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Rocket Science
An aerospace engineer and a professional athlete walk into a club…stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Oh, you haven’t? Too absurd to be true you say? I agree. Throw in my terrible social skills and it’s a disaster in the making. Why my current neighbor and former friend Paige thought it would be a good idea to set us up will forever be a mystery. Sure, it would be great to have a life partner, but I’m kind of killing it out here being Miss Independent.
I have an amazing job. I build rocket ships! Okay, yes, they recently have a pesky habit of exploding at lift off, but we’ll get that tiny bug figured out soon. Probably. Who needs sleep anyway?
I work with one of my best friends who set up a profile for me on a dating site. I now have a phone filled with unsolicited pictures of a certain piece of male anatomy which is honestly pretty unsettling.
I have a cat who likes me. Sometimes. Attempted murder is just his love language.
Oh! And I have an entire wardrobe of elastic waistbands. Elastic waistband. I think that one sells itself.
So, things are great, thank you very much. Except now I have a problem. A very muscled, attractive problem. Despite the disaster at the club, Sebastian Kincaid seems determined to bulldoze his way into my life. I don’t understand what his motivations could possibly be and it’s starting to make me a little crazy. Even worse, I can’t seem to get my head and my heart on the same page. I can make this work. As long as he keeps his shirt on and hands to himself.
I mean it’s not exactly rocket science.
I have an amazing job. I build rocket ships! Okay, yes, they recently have a pesky habit of exploding at lift off, but we’ll get that tiny bug figured out soon. Probably. Who needs sleep anyway?
I work with one of my best friends who set up a profile for me on a dating site. I now have a phone filled with unsolicited pictures of a certain piece of male anatomy which is honestly pretty unsettling.
I have a cat who likes me. Sometimes. Attempted murder is just his love language.
Oh! And I have an entire wardrobe of elastic waistbands. Elastic waistband. I think that one sells itself.
So, things are great, thank you very much. Except now I have a problem. A very muscled, attractive problem. Despite the disaster at the club, Sebastian Kincaid seems determined to bulldoze his way into my life. I don’t understand what his motivations could possibly be and it’s starting to make me a little crazy. Even worse, I can’t seem to get my head and my heart on the same page. I can make this work. As long as he keeps his shirt on and hands to himself.
I mean it’s not exactly rocket science.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2020
461 people are currently reading
1576 people want to read
About the author
Emily Mayer
5 books391 followersEmily Mayer is a best-selling author and a book lover with a capital L. When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen burning dinner with a book in her hand or tucked away in one of her favorite reading spots promising "just five more minutes." In addition to books, Emily is addicted to coffee, dogs, and cat videos. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and dog, both of whom are very good boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
July 17, 2021
To be candid, this book is majorly about Lennon's nerdiness, her friends and family, her job as an aerospace engineer, her cat -Boomer-, her love of food, then after an exhaustive search for other quirks and habits, we finally get her clumsy relationship with Sebastian.
Don't get me wrong, the book is funny as hell and unless you like choking (as I found out the hard way), I suggest you avoid drinking or eating while reading; yet, even the many lol moments couldn't sufficiently detract from the obvious lack of romance -or passion- between Len and Seb.
Overall, Rocket Science gets an A+ for female empowerment and great friendships; however, as a romance novel, it's unsatisfying.
August 20, 2024
If I could give this more stars, I would. I. loved. it. This is a very slow burn and is more about this couple becoming friends first. Normally, I would say that may bore me, but I'm telling you it is in no way boring. I was so entertained by this heroine. Honestly, this is one of my favorite reads of the year.
Saying this is more of them becoming friends first might be a tad misleading because it's pretty obvious that the hero is actively pursuing the heroine, she's just really clueless. That actually made it more fun to read. It also showed what a great guy he was trying to pursue her without scaring her off.
The other thing about this is that there were two things that happened in this that could have been a moment for the author to throw in a lot of angst and she didn't. I'm so glad she handled both situations with out all the extra flare because it didn't need it. The story itself was highly entertaining on its own.
I also really loved the type of pairing this was. The heroine is a very intelligent, nerdy, and socially awkward woman. The hero is a very athletic, and very popular famous Soccer player. It's the most opposites attract couple you can get, and it totally worked.
This author has only published 2 books to date and she has proven to be one of my new favorite authors to follow. I really can't wait for what she will bring us next.
Saying this is more of them becoming friends first might be a tad misleading because it's pretty obvious that the hero is actively pursuing the heroine, she's just really clueless. That actually made it more fun to read. It also showed what a great guy he was trying to pursue her without scaring her off.
The other thing about this is that there were two things that happened in this that could have been a moment for the author to throw in a lot of angst and she didn't. I'm so glad she handled both situations with out all the extra flare because it didn't need it. The story itself was highly entertaining on its own.
I also really loved the type of pairing this was. The heroine is a very intelligent, nerdy, and socially awkward woman. The hero is a very athletic, and very popular famous Soccer player. It's the most opposites attract couple you can get, and it totally worked.
This author has only published 2 books to date and she has proven to be one of my new favorite authors to follow. I really can't wait for what she will bring us next.
July 15, 2020
This shows that Mayer's first book, Everything Girl, wasn't a fluke. They aren't related in anything but structure but the same talent is on display. This is a single PoV slow-burn romance with really engaging characters and a plot that holds together well.
I engaged with Lennon right from the start, which was key to this working. She's hugely shy and inexperienced socially due to a combination of personality and circumstance. Having a heart condition when she was young stamped much of her emotional landscape and Mayer does an incredible job conveying that without letting it be cliché or stereotype. Key to that is that the whole nerd babblemouth thing happens in lots of different circumstances and not just when convenient to move the story along. I loved that she had a core set of friends and how protective they were of her even while encouraging her to branch out. And I even bought her as a working engineer and since that's my own work environment, that's no small feat.
Sebastian was a tougher sell, but that's kind of how single PoV romance works. I mean, the first impression was jerk city so it totally made sense that Lennon was confused why he'd be seeking her out afterwards. But I warmed to him quickly as you could see how much delight he got out of her enthusiasms and how he appreciated all the things that made her inner landscape unique. Plus, he's patient and protective and that's always going to be my jam in a leading man.
Anyway, like her first book, this is aimed squarely at my romantic sweet-spot so I'm not going to try claiming anything general or objective about this book. I swallowed it enthusiastically whole and I'm thinking Mayer will be an auto-buy for me, for at least a little while.
