that they actually communicated with each other (most of the time) and were able to resolve most misunderstandings like adults. I can't wait to read more from Hannah in the future!
This book is for STEM lovers, but really anyone who loves a great slow-burn, fake-dating romance. Both characters were extremely likable and had tremendous growth throughout the book. I appreciated that they actually communicated with each other (most of the time) and were able to resolve most misunderstandings like adults. I can't wait to read more from Hannah in the future!
January 26, 2026
5 ⭐️
Frances is a neuroscientist on her way to New York for one of the biggest academia conferences of the year. Even with Murphys law following her left and right, she’s determined to make the best out of this trip. Although the plane ride is turning a little sour (having a fear of flying will do that to you.)
When she gets moved next to a cute fellow academia man, she’s thinking her luck has turned around. Until murphys law hits a home run and she realizes the man next to her is her arch nemesis who she has had an online rivalry with for 4 years.
Lewis is a kind, nerdy man who is hard and confident on the outside, but soft inside. He may have left Frances’s name off a citation, and criticized all her papers, but he’s fighting his own internal demons while battling the hardships of academia.
They try to avoid each other after the reveal of their identities on the flight, but that doesn’t last long when they find themselves in an office together to get their welcome packets. Frances ex is running the program- and the icing on the cake is the woman in front of them catching them up to speed on the conference is his new fiance. Who mistakes Lewis and Frances as a couple.
Frances and Lewis fake date to protect their careers at this conference, and what could go wrong?
I LOVEDDDD this book! It was so cute and had my attention the entire time. The enemies to lovers, fake dating, and academia aspect all tied in a beautiful present for me. The tie in with Frances wanting stability and mentioning nailing pictures to the walls coming full circle at the end? Had me tearing up!
Lewis and Frances were extremely believe main characters, and their back stories made so much sense as well. As much as I hate miscommunication, I felt like it added to this story plot well!
Thank you so much Hannah Brohm, NetGalley, & Atria books for this ARC!
Frances is a neuroscientist on her way to New York for one of the biggest academia conferences of the year. Even with Murphys law following her left and right, she’s determined to make the best out of this trip. Although the plane ride is turning a little sour (having a fear of flying will do that to you.)
When she gets moved next to a cute fellow academia man, she’s thinking her luck has turned around. Until murphys law hits a home run and she realizes the man next to her is her arch nemesis who she has had an online rivalry with for 4 years.
Lewis is a kind, nerdy man who is hard and confident on the outside, but soft inside. He may have left Frances’s name off a citation, and criticized all her papers, but he’s fighting his own internal demons while battling the hardships of academia.
They try to avoid each other after the reveal of their identities on the flight, but that doesn’t last long when they find themselves in an office together to get their welcome packets. Frances ex is running the program- and the icing on the cake is the woman in front of them catching them up to speed on the conference is his new fiance. Who mistakes Lewis and Frances as a couple.
Frances and Lewis fake date to protect their careers at this conference, and what could go wrong?
I LOVEDDDD this book! It was so cute and had my attention the entire time. The enemies to lovers, fake dating, and academia aspect all tied in a beautiful present for me. The tie in with Frances wanting stability and mentioning nailing pictures to the walls coming full circle at the end? Had me tearing up!
Lewis and Frances were extremely believe main characters, and their back stories made so much sense as well. As much as I hate miscommunication, I felt like it added to this story plot well!
Thank you so much Hannah Brohm, NetGalley, & Atria books for this ARC!
February 1, 2026
5⭐️ 3🌶
Thank you @atriabooks for the advanced copy!
This was everything I could want from a STEM romance! I really enjoyed this story so much and couldn’t get enough of the slow burn that comes with two doofuses who think they can resist falling for one another while fake dating. I love how prevalent the science side of things was in this story, allowing me to fully immerse myself in their world. I do hate a third act breakup, but it was still so good in the end!
Thank you @atriabooks for the advanced copy!
