By: Ali Hazelwood
I always feel slightly nervous for the second novel release from a writer whose first book is wildly popular or critically acclaimed. There must be a strange amount of pressure to show you are not some sort of one-hit wonder, or to prove you are an actual writer as opposed to someone who writes, if that makes sense? So, I was equally eager and hesitant to read Ali Hazelwood’s Love on the Brain. Not to be completely #basic, but I found her first novel, The Love Hypothesis, to be extremely charming and adorable. (I was very much less enamored with her novellas, as I blogged about here.) AND what is my verdict you ask??? This probably does not sound like the endorsement that I mean it to be: but I didn’t hate it. It is not as good as The Love Hypothesis, but it is also much better than those ridiculous novellas, my god.
Love on the Brain is pretty formulaic. Not that I am reading this book for the twists and turns of a mystery, but even I knew who the “bad guy” was immediately, although I am still a little confused on his motivation. I get he was mad he wasn’t the leader any longer, but he was trying to sabotage his own work there too, right? That seems dumb and maybe a reason as to why he was removed from a leadership role. Also, I am not planning anything, but HOW DOES ONE GET A GUN INTO NASA? That lack of security is very, very concerning. I am barely in charge of my own life, but I adamantly feel that no matter how high your security clearance, you shouldn’t be able to bring weapons into NASA.
Bee, the female heroine, is also a little too quirky. The thing with quirky people is that, in both life and a novel, they are only acceptable in small doses. Once they become the main focus, it veers into annoying very quickly. Like, the fainting disorder and the veganism and the Marie Curie obsessing and the uncontrollable crying over roadkill and the love of cats? All those things? Maybe just 2 of the 5? There was a solid building of her backstory with her character’s history of losing her parents young, and then being shuffled between family members all over Europe which helped the reader understand why she would have dated and stayed with the terrible bag of garbage, Tim. It also gave credence to being leery of involving herself in another long-term relationship. And, so I didn’t need her sobbing over the death of random animals along the side of the highway on a road trip.
In a very good development, I really like that Hazelwood had Levi, the male hero, attend therapy in the intervening years between when the characters first meet in grad school and then later become co-workers on this current project. A lot of writers use the “I thought he hated me” troupe (which I admit I like), but then the writer actually must explain the rude/awful behavior in a way that not only makes sense for the story, but also can show that these two crazy fools are going to have a healthy happily ever after. Otherwise, you have a guy treating a girl terribly, but in this dangerous view of, it is fine because he loves her. I just feel that perpetuates an unhealthy view of a relationship. Having Levi participate in therapy, which he did for the betterment of himself not some end goal to get the girl, was an excellent way to show how he was able to change and that it would be for the long-term.
I really do like that Hazelwood’s main characters are all extremely brilliant people with fancy degrees, who truly care about the actual science. And, I love how she depicts the main female character as breathtakingly smart, but also as a whole person. I think in literature and other forms of media, there is this pervasive idea that a woman can only be one thing– so if she is beautiful, she has to be dumb; if she is sporty, she cannot also be into the arts, etc. Like, we all sort of prefer for someone to just stay in her one lane. I think it does such a disservice to all people, but definitely women, to allow this sort of caricature to continue. Hazelwood always makes her main character a brilliant scientist, who is also pretty with quirky insecurities (see above) BUT! It is nice to show the juxtaposition of a scientific genius, who also enjoys trashy television.
But to get to the love story, I do love when the boy is pining for the girl, unknowingly to her. Bee’s inability to read some of Levi’s signals did become a little grating, but that is also because Bee was a little grating. These two people are clearly very compatible and will be fine in the long run, which is really why I read the novels in the first place.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 /5
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Brain-Ali-Hazelwood/dp/0593336844
Or an independent bookstore! Try Joseph-Beth Booksellers, where I was able to purchase a signed copy! https://www.josephbeth.com/search/site/Love%20on%20the%20brain