Start On: June 29, 2023
Finished On: June 29, 2023
Format: Physical Book

Book Summary:

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice? (Summary from Goodreads)

“Bold of you to assume that the real me is my best hand.”
“Foolish of you to think it isn’t.”

Review/Thoughts:

I think it’s safe to say that if Ali writes it, I’m going to be obsessed. I couldn’t put it down, I read it in less than 24 hours.

The people-pleaser in me connected with Elsie right away, her character is very likable and down to earth. I also loved Jack’s character, he is so caring and sweet. I loved them both as individual characters and as a couple. Ali can definitely write the most likable characters.

My only complaint is that it is very similar to Ali’s other books, but I love them all. Her books always feel like coming home to a warm hug.

Get the book here. (paid link)