I have vivid memories of first seeing Ali Hazelwoodâs debut novel, The Love Hypothesis. It was on BookTok, and a creator was holding up the admittedly cutely animated cover featuring the two main characters kissing with various science paraphernalia behind them. I immediately scrolled past that video for a few reasons. One, I hadnât yet grown to actually like that cover art style yet. Two, I couldnât care less for science. And three, I really didnât read romance. At all.
I didnât think about Ali Hazelwood or her books for several years. And then, earlier this year, she released Bride, her first foray into the fantasy genre. Suddenly, my interest was piqued. Fantasy is my preferred genre, after all. I went into Bride with almost no expectations and ended up devouring the story in just a few short days. That reading experience spiraled into a several-month-long frenzy wherein I read every single Ali Hazelwood book I could get my hands on. To put it simply, I havenât been this excited about an authorâs collective works since I first got my hands on Sarah J. Maasâs ACOTAR series.
So, if youâre looking for the short answer, itâs yes, Ali Hazelwoodâs books are worth the hype. But if you want to know exactly why they are and where to start, hereâs my full Ali Hazelwood guide:
Introducing Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood is a New York Times bestselling author whoâs quickly become a beloved voice in contemporary romance. With her background in neuroscience, she brings a refreshingly unique twist to her novels, blending her love for science with heartwarming romance and relatable characters. Fans canât get enough of her engaging storiesâor her vibrant personality, which she shares regularly on social media. Whether sheâs working on her next bestseller or giving a glimpse into her day-to-day life, she brings an authentic charm that has readers hooked. If you havenât yet joined the Ali Hazelwood fan club, nowâs the timeâsheâs only getting started.
Do you have to read Ali Hazelwoodâs books in order?
Nope! Some charactes in the STEMinist novels appear or are mentioned in other books, but theyâre not central to the plot in any way. Theyâre blink-and-youâll-miss it references that will make you smile when you catch them. So, if youâre trying to figure out where to start with Ali Hazelwoodâs books, choose the one that sounds the most interesting to you. Once you finish, I guarantee youâll be back for the rest of her works.
Are Ali Hazelwoodâs books spicy?
It depends entirely on the book! Iâve included ratings and explanations for those ratings below. Generally, you can expect sex to occur on page in every Ali Hazelwood book, except for Check & Mate, which is classified as Young Adult. In Hazelwoodâs adult books, the expliciteness of the sex scenes varies, but Bride and Not in Love are the most graphic.
Ali Hazelwoodâs Unique Voice
Ali Hazelwoodâs writing style is the perfect mix of humor, romance, and realness, making her novels impossible to put down. Her breakout debut, The Love Hypothesis, quickly won readersâ hearts and secured her place as a Penguin Random House author. Drawing from her own experience as a woman in academia, Hazelwood brings authenticity and depth to her characters, crafting strong, relatable women who face the highs and lows of STEM fields. Her knack for weaving in scientific details without ever losing the charm or flow of her stories is part of what makes her books so unique.
Now, with her latest release, Bride, sheâs taking us into the world of paranormal romanceâshowing that sheâs not afraid to push boundaries and explore new genres. Itâs exciting to see an author so willing to experiment and grow, all while staying true to the humor and heart that made us love her in the first place. If you havenât yet been swept into Hazelwoodâs world, this is the perfect book to start withâsheâs only getting better.
Our review of every Ali Hazelwood book
1. The Love Hypothesis
Goodreads Rating: 4.14 out of 5 (1,455,330 ratings)
Spice level: 2/5, 1-2 explicit, but mild sex scenes
Iâll admit I firmly categorized The Love Hypothesis as not for me the first time I saw it. But I was so wrong. Iâve been on a rom-com kick lately, and I owe it all to The Love Hypothesis. After picking up Bride, I decided I needed to read all of Ali Hazelwoodâs books and picked up her debut next. Truthfully, I let the knowledge that it was her debut temper my expectations, but I loved every moment of this book. Itâs a light, easy, quick romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet for days. I thought Iâd be held up by the fact that this romance has a STEM backdrop (as do most of Hazelwoodâs catalog), but Hazelwood writes the scientific elements in an extremely accessible and engaging way. While reading The Love Hypothesis, I felt myself romanticizing my college days and wanting way more from Ali Hazelwood.
Ali Hazelwood
In an effort to convince her best friend that sheâs totally fine and happy, even, third-year Ph.D. candidate Olive kisses the first man she sees. That just happens to be Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professorâand well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanfordâs reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Oliveâs career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support.
