For as long as she can remember, 21-year-old Maeby Sinclair has harbored a quiet crush on Julian Gray, her family's charming 38-year-old neighbor. But when she returns home from college for the summer, those innocent feelings turn into something deeper-something undeniably real. As Maeby and Julian's connection intensifies, they find themselves caught between desire and discretion, attempting to keep their romance a secret in their close-knit small town. But in a place where everyone knows everyone's business, secrets rarely stay hidden for long.

Mia Black is a young bartender at a ritzy gentlemen's club in New York City. Day in and day out, the city's most wealthy and elite visit her workplace. None of them really catch her eye, not until Charles Coldwell, a man much older than her steps through the doors. Charles is smitten with Mia from their first conversation, but Mia can't seem to understand why. Regardless, he plans to win her over whether she does or not. They both have dark secrets as well as skeletons in their closets. They could be a perfect match or a disaster waiting to happen.

Yeju Hwarng no longer believes in love. After breaking up with her long-term girlfriend and watching her parents divorce over the summer, all her passion disappeared, including her passion for science that got her into her microbiology Ph.D. program. When a new roommate moves into the apartment, Yeju recognizes her as more than just a familiar face; she is an enemy that needs to be chased out of her life. Lia Choi does not need love. Her parent never gave her any, and confessing to her childhood best friend over the summer only caused a fall out. Love has proven to be both unnecessary and a liability, and all Lia needs instead is to do well in college and get into a prestigious research position in the microbiology department. Unfortunately, her research mentor turns out to be her new roommate. And she is hell bent on ruining Lia's life. Tension escalates both at home and in the lab, but the more they work together, the more they realize: they have a common goal, and they need each other to achieve that. All they need to do is to open their hearts. Love is hard, but a life without love is harder. *** THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS meets DELILAH GREEN DOESN'T CARE; a STEM-oriented college sapphic romance about struggling adults navigating love despite their broken hearts. *This is a stand-alone spin-off to Cherry On Top. 💫 2023 Watty's Winner! 💫 Editor's Choice, 26 May 2023 - 29 June 2023 💫 Featured on Wattpad's Summer Loving Days reading list, 21 Jul 2023 💫 Featured on the official @lgbt, @Romance, @FreeTheLGBT, and @WattpadAfterDark profile First Published: 2 Feb 2023 Completed Date: 24 June 2023 Edited Date: 22 July 2023 Word Count: 55,000-60,000 Also posted on Scribblehub, Tapas, and RoyalRoad (Not on Amazon or anywhere else!) Cover art by Sarimopi on Instagram