Romance
The Love Hypothesis
A PhD student invents a boyfriend to convince her best friend she is over a crush, then grabs the nearest man to prove it. He turns out to be a feared young professor in her own department, and the pretence gets complicated fast.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2021
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 356
- Format
- Book 1 of 1 in The Love Hypothesis
Read this if you want a warm, funny academic romance with a grumpy hero and plenty of lab-bench banter.
Skip this if you prefer your romances low on contrivance or find science-workplace settings a bit too cute.
The feel
Content warnings
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Quick answers about The Love Hypothesis
- What is The Love Hypothesis about?
- A PhD student invents a boyfriend to convince her best friend she is over a crush, then grabs the nearest man to prove it. He turns out to be a feared young professor in her own department, and the pretence gets complicated fast.
- Who should read The Love Hypothesis?
- Read it if you want a warm, funny academic romance with a grumpy hero and plenty of lab-bench banter. Skip it if you prefer your romances low on contrivance or find science-workplace settings a bit too cute.
- How long and how fast is The Love Hypothesis?
- It is a medium-paced, medium read of about 356 pages, first published in 2021.
- Does The Love Hypothesis have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Sexual content.
- Can I borrow The Love Hypothesis for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Love Hypothesis; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Love Hypothesis?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Hating Game, Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved The Love Hypothesis
-
The Hating Game Another banter-heavy romance built on a tense workplace rivalry, with the same sharp, funny rhythm.
-
Beach Read Also a smart, bookish rom-com with a prickly leading man, though it has a little more emotional weight.
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The Kiss Quotient Another romance starring a brilliant, socially uncertain lead who learns about love through a very structured arrangement.
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