“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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I enjoyed this smart and snappy read.
Recommend
The Chemistry Lessons series is one of my absolute favorites because it’s a new and riveting take on women in romance books. And Olivia in Applied Electromagnetism is the perfect example. She is struggling to stand out in a male-dominant workforce all while having to overcome and manage her ADHD and RSD. Throughout the book, SHE is the one who is prepared for every twist and turn and SHE is the one who comes to the rescue. I love a man coming to the rescue, but it is so dang refreshing to see the heroine shine. And that’s why I really really love this series and this book!
Olivia is applying for a leadership course and when she finally gained the courage to ask Adam for a recommendation to help her get in he completely shut her down. It doesn’t help that she had also been crushing on him and the rejection felt 100 times worse. Then as if fate wanted to torture her worse, she gets assigned to go on a trip to Texas with him to help start up a plant. On their journey to Texas, everything seems to be going wrong pushing Adam and Olivia to spend even more time with each other. As the trip goes on they begin to realize things that they never knew about each other. Things that are causing feelings to develop. But they hate each other, right?
At first, I totally wanted to hate Adam, but throughout the book, he grew on me. Adam and Olivia are both very misunderstood people who have had to overcome past issues and treatment to get to where they are. Adam’s past relationship has kept him from forming new relationships and impacted the way he interacts with others. Olivia’s RSD causes a lot of stress in her life and keeps her from putting herself out there. Olivia and Adam are one of the most unique couples I’ve ever read about and I truly believe that even though they are so different and they handle things so very differently, they were so perfectly paired.
This book was so sweet and funny and heartwarming. Each sweet moment will create even more of a need to see these two finally collide. And when they do it’s amazing. My favorite line from the book was this, “A force of nature. Their opposite poles perfectly aligned, creating a magnetic field that forced the world to change around them.” If that line wasn’t enough to make you swoon, then I don’t know what will.
This book will make you blush, it will make you laugh, and it will make your chest tighten with everything Adam says and does. I could really relate to Olivia, and this made me feel exactly how she felt from beginning to end. These two had undeniable chemistry. I couldn’t imagine these two any other way. This book was amazing, the plot was addictive, and everything wrapped up into something completely unforgettable! I wish he was real, and I wish I could be her! An absolute must read!!
Applied Electromagnetism is the 4th book in the Chemistry Lessons series by Susannah Nix. It’s an office love romance found in the midst of back-to-back unexpected events during their last minute business trip.
Working in the male-dominant field of electrical engineering, Olivia needed to put on a nice, friendly front to appease everyone around her, to survive and to thrive. But underneath, she hid her sarcastic, sharp-tongued, witty and nerdy personality. When her office crush Adam Cortinas refused to write her a reference letter, her heart was shattered, and she wanted nothing to do with him! Until a work crisis came up, and she was assigned to go on a business trip with him…
Adam was a golden boy, a super star at the company, someone who could revert almost any crises. He was known in the office to be aloof, closed off, and emotionless. Little did Olivia know, his previous relationship had scarred him and turned him into a hermit. This business trip full of disasters had brought them closer together, an opportunity for them to get to know and understand each other better, to share their deep secrets and desires.
Their road trip in Texas made me want to try everything along their journey, the pit stops, special snacks and drinks… I enjoyed their conversations and was entertained by all the events that happened one after another and kept me turning on the pages. A 4-and-1/2-star story, light romance, pleasant story plot, and enjoyable reading experience.
What a gem of a read this one was! Applied Electromagnetism was my second read from this series and I just about adored every minute of Olivia and Adam’s story. I think geeky romances should be more of a trope because I am here for ALL OF IT.
Enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity just might be my new favorite trope combination to read. With the both of them wanting to just claw each other’s eyes out and having to be stuck with one of another as they team up for work, the tension and everything else is all there. It’s literally the best ride ever!
I was so fascinated with each of their back stories and they quickly turned to two very different characters that I’ve never read about in the romance world.
Susannah’s writing style is a bit different from what I’m used to be, but I was completely engaged with this read. There were several moments where I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.
