Every 2 weeks or so we’re reviewing books that we found interesting. These books may range from nonfiction to fantasy to informative to escapism. Our hope is that we find something for everyone, and to broaden awareness, access, and information pertaining to sex, sexual health, pleasure, and beyond!
The Love Hypothesis is Ali Hazelwood’s first and most popular novel. It follows Olive Smith, a PhD student in Stanford’s Biology department, and Stanford professor Adam Carlsen as they start fake dating by accident.
The story starts with Olive trying to prove to her best friend that she is over her ex and dating someone else, when in fact she isn’t. This results in Olive asking the nearest person to her if she can kiss them, who ends up being Dr. Carlsen, the meanest professor in the department.
This novel by Hazelwood is cheesy, fun and does a great job of showcasing what academia looks like behind the scenes. Olive often feels like she is inadequate at her work and is lost in the academic game, which isa feeling that students of any age will resonate with.
One recurring theme in the novel is harassment in the academic setting, both sexual/gender based harassment and general student harassment, and discusses options that people can have in those situations. Olive is determined, stubborn and fully in charge of her trajectory (outside of accidentally fake dating a professor) and a character that I think many people in their early university lives would be able to look up to.
The novel does include some sexual content, however the scenes involve continuous consent and are a great example of honest communication. This novel would be a great choice for anyone who is looking for a cute and cheesy rom-com, people who like reading books before seeing the movies (a movie is set to come out soon) and for anyone who is interested in learning more about how academia works.