I took the plunge into the world of Ali Hazelwood's books with "Not in Love," and sadly it left me feeling a tad underwhelmed. I was excited to delve into a story with some serious potential for deep connections between the characters. From what I understand this has a much more serious tone than Hazelwood other books, but I found it fell flat for me.

The plot had promise, but it felt like we barely scratched the surface of what could have been. Instead of getting lost in the intricacies of the plot, we were bombarded with steamy scenes left, right, and centre. Spice in novels isn't a bad thing but when it feels like that's all there is, well, let's just say it leaves a bit to be desired. Not every character needs to be a perfectly polished gem, shining bright with depth and complexity. But when you're trying to sell me on a romance, I need a little more than just physical attraction to keep me invested. Unfortunately, that's all I got from our main characters here. It was like they were just going through the motions, ticking off all the boxes for a steamy romance without ever really connecting on a deeper level.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying "Not in Love" was a total bust. It had its moments, for sure. But when those moments are few and far between, overshadowed by scenes that leave me feeling more awkward than anything else, well, let's just say it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Another fun read from Ali Hazelwood. Unfortunately all of her books are pretty similar which makes it a little boring sometimes. I am still in love with her writing style. 4 stars

This book was a good romance, however i dont think its the authors best. It still made me smile and giggle though!

This book wasn’t for me.

It was an okay read but nothing gripped me to the point where I was excited to continue reading the story.

If you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood then I would give it a go but personally I find her books hit or miss.

Ali Hazelwood never fails to deliver! Much darker than her normal novels, we still had all the things she love about her. A couple so drawn to each other they can't stay away, an excellent cast of characters that make you want to have a whole series now, and secrets that threaten to destroy everything.
An absolutely fantastic and fun read, thrilling and exciting!

3.5 stars rounded to 4. I very much liked this one. It's not Ali Hazelwood's best, I have to admit, but Rue's emotional unavailability caught me off guard. I related a little too hard and there were scenes that made feel a bit teary-eyed. However, it was too insta-lovey for my taste, and also a little too smutty. I have enjoyed most of Ali's books before this one, but this takes the cake for the number of open door sex scenes that felt more like filler rather than addition to the plot.

Would I still recommend tho? Yes.

While i did enjoy this book and found the flawed, but also very human characters were written quite well (maybe Rue a little more than Eli, who could at times be a little too creepy in his thought process for my liking), I have to admit that I prefer the style of her previous romance novels to this new one.
I simply did not feel the romantic connection between the characters was as genuine as in her other works and that the lust between the two played a bigger role than the romantic attraction.
Still it was a well written story, with mostly relatable and interesting characters, as well as a fast pace to keep you engaged.
All in all despite it's small flaws it managed to be very entertaining and I look forward to the new books Ali Hazelwood will write in the future.

I’m fairly new to Ali Hazelwood, my first book of hers being Bride, which I really enjoyed. However, I immediately knew she would be an author to keep an eye one and was extremely excited to get the opportunity to read and early copy of Not in Love. Back into the realm of STEM romance we go.

I flew through this book, and really liked the characters and their unique dynamics. This is definitely her most steamy book yet (honestly had me shocked just how much!) Both characters are interesting, and have issues with expressing emotions. However, for spoiler reasons that I will not be sharing they end up with a significant conflicting interest. This does not erase their attraction and natural pull towards one another, leading to a lot of tension and a secret affair leading to an enemies-with-benefits arrangement.

Of course they have to combat their growing feelings, torn between loyalty and their changing relationship and it creates a very interesting dynamic to read about. Loved Eli our mmc, who adores Rue the fmc just the way she is and has top tier golden retriever energy.

First of all can I just say love the cover! Loved the concept of this book and did throughly enjoy just felt like it could have given more. Overall a decent read and would read more from Ali as it was an easy read and enjoyable

DNF at 15%, just really don't enjoy it or the writing.

I really enjoyed Bride which is why I chose to read this one but yikes.... I have never not finished a book before, even if I don't enjoy it I generally finish it anyway but I just can't finish this one...

