Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63098427-love-theoretically

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Ali Hazelwood has easily become one of my favorite authors. She writes fantastic romances with strong leads of female scientists. Humor that is brilliant and quirky with each character. And guys you can't help but wish existed. I loved her books and this latest one is just another great addition to her works. This story follows Elsie. A theoretical physicist in the search of getting a job where she can research and stop teaching (she really does not like being an adjunct professor). She especially needs a better job to keep her financially afloat, especially when she has a medical condition. And when she becomes a finalist for position she really wants, she just has to pass the last few interviews and tests. But things get complicated. Her other job has finally proven that the world is indeed that small. So when she isn't teaching and researching, she gets paid to be someone's girlfriend. Something Elsie excels at because during the years she has mastered reading people and shaping herself to be the person they need her to be. And when her latest client's brother is on the committee that will determine her future, things reach way beyond complicated. Jack has been suspicious of Elsie since day one along with something else that Elsie isn't quite sure of. But now all he sees is a liar and poor Elsie can't explain. Not yet. Not without giving away his brother's secrets. However, things don't stay this way for too long. And it is truthfully just the beginning of their story. There is more history, a bit of a rivalry between then, some enemies-to-lovers, and just so many other pieces of their story. And I loved every moment of it. Elsie and Jack were just so great together! Jack is the one person Elsie can't read and it forces to be herself for the first time ever. And she isn't sure what to make of that, but she is learning. And you can just tell how much Jack adores Elsie, even when she can't see it at first. Absolutely adored this story and devoured it in a day. You won't want to miss this!