A note about serieses: Both of her books so far have felt like they could support follow-up books featuring some of the still-single side characters. I'm down with that if she ever goes there, but so far there's no hint that that's her plan. I'm good either way, but I'd be eager to pick up a second in a series if it happens.
A note about Steamy: As before, there's a single explicit sex scene putting this in the low end of my steam tolerance. It was perfectly handled and fit very well the emotional/intimate arc of the story so it was very well-done, I think.
I engaged with Lennon right from the start, which was key to this working. She's hugely shy and inexperienced socially due to a combination of personality and circumstance. Having a heart condition when she was young stamped much of her emotional landscape and Mayer does an incredible job conveying that without letting it be cliché or stereotype. Key to that is that the whole nerd babblemouth thing happens in lots of different circumstances and not just when convenient to move the story along. I loved that she had a core set of friends and how protective they were of her even while encouraging her to branch out. And I even bought her as a working engineer and since that's my own work environment, that's no small feat.
Sebastian was a tougher sell, but that's kind of how single PoV romance works. I mean, the first impression was jerk city so it totally made sense that Lennon was confused why he'd be seeking her out afterwards. But I warmed to him quickly as you could see how much delight he got out of her enthusiasms and how he appreciated all the things that made her inner landscape unique. Plus, he's patient and protective and that's always going to be my jam in a leading man.
Anyway, like her first book, this is aimed squarely at my romantic sweet-spot so I'm not going to try claiming anything general or objective about this book. I swallowed it enthusiastically whole and I'm thinking Mayer will be an auto-buy for me, for at least a little while.
A note about serieses: Both of her books so far have felt like they could support follow-up books featuring some of the still-single side characters. I'm down with that if she ever goes there, but so far there's no hint that that's her plan. I'm good either way, but I'd be eager to pick up a second in a series if it happens.
A note about Steamy: As before, there's a single explicit sex scene putting this in the low end of my steam tolerance. It was perfectly handled and fit very well the emotional/intimate arc of the story so it was very well-done, I think.
September 8, 2020
This is the type of recommendation I can totally support! Whenever my bff book buddy tags me on a new read, I know it’s going to be good but this one was so much better than good.
I’m not sure when I last loved a character as much as I did Lennon. I usually don’t hang a lot of weight on the heroine, but Lennon was so perfectly imperfect in all her crazy, quirky ways that I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. She’s the type of character that I could totally see myself hanging out with and having the very best of times, although she’d totally blow me away when it comes to science.
This is written completely in the heroine's point of view and I really missed not having Sebastian’s thoughts. However, I adored his determination to be her “friend” and his obvious pursuit of her. In the end, when the author had him share his feelings, I was totally swooning.
This is very low angst as is the heat level due to this being a very slow burn. Once this couple bump their relationship out of friends only things definitely heat up and I loved the way it all evolved. While Lennon has a bit of drama off and on throughout the book, it is mostly due to her own inner insecurities and watching her face them and overcome them was wonderful. The final conflict had me twitching a bit but I loved the resolution and how it was dealt with in the end.
Overall, this was an amazing read that had my heart soaring as I fell in love with Lennon and her wacky friends. Definitely passing on this recommendation even as I search out previous works by this author.
Heroine POV
Safe
Triggers
I’m not sure when I last loved a character as much as I did Lennon. I usually don’t hang a lot of weight on the heroine, but Lennon was so perfectly imperfect in all her crazy, quirky ways that I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. She’s the type of character that I could totally see myself hanging out with and having the very best of times, although she’d totally blow me away when it comes to science.
This is written completely in the heroine's point of view and I really missed not having Sebastian’s thoughts. However, I adored his determination to be her “friend” and his obvious pursuit of her. In the end, when the author had him share his feelings, I was totally swooning.
This is very low angst as is the heat level due to this being a very slow burn. Once this couple bump their relationship out of friends only things definitely heat up and I loved the way it all evolved. While Lennon has a bit of drama off and on throughout the book, it is mostly due to her own inner insecurities and watching her face them and overcome them was wonderful. The final conflict had me twitching a bit but I loved the resolution and how it was dealt with in the end.
Overall, this was an amazing read that had my heart soaring as I fell in love with Lennon and her wacky friends. Definitely passing on this recommendation even as I search out previous works by this author.
Heroine POV
Safe
Triggers
January 13, 2023
yawn.
DNF’d @ 45%
DNF’d @ 45%
on-hold
September 20, 2020I thought it would be interesting but nope, too boring for me to go on. I might try again later and then I will give it a rating. Let's put it on hold for a while...
June 17, 2022
Bah! I loved this book so much! If you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood’s STEMinist books (like The Love Hypothesis), then this book is for you! It features an awkward heroine who is an aerospace engineering. The narration and the things she says are absolutely hilarious. The book also has a lot of situational humour (every time she fell up the stairs, I died laughing). The entire book is told from the heroine’s point of view, and we get to know the famous soccer player that is her love interest just as she does.
I highly recommend this nerdy romance!
I highly recommend this nerdy romance!
September 29, 2020
I kept reading this book after the first chapter because I thought "It has to be good! The hero's name is Sebastian" There's always one that proves the rule.
So anyway, this is about a STEM heroine who has red hair and drops into trivia when she's feeling socially anxious. She's got a smothering brother (I don't know why she works at his tattoo shop in addition to her engineering job, but ok) But yeah, paragraphs of trivia to deal with social anxiety.
Or is it just a rip off of Penny Reid? The social anxiety and the physical scar she carried never manifested into a barrier, just a backstory. No one here made her feel weird or out of place. Anyway, I wouldn't go hailing this as a triumph for mental health rep, since it's incredibly surface and only shown through self-talk and explanations. What I'm saying is it's artless.
For about 70%-75% of the book, I was just confused. I kept trying to remind myself these two were not in high school or junior high, but they were full-fledged adults. There is a party scene complete with details on the little brushes. Do not get me wrong, this can work. But like, what a set up? And this isn't 20% into the book, it's near 80.
I was so excited to read a heroine w/ glasses. I love my glasses! I love people in glasses! But really, if you were paying attention in elementary school you would know that glasses are nerdy, and this being nerdy and having glasses means people do not see they are beautiful. We should really look into this social/medical condition. (Glasses are not a character trait btw, but they will make me hot for the character unless it's this one)
For about 3/4 of the book, the heroine is trying to convince herself why the hero is friends with her. And I guess I don't know either? All her friends talk with her about is men. So I don't really find any of them that interesting.
