Totally in love with Not in Love!

Synopsis:

A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through - and he's a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can't stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business - one that plays for keeps.

Not in Love came out on June 11th and was a knockout by Ali Hazelwood. I received an advanced reading copy, these are my thoughts. The book starts with Rue learning all she can about what might be coming with the company she works for. Rue and Tisha are doctors who work on food nanotechnology. Tisha asks about Rue’s latest hookup and the scene changes to the night before. Eli narrates the next chapter and it's his point of view of meeting Rue. The plan was a quick hookup, but when someone Rue knows shows, the night goes downhill. Rue never hooks up with the same person twice, but she questions her rule with Eli. The next day, when Rue and Tisha go to the big meeting about the “loan assignment”, Eli is in the front with her boss and friend Florence. He is part of the company taking over the business. The book continues on with how Rue and Eli navigate their relationship/not relationship. 

Not in Love got my heart. I may not have the same issues as Rue, but I appreciate how Hazelwood approached another type of neurodivergent with her main character. Being neurodivergent and having kids who are also neurodivergent, Ali is bringing light to how people like us navigate relationships, whether romantic or just commonplace relationships like co-workers. Eli showed patience and realized early on that Rue did want to love him. She just had to realize that Eli would love her just as she was, no need for her to change. And to top that off, they were working for opposing teams. That added another wrench to their already crazy relationship. They had their ups and downs like all of us, but reading the ride was crazily enjoyable. 

I learned about food insecurity. My thought went immediately to an eating disorder, but I was wrong. Rue’s background touched on topics I have never thought much about. Rue needing to control how she ate was so very interesting. I think of needing to control things in different ways, but never in needing to control how she ate, or needing to sit down. And Eli just rolled with her quirks. He had some of his own and they needed to figure out how to work together with words and not just attack the problems with sex. 

Not in Love was a little more on the spicy side. Ali mentions at the beginning of the book how this is very different from her other books. It is not so much of a rom-com but more of an erotic romance. She gives the reader clear expectations and I respect her more for it. Great read. I will recommend it. 10 outta 10 if you are good with a spicier romance. The story is fantastic. On my reread list and going to be an audiobook listen as well. 

I am going to be a little more me in my posts. I am worried I have forgotten how. That being said,  thank you Ali for another crossover mention! I love that Nolan and Mallory made an appearance. I love Check & Mate! I reread it because of my love for them! Ali is awesome with her crossovers. Read Check & Mate too!!!

‘Til the next book! 

Ashleigh

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