WHAT OUR TEAM SAYS
âThe Love Hypothesis made me tear up and cry, and it wasnât even the romance that did it! I am just such a sucker for wholesome and supportive friendships, it definitely made me want to read more by Ali Hazelwood in the future.â
â Bella Gil, Associate Commerce Editor
2. Love on the Brain
Goodreads Rating: 3.92 out of 5 (477,341 ratings)
Spice level: 2/5, 1-2 explicit, but mild sex scenes
After reading The Love Hypothesis, I found myself wanting more of Ali Hazelwoodâs tried-and-true formula: scientists in love. So I immediately dove into her second novel, Love on the Brain. With Love on the Brain, Ali Hazelwood doesnât reinvent the wheelâand thatâs exactly what fans of The Love Hypothesis will want. Hazelwoodâs romances are kind of addicting and the STEM series, specifically, hits a lot of the same tropes from book to book. Quirky, wicked smart heroine? Check. Inexplicably handsome and antagonistic love interest? Check. Women in STEM fighting tooth and nail against their extremely sexist industry? Every single time. Love on the Brain is essentially the same book as The Love Hypothesis with a different skin. But if you ask me, thatâs exactly why it works.
Ali Hazelwood
Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? This line of thinking is what lands her at her dream job: leading a neuroengineering project at NASA. The only problem, her co-lead is Levi Ward. Sure, Levi is insanely attractive and caught her in his arms like a romance novel hero when she fell on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school, and itâs going to be very hard for these two archenemies to work together. To make matters worse, Beeâs equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and she finds her career floundering. When Levi begins softening into an ally, turning Bee into a mess of confused feelings, thereâs only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?
3. Love, Theoretically
Goodreads Rating: 4.11 out of 5 (427,042 ratings)
Spice level: 2/5, 1-2 explicit, but mild sex scenes
Love, Theoretically really shows Hazelwoodâs development as an authorâand while reading it, I repeatedly said to myself that this was her best yet and my favorite of the STEM series. After reading all of her books, that holds true. I love The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain because theyâre lighthearted and quick to read. Love, Theoretically has a depth to its characters I wasnât expecting but deeply appreciated. This was my fourth Ali Hazelwood book and the one that made me realize Hazelwood would be an auto-buy author for me going forward. It was still very much the fun rom-com I wanted it to be, but I also got lost in the story and found it unputdownable.
Ali Hazelwood
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, sheâs an adjunct professor hoping to land tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, embodying whichever version of herself her client needs. When the older brother of her favorite client, Jack Smith, turns out to be the same Jack Smith who ruined her mentorâs career and is on the hiring committee for Elsieâs dream job, her two lives come crashing down. Jack is adamantly against Elsie landing this job, and Elsie is already committed to making his life hell when she moves into the office down the hall. As Elsie gets further and further along in the interview process, she realizes Jack isnât the only person standing in her way. In fact, Jack might actually be on her side.
WHAT OUR TEAM SAYS
âAs someone on a constant quest to find adorably cheesy romance books that donât cross over into cringe-worthy territory, Ali Hazelwood is one of my go-to authors. Every book she releases is a must-read for me. Donât get me wrong, I have my favorites (spoiler alert: The Love Hypothesis is number one), and not every book earns that coveted five-star rating, but she is still one of my fav romance authors. Somehow, she makes science the sexiest, most romantic topic, and Iâm here for it.â
â Lauren Blue, Editorial Intern
4. Loathe to Love You
Goodreads Rating: 3.87 out of 5 (57,510 ratings)
Spice level: 2/5, 1-2 explicit, but mild sex scenes
By the time I read this novella collection in my Ali Hazelwood journey, I was desperate for any additional STEM rom-com crumbs I could get. These three interconnected yet distinct love stories each play on a classic romance trope or two in fun ways. My favorite was the second, Stuck with You, which features a soccer-loving main character who gets stuck in an elevator with her one-night stand gone wrong, but each story is equally delightful (and chaotic). This is the kind of collection thatâs perfect for the summer because you can read one novella in a single sitting (say at the beach, on your porch, or poolside).
Ali Hazelwood
In this collection of three novellas, three engineer besties navigate life post-Grad across the world, reconnecting to vent via FaceTime and IRL when their rivals threaten their sanityâand their hearts.
5. Check & Mate
Goodreads Rating: 3.98 out of 5 (210,896 ratings)
Spice level: 1/5, sex is discussed, but largely happens off page
We leave the world of women in STEM behind in favor of another frustratingly misogynistic industry in Check & Mate: Chess. This is Ali Hazelwoodâs Young Adult debut, and Iâll be honest, I didnât think I was going to like it. At 30, I find it nearly impossible to relate to 18-year-olds. And I was right. I didnât relate to Mallory and Nolan, but I did fall head-over-heels in love with them. Thatâs the power of Ali Hazelwood. You might think a book about two chess-playing teens has nothing for you, but Ali infuses it with such tension and depth that by the end, youâre crying, cheering, and pumping your fist in the air like you just won the Chess World Championship. This is a story about chess, yes, but itâs also about young love, misplaced guilt, and healing. I was not expecting Check & Mate to hit as hard as it did, but if I had to rank Ali Hazelwoodâs books, it would challenge for the top spot.
