In order to secure healthcare for her ailing mother from the leading expert, leaving behind her career and dumping her boyfriend, Hadley moves with her mother to California. Hadley takes on a new job as a professor of music. Living in the faculty housing since her mother insists on living separately, Hadley discovers that her new neighbour is none other than the renowned scientist Dr. Alexsander Strovinski. In contrast to Hadley’s funny and outgoing demeanour, Lex is quiet and brooding, and no matter how much she tries to break through his tough exterior, she is convinced he does not like her. If things weren’t already challenging enough, when they finally start dating, Hadley’s mother gets dire news regarding her treatment and Lex’s job takes him overseas, putting their bond to the test. The banter in The Scientist by Kristen B. Cole is unmatched! Hadley always has the perfect witty comment and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Hadley’s character is someone I would love to be friends with in real life. Her sassy nature paired with Lex’s grumpy, withdrawn demeanour is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The side characters are well-developed, especially Hadley’s mother and Lex’s roommate. As a reader, I struggle to find romantic comedies that are genuinely funny, but the wicked wit in The Scientist has made it the best romcom I have ever read. Approaching difficult subjects with heart-warming sensitivity, for a debut novel, this book is impressively well-written, impactful, and emotional.
When an outgoing musical maven meets the enigmatic neuroscientist next door, will their worlds clash in a dramatic showdown of art versus science, or will they discover that love is the ultimate experiment worth conducting? When celebrated Broadway composer Hadley Olivier’s best friend receives a life-threatening diagnosis, Hadley says goodbye to her beloved home in NYC and sets off for the West Coast to endure a life of sunny skies and an inexplicable obsession with quinoa. Her new life in California comes complete with old friends, a potentially disastrous career change, and a gorgeous but reticent new neighbor, Dr. Alexsander “Lex” Strovinski, whose PhD might actually be in scowling with a minor in silent treatments. As a world-renowned neurobiologist, Lex has dedicated his life to the single-minded pursuit of scientific breakthroughs, avoiding distractions at all costs. But now, a relentlessly chirpy new neighbor with an emerald green gaze seems intent on sabotaging his focus. As Hadley and Lex find themselves repeatedly thrown together, what begins as one-sided banter eventually gives way to a profound heart-to-heart connection. But when Hadley’s loved one takes a turn for the worse and Lex is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity overseas, will their newfound connection unravel? Or will they discover that when it comes to opposites attracting, some bonds can never be broken?