love hypothesis film

Everything You Need To Know About ‘The Love Hypothesis’ Movie

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Ali Hazelwood took over the bestsellers list with her ultra-cute and utterly STEM-tastic 2021 release, The Love Hypothesis . The New York Times bestseller became a TikTok sensation and was a BuzzFeed best summer read.  

In October, Hazelwood posted to Instagram with exciting news about the upcoming movie adaptation of her buzziest novel, The Love Hypothesis . It is safe to say that we are all eager to see Olive and Adam on the big screen. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ali Hazelwood (@alihazelwood)

What is the premise of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel The Love Hypothesis ?

Graduate student Olive Smith plans to attain her Ph.D. Nothing can derail her focus, not even the aloof hotshot professor that sends students running from his office in tears.   

By all accounts, Olive knew that she, an exhausted and overworked grad student, probably registered as nothing but a blip on Adam Carlsen’s radar. And that would be true if Olive had never accosted said professor with an uninvited kiss. 

What should have been a one-and-done smooch to curb her besties concerns over her dating life quickly spirals out of control when news of the “relationship” trickles down the STEM department grapevine.

To say that the pair are in a tricky predicament would be the understatement of the century.

Who is creating The Love Hypothesis ?

According to Deadline , Elizabeth Cantillon and MRC Film’s romance label Bisous Pictures has partnered with Ali Hazelwood to adapt her New York Times bestseller The Love Hypothesis to the big screen. 

“Bisous Pictures is thrilled to be working with Ali to amplify her voice and bring this magical book to the screen,” Cantillon said.

Hazelwood added, “It’s a true privilege to have Elizabeth and such a talented and experienced team of people working on adapting The Love Hypothesis, and I’m very excited for this next step in Olive and Adam’s story!”

Who is in the cast of The Love Hypothesis ?

There is no news on casting decisions yet. However, many fans hope to see Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley bring Adam and Olive to life. 

When is the release date of The Love Hypothesis ? 

The Love Hypothesis is currently in pre-production, so there is no information on the release date for the movie yet.

Is there a trailer for The Love Hypothesis ?

There is no trailer for The Love Hypothesis .

What other adaptations can you expect in the upcoming year?

In addition to the movie The Love Hypothesis , there are more book adaptations to look forward to in 2023: A Court of Thorns and Roses , Daisy Jones and the Six , It Ends with Us , Red, White, and Royal Blue , The Idea of You , The Inheritance Games , The Selection , The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo , and Uglies .

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The Love Hypothesis Movie Release Date, Cast, Plot and More

The Love Hypothesis movie is in the works as the popular romance novel by Ali Hazelwood will soon get the Hollywood treatment by coming to the big screen.

This novel is about Olive Smith, who doesn’t have the best luck in love. However, she attempts to convince her best friend, Anh, that she does by pretending to date her professor, Adam Carlsen. Of course, real feelings get involved, which is usually how this tends to go.

The author, Ali Hazelwood , was born in Italy and initially worked as a neuroscience professor. This job has influenced her writing because she tends to write about women who work in STEM fields.

Her first novel was The Love Hypothesis , which became a NYT best seller. The interesting thing about this novel is that it was originally a Star Wars fanfiction starring characters Rey and Kylo Ren. Eventually, it was tweaked, and most Star Wars references were removed, so it became an original story rather than fan fiction.

Since then, she has published several other novels, with more on the way in 2024. However, our focus in this article will be on The Love Hypothesis because it is set to become a movie.

What is the Premise of The Love Hypothesis?

One of the main characters in The Love Hypothesis is Olive Smith, a third-year Ph.D. candidate. She tends to focus a lot on school and academics, meaning her love life is a mess.

Her best friend Anh is concerned about this and is convinced that her romance life is in peril. To trick her best friend into thinking that her romantic life is fine, Olive Smith decides to start fake dating Adam Carlsen, a young professor at the college she attends. But she’s surprised when Adam agrees to fake date her and help her continue her charade.

At first, everything seemed to be going well. They are convincing people that they are an actual couple, but eventually, real feelings start developing. When this happens, Olive begins to panic because this was not supposed to happen.

That’s the basic plot of The Love Hypothesis book, and it will likely stay the same for the upcoming movie adaptation as well.

It’s natural for book-to-movie adaptations to condense the source material to fit the movie’s runtime, and for rom-com books like this one, it won’t present a challenge to write a script that does justice to the novel.

What is The Love Hypothesis Movie Release Date?

In October 2022, the author herself announced that a movie based on The Love Hypothesis book was in development.

It’s only been a little over a year since this announcement came out, but there hasn’t been any update regarding what stage the movie is at. As such, a release date hasn’t been announced!

A script must be made, the casting must be decided, and a lot of things need to be accomplished in the pre-production stage, and only then does the actual filming begin.

This is a process that can span months or even years. Sometimes, it can also fall through for a multitude of reasons. Many books are picked up for movie or TV series adaptations but do not reach the point where the filming starts.

It’s still very early for The Love Hypothesis movie, so hopefully, this will not be the case with it, and we will get to see it enter into the production stage and eventually get a release date.

What is The Cast of The Love Hypothesis Movie ?

As we said in the previous section, the movie adaptation was only announced a little over a year ago, so the cast hasn’t been decided yet.

The script needs to be written first before this even happens! Thankfully, the author of the book, Ali Hazelwood, would be the writer, or one of the writers, to adapt the book and transform it into a movie by writing a comprehensive script.

As soon as the cast for the main characters is announced, I will update this section and not keep you waiting for the information!

Who is Developing The Love Hypothesis Movie ?

According to Collider , the movie rights to The Love Hypothesis book have been given to Bisous Pictures, a production company.

You might wonder who this production company is because chances are you haven’t heard of it before. This is likely because it’s a very new production company with only one finished film to its name. The other movie listed is The Love Hypothesis , which is still in production.

Persuasion , a movie released in 2022, is the first and only finished film on Bisous’s list of works. The movie aired on Netflix and was directed by Carrie Cracknell, with well-known actress Dakota Johnson staring in one of the roles.

The romance genre is popular and shows no sign of slowing down. When The Love Hypothesis book was published, it was a little different from other romance novels because it originally came out as a fanfiction before the author changed it into an original piece. This enabled her to publish it, and it became a worldwide phenomenon in a relatively short time.

So, when it was announced it would be a movie, hopes were high and continue to remain as we wait for another update on this movie. Until we get any solid information about the upcoming The Love Hypothesis movie, you should consider re-reading the book or picking up one of the author’s other books while you wait!

Also Read: Book Lovers Movie Release Date

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‘The Love Hypothesis’ Is Being Adapted For The Big Screen

For fans of Ali Hazelwood’s ‘The Love Hypothesis,’ we have some super exciting news for you! Adaptation news for the famous romance book was just announced.

The best-selling novel, The Love Hypothesis , by Ali Hazelwood, is getting a movie! She is partnering with the romance label, Bisous Pictures, for the adaptation of the beloved BookTok sensation.

Hazelwood could not contain her excitement as she shares the news all over her social media pages.

The Movie Deal

The Love Hypothesis centers around Olive Smith, a third-year Ph.D. candidate. Olive is also a nonbeliever in lasting romantic relationships. She is determined to prove to her friend she is dating. But naturally, she panics and kisses the first man she sees. Luckily Adam Carlsen, the attractive professor, and known lab tyrant, agrees to be her fake boyfriend. Soon things get complicated in their fake relationship as feelings between them start changing. 

