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Love and Other Brain Experiments
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9 days and 07:26:14
100 copies available
U.S. only
Fake data is out of the question . . . but fake dating?
Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has always had success on the brain. In grad school, she turned down a job - and her accomplished boyfriend - to forge her own academic path. Five years later, she's still single, hustling from project to project, and about to face her ex at a high-stakes conference - the same ex who once told her she'd never make it on her own.
When an argument with her meticulous and infuriatingly attractive rival Dr. Lewis North leads to a mistaken assumption that they're a couple, Frances accidentally confirms the misconception, inadvertently putting both their careers at stake. Forced to keep up appearances, Frances and Lewis know that for any scientist worth their salt, faking data is out of the question. But fake dating?
That might just be genius.
***
Perfect for fans of:
STEM romance
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has always had success on the brain. In grad school, she turned down a job - and her accomplished boyfriend - to forge her own academic path. Five years later, she's still single, hustling from project to project, and about to face her ex at a high-stakes conference - the same ex who once told her she'd never make it on her own.
When an argument with her meticulous and infuriatingly attractive rival Dr. Lewis North leads to a mistaken assumption that they're a couple, Frances accidentally confirms the misconception, inadvertently putting both their careers at stake. Forced to keep up appearances, Frances and Lewis know that for any scientist worth their salt, faking data is out of the question. But fake dating?
That might just be genius.
***
Perfect for fans of:
STEM romance
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Forced proximity
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 3, 2026
35 people are currently reading
13250 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Brohm
1 book91 followersHannah Brohm penned her first novel when she was a teen, and yes, it was about vampires. After studying psychology in university and graduating with a PhD in neuroscience, she rediscovered her passion for storytelling and swapped writing articles about brain science for swoony romance novels. Born and raised in Germany, Hannah lived in Portugal, the Netherlands and New York City before moving to London, where she now lives together with her husband and an ever-growing collection of books and handknit sweaters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
December 4, 2025
Thank you so much to author Hannah Brohm and NetGalley/Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Love and Other Brain Experiments is an absolute must read for anyone who loves academic enemies to lovers! Publication date is February 3, 2026. I gave this one 4/5 stars ✨ 🩷
Our FMC, Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a relatable, brilliant, and anxious postdoc in her early 30s, diving deep into neuroscience related to memory, amnesia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I loved seeing her navigate her career, personal growth, and her anxiety.. she felt so real! That said, she wasn’t always the best sister to Karo, which added to her storyline.
Dr. Lewis North is the perfect mix of guarded and caring. He’s Frances’ longtime competitor and thorn in her side. Their chemistry is absolutely electric from the very start! I loved how their instant connection grows and deepens while they navigate rivalry and hidden feelings. Lewis slowly opens up and stands up for himself, making him incredibly easy to root for.
The fake dating premise was so much fun! There were a few misunderstandings that could’ve been solved with a little communication, but the chemistry, banter, and a clever twist at the end more than made up for it.
The supporting characters were fantastic too including Brady, Ada, and Karo, who all added so much charm and personality to the story.
The last chapters had me SOBBING in the BEST WAY possible. There was so much emotion, so many heartfelt moments, and some serious 10 Things I Hate About You vibes with paper and pencil confessions that just hit me right in the feels 😭🫶🏻
This book is full of chemistry, laughter, and heartwarming (sometimes heartbreaking) moments. If you love academic rivalry, fake dating, and characters who feel real and flawed but lovable, you don’t want to miss this one! 🩷
Love and Other Brain Experiments is an absolute must read for anyone who loves academic enemies to lovers! Publication date is February 3, 2026. I gave this one 4/5 stars ✨ 🩷
Our FMC, Dr. Frances Silberstein, is a relatable, brilliant, and anxious postdoc in her early 30s, diving deep into neuroscience related to memory, amnesia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. I loved seeing her navigate her career, personal growth, and her anxiety.. she felt so real! That said, she wasn’t always the best sister to Karo, which added to her storyline.
Dr. Lewis North is the perfect mix of guarded and caring. He’s Frances’ longtime competitor and thorn in her side. Their chemistry is absolutely electric from the very start! I loved how their instant connection grows and deepens while they navigate rivalry and hidden feelings. Lewis slowly opens up and stands up for himself, making him incredibly easy to root for.
The fake dating premise was so much fun! There were a few misunderstandings that could’ve been solved with a little communication, but the chemistry, banter, and a clever twist at the end more than made up for it.
The supporting characters were fantastic too including Brady, Ada, and Karo, who all added so much charm and personality to the story.
The last chapters had me SOBBING in the BEST WAY possible. There was so much emotion, so many heartfelt moments, and some serious 10 Things I Hate About You vibes with paper and pencil confessions that just hit me right in the feels 😭🫶🏻
This book is full of chemistry, laughter, and heartwarming (sometimes heartbreaking) moments. If you love academic rivalry, fake dating, and characters who feel real and flawed but lovable, you don’t want to miss this one! 🩷
December 13, 2025
This author has lived in Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and England, but decided to write a book about New York, like everyone else.
I mean, she’s lived there too, but what a missed opportunity! The FMC lives in Maastricht, the MMC in Berlin. So, New York? Really??
But that wasn’t the only issue I had with this book.
Frances was wronged by Lewis four years ago. Since then, he’s been publicly criticizing her work, and she’s been hating him. Plot twist—they’ve never met. Now, because of a series of unfortunate events, they are fake-dating.
Both MCs were so unlikable at the beginning, that I was hate-reading it at some point. I soldiered on, and they improved a little later on, but not enough to root for them. Frances was supposed to be a geek, but she came across as snobbish and obnoxious. Lewis was not that great either, I’m not sure I would’ve forgiven him so easily for that thing he did.
The writing didn’t work for me at all. The whole thing reads like a fanfiction; it’s choppy, there are loose ends and plot holes, the characters are one-dimensional, and there isn’t much more to this story than a few clichés.
I’m very disappointed. There was a lot of potential here, and I had high hopes for this book, but it would need a lot of editing before I’d recommend it.
Thanks Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.
I mean, she’s lived there too, but what a missed opportunity! The FMC lives in Maastricht, the MMC in Berlin. So, New York? Really??
But that wasn’t the only issue I had with this book.
Frances was wronged by Lewis four years ago. Since then, he’s been publicly criticizing her work, and she’s been hating him. Plot twist—they’ve never met. Now, because of a series of unfortunate events, they are fake-dating.
Both MCs were so unlikable at the beginning, that I was hate-reading it at some point. I soldiered on, and they improved a little later on, but not enough to root for them. Frances was supposed to be a geek, but she came across as snobbish and obnoxious. Lewis was not that great either, I’m not sure I would’ve forgiven him so easily for that thing he did.
The writing didn’t work for me at all. The whole thing reads like a fanfiction; it’s choppy, there are loose ends and plot holes, the characters are one-dimensional, and there isn’t much more to this story than a few clichés.
I’m very disappointed. There was a lot of potential here, and I had high hopes for this book, but it would need a lot of editing before I’d recommend it.
Thanks Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.
September 23, 2025
4.5 ⭐
This book is a must-read for everyone who loves STEM romances.
Frances is a neuroscientist, but even though she’s achieved success in brain research, her future still feels uncertain. She plans to network with other scientists in her field at a summer conference organized by her ex. By chance, her ex’s fiancée assumes she’s dating Lewis—her sworn rival. And so, to avoid looking bad in front of her colleagues, she convinces him to fake date her.
I loved this book so much! I adore reading STEM romances, even if I don’t always understand what the characters are talking about. Hannah Brohm herself has a PhD in neuroscience, and you can really feel that she has deep knowledge in the field.
I really loved the characters! Lewis was so kind and sweet, and whenever his cheeks turned red, I just melted! I admired Frances so much—how confidently she went after her goals, how she supported Lewis when he needed it most! And I absolutely loved the epilogue—the characters finally found their home together!
