I don’t know how she does it, but Hazelwood has such a skill for writing love stories that are exceptionally bingeable to me – no matter the tropes. Fast burn, “it’s just a hookup” romances featuring prickly, black cat heroines are usually not my favorites, but I ate this up in a single day. The chemistry between these two was palpable, the story was fresh and different, and I was completely immersed in the romance. It’s significantly spicier than Ali’s usual, with a couple who work out their frustrations and discover their compatibility in the bedroom before they let emotions get involved. It’s got definite “he falls first” vibes with a forbidden element and an edge of dislike, which made every interaction feel charged with tension. So good. It’s also truly dual perspective (unusual for the author), so I loved getting to see both sides of the story and scrutinizing every scene for the deeper meaning beneath the heat. It kept me on my toes and made me adore the couple in a way I didn’t expect – I loved it!
The story follows Rue, a scientist working on a project that is close to her heart. She’s friends with her boss and admires the woman’s accomplishments, so Rue is upset when some finance guys step in and attempt to do a hostile takeover of the company. Even worse, though? One of the guys is Eli, Rue’s failed hookup and unexpected connection from the night before. The two are on opposite sides of a very messy situation, but it’s impossible to deny that they’ve got a connection. A physical one, at least – Rue doesn’t let emotions get involved with anyone. But there’s something about Eli that keeps pulling her back in, even when she loathes everything he represents.
In some ways, this felt like a “Hazelwood” book, and in others it was very, very different. For starters, the spice level is MUCH higher than usual – perhaps even higher heat than a Tessa Bailey book, for example. It might not be for the same audience as The Love Hypothesis, but I read all heat levels, so I was happy to go along for the ride. The spice is also incredibly important to the relationship development, revealing things about these characters and the way they feel about each other. The spice is also intimate and fueled by sexual tension, so it lends plenty of depth to the story. The forbidden element was great, and I liked that more layers were revealed as the story progressed. I also loved that we got so much of Eli’s perspective – he is such a fantastic character, so steady and sure in some ways, yet so out of his element with his girl. Rue is a true black cat heroine, reluctant to get involved and a definite flight risk. They were fire together, and I loved them both more and more as the story progressed. This held my attention with ease, and showcased just how addictive Hazelwood’s writing style is to me.
Releases on June 11th – preorder today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WO1y4o
Audio Note:
Duet narration alert! I can’t even tell you how excited I was when I realized this was duet style. I was expecting most of the book to be narrated by Callie Dalton (she’s not a favorite of mine, but she consistently does an excellent job). So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover that Jason Clarke has a MUCH larger role than anticipated – he is one of my favorites, for sure. They both did a phenomenal job with their performances, and having them narrate as a duet took things to a whole other level. It’s a fast burn and stays spicy the whole way through, so I would not recommend this one for the office, lol. But it’s perfect for a full-day binge. At around 12 hours, it was a lot to get through in a single day, but there was no way I was setting it down. I loved the story, and I am very glad I was able to experience it on audio. Highly recommended!
Find it on Libro.fm here
Audible: https://amzn.to/3X6vs3L
Blurb:
A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.
Releases on June 11th – preorder today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WO1y4o
About the Author:
Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).
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