Name: Jean Alfonso's review of Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
Item: Under One Roof
Rating: 3
Author: Jean Alfonso

Ali Hazelwood

From the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella... A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis - it leads to combustion. Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn... As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else's food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she's the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt's house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side...but Helena was her mentor and Mara's not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight. The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him...and the easier it is to love him. To read Sadie and Hannah's stories look for the novellas Stuck with You and Below Zero. You can pre-order Ali Hazelwood's next novel, Love on the Brain now.

From the bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

Under One Roof

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella… A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis—it leads to combustion. Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn… As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight. The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him. To read Sadie and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Stuck with You and Below Zero, coming soon from Berkley!

The STEMinist Novellas #1

Sophia

“If I leave my job, who’ll keep you in the expensive multi-ply toilet paper lifestyle you’re accustomed to?”

What will I do with all this knowledge I have of his likes and dislikes? This knowledge of him? Where will it go once he’s not in my life anymore?

nanafark

raia – inactive

“You’re a lawyer. Can’t you, um, lawyer elsewhere?”

He must be done with the celery, because he moves to slicing a tomato—is that my tomato?

“I know you have been using my coffee creamer.”

“You’re not as stealthy as you think, buddy.” I give him my best glare. “And if this is some kind of intimidation tactic, it’s not working.”

“This alleged theft of coffee creamer appears to distress you a lot. Have you told law enforcement?”

I glance up at him, notice the way he nearly fills the doorframe, and order my heart not to hiccup. It does it anyway—even adds a flip for good measure.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella…

A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis—it leads to combustion.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…
 
As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.
 
The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.
 
To read Sadie and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Stuck with You and Below Zero!

Ian Brakspear

Keira 💫

Jean Alfonso

Cutesy. Would not say it was good per se, but I can’t say it was so bad either.

Romy

౨ৎ | in his sleep. i swear i’m going to kill him in his damn sleep. when he least expects it. and then i’ll celebrate by throwing empty bottles of creamer at his corpse. 

i mean this was good. but liam kind of annoyed me, and mara was just there. i know it’s a novella but i literally just read it and can barely remember the characters names. there was just no connection. 

the sex scene was kinda bleh too. like the initial start of it ???? like what was happening. 

౨ৎ | in his sleep. i swear i’m going to kill him in his damn sleep. when he least expects it. and then i’ll celebrate by throwing empty bottles of creamer at his corpse. 

— ★ 3/5

i mean this was good. but liam kind of annoyed me, and mara was just there. i know it’s a novella but i literally just read it and can barely remember the characters names. there was just no connection. 

the sex scene was kinda bleh too. like the initial start of it ???? like what was happening. 

tink 😵‍💫⭐

This was a very cute novella. I really enjoyed the main characters and liked how they passed over a few months in such a short amount of time. I felt like I was in on their jokes and enjoyed their quirks. I did think that the ending was really sudden, I thought maybe he should have started by telling her how he felt first. Really sweet and can't wait to read the next ones. 

Maggie Hotmer

ang 

ali hazelwood dovresti essere la madre del mio futuro uomo

It was cute and quirky even if the arranged meeting of the two main characters was a stretch. I found myself laughing out loud a few times quickly fell in love with all the characters. Was not expecting that much spice for a novella but I didn’t hate it.

Christa Bell

I am conducting an academic experiment (not scientific, literary. I am a humanties girlie. I lied, I am inbetween). Word on the street is that Ali Hazelwood keeps writing the same story over and over again and I am here to find out for the good of the nation.

Given that this is a novella, of course the space for development and build up is a lot more limited than within a novel. However, having read plenty of short stories and novel, I know that the word count limitation of the medium can be used to its benefit and that it need not cause the quality to suffer.

However, in the case of Hazelwood, a novella is used exactly like a one-shot fanfic and this is exactly how it reads. The whole time reading this, I cannot help but feel that I was meant to know who those characters were and that I have come here rooting for them to get together (I do not subscribe to the idea that an endgame is a foregone conclusion in romance. I do, however, subscribe to the idea that writers need to convince their readers to root for the couple).

What I could compliment, regardless of my misgivings, is that Hazelwood is a pretty competent sex scene writer, albeit the wish fulfillment aspect of the writing feeling a little too transparent, especially for traditionally published fiction. However, I think - and I can see how - this would appeal to some types of readers, just not really me.