This is an incredible debut. I read the whole book in a single day because I simply couldn’t put it down! Now I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hannah’s next books!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓STEM romance
✓fake dating
✓slow burn
✓he’s her academical rival
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a must-read for everyone who loves STEM romances.
Frances is a neuroscientist, but even though she’s achieved success in brain research, her future still feels uncertain. She plans to network with other scientists in her field at a summer conference organized by her ex. By chance, her ex’s fiancée assumes she’s dating Lewis—her sworn rival. And so, to avoid looking bad in front of her colleagues, she convinces him to fake date her.
I loved this book so much! I adore reading STEM romances, even if I don’t always understand what the characters are talking about. Hannah Brohm herself has a PhD in neuroscience, and you can really feel that she has deep knowledge in the field.
I really loved the characters! Lewis was so kind and sweet, and whenever his cheeks turned red, I just melted! I admired Frances so much—how confidently she went after her goals, how she supported Lewis when he needed it most! And I absolutely loved the epilogue—the characters finally found their home together!
This is an incredible debut. I read the whole book in a single day because I simply couldn’t put it down! Now I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hannah’s next books!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓STEM romance
✓fake dating
✓slow burn
✓he’s her academical rival
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 12, 2025
▹TL;DR Review: This debut delivers everything I love in a contemporary STEM romance—academic rivals-to-lovers tension, a vivid NYC setting, and authentic glimpses into the pressures of academia. While I was hooked by the characters and atmosphere, the story juggled a few too many conflicts, leaving some resolutions underdeveloped—but overall, it’s an engaging and enjoyable read I’d still recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. This is my honest review. Love and Other Brain Experiments comes out February 3, 2026!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Buddy read with my sweet bestie Lina!
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein is stuck in post-doc limbo, desperate for a breakthrough and job security. When she attends a conference organized by her ex-boyfriend, she clashes with her rival Dr. Lewis North. After a misunderstanding at the conference makes them appear to be a couple, Frances and Lewis decide to fake-date—all in the name of career strategy. But as fake becomes real, Frances must decide what she’s truly chasing: for love, for science, and for her future.
– FMC: Dr. Franziska Silberstein (aka “Frances”). 32 years old. Born in Germany, but has lived all over. Loves both neuroscience and computer science. Wants to be taken seriously on her own and not with the help of a man, but also struggles a bit with self-worth.
– MMC: Dr. Theodore Lewis North (aka “Lewis”). Neuroscientist. Born in NYC, but has lived all over. Makes questionable choices, but has a good heart. Likes to challenge Frances. Not super great at communication skills.
– Location: New York City and the Netherlands (briefly)
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2 open-door explicit spicy scenes
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, fake dating, STEM/academia setting, forced proximity
– Content warning: misogynistic ex, work-field politics, pitfalls of academia, gray areas on giving credit to intellectual property, panic attacks
– Representation: women in STEM, vegetarian FMC, lactose intolerant MMC
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Love on the Brain by Rihanna
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Romance stories where the FMC is in STEM, like Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
➼ Academic rivals to lovers, like the books An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister and Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy————✧———————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This debut novel has so many components that I love in contemporary romance: men and women in STEM, academic rivals to lovers, all in a NYC setting. That said, I sometimes felt like too much conflict was going on, and not enough connective tissue to explain the conflict resolution.
What I Loved:
1 • The academic side of the story was so interesting and while I’ve never been in academia, it felt relatable. The politics, gender inequality, and cutthroat competitiveness really comes through in this book
2 • The STEM atmosphere. I am the complete opposite of this (I’m a “creative”, so I find this so refreshing and exciting). It is even more pronounced in this book than other similar STEM romances, and I like that a lot
3 • The main characters in the first half of the book. From Frances and Lewis’s meet cute to their first week together had a lot of juicy tension, not just romantically, but professionally also
4 • Lewis’s character depth, as shown by his familial issues
5 • The unlikely friendships that are formed by some of the characters
6 • The ending was really cute
What Didn’t Work for Me:
1 • The abundance of conflicts. I think Lina and I counted around 9 conflicts throughout the story (some are related to others so maybe this number is inflated). I wished that maybe 1-2 of those conflicts didn’t happen to give more room for the resolution of the other conflicts to be fleshed out a bit more
2 • Lewis’s communication skills (or lack thereof). And then his excuses for the choices he made that created conflict with Frances
3 • Frances (specifically in the last half of the book). I feel like for someone so analytical, she made a lot of rash conclusions and decisions based off of everyone else’s actions. I wished she found her voice a little more
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Despite my critique, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read it whenever I wasn’t. I also really enjoyed this as a buddy read, but that's probably just because Lina is amazing.
__________________
Buddy read with my gal Lina. Bring on the STEM romance rivals!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. This is my honest review. Love and Other Brain Experiments comes out February 3, 2026!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Buddy read with my sweet bestie Lina!
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein is stuck in post-doc limbo, desperate for a breakthrough and job security. When she attends a conference organized by her ex-boyfriend, she clashes with her rival Dr. Lewis North. After a misunderstanding at the conference makes them appear to be a couple, Frances and Lewis decide to fake-date—all in the name of career strategy. But as fake becomes real, Frances must decide what she’s truly chasing: for love, for science, and for her future.
– FMC: Dr. Franziska Silberstein (aka “Frances”). 32 years old. Born in Germany, but has lived all over. Loves both neuroscience and computer science. Wants to be taken seriously on her own and not with the help of a man, but also struggles a bit with self-worth.
– MMC: Dr. Theodore Lewis North (aka “Lewis”). Neuroscientist. Born in NYC, but has lived all over. Makes questionable choices, but has a good heart. Likes to challenge Frances. Not super great at communication skills.
– Location: New York City and the Netherlands (briefly)
– POV: Single first-person
– Spice: 2 open-door explicit spicy scenes
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, fake dating, STEM/academia setting, forced proximity
– Content warning: misogynistic ex, work-field politics, pitfalls of academia, gray areas on giving credit to intellectual property, panic attacks
– Representation: women in STEM, vegetarian FMC, lactose intolerant MMC
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Love on the Brain by Rihanna
╰┈➤ ❝And I run for miles just to get a taste, must be love on the brain❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Romance stories where the FMC is in STEM, like Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood and Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
➼ Academic rivals to lovers, like the books An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister and Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy————✧———————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This debut novel has so many components that I love in contemporary romance: men and women in STEM, academic rivals to lovers, all in a NYC setting. That said, I sometimes felt like too much conflict was going on, and not enough connective tissue to explain the conflict resolution.
What I Loved:
1 • The academic side of the story was so interesting and while I’ve never been in academia, it felt relatable. The politics, gender inequality, and cutthroat competitiveness really comes through in this book
2 • The STEM atmosphere. I am the complete opposite of this (I’m a “creative”, so I find this so refreshing and exciting). It is even more pronounced in this book than other similar STEM romances, and I like that a lot
3 • The main characters in the first half of the book. From Frances and Lewis’s meet cute to their first week together had a lot of juicy tension, not just romantically, but professionally also
4 • Lewis’s character depth, as shown by his familial issues
5 • The unlikely friendships that are formed by some of the characters
6 • The ending was really cute
What Didn’t Work for Me:
1 • The abundance of conflicts. I think Lina and I counted around 9 conflicts throughout the story (some are related to others so maybe this number is inflated). I wished that maybe 1-2 of those conflicts didn’t happen to give more room for the resolution of the other conflicts to be fleshed out a bit more
2 • Lewis’s communication skills (or lack thereof). And then his excuses for the choices he made that created conflict with Frances
3 • Frances (specifically in the last half of the book). I feel like for someone so analytical, she made a lot of rash conclusions and decisions based off of everyone else’s actions. I wished she found her voice a little more
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Despite my critique, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read it whenever I wasn’t. I also really enjoyed this as a buddy read, but that's probably just because Lina is amazing.
__________________
Buddy read with my gal Lina. Bring on the STEM romance rivals!
October 18, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this was a super cute STEM rom-com full of cute, playful banter!
looking forward to reading more from this author!!
this was a super cute STEM rom-com full of cute, playful banter!
looking forward to reading more from this author!!
