“Combative coworkers on the road trip from hell: one smart, sassy heroine plus one yummy, cantankerous hero multiplied by plenty of misconceptions. Susannah Nix nails the perfect blend of hilarity and sexual tension. I loved it!” —TAMMARA WEBBER, New York Times bestselling authorAdam Cortinas may be gorgeous, but he’s made it clear he can’t stand Olivia—and the feeling is one hundred percent … feeling is one hundred percent mutual. Too bad, because in order to bring the company’s new power plant online, they’re stuck with each other for the next week.
When their travel plans go horribly awry, Olivia finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with Adam, AKA the bane of her existence.
He’s in her space and in her head. All the forced proximity is driving Olivia insane. That’s the only explanation for these FEELINGS she’s suddenly having.
But it doesn’t change anything. They still hate each other.
Right?
Applied Electromagnetism is the fourth full-length novel in a series of standalone rom-coms about women in STEM fields.
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**Full review on Dream Come Review
Told from Olivia’s POV, Applied Electromagnetism carries on at a quick pace with whip-smart dialogue and chest-tightening feels. I am a big fan of the enemies to lovers, office romance, forced proximity tropes and Susannah Nix expertly wrote an adorable, laugh-out-loud romance that sucked me in right from the first paragraph.
I was excited to see a strong female lead that works in a male-dominated field. Olivia did not disappoint! She was spunky, intelligent, and funny. Paired with Adam, the two are completely a-dork-able and I was cheering them on from the start. Adam’s growth is subtle through the story but it felt completely relatable. The entire situation around Olivia’s and Adam’s hate-relationship was a bit tamer then I was expecting for an enemy to lovers but it still adds a level of complexity to their budding relationship. I highly recommend if you are looking for the perfect beach read!
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
OMG – I absolutely adored this book! Olivia grabbed my heart right away with her anxiety about her career and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and then Adam, however gorgeous, comes off as a total jerk, and I thought – well, that’s it. I hope there’s another hero in this book because I’d NEVER forgive that! …Except that of course I did, and that’s because of the way Nix writes and the humanity of these characters, and suddenly you see things from a different perspective, and it melts your heart. I had so much in common with Olivia, and while Adam learns from Olivia, I felt like I was learning with her from Adam: maybe I don’t always have to carry a sewing kit around “in case.” Maybe I don’t have to carry one around in case someone *else* needs a sewing kit….
I love road trip rom coms (my favorite type of Romance book!!), and this had all the fun of one of those trips where everything that can go wrong does, and there’s just the right balance of seriously high stakes and comedy. A sheer delight from beginning to end!
I loved this 4th book in the Thermodynamics series by Susannah Nix! Adam and Olivia were very believable coworkers/kind of enemies-to-lovers. Their banter was hilarious and tension off the charts! I loved seeing little bits of past characters from this series that can also be read as stand-alones. Loved it!!
Susannah Nix is always a great choice as are the books from the Chemistry Lessons series!! I grow to love all these characters and I was anxiously waiting for Olivia to shine under the lights. Well the wait did not disappoint me in any way! Olivia is lovely, charming and her sarcasm is simply the best and well… Adam may just hit too close to home for me. I was in love with them from the first single page! The chemistry they have is off the chart, how could someone not want to be in Olivia’s shoes?
Loooved it!!
*I received and ARC copy of this book in exchange for can honest review*
***I voluntarily read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
OMGOMGOMG I cannot recommend this book enough. I initially started reading this book on my commute back home, intending it to save it for the next day. However, once I started reading and going down the wild roller coaster that is Adam and Olivia’s romance story, I could not stop.
I loved the characterization of the main characters. With Olivia, I can relate so much to her – from her fear of rejection (the anxiety that she faced when asking for a reference is too real), her being very self-reliant, and to the over-preparedness (I also have an overstuffed bag with all sorts of things). I also really liked that she had a ‘work persona’ that was different from when she let her guard down. With Adam, I loved that we got to see his personality change as he got to know Olivia more and that as readers, we also got to see that he wasn’t the all-confident guy we initially thought he was (and he is clearly a closet nerd – <3)
The road trip couldn't have been depicted better as well. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and I loved seeing how Adam and Olivia reacted to the challenges they faced. The description of the Buc-ee's rest stop they went to was glorious. I felt that I was right there with them.
And finally, the romantic tension with them and the build up/resolution was perfect. I teared up when Adam told Olivia and admitted he was wrong about her.
