Love and Other Brain Experiments
A brand-new sizzling STEM rom-com, perfect for fans of rivals-to-lovers, fake dating and forced proximity
Published on 12. February 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-1-0359-1967-3 (ISBN)
Description
Bloomsbury presents Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm, read by Norma Butikofer
'Brainy, fun, deeply relatable... This is a debut you don't want to miss, I guarantee it will take up all the bandwidth in your head and heart' - Elena Armas, NYT bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception
***
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 of:
STEM romance
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Forced proximity
***
Readers LOVE Hannah Brohm:
'LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is the intellectually seductive, trope perfection, lanyard-melting debut of the year.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'This is a fantastic debut and this is an author that I'll be watching for. I only wish this book existed when I was still in grad school.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I'm a sucker for STEM romance and this book had everything I was looking for and more.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I can't come up with enough words to describe the love and admiration i have for this debut novel. It has simply become one of my favorite books of all time.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I can't stop kicking my feet up and giggling at this book. 6 stars if I could.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
***
PRAISE FOR LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS:
'The perfect blend of fake dating and forearms, with the most romantic PowerPoint presentation you'll ever encounter.' - Laura Wood, author of 'Under Your Spell' and 'Lets Make a Scene'
'Sexy, heartfelt, and bursting with charm... This is pure academic rivals-to-lovers catnip' - Katie Naymon, author of You Between the Lines
'Love and Other Brain Experiments is a just-one-more-chapter, heart-palpitatingly romantic delight of a romance... the whole thing is utterly delicious' - Cressida McLaughlin, author of A Cornish Love Story
'Whip-smart, flirty and fun... This book changed my brain chemistry' - Annabelle Slator, author of The Launch Date
'Smart, tender, earnest and masterful... I'm no scientist, but my study's results say that Love and Other Brain Experiments needs to be on your bookshelf' - Georgia Stone, author of The Friendship Fling
'Brainy, fun, deeply relatable... This is a debut you don't want to miss, I guarantee it will take up all the bandwidth in your head and heart' - Elena Armas, NYT bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception
***
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 of:
STEM romance
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Forced proximity
***
Readers LOVE Hannah Brohm:
'LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is the intellectually seductive, trope perfection, lanyard-melting debut of the year.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'This is a fantastic debut and this is an author that I'll be watching for. I only wish this book existed when I was still in grad school.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I'm a sucker for STEM romance and this book had everything I was looking for and more.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I can't come up with enough words to describe the love and admiration i have for this debut novel. It has simply become one of my favorite books of all time.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
'I can't stop kicking my feet up and giggling at this book. 6 stars if I could.' GoodReads reviewer, 5*
***
PRAISE FOR LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS:
'The perfect blend of fake dating and forearms, with the most romantic PowerPoint presentation you'll ever encounter.' - Laura Wood, author of 'Under Your Spell' and 'Lets Make a Scene'
'Sexy, heartfelt, and bursting with charm... This is pure academic rivals-to-lovers catnip' - Katie Naymon, author of You Between the Lines
'Love and Other Brain Experiments is a just-one-more-chapter, heart-palpitatingly romantic delight of a romance... the whole thing is utterly delicious' - Cressida McLaughlin, author of A Cornish Love Story
'Whip-smart, flirty and fun... This book changed my brain chemistry' - Annabelle Slator, author of The Launch Date
'Smart, tender, earnest and masterful... I'm no scientist, but my study's results say that Love and Other Brain Experiments needs to be on your bookshelf' - Georgia Stone, author of The Friendship Fling
Reviews / Votes
There are few things that make me kick my feet like nerds helplessly following their hearts ... in spite of their minds. Love and Other Brain Experiments is brainy, fun, deeply relatable and Brohm effortlessly captures all the delicious nuances that come from mixing a high-stakes summer program and a fake-dating charade between academic rivals. This is a debut you don't want to miss, I guarantee it will take up all the bandwidth in your head and heart -- Elena Armas, NYT bestselling author of THE SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION Overflowing with sizzling chemistry and witty banter, this book is a must-read for fans of the fake dating or academic enemies-to-lovers tropes, or those who loved Ali Hazelwood's 'STEMinist' romcoms * Daily Mirror Online, Daily Express Online, The Business Times * Love and Other Brain Experiments was a brainy delight. Brohm plays with my favourite tropes (academic rivals! fake dating! forced