I am conducting an academic experiment (not scientific, literary. I am a humanties girlie. I lied, I am inbetween). Word on the street is that Ali Hazelwood keeps writing the same story over and over again and I am here to find out for the good of the nation.

Given that this is a novella, of course the space for development and build up is a lot more limited than within a novel. However, having read plenty of short stories and novel, I know that the word count limitation of the medium can be used to its benefit and that it need not cause the quality to suffer.

However, in the case of Hazelwood, a novella is used exactly like a one-shot fanfic and this is exactly how it reads. The whole time reading this, I cannot help but feel that I was meant to know who those characters were and that I have come here rooting for them to get together (I do not subscribe to the idea that an endgame is a foregone conclusion in romance. I do, however, subscribe to the idea that writers need to convince their readers to root for the couple).

What I could compliment, regardless of my misgivings, is that Hazelwood is a pretty competent sex scene writer, albeit the wish fulfillment aspect of the writing feeling a little too transparent, especially for traditionally published fiction. However, I think - and I can see how - this would appeal to some types of readers, just not really me.

light-hearted and fun! made me smile, giggle, and kick my feet like the hopeless romantic i am. definitely not groundbreaking in a this-will-change-the-world kind of way but it’s not bad in a i-should-not-have-read-this kind of way. just perfect for when ure in the middle of starting to read again and u just get that urge to watch a little story about two people who hate each other’s guts fall in love unfold. 

開花

kait

was i supposed to like this? because i didn't. i wanted so badly to get into ali hazelwood books and love them. i really did. and while i haven't read her other ones, this was one was just bad to me. maybe the others will be better and i haven't found the right one. but i have heard her books are all the same story recycled with different characters and i don't know that i want to sit through a story just like this but twice the length.

Selin Igten

alya adlina

so i rated this book 3.5 to 4 stars. i enjoyed this so much ngl very cute and sexy read. a lil bit cringe? yes. did i smiled so much over it? YES I DID. this enemies to lovers is SO CUTE ali hazelwood did great LIKE OFC ANY ROMANCE + ACADEMIA/STEM BY ALI HAZELWOOD SHE WILL NAILED IT. i would be honest the characters are okay i could see the development. BUT the plot hm i like it but i don’t really like BCS IT WAS TOO SHORT AND I COULDNT CONNECT WITH IT SO ITS KINDA FRUSTRATING BUT WTV at least i enjoyed this. liam and mara is the cutest NGL I LOVE THEM. don’t know how to do a review for this but in conclusion I LOVE IT. but before i end this mini review LETS JUST TALK ABOUT THE LAST 50 PAGES OH MY GOD ALI HAZELWOOD REALLY DID WELL IN SPICE SCENE LIKE I LITERALLY SCREAMING THAT WAS SO GOOD I LOVE THAT PART SO MUCH AND THE REASON WHY I GAVE 4 STARS!!

i literally didn’t feel anything oh god

micah

Soha

it's like they forgot to add in a chapter between 12 and 13

i wanted to love this as much as i loved the love hypothesis but i kinda expected to leave a teeny tiny bit unsatisfied because this was a novella. 

i have, however, realized that i love ali hazelwood's style of writing and i LOVE LOVE ABSOLUTELY LOVE that her female leads are steminists 🥰 looking forward to checking out more by ali hazelwood!!! ❤️

Renata

this was so cute and short pls- i loved it
since the the love hypothesis i just have been waiting for more books/novellas from Ali so thank u lol i literally can’t wait for the next one, and the other and the other, and the other 

- “I know you want it hard and fast. Just, I think about this a lot. About you.”

- “I can’t think when you’re around. I can’t think when you’re not around. It’s been a problem. I feel like I haven’t formulated a coherent thought in months. I feel like you won’t stop being in my head, and—”

- “How hard it’s been, to—fuck—to keep my hands off you. How much I’ve wanted this, almost since the very beginning.”

- “I like you very much, Mara. I like talking to you. I like watching you do yoga. I like the way you always smell like sunscreen. I like how you manage to say pretty much whatever you want while still being unbelievably kind. I like being in this house with you, and everything we do in here.”

a nice little quick read for when in a reading slump 

Ester Waclavova

honya

4.25! woah, i accidentally read the 2nd book in the series first which i actually liked a bit better than this but OMFGGGG. my expectations for love are up the mf roof rn because of mara and liam and they’re perfect relationship.. also their conversations🥹

O livro e normal daria 3 ⭐️ mas o cap 13 é muito bom smut muito bom. O livro em si é fofo mas nada de muito especial é enemies to lovers mas não odiei como costumo odiar o enemies to lovers não é muito crianças da primária teve só um ou dois momentos assim mas de resto não hove mts comentários infantis.