November 7, 2025
This was such a heart-warming, heart-pounding, good read. I lapped up every page and fell in love with both Lewis and Frances. I was rooting for them the whole way through and couldn't get enough of these two adorable nerds in all their brilliant scientific brains.
The fake dating scene will always be a favorite for a very good reason. This was so well done, I truly enjoyed every single chapter.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
The fake dating scene will always be a favorite for a very good reason. This was so well done, I truly enjoyed every single chapter.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
November 13, 2025
3.75 / 5 Stars
I really love reading academic rivals to lovers (one of my new favorite tropes) and this was a really great debut novel. There were just a few things that fell slightly short for me. In “Love and Other Experiments,” Frances is heading to a neuroscience conference in NYC with some hesitations. First, it’s been five years since she broke up with her ex, the same man who is organizing the conference. And she’s heading there unsure if she will get grant money to stay in the Netherlands. Oh, and she hates flying. So when a fly attendant seats her next to a man who needs help with an abstract, Frances is happy to help, until they hit turbulence and she literally clings on to this man for dear life. Handsome and kind at first, he turns out to be her biggest academic nemesis – the man who constantly criticizes her papers and stole credit for her idea four years ago. And while people can contain multitudes, Frances just cannot reconcile her idea of Dr. Lewis North with the man who was nice to her when she had a panic attack. When her ex’s new fiancee interprets her and Lewis’s interaction as dating, Frances doesn’t correct her. And then it is too late to say “JK” without everyone thinking that Frances is a liar and questioning her integrity. Naturally, they decide to fake date. But turns out bicker can be foreplay for these two hot dummies.
You will probably like this book if you like:
👩🔬 STEM academia setting
👩🔬 Rivals to lovers
👩🔬 Fake dating
👩🔬 “We should practice kissing for … science”
👩🔬 He loves her glasses
👩🔬 Complicated family dynamics
👩🔬 Discussions of sexism in the workplace
I love an academic rivals to lovers storyline because it is usually grounded in some level of respect and mental attraction. Frances and Leo had a lot in common and pushed each other to be better scientists which in turn pushed each other’s buttons which I love. It led to some really fun banter. I also love that these two thought through their fake dating scenario extremely logically. Is fake dating still kind of silly? Sure, but there were no flaws in logic for why they should fake date.
I liked that both of them got depth from their family relationships and work lives. Lewis was the black sheep of his family for being a scientist (I know, it made me eye roll a little), but it did explain his lack of communication skills. And I think the details about Frances experiencing sexism (and having to work twice as hard to get half as far) were really thought provoking and really well done.
There were just some plot holes that made it a bit hard to buy into the story fully. First, it was exceptionally hard to believe France did not know what Lewis looked like and vice versa. These two have been rivals for four years and Frances didn’t google him once? Not even to print out his picture so she could throw darts at it? Second, the explanation for why Lewis “stole” Frances’ work made sense but why he never apologized just didn’t add up (so that was a -1 in the Lewis column). Third, these two have a lack of communication (not even a miscommunication) which leads to the third act conflict that really rubbed me the wrong way (sorry, I made myself laugh with that innuendo given that this is a romance novel 😂). It just didn’t sit well with me given everything between Lewis and Frances. Frances’ conflict with her sister also felt like it came out of nowhere and felt like a pile on for poor Frances when she was down and out. And finally, there were a few plot points that were used that felt like loose ends (like that damn notebook – iykyk) and therefore felt like they were used for the sake of creating drama instead of being integral for the plot.
The very end had a cute wrap-up that did make the third act conflict feel a little better so I did feel slightly more satisfied. If you like fake dating and you like STEM, you may really like this book. It had way more science than other STEM focused books that I’ve read which was really interesting (even if some of it went over my head). And I think I would definitely read another book by this author.
Big thank you to Kelsey for being the best reading buddy and holding my hand through my third act crash out 😂!
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2026
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Getting to do another buddy ready with my love, Kelsey! I feel like I've had some good luck with academia nerds (complimentary) in love so I am looking forward to this one!
I really love reading academic rivals to lovers (one of my new favorite tropes) and this was a really great debut novel. There were just a few things that fell slightly short for me. In “Love and Other Experiments,” Frances is heading to a neuroscience conference in NYC with some hesitations. First, it’s been five years since she broke up with her ex, the same man who is organizing the conference. And she’s heading there unsure if she will get grant money to stay in the Netherlands. Oh, and she hates flying. So when a fly attendant seats her next to a man who needs help with an abstract, Frances is happy to help, until they hit turbulence and she literally clings on to this man for dear life. Handsome and kind at first, he turns out to be her biggest academic nemesis – the man who constantly criticizes her papers and stole credit for her idea four years ago. And while people can contain multitudes, Frances just cannot reconcile her idea of Dr. Lewis North with the man who was nice to her when she had a panic attack. When her ex’s new fiancee interprets her and Lewis’s interaction as dating, Frances doesn’t correct her. And then it is too late to say “JK” without everyone thinking that Frances is a liar and questioning her integrity. Naturally, they decide to fake date. But turns out bicker can be foreplay for these two hot dummies.
You will probably like this book if you like:
👩🔬 STEM academia setting
👩🔬 Rivals to lovers
👩🔬 Fake dating
👩🔬 “We should practice kissing for … science”
👩🔬 He loves her glasses
👩🔬 Complicated family dynamics
👩🔬 Discussions of sexism in the workplace
I love an academic rivals to lovers storyline because it is usually grounded in some level of respect and mental attraction. Frances and Leo had a lot in common and pushed each other to be better scientists which in turn pushed each other’s buttons which I love. It led to some really fun banter. I also love that these two thought through their fake dating scenario extremely logically. Is fake dating still kind of silly? Sure, but there were no flaws in logic for why they should fake date.
I liked that both of them got depth from their family relationships and work lives. Lewis was the black sheep of his family for being a scientist (I know, it made me eye roll a little), but it did explain his lack of communication skills. And I think the details about Frances experiencing sexism (and having to work twice as hard to get half as far) were really thought provoking and really well done.
There were just some plot holes that made it a bit hard to buy into the story fully. First, it was exceptionally hard to believe France did not know what Lewis looked like and vice versa. These two have been rivals for four years and Frances didn’t google him once? Not even to print out his picture so she could throw darts at it? Second, the explanation for why Lewis “stole” Frances’ work made sense but why he never apologized just didn’t add up (so that was a -1 in the Lewis column). Third, these two have a lack of communication (not even a miscommunication) which leads to the third act conflict that really rubbed me the wrong way (sorry, I made myself laugh with that innuendo given that this is a romance novel 😂). It just didn’t sit well with me given everything between Lewis and Frances. Frances’ conflict with her sister also felt like it came out of nowhere and felt like a pile on for poor Frances when she was down and out. And finally, there were a few plot points that were used that felt like loose ends (like that damn notebook – iykyk) and therefore felt like they were used for the sake of creating drama instead of being integral for the plot.
The very end had a cute wrap-up that did make the third act conflict feel a little better so I did feel slightly more satisfied. If you like fake dating and you like STEM, you may really like this book. It had way more science than other STEM focused books that I’ve read which was really interesting (even if some of it went over my head). And I think I would definitely read another book by this author.
Big thank you to Kelsey for being the best reading buddy and holding my hand through my third act crash out 😂!
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2026
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Getting to do another buddy ready with my love, Kelsey! I feel like I've had some good luck with academia nerds (complimentary) in love so I am looking forward to this one!
July 23, 2025
This was my first ARC read and it did not disappoint! This was also my first Hannah Brohm book and it won’t be my last. This book is a super cute rom-com that is filled with cute and funny banter. The MMC and FMC find themselves at the center of a sticky situation and the only solution is fake dating. As you can imagine how that plays out in the best way possible. This book was a great read!