Truly an enjoyable and quirky read.
**I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY READER’S COPY FROM THE AUTHOR. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR CONTENT OF MY REVIEW**
Susannah Nix
Gah! I adore a good road-trip story and this one takes the cake. I wanted so badly to be in that airport/car/hotel/crazy-storm-from-hell with Olivia and Adam — I swear I would have stepped out when sexy times started. I swear.
You’re gonna love this book: The characters are relatable, the chemistry hot, and the banter will have you smiling from ear to ear. Highly recommend!
This entire series is phenomenal!
I loved this book! Read it in one sitting and laughed at some of the crazy situations the main characters faced. Loads of fun and you can’t help but cheer for them.
Chemistry Lessons #4, I love these nerdy/geeky rom-coms they are something I can relate to and because the characters are more relatable they are more life like for me and I get sucked up into the story and don’t want to put it down and end up staying up way to late reading. It’s an easy read and fun read, I fell in love with Olivia so was awesome. Olivia was applying for a leadership course and needed two recommendation, she thought to ask Adam he may keep himself apart from the other workers and is a bit of a mystery but he’s well respected by the higher-ups. Unfortunately he says no and for what Olivia thinks is a stupid reason. Adam’s refusal to write her a recommendation has Olivia going from secret crush to outright dislike to bad an emergency comes up and Olivia is stuck traveling with Adam.
The trip was doomed from the start it started with the plane, it first one had mechanical failure and was delayed their second flight took them to a different location but still within reasonable driving distance to their location. But on top of that there was a hurricane coming in and their flight got diverted to another airport entirely. Their rental car gets a flat in the middle of a storm, and even when they finally get there the hurricane keeps them from working and they are stuck in the same hotel room. The witty banter between Olivia and Adam is the best it’s snarky and funny makes the whole book. It’s told third person but mainly from over Olivia’s shoulder you don’t really get Adam’s perspective until he reveals it to Olivia.
Overall, this was a wonderful and adorably fun romance with the right amount of heat. It can be read as a stand alone.
My TBR list was ridiculously overflowing when this book came along, and I added it my list anyway. Why? Because it’s an office, road-trip romance with a STEM heroine and a grumpy hero. In other words, this book is my personal kryptonite. I was powerless NOT to read it.
Plot overview: Olivia is forced to go on the business road-trip-from-hell with her nemesis, Adam. Hijinks and hilarity ensue.
This book is worth reading for the banter alone. Olivia and Adam’s banter was hilarious and had me chuckling out loud during many spots in the book. It kind of reminded me of the Keanu Reeves/Winona Ryder movie Destination Wedding. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the movie, it’s told from the point of view of only 2 characters and the whole movie is basically the two of them having hilarious, quirky conversations. It’s not for everyone, (I mean, if you’re looking for tons of action and complex plot, Destination Wedding is NOT the movie for you) but if you live for witty banter, which I do, it’s a definite must see. And Olivia and Adam gave me definite Keanu/Winona vibes and I loved every minute of it.
Olivia is a GREAT heroine, too. She’s smart and great at her job, but she’s also vulnerable and has some issues to overcome, not the least of which is trying to succeed in a male-dominated profession. She was just the right combination of intelligent, quirky, and…real for me. She was super relatable.
Adam was a tiny bit harder to warm up to for me. That’s possibly because the entire story is told from Olivia’s perspective, but also possibly because Adam is a bit of an a-hole towards the beginning of the book. As a reader you come to understand fairly quickly why he is the way he is, and I was easily able to forgive him. And I gave him major props for backing Olivia in a few work situations, even when he didn’t 100% agree with her, out of respect. After a few hiccups in the beginning when he really didn’t understand how she felt or thought, Adam was very supportive of Olivia, and it was super refreshing. Romancelandia is often overflowing with alphaholes, and I’m proud to say that Adam isn’t one of those.
