THIS BOOK WAS SO STINKING CUTE!!! Fans of Ali Hazelwood, Christina Lauren, and Rebecca Yarros will eat this up! From the first look at this cover, I knew my younger self would be obsessed with this, a STEM romance with deep-sea creatures?!! YES!! As a child, the deep sea was my personal obsession.

Mateo Alvarez is a PHD student and studies the microbial of the sea. He has been obsessed with Charlie from day one, gives her daily chocolates on her deck, and even leaves his lab unlocked so that she can steal the good pipette. This man is the ultimate book boyfriend with his words, pet names, and genuine affection and love towards Charlie.

Charlie is a PHD student who studies invertebrates of the sea. She is the grumpy and black cat one in the relationship who, after a bad run-in with Mateo on day one, is committed to the academic rivalry. My favorite thing about her is her obsession with Charles Darwin, so many funny and quirky quotes from her. I loved her challenge to come and see herself the way that Mateo sees her, with love and devotion.

These two are stuck at sea together for three weeks, sharing one room... with one bed. Will they be able to evolve in their relationship into something more?

Tropes: rivals to lovers, STEM romance, PHD students, black cat girl x golden retriever boy, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, only one bed, deep sea creatures, chronic illness, obsessed since day one, chocolate gifts, and deep sea creatures

As a lover of all things marine biology, i knew i had to read this. I thought it was pretty good, but I would have made a few small changes!

You may like this if you’re interested in:
- Rivals to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
-STEM/Academic romance
- (I have not read much Ali Hazelwood, but I think this may be somewhat similar if you like her novels)

Charlie is a PhD candidate, who has recently been given the opportunity to go on a research trip.
The problem? her academic nemesis Mateo is going on the same trip.
Two rivals. Trapped on a boat together for weeks. Forced to share a room with each other.
Charlie expects this to end in disaster, but it turns out that all of the discoveries she makes may not be scientific afterall.

I really liked the premise of this story, and I think the plot was quite nice.
I like the sciencey/oceanic theme! It was like summery academia.
It was fun.

I also like the relationship development between Charlie and Mateo.
Charlie really came to open up to him naturally, which I loved. I felt the bonding that came from that.

Charlie’s story about her injury/illness was pretty sad, and I felt deeply for her. Especially when she started discussing the way that other people viewed her appearance and how it effected her and her self worth.
I wish we got a bit more of this, as it added a lot of depth and emotionality to the story.

My problem here is that i felt like the characters were a tad immature.
For example, Charlie’s outright hostility toward Mateo at the beginning of the story, just because she doesn’t like him.
Another example, Mateo getting angry but refusing to admit why after Charlie talked to another guy (despite the fact that that he had not yet admitted his feelings for her)
Both of them were just a little childish in the way they communicated with one another (or failed to communicate with each other, i should say)

Another note: If one of your coworkers is mentally tracking your cycle… thats a red flag.

Overall, I think it is an enjoyable read.
It went by fairly quickly, and the writing style was nice.
While I did not love everything about it, I would say it is worth it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing and author Nicole Cubba for providing me with the eARC of “Deep in Love”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: September 16th, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads: August 27th, 2025

I really struggled with this one. I was initially so excited to read this after seeing the character art on the author's Instagram and was honored that I was approved to read an ARC. This book had all the right tropes that I usually love, and I was especially excited that it had characters in STEM. Everything was going along swimmingly until I hit a bit of a wall / realization, and that unfortunately made me become hyper critical the rest of the book.

I don't think there was anything hugely wrong with the book, but there were just things that weren't for me. I also don't want to be overly critical in this review as there are things that I can't accurately put into words without coming across as harsh. Again, these are just my personal feelings and I know there are people who will love this book. It just wasn't for me.

What I can say is that I had a hard time with how choppy the book sometimes felt. Like I was jumping from scene to scene and I had no idea how I got there. Things also seemed very surface level, with the science, the rivalry, and even the relationships (friends and romance.) And because it felt surface level, I never fully connected to any of the characters or cared about their journey. I feel like I was getting two different pictures of Charlie and they never fully meshed together. A lot of things felt contrived and unrealistic. By the end, I was just exhausted from forcing myself to finish. I don't want to get into the trauma and overcoming it, because it is sensitive and I do think the book tried to take care with it. But how it was conveyed was a huge reason I was thrown out of this book.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm a PhD student in Chemistry, so whenever I see a STEM romance you already know I'm JUMPING on it asap!!

