Hypothesis for Love

Romancing the Geek #1

by Emi Leon

Hypothesis for Love #5: The more time spent together, the more likely the individuals will experience romantic attraction towards each other.

I, Sophie Carson, am done with men. I postponed my PhD for my narcissistic, cheating ex-husband. Now, I'm finally divorced and back on track. Who needs romance when I have my research, best friend, and karaoke nights?

To gain valuable experience, I accept a summer research assistant position at a pharmaceutical company. Only it turns out my new boss is the gorgeous guy with a sexy British accent I kissed at a club. Dr. Max Goodall, however, doesn't remember me.

Now, we're stuck working together in a lab...just the two of us. Max is smart and hardworking, but we clash over everything. That doesn't stop our chemistry from growing exponentially. We can't react, or I'll lose job and, possibly, my heart.

Not happening.

All I have to do is ignore the attraction and focus on the data. Easy, right?

Hypothesis for Love is the first book in the Romancing the Geek series, a new steamy rom-com series set at a pharmaceutical company in Seattle, Washington. It features the enemies-to-lovers trope between a smart heroine who's done with men, and her sexy, nerdy scientist boss, who needs his project to succeed...or he'll be looking for a new job.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Stem

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 23, 2023

Reviews

[Sophia Buhrman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected at all-and not in a good way. Originally, I thought that maybe this was just one of those books with a large character arc. It was not, the male lead is just an ass the entire book. And when the female lead calls him out for it, and she was completely right for doing it, she gets silenced and made out to be overdramatic. These kinds of books put women in STEM so far back by making them sound overdramatic and loud, when in this case the female lead had every right to be. This book was filled with misogynic comments that are coated as sweet words from her sometimes boyfriend, when he feels like he wants that. I would not recommend this book to anyone, especially those that get mad easily about these things like I do.

[emma :) · Rating 1 out of 5]

ik hoopte op een simpele rip off van the love hypothesis, wat ik kreeg was sexisme, narcissisme, enigskindsyndroom en onafgemaakte plotlijnen. kan niet veel meer verwachten van een gratis boek tho. wil wel deel 2 lezen x

[NotTheTea · Rating 1 out of 5]

🧪🔬Why does man have to fall in love to not be a misogynist? In Max's case he's totally oblivious how misogynistic he really is.

🧪🔬I don't think I like jules. I'm on Sophie's side in this one. He didn't recognize her just because she dressed plainly. That's a red flag and all those misogynist remarks. And did I mention egoistic? He won't even hear what Sophie has to say because she's his assistant and god forbid he made a mistake.

🧪🔬It's like their kiss didn't affect Max at all. He doesn't even mention it on his monologues.

🧪🔬Man there's bantering and there's full arguing. It's not banter what's going on here. Max is being a total misogynistic asshole. He even knows that he's being unprofessional and cruel towards her but he chalks it up to him being a nerd. Excuse freaking me you plain douchebag! Idk how he'll be redeemed at least for me cause I'm a grudge holding bitch.

🧪🔬Omg! God forbid it benefits women and not man.😱

🧪🔬If Max wasn't the hero in this book thn he would have been the power hungry ass licker antagonist who in every turn reminds how women are beneath them.

🧪🔬At 34% I looked up some reviews of this book. And I understand that it'll go downhill. No redemption for Max. I'm not sure I'd like to torture myself with this. Soo ..... After that I skimmed through the book and I found out Max keeps being douche, treat Sophie like crap, discard her thn pick her back up thn treat her like crap again plus no grovel whatsoever even that couldn't have redeem him for me but still they didn't even bother. Fuck this book 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

[Veronique · Rating 1 out of 5]

Max is a misogynistic douche bag and Sophie is boring. They spend the most part of their time arguing and running in circles, and what's more in a toxic work environment. Fun fact... or not: Sophie's best friend is in a polyamorous relationship - not my cup of tea, but mostly I don't see what this fact, which is brought up a lot, adds to the story. Point blank, there's literally nothing right in this book.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpleasant Situations . . .