Bisous Pictures is thrilled to work on the movie and bring Olive and Adam’s relationship to life on the big screen.

According to Deadline , Hazelwood comments:

“It’s a true privilege to have Elizabeth and such a talented and experienced team of people working on adapting The Love Hypothesis , and I’m very excited for this next step in Olive and Adam’s story!” Deadline

The Power of Fanfiction

Another author proves the fanfiction to published book to movie pipeline is real. Surprisingly, there have been many well-known series that were originally fanfiction. For instance, 50 Shades of Grey was Twilight fanfiction. After is another, developed from a Harry Styles fanfiction. Therefore, it is no secret that many writers find their success by starting with fanfiction. And Hazelwood is one of them, as The Love Hypothesis was a fic about Reylo, Kylo Ren, and Rey from the Star Wars series. Then, the rest is history. 

Undeniably, The Love Hypothesis has been a huge sensation. It was on the New York Times Best Sellers List for 39 weeks. Hazelwood’s success continues as her recent novel, Love on the Brain , was an instant bestseller and has been on the list for four consecutive weeks. Of course, fans hoped for this book to get an adaptation, and as of this week, it looks like their wishes have come true! 

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Bisous Pictures Lands Rights To Ali Hazelwood’s ‘The Love Hypothesis’

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EXCLUSIVE: Bisous Pictures , the romance label from Elizabeth Cantillon and MRC Film, have partnered with Ali Hazelwood to adapt her best-selling novel The Love Hypothesis , published by Berkley.  The book has been on  The New York Times  Best Sellers list for 39 weeks. 

In the book, an impulsive kiss leads two scientists into a fake relationship, testing their theories about love and each other.

“Bisous Pictures is thrilled to be working with Ali to amplify her voice and bring this magical book to the screen,” said Cantillon.  

Watch on Deadline

“It’s a true privilege to have Elizabeth and such a talented and experienced team of people working on adapting The Love Hypothesis, and I’m very excited for this next step in Olive and Adam’s story!” said Hazelwood. 

Bisous Pictures’ Persuasion , starring Dakota Johnson, is currently available on Netflix. Bisous Pictures is developing screen adaptations of novels including Photos of You , 28 Summers and The Return . 

Hazelwood is represented by the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and UTA, which brokered the deal.

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The Love Hypothesis

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

If you would like to read a list of content warnings for The Love Hypothesis (warning for mild spoilers), please click here . 

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Why The Love Hypothesis Could Kickstart More Romance Film Adaptations

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What is the love hypothesis about, the love hypothesis could pave the way for other unconventional adaptations, are authors like ali hazelwood and emily henry changing the perception of romance, key takeaways.

• Ali Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis originally began as a Rey and Kylo Ren fanfiction focusing on the characters in a STEM setting, and the novel has achieved great success.
• The upcoming film adaptation of The Love Hypothesis could pave the way for more unconventional book adaptations.
• Authors like Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry and works like Bridgerton and Red, White and Royal Blue are changing the perception of romance novels.

Ali Hazelwood's romance novel The Love Hypothesis took BookTok by storm in 2021, and part of its whimsical appeal was that it began as Star Wars fan fiction. Originally published in 2018 on Archive of Our Own as a work called "Head Over Feet," it detailed a modern interpretation of the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren set against the backdrop of Stanford's graduate program. Though all the references to Star Wars were cut in the final draft of the novel, the similarities in characters are still there, and it's been a major part of why the novel was so successful.

Successful enough, in fact, that in October 2022, it was announced that Bisous Pictures, which specializes in romantic films, acquired the rights to the novel. The film adaptation is currently in pre-production. Depending on how successful it is, The Love Hypothesis has the potential to pave the way for more romance adaptations -- especially those that originated in equally unconventional locations.

Updated on April 15th, 2024 by Fawzia Khan: While The Love Hypothesis movie is still very much in preproduction and there are few updates about it, fans stay on tenterhooks for the STEM romance to come to life on screen. Ali Hazelwood's book is truly an outlier -- a fanfiction work that was turned into an independent novel, set in STEM, a setting so unusual that it had not been explored before. However, Hazelwood's storytelling turns even the science lab into a romantic playground, giving impetus to all sorts of romance subgenres that might not have been greenlit earlier. This feature has been updated with further information about romance novel adaptations and their future.

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The Love Hypothesis begins explosively: Stanford graduate student Olive plants a kiss on Dr. Adam Carlsen, a known grump who has gained a reputation for tanking the research dreams of many students. The kiss culminates into something bigger, and Olive decides to enter a fake relationship with Adam Carlsen in order to convince her best friend, Anh that she is over her ex-boyfriend Jeremy, whom Anh has feelings for. While Olive wants Anh to pursue happiness, Adam's motivations for the fake relationship lie in his research funding, which has been frozen by the university as they predict that he will leave their lab and move to another. Being in a relationship would give him a sense of permanence at Stanford, and Olive would regain a sense of dignity once Anh would pursue her romance without guilt. Neither Olive nor Adam is too enthused about this arrangement -- after all, Adam Carlsen is the bane of most graduate students' existence, and he's known throughout the program for his ruthlessness and, at times, rudeness. The Love Hypothesis has all the makings of a romance book headed to the big screen.

• The Love Hypothesis was published on September 14, 2021.
• It has a 4.15/5 rating on Goodreads, with nearly 150,000 reviews.

However, as their relationship progresses, they each have to come to terms with their feelings, which are beginning to transcend far beyond what their initial arrangement entailed. Their romance may be a farce, but Hazelwood uses well-known tropes in a fresh manner to make audiences feel butterflies as the two protagonists interact. The realities of life in academia, and Olive's own tragic backstory bring a lot of depth into the plot. Their growing love for each other is marred many times, especially when Adam's old friend, Dr. Tom Benton, decides to harrass Olive and derail her research, which makes her distance herself from him. The Love Hypothesis is a beautiful love story that will translate flawlessly to the big screen , especially because of how unique it is.

10 Best Magical Romance Movies With The Most Whimsical Plots

Magic plays a role in many great romance films, including a few charming classics that expertly blend the two elements into one touching story.

The Love Hypothesis is the most recent in a long line of movies adapted from fan works. In fact, Ali Hazelwood's trajectory from fanfic writer to New York Times bestselling author happened when Thao Le from the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency saw her works online and reached out to her to submit. In the past, authors like E.L. James have tried to downplay that the origins of their novels (the Fifty Shades trilogy, in this case) lay in fiction that was associated with existing properties. Seeing how the success of The Love Hypothesis was intrinsically tied up with the appeal of the Star Wars couple, it is becoming clear that the landscape of publication and cinematic adaptation has had a total overhaul. Increasingly, publishing houses are turning to well-known fan fiction authors to revise their works and send them out into the world. Often, these books sell well in part because of their obvious association with a better-known intellectual property, which then makes them prime candidates to be turned into films.