It was truly a delightful read. (also: kudos + shout out to having more diverse leads in romance!)
***I voluntarily read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
To be more accurate, I basically begged for an ARC of this book because I Love (capital L Love) everything this author has written, and I not so patiently await new-release dates. This book, thankfully, didn’t disappoint.
Adam and Olivia are coworkers who intensely dislike each other and end up stranded together on a business trip. As they spend more time together, they actually begin to enjoy the bickering and actually start to like and respect each other.
I know this sounds like a common romance book theme – and I read a lot of them, so I’m aware it is – BUT the wonderful differences are what makes this book (and really every other one of her books) worth reading. As you can probably guess by the title, Applied Electromagnetism, the heroine of our story is intelligent. I truly enjoy reading stories where the author isn’t afraid to make the female lead smart. And not just tell us she’s smart, but actually have the level of writing reflect this. (I’m not saying you need an advanced degree to read it, just that it’s very witty.) I also love the fact that although Olivia has had a crush on Adam for years, she doesn’t act like a love-struck idiot who will put up with being treated badly; she stands up for herself. And Adam, while definitely being a swoon-worthy book boyfriend, has faults and makes missteps; however, he owns up to them and apologizes. I LOVE this aspect. Sometimes, to me, books fall a bit flat when the male (or female) lead only realizes his faults at the end of the story and does some huge romantic gesture to make up for it (don’t worry, there’s a romantic gesture and you’ll love it). Adam, on the other hand, actively listens and evolves into a better person throughout the book.
Finally, this is a romantic comedy that is actually funny. The banter between the leads is fabulous and doesn’t feel at all forced, which I so greatly appreciate. I actually found myself smiling through most of the book…and, really, can you ask for more than that?
If you haven’t read any of this author’s books, what are you waiting for?? If you have, you already know the great read you have in store, and you’re not going to be disappointed.
Thank you for this Arc Susannah Nix!
So, I read all of S.N. books and I can say that I loved them all. This one is no different.
Adam Cortinas is the golden boy of the independent power producer company Olivia Woerner works for. She has a little crush on him. She decides to ask him for a reference for the for a Course, an opportunity for her professional growth.
Adam harshly says no.
And she and Adam are sent by their bosses in Texas to complete an impossible job.
I like a slow-burn enemy to lovers story !
Olivia and Adam are well- rounded and very likable characters.
She is sassy and cynical but not really .
He is cold , closed off and does not have a sense of humor, but not really.
They are made for each other!
Love Olivia and Adam’s story. Love how they are forced to work together and bring out the best in each other. Their story is a slow burn and has your heart smiling in the end.
“Almost stupidly romantic could be the title of my autobiography.”
Is it just me, or is this series getting better with each book?
I had so much fun with Olivia and Adam – getting to know them individually, finding out what makes them tick (and ticked off 😉 ), watch them deal with Murphy’s Travel Law over and over again (they are keeping it together so much better than I ever would… 😀 ), see them become friends and more…
Once more, Susannah Nix gives us a couple that doesn’t only satisfy fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but Olivia and Adam also complement each other so well with their strengths and weaknesses, it’s beautiful – and funny, and heartbreaking – to watch.
I absolutely love the Chemistry Lessons series by Susannah Nix! Every book is spectacular. I love how witty and smart her heroines are. Olivia may her quirks, but she owns them and is resilient. Adam puts on this front of, well, a stubborn, arrogant a$$, but underneath that, he has is own heartbreak and is just trying to protect himself from it happening again. In doing so, he has basically cut himself off from everything and everyone.
When they are forced to work on a job together, it seems everything is against them arriving to their destination. During all the delays, they begin to see each other in a new light. The walls begin to crumble, and they truly see each other.
I loved the banter, the wit, the deep conversations. The way they start to develop their relationship and open up to each other was beautiful.
Susannah Nix has a true gift of bringing her characters to life and making them relatable and personable. They turn into more than just characters in a book, but people you want to know. This is a series you do not want to miss!
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Adam and Olivia are coworkers who mutually dislike each other. He’s the golden boy who’s standoffish and she’s seen as too nice and doesn’t stand up for what she believes in. They end up in a series of unfortunate events during a business trip from hell and as they’re forced to spend more time together, they learn more about the other and begin to actually like and respect each other. They even learn that they have more in common than not (i.e. they get each other’s jokes right away, bond over a shared love of fantasies, etc.).
