This book is #2 of the 'Smart is Seriously Sexy' series, and this was my first read of this author. I loved the main dynamic and the absolutely adorable and lovable characters throughout. With the side characters having their own little love story, I'm hoping they get their own novels as well! This was a fun read and I can't wait for the next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a solid three stars for me. I enjoyed the characters, especially the representation of women in STEM. The FMC is a biology teacher and the MMC is a sports medicine doctor. It did bother me a little that the FMC mourns how she wanted to be a doctor, but couldn't afford it, as it felt almost like teaching as a profession was being written off, but I could just be internalizing emotions as a teacher myself.

The book, I felt, did not work effectively as a standalone. I had not read book one, but you may want to prior to picking up this title. The book threw you into an established world, and while it attempted to go back and explain locations and character histories, things may have been more clear from the beginning with the reading and history from book number one.

The plot, I felt was also very busy. There were major issues happening in multiple cities, with multiple characters, and the resolutions felt a little rushed with some final big decisions by the characters. The author handled the heavy topics and emotions well, clearly painting a picture of frustration and sadness felt by the main characters as related to the main conflicts.

The tropes in this book were cute and drew me to the book. They included:
* STEM Romance
* He falls first
* Reverse grumpy/sunshine

There was quick build up of sexual tension between the two characters leading to one scene of intimacy, but it wasn't super explicit and was fairly fast, making it appropriate for someone who prefers low spice (but maybe not closed door) romances.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting, quick read. The main characters were sweet, and I enjoyed following their romance.

3.5-3.75 ⭐️ but rounding to 4

I really enjoyed this story. At only 185 pages it’s more of a novella, so is a quick read!

I didn’t read book #1 in the series but had high hopes given my affection for Ali Hazelwood books 💕

Pros:
- MC is a woman in STEM. You love to see it!
- Quick, enjoyable read
- WMC and MMC had realistic jobs (teacher and doctor). It’s not overly complicated and found this refreshing
- Tanith and Luke’s banter was great imo
- Luke and Dr Vic’s relationship was cute once we were clear on their relationship
- Tanith’s friends as her support system
- Slow burn with spice 🌶️ I wasn’t expecting in the latter half of the book

Con’s:
- Felt like we jumped into the story super quickly and didn’t get properly introduced to the characters (this could also be because I didn’t read #1 in the series)
- Luke’s business partner side plot I don’t think added much value to the story. Super heavy topic that I feel was kind of glossed over and we never found out the final outcome?
- Wish as readers we would have found out about Luke and Dr Vic’s relationship (or non relationship) sooner as readers and then Tanith figure it out later

Overall super easy, light, and enjoyable read. Would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC! 😇

This was a nice slow burn romance. There were some serious issues which were dealt with such as parental abuse and unfair dismissal. The romance was nice and both main characters were likeable.

The right person at the right time in a small town.

Tanith and Luke are undeniably attracted to each other, but the adolescence crush may be developed only on one side, while the other side is constantly trying to stumped out the slightest spark. Any romance happening in the small town made them scrutinized just like under the microscope😉

A light romance and feel-good book with no unnecessary dramas. I love how this book has a compact story line so it's a light read but I don't feel like it's rushed. Plus it's a character driven book so we get to know behind each character's decision.
You'll love this if you like a character driven and light read romance that makes you feel good🥰

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers, for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Almost six months into swearing off men, Tanith sprains her ankle halfway through her home renovation project. Enter Luke, brother of her best friends boyfriend. Sports doctor. Handy man. And quite possibly the only man who might get her to change her mind. Combine that with her mother and Luke's douche of a business partner, and their lives go for tail spin.

I desperately wanted to love this book. From the minute I saw it, I was excited to read something that could fit into the same category as Ali Hazelwoods stem romances. Unfortunately, this didn't deliver. The idea of the story was so great, and I was genuinely interested in what was going to happen next. However, there were stylistic irritations to the book that turned the book into a difficulty to read. This was a fast-paced and easy read and would be perfect for anyone looking for something easy to be a pallet cleanser.

There were two main issues that I had with this book. The biggest one was the friendships between men and women. In this book, there is a scene between two good friends in front of the FMC that is far more than platonic. This wouldn't have been issue for me if it weren't for the fact that one of the friends involved was the MMC who had just been talking about how long he'd wanted to date the FMC.This, combined with the way the author wrote about the women {especially from the mans point of view}, made this book difficult to read. There was one sex scene. It was, however, rushed and didn't feel like it added much substance to the actual book.

I thought the characters really were great, with Luke and Tanith having a lot of chemistry. The author also covered several heavy topics but did so with a gentleness and grace that is often missing in romance books. If someone is looking for a book that is quick, easy, and not too smutty, then this is definitely the kind of book that they should be going for.

3 stars.

Tanith is a science teacher who has sworn off men. Luke is a doctor who has been interested in her for a while. When Tanith injures her ankle, Luke swoops in to help.

