Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas, #3) by Ali Hazelwood

Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas, #3) Reviews

• 
  Kat

  totally lost me when he started comparing her tits to hills on mars
• 
  Ayman

  if there’s one thing i love it’s ‘soft boy with badass female lead’ but why tf did he start comparing her body parts to topographical features on Mars when they fucked?
• 
  chan ☆

  am i ovulating or was this kinda hot lmao
• 
  emma

  this set of novellas should be used sparingly. to punish some of our nation's worst criminals, or on people who think buttered popcorn jellybeans are good.
  
  i'm aware that that's a redundant statement.
  
  every ali hazelwood book is
  - small girl big man
  - small girl quirky, big man serious
  - big man pining, small girl unaware
  - big man f*cks small girl without a condom
  
  this girl is said once to be tall, but she is also said to be small-boned (?) so it's the same as ever.
  
  also the pervasiveness of the "i'm on the pill" / "can i come inside you" conversation within these 3 novellas is disturbing. i really really really would prefer not to know strangers' (read: authors') sexual kinks, but you read the identical sex scenes in this AND
  the love hypothesis AND
  love on the brain AND
  the first novella AND
  the second novella and do the math.
  
  i unfortunately already have. i have done not only the math, but near identical rant reviews four times. (i am debating rereading the love hypothesis, probably discovering i now hate it, and making it an even five.)
  
  feel free to read any of those to reconstruct my suffering alongside me.
  
  bottom line: ALI HAZELWOOD WHAT HAVE YOU MADE ME BECOME.
  
  ----------------
  currently-reading updates
  
  i'm just hate reading at this point
  
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  tbr review
  
  what do i have to do to get more ali hazelwood. i'll do anything.
  
  as long as anything doesn't include sending an email or trying very hard. i'm only human
• 
  aly ☆彡 (slowly catching up)

  I believe Ali Hazelwood is tired of seeing the same person with a raccoon profile to be shitting on her novellas as much as I, myself am tired of putting my criticisms on her works. This goes without saying that these novellas are not working out as much as I hope they would be.
  
  To put the record straight, I was hoping Hannah's story to turn the tide and give me something wholesome to read. She sounded so sweet and in one's prime from her snippets in the past two novellas. Alas, this Hannah I'm reading is crude and nothing as such.
  
  I find the plot boring as hell, I promised this time my attention span went AWOL for 70% of the time. Everything about this novella is lackluster — the writing, the romance, the storyline, the characters; all are going downhill. I can't believe Hannah made fun of people who still used paper and pen to play Sudoko, like bitch, that's me you're talking about.
  
  While of course, Hazelwood could not miss her "miscommunication" imprint between her characters, Hannah and Ian's conflict felt almost justified. Though I still believe things could be sorted out if both of them could've just come clean than letting their beef go on for months to years. Albeit Hannah is seemingly childish, but given her position, I understand where she is coming from. I'm still not a big fan, but I'll let the miscommunication trope slide this time.
  
  Nevertheless, the clockwork of having to point out the hero's massive physicals seems to be a tiring endless cycle from Hazelwood. Believe me, we love to read and appreciate hot men in novels. That is, after all, what most readers want in their escapism. I wouldn’t want to experience vicarious romantic feelings about a man who didn’t appeal to me as I wouldn’t in real life.
  
  However, when it was constantly commented by Hazelwood's heroines every single time like it was all that matters, trust me, it started to get debilitated.
  
  

  "...big, more lumberjack than engineer.."
  "...watch him scratch his big neck, crossed his wide biceps on his broad chest..."
  "...something hard and warm; Ian's shoulder..."
  "... his big cock..."

  
  
  I could keep going, but you get the point. Like I've said, while I understand wanting to keep up on having attractive male characters, why do they have to continually rip and cut into muscled ideals? This is so petty and nitpicking of me I know, but I'll be more percipience if this is a sports romance, or comes from a H who was told to love working out. I know authors used repetition a lot, but if you're not doing it imperatively and going to describe all your professors, lawyer, scientist and engineer as "big". I'm afraid this is when readers would start to find your books dull, aka ME.
  
  Needless to say, I did not enjoy the romance one bit. I did root for the couple but what they had were just all physical and sexual attraction. The build-up was poor and I was not feeling much of the chemistry between Hannah and Ian. The figure of speech was so laughable too, that all I can do is: rolled my eyes. Last time she compared Mara's smell to sunblock, now she made Ian say Hannah's boobs looked like hills on Mars- bYE. Don't blame me if I can't take them seriously.
  