Similarly, the City of Bones series (including the associated movies and Shadowhunters television show ) has its roots in the Harry Potter series. If fan fiction evolves into a prevalent source for movies, the possibilities for future adaptations are endless. Films and TV shows based on graphic novels, such as Nimona and Heartstopper, have recently gained traction . Video game movies, no matter how controversial they tend to be, are slowly making their way into the cultural eye with big titles such as Uncharted or Five Nights at Freddy's . Though romantic movies in the past have been primarily based on published novels or entirely original, the increasing number of fan fiction and graphic novel adaptations could lead to a broader future for the romantic genre. If The Love Hypothesis is successful (which it likely will be), rom-coms may see a major renaissance, and perhaps the source material for them will be diversified as well.

10 Best TV Series With Amazing Romances

Although many TV series have great romances, a few stand head-and-shoulders above their peers.

In short, yes. Both romance novels and fanfiction were long considered guilty pleasure genres, consumed by those who liked reading adult or "spicy" content. Fortunately, the success of The Love Hypothesis and other such books has brought this genre into the mainstream, as larger and larger studios are queuing up to adapt romance novels into movies. As "women-centric" movies become box office hits, romance novels have further opportunities for getting that coveted adaptation. In addition to Ali Hazelwood, Emily Henry has become a studio favorite, with every one of her romance novels getting the go-ahead for big-screen adaptations.

Additionally, romance is no longer just about heterosexual couples. Red, White, and Royal Blue proved that LGBTQ+ love stories are very much the next step for the romance genre; a much-needed update to keep it current and with the times. Bridgerton's roaring success also brought forth an important aspect: romance fans want to hear diverse stories of different cultures too to reaffirm their belief that love is love, no matter where one is from. A growing acceptance of the romance genre, and the recognition of it as a true art form worthy of investment and adaptation has brought fresh growth to it, as well as to cinema.

Your Guide To Literary Adaptations & Publishing News

The Love Hypothesis Adaptation: Everything We Know So Far

After taking over booktok, bookstagram, and every other book-related internet community, there’s a very large group of fans dying to see a The Love Hypothesis adaptation brought to life on screen. With roots in fanfiction, this book has been a hot topic of conversation that is still going strong years after it’s release. Known for its clever blend of academic intrigue and heartwarming romance, the beloved romance has captivated readers with its charming narrative and relatable characters.   Don’t forget to check out the masterlist of all the EWKSF adaptation posts here on Alison in Libraryland!   This page was updated: 8/28/24  

About The Book:

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.   That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding… six-pack abs.   Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.   bookshop.org // Amazon // Audiobook  

Current Production Status:

This project is still in the very early stages of development.  

The Love Hypothesis Adaptation Timeline:

The book was first published in September 2021 and spent over 40 weeks on the New York Times Best-Sellers list. In October 2022 it was announced that the book had been optioned for a film adaptation.  

Who Owns The Rights:

Bisous Pictures acquired the rights with plans for a film adaptation. Bisous Pictures is a new romance label under MRC Films with their first production being the 2022 Persuasion adaptation for Netflix.  

Who Is Attached:

As of Summer 2024 there have been no casting announcements or names attached to the film. Who would you like to see cast? Leave your dream casting in the comments!  

Filming Locations:

With the project still in the very early stages of development there are currently no known filming locations yet.  

Estimated Release:

Other Adaptations From This Author:

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'The Love Hypothesis' Author Ali Hazelwood on Getting Her Start in Fanfiction and Which Scene Didn't Make It Into the Final Book

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The day before I was set to chat with Ali Hazelwood , the news broke that her debut novel The Love Hypothesis had officially become a New York Times bestseller , charting at #9 in print and at #11 on the combined print and ebook lists. Understandably, Hazelwood's recollection of the moment she found out about it from her editor at Berkley Publishing is a little hazy: "I think I had grilled cheese in my mouth. I have vague memories of trying not to choke."

But it's no surprise, taking into account that the book itself has been absolutely blowing up a certain section of TikTok lately — as well as considering The Love Hypothesis 's origin story. When Hazelwood decided to make the leap from writing fanfiction to becoming a published author, readers flocked in droves, and even though The Love Hypothesis is a completely original work, there are still some nods to its beginnings — like the cover, for example. In my conversation with Hazelwood, which you can read below, I spoke with her about how both her background in fanfic and in STEM informed the writing of The Love Hypothesis , the one steamy scene in particular that didn't make the final cut, and what she can tease about her next book.

COLLIDER: Congratulations on the book being out! I think some people know the backstory of how it came to be, but for those who don't, what's the genesis behind The Love Hypothesis ?

ALI HAZELWOOD: I think it was a lot of just luck and chances and opportunities. I was really, really into writing fanfiction, first for the Star Trek fandom and then for the Star Wars fandom. And I loved it. It was just, it was this amazing community. I made a lot of friends and I was just having a lot of fun. And then what happened is that I started slowly thinking about trying to write something original, just to challenge myself and to do something different. And while I was in that kind of mood, my agent started reading my fanfiction on AO3 and then she reached out with a DM. She was like, "I saw that you wrote something about maybe pulling some of your fics and reworking them. And I wanted to tell you that I'm a literary agent and I would love to see you some of your manuscripts, if you're interested in it."

And so that's how I took the fanfiction of mine that I thought was the most reworkable and I sent it to her and then I signed with her. And then after approximately 70 billion more revisions, both with her and an editor... we got a lot of RNRs [revise and resubmits] that didn't pan out but made the book better, because we got really good feedback. Then we ended up at Berkely with my current editor, Sarah [Blumenstock], who is amazing, and yeah, now it's out.

I feel like we're definitely seeing more authors who are like, "I totally got my background in fanfiction and there's nothing wrong with that." One of the more famous examples is obviously Christina Lauren.

HAZELWOOD: Christina Lauren. They're amazing.

Or even authors today who are like, "Oh yeah, I'm writing this mainstream book, but I still have an AO3 profile." So I appreciate that we're seeing the barriers break down around what the public perception of fanfiction is and how it really is such a great breeding ground for authors to find their voice.

HAZELWOOD: Absolutely. Fanfiction is just an amazing medium. It's great, like you said, to find your voice, to explore things that you usually don't find in traditional publishing. But it's also just great to feel a sense of community and to get to know people, to find someone who's like-minded and is interested in similar things. It's very hard to make friends as an adult. And I feel like I truly found my adult friends through fanfiction and through the fandom community.

And I just, I'm very grateful to my publisher that they embraced the fanfiction part. They were like, "Yes, we're going to own this. For the cover, we're going to use fanart made for the fanfiction, if you want to." They were just great with that. I do think traditional publishing is getting more and more interested in fanfiction and in embracing it. And maybe they're doing well because of money and marketing and stuff like that, but I'm just really happy that this is happening and that fanfiction is gaining legitimacy, because it always had legitimacy.

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I want to talk a little bit too about the setting of the book, and I know your personal background is in STEM. So did that inform your inspiration on where to set the story, drawing from your own experiences?

HAZELWOOD: Yeah, 100%. I'd been wanting to write fanfiction set in academia just because it's really... I'm a professor right now, but I feel like my entire adult life has been spent in academia. I feel like I would struggle to write any other setting, in a weird way. So it was just the more natural setting for a story. My next book is going to be set in academia and my third book is going to be in academia. And yeah, that's the easiest thing for me.