But the hero, after a weird opening meet cute, is of course charmed by the socially inept brilliant engineer who hangs out with people who play role playing games, watch and cosplay LOTR among others and of course the hero's never seen LOTR because he's a cool ass jock footballer. C'mon. Those guys don't do anything nerdy! Only the smart socially weird and inept nerds even know what LOTR is!! By the way, he acts like a total ass b/c he realizes it is a set up and goes on to humiliate her. It is all explained at 92% so we have closure. What I know about him is he has sisters, he lived a fast life across the pond, and he's getting old for soccer and looks to get serious about life. I know this, because he said it in the book. Literally said it. To the heroine. Kind of almost just like this.
The conflict, aside from the opening chapter, came at 95%, but it wasn't really conflict then was it? So add weirdly paced to the list that includes weird rip off writing, stereotypical, doesn't know she's beautiful (but is SO super smart but doesn't listen to her friends either), athlete with no other culture or interests or friends aside from yoga and gettin' the girl.
Also, if you just want the characters to talk it all out-this is your book. If you want the heroine to randomly insert the story about her heart surgery to the hero in the oddest of odd times in detail, I'd still find another book.
It's like Mariana Zapata and Penny Reid had a baby, but with a better copy editor. Because, LORD those two.
Slowest of slow burns? Yes,and also the additional burn of Kindle Unlimited.
So anyway, this is about a STEM heroine who has red hair and drops into trivia when she's feeling socially anxious. She's got a smothering brother (I don't know why she works at his tattoo shop in addition to her engineering job, but ok) But yeah, paragraphs of trivia to deal with social anxiety.
Or is it just a rip off of Penny Reid? The social anxiety and the physical scar she carried never manifested into a barrier, just a backstory. No one here made her feel weird or out of place. Anyway, I wouldn't go hailing this as a triumph for mental health rep, since it's incredibly surface and only shown through self-talk and explanations. What I'm saying is it's artless.
For about 70%-75% of the book, I was just confused. I kept trying to remind myself these two were not in high school or junior high, but they were full-fledged adults. There is a party scene complete with details on the little brushes. Do not get me wrong, this can work. But like, what a set up? And this isn't 20% into the book, it's near 80.
I was so excited to read a heroine w/ glasses. I love my glasses! I love people in glasses! But really, if you were paying attention in elementary school you would know that glasses are nerdy, and this being nerdy and having glasses means people do not see they are beautiful. We should really look into this social/medical condition. (Glasses are not a character trait btw, but they will make me hot for the character unless it's this one)
For about 3/4 of the book, the heroine is trying to convince herself why the hero is friends with her. And I guess I don't know either? All her friends talk with her about is men. So I don't really find any of them that interesting.
But the hero, after a weird opening meet cute, is of course charmed by the socially inept brilliant engineer who hangs out with people who play role playing games, watch and cosplay LOTR among others and of course the hero's never seen LOTR because he's a cool ass jock footballer. C'mon. Those guys don't do anything nerdy! Only the smart socially weird and inept nerds even know what LOTR is!! By the way, he acts like a total ass b/c he realizes it is a set up and goes on to humiliate her. It is all explained at 92% so we have closure. What I know about him is he has sisters, he lived a fast life across the pond, and he's getting old for soccer and looks to get serious about life. I know this, because he said it in the book. Literally said it. To the heroine. Kind of almost just like this.
The conflict, aside from the opening chapter, came at 95%, but it wasn't really conflict then was it? So add weirdly paced to the list that includes weird rip off writing, stereotypical, doesn't know she's beautiful (but is SO super smart but doesn't listen to her friends either), athlete with no other culture or interests or friends aside from yoga and gettin' the girl.
Also, if you just want the characters to talk it all out-this is your book. If you want the heroine to randomly insert the story about her heart surgery to the hero in the oddest of odd times in detail, I'd still find another book.
It's like Mariana Zapata and Penny Reid had a baby, but with a better copy editor. Because, LORD those two.
Slowest of slow burns? Yes,and also the additional burn of Kindle Unlimited.
December 11, 2020
4,5 Sterne (= fast perfekt)
Heijeijeiii. Wo haben sich die ganzen Slowburns eigentlich in den letzten Monaten versteckt? Und jetzt tauchen sie alle auf einmal auf? I'm not complaining :)
ALLES war genial (vor allem, dass es nur aus Lennons Perspektive erzählt wird). Außer der Spannungsbogen.
Heijeijeiii. Wo haben sich die ganzen Slowburns eigentlich in den letzten Monaten versteckt? Und jetzt tauchen sie alle auf einmal auf? I'm not complaining :)
ALLES war genial (vor allem, dass es nur aus Lennons Perspektive erzählt wird). Außer der Spannungsbogen.
August 14, 2020
This was okay. I finished this off pretty quickly, not because I was invested in the story but because I wanted to know why Sebastian was such a jerk at the start. To be honest, the development of Sebastian and Lennon's relationship at the start confused me, just like it did Lennon. As it says in the blurb, "Sebastian Kincaid seems determined to bulldoze his way into my life"- I didn't really think too much of that going into the book but he does, in fact, come on pretty strong (at least for me). I mean, he turns up to her house uninvited when they barely know each other?? Could just be me though!
I usually like my books to be dual POV but I don't need them to be. Reading this book, however, reminded me why I liked dual POVs. I didn't feel like Sebastian had any personality at all. Yeah, he was cool and nice and good, but it made the romance in this just... cute, not memorable.
I feel like I'm being a downer about this book but I did like Lennon and the side characters (I'll be looking for those follow-up books if there are any!) and I had a few laughs- although sometimes I felt like the author was trying too hard to be funny. Overall, it was a pretty light and drama-free read, and those are always good :)
I usually like my books to be dual POV but I don't need them to be. Reading this book, however, reminded me why I liked dual POVs. I didn't feel like Sebastian had any personality at all. Yeah, he was cool and nice and good, but it made the romance in this just... cute, not memorable.
I feel like I'm being a downer about this book but I did like Lennon and the side characters (I'll be looking for those follow-up books if there are any!) and I had a few laughs- although sometimes I felt like the author was trying too hard to be funny. Overall, it was a pretty light and drama-free read, and those are always good :)
July 24, 2020
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year!!!
