4.5⭐️

🪼Academics Rivals (her) to Lovers
🍫Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🪼STEM MCs (PhD students)
🍫He Falls First and Hard
🪼Forced Proximity
🍫Anxiety and Chronic Pain Rep

This was such a fun read and it was really cute. I love (one sided, her) rivals to lovers! Especially if the MMC is so down bad, simps get me every time! And that was Mateo 🫠. He is obsessed with Charlie!!! He is a sunshine boy, which is a fun change from a usually grumpy and brooding MMC. I really enjoy a good reverse grumpy/sunshine or black cat/golden retriever trope. I liked that even though there was very good reason for Charlie being a little thunder cloud, she also says she’s always had sharp edges and wasn’t particularly soft, I felt that and really appreciated how she could still be warm and sweet when she was comfortable because that was 100% relatable. While reading, I laughed and swooned but also teared up and my heart hurt for Charlie and her insecurities. But the attentive, gentle, and understanding way Mateo was with her was so damn charming! He is enchanted, impressed and completely mesmerized by everything about her. His yearning and pining was top-notch but his patience was not infinite and the jealousy was so good. The slow burn physically and emotionally (for Charlie) was so worth it and I couldn’t get enough of these two.

There is so much more I could gush about with this book but I can’t give it all away!! Oh, wait!!! I loved that Mateo was a CPAP king, and they still coddled and it wasn’t always perfect. If you love banter, yearning, forced proximity, jealousy, angry love confessions, sweet and spicy time, and a unwittingly Pavloved situation 🤣: this book is for you!

This story was amazing!!! Banter, yearning, mental health rep, and STEM made for a 5-star read. Mateo is dreaming, and Charlie is authentic.

I'm a sucker for one-bed and forced proximity tropes. Nicole did an amazing job of setting the scene, plus the spice was "chef's kiss".

Deep in Love was a heartfelt story that captures the complexities of relationships, resilience, and self-discovery. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the raw honesty of Mariela and James. This was my first time reading Cubba’s work, and I was captivated by her capacity to balance passion with vulnerability. Mariela is a character I immediately related with, she was so strong and yet deeply scarred by her past. Her approach to relationships felt very real. James proved to be both patient and tender, put in the work to earn Mariela’s trust. I found their chemistry to be deeply moving. The emotional tension kept me invested. I’m excited to read more of her novels in the future.

As a fan of STEM romances, I really enjoyed this book. The story was original and even though STEM romances have been on a rise for a while now, it didn't remind me of any popular ones but had a character of its own. I absolutely loved the way the romance progressed, even though I'm not a big fan of the miscommunication card.The chocolates left on her desk, watching TikToks together at night, all hose little touches and lingering gazes were enough to swoon me.

I really appreciated the mental health representation throughout the story. Charlie’s struggles and insecurities were handled with care, and her journey toward self-acceptance was touching to read. The way Mateo supported her and saw her beyond her own doubts was beautifully written. For the fans of spice, it was well written and nicely integrated into the story, not only phusical but also emotional. The side characters were also great, and my favourite was, who Amy was the best friend we all wish we had. I can only hope we get to see more of her and the others in a future installment.

That being said, there were a few things that didn’t work as well for me. At times, both Charlie and Mateo came across as a little immature for PhD students, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. And while I loved the ocean research expedition setting, I was left wishing we had seen more of the marine biology aspect of their work. Afterall, this is a STEM romance, and I felt like the plot lacked a bit on the academic background.

Overall, this was a sweet, emotional, hopeful, and spicy romance that I didn’t want to put down. Charlie’s growth and Mateo’s unwavering devotion made for a beautiful love story that was equal parts heartwarming and passionate. I also really enjoyed the little twist at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own!

Deep in Love by Nicole Cubba is a sweet romance about PhD students Charlie and Mateo. If you like academic rivals, forced proximity, women in STEM, and steamy romance then this book is for you!

I really enjoyed this book but I do think it missed the mark in certain areas. Based on the description I was expecting vibes like The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood but I think this book was actually lacking a bit in the STEM/academic rivals plot points. While both characters got to nerd out in a couple scenes I think the book would have been more interesting with more of the marine biology info!

I also think the romance/emotional connection was rushed a bit to include more smut and I would’ve preferred it the other way around. I did really enjoy Charlie’s character development throughout the book and her journey working through her trauma. I loved how supportive Mateo was and also all their boat friends.

