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Ali Hazelwood has become basically a household name in romance reader circles – and with good reason. Her books are spicy, clever, and compelling, with female leads that defy the genre’s stereotypes while still hitting the beats of our favourite tropes. Her latest novel is Not In Love, a corporate rivalry romance with STEM seasoning, and the brilliant team at Hachette Australia were kind enough to send me a copy for review.
Rue Siebert is a scary-smart heroine, a scientist working on an innovation that will keep food fresher for longer in the hopes of ending the food insecurity that plagued her own upbringing. Her boss gives her free rein to work on the project, even though it’s only tangentially related to the burgeoning biofuel start-up she works for. She’s so busy with science and her best friend that she barely has time for love. She’s satisfied with the occasional app-sourced hook-up: no feelings, no repeats.
She matches with Eli, a smart and sexy businessan. Their hook-up doesn’t exactly go to plan when it’s interrupted by Rue’s belligerent brother, but Eli’s happy to save his damsel in distress. They part, both sure they’d never see the other again, despite the instant and undeniable chemistry between them – until the next day, when Eli shows up at an all-staff meeting. He’s one of the venture capitalists taking over the company Rue works for, and taking down the boss she loves.
It’s forbidden love! It’s super steamy! And Eli has a huge dog named Tiny! Not In Love checked all the boxes, even the ones I didn’t know I had, for a romance novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it – even to a romance reader novice, or an Ali Hazelwood first-timer.
Read Not In Love on audiobook via Libro.fm here. (affiliate link)
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