I am in love with Lennon and Sebastian. ❤️❤️❤️
I am in love with Lennon and Sebastian. ❤️❤️❤️
August 17, 2021
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I enjoyed this book but I can't say I was a big fan of the pacing. Lennon and Sebastian's romance was a super slow burn and that was actually okay for awhile. But then it started to feel like the story was dragging, especially with the added Patrick storyline that was thrown in and was just an added thing that was putting too much space between the scenes where we got to see the main characters together. I was just reading on and waiting for more romance that wasn't showing up. Until it did way too close to the end and then the book was over and I was left feeling like I missed out.
This was my first read from Emily Mayer and I may have had a few issues but I did really like the overall story and I'm actually looking forward to reading more from her. I would definitely be up for some more of Harrison if he got his own book.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I enjoyed this book but I can't say I was a big fan of the pacing. Lennon and Sebastian's romance was a super slow burn and that was actually okay for awhile. But then it started to feel like the story was dragging, especially with the added Patrick storyline that was thrown in and was just an added thing that was putting too much space between the scenes where we got to see the main characters together. I was just reading on and waiting for more romance that wasn't showing up. Until it did way too close to the end and then the book was over and I was left feeling like I missed out.
This was my first read from Emily Mayer and I may have had a few issues but I did really like the overall story and I'm actually looking forward to reading more from her. I would definitely be up for some more of Harrison if he got his own book.
August 9, 2020
I wanted to love this, because when I read that it features a STEM girl who's really shy and suffers from social anxiety, I was so excited. But I never connected with Lennon. At all. She often didn't feel like a real person to me, somehow.
And as with Mayer's first book, the single POV left me feeling just as confused as the heroine regarding the hero's intentions. I'm not the biggest single POV fan but I do think it can be really well done if the author is capable of truly showing what the leading man's intentions are or what he's probably feeling. I don't think Mayer is the best woman for the job, though. I had no idea why Sebastian would want to seek out Lennon after their initial, somewhat disastrous, meeting. We get an explanation eventually (at the 96% mark, so make of that what you will) but by that point I didn't really care anymore or find the explanation sufficient.
It doesn't help that when Sebastian shows up at the teahouse because he apparently wants to apologize, that Lennon doesn't utter more than five words and then flees. Yet somehow that suddenly turns into them texting back and forth and Lennon thinking of Sebastian as her friend. But ... it's a friendship with basically no basis? None of it made sense to me. He's an international football star, I'm gonna need a lot more to be convinced that a second David Beckham (the comparisons are plentiful) would be head over heels for the geeky aerospace engineer. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's definitely not, but it needs to be believable and there was never a point when I believed it here.
I was actually far more interested in Harrison and Paige possibly hitting it off and then was sad when we didn't get it. Maybe in a future book, because I'd enjoy reading about them.
This book also needed a better editor. There were way too many spelling and grammar mistakes and it threw me out of the story. Not to mention that apparently she doesn't know which Beatle is which.
I'm always going to be a tough audience for a football romance, though. I still have to find one besides Mariana Zapata's Kulti that I truly enjoy and find plausible.
And as with Mayer's first book, the single POV left me feeling just as confused as the heroine regarding the hero's intentions. I'm not the biggest single POV fan but I do think it can be really well done if the author is capable of truly showing what the leading man's intentions are or what he's probably feeling. I don't think Mayer is the best woman for the job, though. I had no idea why Sebastian would want to seek out Lennon after their initial, somewhat disastrous, meeting. We get an explanation eventually (at the 96% mark, so make of that what you will) but by that point I didn't really care anymore or find the explanation sufficient.
It doesn't help that when Sebastian shows up at the teahouse because he apparently wants to apologize, that Lennon doesn't utter more than five words and then flees. Yet somehow that suddenly turns into them texting back and forth and Lennon thinking of Sebastian as her friend. But ... it's a friendship with basically no basis? None of it made sense to me. He's an international football star, I'm gonna need a lot more to be convinced that a second David Beckham (the comparisons are plentiful) would be head over heels for the geeky aerospace engineer. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's definitely not, but it needs to be believable and there was never a point when I believed it here.
I was actually far more interested in Harrison and Paige possibly hitting it off and then was sad when we didn't get it. Maybe in a future book, because I'd enjoy reading about them.
This book also needed a better editor. There were way too many spelling and grammar mistakes and it threw me out of the story. Not to mention that apparently she doesn't know which Beatle is which.
I'm always going to be a tough audience for a football romance, though. I still have to find one besides Mariana Zapata's Kulti that I truly enjoy and find plausible.
August 25, 2023
How have I not heard of this book before? It's pretty cute! A refreshing sports-type romance. A good summer read. Anyway, definitely recommend!
January 8, 2023
Good, but forgettable. I enjoyed reading about Lennon’s friendships but the romance in this was severely lacking.
January 24, 2021
If you’re looking for a book so saccharine sweet it may even damage your teeth, look no further. This book is sure to satisfy any need for superficial rom-com. All in all, I will admit it was an easy read that I breezed through in an evening, though I failed to truly invest in any of the characters along the way.
The story is that of a geeky, bespectacled woman (Lennon) wooed by a hunky athlete (Sebastian). Lennon is an aerospace engineer, portrayed as socially awkward to the extreme. In fact, although her quirky mannerisms and backward behaviors are explained away as consequences of having been a medically-fragile child, the overall impression left me wondering if perhaps the author had either over-reached or intended the reader to suspect Aspergers. Sebastian, on the other hand, is an aging, though publicly recognized and wildly successful, soccer star, recently traded from Manchester United in the UK to the Supernovas in the US. Lennon and Sebastian end up doing a courtship tango that, for me, simply didn’t ring true. Not for a minute was I able to get past my cynical first impression, which was, WHY?
Lennon, at numerous points throughout the book, seems to be closer to 18 than her actual 26 years, and the book fails to move me past that sticking point. Sure, she’s smart, but Mayer never develops her beyond a geeky stereotype. Lennon enjoys Harry Potter, LOTR and Netflix teen rom-coms, and is content to build LEGO architecture in lieu of going out. Sebastian, however, has a playboy reputation, is hounded by paparazzi and lives in a minimalist apartment—a stereotypic professional athlete. The chemistry between the two is supposed to be vibrant and all encompassing, but it felt lukewarm at best, as I struggled to understand the connection. The reader is never privy to Sebastian’s thought processes regarding the relationship, so we are left to rely on Lennon’s skewed perspective. As such, there never felt like any frisson existed between them—no spark to explain their relationship.
