The Romance Review Daily

"A charming and heartfelt romance, Love in the Lab captures the magic of unexpected love. The writing is witty and tender, with a chemistry between the characters that will leave readers swooning. A must-read for fans of slow-burn romance!"

Literary Loves Magazine

"Sweet, funny, and utterly enchanting, Love in the Lab is the perfect blend of heart and humor. Alex and Haley’s journey from friends to something more will steal your heart and keep you smiling long after the last page."

Romance Now

"They have done it again! Love in the Lab is a delightful tale of love and friendship, filled with tender moments and relatable characters. Prepare for a romance that’s as heartwarming as it is irresistible."

Bookish Bliss

"Fresh, fun, and full of heart, Love in the Lab is a story you won’t want to put down. The connection between Alex and Haley feels real and raw, making this one of the most swoon-worthy reads of the year."

In the bustling chaos of college life, Alex never expected a random encounter on the quad to change everything. There she was: Haley, the girl with the golden hair, unknowingly catching his attention in the midst of the rush. With a nudge from his best friend and a rushed compliment about her shoes, Alex stumbles his way into a conversation that marks the start of something he hadn’t seen coming—a chance to get to know the girl who would capture his heart.

From chemistry labs to unexpected text messages, and a friendship blooming amidst the seasons, Alex and Haley’s connection grows in the most delightful and unpredictable ways. But when a simple question sparks an uncertain moment, will they cross the line from friends to something more? As their bond deepens, both are left wondering: Could this be the start of something special, or will their unspoken feelings remain in the background?

Love in the Lab is a heartwarming journey of friendship, the unpredictability of love, and the quiet moments that change everything. Through awkward encounters, heartfelt conversations, and a shared love for BLTs, Alex and Haley discover that sometimes, the best things in life are the ones you least expect.

The campus quad was alive with the usual chaos of students rushing between classes, but for Alex, it felt like the world had narrowed to a single focus: Haley. There she was, the Girl with the Hair. Her long, golden hair flowed like a silken banner in the gentle breeze. Sunlight danced through the strands, casting a warm glow around her. Each step seemed effortless, and her hair caught the light, shimmering with shades of honey and wheat. It swayed gracefully with her movement, framing her face and accentuating her bright smile.

Big Chris nudged Alex playfully, glancing over at the girl with the beautiful blonde hair. "Dude, You’ve got to say something!"

Alex shuffled his feet, a nervous laugh escaping him. "What would I even say? 'Hi, I love your hair?'"

Chris rolled his eyes, a grin spreading across his face. "Come on, man! Just be yourself. What’s the worst that could happen?"

Alex hesitated, watching her laughter mingle with the breeze, the way her hair danced around her. "Okay, okay, but what if she thinks I’m weird?"

Gathering his courage, Alex approached her, his palms slightly sweaty. The moment she turned to him, he felt a rush of nerves. “Uh, nice shoes!” he blurted out, his voice a mix of excitement and embarrassment.

Nice shoes? Really? Haley thought, a small smile creeping onto her face as she walks to class. That’s a weird opener.

Alex walked into his chemistry lab, the familiar scent of McLendon Labs mixing in the air. As he took his seat, he scanned the room and his heart skipped when he spotted Haley across the lab, her blonde hair catching the fluorescent lights.

What are the odds? he thought, trying to hide his excitement. He hoped they would be paired up for the upcoming experiment.

Just then, their professor announced the lab partners for the day, and Alex held his breath. “Alex and Haley,” the professor called out.

When he turned to her and spoke, his British accent wrapped around his words like a warm embrace. “So, shall we get started?” he asked, his voice smooth and charming.

Haley’s breath caught for a moment. Wow, that accent is even better up close. It added an unexpected layer of allure to his already endearing demeanor. She found herself leaning in a little closer, captivated not just by his words but by the way he carried himself.

“Yeah, let’s do it!” she replied, her voice slightly breathless. She felt a rush of warmth and confidence, realizing she wanted to know more about him—not just as a lab partner, but as someone who made her heart race.

As they began their experiment, she couldn’t help but steal glances at him, mesmerized by how focused he was. This is going to be a fun lab, she thought, grinning to herself. Little did she know, this chemistry was just the beginning.