One of the things I personally love about the book is how it references romance tropes in the world, but then the book itself subverts the tropes. I'm thinking specifically about the only-one-bed scene, and then there's not only one bed, which felt like a really funny wink at romance readers. What made you decide to include that meta-awareness in the story?

HAZELWOOD: It's actually really funny. I never would have thought to include that if the story hadn't been fanfiction originally. I was posting it chapter by chapter and I was writing it chapter by chapter. And I remember all the comments saying, "They're going to go to the conference and there's going to be only one bed."

So it started as just like a conversation with other people in the fandom, who were at the same time writing fanfiction about other iterations of the same characters. It was just so much fun. It was kind of like a collective effort there.

You had talked about how when you were reworking the fic for publication, there were a lot of edits, and I'm assuming a lot of things ended up on the chopping block. Is there a deleted scene that didn't make it into the final novel that you maybe wished you could have kept in?

HAZELWOOD: So when Adam and Olive break up — not really break up, but when she goes to his hotel room and she's like, "It's over." Originally, they ended up having sex in that scene. And we took it out because we thought it was more poignant, or I don't know, more heartfelt if it was only a kiss. And it was, in a way, but the fanfiction person within me kind of misses...

Let them have one more time!

HAZELWOOD: The fanfiction ho within me was like, "I wish we had kept that sex scene." But honestly, honestly, we talked about it — my editor, my agent, and I — and it was a good call from a story-structure perspective.

So you mentioned you've got a second and third book in the works. I'm sure you probably can't really talk about book three yet, but is there anything you can tease about book two coming up?

HAZELWOOD: Book two is about a neuroscientist who is selected to work on a project at NASA. And she's super excited about it, until she gets told that the person she's going to co-lead the project with is an engineer that she used to work with in the past, and they're kind of enemies. Or at least she thinks they're enemies, one of those things. And that's the story of them working together on this project. And it's coming out in August 2022.

I thought it would be fun to wrap up with a couple of rapid-fire questions. Enemies-to-lovers, or friends-to-lovers?

HAZELWOOD: Enemies-to-lovers. Reylo forever.

Secret billionaire or secret baby?

HAZELWOOD: Secret billionaire.

Marriage of convenience or amnesia?

HAZELWOOD: Marriage of convenience.

Coffee or tea?

HAZELWOOD: Tea.

I feel like I know the answer to this last one, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Macfadyen Darcy or Firth Darcy?

HAZELWOOD: Macfadyen. I mean, 2005 forever. Even though I do appreciate Firth. He's a good high-quality Darcy, but it's just not my Darcy.

I feel like everybody has a very strong opinion, based on which one you saw first. That lake scene, I'm sure that's very formative.

HAZELWOOD: 100%.

But for me? He's walking through the field in the morning mist, and that's it. In the long coat.

HAZELWOOD: He says, "I love you" three times. I mean, she has bewitched him body and soul. Come on, come on. The hand flex!

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The Love Hypothesis

An impulsive kiss leads two scientists into a fake relationship, testing their theories about love and each other

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'The Love Hypothesis' won Amazon's best romance book of 2021, has a near-perfect rating on Goodreads, and is all over TikTok. Here's why it's such a unique love story.

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• " The Love Hypothesis " grabbed the attention of romance readers everywhere in 2021.
• It was named Amazon's Best Romance Novel of 2021 and was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award.
• This book checks off all my boxes for a great romance read and is definitely worth the hype.

This year, Amazon named " The Love Hypothesis " by Ali Hazelwood the best romance book of the year. Even though it was only recently published in September 2021, "The Love Hypothesis" has quickly become a fan-favorite, with 88% of Goodreads reviewers giving it four- or five-star-level praise .

It was also nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award and is hugely popular amongst Book of the Month members , with only 1% of readers giving it a "disliked" rating.

"The Love Hypothesis" is about Olive Smith, a third-year Ph.D. candidate studying pancreatic cancer at Stanford. In an attempt to convince one of her best friends that she's moved on from an old crush, she impulsively kisses Dr. Adam Carlsen, the department's notoriously brutal (but undeniably attractive) professor. After the kiss, Adam and Olive agree to fake a relationship so she can prove to her friend that she's happily dating and he can convince their department that he isn't planning to leave anytime soon.

I'm a little picky about my romance novels , so giving this read every bit of a five-star review didn't come lightly. My standards are high because the best romance novels have the potential to expose readers to authentic and imperfect relationships and offer new topics of discussion without making us feel like it's a story we've already read. 

With all the hype surrounding this new romance read, I couldn't resist picking it up.

Here's why "The Love Hypothesis" is one of my favorite recent romance books:

1. the story focuses a lot on olive and adam's lives outside their romance, making their love story more believable and interesting..

Romance novels tend to fall into a few popular tropes such as " enemies-to-lovers " or "forbidden love." "The Love Hypothesis" combines two of the most popular tropes right now, "Fake dating" and "grumpy/sunshine," really well — I loved the contrast between Adam's serious attitude to Olive's bright and sugary one. 

But despite following these tropes, the story feels fresh because it's also largely about Olive's work and its meaning to her. The only other romance book I've read featuring a STEM heroine is "The Kiss Quotient" , so I loved seeing that representation and learning about something new. 

The story honestly reflected the challenges Ph.D. candidates face in academia and that authenticity — deepened by the author's personal experiences — brought the characters, the settings, and the romance to life even more as Olive and Adam faced challenges with funding, time-consuming research, and questioning their sense of purpose.

2. The steamier scenes are also awkward and realistic, which made them even better.

In romance books, there are a few different levels of how graphic a steamy scene can get , from little-to-no detail to explicitly outlined movements. (I personally prefer mine to "fade to black.")

There was only one chapter with adult content, and it was definitely graphic. While I made a ton of ridiculous faces while reading and tried to skim past the parts that made me audibly gasp, I loved that it wasn't a movie-made, perfect sex scene with graceful movements and smooth dialogue. The scene was a little awkward, imperfect, and full of consent and conversation, making it refreshingly real.

3. The book deals with other topics besides the main love story, making it a much deeper read.

While it's wonderful to get swept up in the magic of a romantic storyline, having a secondary plot that addresses real issues is what makes a romance novel truly great . 

Mild spoilers and content warnings ahead: While "The Love Hypothesis" is a fun romantic read, it also addresses the pain of familial death, power differentials, intimacy challenges, and, most prevalently, workplace sexual harassment. 

Love is beautiful, fun, and amazing, but "The Love Hypothesis" takes the opportunity to also include conversations about serious issues. While these topics may be tough for some readers, I think these plot points, hard conversations, and complicated emotions take "The Love Hypothesis" to the next level and make it a five-star read. 

The bottom line

"The Love Hypothesis" has everything I personally look for in a romance novel: A unique storyline, authentic characters, and an important message. If you're looking for a perfectly balanced romance read, "The Love Hypothesis" is worth the hype and definitely one of the best romance books to come out in the past year.

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The Love Hypothesis Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Now see Adam pine for Olive in a special bonus chapter!

The Instant New York Times Best Seller and TikTok Sensation!

As seen on The View !

A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021

When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman's carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.