O livro até é bom mas o smut é muito bom.

Helena

O livro e normal daria 3 ⭐️ mas o cap 13 é muito bom smut muito bom. O livro em si é fofo mas nada de muito especial é enemies to lovers mas não odiei como costumo odiar o enemies to lovers não é muito crianças da primária teve só um ou dois momentos assim mas de resto não hove mts comentários infantis.

O livro até é bom mas o smut é muito bom.

Charlsy Sekyere

⭐️1.5-2

Honestly, I couldn't warm to Mara and Liam, as I found their interactions awkward and their little banter and overall interactions painfully humourless and really lame. They don't seem to have much chemistry or personality. I felt next to no emotional connection to Mara and Liam's romance throughout this short novella. 

It was unclear to me why Mara disliked Liam and vice versa. In my opinion, it was a poor way to implement the enemies-to-lovers trope, which was unnecessary for this short story. As a result, their dislike for each other seemed rather irrational.

Lastly, the smut scene was random and unexpected. Now I do enjoy a good smut, but this one was pretty cringe-inducing and bland. This novella isn't terrible, but it's far from good. One good thing about this short novella is how short it was, so it didn't take a long time to read. In the end, I wouldn't recommend this short novella.

Tish

No one does romance like Ali Hazlewood. Can’t wait to read the rest of the novellas in this series!

eunice

this is honestly one of the books that i think i feel bad for not liking. only because a lot of my friends were raving about this prior to me reading this mini series. and, believe me, i tried liking it. i wanted to like it. i really did. 

but, to me, it was just .. average at best? maybe it’s because i despise insta-love and that’s one of the primary themes of this entire series. and maybe it’s because this entire series was just cliché. it was cliché in the sense that the tropes used were so badly written. like it was written just for the sake of being written. yeah.

i won’t lie and say that some scenes weren’t cute. because they were. but that’s all there is to it, i think.

and don’t even get me started on the sex scenes? they all felt so .. forced? and unnecessary 😭 it felt as though they were written for the sake of simply having sex scenes and it doesn’t matter if it looks stupid as hell or awkward as hell. i had to pause and stop reading multiple times whenever those scenes came up because they were just so awkward to read.

but, anyway—overall, this book was basically not my cup of tea. and i personally don’t know if i’ll read any more of ali hazelwood’s books because i have this feeling her writing is simply not for me. but we’ll see, i guess.

apart from cringing a little at the intimate scene (i’d like to see slightly different dialogues there), it was overall lovely!

entertaining, light and funny as well as cute and hot!

on another note: i think that i prefer this way of storytelling, the personal pov in present tense (compared to the 3rd person describing in past tense, like it’s in 

and i always like the back and forth in time and how she describes the past and present in order to deliver the story.  

apart from cringing a little at the intimate scene (i’d like to see slightly different dialogues there), it was overall lovely!

entertaining, light and funny as well as cute and hot!

on another note: i think that i prefer this way of storytelling, the personal pov in present tense (compared to the 3rd person describing in past tense, like it’s in The Love Hypothesis) and i always like the back and forth in time and how she describes the past and present in order to deliver the story.  

Kylie

Honestly this deserves and will get a whole two page spread in my book journal. 

Ali Hazelwood Book after book knows how to write the perfect romance and has highered my standards to unreachable heights and somehow this novella of 122 pages had managed to make me feel more than any relationship ever (Minus one :3) 

The enemies to lovers mixed with a domestic homely setting and incredible smut is an amazing experience and ngl makes me want a relationship like that and a man like liam.

raine elizabeth chapman

Honestly this deserves and will get a whole two page spread in my book journal. 

Ali Hazelwood Book after book knows how to write the perfect romance and has highered my standards to unreachable heights and somehow this novella of 122 pages had managed to make me feel more than any relationship ever (Minus one :3) 

The enemies to lovers mixed with a domestic homely setting and incredible smut is an amazing experience and ngl makes me want a relationship like that and a man like liam.

Such a quick read. 😭😭😭😭 Read it for an hour and a half only.

Jean Alfonso &
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Jean Alfonso &Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Jean Alfonso &
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood