Principles of Emotion by Sara Read (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Rating: 4/5

Mathematical prodigy, Dr. Meg Brightwood, has just solved the impossible – The Impossible Theorem. Now, she just has to share that knowledge with the world. But when her crippling anxiety gets the best of her, she retreats from the public eye and into the arms of her former crush, Isaac Wells, who’s also hiding from his unsavory past. While enjoying their hide-out period, Meg discovers that someone has stolen her manuscript and is passing it off as their own. Renewed with fresh outrage, Meg and Isaac embark on a mission to emerge from the shadows and reclaim what belongs to them.

I liked that Meg and Issac are both older and more mature than the characters typically seen in contemporary fiction. Having lived through the nonsense of their 20s, these characters, now in their late 30s, know what they want out of life and can speak up for themselves. There weren’t any mind games between them; they were open and honest, which after having read several romance novels in a row, it was a nice change of pace for me. I also liked that the supporting characters were fleshed-out and nuanced, even though they only had some parts to play. They didn’t just offer quick-witted one-liners. Instead, they allowed us to experience different aspects of the main characters’ lives, which was lovely to see. 

I really enjoyed this novel, but in the interest of full disclosure, I will warn you that it does deal with grief and losing a mother figure. So, if that’s a trigger for you, you might want to tread carefully. It’s still a worthwhile read for any woman who has been underestimated, put down, or overlooked, i.e., all of us. Principles of Emotion is a triumph of the human spirit and what it means to live a life of one’s own.