Synopsis

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos. As a third-year PhD candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships — but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor — and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding... six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

The protagonists

My review

I really loved this book. The way we connect with Olive's mind and live through the development of this couple is wonderful. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and watching Olive and Adam slowly fall while pretending to be a couple is just too sweet. The only thing I wish for is that we'd gotten Adam's POV — I hope Ali gives us so much more of the mind of this male lead who is, honestly, everything that's right in the world. A rom-com that reads fast, pulls out smiles, and leaves your heart happy.

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