This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What happens when a neuroscientist writes a romance set in academia? In this episode, I’m chatting with debut author Hannah Brohm about Love and Other Brain Experiments—a workplace romance inspired by the chaotic world of research labs, anonymous peer reviews, and the surprising ways love can show up when you least expect it.

We talk about Hannah’s journey from cognitive neuroscience to romance writing, how academia shaped the story, and why romance became a comforting escape during grad school and the pandemic. Plus, we dive into her reading life—from workplace romcoms to cozy mysteries—and she shares a few book recommendations that belong on your TBR.

If you love smart romcoms, STEM heroines, and enemies-to-lovers tension, this conversation is for you.

📚 Books Mentioned

Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm — Contemporary Romance | STEM Romance

All in Your Head by Sabina Norquist — Contemporary Romance | Fake Dating | Disability Rep

And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters — Cozy Mystery Rom-Com | Historical

The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone — Romantic Comedy | Friends to Lovers | London

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon — Workplace Romance | Media

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas — Fake Dating Romance

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins — YA Romance

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne — Enemies to Lovers | Workplace Romance

⏱️ Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction to Hannah Brohm and her debut romance

[01:00] What cognitive neuroscience is and how it inspired the book

[03:00] The realities of working in academia and postdoc life

[05:00] The premise of Love and Other Brain Experiments

[06:00] Hannah’s romance reading journey and early influences

[07:00] Discovering adult romance during grad school and COVID

[09:00] How peer review inspired the book’s enemies-to-lovers setup

[10:00] Balancing academia, writing, and reading

[12:00] Why writing romance can be cathartic

[14:00] Hannah’s reading tastes and current reads

[15:00] Fake dating romance recommendation: All in Your Head

[16:00] Cozy mystery rom-com recommendation

[17:00] Romcom set in London recommendation

[20:00] Writing New York as a setting and personal connections to the city

[21:00] Where to find Hannah online

Join the Conversation

Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)

Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next

Subscribe & leave a review!