Olive Smith, a Ph.D. student in biology at Stanford, doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships. However, to convince her best friend Anh that she’s moved on from an old crush, she impulsively kisses the first man she sees—who happens to be Dr. Adam Carlsen, a young and notoriously grumpy professor.

To her surprise, Adam agrees to fake-date her, each having their own reasons: Olive needs to prove to Anh that she’s in a relationship, while Adam benefits from the university seeing him as more approachable. But as their fake relationship progresses, Olive starts to develop real feelings for Adam, and soon, she must confront her growing emotions while navigating the challenges of academia and scientific research.

With humor, heart, and a strong focus on women in STEM, The Love Hypothesis is a witty and emotional romance about love, science, and taking risks in both research and relationships.