I definitely enjoy forced proximity and the one bed trope and that was used nicely in this story. I also enjoyed how much Mateo yearned for Charlie but was anyone else a little creeped out by him tracking her period? That took it just a hair too far for me lol.

Overall, this was a quick and fun romance read. 3.5⭐️ for me. Thank you NetGalley and Victory editing for the ARC 📚

2.5 stars ⭐️ While I did not feel like this was for me, Deep in Love was a soft and sweet read, with some beautiful quotes on love and pain. I would recommend if you are looking for a high spice, low stakes, fast burn romcom with a truly down bad MMC.

I was very excited for this one! I am a sucker for academic rivals and women in STEM, but I personally felt the tropes were not utilized to their full potential. The romance developed too quickly imo and I just wanted more development, maturity, and communication between everyone.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to give my candid feedback.

There were several things I really enjoyed about this book, but execution-wise it missed the mark for me.

It felt like we were moving through a list of tropes - there were so many throughout the book and some of them felt forced/out of place. The miscommunication was also SO strong; sometimes I wanted to shake both of them by the shoulders and ask them how they could each seriously be still wondering if the other person was into them after such clear signals.

I loved the STEM setting/elements throughout the book and thought it was such a unique way to showcase a romance. I just wish the MMC and FMC communicated better and that we got fewer (but stronger!) tropes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this eARC!

I really liked the premise of this book! I am equally afraid of and in awe of the ocean, so I like reading about it and the creepy things that live in it from the safety of my own bed! It was a cute story overall, and I really liked how Charlie and Mateo's relationship developed.

I thought the characters had more potential than the book gave them space for - Charlie has a lot of trauma from her accident, which deeply affects how she views herself, but I feel like this could have been explored further. Indeed, I also feel like a lot of the scenes where Charlie and Mateo are emotionally communicating end too quickly in a spicy scene - I felt like a bit less spice and a bit more emotional exploration would have probably bumped my rating up an entire star.

The other problem I had with this story was I found both MCs a bit too immature in the way they communicate - but only sometimes. Charlie starts off with a deep dislike for Mateo, but the only reason I could actually find was because he spilled wine on her dress the first time he met her. Mateo, on the other hand, misunderstood Charlie's interactions with a fellow boatmate and rather than asking her about it, basically ghosted her for a few days. This made for good angst, but it was hard for me to reconcile how childish they were being, especially because once they do communicate, they're quite good at it.

All in all, I enjoyed this read! I would definitely recommend if you're into STEM and are looking for a cute, summery, fun read!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was my summer holiday read and a sweet little romance, even if it lacked a little substance. Whether you love or hate the third act conflict in romance, it's undeniable that it adds a layer of drama for your characters to work through or over. In this book, I really didn't feel that there was much for them to fight through - although they struggled through their day-to-day issues of self-esteem and miscommunication.
As is becoming a theme in romance books for me these days, I was thrilled for them that it all worked out. I did, however, also get the ick. Never in my life do I want to hear someone say "What would Darwin do" to get through life, he really isn't the first historical figure that jumps to mind for me when I think 'inspirational'.
But then again, what a joy to get to read about so many women in STEM these days - love that he'd read all her academic papers!

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

🦑🪼⚓️🐳🐠🐡🐬⛴️🦈

I really enjoyed this book. As someone who LOVES STEM romance novels, this was a real win for me! I also think that this book would be perfect for lovers of Ali Hazelwood!

Let’s start with the things that I really liked.

- One bed? Love it every time, I eat it up!! Love that they built a really cute routine of watching tiktoks together every night, I thought that was sweet.
- Adored the yearning, he loved her for so long!! I also liked that the yearning made it feel like them “falling in love” in 3 weeks didn’t actually feel that way at all.
- The mental health representation I felt was really important. How we saw what Charlie had to go through and how she dealt with it and also how Mateo helped her, I thought it was really beautiful.
- The spicy scenes? Some of the best I’ve read, really loved them! 🌶️
- The supporting characters? Loved them!!!! Amy and Oliver and Jett and Sofia, I really hope that this turns into a series and we can see more of them!! I particularly loved Amy as a best friend, she was phenomenal!

Now onto things that I didn’t like.

- I thought that both main characters felt really childish and immature at points. Mateo is all about being there for Charlie and then as soon as she can’t verbalise her thoughts and feelings he’s running out of the room?
- Mateo tracking her period did give me very weird vibes.
- I wish we’d seen more of the marine biology side of the story. I feel like we didn’t see nearly enough of the ins and outs.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Nicole Cubba!

