Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Join the CBR18 Book Bingo Reading Challenge—Now Underway!   

“With some people, it’s not about winning or losing, That with some people, it’s just about playing.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

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Eighteen-year-old Mallory “Mal” Greenleaf used to love chess and showed great potential, but hasn’t played for four years because it reminds her of her father, and the less said or thought about him the better. While her friends are headed for college, Mallory is trying to earn as much money as possible working as a mechanic. Her mother suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and can’t really work anymore, and Mallory isn’t about to let her sisters Darcy (twelve) and Sabrina (fourteen) suffer and miss out on […]

Where women of STEM find love

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

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After my book club chose to read The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, I went on to read the rest of Hazelwood’s romance collection. Although none of these novels (and novellas) are perfect, I’ve found them all fun and interesting. Her female characters are women of STEM, something Hazelwood is herself. So they tend to be a glimpse into academia along with some steamy, heartfelt romance. Love, Theoretically (2023) is Hazelwood’s latest novel and had everything I was expecting. I devoured it quickly and genuinely enjoyed the story. Elsie […]

Hypothesis: The first book will never be as good as subsequent books from an author if you read them out of order

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

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I wrote a glowing review of Ali Hazelwood’s newest book a few weeks ago. I liked it so much I picked up the first book the author wrote-  The Love Hypothesis. The Love Hypothesis has many of the aspects I liked about the author – a deep and thorough knowledge of working in STEM and strong female characters with great personalities and interests, as well as interesting male leads and supporting characters. But that’s where many of the similarities end. What I liked about Loathe […]

CBR15 Bingo: Getaway

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

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4.5 stars CBR15 Bingo: Getaway (I don’t see a good way to fill the South America square) For this review, I resurrected Mrs. Julien’s romance review template from way back in 2013. I’ve tweaked it, but the major framework is still there. Love, Theoretically is a romance of the enemies to lovers AND I’m scared and unworthy of love: Hero meets heroine. He is the disapproving older brother of the man who is paying her to be his fake girlfriend. He thinks she’s a librarian, […]

Love to Loathe this set of novellas

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood

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I haven’t been able to ‘get’ into any big books lately. My mind has been constantly bombarded by family drama, work drama, and society drama. Every time I’ve tried to sink into a nice big book and get lost I’ve had to set it down and it feels like weeks later before I can pick it up again. But I was flying and at the airport early and wanted something to read that wasn’t attached to a screen. Enter this enchanting little anthology. Three novellas […]

What Would Marie Curie Do?

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

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Last year, Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis was the book that jump-started me into reading Romance Novels. I was in a depressive funk, having lost six pets in six months, and reading helped pull me out of it. I voraciously read Hazelwood’s three Loathe to Love You novellas, and pre-ordered Love On The Brain, so I’m not sure why it took me so long to get around to reading it. Since Valentine’s Day is soon, it felt like a good time to pick it up. […]



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