This novel features plenty of good and sleazy smut, forced proximity, age gap romance, and enemies to lovers. There were a few things I didn't like, such as Tom's excessive possessiveness, which was almost unpleasant. Liz had her "what the frick Liz" times, which caused me to squint. But in this book, it all just seems to match.

I actually laughed aloud during some sequences because of the witty banter and sass that Tom and Liz exchange. Liz and Jenny's relationship, who will soon become her stepmother, was adorable. I adored how much Jim's hatred for Tom and his crude remarks about him made me think of my own father.

If you’re looking for a good enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance with a STEM background, look no further. I’ve given this a 3.5 stars but I’d round it up to a 4 rather than down to a 3.

I really appreciated all the character details and elements of the story arc because it really rounded out the book - they’re both huge anime nerds, they work in a genetics lab (and we actually see them talk about science woo👏🏼), there’s a delicious slow burn, an age gap (which I didn’t even realise at first😅), and both main characters don’t want marriage or children. I really appreciated seeing that in a romance book. I feel like that sentiment is growing more common so weaving it in was a great way to remind everyone that it’s okay to not want marriage and children and, spoiler alert: still be happy and fulfilled!

I’m so glad to have read an enemies to lovers where the enemies part actually made logical sense for once!! Both of the characters in this book are flawed and they make mistakes and do the wrong things. The enemies aspect felt justified instead of a superficial miscommunication to enhance the plot.

It is definitely a bit of a slow burn / drawn out tease between Tom and Liz however, and I did find some of Tom’s actions to be a bit fucking creepy so… I wasn’t in LOVE with the romance like I was hoping to be unfortunately.

The forced proximity element is usually something I enjoy but this one felt ever so slightly a little weird to me, because it’s not just them in the house. There’s a scene in particular where they’re play fighting on the sofa and… Tom’s mum walks in on them🥴. Considering that Tom is in his 30s and Liz is in her late 20s, it was just a bit odd having everyone live in the same house.

I do feel like mentioning that if you found The Love Hypothesis a bit cringey, you’ll prefer this so much more, not to mention this has got some great British humour. I don’t usually like comparing books but since they’re both enemies to lovers & STEM based, I couldn’t help but notice this difference.

very steamy which I liked, and their was great chemistry, but both were pretty bratty, but I have read it twice!

The Unbalanced Equation by H. L. Macfarlane is an enjoyable romance read that provides a welcome break from more intense books. The story follows the relationship between mathematician Sarah and rock star Alex, who fall in love despite their vastly different backgrounds and lifestyles.

One of the strengths of the book is its well-developed characters. Sarah and Alex are both complex and multi-dimensional, with their own strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. Macfarlane does an excellent job of exploring their individual journeys and the challenges they face as a couple, making it easy for the reader to become invested in their relationship.

Another positive aspect of the book is the unique setting of the world of academia and rock music. The author clearly has a deep knowledge and appreciation for both of these fields, and this comes through in the richly-drawn and detailed descriptions of the characters' respective worlds.

It's definitely a slow-burn, and some may find the book to be somewhat formulaic or predictable in its plot and themes. The "opposites attract" trope is a common one in romance novels, and while Macfarlane adds her own unique spin to it, some readers may find that it doesn't quite offer anything particularly new or surprising.

The Unbalanced Equation is a well-written and enjoyable romance read, with well-developed characters and a unique setting, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Elizabeth thinks she has rid herself from Thomas. To her surprise she ends up in the same lab as him and to add to her frustration, their parents decides to get married. A romantic comedy with a close proximity and enemies to friends trope. An intelligently written rom-comedy with entertaining characters.

Disclaimer: Thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was good and fun read. I was a bug fan of Tom in the beginning but toward the middle parts and his slight of hand of controlling her/situation was a turn off. I was frustrated with their slow dance and avoidance of actually admitting they liked each other. That was dragged out far too long. Liz was feisty I like that in a character. Although she went a little nutzo too. Cute story but way too much drama in the middle.

I wanted to really love this story but I just couldn't, the MCs were toxic and a blatant red flag.
It's not badly written it's just that the portrayal of it all was too childish for this grownup character.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book received from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed The Unbalanced Equation. I don’t know what it is about STEM romances, but they hook me in!

When Liz first met Tom, there was most definitely a spark. Something that Liz thought may stem into something more, but when she starts her PhD and discovers Tom is her mentor, and he is nothing like the man she originally met, that dream is shattered. Liz hates Tom with her entire being as throughout all four years, he made her life hell. Now she is finally free of him and about to start her postdoc, or so she thought. After a fire in Tom’s lab, he has no choice put to work in his friend’s lab, which just so happens to be the lab Liz is working in. To make matters even worse, they have to share a bench until his lab is rebuilt.

This isn’t the only thing that forces Liz and Tom to spend time together and maybe think back to the first time they met. Turns out, Liz’s Dad and Tom’s Mum are getting married, much to the surprise of both of them. When Liz’s landlord kicks her out with no warning, she is given no choice but to move into Tom’s house with both her parents. This book has a lot of forced proximity but I adored it. It’s told from both Liz and Tom’s perspective so we do see why Tom was being an asshole to Liz during her PhD. The tension between these two was perfect and I was rooting for them constantly, as were many of the side characters!

This was a fun, STEM enemies-to-lovers romance that gave me everything I needed. It was a great, quick read and the chemistry between Liz and Tom was perfect.