This was everything I could want from a STEM romance! I really enjoyed this story so much and couldn’t get enough of the slow burn that comes with two doofuses who think they can resist falling for one another while fake dating. I love how prevalent the science side of things was in this story, allowing me to fully immerse myself in their world. I do hate a third act breakup, but it was still so good in the end!
October 20, 2025
LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is the intellectually seductive, trope perfection, lanyard-melting debut of the year. Brohm’s twin loves for the romance genre and neuroscience sang on every page. I couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous writing, delicious academia backdrop, and heartwarming main characters. Brohm peels off their hard shells with finesse and no small amount of tension. I was glued, start to finish.
January 31, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up!
First of all, thank you to the publisher, Atria, and the author for my gifted ARC of LOBE (I don’t know if this was intentional or coincidental, but I adore that the acronym is LOBE)! All opinions are my own.
This was a super cute STEM romance where academic rivals are mistaken as a couple and end up fake dating to save their reputations. Both MCs are neuroscientists at an academic conference in NYC. As Frances and Lewis got further into their little scheme, they had me giggling and kicking my feet on multiple occasions! I loved all of the little science quips and the real life struggles of being a woman in STEM.
Another little fun fact is that the author, Hannah Brohm, wrote this book during her PhD which I find wildly impressive!
The ONLY complaint for me is that I couldn’t quite understand how neither Lewis or Frances had ever seen a photo of one another prior to meeting in person given their history and the digital age we live in. I think this could have quickly been explained away by some kind of remark like “I wanted to look him up, but didn’t allow myself to” or “his profile picture is of his dog” or something like that. It made the very beginning of the story a tiny bit unrealistic to me, but I quickly got past that and loved the overall story still!
First of all, thank you to the publisher, Atria, and the author for my gifted ARC of LOBE (I don’t know if this was intentional or coincidental, but I adore that the acronym is LOBE)! All opinions are my own.
This was a super cute STEM romance where academic rivals are mistaken as a couple and end up fake dating to save their reputations. Both MCs are neuroscientists at an academic conference in NYC. As Frances and Lewis got further into their little scheme, they had me giggling and kicking my feet on multiple occasions! I loved all of the little science quips and the real life struggles of being a woman in STEM.
Another little fun fact is that the author, Hannah Brohm, wrote this book during her PhD which I find wildly impressive!
The ONLY complaint for me is that I couldn’t quite understand how neither Lewis or Frances had ever seen a photo of one another prior to meeting in person given their history and the digital age we live in. I think this could have quickly been explained away by some kind of remark like “I wanted to look him up, but didn’t allow myself to” or “his profile picture is of his dog” or something like that. It made the very beginning of the story a tiny bit unrealistic to me, but I quickly got past that and loved the overall story still!
January 22, 2026
Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm was such a delight on audio and absolutely scratched that Ali Hazelwood shaped itch. Set in a high stakes academic environment, this rivals to lovers rom com follows neuroscientist Frances Silberstein, who’s brilliant, stressed, a little messy, and deeply lovable as she navigates career insecurity, fake dating, and unexpected feelings for her equally nerdy rival. The academic tension felt real because the stakes weren’t just emotional—they were professional—and I loved watching Frances grow into herself over the course of the story. Carlotta Brenton’s narration was excellent, grounding the humor and emotion effortlessly and making the banter sparkle without ever overpowering the story. Smart, charming, and very satisfying for fans of women in STEM romances.
December 16, 2025
5 ⭐♾️
Firstly, thank you endlessly to Aria, Head of Zeus, and NetGalley for the e-arc of Love and Other Brain Experiments in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Hi, hello, this hands down is one of my favourite reads of 2025, omggg, I absolutely ADORED this debut novel, which brings me onto the question of: how is this a debut novel?! I have such a soft spot for STEM romances and finding that right balance of nerdy science and romance between two characters is rather ingenious and I loved how Hannah brought that together amongst other tropes I loved. I actually don't know where to begin with this; other than the obvious being that it was so incredible! Every time I think about how adorable Frances and Lewis were, I break out into this huge, ridiculous grin, because they had no business being so cute together. I'm becoming increasingly concerned by how much bandwidth (thanks for the great saying, Lewis!) they are taking up in my head!!
