Not in Love Audiobook by Ali Hazelwood

I listened to “Not in Love” on a drizzly Saturday afternoon, curled up by my rain-speckled window with a mug of chamomile tea. The Portland clouds outside somehow echoed the storm brewing between Rue Siebert and Eli Killgore—a tension that thrummed through Ali Hazelwood’s sharp prose and drew me in from the very first chapter. As someone who spends her days teaching high school art (often feeling like an outsider among STEM-minded colleagues), I was immediately captivated by Rue’s experience as a woman navigating both the excitement and cutthroat competition of biotech.

What stood out most to me about this audiobook is how deftly Hazelwood balances the adrenaline rush of corporate intrigue with the vulnerability of forbidden attraction. The premise—two rival professionals caught in a secret relationship under a ticking clock—isn’t new, but here it feels urgent, risky, almost electric. Rue isn’t just another romance heroine; she’s bright, flawed, deeply loyal to her friends and her ideals. Eli might be cast as “the enemy,” but Hazelwood gives him layers: he’s haunted by his own losses and surprisingly tender beneath all that steely determination.

The dual narration by Callie Dalton and Jason Clarke brought these characters vividly to life. Dalton captures Rue’s warmth and inner turmoil with remarkable nuance—I could hear every hesitation in her voice when work loyalties clashed with desire. Clarke’s portrayal of Eli is equally strong; he finds just the right mix of gravitas and longing so you sense why Rue falls for him even when she knows better.

One aspect I appreciated was how Hazelwood addresses real-world issues without making them feel forced or preachy—the glass ceiling in STEM fields, loyalty versus ambition, what it means to risk your heart (and job security) for love. At times I felt genuinely anxious for Rue as her world threatened to unravel; that anxiety made their moments of intimacy all the more poignant.

That said, there were places where things became slightly melodramatic—some late-game plot twists strain credulity—but honestly? That’s part of why we reach for contemporary romance audiobooks: those big swings keep us guessing (and swooning). Still, listeners should note that “Not in Love” doesn’t shy away from heavy themes: grief, trauma from childhood experiences, disordered eating—it handles them sensitively but doesn’t sugarcoat reality.

For me personally, this book resonated because it asks: Can you open yourself up after loss? Is love ever truly worth risking everything else you’ve built? In my own life—especially during seasons marked by change or professional uncertainty—I’ve asked myself similar questions. The story lingered long after I finished listening; some scenes made me smile wistfully at memories of risks taken for connection… others had me gripping my mug tighter from pure suspense.

In summary: “Not in Love” is smart escapism at its best—steamy yet thoughtful—and will especially appeal to anyone who loves their romance novels tangled up with workplace politics and genuine emotional stakes. The narration elevates already stellar writing into something memorable—a listen best enjoyed on rainy afternoons when you’re yearning for both drama and hope.