Deep in Love ticked all my boxes for a fun, spicy romance: one bed, academic rivals to lovers and CORRECT STEM JARGON!! As well as some I didn't even know I had like, he always carries her favourite chocolate?? How perfect??

I really enjoyed the banter between Charlie and Mateo and this book honestly had me cackling out loud at certain parts, the slow burn from Charlie was delicious as we realise that Mateo has never quiteeee hated her the same way; and he truly is the definition of an acts of service man. Swoon.

This was such a perfect, cosy summer read and you can really tell Nicole's passion drips off the pages for marine biology without it being overdone to the point you need a science degree to read Deep in Love!

You're going to fall head over heels for this cozy, feel-good STEM romance!

Set on a research vessel at sea, it's a wonderfully smart and soft enemies-to-lovers story that feels incredibly real. You'll instantly connect with Charlie's honest struggles and be completely charmed by Mateo, who is the absolute king of pining and gentle support.

This book has a "he falls first" trope, with a slow burn that builds into a beautifully earned and emotionally rich romance. It’s an easy, unputdownable read that perfectly captures the nerdy chaos of grad school and the beauty of deep, authentic connection.

The only thing which I was disappointed with was the small amount of deep-sea stuff in the whole book. My wildlife-loving self thinks that the author could've added more of that.

Overall, it's a wonderful read for readers who love women in STEM and men who are whipped for them.

thank you to netgalley, nicole cubba, and victory editing for the opportunity to read this earc.

rating. 3☆

tropes.
- academic rivals
- one bed
- he falls first
- stem romance

my thoughts.
i expected more from the book, it’s a cute story but honestly nothing special. and being latina, the spanish nicknames were terrible to me, i just couldn’t connect with the characters because they declared their love around 40% in and after that i lost interest, i wanted more tension. plus it was supposed to be “academic rivals to lovers” and i never actually felt the rivalry.

I really really enjoyed this book!! It felt like a fresh voice in the romance genre! Mateo is soooo down bad for the fmc l, Charlie, and I LOVED the yearning & pining from his pov. The characters felt very realistic in their struggles and personalities! And the plot premise was unique and fun! I think if readers love books by Ali Hazelwood or main characters in STEM, then they’re going to love Deep In Love!!

Wow wow wow - this book was so incredible! I have been searching for another writer to give me the feeling Ali Hazelwood does when I read her STEM romances, and this book delivers in spades. Everything about this book was well-done. The writing, the plot, the pacing, everything kept me drawn in until the last page. And not to mention had me giggling and kicking my feet for how perfectly Mateo was pining and yearning for Charlie.

I absolutely loved Charlie's character arc - I feel like she is such an interesting FMC, different in a very endearing way. I felt like Mateo in the fact that I really did want to understand everything about her mind. Her finding healing in the journey and beginning to live instead of hide herself away was such a lovely journey to read.

And Mateo, oh my sweet baby Mateo. Maybe one of my top 5 MMC's I've read this year (or ever honestly), he was so vulnerable and endearing, confident but still seeking that validation from a crush that he's had years to stew on. Just a truly perfect character in my eyes. I loved every single second of hearing his pining over Charlie, and the emotional payoff for that was HUGE.

Overall, you all have to read this book!!! I enjoyed it so incredibly much and I will be telling everyone to read it for the foreseeable future. Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Cubba, and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this eARC.

As a graduate student researcher myself, I was really excited to get my hands on this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Charlie and Mateo are two marine biology PhD students working in the same lab. For the past 2 years, Charlie has been annoyed by Mateo, while Mateo has been pining after her since the day they met. Their advisors find an opportunity for the pair to join a mission to look for deep sea creatures, which is being documented by a social media influencer. They embark on the mission, where they will have only one bed for three weeks (which Mateo knew about, but kept from Charlie until they were on the boat). As the mission goes on, the two get to know each other better, and Charlie warms up to Mateo as she learns about the thoughtful things he has done for her over the years.

I liked the representation of grad students in this book, but found some of the situations unrealistic, and the characters to be immature for how they were portrayed as older, more experienced students. I thought that Charlie's mental health struggles as a result of her accident could have been explored more deeply, and also that Mateo's care for her was not as appreciated as it should have been. I also didn't enjoy the overwhelming number of tropes used in the story, and thought that they were all executed somewhat mediocrely.

Overall, this book is a quick, easy read, and I think will be satisfying to anyone looking for a STEM romance, despite the flaws I outlined above. I'd like to read more from this author in the future to see how her writing evolves!