Ali Hazelwood
After chess led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory set it aside forever. When she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament, she comes face-to-face with the current world champion, Nolan Sawyer, and absolutely destroys him. Nolanâs loss to an unknown rookie shocks the chess world. Whatâs even more confusing? His desire to face her again. With much-needed cash prizes on the line (and a rekindled love for the game she tries to ignore), Mallory begins rocketing up the ranks, and the only person who can keep up with her is the infuriatingly attractive, intelligent, and frustrating Nolan.
WHAT OUR TEAM SAYS
âIâm new to the Ali Hazelwood club and itâs safe to say Iâm hooked. While some of the books have checked my boxes more than others, her unique storylines keep me coming back for more. If you live for a good spin on a classic trope, these academic plot lines will be right up your alley. She somehow manages to give me the tension, the spice and the drama (without pushing into oof this is too much territory) while also making me unpack my people pleasing tendencies!? Iâm a little bit convinced and scared that sheâs secretly reading my journal, but I love the personal growth her female leads experience, beyond their interactions with the love interest. It makes for a well balanced and addicting read. If the Chicago Public Library is reading this please hurry up and give me all the books Iâm patiently waiting on hold for.â
â Abi Moseman, Assistant Social Media Editor
6. Bride
Goodreads Rating: 4.05 out of 5 (317,726 ratings)
Spice level: 3/5, there are a handful of explicit sex scenes that are a big part of the plot
Fantasy girlies! Consider Bride your gateway to the Ali Hazelwood-verse and the world of rom-coms. From beginning to end, Bride is just a fun read. Like most of Hazelwoodâs books, Bride centers on a classic rom-com trope, the arranged marriage, but between the most famous fantasy enemies of the genre: vampires and werewolves. The relationship between Misery and Lowe develops at the perfect pace, giving readers all of the romance, slow-build tension, and payoff that make for a compelling romance. I loved this story and desperately hope Hazelwood returns to this genre. Until then, Iâm reading this on repeat (and Iâm sure you will be, too).
Ali Hazelwood
Misery Lark is the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre in the Southwestâand sheâs an outcastâagain. Forced to play her part to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, Misery agrees to marry their Alpha, Lowe Moreland. Itâs clear from the very start that Lowe doesnât trust her, and he has every reason not to. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this union, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing sheâs ever cared about.
7. Not in Love
Goodreads Rating: 3.74 out of 5 (70,534 ratings)
Spice level: 4/5, 4-5+ explicit and detailed sex scenes
I wrote an entire review dedicated to singing Not in Loveâs praises, and if youâve gotten this far in this article, you can guess already that I loved this Ali Hazelwood book, too. Not in Love is a little different from the lighthearted and fun rom-coms that make up the rest of Hazelwoodâs catalog. Itâs still a classic romance (meaning, donât worry, thereâs a happily ever after), but the characters navigate an intense and exciting life filled with traumatic events that play out on the page. While the subject matter is a little heavier in Not in Love, it still has Hazelwoodâs classic humor, no shortage of swoon-worthy romantic moments, and a wicked-smart, successful main character you canât help but root for.
Ali Hazelwood
Rue Siebert is a successful biotech engineer working at Kline, a promising food science start-up. The best part of her job? One of her best friends is her boss, and she gets free lab access and time to work on her personal projectâone that sheâs been guaranteed the patent for. Itâs a pretty sweet gig⦠until it isnât. When Eli Kilgore and his business partners arrive at Kline, announcing their plans to acquire the company, they threaten to upend Rueâs career. Despite being on opposite sides of the fight for Kline, Eli and Rue canât stay away from each other and enter a secret, no-strings-attached arrangement that has a clear end date: the day one of their sides prevails in the fight for Kline.
Verdict: Is the Hype Worth It?
Ali Hazelwood isnât just a New York Times bestselling authorâsheâs a master storyteller with a knack for blending romance, wit, and a dash of science. Her novels capture the kind of heartwarming, laugh-out-loud moments that feel as though they were written just for you, with relatable characters and plots that keep you hooked from start to finish. Beyond her stories, Hazelwoodâs infectious personality shines throughâsheâs an all-around delightful human who pours her passion into every book. If youâre a fan of clever rom-coms or enjoy a good paranormal twist, her books are a must-read. Trust me, the hype is real, and thereâs no better time to jump into her world of romance, humor, and charm.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content. Garri has experience writing and researching across many different niches, including news, beauty, fashion, history, sports, and pop culture. Garri has been writing about fantasy books on The Everygirl since 2021.