Seasons waltzed by like a cheerful dance, each one adding its own flair to the routine. Spring burst forth with a riot of colors, the perfect backdrop for spontaneous picnics and laughter that floated through the air like butterflies. Summer arrived with all its sun-soaked adventures, late-night ice cream runs, and secrets whispered under the stars. Autumn painted the world in shades of orange and gold, bringing cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice everything, while winter wrapped them in a blanket of snow, complete with hot cocoa and movie marathons.

Amidst this seasonal parade, a friendship blossomed, growing stronger with each shared smile and silly inside joke. Other romances fluttered in and out of their lives like passing breezes—some sweet and short, others dramatic and fleeting. But theirs was a delightful companionship, filled with the kind of warmth that lingered long after the last leaves fell.

As time twirled on, they found themselves in a delightful rhythm, where laughter filled the spaces between their conversations and little moments sparkled like confetti. Neither of them dared to say it yet, but there was an undeniable magic brewing—a feeling that this friendship was the start of something beautifully unexpected, and it was going to stick around for a while.

Alex’s phone buzzed to life on the table, shattering the comfortable silence of his afternoon. He picked it up, half-expecting yet another meme from his group chat, but instead, he was greeted by a message from Haley that read, “What do you think the future Mrs. Gartland looks like?”

His heart raced, and a million thoughts collided in his mind. Future Mrs. Gartland? The words echoed like an unexpected drumroll, amplifying the flutter in his stomach. Did she really just drop that bombshell? Was this some sort of signal, a hint wrapped in playful ambiguity?

He stared at the screen, his fingers hovering above the keyboard, suddenly paralyzed by the weight of the moment. Was she joking? Or was this her way of testing the waters? Maybe she had been thinking about him too, and this was her roundabout way of giving him the green light. The idea sent his mind spiraling into a whirlwind of “What ifs.”

“What if she’s into me?” he thought, excitement bubbling beneath his skin. “What if she’s just messing with me?” The doubt hit like a cold splash of water. What if he read this completely wrong?

He imagined Haley’s smile—warm and teasing—and suddenly the future seemed like a landscape full of vibrant possibilities. But what if he made a move and it fell flat? Would it ruin everything they’d built together?

Alex took a deep breath, glancing around his room as if it might hold the answers. He could almost picture their future, side by side, laughing at inside jokes while sipping coffee on lazy Sundays. But did she see it too?

After a few minutes of overthinking, he finally settled on a response that balanced playfulness and sincerity. “I imagine she’s got a killer sense of humor and a love for adventure. Maybe a flair for the dramatic?”

He hit send, heart pounding as he waited for her reply, half-hoping and half-dreading her next words. Would this be the moment he’d look back on as the start of something new, or the time he let his imagination run wild? Only time—and Haley—would tell.

“Hey, so… I’ve been thinking. Do you want to, like, go out sometime? I mean, not just as friends, but like a date? If that’s not weird? I don’t know. Just thought I’d throw it out there!”

Haley blinked at her screen, her mind racing. Her heart fluttered, a mix of surprise and confusion flooding through her. Did Alex really just ask her out like that? It felt so sudden, so… out of the blue. She could almost picture him, nervously fidgeting with his hair or pacing around his room, grappling with the courage to hit send.

The sweetness of his message tugged at her heart, but the idea of dating Alex felt daunting. Their friendship meant everything to her, and she couldn’t shake the fear that crossing that line could ruin it. What if it didn’t work out? What if things got awkward between them?

She read the message again, the weight of it settling in. “Why did he have to make it so complicated?” she thought, biting her lip as she weighed her options.

Haley hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard. She wanted to respond with kindness, to ease the tension that hung in the air. Taking a deep breath, she finally typed back: “Wow, that’s really sweet of you to ask, but I think I’d rather keep things as they are. I really value our friendship.”

As she hit send, a wave of regret washed over her. She hoped he wouldn’t be too hurt; she really did appreciate him and didn’t want to lose what they had. But deep down, she knew it was the right decision.

A few moments later, her phone buzzed again, and her stomach tightened with anticipation. Would he take her rejection well? Or would it change everything? The uncertainty hung in the air, but for now, all she could do was wait and hope for the best.

The room was dim, lit only by the flickering glow of the TV screen. On it, Elizabeth Bennet was standing, chin high, eyes full of fire, refusing to let Darcy’s wealth and pride intimidate her. A thought crossed Alex's mind—how could Haley not love this movie? The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth was undeniable, wasn’t it?