Where do I even start with this review? Deep in Love had me hooked from the very first page. I completely consumed this book in one day. And let me just say—there were moments that had me laughing (okay, full-on cackling) out loud! No spoilers, but I’m just going to leave you with these words: Pokémon, sex toy, alien, crystals, and vitamin D. Hopefully that’s enough to convince you to pick this book up!

While this book touches on heavy topics, Charlie’s journey was such a joy to read. Watching her push past her walls, rediscover parts of herself she thought were gone, and open herself up to vulnerability made the story feel both empowering and deeply heartfelt. So many parts of Charlie’s journey feel instantly relatable—her struggles with confidence, awkward moments, and not always loving what she sees in the mirror. I think so many of us have been there… or still are.

Plus, can we all agree that being a bit nerdy is actually hot? The STEM vibes in this book totally sealed the deal. Mateo has officially joined my book boyfriend rotation.

Fan of rivals-to-lovers? Slow burn? this one’s for you!

This book was the perfect mix of fun, heart, discovery, and at times, hilariously funny. I loved every second of being on board with Charlie and Mateo. Refreshing, clever, and utterly enjoyable, I even found myself raving about it to my husband with a smile on my face. I haven’t read the author’s other works yet, but that’s something I need to fix ASAP. I will be recommending this one!

I was completely hooked from the start and this book ended up giving me everything I wanted. The mix of science, humor, and romance worked so well. Charlie was such a relatable heroine, smart but also anxious and messy in ways that made her real, and Mateo, ow, he was the perfect balance of gentle and devoted, the type of guy who falls first and never hides it. Their banter had me laughing out loud, the forced proximity made every little moment intense, and once the slow burn caught fire, it just kept burning. I didn’t want to leave their world. Perfect for those who loves Ali Hazelwood romances. 5 shining stars from me. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

STEM but make it spicy and full of banter! Deep In Love by Nicole Cubba is hilarious, fun, witty and steamy. Fans of Ali Hazelwood will love this.

It's got academic rivals, forced proximity, one mission, lots of ocean and marine biology and two people who are hopelessly down bad for each other. Its got grumpy girl and smartass sarcastic man that teases her but is so in love with her, I love that theres diversity, with a latino mmc and he calls her sweet and funny things in his language. It's full of banter, witty, charming and so fun! I loved this story!

Bee: I, Bee, am a true believer in banter as foreplay because omfg. this book. there were so many moments I was laughing so hard. But also so many where I Did not think my heart could take the sweetness of Mateo. And Charlie girl. You sweet sweet oblivious child. I am so glad you realized what was going on because This man was So good to her for so long. I loved the taking it slow dynamic. It really was the perfect way for Charlie to overcome a lot of her traumas and I loved that she was able to feel Mateo’s love for her. This was fun. I need more lol.

Nik: Stem romance?? YES PLEASE!! Academic rivals to lovers? Could this book get any better? I mean yes it absolutely does. the way Mateo took care of Charlie, even when she didn’t realize he was doing it, was so good. He let her become confident in herself and take a chance on love. Charlie was so smart and finally started healing with Mateo’s help. It was such a beautiful but also bantery and funny story. I loved it!

Deep In Love
By Nicole Cubba

Deep In Love was an absolute delight—I couldn’t put it down. Fans of Ali Hazelwood will swoon over the electric chemistry between Charlie and Mateo.

Charlie is grinding her way through her PhD, determined to outsmart her academic rival (and office mate), Mateo. When she’s offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to join SeaStar, a research vessel where she can finally see the ocean creatures she’s only studied on paper, there’s just one catch: Mateo is going too.

For the past two years, Mateo has done everything he can to break through Charlie’s walls, but every attempt has been met with resistance. What he doesn’t know is that Charlie’s past has left her with scars and a strict set of rules to keep herself safe. Now, trapped together at sea, the question is—will those walls finally come down?

I gave Deep In Love 4.5 out of 5 stars. The character arcs are compelling, the banter is sharp, and the tension is everything you could want in a romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the chance to read this unforgettable story.

This was, in my opinion, a perfect book. It was fun, it was funny, the characters were perfect. I ADORED Mateo as a weak, weak MC who was UTTERLY obsessed with Charlie. And Charlie!!! Perfect, wonderful Charlie, who was so head over heels and yet desperate to hate him. UGH. I read this in a day, it was perfect. Forced proximity? Check/ Rivals to lovers? Check. Colleagues? Check? Deep sea diving? CHECK.

✨Thank you to Nicole and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book! ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars!
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 spicy chillies!