🥰🌊🥹🌶️🐳⚓️🦑🪼

4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Posted review to Goodreads 31/08/2025 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7874722543)
Will post to Amazon 16/09/2025

“It's hard to live your life by absolutes. The
world is complicated-messy and ever-changing. But she is my one absolute; my heart begins and ends with her”

If you are looking for pure and true yearning this is the book for you Mateo is the modern day Mr Darcy when it comes to his 10/10 yearning for Charlie.
This book is exactly what I needed a spicy easy to read along with romance.
I’m so glad I picked this up and watched a brilliant love story form between these two

✨ARC REVIEW✨
Deep In Love
Nicole Cubba
September 16, 2025

Tropes
♡ Dual POV
♡ Academic Rivals to Lovers
♡ Only One Bed
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
♡ He Fell First

Genres / Moods
♡ fiction
♡ romance

Rating: 5/5⭐
Spice: 4/5🌶️
3 Emojis: 🍫 🐡 🔬

Book Details
♡ August 27, 2025 - August 28, 2025
♡ eBook
♡ 256 pages
♡ 36 chapters + epilogue
♡ NetGalley

Review:
I loved this so much. I didn't want to put it down. It was sweet, emotional, but also so hopeful and light (and hot). The FMC is confident in her work, but due to an accident, she is self-conscious about her appearance and relationships. The MMC was instantly attracted to her, with her mind and her beauty. He truly sees her. As their relationship evolved (hehe IYKYK), they continue to reassure, empower, and are a safe place for each other.

Summary:
Charlie and Mateo are both Ph.D. students studying the ocean. Charlie sees Mateo as her rival and someone she has to prove herself against. They are offered the opportunity to be the experts on a 3 week research expedition for an influencer wanting to capture the deep ocean.

They end up having to share a cabin and a bed. Their close quarters have them talking about themselves, and eventually their feelings. They start a relationship, but Charlie is anxious about her body and her rules to keep her safe. Charlie has to work through her insecurities and how to accept that she can be loved for who she is.

3.75/5

Overall I really enjoyed this. I love a good STEM romance. This was such a cute and fun read.

I really liked Mateo. I love me some good pining, and our boy had been pining for years. It was so great to see his POV and how he actually felt about Charlie. He was so sweet with her, and really seemed to get how to handle her insecurities. I loved how patient and loving he was with her.

Charlie had some good character growth. Her backstory and how she saw herself was so sad. I love how Mateo was able to help her see herself beyond her insecurities. Her gaining her confidence was great to see. She also gave the r most beautiful love confession.

My only complaint was that at times things felt a little juvenile for them to be PhD students. They were a little less mature than I would think sometimes.

I loved the little twist at the end. I was wondering if there were some matchmaking shenanigans going on.

Also, I’m hoping we get a second book about the best friends. I would definitely read it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

im really loving the breadth of new type of subjects we are including in our rom-cams as of late. its really heartening to see. and this one fits into that perfectly. and you have to appreciate authors stepping out of the what was once norm kind of characters or their "types". there is of course a place for all of them, we love the classics. but i think this kind of expansion of interest and characters is really something special to see.
for this book we meet Charlie. she is a young woman who lives by Mr Darwin's words as her life motto. she then cant believe her luck when she gets offered the chance for her PhD to go on a research trip on a sea vessel. there is on chink in this rather brilliant opportunity though and that is the rather not so brilliant certain person(her nemesis) who is also going on said trip. ugh Mateo. shes worked so hard to protect herself, to keep her walls high to stop any hurt possibly entering. but Mateo is practically swimming over them and it feels scarier than thinking whats at the depth of the oceans.
what a gal to do with her academic enemy and being trapped with him,sharing quarters for weeks? because she is soon discovering more than just science based ones. but also ones in the man sleeping close by.
i really enjoyed this book. the science based marine world was really fun to have included. watching the relationship develop between Charlie and Mateo made me smile.seeing Charlie learning to trust was just the thing we needed to see for her. because this woman has been through it and deserves to be seen for what she is. deserves some kindness and care and to be showed how brilliant she is. and she certainly hasn't always had this. this part of the book added so much heart tugging moments. it endeared me to Charlie so much and i was rooting for her all the more.
this book was just gorgeous. i came away from it feeling so lucky i got to read it. its full of charm and smiles and a few tingly toe moments.
it also features a few side characters id love to see more of. soooooo yes please for more!
the ending was so spot on and i literally ended the book smiling.
what a great time i had with this book.