Most good stories pivot on some time of conflict that offers the reader a seat at the table as that conflict is examined and, on some level, resolved. Rocket Science just never really offers anything beyond “girl meets boy and lives happily ever after.” Even the few social situations explored, offering a plethora of opportunities to give the reader insight into Lennon’s struggles and Sebastian’s reactions, always ended on a positive note with zero issues—unicorns and rainbows for everyone.
It’s quite possible that my mindset just wasn’t where it needed to be for this feel-good, life-is-a-bed-of-roses story. In the end, however, I was left with lingering doubts as to Sebastian’s motivations and Lennon’s sudden ability to seamlessly slide into a lifestyle so different from the one she knew. Just not for me.
The story is that of a geeky, bespectacled woman (Lennon) wooed by a hunky athlete (Sebastian). Lennon is an aerospace engineer, portrayed as socially awkward to the extreme. In fact, although her quirky mannerisms and backward behaviors are explained away as consequences of having been a medically-fragile child, the overall impression left me wondering if perhaps the author had either over-reached or intended the reader to suspect Aspergers. Sebastian, on the other hand, is an aging, though publicly recognized and wildly successful, soccer star, recently traded from Manchester United in the UK to the Supernovas in the US. Lennon and Sebastian end up doing a courtship tango that, for me, simply didn’t ring true. Not for a minute was I able to get past my cynical first impression, which was, WHY?
Lennon, at numerous points throughout the book, seems to be closer to 18 than her actual 26 years, and the book fails to move me past that sticking point. Sure, she’s smart, but Mayer never develops her beyond a geeky stereotype. Lennon enjoys Harry Potter, LOTR and Netflix teen rom-coms, and is content to build LEGO architecture in lieu of going out. Sebastian, however, has a playboy reputation, is hounded by paparazzi and lives in a minimalist apartment—a stereotypic professional athlete. The chemistry between the two is supposed to be vibrant and all encompassing, but it felt lukewarm at best, as I struggled to understand the connection. The reader is never privy to Sebastian’s thought processes regarding the relationship, so we are left to rely on Lennon’s skewed perspective. As such, there never felt like any frisson existed between them—no spark to explain their relationship.
Most good stories pivot on some time of conflict that offers the reader a seat at the table as that conflict is examined and, on some level, resolved. Rocket Science just never really offers anything beyond “girl meets boy and lives happily ever after.” Even the few social situations explored, offering a plethora of opportunities to give the reader insight into Lennon’s struggles and Sebastian’s reactions, always ended on a positive note with zero issues—unicorns and rainbows for everyone.
It’s quite possible that my mindset just wasn’t where it needed to be for this feel-good, life-is-a-bed-of-roses story. In the end, however, I was left with lingering doubts as to Sebastian’s motivations and Lennon’s sudden ability to seamlessly slide into a lifestyle so different from the one she knew. Just not for me.
October 20, 2020
I downloaded this after a friend of mine said the blurb sounded "cute." I'm not really into sports romance, so it sat on my kindle for a while before a week-long book slump sent me on a frantic hunt for something that might stick. Out of the several books I started, this was the one I couldn't put down. I stayed up 2 nights in a row to finish it and don't even regret the lack of sleep. Lennon is an absolute joy to read and Sebastian is D R E A M Y. I swooned so hard my skin tingled and my face hurt from grinning. It. Is. Adorable. Or to steal from New Girl, adorkable. I startled my poor sleeping poodle multiple times with random cheers, sighs, and cackles. Lots of cackles. And just to be clear, while the hero is a soccer...er...football player, I wouldn't consider this a sports romance since it's told from the heroine's POV. It's more of a rocket science romance which is both awesome and refreshing.
Now I'm diving into Mayer's debut, Everything Girl, without passing go, without collecting $200. I'd spend the rest of the year exhausting her backlist if she had one, and that hasn't happened since reading Rush a bazillion years ago.
Now I'm diving into Mayer's debut, Everything Girl, without passing go, without collecting $200. I'd spend the rest of the year exhausting her backlist if she had one, and that hasn't happened since reading Rush a bazillion years ago.
November 17, 2020
Reading this was like eating warm oatmeal. Fills you up but is Bland AF
April 5, 2025
In the beginning there was a scene that threw me off a little, but I went on since I liked the h. In the end, I thought the book was safe-ish.
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This book isn’t for everybody, as I said it’s a very slow burn story and nothing much happens. Also, we only get the h’s point of view, but since I like this type of writing I had a good time reading it.
.
This book isn’t for everybody, as I said it’s a very slow burn story and nothing much happens. Also, we only get the h’s point of view, but since I like this type of writing I had a good time reading it.
November 29, 2024
**4.5**
Emily Mayer is becoming a go-to author for a delightful slow burn romance. There were a few things that kept it from being a full 5-stars for me (parts of Lennon's character felt inconsistent. She was shy and socially awkward to the point that she couldn't always pick up on social cues, yet had charmingly dry personality at other times), but overall I devoured this whole. The banter and humor had me smiling, Lennon was a wonderfully fun character, and Sebastian was an absolute sweetheart (although I wish we learned more about him).
Emily Mayer is becoming a go-to author for a delightful slow burn romance. There were a few things that kept it from being a full 5-stars for me (parts of Lennon's character felt inconsistent. She was shy and socially awkward to the point that she couldn't always pick up on social cues, yet had charmingly dry personality at other times), but overall I devoured this whole. The banter and humor had me smiling, Lennon was a wonderfully fun character, and Sebastian was an absolute sweetheart (although I wish we learned more about him).
January 18, 2021
LOVED THIS ONE! A light, sweet slow burn with lots of humor!! My favorite kind of book!! Definitely will reread this again!!!
January 31, 2022
I adore “famous person meets average person” tropes. And, while that’s not exactly what I found here (I mean – Lennon is not exactly average by any stretch of the definition) it still sort of fit the bill and I was sucked in immediately. Lennon was almost over-the-top nerdy/quirky and watching her struggle with her shyness and awkwardness was both hilarious and, often, relatable. Watching her cluelessly fumble her way into a relationship with a sexy, suave, undeniably charming soccer star? This was a set-up for my absolute favorite kind of romance.
I can’t really put my finger on why this one wasn’t as magical for me as Everything Girl was. There was certainly a hefty amount of charm and heartfelt, sweet moments between Sebastian and Lennon. I actually found their slow burn kind of adorable and I loved the gentle way Sebastian adored Lennon while she worked her way toward catching a clue. I think the problem may have been in the pacing. The jump from the meet-cute to Sebastian’s interest was abrupt and confusing. It was also not explained until very very late in the book. I feel like I might have benefitted from that conversation earlier as it may have added a little angst and pull on my heart. I also wasn’t crazy about the “conflict” or Sebastian’s reason for his behavior at the original meet-cute. It just…fell flat for me and Lennon’s processing of it felt rushed and incomplete. I feel like that’s where things could have gone deeper and I missed that added layer of complexity here.