Firstly, I'm such a sucker for a cute cover; it's pink and the art illustration of Frances and Lewis are so adorable; I'm honestly just in awe of how beautiful it is. When I realised that this was an academic rivals to lovers, fake dating romance, I knew that I was going to enjoy this, because I love the two tropes.
Frances was your typical nerdy, science loving FMC and I just was in so much awe of how resilient she was; from having to deal with her ex and his new fiancé, being faced with her academic rival and fake dating him - sorry, it is such an underrated moment, when as a reader, you actually come to discover that the MMC is quietly obsessed with the FMC, in awe of them and their work, and when it came to Lewis, he was nothing short of amazing in that aspect. Frances was so super focused on getting her grant and funding to continue pursuing her love for academia, without realising that she was actually falling out of love with it, and the harsh wakeup call that she needed to realign her focus and passions.
Lewis had his own problems, and reasons as to how the fake dating scenario could work in his favour with his parents, who didn't support him when it came to his own dreams, and not following in his father's footsteps, with a dash of some unresolved daddy issues.
Both characters were multilayered and they saw different sides to themselves, when forced to be around each other; I loved their little moments together, how Lewis helped Frances with her panic attacks and cooking for her. Lewis, who had this quiet confidence to him, but easily got nervous (especially around Frances) but had the way of centring him when he got too in his head or overwhelmed.
Ugh, Lewis was just happy to exist in Frances's orbit, what a man!
Truly, this was such a joy to read, I really had the best time with it, and honoured that I got read this early. I'm still in awe as to how this is a debut novel. because not once did it feel like it was; it's perfect for readers like me who love women in STEM, fake dating and forced proximity, and one I will fondly think about and come back to read again!
tropes
fake dating
academic rivals to lovers
forced proximity
he falls first
STEM romance
Firstly, thank you endlessly to Aria, Head of Zeus, and NetGalley for the e-arc of Love and Other Brain Experiments in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Hi, hello, this hands down is one of my favourite reads of 2025, omggg, I absolutely ADORED this debut novel, which brings me onto the question of: how is this a debut novel?! I have such a soft spot for STEM romances and finding that right balance of nerdy science and romance between two characters is rather ingenious and I loved how Hannah brought that together amongst other tropes I loved. I actually don't know where to begin with this; other than the obvious being that it was so incredible! Every time I think about how adorable Frances and Lewis were, I break out into this huge, ridiculous grin, because they had no business being so cute together. I'm becoming increasingly concerned by how much bandwidth (thanks for the great saying, Lewis!) they are taking up in my head!!
Firstly, I'm such a sucker for a cute cover; it's pink and the art illustration of Frances and Lewis are so adorable; I'm honestly just in awe of how beautiful it is. When I realised that this was an academic rivals to lovers, fake dating romance, I knew that I was going to enjoy this, because I love the two tropes.
Frances was your typical nerdy, science loving FMC and I just was in so much awe of how resilient she was; from having to deal with her ex and his new fiancé, being faced with her academic rival and fake dating him - sorry, it is such an underrated moment, when as a reader, you actually come to discover that the MMC is quietly obsessed with the FMC, in awe of them and their work, and when it came to Lewis, he was nothing short of amazing in that aspect. Frances was so super focused on getting her grant and funding to continue pursuing her love for academia, without realising that she was actually falling out of love with it, and the harsh wakeup call that she needed to realign her focus and passions.
Lewis had his own problems, and reasons as to how the fake dating scenario could work in his favour with his parents, who didn't support him when it came to his own dreams, and not following in his father's footsteps, with a dash of some unresolved daddy issues.
