THIS IS MY BRAIN ON BOYS

Highly intelligent but awkward Addie attempts to prove that the experience of falling in love can be induced by subjecting people to a series of environmental conditions in this romantic comedy.

When Addie encounters cute, earnest Kris on a turbulent flight back to the boarding school they both attend, she doesn't realize he's one of a group of students who vandalized her lab the previous year but is quickly brought up to speed by her fiercely protective friends. Unsure what to think, she's even more surprised when part of the reparations for his misdeed turns out to be serving as a test subject for an ambitious experiment she's attempting in the hope of winning a much-needed scholarship to college. While this sets into motion a complicated weave of storylines that will keep readers guessing about who is actually at work behind the scenes of Addie's project, there is never any real doubt about the outcome of the predictable romantic plot. Addie's extreme literal-mindedness is used to appealing comedic effect, and the class issues that are touched upon due to her family's relatively meager circumstances in juxtaposition to her classmates' extreme wealth add some depth. Addie, Kris, and their close friends are white; there are some secondary characters who are Chinese exchange students, and another classmate is from India.

Funny and engaging, if somewhat formulaic.