As a third-year PhD candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships—but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor—and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

• Listening Length 11 hours and 51 minutes
• Author Ali Hazelwood
• Narrator Callie Dalton, see all
• Audible release date September 14, 2021
• Language English
• Publisher Penguin Audio
• ASIN B08V4NYQ9D
• Version Unabridged
• Program Type Audiobook
• See all details

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and fresh. They also describe the characters as lovable, charming, and heartwarming. Readers describe the plot as compelling, captivating, and realistic. They appreciate the content as wholesome, risk-adverse, and risk-taking. Customers find it to be a great rom-com with a chemistry class. However, some customers feel the sexual content is cheesy and gross. Opinions are mixed on the pacing, with some finding it quick paced and others finding it slow.

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Customers find the book funny, charming, and heartwarming. They also appreciate the clever writing and the cheesy humour. Readers say the book is well thought out and has a young and fresh vibe.

"...She did a great job. The vibe feels young and fresh , with a voice that actually sounds like a 26-year-old...." Read more

"...This is cute and sweet. It’s cheesy , but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"...I liked the friend group and the amount of humor and nuance in the writing . And let's speak a moment about the cover...." Read more

"I loved this book! It was sooooo good ! This was my first time reading something by this author, and I am totally in love...." Read more

Customers find the plot compelling, captivating, and easy to read. They also say the characters are lovable and the conflicts realistic. Readers also mention that the pacing of the romance is perfect. They find the book charming, quirky, and fresh with a modern twist. Overall, they say it's a realistic representation of how people in college interact.

"...And it is definitely a love story. The romance is central throughout , with a light, fresh feel that gets richer and deeper as the story progresses...." Read more

"...is probably not going to be everyone’s favorite FMC but she’s dorky and believable ...." Read more

"...So yeah, calling all geek-girls, this is a great romance book and I will definitely be reading more of the author's work in the future." Read more

"...This is a great story , and I definitely recommend giving it a try." Read more

Customers find the characters loveable, witty, and cute. They also say the illustrator is amazing and the book has a vivid, distinct voice.

"...Well, it's all pretty great, actually. This has such a vivid , distinct voice that I am very much looking forward to whatever's next from..." Read more

"... Adam is cute . I really wish this was dual POV. I would LOVE to experience the pining and brooding that I know was going on in his head. But alas...." Read more

"...And let's speak a moment about the cover. The Illustrator is amazing and honestly, her cover is what sold me to take the leap and buy the book...." Read more

"...I really love her writing style. The characters were super smart but not so smart that everything went over my head.I just loved Olive...." Read more

Customers find the book has a nice bit of spice, is wholesome, and sweet. They also say it's funny and light, like cotton candy.

"...This is cute and sweet . It’s cheesy, but it knows that it is, and I think that makes it all the better.Olive is adorable...." Read more

"FINAL DECISION: This book is fun and light, like cotton candy . Even the "serious" storyline is really fluff because it lacks complexity...." Read more

"...Tall, academic, and sweet … he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"...This book does contain spice . I would say 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers...." Read more

Customers find the academic setting and nerdy references to science and research interesting and captivating. They also describe the book as a good science rom com with an accurate representation of academia. Readers also mention that the book flows smoothly and there isn't a boring part in any chapter.

"...Tall, academic , and sweet… he’s what dreams are made of..." Read more

"...I felt the world of academia was well established as it was shown, not told...." Read more

"Please read because the chemistry is undeniable !!" Read more

"..." is a delightful and charming romance novel that combines scientific curiosity with matters of the heart...." Read more

Customers find the book heartwarming, sweet, and slightly depressing. They also say the attraction is almost tangible, and the book has an incredibly intimate and dynamic love scene. Customers also mention the book is brooding, commanding, and loveable.

"...It's a slow burn romance with one incredibly intimate and dynamic love scene - the intimacy and emotional connection are the shining stars here...." Read more

"...The sex scene felt both hot and yet in some moments awkward , tender, and exposing (making it feel all the more real)...." Read more

"...Olive had was so real that Ali makes it relatable and shows the real emotions and struggles that comes with it. Definitely a good read! 💯..." Read more

"...I was enchanted, humored, encouraged and enlightened by this novel!..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it very quick paced, while others say it feels kinda slow. They also mention that the sex feels rushed and that it feels like lazy narration and plot.

"...A perfect summer romcom. This was easy to read and I finished it very quickly ...." Read more

"...The runtime is a bit longer than I'd like (11 hours), and I found it difficult to listen to the narrator's voice at a faster speed...." Read more

"...it’s a super fast read , b) it’s highly addicting, and c) Adam and Olive’s relationship/banter is the best...." Read more

"I love this book. It was a bit slow and I feel like the book could have been a bit shorter but the story was worth it...." Read more

Customers find the sexual content in the book cheesy, gross, and annoying. They also say the main character is immature and annoying, and the book is ridiculous and offensive.

"...Content Warnings: There is one scene with explicit sexual content (or two if you count the bonus chapter), and characters discuss sex at other times...." Read more

"...It's weird and gross . Ok, tangent over...." Read more

"...So much second hand embarrassment in this book . I was literally cringing on behalf of Olive...." Read more

"...Smut score: 3.5/5 (slow burn, explicit but not super kinky other than *one* thing that had me going "ohhhh" 🥵🌶)..." Read more

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The Love Hypothesis

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The Love Hypothesis

Quick recap & summary by chapter.

The Full Book Recap and Chapter-by-Chapter Summary for The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood are below.

Quick(-ish) Recap

Three years prior, Olive Smith talks to a guy when she's in the bathroom fixing her contacts (and can't see) after her Ph.D. candidate interview. She tells him about her passion for her research. She doesn't catch his name but remembers the conversation distinctly and wonders about the guy she met.

In present day, Olive is a biology Ph.D. student researching early detection methods for pancreatic cancer. She kisses a guy randomly in order to trick her best friend into thinking she's dating someone (so that her best friend Anh won't feel bad about dating Olive's ex). That guy turns out to be Dr. Adam Carlson , a young, handsome and highly-respected tenured faculty member in her department. He's also known for being hypercritical and moody.

Meanwhile, Adam's department chair is worried that he's planning on leaving for another university and has frozen some of his research funds. So, Adam he agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with Olive in order to give the impression he's putting down "roots" here, in hopes they will unfreeze the funds.

As Olive and Adam fake-date, they get to know each other. Olive sees that Adam is demanding and blunt towards his students, but not unkind or mean. Olive confides in him about her mother getting pancreatic cancer, which is why she's doing her research.

Olive soon realizes that she has feelings for Adam, but she's afraid to tell him. When he overhears her talking about a crush, she pretends it's about someone else. Olive also hears someone else refer to a woman Adam's been pining after for years and is surprised at how jealous she feels.

In the meantime, Olive needs more lab space and has been talking to Dr. Tom Benton for a spot at his lab at Harvard. When Tom arrives in town, it turns out he's friends with Adam. Adam and Tom are friends from grad school, and they have recently gotten a large grant for some joint research that Adam is excited about. After Olive completes a report on her research for Tom, he offers her a spot in his lab for the next year.

Olive and Adam's relationship continues to progress until they attend a science conference in Boston. Olive's research has been selected for a panel presentation, while Adam is a keynote speaker. There, Olive is sexually harassed by Tom, who makes advances on her. When she rejects him, he accuses her of someone who sleeps around to get ahead. He also says that he'll deny it if she tells anyone and that they won't believe her.