Both characters were multilayered and they saw different sides to themselves, when forced to be around each other; I loved their little moments together, how Lewis helped Frances with her panic attacks and cooking for her. Lewis, who had this quiet confidence to him, but easily got nervous (especially around Frances) but had the way of centring him when he got too in his head or overwhelmed.
Ugh, Lewis was just happy to exist in Frances's orbit, what a man!
Truly, this was such a joy to read, I really had the best time with it, and honoured that I got read this early. I'm still in awe as to how this is a debut novel. because not once did it feel like it was; it's perfect for readers like me who love women in STEM, fake dating and forced proximity, and one I will fondly think about and come back to read again!
tropes
fake dating
academic rivals to lovers
forced proximity
he falls first
STEM romance
November 22, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up!
I actually really loved this. Read just about in 1 day! The science is great, the romance is really sweet, and enough background story line to keep it interesting.
I really like STEM romances and am always looking for new authors who are venturing into writing them and I’m very glad to be adding Hannah Brohm to that list. The FMC Dr Frances Silberstein is a neuroscientist who always puts her career first until she reconnects with her academic rival Dr Lewis North on their way to the same conference. The science part is obviously well researched and really interesting (I believe the author has background in this and it shows!)
I knew this was going to be a solid book and Frances was going to be a strong FMC when she meets Vivienne who is her ex’s new fiancé. Her first thought isn’t to tear her down or think ill of her, but to make sure she was ok academically and that he was treating her well (she has a little private freak out after but it’s more poise than I would have expected from her.) I was truly impressed with this scene.
I think the romance is well done, my favorite black cat/golden retriever dynamic. The fake dating plot was a good choice to kick off the romance since they don’t have much interaction prior to meeting in the plane and made the romance feel more organic than some other trope. It made for some funny moment later as well.
Frances’ relationship with her sister is also really well written and important for the story. From moving around for her jobs she doesn’t have a super strong support system but her sister fills that role well.
The third act break up happens a little later and thus resolves “quickly”. It doesn’t feel too rushed but they could have skipped the whole notebook story line (idk why they would need to write down that they were fake dating).
Also if anyone has any links for that fanfic lol….
Very well done, would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I actually really loved this. Read just about in 1 day! The science is great, the romance is really sweet, and enough background story line to keep it interesting.
I really like STEM romances and am always looking for new authors who are venturing into writing them and I’m very glad to be adding Hannah Brohm to that list. The FMC Dr Frances Silberstein is a neuroscientist who always puts her career first until she reconnects with her academic rival Dr Lewis North on their way to the same conference. The science part is obviously well researched and really interesting (I believe the author has background in this and it shows!)
I knew this was going to be a solid book and Frances was going to be a strong FMC when she meets Vivienne who is her ex’s new fiancé. Her first thought isn’t to tear her down or think ill of her, but to make sure she was ok academically and that he was treating her well (she has a little private freak out after but it’s more poise than I would have expected from her.) I was truly impressed with this scene.
I think the romance is well done, my favorite black cat/golden retriever dynamic. The fake dating plot was a good choice to kick off the romance since they don’t have much interaction prior to meeting in the plane and made the romance feel more organic than some other trope. It made for some funny moment later as well.
Frances’ relationship with her sister is also really well written and important for the story. From moving around for her jobs she doesn’t have a super strong support system but her sister fills that role well.
The third act break up happens a little later and thus resolves “quickly”. It doesn’t feel too rushed but they could have skipped the whole notebook story line (idk why they would need to write down that they were fake dating).
Also if anyone has any links for that fanfic lol….
Very well done, would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2025
As someone who hasn’t yet dipped into Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis (yes, I’m that rare unicorn) my venture into STEM romances is still fresh. But Love and Other Brain Experiments shows this niche genre is growing. It’s scientifically scintillating. But for me also spotlights gender disparities that persist in STEM especially in academia, where women still fight for rightful credit in journals, speaking opportunities, lab positions, and recognition that often gets erased. The gains are slow and tide is changing.