Now its known that I absolutely love a romcom, especially a STEM romcom. Luke was such a great character as he was so supportive and portrays a golden retriever in human form. This was such a fun romance with a strong and sassy main character. it is the second in a series so I will be reading this next to get some background on one of the couples within the book. There was some adorable chemistry between them and their conversations were so fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sealed With a Swoon Books

3.5/5 stars. This book was cute! I enjoyed the different aspects of it, such as the romance, the exploration of the female character’s relationship with her mother, and the lawsuit. The romance was non-toxic and didn’t have a third-act breakup, which was satisfying to see. However, I wish we got to see more of the romance developing, and I sadly did not end up connecting with the characters enough.

This was a first book for me by this author. I loved every minute of it! This was a fun, quick read for me and i loved the energy of the characters.

Thank you to Sealed With a Swoon Books LLC and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this title to read and review. I didn't read the first book in the "Smart is Seriously Sexy" (I agree!) series, so I may have missed out on some good backstory on these characters, but I didn't feel thrown off coming into it as a standalone. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like Tanith and Luke had much chemistry at all, and I wasn't feeling the "passion" between them here. I liked the individual characters' personalities, career passions, and challenging personal plot lines more than I liked anything about them being together, which means that it was well-rounded, just not doing it for me at all!

Synopsis:

A sports medicine doctor named Luke has been crushing on a high school biology teacher named Tanith for a long time. Finally, Luke captures Tanith's attention when she needs his help. Despite her initial reluctance, Tanith cannot deny that Luke is a sexy, witty, and charming doctor.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed Tanith’s witty and stubborn character, especially her strong connection with her fellow teacher besties. I admired Tanith's passion for teaching biology, which extended beyond the classroom. She not only had a great sense of humor but also showed a genuine understanding of her students' needs and ensured they felt safe and comfortable in their learning environment.

I loved Luke. What's not to adore about a handsome, witty doctor? I have to say, Luke is one amazing guy. He always stands by his woman and supports her no matter what. That's what I love the most about his character.

The undeniable attraction between Tanith and Luke was truly captivating. Their chemistry was electric and impossible to miss. I couldn’t stop smiling as they interacted. I admired how Luke continued to make himself readily available to Tanith during her time of need, even though she wasn't quite sure if she was ready for something more than friendship.

I found Luke and Tanith's story to be both sweet and inspirational, but I did feel that the epilogue was a bit rushed. Additionally, I was hoping for more closure on Tanith's relationship with her mother. I was hoping they would somehow resolve things. More so, I was expecting Taniths mom to have some growth as a mother and fix things between the two of them. I felt like Taniths mother's story was mysterious and there was a lot unsaid.

This book is for you if you like:
Golden Retriever MMC, Doctor MMC, Biology Teacher FMC, He falls first, Small Town Romance and low spice.

Love Always, Catherine

2.5⭐️/5 (rounded up to 3)

I would recommend this book if you enjoy:
- Teacher x Doctor trope
- Found family
- Slow burn
- Dislike-to-lovers
- Short but sweet romances
- On page non-explicit spicy scenes

This book starts off with the FMC Tanith after spraining her ankle trying to take a picture of birds going at it, a few days before she has to teach sex-ed to biology class. Her friend Stacey was with her so they called Dr Luke Caldwell, Stacey's boyfriend Reece's younger brother, who Tanith doesn't particularly like but reluctantly lets him bring her to get it looked at the small practice he shares with one of his long time friends.

I haven't read the first book in this series that follows Stacey, a high school chemistry teacher and Reece, a former football player turned coach. I think that this book is written, assuming you read the previous despite referencing it because I didn't feel hugely connected to the world or the characters throughout.

I enjoyed the vibes of the story but there wasn't much depth overall as there wasn't an overarching plot going on except the two MC's ridding themselves of people they no longer wanted to associate with.

The group of friends seem like a cool bunch and them being teachers of various subjects was a nice element.

Apart from the vibes and the romance that was written nicely, I didn't feel much while reading it so I probably wouldn't read it again. I'd recommend it though if someone was looking for a short but sweet teacher x doctor romance with found family.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing and eARC copy of this story.

The synopsis peaked my interest but I thought I was going to read some funny lighthearted rom-com… Well, I absolutely did not expect to find a romance with tons of emotional depth, heavy topics and addicting characters.

I quickly realized that this was going to be good and I wasn’t wrong because I couldn’t stop reading. Tanith and Luke were such incredible main characters. I really liked their personalities and the communication they had with one another. Their own individual struggles were so heartwrenching to read about and the turns always took me by surprise. I really liked how vulnerable they were able to be together and how they grew from that.

The plot not being just the romance played in favor of the story. It was a very good way to show the characters as more complex people and to complete their character arcs. The pacing of the story was quit but not too quick to give me whiplash. The rest of the cast was sooo heartwarming it made me long for a group of friends like that. And the villains were very villan-y but still maintaining an essence of reality to them.