Sophie Carson had made sacrifices for her husband, delaying her PhD to keep him happy. In return, he cheated. So she is officially divorced, no longer interested in a relationship, and heading out to a club to celebrate the momentous event with her best friend Juliette Harris, aka Jules. When Jules gives the very drunk Sophie a push to make her fall into the arms of a sexy British guy, she was able to talk him into sharing a few drinks and a kiss they both thoroughly enjoyed. They had no idea they would be crossing paths again.

Dr. Max Goodall is a nerdy workaholic scientist at a pharmaceutical company and needs an assistant. When Sophie is hired as a summer research assistant, she finds that her new boss is the man she met at the club, and he doesn’t even recognize her despite their very memorable kiss! It doesn’t take long to become attracted to each other, because the chemistry was always there. Yet they can’t seem to agree on anything, keeping the reader chuckling at their ceaseless banter. Things definitely changed as they got closer. When Orchid was talked about in conjunction with the Happy Pill Max was working on, there were mixed ideas about it. But when an accidentally posted You-Tube video causes chaos at the company, even though only a few people saw it before it was removed, Sophie submits her resignation letter rather than let Max be harmed by her mistake. But when he didn’t speak up for her, she was hurt. She would have nothing further to do with the company… nor Max.

There is much more going on in this situation and reaction from many of those involved with the projects. So grab your copy to see whether this can be sorted out, and whether Max and Sophie will ever see each other again.

[Minnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐|2🌶|4%🌶frequency

Oh Max, Max, Max.... 🙈 I wouldn't say he has problems with women, but still he has his difficulties with them 🤣 He is a wonderful man, but in his work he comes around as a misogynist. He definitely isn't one. But he is a typical scientist in the pharmaceutical industry. They never think about women when they test meds. There are 50% women on this earth, and still they forget us 🤬 So did Max with his studies 😎
Does he want to admit his mistake? Of course not, he is a guy 🙈

I love the dynamic between Max and Sophie. They have so much chemistry, or as they call it, biochemistry 😉

Sophie is a strong woman. Or at least she is now. She learned it the hard way to become a strong woman. Her ex-husband is 🤬🤬🤬 I would have 🔪 his 🍆 this 🍑🕳️ (thanks for all these emojis 😎).

I loved seeing Jules and Reid from the prequel again. I still miss their way to their HEA, even though they have a very different HEA than it's in most books, but everyone is different, so every relationship is different, and I won't judge 😁 It still sounds interesting, even though it wouldn't be for me.

I only have this one book, but I'll read the rest of the series soon. I'm very excited about the other MCs. Most of them already appeared in this book, and they sound very interesting too 🤩


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[Paige Brearley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the story of Sophie and Max. Their beginning didn’t start off all that great, but when you give someone a fake name at first meeting things are bound to be a little rocky.

Sophie is a newly divorced woman in her thirties and is now trying to finish up her PhD, that she put off when she got married. Her friend Jules takes her out for a night to let loose and celebrate her divorce being finalized when they run into Max. Of course Sophie thought she would never see Max again, until she becomes his lab assistant.

When they are thrown back together, its not the best start. Max wants to throw her out of the lab, but he needs the help. Of course their banter goes from hostile to flirty. They try to stay away from each other and not act on their feelings, but its easier said than done. I loved seeing their relationship blossom. I enjoyed the realness in how the characters were written and how bold and strong to their convictions they could be, but at the same time when they took the time to be vulnerable with each other it just worked.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written and look forward to reading more of Emi Leon’s books. (I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.)

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This STEM office romance is set in a pharmaceutical company where Dr Max Goodall is a scientist working on a new drug. His new research assistant, Sophie has been hired temporarily to assist him with data analysis and he purposely chose her as she looked quiet and demure from her CV photo. However, she is anything but.
She is a divorcée that is busy with her PhD and has spent too many years being a doormat to her lawyer ex husband and is not prepared to do that any longer.
She picks up an anomaly and tries to persuade Max to change direction with this new pharmaceutical pill. Max's arms are tied as the higher ups in the company dictate what he has to work on. This leads to quite a lot of conflict.
It doesn't help that they are wildly attracted to each other and that Sophie sees below Max's scientist geeky exterior. They had also met outside of work and shared a very steamy kiss whilst Sophie was drunk and prior to meeting again in Max's lab.
The story was interesting and the characters on the whole were likeable though there were one or two instances when I felt tempted to slap both of them over the head. Their relationship took quite a bit of effort to get to their HFN.

