Where are our hot STEMinists at? Even if you are not into nerdy, academia, contemporary romance, Ali Hazelwood can definitely change your mind with her romance novel, Love on the Brain. And if the reputation of the author isn’t convincing enough, then the broody, misunderstood enemy can! Oh yes, the dark-haired, green-eyed protagonist has brains as much as a killer body…
Anyway, if you are into more action, and high-stakes romance, you can have a look at our Onyx Storm Summary, and if you prefer dark vibes, then meet the Haunting Adeline’s Characters, and read the summary asap!
Too shocking for you? No worries. Read through our Punk 57 summary, and let this smutty, slightly dark bully romance sweep you off your feet.
Love on the Brain
Did we mention that Ali has ventured into fantasy romance as well? Here is the summary of Bride, soon to have a sequel. Can’t wait!
With no further ado, let’s dive into the Love on the Brain synopsis, but beware of spoilers on the way…
Bee Königswasser is an aspirational and brilliant neuroscientist, whose appearance and attitude are a lot more appealing than her job title. With a purple ombre hairstyle, quirky tattoos, a septum piercing, and the most unexpected stylistic choices, she works through her depression, and trust issues. She also runs a successful anonymous Twitter account, where she rants about the unfair treatment of women in neuroscience and not. She goes by: What Would Marie Curie Do? Needless to say, Bee lives by this motto.
Having lost her parents, and moving from one relative’s house to another all her childhood with her twin sister, she develops a deep need for belonging, and building a stable life in one place. With her crappy job, though, things get complicated, making Bee reconsider her bold choice to become a woman in STEM. That is, until a life-changing opportunity arrives at her doorstep with NASA’s stamp on it.
At last, her hard work is rewarded. She can make a difference in her field, and chase the career she has been dreaming of since she was a child. However, when she moves to NASA’s laboratories in Houston, she finds out that she is to co-lead the neuroengineering project named BLINK. Things could not get worse, but then, she bumps into Levi Ward, her grad school nemesis, aka the guy who hated her guts during grad school. Sweet!
Levi not only challenges her at every turn, but also he is a constant reminder of a dark period in Bee’s life, when she was engaged to his best friend, and caught him cheating on her with her best friend. Ha! You thought Ali Hazelwood’s books were all honey and sweet rom-com? Cue for relatable trauma.
The funny thing is that the more she collaborates with Levi, the more he messes with her mind, debunking her stereotypes of patriarchy in STEM. Don’t get us wrong, men in STEM are a hard pill to swallow, but Levi is not one of them. Or is it all a ploy to stab her in the back afterwards?
He quietly fights everyone who undermines her, and soon Bee will find out that he was the one who asked to collaborate with her in the first place. Being around him like this, confuses Bee a great deal. She does not want to get close to him, understand his motives, or even find out why he was such a jerk during their academic years—okay, just a little bit curious about that.
However, she can’t fall into the same dark hole again; humans are not to be trusted. She has been heartbroken before, so now she will protect herself at all costs. Even from the handsome, six-feet-four firestorm called Levi Ward.
A common trip to attend a conference will challenge their dynamic. Levi and Bee come face to face with her ex-betrothed and her ex-best friend. Bee spirals, finding herself drowning in hurtful memories and self-loathing. Levi listens, and they end up trauma-bonding over Star Wars movies.
Some misfortunes happen, obstacles that prevent them from seeing their project through, but it all narrows down to one moment—one confession—that will change everything. One wants to take things further, while the other can only settle for the short-term. We will not reveal who is who, but you will be surprised!
A twist leaves us dumbfounded by the end of the book when the person undermining Levi and Bee’s work reveals themselves, even putting Bee’s life in danger.
Oh, relax, it is still a happy ending!
Well, they may not be at each other’s throats in death-threatening situations, take Xaden and Violet, but yes, there can be enemies in nerd romance, too. Archenemies, if you like. Bee and Levi were at the top of their class, with Levi outshining her after graduation. But that is not what makes Bee “allergic” to him. It was his own aloof attitude whenever they were in the same place. He looked at her like she disgusted him, and when Bee dated his best friend, he kept avoiding her or making sharp comments that felt completely out of place. Bee could not help but think that Levi did not approve of her.
However, we know better about boys who mistreat girls at school, right? Maybe our breakdown of Fourth Wing characters can help you understand how one falls in love with their enemy.
Ali Hazelwood’s signature theme is developing strong female heroines who have the guts to join the male-dominated field of science. With unique metaphors and quirky humor, Bee faces every form of sexism thrown her way. Her sole weapon? Her sharp wits. She knows she can make a difference, and so she will fight for others to see it, too. That does not mean that she has not come up with original categories of stereotypical men in STEM. It is rather hilarious, really. A Dickslotion in the Testosteroven, to quote her.
It is good that yearning romance has come back into the spotlight, lately. A pinning male is the sweetest little treat for every reader out there. Well, if you are into romance, that is. Coincidences, forced proximity, and plot twists are what bring Bee and Levi together, but the more the distance closes, the more they back off, afraid of the fire it ignites. And there is plenty of history between them. Who fell first, and who fell harder? Come on, it must be crystal clear by now.
Talking about slow-burn romance, and yearning, take a look at our When the Moon Hatched summary, and come back to cry together.
The book is literally called Love on the Brain, and you did not expect banter and humor? It is true that the characters have their own code to communicate, and some STEM jokes, which, if you were asleep in your physics class, you might miss. But that is not the point. The way the dialogue is delivered traps you in a sweet spiral of giggling and kicking your feet. Bee and Levi are attracted to each other, yes, but the mind work that was needed to reach each other was truly impressive. Rihanna should now. Nevertheless, the level of miscommunication is also high, making things a lot more fun!
Readers love Love on the Brain because it is smart. No one. Ever. Levi Ward is the reason we all picked up the book. It is okay, we are programmed by nature to judge a book by its cover, no one judges you! He is handsome, persistent, intelligent, nerdy, broody, mysterious… we can go all day.
Of course, Bee is a very relatable character. Her job might not appeal to every girlie out there, but she is inspiring. She teaches us that sometimes, you do not need the approval of others to chase after your dreams, but only that of yourself. Some food for thought until the next time! We hope the book is on your bookshelf, literal or virtual, by then.
Summing up the Love of the Brain summary, we totally recommend you do your research on Ali Hazelwood’s works, starting with her first book The Love Hypothesis, then Love Theoretically, Not in Love, and of course, Love on the Brain. If you love quirky characters, strong-willed heroines, and a slow-burn romance, run to your Amazon account or add these titles to your Goodreads library.
Not a fan of these options? Check out our list of Goodreads alternatives and pick the best one for you.
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Ali Hazelwood’s Love on the Brain contains some intimate scenes, with slightly explicit language, but nothing too much. It is sweet rather than spicy. The yearning, though, can be hotter than five peppers!
Yes, it is possible to read Love on the Brain without having read Ali’s debut novel, The Love Hypothesis. All her books can be read as standalones, but they are connected thematically with the women-in-STEM theme, and all the characters are in the same universe.
The main character in Love on the Brain is Bee Königswasser, and her love interest is Levi Ward, her archenemy. There are some more people we get to see in the story, like Rocío, Bee’s assistant, who has her own love story developed.
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
