Review: ‘The Love Simulation’ by Etta Easton
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The Love Simulation
by Etta EastonPublished by Berkley on March 4, 2025
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback
Pages: 287
Source: the publisher
Audience: 18+/Adult
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A passionate vice principal and a guarded science teacher compete for a grand prize, only to realize their budding relationship might be the real jackpot.
Brianna Rogers has been told a time (or six) she needs to stop jumping into things head first. But when the principal rescinds his approval for a library upgrade, deciding to spend the money on a football field instead, she sees red. Literally. Brianna throws her hat in the ring and joins a team of teachers who will spend their summer in a Mars simulation. As the sister of an astronaut, this should be easy, right? What she didn’t count on was the last-minute addition to the team—Roman: science teacher, son of the principal, and too handsome for his own good.
Roman and Brianna have been hot and cold all year, and living in close quarters intensifies their animosity and attraction. Brianna is sure he’s been sent by his father to sabotage them, foiling their chance at prize money that will cover all of the school’s actual needs. But each day, Roman proves himself to be a dedicated teammate—and Brianna finds herself falling harder and harder. While it’s clear the feeling is mutual, she can’t shake the sense that he’s hiding something. As the simulation nears its end, Brianna realizes she may have to make an impossible choice, between the school she’s dedicated herself to, and the man who has won his way into her heart.
I enjoyed Etta Easton’s debut novel last year, The Kiss Countdown, and couldn’t wait to read her latest release, The Love Simulation. I listened to the audiobook version thanks to my local library (Libby). Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy The Love Simulation as much as I enjoyed The Kiss Countdown, and I’m disappointed about that.
I still enjoyed some aspects of the story. I admired the FMC, Brianna, for her determination to upgrade the school’s library and her commitment to completing the Mars Simulation alongside her fellow teachers. Throughout the Simulation, Brianna faced numerous obstacles, but she persevered and proved not only to herself but also to others that she could succeed. She truly was an inspiration, and I was rooting for her character the whole time while doing the Simulation.
My main issue with the book was believing the romantic relationship that developed between Brianna and Roman. Throughout the Simulation, Brianna struggled with trust issues regarding Roman, fearing that he might sabotage everything. I completely understood her concerns, as I also had my own trust issues with him. He was the Principal’s son, and the Principal was the very reason the library upgrade wasn’t happening. I think if Etta had included Roman’s point of view, I might have been convinced that he genuinely cared for Brianna. While I occasionally enjoy reading a single POV, I definitely prefer dual POV, especially in this case where I didn’t particularly like Roman.
I wanted to love this story, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet my expectations compared to the first book. Brianna was the main reason I kept reading; I wanted to see her prove the Principal wrong by securing the funding from the Mars Simulation to upgrade the library without his or the superintendent’s help. She was truly inspiring.
I give this book three stars, and I would still recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and stories about a heroine who is determined to step out of her comfort zone to achieve at completing the Mars Simulation.
What to Expect:
✔️Hate to Love/Enemies to Lovers
✔️Workplace Romance
✔️Forced Proximity
About Etta Easton
Etta Easton is a certified hopeless romantic who now writes contemporary romance. Her stories are full of humor, relatable heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, and Black joy. She lives in Central Texas with her husband and two young kids.
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My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
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