December 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC copy of this book - releasing Feb 2026
STEM romance, rivals to lovers, fake dating
Frances is a neurology research scientist PhD - her world revolves her career. After being burned by her last relationship and men in academia, she is stubborn to a fault to succeed on her own merit. Hence why, with her current contract ending, she’s heading to a big science convention - hosted by her ex - in hopes of networking and finding another lab and job. On the plane ride over, she meets a charming fellow intellectual and sparks fly - until she realizes this is a fellow scientist in her field who has openly criticized her for years - Lewis. Immediately their rivalry kicks into full gear - both proud and neither taking any criticism well. But when they get to the conference and people mistake their bickering for flirting - Frances is so flustered she doesn’t correct them - and then is trapped by not being able to go back on her word. Not wanting to look like an unreliable fraud, she decides to proposition Lewis to fake date to maintain their reputations. But as their chemistry grows, into a tentative friendship and then the start of something more, can a short term fake relationship become more when it started as a lie and their insecurities and past keep building up walls between them?
STEM romance, rivals to lovers, fake dating
Frances is a neurology research scientist PhD - her world revolves her career. After being burned by her last relationship and men in academia, she is stubborn to a fault to succeed on her own merit. Hence why, with her current contract ending, she’s heading to a big science convention - hosted by her ex - in hopes of networking and finding another lab and job. On the plane ride over, she meets a charming fellow intellectual and sparks fly - until she realizes this is a fellow scientist in her field who has openly criticized her for years - Lewis. Immediately their rivalry kicks into full gear - both proud and neither taking any criticism well. But when they get to the conference and people mistake their bickering for flirting - Frances is so flustered she doesn’t correct them - and then is trapped by not being able to go back on her word. Not wanting to look like an unreliable fraud, she decides to proposition Lewis to fake date to maintain their reputations. But as their chemistry grows, into a tentative friendship and then the start of something more, can a short term fake relationship become more when it started as a lie and their insecurities and past keep building up walls between them?
September 4, 2025
LIFE IS WORTH LIVING 🎵🎵
Waaaww this was so good, I read it in under 24 hours, it felt just like an Ali Hazelwood book and I’m saying that in the best way possible. I am definitely not objective about it because I am literally the target audience for this kind of book but IT WAS SO GOOD.
Little synopsis:
Frances and Lewis meet in a transatlantic flight, sitting next to each other and when Frances tries to help Lewis shorten his abstract, she understands that he’s actually Dr North, her academic rival who nitpicks every scientific paper she writes. They are both headed to the same academic conference in New York and they’ll be in a sticky situation that will force them to spend time together.
The characters felt very real and the struggles of working in STEM and academia were nicely written. I think even though I understand all the science talk, that people will follow easily everything is explained in simpler terms without making it arrogant or condescending.
Frances’ stress and anxiety about her work and all the discourse about tying your self worth to your work felt so RAW. I loved her journey and I’m so glad about the ending of the book.
The tension is HIGH between our MCs and they flirt over email and science.
The most unrealistic thing about the story is the fact that Lewis is a man in STEM who actually has emotional intelligence and can read social cues…thank god for fictional men.
Oh and Hannah? Please write more 🥹
Tropes:
- Academic rivals to lovers
- Fake dating
- Scientific conference
- Nerdy banter
- He cooks for her
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
Thanks to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Hannah Brohm for the ARC.
Waaaww this was so good, I read it in under 24 hours, it felt just like an Ali Hazelwood book and I’m saying that in the best way possible. I am definitely not objective about it because I am literally the target audience for this kind of book but IT WAS SO GOOD.
Little synopsis:
Frances and Lewis meet in a transatlantic flight, sitting next to each other and when Frances tries to help Lewis shorten his abstract, she understands that he’s actually Dr North, her academic rival who nitpicks every scientific paper she writes. They are both headed to the same academic conference in New York and they’ll be in a sticky situation that will force them to spend time together.
The characters felt very real and the struggles of working in STEM and academia were nicely written. I think even though I understand all the science talk, that people will follow easily everything is explained in simpler terms without making it arrogant or condescending.
Frances’ stress and anxiety about her work and all the discourse about tying your self worth to your work felt so RAW. I loved her journey and I’m so glad about the ending of the book.
The tension is HIGH between our MCs and they flirt over email and science.
The most unrealistic thing about the story is the fact that Lewis is a man in STEM who actually has emotional intelligence and can read social cues…thank god for fictional men.
Oh and Hannah? Please write more 🥹
Tropes:
- Academic rivals to lovers
- Fake dating
- Scientific conference
- Nerdy banter
- He cooks for her
- Slow burn
- Forced proximity
Thanks to Netgalley, Aria & Aries and Hannah Brohm for the ARC.
July 25, 2025
What a fabulous debut!!
This book is for STEM lovers, but really anyone who loves a great slow-burn, fake-dating romance. Both characters were extremely likable and had tremendous growth throughout the book. I appreciated that they actually communicated with each other (most of the time) and were able to resolve most misunderstandings like adults. I can't wait to read more from Hannah in the future!
This book is for STEM lovers, but really anyone who loves a great slow-burn, fake-dating romance. Both characters were extremely likable and had tremendous growth throughout the book. I appreciated that they actually communicated with each other (most of the time) and were able to resolve most misunderstandings like adults. I can't wait to read more from Hannah in the future!
September 13, 2025
it’s a lovely day to talk about a NEW and CUTE debut book STEM romance novel because if u’re looking up for more stories involving fake dating and STEM this one could be the one for 🫵🏻 so be ready to read about my thoughts… ;)
if u’re an ali hazelwood fan like me i know u’ll enjoy frances and levi’s story because because i certainly did! from the start i was sat and ready to fly in NY with our lovely and relatable main characters ;”)
from the start it was obviously that u could feel the chemistry between frances and levi until she found out who levi was and the professional history they had involved but life happens and u never know right? and these two will have to fake dating and ikyk 😁 feelings will be involved with also the professional aspect that frances has to face respect levi and so everything mixes and here u’re served with an interesting and adorable romcom!
and the outcome of our couple’s love… 100% correct and not only! i really appreciated how hannah brohm portrayed frances’s feelings towards her career and love! she was truly a lovely and inspiring female main character! levi oh levi the thoughtful man he were… to have more men like him… but besides from this i truly loved to read how he tried with his family and remained true to his beliefs!
levi and frances in the end were really cute but most importantly very mature! it was so refreshing to see them communicating and understanding each other it was truly something else and i definitely appreciated that <333
last but not least i would like to thanks netgalley and aria & aries for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
if u’re an ali hazelwood fan like me i know u’ll enjoy frances and levi’s story because because i certainly did! from the start i was sat and ready to fly in NY with our lovely and relatable main characters ;”)
from the start it was obviously that u could feel the chemistry between frances and levi until she found out who levi was and the professional history they had involved but life happens and u never know right? and these two will have to fake dating and ikyk 😁 feelings will be involved with also the professional aspect that frances has to face respect levi and so everything mixes and here u’re served with an interesting and adorable romcom!
and the outcome of our couple’s love… 100% correct and not only! i really appreciated how hannah brohm portrayed frances’s feelings towards her career and love! she was truly a lovely and inspiring female main character! levi oh levi the thoughtful man he were… to have more men like him… but besides from this i truly loved to read how he tried with his family and remained true to his beliefs!
levi and frances in the end were really cute but most importantly very mature! it was so refreshing to see them communicating and understanding each other it was truly something else and i definitely appreciated that <333
last but not least i would like to thanks netgalley and aria & aries for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
December 21, 2025
As someone who hasn’t yet dipped into Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis (yes, I’m that rare unicorn) my venture into STEM romances is still fresh. But Love and Other Brain Experiments shows this niche genre is growing. It’s scientifically scintillating. But for me also spotlights gender disparities that persist in STEM especially in academia, where women still fight for rightful credit in journals, speaking opportunities, lab positions, and recognition that often gets erased. The gains are slow and tide is changing.
Frances and Lewis are academic rivals, constantly critiquing each other’s work from afar. But when a shared flight to a New York conference forces them side by side, sparks (and research notes/ideas) start to fly and a fake relationship unfolds. There are many micro tropes woven into the book that many readers will enjoy.