  Precedent to its title, this novella is indeed Below Zero, it was humdrum and the longest almost-four-hours audiobook for me. Don't get me wrong, a short-written book is not an easy task, I respected that. Especially when you have to consider everything to give a sublime byproduct. My advice? Hazelwood can continue with her full-length novels and I truly hope Love on the Brain would live up to its expectation as TLH. These novellas were nice experimentation and maybe not writing them again wouldn’t be so bad :')
• 
  Layla

  Ali Hazelwood after writing the same formulaic story, just with a different backdrop, and characters of slightly different variations but still basically the same person, multiple times:
  
  
• 
  Mia

  Nothing new, nothing changed, every novella is same, time-line doesn't work, characters are underdeveloped and ship is so bland. Maybe one day Ali will stop writing herself with Adam Driver and write decent book but that day isn't today.
• 
  Cait Jacobs (Caitsbooks)

  This might be my favorite of the novellas.
  
  I really enjoyed our two main characters, Hannah and Ian. I feel like, despite being a novella, Ali Hazelwood managed to fit in some great character development as well as some fun twists and turns in their relationship. I especially loved the casual queer rep, something Ali Hazelwood always does fantastically.
  
  This book only got me more excited to read more Ali Hazelwood. I need more books. Immediately.
  
  Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!
• 
  alka

  WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THESE CUTE ASS COVERS?!
  
  I AM SO NOT COMPLAINING THO. THROW ALL OF THEM MY WAY MS. HAZELWOOD. OKAY I'LL STOP SCREAMING NOW.
• 
  Zoe (Marauders version)

  i lost it when he compared her tits to hills on mars
  
  and for referance these are the hills he compared them to:
  
  
  
  They look a bit lumpy to me, sir are you telling her her boobs are lumpy and uneven? More of a insult than a compliment.
  
  I know for a fact if i were in Hannahs position and a man said that my boobs look like a hill on a different planet, i know for sure i would become sonic the hedgehog with how fast i would run outta there, i dont care if im butt naked anywhere away from that man would be enough for me.
  
  See, I think ali hazelwood has ONE thing in all her books that make me dislike them. For under one roof it was the fact that the smut scene was awkard and that Liam did not get good demi representation (i didnt even realise that he was demi) but im not an expert on that so someone else has got to tell me if that was good demi representation.
  
  In stuck with you, the amout of times that Sadie told us that Eric looked like Chris Hemsworth and how viking like he looked like really irked me. Like WE GET IT he looks like a norse god ffs
  
  And this one, would have been good okay if he didn't compare her fucking boobies to fucking hills that is not hot at all, such a turn off
  
  And im pissed about it because i love reading about women in stem and really anything to do with stem, science, maths and engineering. And these were all trash. I think that Ali Hazelwood needs to stay away from novellas because they are to short. Stick to the longer books babes, ill read and hopefully enjoy them. You need time to develop the story.
  
  Alsoooo, take a step back from writting every book like its going to end up on wattpad. Listen, I enjoy reading about characters that love the same things i do. But some of the stuff and the smut scenes in these books really really remind me of wattpad and not in a good way.
  
  But i will say that I will be reading her next book because it looks interesting, and because the fact that the guys name is Levi. It BETTER not disapont miss Hazelwood, im counting on you.
  
  For all those that enjoyed this book im really happy for you, but imma have to head out with these novellas.
  
  thats all for now
  see ya next time
  -Zoe
• 
  Larissa Cambusano

  THIS HAD NO BUSINESS BEING THIS CUTE!!!! I loved Hannah & Ian and the whole plot of this was *chefs kiss* !!! I also really adored getting to see Mara/Liam & Sadie/Eric again!
  
  Ali Hazelwood has been nailing these novellas 💅🏻
• 
  Dab

  That must have been awkward when Mara, Sadie, Hannah and all their boyfriends met. Or nobody realized it’s essentially the same guy, just wearing a different wig?
  
  Having said that.
  
  You can say all you want about this book and the infamous hills on Mars debate during sex. You will be probably right and yeah, we all wish Ali Hazelwood explored other tropes. I even agree, that Ian is borderline creepy with his fixation on Hannah.
  
  But !!!
  
  I will read whatever Ali Hazelwood writes anyway cause her books are fun and I deserve a calorie free guilty pleasure.
  
  And I will give this book as many stars as I want (3,5 - Where are the half stars, Goodreads???) cause it’s my review and I can 🤡
• 
  Chelsea (chelseadolling reads)

  Ended up reading all three of the novellas in this series in one day and it was THE BEST decision. Don’t have much to add that I haven’t already said about the previous two so I will repeat: Ali Hazelwood has such a damn gift for writing romance. She is able to make any situation sexy at the drop of a hat and I'm left with no choice but to stan. This novella (and series as a whole!!!) was an absolute delight.
• 
  Kay ❦

  2.5 ⭐
  crass
  big
  crass
  Did I mention BIG?
  