The only thing that annoy about the story was the writing, it was good but it could’ve been improved with a little bit more editing. There were some weirdly constructed phrases that made me reread the paragraphs multiple times. I can pass a fantasy novel being confusing but I think it’s something that shouldn’t happen in a romance story. Also, some pieces of information were repeated several times, which got repetitive real fast. I think she could’ve made some things less obvious and everything would’ve been fine. It wasn’t something that made me stop reading, I still really enjoyed the book, but it knocked down the rating for me.

I will still be reading the previous book on the series and I’ll keep an eye out for the author’s future works.

Passion Under the Microscope was a short, sweet romance. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the story, but there wasn't much deeper to the story than the surface level plot and some background subplots. If the book was any longer, there would have been the chance for a deeper look into the characters and their backgrounds, but for the length of the book, I felt there was a good balance between plot and character development. I found the couple, Tanith and Luke, did get together a little quickly, and there wasn't too much change between the two of them to justify this relationship. I thought the plot was interesting enough, but I would have loved to see Tanith and Luke bond over science a bit more. They both acknowledge they enjoy the subject and have related jobs but it would have been nice to see them geek out together over the same thing. Overall, I thought this was a good read, but I can't see it being a book that sticks with me.

"Passion Under the Microscope" is a captivating romance novel that delves into the complexities of love, science, and personal growth. At its core lies the story of Tanith Kerrigan, a single biology teacher who has sworn off men, and Dr. Luke Caldwell, a single sports medicine doctor who is secretly crushing on her. The novel begins with Tanith's unfortunate sprained ankle, which inadvertently brings her into contact with Dr. Caldwell. Despite her initial resistance, Tanith finds herself drawn to Luke's magnetic personality and his unwavering support. As they spend more time together, boundaries blur, and the dance of attraction becomes undeniable. Luke, on the other hand, has been quietly pining for Tanith for months. He seizes the opportunity to assist her with her injury, hoping to slowly win her heart. However, a sudden crisis at his practice threatens to derail his plans. As Tanith and Luke navigate the realm of possibilities, they encounter obstacles that challenge their beliefs and force them to confront their true desires. Tanith must confront her past and the reasons why she fears intimacy, while Luke must grapple with his own aspirations and the need for a fulfilling life. "Passion Under the Microscope" is a well-crafted novel that explores the intricacies of human relationships. It delves into themes of personal transformation, overcoming obstacles, and the power of love to heal old wounds. Miles' characters are relatable and their journeys are both poignant and inspiring. Through the lens of science and romance, the novel examines the human need for connection and the transformative nature of relationships. It is a testament to the power of love to inspire personal growth and the pursuit of both scientific and romantic possibilities.

Passion Under the Microscope is the second book in the Smart is Seriously Sexy series. The book is centered around Tanith a biology teacher and Luke a sports medicine doctor who meet thru their friend group/Luke's brother. This small town romance is perfect for Ali Hazelwood fans. It's a solid read that has more then just fluffy romance. As a self proclaimed medical nerd, I love this new genre of smart, nerdy romance novels.

Stars: 3.75/5
Spice: 3/5

Thank you to the publishers, Christina Miles, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an
honest review.

this wasn’t my favourite read, but it was definitely enjoyable in moments and an easy read! i don’t usually find my self reading books on the shorter side but, if you are looking for a short and sweet book this could be the one to pick up.

This book had loads of potential with all the plot points it had. The author spent a tom of time on the couple’s beginning. But the readers didn’t get many answers to how their relationship progressed. Other than the forced proximity they shared. That was the most we got to see of them as a set.

The author did not focus much time on the couple together after their proximity was gone. She spent way too much time on them as individuals. I feel as if I barely got to know the characters as a couple. It felt almost as if we were following characters who happened to share a romance. Not the romance being the focus and the characters' life the side point.

But on the other hand, there were some pretty heavy themes that each of the MCs had to navigate. These themes were fairly well written and I felt encapsulated how it would feel to go through those events. But my complaints about those themes; are that even though they were focused on. It still seemed as if it was slightly blurry.

Over all the book felt extremely rushed but also somehow slow. It could've used at least a hundred more pages to tie everything together. I was extremely disappointed with all the ways the author could've gone and the fact she chose this one. It had so much potential to be a good book.

oh. my. goodness. this book was absolutely incredible!!!! i had so much fun reading this book. it was lovely and wonderful and amazing. thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this book before the publication date!!!

This book was a cute romance read. Luke is a very sweet and charming male lead. Both Tanith and Luke have some personal things to work through, but I liked seeing them support each other through things.

The book description describes Luke as being interested in Tanith for 6 months, and Tanith embracing singledom for 6 months, so I had gone into reading this book expecting there to be more history/past interactions between them than there actually was.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the book.