This book is smart, passionate, and doesn’t shy away from tough truths about women in science.
Thank you Atria Books for the digital arc!
Frances and Lewis are academic rivals, constantly critiquing each other’s work from afar. But when a shared flight to a New York conference forces them side by side, sparks (and research notes/ideas) start to fly and a fake relationship unfolds. There are many micro tropes woven into the book that many readers will enjoy.
This book is smart, passionate, and doesn’t shy away from tough truths about women in science.
Thank you Atria Books for the digital arc!
September 14, 2025
I love some STEM romances!!
This was a solid rivals to lovers situation - where the events leading to the misunderstanding were really well done and believable.
Where I struggled was the FMC’s rally podium third scary decisions. You could 100 percent understand where she was coming from but honestly it was s awful to read. You just want to shake this girl so hard!!! So for me, realism or not, I didn’t enjoy almost the whole ending.
But the author made a wonderful big gesture moment that helped a lot.
This was a solid rivals to lovers situation - where the events leading to the misunderstanding were really well done and believable.
Where I struggled was the FMC’s rally podium third scary decisions. You could 100 percent understand where she was coming from but honestly it was s awful to read. You just want to shake this girl so hard!!! So for me, realism or not, I didn’t enjoy almost the whole ending.
But the author made a wonderful big gesture moment that helped a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2025
5 ⭐♾️
Firstly, thank you endlessly to Aria, Head of Zeus, and NetGalley for the e-arc of Love and Other Brain Experiments in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Hi, hello, this hands down is one of my favourite reads of 2025, omggg, I absolutely ADORED this debut novel, which brings me onto the question of: how is this a debut novel?! I have such a soft spot for STEM romances and finding that right balance of nerdy science and romance between two characters is rather ingenious and I loved how Hannah brought that together amongst other tropes I loved. I actually don't know where to begin with this; other than the obvious being that it was so incredible! Every time I think about how adorable Frances and Lewis were, I break out into this huge, ridiculous grin, because they had no business being so cute together. I'm becoming increasingly concerned by how much bandwidth (thanks for the great saying, Lewis!) they are taking up in my head!!
Firstly, I'm such a sucker for a cute cover; it's pink and the art illustration of Frances and Lewis are so adorable; I'm honestly just in awe of how beautiful it is. When I realised that this was an academic rivals to lovers, fake dating romance, I knew that I was going to enjoy this, because I love the two tropes.
Frances was your typical nerdy, science loving FMC and I just was in so much awe of how resilient she was; from having to deal with her ex and his new fiancé, being faced with her academic rival and fake dating him - sorry, it is such an underrated moment, when as a reader, you actually come to discover that the MMC is quietly obsessed with the FMC, in awe of them and their work, and when it came to Lewis, he was nothing short of amazing in that aspect. Frances was so super focused on getting her grant and funding to continue pursuing her love for academia, without realising that she was actually falling out of love with it, and the harsh wakeup call that she needed to realign her focus and passions.
Lewis had his own problems, and reasons as to how the fake dating scenario could work in his favour with his parents, who didn't support him when it came to his own dreams, and not following in his father's footsteps, with a dash of some unresolved daddy issues.
Both characters were multilayered and they saw different sides to themselves, when forced to be around each other; I loved their little moments together, how Lewis helped Frances with her panic attacks and cooking for her. Lewis, who had this quiet confidence to him, but easily got nervous (especially around Frances) but had the way of centring him when he got too in his head or overwhelmed.
Ugh, Lewis was just happy to exist in Frances's orbit, what a man!
Truly, this was such a joy to read, I really had the best time with it, and honoured that I got read this early. I'm still in awe as to how this is a debut novel. because not once did it feel like it was; it's perfect for readers like me who love women in STEM, fake dating and forced proximity, and one I will fondly think about and come back to read again!
tropes
fake dating
academic rivals to lovers
forced proximity
he falls first
STEM romance
Firstly, thank you endlessly to Aria, Head of Zeus, and NetGalley for the e-arc of Love and Other Brain Experiments in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Hi, hello, this hands down is one of my favourite reads of 2025, omggg, I absolutely ADORED this debut novel, which brings me onto the question of: how is this a debut novel?! I have such a soft spot for STEM romances and finding that right balance of nerdy science and romance between two characters is rather ingenious and I loved how Hannah brought that together amongst other tropes I loved. I actually don't know where to begin with this; other than the obvious being that it was so incredible! Every time I think about how adorable Frances and Lewis were, I break out into this huge, ridiculous grin, because they had no business being so cute together. I'm becoming increasingly concerned by how much bandwidth (thanks for the great saying, Lewis!) they are taking up in my head!!
Firstly, I'm such a sucker for a cute cover; it's pink and the art illustration of Frances and Lewis are so adorable; I'm honestly just in awe of how beautiful it is. When I realised that this was an academic rivals to lovers, fake dating romance, I knew that I was going to enjoy this, because I love the two tropes.
Frances was your typical nerdy, science loving FMC and I just was in so much awe of how resilient she was; from having to deal with her ex and his new fiancé, being faced with her academic rival and fake dating him - sorry, it is such an underrated moment, when as a reader, you actually come to discover that the MMC is quietly obsessed with the FMC, in awe of them and their work, and when it came to Lewis, he was nothing short of amazing in that aspect. Frances was so super focused on getting her grant and funding to continue pursuing her love for academia, without realising that she was actually falling out of love with it, and the harsh wakeup call that she needed to realign her focus and passions.
Lewis had his own problems, and reasons as to how the fake dating scenario could work in his favour with his parents, who didn't support him when it came to his own dreams, and not following in his father's footsteps, with a dash of some unresolved daddy issues.
Both characters were multilayered and they saw different sides to themselves, when forced to be around each other; I loved their little moments together, how Lewis helped Frances with her panic attacks and cooking for her. Lewis, who had this quiet confidence to him, but easily got nervous (especially around Frances) but had the way of centring him when he got too in his head or overwhelmed.
Ugh, Lewis was just happy to exist in Frances's orbit, what a man!
Truly, this was such a joy to read, I really had the best time with it, and honoured that I got read this early. I'm still in awe as to how this is a debut novel. because not once did it feel like it was; it's perfect for readers like me who love women in STEM, fake dating and forced proximity, and one I will fondly think about and come back to read again!
tropes
fake dating
academic rivals to lovers
forced proximity
he falls first
STEM romance
November 22, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up!
I actually really loved this. Read just about in 1 day! The science is great, the romance is really sweet, and enough background story line to keep it interesting.
I really like STEM romances and am always looking for new authors who are venturing into writing them and I’m very glad to be adding Hannah Brohm to that list. The FMC Dr Frances Silberstein is a neuroscientist who always puts her career first until she reconnects with her academic rival Dr Lewis North on their way to the same conference. The science part is obviously well researched and really interesting (I believe the author has background in this and it shows!)
I knew this was going to be a solid book and Frances was going to be a strong FMC when she meets Vivienne who is her ex’s new fiancé. Her first thought isn’t to tear her down or think ill of her, but to make sure she was ok academically and that he was treating her well (she has a little private freak out after but it’s more poise than I would have expected from her.) I was truly impressed with this scene.
I think the romance is well done, my favorite black cat/golden retriever dynamic. The fake dating plot was a good choice to kick off the romance since they don’t have much interaction prior to meeting in the plane and made the romance feel more organic than some other trope. It made for some funny moment later as well.
Frances’ relationship with her sister is also really well written and important for the story. From moving around for her jobs she doesn’t have a super strong support system but her sister fills that role well.
The third act break up happens a little later and thus resolves “quickly”. It doesn’t feel too rushed but they could have skipped the whole notebook story line (idk why they would need to write down that they were fake dating).
Also if anyone has any links for that fanfic lol….
Very well done, would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I actually really loved this. Read just about in 1 day! The science is great, the romance is really sweet, and enough background story line to keep it interesting.