While Olive does finally sleep with Adam at the conference, she soon tearfully breaks things off since she doesn't want to complicate things with Adam's joint research project with Tom. Adam is also in the process of applying for a spot at Harvard.

Olive is certain no one will believe her about Tom until she realizes that the accidentally recorded the conversation where he made advances and threatened her. Meanwhile, Olive's roommate Malcolm has started seeing Dr. Holden Rodriguez, a faculty member who is a childhood friend of Adam's. Olive and Malcolm turn to Holden for advice, who encourages them to tell Adam about the recording. He points out that he thinks the main reason that Adam is considering a move to Harvard is because Olive is supposed to be going there.

Olive finds Adam and shows him the video. He is incensed at Tom and reports it to their faculty. When Adam returns from Boston, he reports that Tom has been fired. Meanwhile, Olive has been reaching out to other cancer researchers for spots at other labs, and she's gotten promising responses. Olive tells Adam that she loves him and that she never liked anyone else. Adam admits that he remembered her from the day he met her in the bathroom and that she's the one he's been interested in for years.

Ten months later at the anniversary of their first kiss, Olive and Adam re-create the kiss to mark their anniversary.

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Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Olive Smith is an applicant for Stanford’s biology Ph.D program. After the interview with Dr. Aysegul Aslan , she ends up in a bathroom nearby unable to see and trying to wash out her eyes because she put in expired contacts.

She meets “The Guy” there, who she assumes is a Ph.D student there. As they strike up a conversation, she tells him that her name is Olive and talks about why she’s applying to the program. She tells him that she wants to do it in order to research a specific topic.

A few weeks later, Olive is accepted into the program.

Years later, Olive is now 26 and a Ph.D. student in Dr. Aslan’s lab. Olive has just kissed a random stranger (in order to trick her best friend, Anh , into thinking she’s on a date) — only to realize that the “stranger” is actually Dr. Adam Carlson , a 34-year-old tenured and highly-respected professor in her program with a reputation for being notorious moody, mean and hypercritical.

After they pull away, Adam accuses her of assaulting him. Olive insists she asked him and he said yes, but he says he merely snorted. Finally, she explains that her friend Anh had hit it off with a guy she’d been dating, Jeremy. Olive broke things off with Jeremy, but Anh felt too bad to go out with Jeremy. To make Anh feel better about it, Olive lied to Anh about dating someone and being on a date tonight. When Anh showed up at the lab, Olive needed to kiss someone so Anh would believe she was on a date.

Finally, Olive apologizes and leaves. She doesn’t notice that Adam had called her by her name (which she hadn’t brought up in this conversation).

A few days later, Olive is still embarrassed by what happened. However, she figures that she’d never crossed paths with Adam before then, so perhaps she wouldn’t cross paths with him again. Meanwhile, Olive is preoccupied with needing to find more lab space for her research on early detection of pancreatic cancer. Today, she also finds out Tom Benton , a well-known cancer researcher and an associate professor at Harvard, is interested in potentially allowing her to carry out her research at his lab at Harvard. He’s going to be in town in two weeks and wants to meet with her.

When Anh sees her, she confronts Olive about kissing Adam Carlson. Olive thinks back to how they met since they were the only two non-cis-white-male students in their class. Beyond that, Anh was her biggest support and best friend.

Today, Anh demands to know why Olive is dating Dr. Carlson. This conversation is interrupted when Adam walks in. He plays along and pretends that he and Olive are together. After they make formal introductions, he tells her to call him Adam, in case her friend Anh is around. Later, when Olive talks to Anh again, Olive continues to pretend she’s dating Adam, and she once again encourages Anh to date Jeremy.

On campus, Olive starts to notice that people are treating her differently and with some level of curiosity. When her roommate, Malcom , demands to know why she didn’t tell him about dating Dr. Carlson, Olive realize that everyone know about her lie. Olive goes to Adam’s lab to tell him what’s going on, and she apologizes to him for it.

Olive notes that he seems very at ease with everyone believing that they’re dating, and she wonders why. Finally, he admits that Stanford considers him to be a “flight risk” (that he wants to leave them for another institution) and that they’ve frozen some of his research funds because of it. Part of the issue is that he’s recently gotten a large grant with one of his collaborator’s at another institution, and the department is worried he’s planning on moving there. He hopes that the dating rumors will make them think he’s more likely to stick around since he’s dating someone here.

A few days later, Olive goes to Adam’s office and tells him she wants to proceed with pretending that they’re dating. Olive notices that she’s been treated much better by everyone since the rumor started. (Apart from Malcom, who dislikes Adam Carlson, and has been shunning her.) Adam explains that he’s looked into it and there’s no issue with it, though he can’t serve in any supervisory capacity for her or serve on her thesis committee or be a part of any decisions if she’s nominated for a fellowship or other awards.

They decide to set some ground rules for their fake-dating arrangement. They decide to be fake-dating while on-campus only, so no personal engagements. Olive stipulates that there’ll be no sex. They also agree not to date others in the interim, since it will make things messy. And they agree that they should get coffee or something regularly to make things believable.

They plan to continue their fake-dating until September 29, roughly a month from now, which is the day after the department’s budget review. Their first coffee “date” is planned for Wednesday at 10 AM.

Later, Olive talks to Malcom, who is still upset with her. Malcom comes from a long line of well-known scientists, and he dislikes that Adam Carlson’s criticism of his research had made his life so difficult. Olive confides in Malcom that they’re merely fake-dating and that she barely knows Adam. She says that he’s just helping her out with the Anh/Jeremy situation (and she doesn’t mention Adam’s reasons for participating).

On Wednesday, Olive and Adam have their first fake-date at the coffee house. They ask each other some basic questions, and Adam pays for her order.

The next week, they meet up again, though Olive is running late since she was getting ready for a meeting she has with Tom Benton later that day. Meanwhile, Adam is a little moody because his department chair has still not agreed to release his research funds. They discuss attending the fall biosciences picnic together so that his department chair can see that they’re together.

They’re interrupted when a friend of Adam’s walks in and greets him warmly. Adam introduces the man to Olive as his friend and collaborator — who turns out to be Tom Benton.

Dr. Benton reveals that he’s heard about Adam’s romantic exploits all the way at Harvard, and he’s surprised to hear the rumors about Adam’s new girlfriend being true. Olive also awkwardly tells Dr. Benton that they have a meeting planned for later that day. Tom is delighted to find out that his meeting is with Adam’s new girlfriend.

The three of them sit down to chat. As Tom asks her about her research, Adam rephrases it to help Olive organize her thoughts when he sees that she’s struggling to come up with an answer. Olive then tells Tom about her research on biomarkers in order to more easily and cheaply diagnose pancreatic cancer. As Tom inquires about her reasons for doing her research, Olive reluctantly admits that it’s because her mother had pancreatic cancer.

Finally, Tom asks Olive to spend two weeks writing up a report on the current state of her research. He says that he’ll make a determination of whether to give her the lab space and cover her research expenses depending on what he reads in that report.

When Tom steps away, Olive and Adam discuss that if she decides to go to Harvard then she needs to keep it a secret until the end of their arrangement, otherwise it’ll make Adam look worse. They also agree not to tell Tom that they’re only fake-dating.

The next day, Olive attends a well-attended talk that Tom is giving on campus. The auditorium is so packed that there’s no space anywhere. Anh convinces Olive to sit in Adam’s lap for the duration of the talk.

