Ever since I first read Ali Hazelwood two years ago, I have been interested in reading more STEM romance novels. I have read three Hazelwood books, but I was excited to try another book from a different author.
Enter The Hot Henry Effect by Lucy Chalice. The premise of this one seemed to be my cup of tea: a workplace, second chance romance? Both are tropes I have loved in the past.
I read The Hot Henry Effect in two days, and I have a lot of thoughts about it. Let’s get into it!
The Hot Henry Effect was released on May 16, 2024.
The Hot Henry Effect by Lucy Chalice
Published on May 16, 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: ARC, eBook
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
When a mishap with a pain au chocolat ruins the most important presentation of Dr Clara Clancy’s career, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is the impossibly good-looking and all-round super-nice guy from her university days, Dr Henry Fraser.
Back during their time together at Oxford, Clara was seemingly the only person immune to The Hot Henry Effect – a genuine scientific phenomenon whereby those around Henry fall instantly and helplessly in love with him, the outcomes of which he has remained entirely oblivious to.
Now, reunited and back working together, it’s not long before they slip back into their easy friendship. But both Henry and Clara are keeping secrets – if they can’t be honest with themselves, what hope is there of them being honest with each other? And will Clara really be able to resist the Hot Henry Effect for long?
Spicy rating: 🌶🌶
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Tropes
- He Falls First
- Second Chance
- Slow burn
- Miscommunication
Positives
First of all, THE COVER!! I have seen a lot of readers complain about the illustrated romance covers, but I just love this trend so much. I love being able to see what the characters are meant to look like.
“You’re crazy and funny and kind and beautiful, and so bright and intelligent that it makes my brain hurt just trying to keep up with you. Please don’t ever feel that you need to be anything other than yourself.”
I always love a second chance romance story, and this one started off strong. I loved the banter between Clara and Henry as soon as they reunited, and I honestly felt like the two characters had loads of chemistry.
There were a few great romance elements. The declarations of love, the sticky notes… all of these were things I enjoyed reading.
Negatives
There was a subplot following a creepy coworker that kept making advances on Clara throughout the book. I never felt like this subplot was handled with care, and I finished the book with an icky feeling about the entire plot line.
While I loved the second chance romance aspect to the story, I wish they would have developed more of their past so that we could see the sexual tension early on. In the past, they just seemed better off as friends. I didn’t feel any lusting from either of them.
In the beginning, I appreciated the honesty with Clara’s mental health and her fear of relationships. I was excited to see how she was going to grow and work towards healing herself. Sadly, by the end, I didn’t feel like Clara grew enough with her mental health, and I could not see how their relationship was going to work long term at this point.
There was a point towards the end of the book (like 80%?) involving Clara that frustrated me so much that I didn’t even want to continue reading (also, I know a lot of people avoid therapy, but making a comment like “I don’t need therapy because I know what’s wrong with me,” and then never growing from that doesn’t make me feel like a lot has changed).
The book had one open-door spicy scene in the book, which was just okay. However, when I see an “erotica” tag on Netgalley, I am expecting something much more spicy. Not really the fault of the book, just the marketing.
Overall feels
The Hot Henry Effect started off strong for me, but the lack of character development and backstory made this one fall short.
Final Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Be sure to also answer the question of the day! I love seeing what you guys are loving in the book world!
Question of the Day:
What is your favorite STEM romance novel?
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