Now, I will warn the fans of super sexy romance and erotica that although Olivia and Adam have smokin’ chemistry, there isn’t much in the way of on-the-page sex in this book. I don’t mind fade-to-black sex scenes, and this book was plenty sexy due to the chemistry these two had, but if you’re looking for erotica, this ain’t it.
But, long-story-short, I would highly recommend this read to all fans of smart rom com and character-driven romance. It’s a lot of fun, folks!
Full disclosure: We received an ARC from the author, free of charge.
And feel free to check out the Romance Rehab blog for more rants, raves, book lists and other fun romance-y stuff: http://www.romancerehab.com/
If you were to look up the word charming in the dictionary, you’d find the entirety of this book. The characters, the setting, the tension, the romance, the comedy, all of it is one big smile. Need a pick-me-up? Pick up this book and grin your way to a HEA.
Well written story with good characters. Interesting plot full of action and good reality. A journey that is more than expected for two disliking each other co-workers.
Applied Electromagnetism had all the makings of a Kim book from the blurb alone. Forced proximity (hello road trip!), office (but not really IN the office) romance, STEM heroine and nerdy hot hero. The only thing I needed was for there to be a hotel scene with only one bed (*spoiler alert* there totally was). I’d been in a bit of a book funk before picking this book up. I was unable to stick with any one book for any length of time. Applied Electromagnetism? I didn’t want to stop once I started. It was a total one-sitting read.
I’m always Team Heroine when I read. I mean, I love my book boyfriends, but I won’t excuse their crappy behavior. Let’s just say early on, I was 100% prepared to dislike Adam. I won’t say why, you’ll discover for yourself. BUT that said, he ended up being a wonderful hero. Total book boyfriend material. He just had to work for it with me — and with Olivia, for that matter. What a pair they made! I’m a big fan of forced proximity to get characters together and it was executed so well in this book. I also kinda loved that the “office romance” took place outside of the office. So, so good.
I just couldn’t keep a big grin off my face while reading Applied Electromagnetism. (And I didn’t really want to, either.) When done well, a good slow burn is like catnip for me. The slow burn here was perfect. Plus, it gave me plenty of swoons, chuckles and feels. I love Susannah Nix’s Chemistry Lessons series more with each new release. (Also, while looking around on Goodreads, I realized I never read the third book in this series so I need to rectify than sooner rather than later. Fail, Kim. Fail.) I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m hoping for more from this series and it’s STEM heroines. More of that in romance in general, please and thank you.
Favorite Quotes:
“Until you’ve spent your entire life navigating misogyny, maybe don’t criticize how I choose to do it.”
“I’m starting to feel like we’re on a D&D quest instead of a business trip, and there’s an evil dungeon master who keeps throwing obstacles into our path.”
He ought to come with a warning label. Caution: may erupt into spontaneous orgasm face while eating.
“Almost stupidly romantic could be the title of my autobiography.”
“I was miserable for so long, I forgot how to be anything else.”
Emergency mission? What could possibly go wrong? Or go right?
July 2, 2019
Format: Paperback
Ultimately a good, well-written office romance, with two techie high achievers on a memorable mission and lots of love for the Great State of Texas. I did, however, find the first part of their team adventure slow going, especially their plane and road travel.
in this series, author Susannah Nix has created intelligent career women with a head for science. Olivia is typical of Nix’s heroines in that respect, but she is also all too well aware of the double standard that discounts or sidelines females in her workplace. There are some great passages when Olivia clues golden boy Adam in on the ways a woman’s career can get sabotaged even without the perpetrator understanding the repercussions of their actions or statements. So unfortunately true to life!
Olivia starts out seeming quite meek and nervous but finds her voice as the story progresses and we learn that her smiles and friendly manner are part of her arsenal of weapons to achieve success. Colleague Adam thinks his abrupt, impersonal manner is a better way to go. Boy, does Olivia prove him wrong!