[EVANGELIA MARAGKOPOULOU · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny and sexy book about two scientists . Sophie just got the paper of her divorce and she is celebrating with her best friend Jules when hile drunk she almost fell down the sidewalk when a handsome English man save her . To thank him they go for a drink in a bar and while they dance they share a kiss . When she is offered to work as an assistant at a pharmaceutical company her boss is the guy she kissed and the worsed of all is that he doesn't recognise her . While she is doing her job she discover a mistake he hadn't notice . Max is very passionate about this project and had spend two years work on it , when Sophie tells him that there is something wrong with it he is very defensive of his work . They start to bikering but there is attraction between them . What will happen when Max has to choose between Sophie or his work ?
I loved Sophie that she didn't let anymore men tell her what to do like her husband did , she has every right to speak her own mind .

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harriet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie is finally divorced, it's taken two years but she is ready to move on. She has been working on herself and her hangups that have plagued her and worsened following her marriage to a narcissistic gaslighter. She has gone back to school and is well on her way to getting her PHd. The night of the divorce she has a special run in with a hot geeky stranger only to discover that they are about to be working very closely for the foreseeable.

Max is British, moved to Seattle to make a difference in the pharmaceutical world, ready for love but not sure how to separate and prioritise home life over work, as he is tied to his work for deeply personal reasons. When he meets Sophie his world implodes, and he doesn't know what to do.

This is a great read, both characters were relatable, funny, caring and compassionate but deeply influenced by their past and own versions of events.
A perfect read if you want a fun, sexy and geeky read with a side of 90s music, confidence, therapy and laughter.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While out celebrating the finalization of her divorce after two years, Sophie is drunk and falls into her own "Bridgerton's" arms. Max is a sexy green-eyed Brit with an accent to die for and a kiss that makes her swoon. Weeks later, she's accepting a summer position as a research assistant at a prestigious pharmaceutical company and her boss is none other than her sexy Brit. She's immediately put off when he doesn't reignite her, then with his seemingly misogynistic attitude. They just rub each other the wrong way, especially when she finds an error in his research and he gets all offensive. How can the Max she first met be the same man as this geeky workaholic with a stick up his... well, you know?
These two definitely put the chemistry in biochem! Even when they were fighting, the sparks were flying although they each had their own insecurities to work through. And in the end, nothing else mattered besides staying together.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable romance in a laboratory. 4*
Sophie and Max are co-workers at a pharmaceutical company. They are portrayed as likeable individuals, both trying to ignore their growing attraction for one another. Being co-workers, their relationships wouldn't be looked upon favourably. They are both brilliant scientists and Max handles it rather well that it took a Ph.D. student to point out a mistake in his research methodology. Their attraction reaches boiling point, and the novel becomes a rather steamy one with a soothing HEA. What I found strange, was the direction of their research, which focused on finding a “happy pill” for “him and her". A mood-altering drug that combats depression, is free from side effects, yet is non-addictive! Oh, please! However, all in all, this novel was easy-to-read and enjoyable, and was nice to see that the protagonists were scientists which as a profession don’t often become stars of romance novels.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Musing · Rating 4 out of 5]

DO you love funny, intelligent, a little inappropriate but wonderfully brave heroines? What about the geeky, gorgeous, highly emotionally dysfunctional hero? Oh, and did I mention he was British? Hope you're salivating, as if you love all those things, plus witty, quirky banter, terrible Karaoke attempts that engender fabulous supporters, ingenious science-geek plot additions, you're set for a fun read.
Hypothesis for Love is the first book I've read by Emi Leon, but I'll definitely be back. Intuitive attention was given to the pitiable grief and heartache caused by a failed marriage, but that sorrow was gently massaged between honest, vibrant friendship and chaotic, problematic romance. The book was filled with unexpected story beats that kept me turning the pages. I genuinely loved all the characters and wanted them to find happiness. Preferably with each other.
If reading books with geeky protagonists is your jam, you will be delightfully entertained by Hypothesis for Love.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hypothesis for Love features Sophie Carson, a recently divorced PhD student, and Dr. Max Goodall, a British MD/PhD working in pharma. Their paths cross one night when Sophie is out celebrating her divorce where they share a very passionate, yet unexpected kiss. They then meet again when Sophie goes to work in Max's lab as a research assistant.