Frances and Lewis are academic rivals, constantly critiquing each other’s work from afar. But when a shared flight to a New York conference forces them side by side, sparks (and research notes/ideas) start to fly and a fake relationship unfolds. There are many micro tropes woven into the book that many readers will enjoy.
This book is smart, passionate, and doesn’t shy away from tough truths about women in science.
Thank you Atria Books for the digital arc!
Frances and Lewis are academic rivals, constantly critiquing each other’s work from afar. But when a shared flight to a New York conference forces them side by side, sparks (and research notes/ideas) start to fly and a fake relationship unfolds. There are many micro tropes woven into the book that many readers will enjoy.
This book is smart, passionate, and doesn’t shy away from tough truths about women in science.
Thank you Atria Books for the digital arc!
August 17, 2025
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review
Wow, I absolutely devoured this!!!! First and foremost, incredible tension between the two leads. They had me in a chokehold. The writing was smart and interesting, without being overly flowery. All of the side characters felt real and fleshed out. I’m not a STEM girl, but I loved the references and that the author didn’t waste time explaining it, but just let the characters talk. I loved that there was a storyline outside of the relationship storyline, and the character’s growth was anchored in both lines. Just a really wonderful debut. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
Wow, I absolutely devoured this!!!! First and foremost, incredible tension between the two leads. They had me in a chokehold. The writing was smart and interesting, without being overly flowery. All of the side characters felt real and fleshed out. I’m not a STEM girl, but I loved the references and that the author didn’t waste time explaining it, but just let the characters talk. I loved that there was a storyline outside of the relationship storyline, and the character’s growth was anchored in both lines. Just a really wonderful debut. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
September 14, 2025
I love some STEM romances!!
This was a solid rivals to lovers situation - where the events leading to the misunderstanding were really well done and believable.
Where I struggled was the FMC’s rally podium third scary decisions. You could 100 percent understand where she was coming from but honestly it was s awful to read. You just want to shake this girl so hard!!! So for me, realism or not, I didn’t enjoy almost the whole ending.
But the author made a wonderful big gesture moment that helped a lot.
This was a solid rivals to lovers situation - where the events leading to the misunderstanding were really well done and believable.
Where I struggled was the FMC’s rally podium third scary decisions. You could 100 percent understand where she was coming from but honestly it was s awful to read. You just want to shake this girl so hard!!! So for me, realism or not, I didn’t enjoy almost the whole ending.
But the author made a wonderful big gesture moment that helped a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
Unfortunately, I had trouble reading and finishing this book. The trope is good along with the STEM environment but the writing still needs development. It’s been compared to Ali Hazelwood’s books. Having read all of Ali’s books I’d politely say they’re similar in topic only.
This author has definite promise and I look forward to her next book.
Thanks Edelweiss and Atria Books.
This author has definite promise and I look forward to her next book.
Thanks Edelweiss and Atria Books.
February 2, 2026
I stayed up way too late last night reading. I’m so tired today.
But this book? So worth it. Like, this ending was so perfect, it gave me one of those giddy happy, swoony, blushy, squealing moments.
As a corporate girl, STEMinist romance always gets me, and Brohm’s debut is the closest I’ve found yet to channeling that Ali Hazelwood magic.
Frances & Lewis’s journey from academic rivals to pretend partners to maybe, reluctantly, something so much more was just great. The fake dating trope hits all the right notes; the hustle of academia has you stressing and shaking your fist; the jokes and banter and love notes (slides) are lovely.
Oh and Lewis? I love a rich, smart, kinda shitty blonde MMC. This one is Manhattan penthouse raised & crushing it as a neuroscientist, plus a bit sad boy too. In other words: perfect.