I have read all of the book in the series. Although this one is not my favorite, it’s still a worthwhile read to experience a smart professional woman achieving success in her career and finding a man who respects her intelligence.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Susannah Nix has done it again. I love this book! The protagonist, Olivia, is intelligent, career-driven, and has rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD). I liked her instantly. I hadn’t heard of RSD before, but Nix made it easy to understand and sympathize with Olivia. Adam is Olivia’s blunt but sexy coworker. After Adam denies Oliva’s request for a work recommendation, they find themselves alone on a work trip. A work trip where the forces of nature are seemingly conspiring against them. Forced to spend several days essentially alone together in a high-stress, high-stakes work trip, Olivia and Adam open up to each other in ways they haven’t opened up to in others. They are obviously attracted to one another but can’t stop themselves from arguing. Their journey from dislike/indifference to love is a sweet and fun ride. The thing I like about Nix’s stories are, yes, the characters have misunderstandings and miscommunications, but they handle them like the adults they are. Therefore, I never get frustrated with the characters or their actions. This book is a prime example of that. If you’re looking for a smart, sweet romance, this is the book for you.
I am proud to be a nerd girl. As such it’s no surprise that I adore romances and romantic comedies with nerd girl leads. Susannah Nix is the queen at writing this sort of stuff, and Olivia, the star of her latest book – Applied Electromagnetism (Chemistry Lessons Book 4) – is a perfectly wonderful example of a nerd girl heroine. Add in one hunky and yummy guy in Adam (and yes, I love him even more once I found out just why he is so hunky), and a bit of truly superb writing, and voila!, the result is one fantastic read. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
In “Applied Electromagnetism,” Olivia Woerner and Adam Cortinas are colleagues forced together on the road trip from hell when they are assigned to work together to bring their company’s newly acquired power plant online. I’m a sucker for a good road trip story, and when combined with a dash of office romance and a touch of enemies-to-lovers thrown in for good measure, the result is delightful. Adam and Olivia make for incredibly likeable, endearingly awkward, and relatable protagonists, and I loved watching them get to know each other better and slowly come to realize that they are perfect for each other. Their banter is a lot of fun and provides quite a number of laugh-out-loud moments over the course of the story.
Overall, I loved this book and can’t recommend it (and the rest of Susannah Nix’s books) highly enough.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I laughed. I cried. I laughed while crying and cried while laughing. As you might have already guessed, I found this story to be a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. I love Olivia, just like I’ve loved every one of the heroines in this series. I can so easily relate to these geeky, socially awkward nerd-girls. They are totally my people. It was really, really easy to dislike Adam at first. I was Team Olivia all the way, so I was one hundred percent behind her desire to inflict bodily harm on him. I loved watching him open up to Olivia, becoming more real, more human. I both love and hate that we don’t get the chance to live in our hero’s head. I crave knowing what’s going through Adam’s thoughts, but I don’t think it would be quite the same story if we weren’t experiencing Olivia’s angst at not knowing what’s going to happen next. And speaking of “what happens next?”, I can’t wait to see who the next couple to fall will be.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
I love this entire series! With book 4, we get to know more about Olivia. She’s strong, smart, crafty, and a fellow nerd among the fandom. I totally relate to her quirkiness. Her crush Adam is utterly adorable in the “he-doesn’t-even-know-how-cute-he-really-is” sort of way. I was so sad that he was so miserable for so long. Their slow burn attraction was hott in all the right ways. But what made it even more amazing is that I read it while on a road trip to the Houston area!!! Talk about being immersed in a great book! I about died when Adam entered the sacred Bu-cee’s and Whataburger!!! Unless you’ve been to Texas or live here, you can’t truly appreciate either of those experiences! It truly is an experience to be had!!
***I voluntarily read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
WOW! Susannah Nix has done it again! I don’t like to give out plots as it is part of the journey of reading a book and what a wonderful journey this is. Misconceptions can cause a lot of problems BUT when you are willing to talk them through and accept constructive criticism it can make you a better person. This is what makes Adam and Olivia a great pair! How they are willing to improve on themselves and take second chances on life opportunities career and personal! Both characters show levels of maturity and growth in this very fun but challenging adventure work trip they must take together. They both must go out of their comforts zones and learn so much from this experience. I have read other titles from Susannah but this one has become one of my top favorites!