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I am almost exclusively an SFF reader - but being in STEM myself I have always loved Ali's books and this was no different. I loved Rue as a character so much. It is, as other reviewers have noted, spicier than Ali's previous works. I will say that I had guessed the origin of the main conflict a long time before it was actually revealed but I still really enjoyed it.

This book starts with a warning, a warning for us readers to acknoledge the fact that this book is different from Ali’s previous work, and some content warnings. Is this a woman in STEM romance? Yes, yes it is. But, it’s SO much more. This was so vastly different from the first three books (love hypothesis, love on the brain & love theoretically), in a good way. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of those, but this was just MORE.

Rue, our FMC is a woman working at developing microbial coating for produce (food), with a tragic past that has definitely left it’s marks on her, and I say without a doubt that she’s also on the spectrum. And this is portrayed so realistically, and raw. It’s not trying to make fun of her antics, just letting it be a part of her. Simply beautiful.

Eli, our MMC, also has his issues he has to deal with from past trauma and neglect, and he’s just so incredibly understanding and honest to god, a wonderful man. Another thing miss Hazelwood is known for, is having a REALLY tall mmc and a short, petite fmc, and this fact is brought on a number of occasions throughout the books. I’ve never found that to be irritating, just funny. In ”Not in love” though, we get a TALL QUEEN. Rue is a tall, former figureskater with a body that resembles old movie stars, so think soft and curvy. Yaaaas queen 👑 Oh and speaking of figureskating, Eli is a former hockeyplayer, soooo Ali is absolutely dipping her toes in the hockey romance world 😏🏒

I actually shed a tear at the final sentence, firstly because it was just so beautifully worded, and also a wonderful end scene. But mostly because the book was over 😢

”Maybe people can be happy and sad”

Just when I think Ali Hazelwood can’t get any spicier she goes ahead and writes a new book that makes her last one positively chaste! Phew, this book had it all. Love and lust and spice, spice, spice. I really like Rue. She was tough but unafraid to be vulnerable with Eli. They’ve both been through so much trauma and seeing them work through that together was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. This book is definitely a bit deeper than Ali’s usual stories (it even comes with a heads up from Ali that this book might be triggering for some readers), but I feel like she wrote it delicately and not simply for the shock factor. Its not my favourite Ali Hazelwood book (that honour still goes to the Love Hypothesis) but its a great read and I recommend it. Thanks Netgalley and publisher!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Where do I even start? I don't know if I can even describe what this book is about without spoiling it, but I will try.

Rue and Eli are on opposite sides. Rue is a scientist at a woman run firm, Eli is part of the business that has just bought out the company. Tensions are high, secrets are flying, they are meant to hate each other, and yet they can't stay away. Meeting the night before via an app, Eli and Rue share things with each other that they don't share with anyone else. They tell their truths in stories. But all too soon, the walls are closing in, and they must prepare for an inevitable separation.

I am still thinking about this book. Eli and Rue were genuinely the cutest couple ever, with Eli clearly understanding what it meant to fall for a woman with autism. That fact alone made this book an immediate five-star, but Ali Hazelwood's writing just made it all the better. Not only was the story complex, but Ali covered deep subjects, including family trauma, sex struggles, and the struggles of being a woman with autism. Eli was the perfect gentleman, always putting Rue first and giving her space to be herself without judgement or trying to make it about himself. Rue herself was smart, ambitious, loyal, and, frankly, my favourite character. There was a depth to her that is often missing in female heroines in romance. She battled so much throughout the book and yet managed to keep her head about herself (mostly) and, by the end she was standing up for herself and going for what she wanted without questioning how others would feel. The character development was amazing, and the back stories were incredibly well thought out

This book is definitely 18+ as it has explicit sexual scenes. However, even those are handled with finesse and depth. She discussed many aspects of a relationship, and a huge part of the book was her discussion on sex and intimacy, especially from the perspective of autism.

Leaning away from the story and concentrating on the finer details of the writing , Ali Hazelwood does not miss. Ever. This was intelligent, beautiful, profound in a gentle way, and entertaining from the get-go. If I could have read it in one sitting, I would have. There is something just so obsessive about Ali's writing. I can't help but think about it days later, obsessing over the characters and the storyline.