What I did love was the sisterhood. The female friendships in here felt really authentic and I loved how they rallied around each other, supporting, pushing, and working through the tough stuff together. They were a spicy, fun, fierce group and I adored the way they loved each other.
In all, this was a little bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it. Still, I think it’s worth the read and I will absolutely be back for more of Emily Mayer’s writing as I find it smart, witty, and wholly entertaining. ~ Shelly, 3.5 Stars
I can’t really put my finger on why this one wasn’t as magical for me as Everything Girl was. There was certainly a hefty amount of charm and heartfelt, sweet moments between Sebastian and Lennon. I actually found their slow burn kind of adorable and I loved the gentle way Sebastian adored Lennon while she worked her way toward catching a clue. I think the problem may have been in the pacing. The jump from the meet-cute to Sebastian’s interest was abrupt and confusing. It was also not explained until very very late in the book. I feel like I might have benefitted from that conversation earlier as it may have added a little angst and pull on my heart. I also wasn’t crazy about the “conflict” or Sebastian’s reason for his behavior at the original meet-cute. It just…fell flat for me and Lennon’s processing of it felt rushed and incomplete. I feel like that’s where things could have gone deeper and I missed that added layer of complexity here.
What I did love was the sisterhood. The female friendships in here felt really authentic and I loved how they rallied around each other, supporting, pushing, and working through the tough stuff together. They were a spicy, fun, fierce group and I adored the way they loved each other.
In all, this was a little bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it. Still, I think it’s worth the read and I will absolutely be back for more of Emily Mayer’s writing as I find it smart, witty, and wholly entertaining. ~ Shelly, 3.5 Stars
November 2, 2025
Even though the guy was a former Man United player, I thought it was a good read.
November 28, 2021
Emily Mayer is a new author to me so I went into this book reading some reviews first which is why I felt like I wouldn't like Lennon and her nerdiness but I was totally wrong. Honestly, I just loved her socially awkward self and her monologues made me feel so connected with her because she was so much like me!
"Social interaction was not one of my strengths. It wasn’t that I didn’t want friends or didn’t like people. I wasn’t antisocial. I envied people who were at ease no matter what situation they were thrown into."
And Sebastian was really swoon-worthy, he never made Lennon feel out of place, always listened to her rambling patiently and admired her smartness. Lennon & Sebastian came from two entirely different worlds but they somehow fit together perfectly. Sebastian's behaviour made me wish to have someone like him in my life lol.
"I decided to be an adult about this. I would simply ignore the problem until it went away."
The one thing I didn't like about the book is the part where What bugged me the most was that Sebastian never got to know about it and Lennon never told him either.
“I love every single thing about you that makes you different.”
But overall, the romance was really cute and the side characters were amazing and supportive. I'm just going to find out if Lennon's brother Harrison and her best friend Paige have their own book or not because man, I felt a whole load of chemistry between them! The book had some laugh out loud moments and very less amount of unnecessary drama and that's what made it entertaining. I would definitely recommend reading this if some long intellectual facts thrown in between don't bore you.
"Social interaction was not one of my strengths. It wasn’t that I didn’t want friends or didn’t like people. I wasn’t antisocial. I envied people who were at ease no matter what situation they were thrown into."
And Sebastian was really swoon-worthy, he never made Lennon feel out of place, always listened to her rambling patiently and admired her smartness. Lennon & Sebastian came from two entirely different worlds but they somehow fit together perfectly. Sebastian's behaviour made me wish to have someone like him in my life lol.
"I decided to be an adult about this. I would simply ignore the problem until it went away."
The one thing I didn't like about the book is the part where What bugged me the most was that Sebastian never got to know about it and Lennon never told him either.
“I love every single thing about you that makes you different.”
But overall, the romance was really cute and the side characters were amazing and supportive. I'm just going to find out if Lennon's brother Harrison and her best friend Paige have their own book or not because man, I felt a whole load of chemistry between them! The book had some laugh out loud moments and very less amount of unnecessary drama and that's what made it entertaining. I would definitely recommend reading this if some long intellectual facts thrown in between don't bore you.
October 25, 2020
Holy moly where has this book been hiding?! Wow. Okay. I’ll start by saying I have literally nothing negative to say about this book. It was amazing. In every way. There is something very unique and special about the way Emily Mayer told this story. It moved fast and smoothly, but at the same time didn’t leave anything out or leave you feeling bored. Her precision of dialogue and internal thoughts mirrored those that I may think or say out loud myself (ex: food trucks and HP⚡️) and because of this I related so well to every character. The way she portrayed Lennon’s social anxiety was so accurate and beautifully told. And the way that Sebastian reacted to her honesty about it was everything. I adored Lennon and Sebastian together and loved how genuine they were with each other.
Speaking of her characters: unbelievable. I’ve never read any characters written so passionately and with such purpose and drive. Sometimes authors write “throw away characters,” but not this one. From Lennon to Sebastian to Harrison to Paige to Janie to Lou to the “new best friends,” I was 100% invested in every character. Emily took her time developing a storyline for each person, even if it was small, and it left me wanting more. I want all of their stories now. I would LOVE to read Harrison’s 😍
Something I loved was that the author didn’t write some angsty hurdle for Lennon and Sebastian to “overcome” towards the end just for the sake of having a conflict. It was incredibly funny and romantic and didn’t need any unnecessary drama. This beautiful story was so full of humor, nerdom, sexual tension, strong family/friend bonds, and angry felines and that was enough. It was perfection.
I could not recommend this book enough and I give it all the stars. I NEED this to be a series because I’m not ready to say goodbye to everyone! 😂
Speaking of her characters: unbelievable. I’ve never read any characters written so passionately and with such purpose and drive. Sometimes authors write “throw away characters,” but not this one. From Lennon to Sebastian to Harrison to Paige to Janie to Lou to the “new best friends,” I was 100% invested in every character. Emily took her time developing a storyline for each person, even if it was small, and it left me wanting more. I want all of their stories now. I would LOVE to read Harrison’s 😍
Something I loved was that the author didn’t write some angsty hurdle for Lennon and Sebastian to “overcome” towards the end just for the sake of having a conflict. It was incredibly funny and romantic and didn’t need any unnecessary drama. This beautiful story was so full of humor, nerdom, sexual tension, strong family/friend bonds, and angry felines and that was enough. It was perfection.