  The good stuff: NASA/JPL and Norway!👍🚀
  
  
  
• 
  Maria

  So I'm torn on this one.
  
  If this were a stand-alone novella I would give it 4 stars without issue, but as the third in a trilogy, it's a little too similar to its predecessors to be more than 3.
  
  Did I think the story was cute? Of course. Am I a little over the miscommunication trope in this book and the 3 other Ali Hazelwood books I've read? Also yes.
  
  Aside from location and scientific specialties, the only difference in the female leads is that Hannah was into casual hookups when Mara and Sadie weren't. The guys are all variations of Adam from Love Hypothesis. They're all large broody stoics who are experts in their field that carry snacks. One has an accent and one is a ginger. I get it. It's a hot template, but it's like when you copy your friend's homework and change it a little.
  
  I guess there are stylistic variations in the steamy parts? Like the smut in this book was very Mars landmark focused. Which I thought was odd, but I'm also not passionate about Mars exploration.
  
  They were different enough I suppose for me to have a favorite, which was Stuck with You. I hope Love on the Brain, as a full-length novel, is a little more unique.
• 
  Heather

  This was such a fun novella series. I can't pick a favorite because honestly I really enjoyed them all. All were short and sweet with a side of steamy.
  
• 
  Jesse On Youtube

  did we really need a sex scene where our male love interest moans about a planet 89.975 million miles away while inside our protagonist?
• 
  megs_bookrack

  Below Zero is the second of the STEMinist Novellas from Miss Ali Hazelwood that I have read.
  
  Being aware that this is technically the third in the series, it interested me the most, so I was super pumped when my audiobook hold came through from my local library. I couldn't put it off. I had to dive in right away!
  
  
  
  Throughout this trilogy we follow the stories of a trio of girlfriends: Mara, Sadie and Hannah. This is Hannah's story.
  
  Out of the three, Hannah has the most difficulty letting people in. She is fairly guarded by nature and even found it uncomfortable at first getting close with Mara and Sadie. She has her reasons.
  
  
  
  Fresh out of graduate school Hannah finds herself new in her career as a NASA aerospace engineer. Some may say she got there via some helpful tips from a man named, Ian, but she would never say that. He's irrelevant.
  
  Although if we're being honest, Ian is never far from her mind. Ian is her rival, her nemesis and the man who haunts her most lurid dreams.
  
  
  
  When Hannah finds herself on the brink of disaster, injured and stranded at an Arctic research station, Ian is the one who risks everything to save her. Hannah's so confused. Why would he do this?
  
  He legitimately tried to stop her research and sabotage her career. What could be his motivations now and why does her stomach feel so queasy anytime he's around?
  
  
  
  This novella bounces around a little as the different stages of Hannah and Ian's relationship is pieced together. I enjoyed it so much. Watching the blanks be filled in and their connection grow.
  
  I related a lot to Hannah. I found her to be such a convincing main. I liked that she was the type of person who didn't let people in easily. It made you really recognize how special those people she has chosen to be in her life are.
  
  
  
  This had some steamy scenes. In the novellas there aren't a ton, it's only 124-pages, so obviously there's not going to be that much. However, what is there is top notch stuff.
  
  Hazelwood can get your motor running, that's for sure.
  
  
  
  I'm really looking forward to getting to the final novella, Stuck on You, soon. I'm sure it won't disappoint!
• 
  Matilda

  1 star 🔭
  
  i’m starting to get this feeling that ali hazelwood is a one hit wonder
  
  the hero knew the heroine was going on a super dangerous expedition, so he tried to do everything in his power to stop it from happening. since he failed to stop it, he arrived in Norway one day before the heroine did as a precaution, should anything happen to her.
  
  when the heroine fell down a crevasse during the expedition, trapping her, the hero formed a one-man search party and trekked through a blizzard in the north pole to haul her out. he then carried her all the way to his boat because she sprained her ankle, single-handedly saving her life
  
  and guess what? i couldn’t find the will to give a shit 😂
  
  it was the way ‘NASA’ was mentioned more times the heroine’s own name. i couldn’t understand 99% of the nerdy language and why THE HELL is the hero comparing the heroine’s body to landmarks on Mars???
  