Afterwards, Olive and Anh head back to the biology building. Olive talks about the report she’s preparing for Tom and the presentation she needs to work on for a conference (the “SBD Conference”) coming up in Boston. Meanwhile, Anh is working on organizing an outreach event for BIPOC women in STEM for the conference.

As they walk back, they see that there’s a traffic jam involving a stopped car blocking an exit. Then they see Cherie , the department secretary, talking to Adam. Adam then proceeds to physically push a car out of the way to relieve the jam. Anh encourages Olive to go over and give him a kiss for his efforts. After some awkward negotiation with Adam, they kiss.

Olive is working on her report for Tom when Greg Cohen , one of Dr. Aslan’s other Ph.D. candidates, barges in, clearly agitated. Chase , another one of their lab mates, walks in uneasily after him. When Olive asks Greg what’s wrong, he angrily responds that Carlson is on his dissertation committee and he failed his proposal. They ask Olive whether she knew he was going to fail Greg, and Olive insists she didn’t know. Greg then yells at Olive and calls her selfish for not caring how Adam makes everyone’s lives miserable. Greg then storms off.

Later that day, Olive texts Adam. She asks him about failing Greg. She argues that he should be nicer, but Adam is unapologetic. He insists that his job is to make sure that students produce useful research. Olive gets frustrated texts profanity at him, and he doesn’t respond.

A few days later, Olive is on her way to the biosciences picnic, where she’ll be seeing Adam after their tense exchange. She, Anh, Jeremy and Malcom go together and are quite late. When they arrive, they see Adam playing Ultimate Frisbee shirtless, showing off his six-pack. Olive is surprised to find herself “viscerally attracted” to Adam.

As they put on sunscreen, Anh gives Olive way too much sunscreen. Meanwhile, the frisbee from the game lands near her. When Adam comes over to retrieve the frisbee, Anh offers Olive’s excess sunscreen to Adam. He accepts, and Olive rubs the sunscreen on him. Olive also apologizes for what she texted him the other day.

Tom then comes over and brings up that Adam will be going to Boston soon for a few days.

Olive is in the break room at night when she runs into Adam next. Olive is working on her report for Tom, but there’s a section she’s having trouble with since her lab equipment seems to be messing up. They chat and share snacks. Olive finds herself wondering why he’s single.

Olive also finds herself telling him about her mother and her death. She describes how, when she was 15, her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer too late and only had a few weeks left to live by then. Olive also says that her father was never in the picture and her grandparents were deceased, so she was sent into the foster system until she was emancipated at 16.

When she mentions needing to get back to work, Adam offers to let her use his lab equipment if she needs it. He also gives her some advice on the Western blot she’s working with to make sure she’s doing it correctly. Before Olive leaves, she asks Adam why he’s single, but before he can really answer, Jeremy walks in and interrupts them.

On Saturday, Olive sends in her report to Tom. He responds by asking her to meet to talk about it at Adam’s house (where he’s staying) on Tuesday before he leaves for Boston. At Adam’s house, she and Tom chat about her report for about 20 minutes. Before she leaves, Tom offers her a spot at Harvard for the next year, and Olive is thrilled.

Adam gives her a ride back to campus. He talks about how excited he is about the research he and Tom are working on. As they chat, Adam says something that The Guy she’d met in the bathroom all those years ago had said to her. Olive realizes then that Adam was The Guy she’d met. She marvels at how she’d wondered about The Guy for years. Olive then suggests that go celebrate her lab spot and him and Tom’s grant.

They agree to get coffee. Before then, she convinces him to go with her to get flu shots at the setup on campus, all the while she teases him for his fear of needles.

On Wednesday, Olive and Adam are texting and teasing each other when Anh comes in and comments on how in love with Adam she is. Anh says that she feels better about dating Jeremy, since she sees how much Olive likes Adam. As Anh leaves, it dawns on Olive that Anh is right.

Olive soon texts Malcolm asking to talk. When they get together, she tells him about how she thinks she’s fallen for Adam. She also tells him that she thinks that Adam was The Guy that she met all those years ago. Malcolm suggests that perhaps Adam feels the same way. Olive doesn’t think that’s the case, but moreover, she says scared of being vulnerable and possibly giving up the friendship she and Adam currently have if she’s wrong. Olive also says that everyone she cares about ends up leaving her — citing her mother, father and grandparents.

Olive says she’s certain she doesn’t want to say anything to Adam about her feelings — but then she turns around and sees Adam standing there.

When Adam acknowledges that he overheard her, Olive quickly lies and said she was talking about some other guy she has a crush on. Their conversation is interrupted by Dr. Holden Rodriguez , who is going to Boston with Tom and Adam. Dr. Rodriguez knows Olive since he was on her graduate advisory committee her first year.

As they talk, Holden explains that he and Adam are old friends. They grew up together because their parents were all diplomats. Holden tells Olive about how his boyfriend dumped him just before prom, so Adam went as his date instead.

After Holden leaves, Adam comments that Holden speaks highly of Olive and her research. Adam also explains a comment Holden made about Tom, saying that the two don’t really get along. He then tells Olive that she should just tell Jeremy how she feels, incorrectly assuming that the mystery crush Olive was referring to is Jeremy.

Malcolm continues trying to convince Olive to admit her feelings to Adam, but Olive refuses. With Adam out of town, she feels his absence. When Adam finally texts her on Sunday, she feels even worse about her stupid lie about liking someone else.

On campus, she runs into Holden, who mentions how glad he is that Adam and Olive got together. Holden days that Adam had talked about someone he wanted to ask out for years, and he’s glad Adam finally did it. When he says that, Olive thinks about how there must be someone else out there that Adam likes, then, since they only really met a couple weeks ago.

Holden also warns her to watch out when it comes to Tom and to watch Adam’s back, since he doesn’t trust Tom.

A little later, Olive is informed that her research has been accepted for the SBD conference as a panel presentation with faculty. Olive feels overwhelmed, since graduate students very rarely are selected for oral presentations. She goes to her advisor, Dr. Aslan, and explains that she’s terrible at talking. Of course, Dr. Aslan just gives her some encouragement and tells Olive she’ll help her practice her presentation.

Afterwards, Olive tells Malcom and Anh, who also volunteer to help her practice. They also mention, however, that they each got invited to stay with people in Boston for the conference (Anh with Jeremy and Malcolm with some friends who had a spare room), so they won’t be rooming with Olive. Anh says she figured Olive would stay with Adam.

Olive is trying to sort out some living arrangements for Boston when Adam, who is back in town now, comes up to her. She tells him about having trouble finding accommodations in Boston. Adam comments that there’s probably not anything left in the vicinity by now, but she could stay in his room at the conference center. He adds that he has the room for the whole conference, but he will only be using the room two nights, so they’ll only overlap for one night most likely.

When she tells him about her presentation, he offers to look over her slides. She also invites him to her talk, and she thinks about how one of the reasons she likes him is that she always feels like he’s on her side.

At the hotel in Boston, Olive takes the empty bed, and she rehearses the talk she’s about to give in a few hours. When Adam arrives, she thanks him for all the help he gave regarding her presentation.

He asks when her presentation is so he can attend, but it turns out it overlaps with the Keynote speech, which he is giving along with two other people. She offers to show him the recording of it afterwards.