Such a cute read! I love anything Nicole Cubba writes & this one did not disappoint. The STEM references, the banter between Charlie & Mateo, & Charlie handling her anxiety/insecurities… ahh *chefs kiss*

Review will also be posted to GoodReads today, 08/28 & Amazon on 09/16

Reading Deep in Love by Nicole Cubba was such an emotional ride—the kind of story that pulls you in so completely you forget everything else for a while. The writing is so heartfelt and full of longing that you can practically feel the ache and tenderness between the characters with every page. It’s beautifully written, equal parts romantic and raw, and it really captures how messy and wonderful love can be. This is one of those books you’ll want to hug when you finish, because it lingers with you long after the last chapter. If you’re in the mood for a love story that feels both passionate and deeply human, this one is a must-read.

Deep in Love by Nicole Cubba is a sweet and steamy romance about Charlie, a naturalist stuck on a research ship with her academic rival, Mateo. As they work in close quarters, tension turns into unexpected passion, challenging Charlie’s careful emotional walls. It’s a charming rivals-to-lovers story with science, heart, and heat.

Thank you, Netgalley for the e-arc!

I was beyond excited to receive the ARC and couldn’t wait to dive in right away! While it ended up being a 3⭐ read for me, I’m still so grateful I had the chance to experience it early. It was a light but fun read!



The tropes the author chose are some of my absolute favorites: rivals to lovers, forced proximity, and even one bed. On paper, all of these promised sparks and irresistible tension. While the romance between Charlie and Mateo doesn’t have a fully developed arc—the attraction comes quickly rather than building gradually—the dynamic fall a little flat, because it lacks the contrast, growth, or push-and-pull that usually makes this type of romance so engaging, but there are still charming and engaging moments that show potential.

As for the characters, Charlie and Mateo have definite potential, though they aren’t always fully explored. (I actually found the side characters, Amy and Oliver, to be more captivating and interesting than the protagonists themselves.
).

The book leans quite heavily into the spicy side 🔥💦, with numerous detailed open-door scenes. Readers who enjoy a physical romance will likely appreciate this, though it sometimes overshadows the emotional development of the story. That said, there are also plenty of tender moments and quotes 💌 that are genuinely sweet.

So in my opinion, maybe the book leans a little too heavily into spicy scenes, meanwhile themes like body shaming, as well as Charlie’s struggles and her ability to recover from trauma, are touched on too briefly 😕.



The ending is probably the sweetest part of the book: a thoughtful marriage proposal built around Charlie’s greatest passion. I also appreciated that it leaves the door slightly open for a potential storyline involving Charlie’s best friend, Amy.



The cover is fresh, inviting, and well-suited to the romance audience 🎨✨.

In terms of content warnings, it’s worth mentioning explicit sexual scenes, references to a particularly traumatic car accident, and a episode of body shaming.



All in all, Deep in Love is a light, enjoyable read 📖💫. While it doesn’t fully maximize the potential of its tropes or give deep exploration to the central romance, it offers charming moments, a lovely setting, and an engaging premise.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read this book early and providing me with the ARC!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC*

This was a heartwarming, quick read. I enjoyed that it included unique themes I hadn’t read before - scars on the FMCs body and the way this affects herself and relationships, and the forced proximity trope being explored on a boat amongst scientific discovery.

The MMC especially was a likeable character, although I do think he sexualised her a little too much.

The fact that it was quite short though meant it was lacking key elements - build up in the beginning, establishing them as rivals, some context (I couldn’t work out why he called her bruja until halfway through when he mentioned the crystals) and at times I felt like it had skipped a few steps and romance was rushed/not plausible.

I enjoyed it though, and I loved the stem element - I like reading about a topic I wouldn’t normally know about and to read about the FMC and authors enthusiasm for science.

This book is perfect. I’m serious. It is so sweet, deeply emotional, and at times very funny.

Mateo has had a crush on Charlie for two years and she has NO IDEA. He is so down bad, he yearns so hard, and she is protective of her heart that she is blind to it. Thank god for patience and persistence. They are academic rivals (sort of? I think Charlie is the only one who sees it that way) and spend so much of their daily lives close to each other that Mateo notices *everything*. He is next-level book boyfriend material.

For good reason, Charlie has carefully built walls up. Her journey to self-love is wrought with self-realizations that I think a lot of people will resonate with. The people around her are ones I’d want in own my life, and I will be BEGGING for books for them!!!!
Needless to say, I flew through this book with gasps and giggles and internal screams 🫢