proximity!) masterfully; her writing is cheeky and self-aware, but warmed by an undercurrent of sincerity and real heart... I was left charmed and delighted. A stellar debut -- Brigitte Knightley, New York Times bestselling author of THE IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO FALL FOR YOUR ENEMY The slow burn was so achingly sexy, the way Frances registered each of Lewis' touches, and the whole thing was utterly delicious. Love and Other Brain Experiments is a just-one-more-chapter, heart-palpitatingly romantic delight of a romance that I was thinking about between reads -- Cressida McLaughlin, author of A CORNISH LOVE STORY No one loves fake dating like I do, and this one elevates my favourite trope with emotionally vulnerable characters navigating their way through a truly heartfelt and hopeful love story. Move this debut to the top of your list -- Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author of IT'S A LOVE STORY Smart, tender, earnest and masterful, this debut does STEM romance right. I'm no scientist, but my study's results say that Love and Other Brain Experiments needs to be on your bookshelf -- Georgia Stone, author of THE FRIENDSHIP FLING Attention all STEM romance lovers: this smart and poignant debut will make you swoon, fan yourself, and wonder how neuroscience could be so sexy. With deeply relatable characters who grow past their fears and mistakes together, you'll want to hug this book when you're done -- Victoria Lavine, international bestselling author of ANY TROPE BUT YOU Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Love and Other Brain Experiments is sexy, heartfelt, and bursting with charm. Lewis and Frances will take root in your brain and heart just like they do each other's-and I dare you not to kick and squeal while they let down their guards and fall in love. This is pure academic rivals-to-lovers catnip -- Katie Naymon, author of YOU BETWEEN THE LINES A whip-smart, flirty and fun debut! Frances and Lewis's witty banter and sizzling tension had me hooked from page one. This book changed my brain chemistry, a dreamy STEM romance that made me feel smarter after reading -- Annabelle Slator, author of THE LAUNCH DATE LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is the intellectually seductive, trope perfection, lanyard-melting debut of the year. Brohm's twin loves for the romance genre and neuroscience sang on every page. I couldn't get enough of the gorgeous writing, delicious academia backdrop, and heartwarming main characters. Brohm peels off their hard shells with finesse and no small amount of tension. I was glued, start to finish." -- Clare Gilmore, USA Today bestselling author of NEVER OVER A stunner debut with endless steam and wit! Hannah Brohm is a voice to watch. Funny, smart, and addictively romantic, Love and Other Brain Experiments is the perfect read. -- Peyton Corinne, USA Today bestselling author of 'Unsteady and Unloved' A totally charming read, Love and Other Brain Experiments is the sweetest romance. The perfect blend of fake dating and forearms, with the most romantic PowerPoint presentation you'll ever encounter. I loved this brilliant debut and I can't wait to see what Hannah Brohm comes up with next. -- Laura Wood, author of 'Under Your Spell' and 'Let's Make a Scene' Hannah Brohm skillfully weaves together a debut novel that's smart, beautifully written, and teeming with delicious romantic tension. With its immersive academic backdrop and a fake dating scheme that had me flying through the pages, LOVE AND OTHER BRAIN EXPERIMENTS is a dopamine rush from start to finish. -- Ellie K. Wilde, author of 'Only in Your Dreams' and 'Only Between Us' Smart and sexy, Love and Other Brain Experiments will be relatable for everyone, not just those in academia. Brohm weaves a beautiful tale of self-worth, patience, and hard work through fake dating chaos, the slow realization of romantic feelings, and a brilliant woman-in-STEM. An absolute knockout! -- Chelsea Curto, author of the DC Stars series LOBE is a masterclass in fake dating. Full of steamy and heartfelt moments, I absolutely fell in love with Frances and Lewis. Exactly the sweet treat I needed. I LOBEd it! -- Chloe Ford, author of WORK TRIP This one's for you fellow romantics out there, and those of you who love a bit of STEM romance from the likes of Ali Hazelwood...Fun! * New Scientist Online * A steminist hoot * The Sunday Post * Fun, flirty, brainy romcom * My Weekly Magazine * If kissing for hypothesis testing sounds like something you'd love to read about * Culturefly * Clever and well written, with plenty of commentary on women in the world of science * The Connaught Telegraph, The Westmeath Examiner * A smart and incredibly heartfelt story, perfect for those who love academic romances. * Stylist Magazine *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
268 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0359-1967-3 (9781035919673)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Hannah Brohm
Love and Other Brain Experiments
A Brand-New Sizzling Stem ROM-Com, Perfect for Fans of Rivals-to-Lovers, Fake Dating and Forced Proximity
E-Book
02/2026
1st Edition
Apollo
€5.99
Available for download
Person
As a neuroscientist and romance author, Hannah Bernhard studies human emotions by day and writes about them by night (or, truthfully, early morning because she falls asleep by 10 pm). Born and raised in Germany, she lived in Portugal and the UK before moving to the Netherlands to complete a PhD. After a stint in New York City, she now lives in London together with her husband and an ever-growing collection of books and handknit sweaters.