Love Theoretically

From the bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

By: Ali Hazelwood

Narrated by: Therese Plummer

From the author of TikTok sensations and global bestsellers The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain

Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom.

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she's an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it's a pretty sweet gig - until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favourite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor's career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he's the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but... those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she's with him? Will falling into an experimentalist's orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Praise for Ali Hazelwood and her novels:

'Ali Hazelwood proves that science is sexy as hell, and that love can 'STEM' from the most unlikely places. She's my newest must-buy author.' Jodi Picoult

'I cannot get enough of her brand of brainy romance! Writing with an emotionally brilliant and witty pen, Hazelwood is an absolute romance powerhouse.' Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners

'Gloriously nerdy and sexy, with on-point commentary about women in STEM.' Helen Hoang, author of The Heart Principle

'Proves that STEM can be sexy!' Red

Readers love The Love Hypothesis:
'Did I read this in 24 hours? Yes.'
'Funny. Snarky. Intelligent. Real.'
'If you're even slightly thinking about getting this book to read, just go a head and do it'
'Ali Hazelwood has made herself an auto-buy author'
'It was just... perfect.'
'A heroine you will instantly fall in love with'



The Love Hypothesis was on the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller lists in January 2022, Love on the Brain was also on the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller list in August 2022. ©2023 Ali Hazelwood

Critic reviews

Your world is about to be rocked. (Elena Armas, author of The Spanish Love Deception (on Love on the Brain))

Hopelessly, brilliantly, wonderfully romantic. I loved it even more than The Love Hypothesis, and I didn't think that was possible (Cressida McLaughlin on Love on the Brain)

Ali Hazelwood proves that science is sexy as hell, and that love can 'STEM' from the most unlikely places. She's my newest must-buy author. (Jodi Picoult on Love on the Brain)

Gloriously nerdy and sexy, with on-point commentary about women in STEM. (Helen Hoang, author of The Heart Principle on Love on the Brain)

Proves that STEM can be sexy!

Contemporary romance's unicorn: the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist. (Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners on The Love Hypothesis)

My Favorite Book In The Trio and Superb Narration Pulled It All Together For Me!

I generally start these books off super confused at the science references, puns and jokes while trying to take in the protagonist storyline and by the end of it, I'm so in love with them, top to bottom, every character, whether good or bad, and all the little quirks about the main character as they're always so different and unique, and Elsie is no exception!

Elsie is this super smart, self-aware and also hyperaware woman who is also very people-pleasing, and accommodating, basically a product of her upbringing and experiences and I love her for it! I love how she works through things and truly comes into her own, she's honestly super relatable in a few ways for me. I love how Jack is also super patient and kind with her and doesn't let her pull any of her normal tricks on him, which forces her to come face-to-face with the things she tries to bury deep inside.

The narration was honestly what made the book so good, I really felt like I was inside Elsie's head and going through her experiences with her, since the feelings and emotions expressed felt genuine and real and I couldn't stop listening! The book never fails to surprise me, even if I can feel a potential twist happening, I'm still shocked at how the twist plays out and what happens because of it. Highly recommend to anybody who wants a good book of a heroine who is both smart, complicated, and highly self-aware, and a man who is not only her equal in most ways, but they bring out the best in each other (and also the frustration, but in the best way!)

More than just a fake dating plot…

The author has done the fake dating plot before this was very different and creative. I enjoyed this book, but I still think Olives and Aaron’s love story is my favourite. The book brought up very modern ideas on what love is and how you get there, and also a Family perspective of societal expectations. It also brings up how women are treated within a scientific discipline. How people can see one thing, be told other things and not believe them. This book has a lot to do with trust and trusting. This was a good listen.

Magnífico

Lo que más me gusta de los libros de Ali es hacer ver problemáticas que las mujeres enfrentamos todos los días y más desde el campo científico, le da un espacio a todas las mujeres que desafortunadamente han tenido que vivir algo parecido.

Es muy gratificante ver dos personajes que se apoyan entre sí para encontrar la mejor versión de ellos mismos y que no necesariamente tiene que ser perfecta.

Es realmente un libro que habla de muchos temas importantes y sí el romance es lo principal, pero no hay que dejar de darle importancia a los demás temas que abarca.