If you liked Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood, you might like this one: Industry enemies to lovers in overlapping fields of study with a side of secret identities and a Steminist FMC that wants to see nothing more than equality for her fellow female scientists. This book read a little more like fiction with a side of romance than just a romance novel to me, but it was so good! It is very heavy in technical jargon, so if you’re not familiar with physics, this may feel dense. Just know that you don’t actually need to know the jargon to understand what’s happening in the story, I promise… all you need to know is that they are rivals in the same company working on different focuses in the same field of study. I did have a hard time believing the snafu that caused the rivalry in the first place, and if you’ve ever published academically, you might also find it odd, but the author does explain it later in the book. That being said, the first part of the book is mostly technical set up and may feel a little slow, but once you get past that, it’s a lot of fun! This FMC is such a badass! I want to be her when I grow up and have the confidence and backbone to speak to authority like she does. Extra bonus for me: there’s a pet named Bunsen!!!! Best pet name ever for a scientist! This book had a good plot and light spice. I can’t wait for the next one that follows one of the FMC’s brothers! Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

3.5⭐️

La historia comienza con la llegada de Erin al SVLAC, una joven doctora idealista que busca desentrañar los secretos del universo desde la óptica de la relatividad. Su entusiasmo se estrella, literal y emocionalmente, contra Ethan Meyer, un enigmático y agotado investigador con una brillantez tan abrasadora como su arrogancia. Un malentendido catastrófico los coloca en bandos opuestos, iniciando una guerra fría llena de sabotajes técnicos, competencias por horas de laboratorio y duelos de publicaciones científicas. A lo largo de tres años de rencillas crecientes, la enemistad entre Erin y Ethan se convierte en una danza cargada de tensión, rivalidad feroz y una obsesión mutua que ni la física cuántica puede explicar del todo. Cuando ambos compiten por una beca vital para sus investigaciones y sus egos, las chispas entre ellos amenazan con convertirse en algo más que estático. --- Me gustó la historia, pero hay demasiado lenguaje técnico que me costó mucho trabajo seguirlo. Gracias a NetGalley, el editor y el autor del ARC a cambio de un honesto.

In this engaging and witty romance, physicists Dr. Erin Monaghan and Dr. Ethan Meyer are fierce competitors who can’t stand each other—until an online sci-fi publication unexpectedly brings them together. As their secret virtual personas grow closer, they’re forced to work side by side on a high-stakes government project, and their simmering online chemistry threatens to ignite in the real world. With sharp banter, irresistible tension, and plenty of heart, this story perfectly captures the magic of rivals falling in love.

Star rating 3.5 ⭐️
There's few things I like more than a STEM romance. "Talk Data to Me" fulfilled the brief perfectly. Erin and Ethan are work rivals. The reasons for this are, I would suggest, tenuous but their relationship builds in the slowest of slow burns. I found them both likeable and some of Ethan's storyline particularly really broke my heart. Rose McGee doesn't speak down to the reader and whilst I know very little about science, the descriptions of the main characters' research was comprehensive. At times, this felt dense and I just wanted to get to the building of the relationship, but I'm sure this will work better for plenty of others. The change in perspective between Erin and Ethan in the narrative is choppy and I'm not sure this is always successful. Erin's family were very charming and I wasn't surprised to see that the author's next book will focus on one of Erin's brothers. I will definitely be reading!