Ali Hazelwood has been an auto-buy author for me since her first book, The Love Hypothesis. Her romances are mostly set in STEM and sometimes have a standard formula. Lately though, I love how she’s been expanding her range with books like Check & Mate and the paranormal romance Bride. NOT IN LOVE is another example of this that leans more into a different genre: erotic romance. 

 

Rue Siebert is a biotech engineer working in food preservation under the tutelage of Florence Kline. When Florence’s company is about to undergo a hostile takeover, Rue is reunited with Eli Killgore. Rue and Eli met on an online dating site, specifically for seeking intimacy. The takeover is personal for both of them, but neither cannot deny the attraction and connection they share, complicating matters of the mind and heart. 

 

NOT IN LOVE is not a romcom. It’s an angsty and mature romance of its kind that’s emotionally raw and lives up to what Ali Hazelwood explains in her Author’s Note. I couldn’t put it down and consider it my favorite of her books so far. I think knowing that this wasn’t a typical romance prepared me for what to expect (or not to expect). 

 

Rue and Eli have been through some difficult stuff in their lives that have greatly affected them. Intimacy is their way of communicating or expressing all those complicated feelings they have kept within them. To be honest, while the intimate scenes were descriptive, it didn’t feel completely salacious in that they were just spicy scenes. It added another layer to understanding how they felt and why they are both so guarded, but could also trust each other. The scenes showed more than they tell about Rue and Eli, and it is where I thought Ali Hazelwood had significantly changed as a writer. She handles those story beats and character developments well, tied with the corporate takeover, and carries it throughout the entire book. 

 

I’ve always liked Ali Hazelwood’s books, but this is one I really love because it felt real. It also seems like she’s having more fun and freedom in writing whatever she wants no matter how different, which has made me look forward to what else she has to share.