believe in love the way some people believe in bigfoot

Hallie Barrett is going through a difficult time. Her boyfriend just dumped her, which was a good thing as she’s much better off without him. But they worked together too. She was the producer of his web show, and now she’s hanging out at the Skroll headquarters ready to jump in and help anyone who needs a hand so they don’t realize she doesn’t have any work of her own. And then her boss calls her in to her office.

Hallie is told that she has a chance to come up with a new show. They’re just a couple of weeks away from their pilot season for new web shows, so she needs to find an idea and put together a first episode right away. Skroll puts all the pilots on the web, and the viewers get to vote on a winner. The winner gets an entire season of shows, so if Hallie can put together a winning idea, she gets to keep her job. If her show doesn’t win, Skroll may not have a place for her. She needs to find the perfect idea.

Hayden Hargrove is the son of a famous horror writer, but he’s made a name for himself with his podcast about cryptids and conspiracy theories, The Out There. He’s also been on the show Cosmic Conspiracies, which is where Hallie stumbled onto him late one night talking about Bigfoot. She doesn’t believe in Bigfoot or aliens or that the CIA killed JFK, but she does believe in Hayden. He is smart, well-spoken, and easy on the eyes. She listens to several episodes of his podcast and emails him to see if he would be interested in getting together to talk about a mutually beneficial opportunity.

Hallie decides to take Hayden on a tour of haunted Hollywood for their first get-together, to see if he might be interested in the web show. And when he goes one-on-one with tour guide Gary about all the facts Gary is getting wrong, Hallie is charmed. This show would be a hit. And after taking a couple of days to think about it, Hayden decides he’s in.

For the pilot, Halie and her crew create a set that feels like a conspiracy theorist’s lair, and Haden looks right at home. They get ready to make magic, and Hayden is ready with his script all about the aliens landing in Roswell, New Mexico. Everything is perfect. Except for one thing. Hayden is not good on camera. He can talk about aliens all day and be perfectly comfortable, but he’s not good at talking to the camera. Hallie fixes it the only way she can. She sits down with him and gives him a cohost to chat with. With her blue hair, she looks like she fits right in on the set, but she’s perfectly willing to call him out on things that sound too crazy or unbelievable. And it works. Hayden comes to life having someone to talk to, and Hallie offers some humor along with her skepticism.

The show is an instant hit, and Hayden and Hallie have to come up with an entire season of shows. They go ghost hunting in the most haunted hotel in Los Angeles, The Roosevelt, where Marilyn Monroe’s ghost is rumored to still hang out. There is a show on the conspiracies around the death of JFK. Hayden even gets Hallie to go camping to look for Bigfoot. And each week, their numbers go up. The Out There is getting increasingly popular, which means Hallie has found a winner. And her ex-boyfriend Cade, who is on Skroll’s other most popular show, gets competitive.

As Hallie and Hayden spend more time together, the chemistry between them grows. Their fans can see it, and the two hosts definitely feel it. But Cade, Hallie’s toxic ex and her competition at Skroll, decides to take her down a peg. He publicly calls her out for getting romantically involved with the men she’s working with, and the online trolls come out in force. Hallie’s self-esteem takes a hit and she’s not sure she can go forward with the last episode of the show, where they were going to film at Area 51 in New Mexico. Can Hallie figure out how to get her voice back in time to be there for Hayden and their series, or will she give up everything she’s worked so hard for because of a bully?

Love and Other Conspiracies is an adorable rom com filled with heart and humor and Chupacabras. Anyone who ever shipped Muldar and Scully, or wrote fan fiction about them (like Hayden admits to), will adore this charming, funny, sweet romance between a believer and a nonbeliever. These characters are so likable, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and there is plenty of steam. If you believe in the Men in Black or think the Loch Ness Monster is nothing more than a way to draw in tourists, you will be utterly besotted with this story.

Love and Other Conspiracies is a debut novel from Mallory Marlowe. I want to make sure to say her name, because you will want to remember it. I am already waiting for her next novel to come out (there is a teaser at the end of this one). The story here is so well written, the characters so well rounded, that I am struggling to believe this is her first published book. Aside from the intelligent storytelling and hilarious scenes, there are also so many fun surprises throughout, like a bearded dragon named Lizzie (Lizard) Borden, a cat named Cthulhu, Mothman pizza, and some random shade thrown to Zak Bagans. This may turn out to be my favorite book of the year. Loved, loved, loved it.

Egalleys for Love and Other Conspiracies were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.