Ought to You Learn ‘Not in Love’ by Ali Hazelwood?

A number of months in the past, I learn my very first Ali Hazelwood e book, Bride. If you happen to’re a fan of Hazelwood, you would possibly marvel what took me so lengthy to lastly seize one in every of her books. In any case, her first novel, The Love Speculation, turned an on the spot bestseller in 2021 and catapulted her into romance-author stardom. And that proper there’s why it took me 4 years to select up one in every of her books for myself. I, traditionally, don’t love the romance style. I dip my toes in once in a while, positive, however I have a tendency to remain firmly in fantasy land. Nonetheless, after studying and loving Bride, Ali Hazelwood’s first e book within the paranormal romance style, I launched into a feverish three-month-long journey to learn her complete catalog, culminating together with her most up-to-date launch, Not in Love.

I’ve cherished every part Ali Hazelwood has written—however after studying Not in Love, I’ve a sense this e book isn’t going to be for everybody (however what e book is?). So, do you have to learn Not in Love? Right here’s my evaluate and whether or not I believe you need to decide it up.

What’s Not in Love about?

Not in Love is Ali Hazelwood’s newest “ladies in STEM” romance novel, becoming a member of The Love Speculation, Love on the Mind, Detest to Love You, and Love, Theoretically in a vaguely related shared universe (some characters obtain blink-and-you’ll-miss-it mentions in different books). In Not in Love, we meet Rue Siebert, a profitable biotech engineer working at Kline, a promising meals science start-up. One of the best a part of her job? One in every of her greatest associates is her boss and he or she will get free lab entry and time to work on her private venture—one which she’s been assured the patent for. It’s a reasonably candy gig… till it isn’t.

When Eli Kilgore and his enterprise companions arrive at Kline, saying their plans to amass the corporate, they threaten to upend Rue’s profession. Regardless of being on reverse sides of the combat for Kline, Eli and Rue can’t keep away from one another and enter a secret, no-strings-attached association that has a transparent finish date: the day one in every of their sides prevails within the combat for Kline.

My Assessment of Not in Love

I cherished Ali Hazelwood’s earlier books as a result of they had been easy, light-hearted rom-coms that I might breeze via in a day. For readers in search of extra of the identical, Not in Love isn’t precisely that. In Hazelwood’s personal phrases, it’s extra of an “erotic romance” with “angstier themes.” I’ll be trustworthy, that descriptor gave me pause. After I decide up a Hazelwood romance, I’m in search of a trope-filled good time set in opposition to a STEM backdrop—not one thing that may make me face some harsher realities.

Regardless of this preliminary trepidation, I dove headfirst into Not in Love. The tonal shift between Hazelwood’s rom-coms and Not in Love is instantly obvious. Each Rue and Eli battle with their traumatic childhoods, and Hazelwood doesn’t draw back from detailing their experiences. As adults, Rue and Eli cope in the one means that is smart to them: via intercourse. For Rue, this implies by no means being in a long-term relationship and as an alternative solely partaking in “simply O.Okay.” one-night stands earlier than she meets Eli, who doesn’t draw back from the darkest components of her.

Whereas I missed the lightness of Hazelwood’s earlier works, Not in Love was completely consuming. Ali Hazelwood additionally mentioned she felt each insecure and happy with this story, and I perceive why. That is very a lot essentially the most sophisticated novel in her catalog. In earlier tales, the happily-ever-after was a foregone conclusion, and the massive battle was black-and-white. In Not in Love, regardless of the actual fact I knew there can be a HEA (and there’s, don’t fear), I really didn’t understand how our foremost characters would get there. And that saved me turning web page after web page.

In contrast to in Hazelwood’s earlier works, the place it typically looks like the battle takes a backseat to the romance, I used to be simply as invested within the battle of Not in Love as I used to be within the love story. Primarily as a result of there was depth and complexity to the state of affairs (regardless of, for my part, there nonetheless is a transparent proper and flawed) that left me feeling sympathy for the social gathering within the “flawed.”

If Ali Hazelwood’s earlier books had been akin to a 30-minute sitcom that ends with the gang laughing round a shared desk, Not in Love is a messy, hour-long drama that takes you on a journey earlier than you get to the comfortable ending. I really like Ali Hazelwood’s books as a result of I’m assured a compelling romance that ends fortunately in just some hundred pages. However I really like Not in Love for its unabashed portrayal of flawed people and the truth of being caught in a battle the place somebody will win, but additionally everybody will lose.

So, do you have to learn Not in Love?

If Not in Love is a bit messier and extra actual than her earlier works, the place does that go away Hazelwood followers who desire a extra lighthearted story? Effectively, first, test the content material warnings for Not in Love and ensure you’re comfy with a number of the darker features this story touches on. And if you’re, I say learn on as a result of Not in Love is mostly a stellar e book. Having learn all of Hazelwood’s books in such a brief time period, I can see very clearly how a lot her writing has developed over time. With every e book, she will get higher and higher, and Not in Love is not any exception. I cherished it, and I’m assured you’ll, too.