I really like STEM romances and am always looking for new authors who are venturing into writing them and I’m very glad to be adding Hannah Brohm to that list. The FMC Dr Frances Silberstein is a neuroscientist who always puts her career first until she reconnects with her academic rival Dr Lewis North on their way to the same conference. The science part is obviously well researched and really interesting (I believe the author has background in this and it shows!)
I knew this was going to be a solid book and Frances was going to be a strong FMC when she meets Vivienne who is her ex’s new fiancé. Her first thought isn’t to tear her down or think ill of her, but to make sure she was ok academically and that he was treating her well (she has a little private freak out after but it’s more poise than I would have expected from her.) I was truly impressed with this scene.
I think the romance is well done, my favorite black cat/golden retriever dynamic. The fake dating plot was a good choice to kick off the romance since they don’t have much interaction prior to meeting in the plane and made the romance feel more organic than some other trope. It made for some funny moment later as well.
Frances’ relationship with her sister is also really well written and important for the story. From moving around for her jobs she doesn’t have a super strong support system but her sister fills that role well.
The third act break up happens a little later and thus resolves “quickly”. It doesn’t feel too rushed but they could have skipped the whole notebook story line (idk why they would need to write down that they were fake dating).
Also if anyone has any links for that fanfic lol….
Very well done, would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 18, 2025Really wanted to like it, but the writing was hard and reading it was confusing.
October 20, 2025
LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is the intellectually seductive, trope perfection, lanyard-melting debut of the year. Brohm’s twin loves for the romance genre and neuroscience sang on every page. I couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous writing, delicious academia backdrop, and heartwarming main characters. Brohm peels off their hard shells with finesse and no small amount of tension. I was glued, start to finish.
October 26, 2025
Unfortunately, I had trouble reading and finishing this book. The trope is good along with the STEM environment but the writing still needs development. It’s been compared to Ali Hazelwood’s books. Having read all of Ali’s books I’d politely say they’re similar in topic only.
This author has definite promise and I look forward to her next book.
Thanks Edelweiss and Atria Books.
This author has definite promise and I look forward to her next book.
Thanks Edelweiss and Atria Books.
August 17, 2025
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review
Wow, I absolutely devoured this!!!! First and foremost, incredible tension between the two leads. They had me in a chokehold. The writing was smart and interesting, without being overly flowery. All of the side characters felt real and fleshed out. I’m not a STEM girl, but I loved the references and that the author didn’t waste time explaining it, but just let the characters talk. I loved that there was a storyline outside of the relationship storyline, and the character’s growth was anchored in both lines. Just a really wonderful debut. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
Wow, I absolutely devoured this!!!! First and foremost, incredible tension between the two leads. They had me in a chokehold. The writing was smart and interesting, without being overly flowery. All of the side characters felt real and fleshed out. I’m not a STEM girl, but I loved the references and that the author didn’t waste time explaining it, but just let the characters talk. I loved that there was a storyline outside of the relationship storyline, and the character’s growth was anchored in both lines. Just a really wonderful debut. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
August 2, 2025
Academic romances are so back! This was a slow burn, the tension was chef kiss. Fake dating to save their careers as post doc scientists. This was not fast paced and made me slow down a bit.
November 11, 2025
Love and Other Brain Experiments is perfect for lovers of STEM romance, Ali Hazelwood, and fake dating. I really enjoyed the first ~60% of the book and found it hard to put down, but after that the story felt repetitive and turned into a bit of a slug. While I loved Lewis, I found Frances really hard to root for or relate to. My inner monologue pretty much from 60% to the end was "go to therapy!!". It felt like I was taken out of the story, a story I was really enjoying and having fun with, just to listen to a 32 year old women whine about her life.
I also thought the conflict between her and her sister came out of left field. For a majority of the story her sister was less of a character and more of a plot piece, then suddenly she rises from the dead and has dimension. It was very random, and seemed to only be there so Frances could have some "self-discovery." It just didn't work for me. I did love the relationships, and conflicts, between Lewis and his family though. Those actually felt thought out and deliberate, and showed us more of who he was as a person. It added a depth to his character that I loved, and made it natural to root for him/feel for him in times of conflict. The beach scene with his siblings and Frances was so cute too, and had me kicking my feet. I loved it.
I really did love the first half of the book. Lewis and Frances meeting was so organic and fun, and set the stage for the book quite well. I also loved that we had fake dating from "strangers" in a sense -- they knew each other through the internet, but had never met in person. It was refreshing to see them stumble and be awkward in the beginning stages of their fake dating scheme. So often books have faking dating where the characters just naturally act like a couple physically, but that isn't realistic (which in hindsight, neither is fake dating). I thought it was really endearing to see Lewis jump when she tried to hold his hand, and made the emotional payout when they were physically and emotionally intimate that much more rewarding. Another positive of this book was the positive relationship between "the other woman" and Frances. Meeting your ex's new fiancé is incredibly awkward, but I really liked how Frances never villainized her and that they actually became friends on their own terms. It was so nice to not see two women pit against each other over a man, and truly fit in nice to the STEM setting.
Overall, Love and Other Brain Experiments was a mixed bag for me. I loved some parts, and found myself rushing to get through other parts. In hindsight, Ali Hazelwood has been hit or miss for me, so it's not totally surprising that this wasn't a five star read for me. I do think absolute lovers of Ali Hazelwood would love this, as well as people who love fake-dating, forced proximity, and nerdy, swoony men. Lewis really was a selling point of this book, he is perfect book boyfriend material. Consider checking this out if you are fans of the above! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication is 2/3/2026.
I also thought the conflict between her and her sister came out of left field. For a majority of the story her sister was less of a character and more of a plot piece, then suddenly she rises from the dead and has dimension. It was very random, and seemed to only be there so Frances could have some "self-discovery." It just didn't work for me. I did love the relationships, and conflicts, between Lewis and his family though. Those actually felt thought out and deliberate, and showed us more of who he was as a person. It added a depth to his character that I loved, and made it natural to root for him/feel for him in times of conflict. The beach scene with his siblings and Frances was so cute too, and had me kicking my feet. I loved it.
I really did love the first half of the book. Lewis and Frances meeting was so organic and fun, and set the stage for the book quite well. I also loved that we had fake dating from "strangers" in a sense -- they knew each other through the internet, but had never met in person. It was refreshing to see them stumble and be awkward in the beginning stages of their fake dating scheme. So often books have faking dating where the characters just naturally act like a couple physically, but that isn't realistic (which in hindsight, neither is fake dating). I thought it was really endearing to see Lewis jump when she tried to hold his hand, and made the emotional payout when they were physically and emotionally intimate that much more rewarding. Another positive of this book was the positive relationship between "the other woman" and Frances. Meeting your ex's new fiancé is incredibly awkward, but I really liked how Frances never villainized her and that they actually became friends on their own terms. It was so nice to not see two women pit against each other over a man, and truly fit in nice to the STEM setting.
Overall, Love and Other Brain Experiments was a mixed bag for me. I loved some parts, and found myself rushing to get through other parts. In hindsight, Ali Hazelwood has been hit or miss for me, so it's not totally surprising that this wasn't a five star read for me. I do think absolute lovers of Ali Hazelwood would love this, as well as people who love fake-dating, forced proximity, and nerdy, swoony men. Lewis really was a selling point of this book, he is perfect book boyfriend material. Consider checking this out if you are fans of the above! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication is 2/3/2026.
October 6, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This was a cute fall read, especially considering this is the author’s debut novel. Sometimes, I felt like the focus on the science portion of the novel took away from the emotions and natural chemistry developing between the main couple; the metaphors were a little overdone. I can definitely see Ali Hazelwood fans loving this, however! Overall, I did like the life lessons learned from this novel. I feel like it’s so easy to become caught up in our own stress and career that we sometimes forget to show up for our loved ones. If you’re a fan of the fake dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes, this is definitely for you!
November 28, 2025
Thank you Hannah Brohm and Head of Zeus for this e-arc for review!
This will the hot new STEM-romance everyone talks about in 2026! What a stunning debut from Hannah Brohm!