This was one of the easiest five stars I have ever given.

i think i have to call myself an Ali stan from now on.

i want someone to love me and me so obsessed with me, as Eli is with Rue. that man is a SIMP! and i respect him for that!

and yes, this book was spiceyyyyy! definitely more spice than her other books, but it never felt like it was too much spice. this book had the perfect spice to plot ratio.

I can discripe this book with one word ... love.
I love this book so much it was heart melting and so lovely.
The way they fell for eachother made me belive in true and unconditional love.

Ali never, ever misses! Another incredible book from Ali Hazelwood, with characters you simply cannot resist falling for. As per Ali’s own note at the start of the book, Not In Love feels heavier and darker than previous books, but it handles the sensitive topics so incredibly well. Reading about Rue’s relationship to food was very for me very powerful, and for anyone who has similar struggles, will feel validated and seen and understood.

I loved Rue’s unapologetic awkwardness. I loved the way Eli fell so hard and deep and fast. I loved the dialogue and the dynamic. And the spice. Just wow. Absolute perfection!

TW for this book: Food insecurity, ED, parent loss, child neglect

At this stage I'm a devoted Hazelwood stan, she's as much part of my spicy shelf as Macfarlane. Absolutely adored her previous STEM books and this one definitely followed suit.

In "Not in Love" it feels like Hazelwood's trying to tackle trickier characters with more complex back stories, while still trying to weave their narrative into a romp across STEM politics and (in the case of this book..) copious sex scenes!

That's right - I reckon this is the spiciest yet! Whicccch... might not be the best thing? As a spice fan, I never thought I'd say that. However, it did feel like there was *a lot* of sex in this one, especially in comparison to "Check and Mate". Lots of it did feel rather indulgent and personally I'd have preferred a couple of scenes less (who even am I?).

That said, it was (as usual with Hazelwood's books) very enjoyable and readable, and I devoured it in a few sittings. The duel POV was a highlight throughout, maybe in the next one we can have duel POV and TWO couples? Now who's being indulgent..!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the chance to read and review an advanced copy of "Not in Love" by Ali Hazelwood!

I have adored all of Ali’s previous books, so nobody is more disappointed than me to say this one wasn’t for me.

While the story had real promise and I liked Rue a lot as a female MC, Eli really brought things down for me. I’m all for a spicy read, but I think Eli came across more like the protagonist from ‘You’ than a love interest you’re rooting for.

Lines like “Her refusal had cooled things enough to knock some sense into him, and he was very relieved not to be tempted to drive to her house just for the privilege of doing something appalling like staring at her dark balcony windows and ordering himself not to masturbate furiously” just seemed a little creepy and really caused me to disconnect from Eli.

I’ll still look forward to anything Ali writes in future but I’m hoping it veers back into sweet, sexy male characters rather than an obsessive one.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group and the author for this copy for my honest review.

*SMALL SPOILERS*

I have to say that this book has been a pleasure to read, I have completely fallen in love with this couple, I think they are too real.

We have Rue, who is quite a special girl, she has a hard time connecting with people, with her surroundings and she doesn't know how to handle emotions, I have felt identified with her in many moments, I feel like I am not able to talk to people or connect with them unless I have a lot of confidence. Despite this, she is amazing, I love how her mind works.

One thing I love about Ali's books, is how all of her main characters have very distinct personalities and are experts in the field of science, STEM girls are always going to be my favourite.

The male protagonist, Eli, my goodness, this man is what we call an ‘obsessed boy’, literally from the moment he sees her, he was already lost for her, I love how he could die if he doesn't touch her, see her or breathe her air.

I absolutely love the way Eli understands Rue more than anyone else, how he respects her boundaries and how he doesn't judge her for anything. He's the kind of man you want to have by your side for life.

I really liked Eli's group of friends, I feel like we have a found family here, because even though they are friends and have a company, they are a family, and they support each other in everything. It's beautiful, I want friends like that.

In this book, precisely the couple works around sex, it is a very physical relationship and feelings are shown through contact, and I think that sometimes made me think that there are too many sex scenes, but he has worked it so well, that in the end, I read them just to find out what happened next.

So despite it not being my favourite Ali book, nor my favourite couple, I loved it.
A million thanks again for allowing me to read it ahead of time.

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