I could not recommend this book enough and I give it all the stars. I NEED this to be a series because I’m not ready to say goodbye to everyone! 😂
March 31, 2022
"No one was worth being half of yourself."
This was such a great book!! I loved Lennon to bits and was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved being inside here brain for the entirety of the book as she learned to become more comfortable with herself and become the confident, kick-ass aerospace engineer icon she was always meant to be.
Seeing Lennon open up to Sebastian as time went on in this slow burn was SO satisfying. Felt like reaching the top of a mountain after a loooooong hike by the end. Sebastian was also so patient with her and was written as such a SWEETIE. :')
Big standout for me was the way that all the secondary characters were written. Mayer does a fantastic job with all her characters because I felt the same about the secondary characters in "Everything Girl" too. I absolutely adored every person in Lennon's direct circle. (ME SENDING WISHES INTO THE UNIVERSE FOR BOOKS TO BE WRITTEN ABOUT ANY/ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN LENNON'S LIFE.)
This was such a great book!! I loved Lennon to bits and was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved being inside here brain for the entirety of the book as she learned to become more comfortable with herself and become the confident, kick-ass aerospace engineer icon she was always meant to be.
Seeing Lennon open up to Sebastian as time went on in this slow burn was SO satisfying. Felt like reaching the top of a mountain after a loooooong hike by the end. Sebastian was also so patient with her and was written as such a SWEETIE. :')
Big standout for me was the way that all the secondary characters were written. Mayer does a fantastic job with all her characters because I felt the same about the secondary characters in "Everything Girl" too. I absolutely adored every person in Lennon's direct circle. (ME SENDING WISHES INTO THE UNIVERSE FOR BOOKS TO BE WRITTEN ABOUT ANY/ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN LENNON'S LIFE.)
August 10, 2021
Whoa!
So… this was just freaking adorable! It worries me at first and there were some moving parts I still don’t get but the story was sticky sweet!! You’ll enjoy it!
So… this was just freaking adorable! It worries me at first and there were some moving parts I still don’t get but the story was sticky sweet!! You’ll enjoy it!
November 22, 2024
Spoilers ahead, it's probably me not the book 🤦🏿♀️
Lennon is an incredibly nerdy areospace engineer who suffers from social anxiety in big groups. As a child she had a heart condition which led to her being home schooled and having surgery at 15 to fix it. Now she's got a great job and a great group of friends. Her friend Paige set her up in a blind date that turned out horribly.
Sebastian is a football (not the American kind) player who's been transferred from his English team to the US. On his first date there was a misunderstanding and he came across as an idiot with Lennon. His apology leads to a friendship that eventually turns to love.
******"
This could've, probably was, a cute friend's to lovers romance with a quirky h who was all things smart, cute and a little klutzy but I'm big on first impressions and Sebastian pissed me off so bad on their first meeting that inrage skimmed to find an explanation for his behaviour. An explanation that I didn't get until almost the very end.
First of all this was from the h's pov only, so the first date went like this.....he comes in with his hand at her friend's back.... he's introduced to Lennon and it becomes clear it was a fix up. Short time later he leaves the friend group to go to the bar and ow are hanging all over him. Lennon eventually left the bar, shortly after Sebastian tracked her down to apologise and from there the romance began. She was convincing herself he was only interested in her as a friend but he was trying. There were pics of him with another woman in the tabloids but again no explanation. Until the almost bitter end when the same woman is pictured again with him do we understand that a) he thought he was asked on a date with Lennon's friend so that's why he acted that way in the bar that night b) the woman was a friend of his sister's who he was in no way involved with. I needed that cleared up way before esp as the h never asked about it and since this is in her pov only we don't get an explanation until she finally asks him what happened.
I could not get those things out of my head for the entirety of this book so my enjoyment was very minimal with that hanging over my head. I guess there were no other dramas so the author held on to that as the little drama throughout the book 😒🙄. Just not my cuppa
Here's the scene
Ten minutes in, I realized Sebastian had ditched our group: There was no way such a “big deal” would have to wait ten minutes to be served a drink. The last five minutes passed with excruciating awkwardness—at least for me. Then the questions started about what could be taking Sebastian so long.
I caught a whispered exchange between Lia and Tamara followed by Lia darting a furtive glance behind her. My eyes followed hers to the bar. Sebastian was chatting up a pretty blonde who was leaning into him, stroking his arm with her free hand. He took a sip of beer before leaning in even closer to speak into her ear. She shoved his chest and laughed. As if that display wasn’t enough, two more women joined the blonde, seeming equally unaware of the rules governing personal space.
In what I can only assume was an unconscious self-preservation effort, my brain started to wander. I thought about how the bubbles in champagne were just chemical reactions aided by the tiny fibers left behind on the glass by towels or dust. I glanced over to where Sebastian was standing and saw that one of the hands I’d been admiring earlier had found a home on the hip of yet another new addition to the group. What did you call a group of beautiful women who seemed to orbit around the gravitational pull of an equally beautiful man? A harem was a close fit, but not quite right. A group of geese was a gaggle. My mind kept wanting to settle on a murder, commonly used in reference to a group of crows and also the best way to describe how I was feeling at the moment.
Anyways
Friends to lovers
h went on a date with another guy she met on a dating app during the time that she was convincing herself that she and the H were just friends
One assumes no one else for the H 😑🤷🏿♀️
Lennon is an incredibly nerdy areospace engineer who suffers from social anxiety in big groups. As a child she had a heart condition which led to her being home schooled and having surgery at 15 to fix it. Now she's got a great job and a great group of friends. Her friend Paige set her up in a blind date that turned out horribly.
Sebastian is a football (not the American kind) player who's been transferred from his English team to the US. On his first date there was a misunderstanding and he came across as an idiot with Lennon. His apology leads to a friendship that eventually turns to love.
******"
This could've, probably was, a cute friend's to lovers romance with a quirky h who was all things smart, cute and a little klutzy but I'm big on first impressions and Sebastian pissed me off so bad on their first meeting that inrage skimmed to find an explanation for his behaviour. An explanation that I didn't get until almost the very end.
