Love, In Theory in Aussie Readers

Jun 07, 2021 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it liked it

Shelves: aussie-author, provided-by-publisher, arc-are

Love, In Theory by debut author Elodie Cheesman is a sweet, if rather predictable, romcom that explores the age old debate of whether to place more trust in your heart or your head when it comes to love.

Cheesman introduces Romy, a single, twenty four year old junior lawyer who works and lives in Sydney. When Romy learns that, according to the theory of the 'optimal stopping point', she has only a few months to find her best chance at ‘happy ever after’ she decides it’s time to make a concerted ...more

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Jun 09, 2021 Tien rated it liked it

Shelves: for-review, australian-author, romance, contemporary

This book is an unsolicited review copy and honestly, it isn't a book that I'd pick up on my own steam. The cover is pretty cute but not particularly eye-grabbing so I reckon I'd walk by without noticing much. However, the premise of an algorithm for finding love rather tickled. It's not particularly unique as I'm sure I've seen other books with similar premise but I was happy enough to give this book a chance.

It seems to me that pretending to be the person everyone wants you to be is easier tha This book is an unsolicited review copy and honestly, it isn't a book that I'd pick up on my own steam. The cover is pretty cute but not particularly eye-grabbing so I reckon I'd walk by without noticing much. However, the premise of an algorithm for finding love rather tickled. It's not particularly unique as I'm sure I've seen other books with similar premise but I was happy enough to give this book a chance.

It seems to me that pretending to be the person everyone wants you to be is easier than grappling with the messiness underneath.

Romy is an easy protagonist to sympathise with... She's young, single but a tad lonely, has pretty good friends and loving parents. She seems like she's pretty much got it all but when you dig deeper, she's got issues as we all do. Her workplace (despite the prestige etc) isn't all it claims to be. Her love life is practically non-existent and with 2 awful relationships behind her, she's very unsure on how to find Mr Right. And she especially is very unsure on how to find whether Mr Right is right inside as well as outside.

"...,there's a big gap between our private thoughts and intentions and public words and actions. I think that's what intimacy is -- learning the landscape of that divide. It's not insuperable, and sometimes it's worth putting in the effort to understand another person."

As Romy looks to her friends and family for advices, she had to make her own decision on what exactly is the right thing for her. And as she stumbles through a relationship, a break-up, work conflicts, she continues to have blinders on when readers are shouting from the very first chapter who Mr Right is. It was really quite a frustrating read but...

"...As we get older and have more experiences, we learn which label to use for which experience, even though the physical response is the same. But humans aren't always great at distinguishing between feelings."

I can totally relate to this last bit. Romy was slow but she got there, ladies & gentlemen. Overall, Love, In Theory was a very relaxing read even if it nearly crossed the line of my pet peeve (love triangle). Luckily, it didn't quite get there so I managed to finish without too much angst. The algorithm theory went way over my head but that doesn't really worry me because you & I know, love doesn't work that way anyway ;p

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts ...more

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Jul 23, 2021 Nikki Sims-Chilton rated it really liked it

3.5
This review first appeared here: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
This debut novel by Elodie Cheesman is a fun romance novel looking at the mathematical probabilities and theories around love.
Romy a single 24-year-old lawyer living in Sydney has decided that it’s time to get serious about love. She learns that she is at her 'optimal stopping point' - the mathematically designated point at which one should select the next 'best person' who comes along in order to have the best chance a ...more

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May 22, 2021 Bree T rated it really liked it

Shelves: australian, arc, romance, aww2021

I thought this was mostly, a lot of fun.

Romy is a lawyer working for quite a large firm, under one of the partners. Even though she’s only 24, her mother draws her attention to an article describing the mathematical perfect time to find her life partner and it’s been a little while since she’s dated anyone and I think the science of the idea appeals to her. She joins Tinder for the first time in an attempt to find ‘The One’. After a few disastrous dates, she meets Hans, a German who is new to Sy I thought this was mostly, a lot of fun.

Romy is a lawyer working for quite a large firm, under one of the partners. Even though she’s only 24, her mother draws her attention to an article describing the mathematical perfect time to find her life partner and it’s been a little while since she’s dated anyone and I think the science of the idea appeals to her. She joins Tinder for the first time in an attempt to find ‘The One’. After a few disastrous dates, she meets Hans, a German who is new to Sydney and is everything that Romy thinks she wants (her 3 characteristics). He’s kind and steady and definitely the sort of person she should be building a future with – even if there’s no spark. And she can’t stop thinking about James, a laid back guy who doesn’t ‘do’ relationships and seems to collect one night stands. James doesn’t have future written all over him, so Romy should definitely be concentrating on Hans.

Really enjoyed the premise, the study of different ways that people find love and how and if that love is maintained. I also like the idea of building something, something that grows but that’s not to say it has to be without the spark, or the chemistry. There are times when Romy does seem to take this extreme viewpoint – she’s willing to put a lot of time and work in with Hans, which is great, even when there’s no spark and things do not particularly seem to be developing. Likewise, she’s attracted to James, there’s chemistry between them but she thinks that isn’t going to last, it’ll fade and that they wouldn’t be able to build something. It’s pretty obvious there’s some flaws in her thinking but she needs to work that out for herself, with a bit of trial and error I suppose.

Romy is working in a two year rotation and she’s finding the work quite unfulfilling – she’s learning to apply the law as it stands and as her boss often tells her, they’re not the moral police. Romy often struggles with this, that the fact that someone can be doing something morally wrong but the company doesn’t have the ability to fire them. Or that a company can be doing something wrong but it’s a their word vs an employee’s word and often there’s no justice for the employee. It’s clear her work doesn’t make her happy but she’s not sure what, exactly, she wants to do with her law degree. To be honest, the firm where she and several of her friends work, sounds quite depressing – her friend Cameron is basically borderline bullied by his direct partner and even though Romy’s partner in charge is boorish, he’s at least not a person who belittles her publicly and insults her. This is a sort of culture in law firms that is probably quite traditional and the author is a lawyer herself so has presumably some experience in the area, if not herself then someone she knows. I liked learning about the hierarchy of a big firm though and the way in which the work trickles down to the juniors.

I also liked Romy’s group of friends and their differing opinions on various things such as getting married and relationships. They seemed like fun – although it’s been long time since I was 24 and to be honest I’m not sure I was ever a 24yo who thrived on being as busy and out as much as these ones are (introvert here)! This is set in Sydney and you do get quite a clear sense of the city, which I really enjoyed. I’ve never lived in inner-Sydney but it is one of my favourite places to visit and this book definitely reminded me it’s been a long time since I was there.

I did find Romy a little frustrating in the latter part of the book – and very stubborn. People seemed to be trying to tell her that the studies are all well and good but you still have to factor actual feelings into it and you cannot force something that isn’t there but she seems to just persist with the theory for quite a while, even though it’s making her miserable and she has the power to fix it. I was really ready for her to have her epiphany!

I did enjoy this though – it was fun and humorous and well written. A really clever debut and I hope to read more from Elodie Cheesman in the future.

***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review*** ...more

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Jun 13, 2021 Mish marked it as to-read

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