I identified with Olivia because she’s a lot like me – seen as meek and too nice, but with a really sarcastic and snarky attitude. And hey, I’ve even spent time in a power plant or two or more. But I think where it went downhill for me was with Adam. Even though we find out what makes him who he is, there seemed to be no depth to his character. We know on the surface why he’s standoffish, but we don’t see his growth within himself. We only see the growth in how he feels about Olivia.
Overall, I liked it, but I didn’t love it.
Susannah Nix is one of my favorite authors, and she hasn’t steered me wrong yet. Applied Electromagnetism may have taken over my top spot for favorite book by her, but I might just have to go back and read the rest of them again to make sure.
Adam, the hero, is grumpy AF. I love a grumpy hero, and Susannah Nix writes them with aplomb. And the best part of the way she writes is that there is always an underlying kindness behind the grump. I never feel unsafe for the heroine.
Olivia is fantastic. I identified with her on a deep level. When she talked about her fear of rejection, not just in relationships, but in all areas, I understood her to my bones. Beyond that aspect of her character, I loved her giant purse, her giving nature (hello, she let Adam have her kolache), and her quick wit.
Speaking of wit, this book was basically just Adam and Olivia, and their witty banter was off-the-charts fantastic. Although the book is told through Olivia’s point of view, through their dialogue, I got to know Adam well, and by the end, my crush on him was as big as Olivia’s.
Applied Electromagnetism is what I’d consider low angst, which frankly is refreshing. There were moments that hurt my heart, but they were fleeting. Adam and Olivia cared for each other, and tried as hard as they could to be careful with one another. I loved every second of reading their journey to falling in love!
This was an entertaining, heartfelt and fun read. This author always amazes me with her talented writing.
Imagine that we could go back to the garden of Eden and start over with a new Adam and this hero would be the perfect man for the job. Maybe that’s not very realistic, so I urge the mother’s of the world to make a pact to raise men like this. I love the way this author combines strong and highly intelligent heroines, males with flaws and hot steamy chemistry. The trip from hell is a perfect setting to get to know what they are made of and the amount of chemistry is off the charts. I enjoy the banter and the book is fast paced. Beneath the surface there might even be a few life lessons to learn. Don’t even hesitate for a minute, get your one-click finger ready and have a blast.
Road Trip from Hell! If it could go wrong it did on this fantastic funny road trip from hell. Loved Olivia’s sass and how Adam brought her sass out when she was determined to keep her true self tapped down at work. Loving the ladies in these Chemistry Lessons books!
ARC generously provided by Susannah Nix for an honest review.
Marco…Polo. I will never hear those childhood words again without thinking of this novel. I admit I was skeptical about the plot at first. I’m not the biggest fans of roadtrip plots because I feel like the feelings happen all too quickly and I prefer a more “realistic” timeframe. I was pleasantly surprised as I made it through the story. It was so good that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. One day.
Now that I think about it, I shouldn’t be surprised with how well this was written. I’m a big fan of Susannah’s and this series makes me giddy with each new book that is released. I love reading about strong women that are making their way in the world and don’t need a man to be successful. While the novel begins with Adam not thinking Olivia is good enough to advance in her career, she doesn’t let that stop her. She doesn’t need him to really validate who she is to know she is great even with the “handicap” she has (the chemical imbalance dealing with rejection that’s not even really a handicap).
The way they both bond over dorky things was cute and I’ll admit that I felt all sorts of emotions for Olivia during the conflict/climax. It takes a lot for me to feel the sadness with a character but I felt it with Olivia as I read it.
And now I’m sitting here hoping for another volume in this series. Not so patiently might I add.
This story is everything I love in a romantic comedy. Intensity, lust, frustration and misconceptions! It was such an easy read!
Adam and Olivia are beautifully written characters, both with so many different quirks and facets that you instantly fall for them. It was hilarious being able to see them thrown together and navigate their unexpected situation. I laughed so hard!
At the same time, it was incredible to read about the raw magnetism between Adam and Olivia and see Olivia’s character unfold and develop to match Adams brooding vehemence.
This is a brilliant read and one not to miss!
Applied Electromagnetism is my favorite book from this series so far. I absolutely loved a female heroine with adult ADHD and the explanation of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. I feel like not many people understand RSD and especially what it is like as a woman in the workplace with ADHD and RSD. It was wonderful to be seen in this story. Olivia and Adam are absolutely wonderful.
I like thought provoking, sci fi, romance, mystery, science, nature. But this is just too weird