Gravity, Grease, & Soybeans: An SV Demeter Novella

by M.D. Engel

She is a botanist who loves lists and he is a systems engineer who's a mess.

When a series of back to back solar flares slam into the SV Demeter, Margaret's gravity simulator goes haywire, and Cal is assigned the engineering ticket to fix it. He is laid-back where she is uptight. She takes herself too seriously, and he doesn't mind when grease is on his forehead.

The forced proximity of Lab B-6 puts them in orbit of each other, and it is more than just gravity pulling them together.

A Sci-fi rom-com with classic tropes, chemistry, and a guaranteed HEA.

124 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

M.D. Engel writes at the intersection of science fiction and romance, leaning into everyday conversational tones, familiar tropes, and flawed but lovable characters. Because let’s be honest, not every book needs to be deep to be enjoyable.

By day, they work at a fast-paced start-up, which makes stress management a must. To stay balanced, M.D. Engel turns to reading, gaming, physical fitness, and now, writing. Their stories pull from real-life experiences and are filled with the humor and heart of everyday moments. At the end of the day, they write for one simple reason: fun.

My Books on the ZON: https://tinyurl.com/MDEngelAuthor

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Reviews

[Jessica Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novella. Fun, quick read. I enjoyed the nerdy Type A personality FMC. Seems like a know a girl like this! Looking forward to the next one in the series.

[Alysa Misfeldt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a cute and quirky romance!! The pacing and immersion are done well, and I'm not sure I'll ever stop imagining the endless possibilities for protein cube flavors 😜

Sci-fi isn't my typical genre, but if you enjoy fast reads, dual POV romance, space travel, unique characters, and HEAs, you're sure to enjoy the first of the SV Demeter novellas!

[Caitlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun little read! Margaret and her to do list, such a Virgo move. As a Virgo myself, I love that. 👑

[El Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute read! I loved the main character Margaret, and the romance was so sweet. Sci-fi romance is becoming a new favorite genre of mine!

[Rachel Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cal and Margaret live in two entirely different worlds on the SV Demeter. Only one of those worlds includes real coffee. However, when Margaret's gravity simulator goes haywire after a solar flare, she quickly realizes that she can't fix it herself. Cue a reluctant and very detailed ticket sent to the engineering department.

Cal is hoping to get in and get out with the solar flare ticket fixes. The last thing he wants is a multi-day logistical nightmare sent by a workaholic botanist.

But even though neither of them is looking for a relationship, something else sparks between the two of them: a bond forged by jet fuel coffee and very detailed to-do lists.

I recommend Gravity, Grease, and Soybeans for anyone looking for a quick and hilarious read with lots of flirty banter and an opposites-attract romance. Oh, and weird flavours of protein cubes. Super weird flavours 😂

[Rachel Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gravity, Grease & Soybeans is Book One in the SV Demeter series that once you read, will have you screaming for the next.
It begins quietly, as we are introduced to the MC’s - Margaret and Cal as they go about their daily tasks, but soon things begin to heat up with some open door spice, but will have you begging for more.

The added science behind everything was easily explained and you were able to conclusivly understand it all without any info dumping! The added images within the book too made for a nifty experience as if you were really there too!

For fans of a great sci-fi romance, you NEED to read this!

[Kennedy Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a great time with this sweet sci fi novella. You immediately connect with Margaret and Cal- their inner dialog is so fun and endearing. I loved the setting and cannot wait to dive into the rest of the series!

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kinda torn about what rating to give this novella. It is such a sweet, cosy, RomantaSCI read about an analytical geek and a technical nerd (sounds a bit like my husband and me) but it just didn't feel like a 4⭐

But saying that, if you're looking for a quick, simple, cute read that is set on a science research ship destined for Ganymede, this is for you.

[Marina Starling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an adorable and funny short read. I just adore both characters and their dynamic was perfect.

[Bookskee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun, quick sci-fi romance novella and I am looking forward to reading the rest!
Loved the "email/messaging" bits a lot!
Very cute.

[Rachel Hanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just adorable. A normal day in the labs with your soybeans and the hottie tech guy traveling in futuristic space. Loved the flavored protein cubes and the punk, and Magpie Margaret with her lists. A little sweet and spicy. A perfect Sunday afternoon read <3