She creates such real and loveable characters in headstrong Frances and misunderstood Lewis who fake-date while over in New York for a conference. Frances fibs the truth to her ex's new partner and has to rope Lewis in to keep up the charade. Why of course because if you lie about your relationship - who's to say you don't make up data in your research?
Along they plod through their conference with mutual "benefits" and will they?/won't they? shenanigans ensue..
The tropes include:
🧠fake dating
💭neuroscientist x neuroscientist
🧠academic rivals to lovers
💭kissing “for Science”
You will love this if you are a fan of STEM romances, Ali Hazelwood and hot scientist men being written by women !
This will the hot new STEM-romance everyone talks about in 2026! What a stunning debut from Hannah Brohm!
She creates such real and loveable characters in headstrong Frances and misunderstood Lewis who fake-date while over in New York for a conference. Frances fibs the truth to her ex's new partner and has to rope Lewis in to keep up the charade. Why of course because if you lie about your relationship - who's to say you don't make up data in your research?
Along they plod through their conference with mutual "benefits" and will they?/won't they? shenanigans ensue..
The tropes include:
🧠fake dating
💭neuroscientist x neuroscientist
🧠academic rivals to lovers
💭kissing “for Science”
You will love this if you are a fan of STEM romances, Ali Hazelwood and hot scientist men being written by women !
October 17, 2025
✨E-ARC Review ✨
Trope -Fake dating , she wears glasses (and loves to help her clean them ) , woman in STEM , academic rivals , scientific conference , NYC setup
I have always loved books with women in STEM. And when I got to know it has academic rivals-to-lovers as a trope? I ran and clicked on the Netgalley request so fast !! What a great debut book it is. I love reading this book each and every second of it.
The story opens with Frances, a neuroscientist, on a flight to a summer conference that could be crucial for saving her career. The catch? It’s hosted by her ex. On the plane, she meets Dr. Lewis, who needs help polishing the abstract for his research paper. She later discovers he’s the former colleague who once failed to credit her work. Upon arriving at the conference and learning her ex is engaged, Frances decides she needs to step up her game. She proposes a two-week fake dating arrangement with Lewis—she gets the networking boost she needs, while he gains a date to his brother’s graduation ceremony.
What I loved most about the story was its raw honesty. Frances’s frustration and sadness about research funding and academia resonated with me a lot and took me back to the days of writing my first research paper. That blend of vulnerability and authenticity made the narrative feel both raw and original. At the same time, the book had plenty of tender moments—like Lewis helping Frances through a panic attack, noticing her eating habits, cooking for her, and even memorising her research work. (Oh boy! 😌) Their gentle banter and his habit of holding her hand were just adorable.
I also loved the character growth in both of them—it felt unfiltered, real, and deeply human. Lewis’s constant support for Frances, allowing her to be her true self, genuinely moved me to tears. These are the moments that make me reflect on what relationships are really about: the freedom to be unhinged, to be yourself, and still be loved. And when Frances gave Lewis that little push, and he actually listened? I adored it.
So if you are looking for a book with a super cool and genius FMC (who is a neuroscientist ), who ended up dating her academic rivals for 2 weeks, thinking that she would not fall for him? Then this book is totally for you ! (Pick this book if you are fan of Ali Hazelwood for sure !!)
Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for the ARC 🫶
Trope -Fake dating , she wears glasses (and loves to help her clean them ) , woman in STEM , academic rivals , scientific conference , NYC setup
I have always loved books with women in STEM. And when I got to know it has academic rivals-to-lovers as a trope? I ran and clicked on the Netgalley request so fast !! What a great debut book it is. I love reading this book each and every second of it.
The story opens with Frances, a neuroscientist, on a flight to a summer conference that could be crucial for saving her career. The catch? It’s hosted by her ex. On the plane, she meets Dr. Lewis, who needs help polishing the abstract for his research paper. She later discovers he’s the former colleague who once failed to credit her work. Upon arriving at the conference and learning her ex is engaged, Frances decides she needs to step up her game. She proposes a two-week fake dating arrangement with Lewis—she gets the networking boost she needs, while he gains a date to his brother’s graduation ceremony.
What I loved most about the story was its raw honesty. Frances’s frustration and sadness about research funding and academia resonated with me a lot and took me back to the days of writing my first research paper. That blend of vulnerability and authenticity made the narrative feel both raw and original. At the same time, the book had plenty of tender moments—like Lewis helping Frances through a panic attack, noticing her eating habits, cooking for her, and even memorising her research work. (Oh boy! 😌) Their gentle banter and his habit of holding her hand were just adorable.
I also loved the character growth in both of them—it felt unfiltered, real, and deeply human. Lewis’s constant support for Frances, allowing her to be her true self, genuinely moved me to tears. These are the moments that make me reflect on what relationships are really about: the freedom to be unhinged, to be yourself, and still be loved. And when Frances gave Lewis that little push, and he actually listened? I adored it.
So if you are looking for a book with a super cool and genius FMC (who is a neuroscientist ), who ended up dating her academic rivals for 2 weeks, thinking that she would not fall for him? Then this book is totally for you ! (Pick this book if you are fan of Ali Hazelwood for sure !!)
Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for the ARC 🫶
2026
October 21, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
August 16, 2025
Enjoyed this! Could’ve been maybe a hundred pages shorter but I was entertained + gave me faith in the genre again
October 23, 2025
4.25 ✨
1.00 🌶️
Thank you to Hannah Brohm, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
⁀➴ Overall: This was a wonderfully sweet story about two neuroscientists finding their way both in academia and their personal lives. I loved their scientific banter!
⋆⟢ Tropes + Vibes:
🧠 academic rivals to lovers
🔬 neuroscientist MCs
🧠 fake dating
🔬 tension / slow burn
🧠 forced proximity
🔬 nerdy, academic banter
⁀➴ Bookish Breakdown:
⋆⟢ Plot: Two academics are both heading to the same two-week conference. On the plane over, they find out they are actually former friends turned academic rivals. Then, oopsies, our FMC, Frances, alludes to the fact that they’re kinda-sorta dating and our fake dating plot is born! Lewis and Frances navigate the conference, academia in general, and each other’s quirks and past pain to ultimately fall for each other.
⋆⟢ Characters:
Frances, our FMC and sole narrator, is a German neuroscientist who has been burned in both her personal life and in academia. She’s worked incredibly hard to get where she is, and she’s been determined for a long time to prove herself in academia. She’s meticulous, rigorous, and hyper-focused on her career goals.
In general, I liked Frances. However, I did struggle a lot with just how stubborn she could be. She often refused to listen or outright interrupted her conversation partners. She also was often highly focused on herself, rather than taking other people and their feelings into account. We do see some character growth, which I appreciated, but for me it was a little too late to fully redeem her.
Lewis, our MMC, is also a neuroscientist who’s highly interested in all of the work that Frances does. Frances has always thought that Lewis is her Reviewer 2 (iykyk). BUT Lewis has been really interested in Frances’ scientific prowess since they first started interacting. I think he’s a very sweet MMC, who really wants what’s best for Frances. I loved that he repeatedly put Frances first in their (fake) relationship, and wanted to see her succeed. He also had good character growth!
⋆⟢ Writing Style:
I think the book was very well-written! I really liked all of the scientific discussions and the overall focus on the academics was excellent. I’m always a fan of an academic-related love story!! The “let’s go back to the science” moments were adorable!
I ended up taking off a few star points just because I really struggled with the FMC’s style of communication and third-act breakup. These are just not my favorite in a romance novel. While I understand miscommunication can be an issue in relationships, I feel like in an academic novel our MCs should be more effective communicators, especially if the academics are more logic (or STEM) based.