I'm always up for a STEM book however this one left me wanting. I loved the science aspect but did not enjoy Max's (initial) lack of respect for Sophie and her knowledge and experience. Sadly, this is often the case for women in STEM and therefore, in that respect, was realistic. I wanted Sophie to stand up for herself without behaving poorly. In addition, while I can appreciate good sex, I felt like Sophie deserved more especially given her last relationship. I wanted Max to be a better partner and offer her more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The journal entries from Sophie are priceless and had me laughing.

This book also contained my favorite quote of the year: "Oh, to be stupid and in love. I had been. Only I was in love with a d*ck. I mean that literally." I howled with laughter!

Max and Sophie meet up during a karaoke night gone very bad. Sophie is celebrating the "dissolution" of her marriage and may have overdone it. And bumped into Max. And gave him a false name. And totally kissed him.

She is thriled to learn she has been hand picked for a cushy assignment at work - a research assistant for a large project. Unfortunately, she is now working for Bridgerton - aka Max. And she oversteps her boundaries and questions his project. But really, how could he forget their kiss when that's all she can think of?

I cannot even describe adequately how much I enjoyed this book!!!!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Emi, and it will NOT be my last. The book spoke STEM speak without confusing me, and the characters were profane at times which FITS, it doesn't seem forced. And, the steam is so high in this book my hair got frizzy! I received a complimentary advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Sophie and Jules are hysterical. I loved that Jules didn't take Sophie's side and called her out when she was being irrational. Max needed emergency surgery to remove the giant stick from his ass for most of the book. I loved how Sophie was able to shake him up and get him out of his comfort zone. My favorite quote from the book was, "That you should like whoever the dick in your mouth belongs to." I wish I had gotten that advice in my 20s. I cannot WAIT for the next book in this series!

[Naomi Billingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never loved and hated a character so much in my life!

A cute, fun and frustrating storyline all bundled into the lives of Sophie and Max. From an accidental meeting, to enemies, to lovers... to enemies... to lovers, we see the relationship between develop between two scientists.

The story of Sophie, recently divorced, sworn off men (haha right), shows great insights into the struggles women face with the STEM world.

Max, struggling with losing his friend, NEEDs the Happy Pill to work. He wants to save lives. Even if he has to be an ass to get there.

I love the banter, and this is written so incredibly well that you will literally find yourself furious with a fictional character, then love him again, and repeat the process.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! As a woman in STEM myself, I liked the bits of scientific jargon thrown in throughout the story, and it added to the characterization of Sophie. I found it comical how a chance encounter with a guy could derail Sophie’s life so much, and there are moments in this book that had me cringing from how much I relate to them. This book also highlights the important issue of how women in STEM fields are often (mis)treated, and that made me appreciate the story more. While I liked Max for his British accent and pure heart, his back and forth debate about Sophie for 80% of the book was kind of annoying. Especially when the chemistry was sizzling hot from the start. Overall, this was a great enemies to lovers book set in the a world where the lab and love collide.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Max and Sophie’s journey. Sophie is newly divorced and while out celebrating with her best friend, she almost falls and a sexy British guy comes to her rescue, and they share a few drinks and a kiss. Max is scientist who needs an assistant, and Sophie is sent as his assistant, only to find out the sexy man she crossed paths with, is now her new boss, and to make things worse he does not recognize her. The sparks fly between these two and they butt heads over absolutely everything. This is a well written story which is humorous, and with witty banter, emotions, and love, which leads to a steamy and entertaining page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Lyn ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could go back in time and decide not to read this. These characters were insufferable esp the FMC and Jules. I’m sorry but if Jules is your bestie, she’s a horrible friend. The fact that she told Sophie to change her appearance for work made me sick. In the real world, Sophie would have been fired so many times over with what she did on social media then has the nerve to feel disappointed that the company she works for is asking for the data back like girl. You’re lucky that’s all they’re doing…..the project and data ISNT yours. Get your head out of your ass.