First of all this was from the h's pov only, so the first date went like this.....he comes in with his hand at her friend's back.... he's introduced to Lennon and it becomes clear it was a fix up. Short time later he leaves the friend group to go to the bar and ow are hanging all over him. Lennon eventually left the bar, shortly after Sebastian tracked her down to apologise and from there the romance began. She was convincing herself he was only interested in her as a friend but he was trying. There were pics of him with another woman in the tabloids but again no explanation. Until the almost bitter end when the same woman is pictured again with him do we understand that a) he thought he was asked on a date with Lennon's friend so that's why he acted that way in the bar that night b) the woman was a friend of his sister's who he was in no way involved with. I needed that cleared up way before esp as the h never asked about it and since this is in her pov only we don't get an explanation until she finally asks him what happened.
I could not get those things out of my head for the entirety of this book so my enjoyment was very minimal with that hanging over my head. I guess there were no other dramas so the author held on to that as the little drama throughout the book 😒🙄. Just not my cuppa
Here's the scene
Ten minutes in, I realized Sebastian had ditched our group: There was no way such a “big deal” would have to wait ten minutes to be served a drink. The last five minutes passed with excruciating awkwardness—at least for me. Then the questions started about what could be taking Sebastian so long.
I caught a whispered exchange between Lia and Tamara followed by Lia darting a furtive glance behind her. My eyes followed hers to the bar. Sebastian was chatting up a pretty blonde who was leaning into him, stroking his arm with her free hand. He took a sip of beer before leaning in even closer to speak into her ear. She shoved his chest and laughed. As if that display wasn’t enough, two more women joined the blonde, seeming equally unaware of the rules governing personal space.
In what I can only assume was an unconscious self-preservation effort, my brain started to wander. I thought about how the bubbles in champagne were just chemical reactions aided by the tiny fibers left behind on the glass by towels or dust. I glanced over to where Sebastian was standing and saw that one of the hands I’d been admiring earlier had found a home on the hip of yet another new addition to the group. What did you call a group of beautiful women who seemed to orbit around the gravitational pull of an equally beautiful man? A harem was a close fit, but not quite right. A group of geese was a gaggle. My mind kept wanting to settle on a murder, commonly used in reference to a group of crows and also the best way to describe how I was feeling at the moment.
Anyways
Friends to lovers
h went on a date with another guy she met on a dating app during the time that she was convincing herself that she and the H were just friends
One assumes no one else for the H 😑🤷🏿♀️
February 2, 2023
Wow, this was a brilliant follow-up to Everything Girl. Emily Mayer has got the groove of the slow-burn romance.
Our main lady, Lennon, was just adorable. I was initially going to gripe about the fact she never had any therapy or professional counseling for her past physical limitations or her social anxiety. I know from personal experience that General Anxiety Disorder is a diagnosable condition, and there are many great medications to treat anxiety. But, ultimately, this story was about Lennon being brave and believing in herself, and that should be applauded not criticized.
Once you got to know Sebastian after the first disastrous meet-cute, he was starting to border on the too-perfect male love interest. Even the inevitable 97 percent-mark misunderstanding basically boiled down to Sebastian being too awesome for his own good, but that crook was handled very well and was resolved by adults acting like adults. There were a couple of points where Lennon simply told Sebastian some hard truths and allowed him to make his own judgements. For me, those are the real swoon-worthy moments.
I also want to give Mayer compliments on her fleshed-out side characters, some who I’d love to read about in their own books. Lennon had a great group of gal friends that were supportive and encouraging, rather than enabling. Often the “best friend” characters in romcoms are more a caricature than anything else, only there to fill out the trope; but not so in this book.
Anyway, Mayer is 2 for 2 for me in 5-star, fully enjoyed reads. Bravo and cheers. Oh, and cat! I almost forget to mention that there is a scene-stealing cat, which makes it 5.1-stars.
Our main lady, Lennon, was just adorable. I was initially going to gripe about the fact she never had any therapy or professional counseling for her past physical limitations or her social anxiety. I know from personal experience that General Anxiety Disorder is a diagnosable condition, and there are many great medications to treat anxiety. But, ultimately, this story was about Lennon being brave and believing in herself, and that should be applauded not criticized.
Once you got to know Sebastian after the first disastrous meet-cute, he was starting to border on the too-perfect male love interest. Even the inevitable 97 percent-mark misunderstanding basically boiled down to Sebastian being too awesome for his own good, but that crook was handled very well and was resolved by adults acting like adults. There were a couple of points where Lennon simply told Sebastian some hard truths and allowed him to make his own judgements. For me, those are the real swoon-worthy moments.
I also want to give Mayer compliments on her fleshed-out side characters, some who I’d love to read about in their own books. Lennon had a great group of gal friends that were supportive and encouraging, rather than enabling. Often the “best friend” characters in romcoms are more a caricature than anything else, only there to fill out the trope; but not so in this book.
Anyway, Mayer is 2 for 2 for me in 5-star, fully enjoyed reads. Bravo and cheers. Oh, and cat! I almost forget to mention that there is a scene-stealing cat, which makes it 5.1-stars.
November 16, 2020
2 Stars
I really wanted to enjoy this story, but it just didn't work for me overall.
1.) The story is written in 1st person. It's not my preferred POV, but when impeccably done (ie. Taylor Jenkins Reid and Katherine Center,) I'm not even aware of it. I'm simply immersed. This story started out a bit rough and it took some time for me to get past the conspicuous 1st person narrative.
2.) I wasn’t a fan of Lennon’s voice, cliched insecurities, and geek persona. I know it’s hard to work around cliches in romantic fiction, but originality isn't impossible.
3.) The hero was underdeveloped and I wasn't convinced of the couple’s connection. The emphasis on his positive character traits were a great body, nice accent, and pro-athlete. That’s what I knew about him.
I was confused during the couple’s first meet. I didn't understand Sebastian's behavior towards Lennon and didn't get a satisfactory explanation for it. There were a few moments when the author showed Sebastian taking care of Lennon, but not enough to understand his motivations. Finally, towards the end there were some explanations for his actions, but much too late for me to really care about the couple.
It would have been nice to see a stronger build-up of Sebastian’s characterization throughout - such as, meeting more of her friends and family. In fact, Seb didn't meet Lennon's brother until the epilogue where we were told about it. That in itself was strange, because Lennon and her brother were close and she worked at his shop regularly. Also, Sebastian's tattoos were an ongoing obsession of the Lennon's, so it made sense that Seb would have enjoyed visiting the tattoo shop. Missed opportunity.
Overall, this was a fluffy, easy read, but a bit cliched and lacking in good character development.
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