⋆⟢ Highlights:
✿ All of the handholding is so precious! 🥹 It’s such a sweet, loving connection between two people! Also, the “let’s just practice” kiss! 😭
✿ I love how Frances and Lewis help each other through the tough situations where each of them is reuniting with people from their pasts. It can be so difficult to see an ex or face someone who didn’t love or appreciate you for who you really are. Having someone by your side not only lightens the load, but is a wonderful reminder that you are capable and loved just as you are. 🫶🏼
✿ There are many great ⊱꒰predictable but satisfying꒱⊰ moments in this story. I had a hunch about a few plot points which I believe many readers will also note. I was rooting for my predictions to come true and was happy to see complications resolved sooner rather than later so we could see individual character growth and the blossoming of a very sweet romance. 💕
1.00 🌶️
Thank you to Hannah Brohm, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
⁀➴ Overall: This was a wonderfully sweet story about two neuroscientists finding their way both in academia and their personal lives. I loved their scientific banter!
⋆⟢ Tropes + Vibes:
🧠 academic rivals to lovers
🔬 neuroscientist MCs
🧠 fake dating
🔬 tension / slow burn
🧠 forced proximity
🔬 nerdy, academic banter
⁀➴ Bookish Breakdown:
⋆⟢ Plot: Two academics are both heading to the same two-week conference. On the plane over, they find out they are actually former friends turned academic rivals. Then, oopsies, our FMC, Frances, alludes to the fact that they’re kinda-sorta dating and our fake dating plot is born! Lewis and Frances navigate the conference, academia in general, and each other’s quirks and past pain to ultimately fall for each other.
⋆⟢ Characters:
Frances, our FMC and sole narrator, is a German neuroscientist who has been burned in both her personal life and in academia. She’s worked incredibly hard to get where she is, and she’s been determined for a long time to prove herself in academia. She’s meticulous, rigorous, and hyper-focused on her career goals.
In general, I liked Frances. However, I did struggle a lot with just how stubborn she could be. She often refused to listen or outright interrupted her conversation partners. She also was often highly focused on herself, rather than taking other people and their feelings into account. We do see some character growth, which I appreciated, but for me it was a little too late to fully redeem her.
Lewis, our MMC, is also a neuroscientist who’s highly interested in all of the work that Frances does. Frances has always thought that Lewis is her Reviewer 2 (iykyk). BUT Lewis has been really interested in Frances’ scientific prowess since they first started interacting. I think he’s a very sweet MMC, who really wants what’s best for Frances. I loved that he repeatedly put Frances first in their (fake) relationship, and wanted to see her succeed. He also had good character growth!
⋆⟢ Writing Style:
I think the book was very well-written! I really liked all of the scientific discussions and the overall focus on the academics was excellent. I’m always a fan of an academic-related love story!! The “let’s go back to the science” moments were adorable!
I ended up taking off a few star points just because I really struggled with the FMC’s style of communication and third-act breakup. These are just not my favorite in a romance novel. While I understand miscommunication can be an issue in relationships, I feel like in an academic novel our MCs should be more effective communicators, especially if the academics are more logic (or STEM) based.
⋆⟢ Highlights:
✿ All of the handholding is so precious! 🥹 It’s such a sweet, loving connection between two people! Also, the “let’s just practice” kiss! 😭
✿ I love how Frances and Lewis help each other through the tough situations where each of them is reuniting with people from their pasts. It can be so difficult to see an ex or face someone who didn’t love or appreciate you for who you really are. Having someone by your side not only lightens the load, but is a wonderful reminder that you are capable and loved just as you are. 🫶🏼
✿ There are many great ⊱꒰predictable but satisfying꒱⊰ moments in this story. I had a hunch about a few plot points which I believe many readers will also note. I was rooting for my predictions to come true and was happy to see complications resolved sooner rather than later so we could see individual character growth and the blossoming of a very sweet romance. 💕
September 2, 2025
A STEM-focused book with academic main characters may not be for everyone, but it certainly is for me. I.am.the.target.audience.for.this.book!
From the start, we get an original meet-cute between the two leads, who don't immediately realize they're each other's academic rivals. There's fake-dating (for science) and they realize that an “exploratory study” complete with a full hypothesis is needed (i.e., explore their physical attraction). Nerdy/academic banter is apparently my book love language, but I loved how it never got jargon-filled in this story. On top of that, the two leads are likeable and relatable and (mostly) communicate well with each other. Hot. An MMC who admired the FMC's brilliant brain before meeting her or knowing what she looks like? Also, hot. The story touches on issues women in STEM face and how their male counterparts respond to those inequities, but also the supportive women in the field who have each other's backs. We get slow-burn tension that builds up between the leads, but we also get such satisfying (individual) character growth for both of them. This author created thoughtful resolutions that were not rushed. This is a fantastic debut and this is an author that I’ll be watching for. I only wish this book existed when I was still in grad school. This one is for all the girlies who enjoyed Ali Hazelwood's STEMnist novels and want more.
Thanks to the publisher (Atria Books) & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy - all opinions are my own!
Pub date: 2/3/26
From the start, we get an original meet-cute between the two leads, who don't immediately realize they're each other's academic rivals. There's fake-dating (for science) and they realize that an “exploratory study” complete with a full hypothesis is needed (i.e., explore their physical attraction). Nerdy/academic banter is apparently my book love language, but I loved how it never got jargon-filled in this story. On top of that, the two leads are likeable and relatable and (mostly) communicate well with each other. Hot. An MMC who admired the FMC's brilliant brain before meeting her or knowing what she looks like? Also, hot. The story touches on issues women in STEM face and how their male counterparts respond to those inequities, but also the supportive women in the field who have each other's backs. We get slow-burn tension that builds up between the leads, but we also get such satisfying (individual) character growth for both of them. This author created thoughtful resolutions that were not rushed. This is a fantastic debut and this is an author that I’ll be watching for. I only wish this book existed when I was still in grad school. This one is for all the girlies who enjoyed Ali Hazelwood's STEMnist novels and want more.
Thanks to the publisher (Atria Books) & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy - all opinions are my own!
Pub date: 2/3/26
December 22, 2025
3.5⭐️ If you love Ali Hazelwood’s STEM/academic rivals-to-lovers romances, I definitely recommend this one for you!
This book follows our fmc Frances, a neuroscientist, as she gets invited to speak at this conference hosted my her ex-boyfriend. They were together for 5 years but she broke it off because she felt like he wasn’t allowing her the chance to make it as an academic on her own. But when she gets invited, she realizes she is not where she wanted to be in life, her ex on the other hand, is engaged, has a good tenured job & is pretty successful overall. Amidst her panic, she accidentally implies that she’s dating fellow neuroscientist Dr. Lewis North, whom she despises. Fake dating scheme underway, the more time she spends with Lewis the more she realizes she actually enjoys his company and likes listening to what he has to say. With the fake dating deadline fast approaching, Frances is forced to re-think everything she thought she wanted for her career, and her future.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read! It was fast-paced and easy to comprehend even with all the scientific jargon, and I loved our characters. I loved their banter & chemistry and even though there were some miscommunication stuff happening, I still really liked this one. But, it was also very predictable. I could easily see what things would be our character’s downfall or what would be certain plot points, but I loved how the author was able to bring it all together and wrap it up nicely.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows our fmc Frances, a neuroscientist, as she gets invited to speak at this conference hosted my her ex-boyfriend. They were together for 5 years but she broke it off because she felt like he wasn’t allowing her the chance to make it as an academic on her own. But when she gets invited, she realizes she is not where she wanted to be in life, her ex on the other hand, is engaged, has a good tenured job & is pretty successful overall. Amidst her panic, she accidentally implies that she’s dating fellow neuroscientist Dr. Lewis North, whom she despises. Fake dating scheme underway, the more time she spends with Lewis the more she realizes she actually enjoys his company and likes listening to what he has to say. With the fake dating deadline fast approaching, Frances is forced to re-think everything she thought she wanted for her career, and her future.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read! It was fast-paced and easy to comprehend even with all the scientific jargon, and I loved our characters. I loved their banter & chemistry and even though there were some miscommunication stuff happening, I still really liked this one. But, it was also very predictable. I could easily see what things would be our character’s downfall or what would be certain plot points, but I loved how the author was able to bring it all together and wrap it up nicely.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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