A Love by Design (The Secret Scientists of London, #3) by Elizabeth Everett – Review

Tags

4 stars, Book Review, Elizabeth Everett, engineering, England, historical, humor, London, Regency, romance, series

Review of A Love by Design

Two best friends, soul mates really, reconnect after years.  One, George, is a young Earl trying to reform English education.   The other, Margaret, is a talented engineer who wants to become successful on her own terms.  It’s 1820 though, when the rich English class doesn’t think that everyone should be educated and women aren’t hired to design bridges.  Both seem to be making headway though, but there are issues around every single corner.

My heart went out to these two, both individually fighting their own battles. All the while, reviving their friendship and becoming closer than ever.  But it seems they can never really be together. 

I really liked this story.  George is funny.  Margaret is serious, but she does have a sense of humor.  They are so lovely together.  The villain(s) were rather obvious and they threw some serious wrenches into George and Margaret’s plans.  Ultimately, the pair will have to figure out that they accomplish more together than they do apart. 

It was a bit murky as to how things got from the last chapter to the epilogue.  And the story did not end like I wanted it to, but it ended as it needed to.  The book includes hints about what happened in the first two books of this series and may impel you to read them.  However, the story stands well alone. 

I love the writing in this story.  It is mostly straight-forward prose, but occasionally, Ms. Everett throws in an inciteful, almost poetic, phrase or paragraph.  They accent the story with elegance and charm.  And also make me want to read more from this author.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.

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About A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett

You couldn’t design a better hero than the very eligible and extremely charming Earl Grantham. Unless, of course, you are Margaret Gault, who wants nothing to do with the man who broke her youthful heart.

Widowed and determined, Margaret Gault has returned to Athena’s Retreat and the welcoming arms of her fellow secret scientists with an ambitious plan in mind: to establish England’s first woman-owned engineering firm. But from the moment she sets foot in London her plans are threatened by greedy investors and—at literally every turn—the irritatingly attractive Earl Grantham, a man she can never forgive.
 
George Willis, the Earl Grantham, is thrilled that the woman he has loved since childhood has returned to London. Not as thrilling, however, is her decision to undertake an engineering commission from his political archnemesis. When Margaret’s future and Grantham’s parliamentary reforms come into conflict, Grantham must use every ounce of charm he possesses—along with his stunning good looks and flawless physique, of course—to win Margaret over to his cause.
 
Facing obstacles seemingly too large to dismantle, will Grantham and Margaret remain forever disconnected or can they find a way to bridge their differences, rekindle the passion of their youth, and construct a love built to last?

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STEM and STEAM – Feature

Tags

Art, design, engineering, feature, history, math, science, steam, STEM, technology, writing

Instead of a review today, I am just going to talk.  I don’t often stray from book reviews, but after reading three successive books about women in scientific careers, and noticing an unintentional theme, I was inspired to put some additional thoughts out there. And then ramble a bit…..

Perhaps you’ve noticed that the theme this week has been academia.  All the books I’ve been reviewing feature women who were, for at least a part of the story, in graduate school.  Kate Khavari’s A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by took place in the 1920’s.  Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus took place in the 1950’s and 1960’s.  Wednesday’s book, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, is a contemporary academic romance.  All three main characters have a scientific field of study.   

While I was putting this week together, I learned a new word.  STEMinist.  The Urban Dictionary gives more than one definition, but the one I like is “A person who believes that all social groups deserve equal representation in STEM fields.”

Continuing in the STEMinist theme, tomorrow’s review will be of a book that features a female engineer.  A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett takes place in 1820 London.  The books reviewed this week cover two centuries of strong women determined to succeed in STEM careers.  

STEM is a big deal these days in schools and in libraries.  STEM activities get lots of support.  Boys and girls are encouraged to explore analytical fields.  I am all for that.  In an ever-changing technological world, we need people to pursue those fields.

However.  (Did you know that “However,” was coming?)  Without creative thought, there would be no advances in any STEM field.  While I am not hugely blessed with artistic talent, I feel the arts are just as important as science, technology, engineering and math.  Many people feel this way. That’s how STEAM came about.  Guess what the ‘A’ stands for.

STEAM recognizes that creative skills and knowledge of arts including design, writing and history are needed in order for the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math to even exist.  Without some initial creative thought, there would be no need for advances in the sciences. Encouraging creativity in kids is critical for our future. We need those original thinkers in all disciplines to solve tomorrow’s problems.

Sadly, the term STEAM is used far less often than STEM.  (The Urban Dictionary says this when I look up STEAMinist “Sorry, we couldn’t find: STEAMinist”.

As a reader of the types of books I feature on this blog, I can’t help but think you also believe that creativity is important.  To that end, I am asking you to support the arts in your community.  Whether it is in the schools, libraries, or community projects, making the arts accessible to all is good for everyone!  I believe this whole-heartedly! Support comes in many forms. At my library, my favorite form is enthusiastic thanks for the programs we offer. Donations are good. Volunteering is lovely! By tickets to concerts. Purchase art pieces from your local artists. Somehow, let the creative people around you know that you appreciate their contributions. I probably don’t need to tell you that buying and reading books also supports the arts. 🙂

I will leave you with two quotes. First from a writer:

“There are two kinds of truth: the truth that lights the way and the truth that warms the heart. The first of these is science, and the second is art. Neither is independent of the other or more important than the other. Without art science would be as useless as a pair of high forceps in the hands of a plumber. Without science art would become a crude mess of folklore and emotional quackery. The truth of art keeps science from becoming inhuman, and the truth of science keeps art from becoming ridiculous.” Raymond Chandler, writer

And because this also about STEAMinism and I like equal representation, here is what an astronaut has to say about science and art:

“Sciences provide an understanding of a universal experience, Arts are a universal understanding of a personal experience… they are both a part of us and a manifestation of the same thing… the arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity” Mae Jemison, astronaut

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – Review

Tags

5 stars, academia, Ali Hazelwood, Book Review, humor, romance

Review of The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis is rom-com all the way.  It starts out with a kiss, develops into a fake relationship (for all the best reasons) and graduates to something much more.  Funny, charming and heartwarming, the book has everything that should be included in a rom-com.

Each chapter starts with a hypothesis that may not be very scientific or even be provable, but will inevitably be verified by events in Olive’s life.  Helping her to prove those hypotheses are her graduate school friends and Dr. Adam Carlsen. 

Adam is not known as a warm human being.  “Destroyer of research careers” has been said about him.   There are reasons he is the way he is, though it will take the whole book for Olive to figure it out.  Suddenly kissing Adam in the hallway (without realizing who she was kissing) puts Olive in Adams sights.  Which could be very good or could be very bad.

There is a lot of uncertainty which has Olive and Adam thinking that they are truly fake dating.  Of course, their friends and the readers know the truth – they are falling for each other. It will take 356 pages, a science geek conference and a bad man doing bad things to get them to collaborate the same research project.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, probably because it reminded me of my own graduate school days, right down to the conference with all the geography geeks.  Even if you didn’t do the grad school thing, you can’t help but fall for Olive, who really wants her friends to be happy, but wouldn’t mind being happy herself!

I’ve got to share my favorite quote – this is for the women reading this.  When Olive’s advisor, Dr. Aslan, is encouraging her right before her conference presentation she says, ‘Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.’  I think you know exactly what Dr. Aslan is talking about.  😊

Ali Hazelwood has several contemporary romcom novels about women in STEM and academia, though not technically a series, if you enjoy The Love Hypothesis, you will probably enjoy her other STEMinist books.

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About The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

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