🧬 Academic rivals
🧬 One bed cabin
🧬 STEM romance
🧬 Rivals to romance
🧬 Chronic illness rep

I absolutely loved this STEM romance by Nicole Cubba. Charlie and Mateo are both PhD students studying marine biology when they are given the chance for a once in a lifetime opportunity to be advisors on an ocean documentary.

The dynamic between Charlie and Mateo is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. As both of their walls come down, a romance evolves out of their previously rival fuelled relationship. The romance and humour in this book had me laughing out loud and squealing while kicking my feet in the air!

I’m so excited to add this a physical copy of this to my bookshelves!

This was such a sweet book! It was funny, emotional, spicy, and just so sweet!!

I enjoyed this book. Rivals to lovers (but he’s actually in love with her the whole time), only one bed, mental health rep, college adjacent romance (they’re phd students). Such a great set-up! Charlie was a fun character. After being in an accident that left her with visible and internal scars, she’s hiding herself and keeping her distance from others. Over the course of the book, she’s drawn out of her shell and finds beauty in herself and other people, most specifically, Mateo, her academic rival. Look, this rivalry is so one-sided, which is usually something I don’t like, but it worked here. Mateo is deep in love (lol see what I did there? Ok, I’ll see myself out) with Charlie but, typical man, he’s terrified to tell her so he chooses to aggravate her instead. Their banter really cracked me up! It was clear that they both liked each other, but because of their own personal beliefs they’re scared to admit it. Mateo’s understanding of Charlie’s history and current mental health struggles was beautifully supportive. I do wish we’d gotten a bit more of Charlie’s perspective and work to address her concerns, it was discussed but felt a bit surface level to me. That being said, it was still wonderfully portrayed. I enjoyed the side characters and development of relationships outside of our main couple. I think Cubba could pull from a few of these characters for additional books! The epilogue was so cute and so Charlie!

This was a great debut and I look forward to more from the author.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

While I really enjoyed the premise of this book (two academic rivals turned lovers aboard a research vessel), the character development and pacing fell a little flat to me.

Charlie and Mateo are meant to be PhD candidates, but they both felt significantly younger and less mature than I would have expected. The transition from rivals to lovers felt quite rushed to me and I just didn’t come away from the story with the same giggling smile I want from an easy romance book like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars rounded down

Deep In Love falls into one of my favourite categories; nerds falling in love. And while our main character Charlie was most definitely a nerd that fell in love, some aspects of this book just fell short for me.
The most prominent issue was the writing, I am usually a fast reader but it look me weeks to finish this... some of the writing and dialogue was awkward, it lacked the engagement and addictive quality that the romance genre is known for. Along with that the characters seemed a little underdeveloped, and aside from the love story the plot was just.... them being on a boat? I love that there wasn't a third act break up but it also resulted in no real narrative, the most exciting thing that happened were the smut scenes.
That is not to say it was completely unreadable! There were some hilarious moments, some heartfelt moments (many many confession scenes). And I loved the development of friendships with the side characters. Mateo was a simp with a capital S, which I also loved (always leaving the chocolates for her????? so sweet!), he had the patience and the care that Charlie needed and deserved!! All the characters in the book were almost too sweet they were all so lovable and we ended up with an almost found family vibe by the end of the trip. Oh and kinda spoiler (?) but her supervisor being a little schemer was so cute I loved her reaction when she saw that Charlie and Mateo are now together- totally unrealistic irl but I loved it regardless.
If you're looking for a quick romance read with low stakes and wholesome vibes this is the book for you!
But ultimately this fell a little flat for me... perhaps I have become a cynic and need to return to the fantasy genre.......

August 22, 2025. 5/5 stars!

Many thanks to Nicole Cubba and NetGally for this eARC (my first ARC read)!

This book hit every niche within me, I could show you my shelf and you would see the innumerable books on the ocean, especially the deep sea. The second I read the premise for this book I was *hooked*.

I adored the characters and how they navigated difficulties in their relationship with communication and understanding (and no third act break-up). I was enamoured with Mateo falling first and falling harder while Charlie found his mere presence annoying, it build for the perfect one-bed/forced proximity moments.

Mateo was a gift that kept on giving, literally, he was caring, transparent, and intelligent in ways that made every scene with him stand out. And as a person who experiences chronic pain, I see so much of myself in Charlie; she is the scientist that I dream of being. Cubba put incredible care in making the side characters stand out (I'm begging for an Oliver/Amy spinoff…), making each one integral to the story while still developing their own threads of plot.

Finally, this book was exemplary in the way that it draws you in with the tropes but doesn't rely on them to carry the story. This was a top tier STEM romance and I am so excited for my pre-order copy to arrive in September!