Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm

Love and Other Brain Experiments is a nonpareil, nifty, and nerdy STEM romance with characters whose emotional and intellectual chemistry makes you root for them from beginning to end.

Synopsis

Fake data is out of the question . . . but fake dating?

Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has always had success on the brain. In grad school, she turned down a job – and her accomplished boyfriend – to forge her own academic path. Five years later, she’s still single, hustling from project to project, and about to face her ex at a high-stakes conference – the same ex who once told her she’d never make it on her own.

When an argument with her meticulous and infuriatingly attractive rival Dr. Lewis North leads to a mistaken assumption that they’re a couple, Frances accidentally confirms the misconception, inadvertently putting both their careers at stake. Forced to keep up appearances, Frances and Lewis know that for any scientist worth their salt, faking data is out of the question. But fake dating?

That might just be genius.

Perfect for fans
STEM romance
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Forced proximity

Review

Love and Other Brain Experiments is a nerdy and delightful STEM romance that follows neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein, who is attending a major conference that could help her network and secure a new lab, since her current one has run out of funding and her grant is still uncertain.

The situation is already stressful with conference being hosted by her ex, Jacob (their relationship did not end well). On top of that, she is afraid of flying and forgets her medication, so things are already spiraling before she even lands.

Then she ends up helping another postdoc with his abstract on plane, only to realize he is none other than her academic rival, Dr. Lewis North, the same person who has been leaving harsh reviews on her papers. And just when things could not get more chaotic, Jacob’s fiancée assumes Frances and Lewis are together during registration, leaving Frances with no choice but to go along with a fake dating setup to protect her credibility and future prospects.

What starts as a well-planned fake dating arrangement with a fixed end date slowly turns into something much deeper as they begin to understand each other. It was interesting to see how they balanced keeping up appearances, whether they could make it believable, and what would happen once their agreement reached its end.

I really liked the writing and especially loved how the author made the dialogues and interactions feel nerdy in a way that actually suited the characters. The concept initially felt familiar, and I thought I knew exactly where the story was headed, but the author took some unexpected directions and executed them really well.

I was expecting more drama involving the ex, especially since there were hints that he might play a bigger negative role, but that turned out to be quite different. The story instead focused more on Lewis’s family, Frances’ uncertain situation and insecurity, which I found quite impactful.

Frances as a character was passionate, driven, and incredibly hardworking, and she deserved everything she was striving for. It was painful to see how much her past relationship with Jacob affected her confidence and the way she approached both her work and relationships. We are constantly reminded why she chose neuroscience and what her goals are, but after the breakup, it felt like she lost sight of how to enjoy the journey. She was so focused on reaching her goals that she was ready to put everything else aside, including her own happiness and well-being.

I really liked that it was not Lewis but her sister who helped her see this clearly. That moment felt important because it pushed Frances toward healing and rediscovering her love for science without losing herself and people she love in the process.

Lewis was just as brilliant as Frances, and after the initial chapters, especially after his confession, it became clear how much he admired her work and her mind. I loved how he respected her and helped rebuild her confidence. At the same time, it was heartbreaking to see that someone so accomplished was not valued by his own family, simply because he chose a different path than what his father wanted for him. That distance from his family, including his siblings, added another layer to his character.

His vulnerability stood out the most. The idea that no one he loved was there to support him during important moments was genuinely sad, and I liked how Frances changed that for him once they moved past their initial hostility. She stood up for him, supported him, and made sure he was not alone when it mattered.

The climax, however, surprised me in a way I did not fully love. I did not expect Lewis to hide or omit something so significant from Frances after everything they had been through. Frances’s anger made complete sense, but the way they handled the situation and parted felt off on both sides. It was unexpected and also really emotional.

That said, I did like what followed. It gave Frances the space to grow, heal, and repair important relationships in her life. I appreciated how she found her own path without compromising her values. And the way Frances and Lewis came back together, especially with that scientific presentation as a grand gesture, was honestly brilliant. That ending felt earned and deeply satisfying.

Overall, Love and Other Brain Experiments is a nonpareil, nifty, and nerdy STEM romance with characters whose emotional and intellectual chemistry makes you root for them from beginning to end.

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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Just in case you missed,,,

• April 2026 Wrap Up – Uneventful but also productive
• White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky – beautiful short classic
• Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm

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