The MMC is just rude and nasty idc how sexy your British accent makes you. Everytime he’s frustrated he takes it out on her, calls her ugly or something just as nasty. All the bs he says is so unnecessary and gross.

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, but I picked it up anyways. I sure am glad I did! Sophie has some issues, but she is working through them. When she bumps into Max on her way to a bar, and then he ends up becoming her boss--whoa, baby! The sparks fly in this story and if you're into science, this will be a great story. Some of the writing was a bit technical, but if you understand it, this is a great read!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star.

Since this author is a new writer, I always want to give the benefit of the doubt and not be overly harsh. But this was just poor writing. I’m so disappointed. I read the first chapter and instantly was like “nope nope nope nope.” It was so bad. So instead I skimmed 98% of it to try to find the science, especially any experiments done in the lab (actual scientific ones). Couldn’t find any! She spends all the time in the lab just analyzing data, I was so disappointed.

This was a big ol fat nope from me.

[Ramona Morris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a prime example why throwing a British accent on a male character sometimes doesnt work. I found myself asking the female character like sis why do you want this man after divorcing a guy just like him. Almost three hundred pages in and I wouldn't give him the time of day this century or the next. Amazing you're a scientist. Not amazing are the awful manners you have and the casual way you toss sexism around the place.By the time they visit grandma, I'm like ummm okay. All over this should've been a DNF. What I got was a painful read with a character I didn't want to root for.

[Ulli Zaiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie and Max meet by chance one night and there is instant chemistry. A little while later she becomes his lab assistant but he does not recognise her. They are at each other's throat but still work together and eventually they do more than just work.
I liked the book well enough but it had its lengths and I didn't care much for the ongoing back and forth between the main characters.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Esmee · Rating 2 out of 5]

50 procent. Ik was erg teleurgesteld... Blijkbaar hebben ze gezoend en blijkbaar werd hij haar baas. Maar ze was zo gekwetst dat hij haar niet herkende? Oke, laat het gaan ze hebben toch niks uitgewisseld. En hij blijkt een respectloze klootzak te zijn? Vergeet hem dan! Je ex man was al zo... Je hebt hem dan niet nodig.. je pikt dit omdat hij knap is? Wtf... Wilde eerst 1 ster geven, maar aangezien dit boek nieuw is, wilde ik het gemiddelde niet omlaag gooien..

[Idalia Helaena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this enemies to lovers workplace romance was complete and utter perfection. I adored Max and Sophie’s love story, I thought their connection was well developed and that they were both great characters. Max made mistakes, but he definitely ended up fixing them, so it’s totally okay!!! I loved Sophie because she wasn’t just pretty, she was also intelligent and funny. This was a fabulous romantic comedy, and I highly recommend it!!!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the chemistry between Max and Sophie, the tension made it all the more enjoyable when they finally got together.
I liked that the story didn't feel rushed in any way, so I got to enjoy the plot and the characters interactions more.

Overall I enjoyed this rom-com in a science setting and I hope that there's more to come.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marsha Graniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hypothesis for Love is my first book by Emi Leon and I loved it!! Sophie and Max’s story is a office/science romance, that have a lot of witty banter, strong chemistry, spice, and romance. I love the characters and how they interact with each other. I really enjoyed reading by their story and can’t wait to read more!!

I voluntarily leave an honest review of this Advanced Readers Copy.

[Julia Griffis - The Romance Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hypothesis for Love was fun, sexy, and entertaining, and I loved Max and Sophie’s story! I can’t wait to see what Emi Leon has in store for the next standalone in the Romancing the Geek series!

Proofread for author.

[Beki Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. That slow burn will most likely make you spontaneously combust but it will allllll be worth it. Absolutely recommended for anyone who loves some spice with their nerd.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.