When Olive goes to do her panel presentation, she sees that Tom is on the same panel. She gives her portion of the talk, and it goes well. Malcolm and Anh are there to cheer her on.

Afterwards, the room empties out, and it’s just her and Tom. As they talk, she notices him moving closer until he tries to kiss her. When she pushes him away, he keeps trying. Finally, he says that she’s clearly someone who sleeps around to get ahead, and so they both know she’ll sleep with him, too, for the same reason. He also says that she only got on this panel because someone wanted to kiss-up to Adam Carlson.

He also says that Adam is the reason he accepted Olive into his lab. When Olive threatens to tell Adam about this, he says that Adam won’t believe her word against his. Olive also says she won’t go work in his lab, but Tom says she knows it’s the best option for her, and if she doesn’t then he’ll just replicate her research since he already knows all about it.

When Adam gets back to the hotel, Olive is crying. She tries to pretend nothing is wrong, but fails at it. Finally, she lies and tells him that she’s upset because she overheard someone saying that her research was “derivative” and that she was only chosen because of Adam.

Adam comforts her, and then he says he has an idea for where they should go instead.

Holding her hand, they walk past all the people at the department social and instead head out to dinner. Adam asks what she wants to eat, and Olive sees an all-you-can-eat sushi place and wants to go.

After dinner, as they head back, Olive’s heels are hurting her, so Adam gamely picks her up and brings her to their room. She then suggests that they watch a movie. Olive goes to grab a quick shower, and Adam offers her a t-shirt since she forgot to pack pajamas.

When Olive’s mind wanders back to being called mediocre (by Tom, though she doesn’t tell Adam that), Adam tells her about how his advisor had once told him he wouldn’t amount to anything because of a mistake he made. He says that he had started preparing applications for law school as a result, since the comment shook his confidence. However, Holden and Tom (who also trained under the same advisor) convinced him to stick with science.

Adam says that later he realized that his advisor was abusive and a bad mentor who created a toxic environment. Comparatively, Adam says that he is critical since he wants students to be better, but it isn’t about belittling them as people or cutting down their self-worth. Adam also says that no one ever reported his advisor’s behavior because he was short-listed for a Nobel Prize, and they didn’t think anyone would listen. Adam also mentions how Tom had helped mediate thing with him and his advisor, so he was grateful to Tom for that.

Adam then tells Olive that the abstracts submitted to SBD go through a blind review process, so they definitely didn’t choose her because of him.

Finally, Olive moves to kiss Adam, but before anything can happen, he stops her. He points out that she’s upset and staying in his room and that the situation feels coercive to him. When Olive says she’s fine, he points out that she said she was in love with someone else and that he doesn’t want to regret this later.

Olive convinces him that she’s fine with the situation, and soon things get intimate.

They have sex.

Afterwards, Olive asks Adam about a book he’s reading. He says it’s in Dutch and that he learned it as a kid. He also says that his parents were busy all the time and that he was mostly raised by au pairs. They then talk more about their childhoods.

As they chat, Adam finally tells Olive that he might be going to Harvard. The reason he’s leaving the conference early is to go interview with them. He thinks that working together with Tom in the same lab would make them much more productive. He also mentions that he could show her around Boston when she’s there.

Olive wakes up to a barrage of texts from Anh and Malcolm. When she finally talks to them, it turns out the Malcolm hooked up with Holden at the department social. Malcolm also says that Holden mentioned that Adam’s funds had been released (though Adam hadn’t mentioned it to Olive).

That night, Olive meets up with Adam. He wants to go out and have dinner, but Olive breaks things off with him, since she doesn’t know what to do about the Tom situation. She thinks that taking herself out of the equation is the best thing for him.

As she starts to leave, they end up kissing, but he pulls away, and she leaves.

Olive spends the next day crying. Then, determined not to send up at Harvard, Olive takes Adam’s advice to reach out to people through her advisor and asks Dr. Aslan to e-mail various people she’d met at the conference to see if they’d be interested in her research.

Dr. Aslan agrees, and also asks to see her speech. As Olive edits the video recording, Malcolm talks about how he went on a first date with Holden, but they ended up running into his entire family (since they are all science junkies who attend science conferences).

As she’s editing, Olive realizes she recorded her upsetting conversation with Tom. Malcolm and Anh hear her listening to it. Once they’ve listened to the whole thing, they insist that Olive needs to tell Adam about it. Finally, Malcolm fills Anh in on what was really going on with Olive and Adam. However, they both agree it’s clear that Olive has feelings for Adam and that Adam would want to know about this. Still, Olive knows how important the collaboration with Tom is to Adam, and she is reluctant to complicate things for him.

They decide to call Holden to ask for advice. Olive asks Holden what he thinks about Adam moving to Boston and working with Tom. Holden says that he doesn’t trust Tom. He says he thinks there was a weird dynamic where Tom was secretly sabotaging Adam during grad school and then defending him. He thinks that Tom likes Adam’s loyalty towards him and having influence over him. Holden also tells them that he thinks Tom and Adam’s collaboration benefits Tom more than Adam. Finally, Holden implies that he thinks the only reason Adam is considering leaving Stanford is because Olive is going to Harvard.

Olive tracks down Adam’s location at a dinner with some Harvard people, including Tom. When he sees her, he gets up and asks what’s wrong. Tom comes over to try to get Adam to sit back down, but Adam insists on talking to Olive. Finally, Olive starts playing the video. Adam grows furious as he realizes what happened. He tells Tom that he’s going to kill him and goes after him, but Olive tells Adam that he’s not worth it.

As the Harvard people demand an explanation, Adam ignores them and kisses Olive. He then tells Olive to send him the recording immediately and then goes to talk to the Harvard people.

A few days later, Olive is back home, and Adam is on his way back to San Francisco. Meanwhile, Olive has received responses from four cancer researchers who are all interested in her research.

When Adam gets back, Holden insists on a double date. Adam reluctantly agrees. When they all sit down, they address the fact that Malcolm still has misgivings about Adam because of Adam’s harsh criticism of his work. Adam tells Malcolm that it wasn’t personal.

As they joke around about pumpkin spiced flavored foods, Holden mentions how Adam has liked Olive for years. Olive corrects him, saying they’ve only been dating for a few weeks, but Holden says that they met three years ago and that he’s liked Olive ever since. Olive then realizes that Adam was definitely the The Guy (from three years ago) and that he did remember her.

After dinner, Olive and Adam head home. Adam tells Olive that Harvard is going to fire Tom and that there will be other disciplinary actions. Olive then tells Adam that she remembered him, too, from all those years ago. But she didn’t piece it together until later, and she admits that she didn’t say anything once she figured it out.

Finally, she tells him that she loves him (in broken Dutch).

Ten months later, it’s the 1-year anniversary of their first kiss. Olive and Adam go to the lab and recreate and their kiss at precisely the same time as last year.

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As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

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For Chapter 16, I think it’s important to include the part where Olive comes out to Adam as demisexual. But other than that this is a great summary.

this book is so good i couldn’t put it down. the only i wish is it was both POVS i would of loved to see what adam was thinking during all of this or have his thoughts on when they met each other during the bathroom scene. and i would of loved to see him actually hurting tom for saying that stuff to olive.