𝑨𝒍𝒔𝒐:
🥼 Academic discourse and review but make it flirty
🧠 Anxiety and mental health rep
📝 He likes to journal
💚 Complicated family relationships
🌇 An “other woman” who you don’t want to throat punch
💖 He falls first—with longing
⚗️ Bad ass women in STEM
👓 Cleaning your glasses as foreplay (I did not know this was a think I’d be into)
🍩 May have you craving donuts
There were some small moments where the writing needed a bit of a polish, but for a debut, it was on the whole so, so good. I also hate when book characters talk about books and romance tropes openly, but that’s probably a me issue. (Like can’t we just fake date without explaining that we know the fake dating trope?)
So small in the overall picture of things, though, and the plot beats and even the third act breakup all still really worked here.
Thank you @atriabooks for the early copy! 🫶
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙 for how giddy happy the ending made me.
But this book? So worth it. Like, this ending was so perfect, it gave me one of those giddy happy, swoony, blushy, squealing moments.
As a corporate girl, STEMinist romance always gets me, and Brohm’s debut is the closest I’ve found yet to channeling that Ali Hazelwood magic.
Frances & Lewis’s journey from academic rivals to pretend partners to maybe, reluctantly, something so much more was just great. The fake dating trope hits all the right notes; the hustle of academia has you stressing and shaking your fist; the jokes and banter and love notes (slides) are lovely.
Oh and Lewis? I love a rich, smart, kinda shitty blonde MMC. This one is Manhattan penthouse raised & crushing it as a neuroscientist, plus a bit sad boy too. In other words: perfect.
𝑨𝒍𝒔𝒐:
🥼 Academic discourse and review but make it flirty
🧠 Anxiety and mental health rep
📝 He likes to journal
💚 Complicated family relationships
🌇 An “other woman” who you don’t want to throat punch
💖 He falls first—with longing
⚗️ Bad ass women in STEM
👓 Cleaning your glasses as foreplay (I did not know this was a think I’d be into)
🍩 May have you craving donuts
There were some small moments where the writing needed a bit of a polish, but for a debut, it was on the whole so, so good. I also hate when book characters talk about books and romance tropes openly, but that’s probably a me issue. (Like can’t we just fake date without explaining that we know the fake dating trope?)
So small in the overall picture of things, though, and the plot beats and even the third act breakup all still really worked here.
Thank you @atriabooks for the early copy! 🫶
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙 for how giddy happy the ending made me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 ⭐️
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Aria&Aries and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc!
Love and Other Brain Experiments is Hannah Brohm’s debut novel, it’s a STEM romance that follows neuroscientists Frances and Lewis.
This was my first ever STEM romance, I’ve never felt curious about them but when I saw this available for request I told myself “why not?” and just went for it. I’m happy I did because I tried something new, and I enjoyed it. In some parts I felt a little confused and like the technical stuff was a bit too much for me, which was my main concern with STEM romances, but it didn’t make my experience with this a bad one.
I liked the fake dating element, these two were great with each other and I liked their banter. I liked them together, but also as separate characters. They both had their flaws but it was nice seeing them work through them. I also enjoyed the setting, it was a great mix between the conference setting and the city (New York) setting.
I don’t know if I’ll check out other romances from this genre, but I’m very happy I read this one!!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Aria&Aries and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc!
Love and Other Brain Experiments is Hannah Brohm’s debut novel, it’s a STEM romance that follows neuroscientists Frances and Lewis.
This was my first ever STEM romance, I’ve never felt curious about them but when I saw this available for request I told myself “why not?” and just went for it. I’m happy I did because I tried something new, and I enjoyed it. In some parts I felt a little confused and like the technical stuff was a bit too much for me, which was my main concern with STEM romances, but it didn’t make my experience with this a bad one.
I liked the fake dating element, these two were great with each other and I liked their banter. I liked them together, but also as separate characters. They both had their flaws but it was nice seeing them work through them. I also enjoyed the setting, it was a great mix between the conference setting and the city (New York) setting.
I don’t know if I’ll check out other romances from this genre, but I’m very happy I read this one!!
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