Love on the Brain

So I didn’t realize I was reading the books out of publishing order (not that it matters until you get to the acknowledgement section!) BUT I think is one is my favorite Hazelwood so far. Which is saying something since I think I AM Elsie in many ways (Theoretically) and just CANNOT get enough of Adam (Hypothesis) and Ian (Below Zero). I am a nurse, so I feel about anatomy and physiology and pharmacokinetics the way Hazelwood’s book characters feel about their fields of science. I am currently working on my masters degree, and dream of joining academia teaching someday and maybe publishing before I die (dreams). These books feel like the world I wish I lived in, and are very real comfort blankets for my brain and emotions. So why is this one my favorite?First, can we just acknowledge that in a world where women are often required to the emotional heavy lifting for their partners and everyone else around them, Hazelwood’s stellar leading ladies are often lacking in that department yet have male partners that are grounded and capable of doing and holding emotional space where they can’t? It’s a running theme now, and I AM HERE FOR IT! It’s not just that they aren’t sexist or are willing to give women credit for their work. They go to therapy. They own up to mistakes, take perspective from others, and are often more open and capable of being emotionally available and vulnerable while the ladies have more work to do, make more errors, and are less capable in this arena. That is just spectacular and not always seen in romance.Second, Bee is such a believable character because she is so honest about how she loves studying the brain and neuroscience, yet reluctantly admits that exercise is good for the brain. It’s so human to be so dedicated to the science and yet resist or even ignore evidence because of fear, experiences, and more. In some ways, she has the shortest lag time for realizing she wants her happy ending, though, which is nice to see. The consistency with some variation of Hazelwood’s leads being afraid of commitment, love, and romance are interesting. A flow chart may be needed at some point.Third, I like that in a short span, Bee gets to see so much of Levi’s life. It’s nice to give context to him and round him out in a way that does more than just clear up misunderstandings. He has a world before she gets there. It’s always more interesting when the characters have more of a world than just the two of them in bed.My only real criticism is that while we all love the fantasy of tall, built men who also are geniuses at NASA or running research labs, in reality…I don’t know. I want there to be a way for average men who are not 6’ 4” to also be emotionally mature, get the girl, and be amazing? If I could write myself I would. But I can’t, so I need other amazing people to help me out, ya know? Anyway, it’s another rock-solid story from Ali Hazelwood. I really need to just pre-order her stuff. I have yet to be disappointed.

I absolutely love the nerd language and humor that Ali Hazelwood injects in her books. But after having read all 3 of her STEMinist novellas, this book shares so many similarities with them that it doesn't particularly stand out other than being a full length novel so there's more fleshed out character development. Bee is the neuroscientist hired on to work at NASA in Houston and will be co-leading than none other with Levi Ward, the head engineer on the project. Ali always make sure to pair up the best of the best in the field when she matches up the hero and heroine so there's no dispute that one is more intelligent than the other, because in the end, they always make the finest team. The same could be said for these two. Their Ph.D. studies overlapped briefly in grad school where Levi was a few years ahead of Bee, and during that time, it was pretty obvious to Bee that he loathed her on sight. While she dreads collaborating with him, she also knows this is an opportunity that she cannot pass up.This book made me laugh and there was some good angst and steam, on top of all the intellectual dialogue and monologue with additional quirky aspects. I was entertained and amused, I loved Levi and Bee together, but the romance formula does mimic the novellas so I wasn't especially surprised by anything that came about, even towards the end with the slight twist. Still, I enjoy this style of writing and look forward to more of Ali Hazelwood's books in the future.

I wasn't ready to jump into another fantasy because the last few fantasies I read has just been heavy and I needed something lighter. Love on the Brain did not disappoint, Ali Hazelwood's writing always makes me smile and so so happy. I love the audiobook as well.

I wanted to love this book. I really did. It has all the elements to make it a great read: Fantastic writing skill by the author, a quirky heroine in a unique (to romance novels at least) career field, insight into true-to-life obstacles female scientists have to navigate every day, and a pining hero who thinks the heroine is a goddess (Who wouldn't want that?). The problem is that all these fresh ingredients, which have been thrown together and should develop into a tasty and nourishing read, have been cooked in an old, dirty pot and stirred by an equally dirty spoon. By this, I mean the author using the same tired crutch of misunderstandings-that-could-be-cleared-up-with-a-simple-conversation to further her plot along. Then, she compounds the problem by adding the surprise-villain-is-just-crazy-because-reasons as the "twist." SIGH. It's just lazy plotting, and I expect better from a traditionally-published author charging me over $10 for a Kindle version of her novel.I like Bee, I love Levi, and I want to love their relationship. But how can I when I get to see so little of it? Them arguing? Check. Conversations that abruptly end and/or are interrupted (in a contrived manner) before any resolution happens? Check. Sex scenes? Check. (NOTE: I am not complaining about those.) Lots of dialogue about a cat's anal glands? Check.What I didn't get was them having actual conversations with each other. Then, even after the third act is over and the big reveal is made? I still don't get it. There is no real resolution. Why? No clue. Between this and the lack of surprise over any of the "misunderstandings" in the first place, it left me skimming where I should have been savoring chapters.If this were just one book where this happened, I would let it go. But these are issues this author has a lot. I only beg her to stop or this will be the last book I buy and/or read of hers. I need surprises, twists, and real resolution. I need a heroine who doesn't build herself up as a badass who then runs away bawling at the first sign of an issue. How am I supposed to believe that this is a woman who has survived academia? How am I supposed to cheer for her when she both ridicules the idea of a man having to fight for her (to get respect) and then later literally demands a man fight the battle so she can go home and cry? Huh? I understand she thought it was her fault, but you don't just run home crying. There IS crying in academia, but only after you've exhausted every other avenue first. Women in STEM don't have time for the nervous breakdowns they are owed. They fight. They persevere. They find another way to achieve their goal. This is what pioneers like Marie Curie did.I just wish I could say the same for Bee.