I love the enemies to lovers trope...the writing turned weird in some parts and I couldn't bring myself to like the characters enough to care about them

"That’s the thing about hindsight: nobody has it when they actually need it."


alkdjs chef's kiss.

This was a very addictive and entertaining read!! Liz and Tom's partnering wasn't predictable to me and I really liked that with this book. + the passion, tension and back and forth with them was really great!

It was also nice to read a book out of my element (I majored in journalism haha) to learn more about the science realm too! A great read :)

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I really wanted to like it and it had potential but it just fell flat for me. I struggled to get through it and had to stop and try and get back into it multiple times. I really couldn’t connect with the characters, I found them slightly annoying and somewhat immature. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between them. If I can’t connect with/like the characters, then I find a book really hard to read so just because this wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it isn’t for everyone.

This was a great enemies to lover story. I liked how we got a bit of background as to why Tom and Liz met and what transpired to cause them enemies. I liked how although both characters acted as if they disliked one another it seems as fate would test their connection and bring them together through the union of their parents. The one part I disliked was that Tom felt so out of control in their relationship that he turned to meddling when in reality a simple explanation for his behavior would have caused their romance to move quicker. Regardless I enjoyed seeing Liz stand up for herself and making sure she gave herself the best option. I also enjoyed that the side characters knew the main characters were in love and tried to push them together. Overall a fun steamy read.

I was drawn to this book because it featured a women in STEM and an academic setting; a postdoc thinks she’s free of her terrible PhD advisor until a series of unfortunate events led to them working in the same lab AND becoming step siblings. But, there’s also this undeniable chemistry between the two of them. It’s got the classic enemies-to-lovers romance trope with a side of academia told from two perspectives. It was a long one (for me) at over 400 pages, and I got annoyed by both main characters at different points in the book, but I still enjoyed it. The fall-to-winter setting in Scotland made it the perfect book to read in the fall! It’s the first book in a trilogy of standalone books that are all connected, and I definitely plan to read the others! Thank you to NetGalley for my first ARC!

I honestly think that books that are STEM romances are not for me. This was very well written, however I found myself unable to connect with the characters.

I really enjoyed this book! If you’re a fan of The Love Hypothesis then you’ll absolutely adore this. It was written so well and kept me wanting more every time I had to put it down. This book definitely gave me the warm fuzzy feels and I’ll definitely be reading it again when I need a cute easy romance! 100% recommend this author to my friends.

3.5/5⭐
2/5 🌶️

If you are looking for a nerdy STEM romcom in the same vein as The Love Hypothesis and The Hating Game this book will be perfect for you!

I wasn't a huge fan of the miscommunication because I just wanted to smack them both upside the head and make them kiss but did enjoy reading this book. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!

STEM Romance, Dual POV, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Age Gap,

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and H.L. Macfarlane for the e-ARC!

This book exceeded my expectations and then some, I cannot express how much I loved this book. It had everything I wanted, and more. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, Dual POV, women in STEM, tension, playful banter and absolutely GIDDYING flirting.

Tom Henderson, a professor within the Molecular Genetics Lab at Glasgow University, first meets Elizabeth Maclean at a mixer event, and it's fair to say sparks fly almost immediately between the two of them. After a brief interaction, Tom finds out that due to staff shortages, he's to be her PHD assessor, and although he's thoroughly enamoured with Liz, he has to lock his feelings away, and become an asshole to her, in an attempt to shake off these feelings, dissuade himself from acting on his thoughts and be as professional as possible. Fast forward to the present, Tom's lab has set on fire, and he's moved to finish his grand proposal within the same lab as Liz. Much to Liz's dismay, they're stuck together, and even worse, with Liz's landlord evicting her and their parents getting married, Liz and Tom's lives become intertwined in ways neither would have expected.


Tom absolutely made me GIDDY, his sarcasm and playful flirting was something else and had me in an absolute chokehold. This man is the epitome. A gentle giant, with a heart of gold, but an absolute king in bed.

Liz on the other hand is a stubborn, hard headed, confident young woman, often to a fault. With a steely determination to get her own back on the ass of a professor who made her life miserable during her degree, I loved seeing her toy with Tom and get her own back, but also fight with her own increasing feelings for him.

"Why don't you kiss me and find out?"
"...excuse me?"
"I'd suggest fucking on the table but something tells me the rest of the bar wouldn't appreciate that"

The interactions between Liz and Tom were so intense and the slow tension was agonising but in the best way possible, the chemistry is palpable and makes you want to scream into a pillow. Their banter and witty interactions are really charming and utterly hilarious to read. This is definitely one of the best romance books I've read in a while, and I still think about these two daily.

I enjoyed this book. It’s a fast paced enemies to lovers romance read with a good women in STEM setting. I really liked the science background in the book.
Liz and Tom meet at a university mixer event and hit it off straight away. Tom then finds out he will be Liz PhD assessor and to avoid himself falling for her, he goes completely the other way and is vile on purpose. Later, they are thrown together again when Toms lab burns down and he ends up working in the same lab as Liz.
I have mixed feelings about the characters. Sometimes I was really rooting for them to get together and sometimes i really questioned their decision - I mean Tom going into Liz’s phone?!
Overall it was a cute read but not my favourite due to some of the characters questionable decisions and red flags.

This was an okay read for me. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been into thrillers more lately I just found it hard to get through this one.

I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers. The banter was great and chemistry was there. I also like how the plot with the parents was unexpected. The only thing that bothered me was how he invaded her privacy. Red flags all around. Overall, not bad!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and H.L. Macfarlane for this copy.