BookTok fans asked, and oh did they ever receive. With the Sept. 23 release of The Love Hypothesis came the one scene that fans of the book have been waiting approximately 84 years to see brought to life: Chapter 16, aka the book’s sex scene. And now that the movie is officially streaming on Prime Video, BookTok has predictably entered the group chat with thoughts. Lots of (horny) thoughts.
If you haven’t gotten the chance to read the book, Ali Hazelwood’s wildly popular 2021 romance novel follows Olive, a Stanford Ph.D. student who impulsively kisses the notoriously intimidating Adam and somehow ends up fake-dating him. (Because apparently, the best way to survive academia is to accidentally start a fake relationship with the hottest man in your department.) Of course, the fake dating eventually starts feeling a little less fake, and ultimately brings us to the infamous sex scene in Chapter 16. If you know, you know. If you don’t, congratulations on your peace. The scene has become one of the most iconic moments in the book, which means fans have spent years wondering exactly how Hollywood was going to pull it off — and leave them collectively screaming into their pillows. Well, with the movie’s R-rating, let’s just say the steaminess of this sex scene was far from hypothetical.
Suffice it to say that the scene was a feast for the eyes. Adam was certainly feasting. (See what I did there?) Also, we love a man who checks in and asks permission! After Olive admits she has limited sexual experience, he ultimately prioritizes her comfort and repeatedly reassures and comforts her.Then, they finally get down to business — emphasis on “going down.”
Let’s just say that if you’re one of the approximately 7,000 people who need to get real about their feelings for Tom Bateman, you’re not alone.
If anyone needs me, I’m going to be replaying the Chapter 16 scene for another 16 hours!