  

  “I know. I know, you’re going to let me do it all...But maybe I want to play with the Herschel Crater first.” His tongue dips inside my belly button, tasting and probing

  
  
  
  
  straight up, all of the sex scenes in these novellas were awkward af. i’m so glad this is over
  
  the STEMinist novellas
  ↠ #1
  under one roof — 1.75 stars
  ↠ #2
  stuck with you — 3 stars
  ↠ #3 below zero — 1 star
• 
  Hilly

  2.5 stars
  
  I don't think it's possible to almost fuck in a NASA facility, but correct me if I'm wrong. After this one my eyes will be permanently stuck in the back of my head.
  
  Hannah went around trying to make a manifesto out of her emotional unavailability and used it as an excuse to be horny. She's not an annoying character like Sadie but for sure she doesn't deserve the cinnamon roll that is Ian. He literally goes alone with his boat and saves her in the middle of a snowstorm after she blew him off, and overall reacts marvelously to every rock she throws his way (believe me, it happens constantly smh). I swear they were connecting so well, the cuteness and the banter were there, and then they had to immediately throw off their clothes instead of building a healthy and pleasant relationship. This shit is getting old.
  
  Again, the concept and the miscommunication build the right tension, but it's the way this whole novella was 50% badly written sex that makes it difficult for me to like it. I've said this about all the novellas and I'll keep saying it: this had a superb concept but the short length ruined it. I wanted more banter, more cute interactions, more development both for plot and characters. I didn't want detailed Mars-themed sex. I'm also drawing a fucking line here because I'm tired of the way the author describes every single one of her love interests as big, massive, muscular, enormous, a freaking mountain: how is this novella worse than Stuck with You about it? I can't believe every sentence had at least one of these adjectives.
  
  I thought this one would beat the first novella but I'm still team Under One Roof. This one comes in second only because Stuck with You was so bad lol. Final verdict: I’m glad this novella was the last one or it would probably get even worse 😂
• 
  Jessica

  GIVE ME THE HEROINE CAUGHT IN A SNOW STORM AND THE HERO HAS TO RESCUE HER. I really enjoyed this second chance romance and seeing the couple meeting four years ago and reunite when they work together. The hero and heroine are super smart and working for NASA. They met years ago and really hit it off, but they haven't talked since. Now, they are both working for NASA and the heroine needs funding for a really important project. I really loved how they hit it off when they first met and nerded out/bonded over their obsession with Mars. The conflict in this book, though, was very similar to book two and I think I enjoyed book two slightly more than this one. I definitely enjoyed the past chapters much better than the present. The present seemed a bit rush and didn't have the pining and irresistible chemistry the past chapters had. But these novellas are so fun to read and I still enjoyed reading this one!
• 
  bo

  i dont even know why do i bother with ali hazelwood’s characters with “very blue eyes and very tall figure”
• 
  Rachel Reads Ravenously

  4 stars!
  
  Hannah is a young woman working for NASA on a project at a remote Arctic station. One day she gets into trouble, and only one person is willing to take the dangerous rescue mission to come and save her. Ian has been many things to her over the years, potential love interest and villain. But Hannah is about to find out he can be even more.
  
  I liked this one I thought it was really cute. All of these novellas were told with flashback timelines and it worked for these stories. Hannah was a tad bit frustrating as a heroine, but I still liked her. Ian was a perfect hero, quiet yet strong and hopelessly smitten with Hannah. There was some miscommunication trope and while I usually like that in my romance, it didn’t work in this one. But overall this was a great novella where the pining hero rescues him dream girl and it hit my heart in all the right places. I am so excited to see what more Ali Hazelwood has in store for us.
  
  ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions when reading this book/writing this review
• 
  ~ a foray in fantasy ~

  The dinner scene at the end was giving ACOMAF.
  
  Maybe a hot take: why is everyone so upset about the Mars comparisons? Maybe I’m just too nerdy, but it’s kind of hot tbh. I said what I said. 🤷‍♀️
  
  The thing that made me dock a solid star (and should’ve been two) is this phrase: “nibble on my tits”. Is he a rabbit??? I don’t think so, but that’s the only context nibbling needs to be used in.
  
  I also didn’t like the fact that this main lead, the only bisexual mc in Hazelwood’s books, follows the stereotype of “bisexual-so-must-sleep-around”.
• 
  Victor

  *3.75
  A única que achei meh, as outras foram muito melhores.
• 
  Emmy

  Why do I feel like all 3 novellas were the exact same..
• 
  Lacey (laceybooklovers)

  How is it that Ali Hazelwood can make me love the miscommunication trope?? Hannah and Ian are THE most adorable nerds.
• 
  calypso

  all of these felt exactly the same yet this one was somehow the least interesting
• 
  siu

  it takes a special talent to write characters that give me the ick in the end
• 
  Helena (helenareadsxx)

  Okay I just internally screamed at the ending. Omg I loved it. Ian Floyd is now one of the best bookish boyfriends ever.