In Stuck with You (The STEMinist Novellas #2) by Ali Hazelwood, You would think that when the 
power goes out and two engineers are stuck in a NYC elevator, they would have ideas of how to free themselves from their predicament. Erm, not so much. Instead, Sadie is left to stew in the anger Erik caused with his betrayal after their one–admittedly blissful–night together a couple of weeks ago. But as they are finally forced to talk things out, they’re both surprised by the truth. And how the way they each handled things left a lot to be desired. After the lights come back on and normal life resumes, will Sadie and Erik be able to rekindle their love–in an elevator? Or will it take a bit more time to figure it all out?
“I missed you,” he breathes against my temple… “I only knew you for twenty-four hours, but I’ve never missed anyone so much.”
A witty, adorkable novella from the always entertaining Ali Hazelwood, Stuck with You took the forced proximity trope to all new heights while adding some steamy scenes and well-placed humor in this romance.
‘I blink, confused, suddenly remembering why I went into engineering. Logarithmic derivatives are so much easier than this relationship shit.’
The second novella in Ali Hazelwood’s STEMinist trilogy was every bit as humorous, awkward (in a good way), and charming as her previous work. And while, yes, it had that instalove feel to it–particularly on Erik’s part–I didn’t mind where it truly seemed like Sadie and Erik made a solid connection together through shared likes and even similar careers. And, okay, Hazelwood does seem to have a “type” when it comes to her heroines and heroes: the heroine is typically on the petite side, highly intelligent, a STEMinist, and feisty; the hero is a mountain of a guy but is also a brainiac, can be on the grumbly side, and has a heart of gold. But again, it works for me. This type of pairing is one of my faves in contemporary romance and romantic comedy so as long as the plots are unique, I’m all in.
Miscommunication–or lack of communication–was a big part in what drove Sadie and Erik apart for a while. I loved the heat between them and how difficult it was for Sadie to fight it when she was angry at Erik during their time stuck in the elevator, a few weeks after their night together. It was memorable and oh so emotional. Hazelwood also alternated chapters between present day and when Sadie and Erik met so we got to see the ups and downs in their fledgling relationship. Between the levity her best friends Mara and Hannah brought to her situation and the humorous (and sexy!) moments with Sadie and Erik, I wanted more time with every single one of them.
QOTD: Are you a fan of forced proximity romances? If so, do you have any favorites you can recommend?
Book Info:
Publication: Published June 7th 2022 (Audio: March 8th 2022) | Berkley | The STEMinist Novellas #2
Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.
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…
Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.
Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….
To read Mara and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Under One Roof, available now, and Below Zero, coming soon from Berkley!
Banana cake
I loved this novella, can’t hardly wait for her next book.
shygirl19748
Yay! So happy you loved this one too! Wasn’t it a lot of fun? Thankfully it still had lots of great emotions packed into it. We’ll both be waiting (rather un)patiently for the next one! 😉
Loverofromance
I do love forced proximity, and I am glad that this one you enjoyed so well. I know many readers of illustrated covered romances enjoy this author. Hope your next read is a good one.
shygirl19748
Thanks! It’s a fun trope when done right. And where they had a (brief) history it really worked here. She does tend to have illustrated covers but they really fit the characters and her writing style. 🙂