He glanced over at Haley, whose head was resting against the armrest of the couch, her expression soft but focused, her lips barely parted as she absorbed every word. She looked so at home here, like this was where she belonged—right beside him, laughing at all the right moments, sighing at all the wrong ones.

The clock ticked quietly in the background. His heart raced.

He could feel the warmth of her next to him, could sense the pulse of the quiet evening, could taste the way things were suspended between them—like a question neither of them had dared to ask aloud. And yet, he couldn't ignore the flicker of hope that had been there for weeks now.

He took a breath, his fingers curling around the edge of his mug.

"Haley," he said, his voice thick, like he'd been holding this back for too long. "I, uh… I think—" He stopped himself. He'd rehearsed this in his head a thousand times, but now, it was like the words were stuck.

She glanced at him, her brow furrowing slightly, as if she could tell he was about to say something big. She was smart like that.

"Yeah?" she said softly, a small, almost teasing smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "What’s up?"

He swallowed, meeting her gaze. “I know this might be a little...," he started, the words coming out awkwardly, "but I’ve been thinking—about us. About how maybe... I don’t know, maybe we could—"

Haley’s smile faded just a little, her gaze flickering back to the screen as if she needed to brace herself for something she already knew was coming. She took a deep breath, almost imperceptible, and shook her head gently.

"Alex, I… I don't think we should do this." Her voice was soft, but firm, a little sad. "I don't want to hurt you, but I don’t think I’m ready. Not for something like that. Not with you.”

The words hit him like a wave, cold and sharp. He swallowed, a laugh escaping him, though it was dry and devoid of humor. “Yeah. I figured."

He wanted to say more, to explain how much he understood—how much he respected her and her boundaries—but instead, he just nodded, leaning back on the couch, feeling the space between them grow.

Haley looked over at him, eyes full of apology. “I don’t want to make this weird between us, okay? You’re still my best friend, Alex. I just... I don’t think I can be what you need. Not now. Not yet.”

They went back to watching the movie, the familiar sound of Jane Austen’s world wrapping around them both, but it wasn’t the same. Haley seemed lost in thought, her expression faraway, and Alex could feel the distance again, the space between them that felt so much larger than just a few seconds ago.

And in the silence that followed, as Elizabeth Bennet faced her own crossroads, Alex realized that maybe, just maybe, some things were meant to be left unspoken for a little longer. That love—at least the kind he was hoping for—wasn’t always meant to happen when you wanted it, no matter how badly you thought you did.

Haley caught Alex peering longingly over his computer, as the sun stream streamed through the window of Looking Glass Café. She took a sip of her lavender latte , watching him with a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Haley leaned back in her chair, a satisfied grin on her face as she took another bite of her turkey pesto panini from Looking Glass. "Seriously, I don’t know how they do it. The turkey’s perfectly seasoned, the pesto is just the right amount of herby, and the melted cheese? It’s like the sandwich gods designed it just for me."

Alex, who had been watching her rave with a knowing smirk, shook his head. "Look, I get it, the turkey pesto's solid, but nothing—nothing—beats a Merritt's BLT." He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with that signature enthusiasm. "You get that perfect balance of smoky, crispy bacon, juicy tomato, and the toasted bread? It’s the best sandwich in town. Hands down."

Haley laughed, raising an eyebrow. "You really think a BLT can top this?"

"Absolutely," Alex said, grinning like he’d just won a bet. "Merritt’s BLT doesn’t just win for me—it’s a lifestyle."

“You know, I’ve never actually been there,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “I always hear people rave about it, but I guess I’ve never made the time to check it out.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, mock horror crossing his face. “What? You’ve never had a Merritt’s BLT? That’s—criminal. We’ve got to fix that.”

Haley felt a warmth spread through her chest at the enthusiasm in his voice, the way he was so invested in something so simple. It was endearing. But then, she’d always thought there was something endearing about Alex, something that had a way of creeping up on her when she wasn’t paying attention.

“Maybe we should go together sometime,” she said, her voice sounding a little more tentative than she wanted it to.

Alex’s eyes flickered to hers, a spark of curiosity in them. “To Merritt’s? Yeah, absolutely. That sounds good.”

Haley bit her lip, glancing down at the table, then back at him. “No, I mean…” She paused, her heart thudding a little louder than usual. “Maybe we should go together... on a date.”

Alex blinked, and for a moment, the air between them hung heavy with the unspoken. She could see the flicker of surprise, then something softer, something that made her stomach flip.

“Oh.” His smile spread slowly, and it was so soft, so genuine, that Haley’s pulse quickened. “You mean like… a real date?”

“Yeah,” she said, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest. “A real date. For BLTs.”

Alex’s grin widened, and he leaned in just slightly, lowering his voice as though it were a secret between the two of them. “You had me at BLTs,” he said, a playful edge in his tone. “I think I can handle that.”

Haley felt a laugh escape her, light and unexpected, but it was the best kind. The kind that meant maybe she’d been right all along—this, whatever this was, was exactly where she wanted to be. “Okay then. It’s a date.”

Alex raised his glass to her, a gleam of something soft in his eyes. “It’s a date.”

And for the first time in a while, Haley felt like she had everything she needed. The promise of a simple sandwich, the easy way they fit together, and the certainty that, maybe, this time, she hadn’t just found the best BLT in town. She might’ve just found something even better.

The first time Alex picked her up for their date, Haley couldn’t help but smile when she saw him pull up in the parking lot. His car was a beat-up Honda Civic, the kind that had seen better days, but somehow it felt right. He was sitting behind the wheel, gripping it so tight his knuckles were white, his gaze focused ahead as if he were preparing for battle.

Haley raised an eyebrow and slid into the passenger seat, the smell of coffee and something vaguely like pine trees lingering in the air. “You good?” she asked, amusement in her voice.

Alex jumped a little, clearly not expecting her to be there so soon. His eyes darted to her, and then quickly back to the road. “Yeah, uh, I’m great. Totally calm. No big deal.”

“Right,” she said, grinning. “No big deal at all. Just a casual BLT run.”

His lips twitched, a nervous smile threatening to escape. “Exactly. Just two people, some sandwiches, and the fate of the universe hanging in the balance.”

Haley laughed, her heart light. She hadn’t realized just how much she was looking forward to this until now. There was something about Alex’s nervous energy that felt… endearing. Like he wasn’t sure how to act, but he was still trying. And that was more than enough for her.

The drive to Merritt’s was filled with easy conversation, the kind that felt like it could go on forever. Alex asked her about her classes, her latest favorite book, what she thought about the local band she’d seen last weekend. She found herself laughing more than she had in a while, her nervousness slipping away with every question he asked.

When they arrived at Merritt’s, Alex found a spot near the outdoor tables, the sun beginning to dip low enough to cast a warm, golden glow across the street. They both stepped out of the car, the warm summer air wrapping around them as they made their way to a little wooden table.

"Here we are," Alex said, his voice almost sheepish. "Merritt’s. Home of the best BLT in town. You ready?"

Haley raised an eyebrow, teasing, “We’ll see about that.”

The waitress came by, and Alex ordered for them both—two BLTs, extra crispy bacon for Haley, just a touch of mayo for him. She couldn’t help but smile at the way he knew exactly what she’d want, like they’d been doing this for years instead of minutes.

They sat outside, the soft clink of silverware and the hum of conversation around them as they ate, both of them savoring every bite of their sandwiches. Haley had to admit, the BLT was... impressive. The bacon was perfectly crispy, the tomato ripe and juicy, and the bread—she had to give it to Alex—the bread really was perfect.

“This… is really good,” she admitted, taking another bite.

Alex’s face lit up, a little proud grin tugging at his lips. “Told you.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Okay, you were right. But I’m not going to make a habit of admitting it.”

“You’re a tough customer,” he said, a playful glint in his eyes. “I like that.”

They finished their sandwiches, the conversation drifting easily from one topic to the next. They talked about everything—from the weird things they’d done as kids to their favorite childhood movies. The kind of conversation that felt like it could go on forever without running out of steam.

As the night wore on and the light began to fade, Haley took a sip of her Snapple Iced Tea, feeling the cool sweetness on her tongue. Her eyes drifted down to the cap of the bottle, and for some reason, she felt compelled to keep it. She twisted it off, staring at the little snap on the top of it, her fingers brushing it as she held it in her palm.

Haley slipped the cap into her pocket, a small gesture, but one that felt like a promise. This wasn’t just another date. It was the beginning of something real. And she had a feeling it was going to be exactly the kind of story she would look back on and smile about.