Hazelwood is especially known for writing romance novels about women in STEM and academia, and she draws on her own experiences of being a woman in STEM, as a PhD student (and eventual professor) of neuroscience, in detailing the discrimination women face in these fields. The research institutions in her novels are more than just settings: They provide the context in which her protagonists experience both subtle and overt gender discrimination.

Despite being the project’s leading scientist, Bee consistently experiences discriminatory attitudes and behaviors from those around her, from subordinates, peers, higher-ups, and even on a systemic basis. Bee is an expert in neuroscience, but her interactions with the engineers see them constantly rejecting her valid and accurate input until Levi intervenes. Her authority stemming from both expertise and designation are initially all but ignored, owing to her being a woman.

This is further highlighted when, during one of their first conversations, Levi asks Bee to adhere to the workplace dress code, referring to her colored hair, piercings, and make-up. Levi later reveals he did so in order to protect her job, despite not ascribing to the dress code recommendations himself. The politics between NASA and NIH lead NASA to look for any reason to oust NIH from the joint project, and Bee’s unique look could be used as an excuse to question her professionalism. The situation represents the unfair and discriminatory standards to which women are held in the workplace, including in STEM: rather than pay attention to Bee’s work, her boss focuses on a perceived flaw in her appearance, a kind of scrutiny her male colleagues never have to experience.

Bee’s boss at NIH, Trevor Slate, is yet another example of the clear double-standards for women in STEM. When he learns that the project has not yet begun after a full week, he holds Bee accountable, threatening to replace her, despite circumstances being completely out of her control. When the BLINK demo rolls around, Trevor attributes its success to Levi, assuming that the male co-lead came up with the solution.

The conversation around the GRE reveals other systemic issues that can hinder a woman’s success in STEM and academia more broadly. Kaylee describes how the test inherently disadvantages women and other marginalized groups, and the fact that it is a gatekeeping mechanism prevents those affected by the discrimination from entering STEM and academia. This leads to an overrepresentation of white men in the field as is evidenced by the almost entirely white and male team at BLINK. While Bee has already surpassed these hurdles, her personal life remains subject to scrutiny: Bee is uncomfortable publicizing her relationship with Levi, and he understands it is because she will receive an unfair amount of flak for it, unlike him.

The anecdotes from Marie Curie’s life illustrate how little has changed for women in STEM over more than a century. Curie was rejected from a faculty position at University of Krakow for being a woman; she was initially denied a Nobel nomination for her own work until a male scientist interceded; and she was vilified by the press for her relationship with a younger man though it had no bearing on her career. By paralleling these real-life historical incidents with the experiences of the characters in the book, Hazelwood highlights the still-prevalent discriminatory attitudes and practices that impact women in STEM and academia, indicating how much progress there still remains to be made.

Family and childhood experiences are an important aspect of the book, particularly in how they impact different characters’ approaches to relationships. The first chapter details the death of her parents when Bee was young, and this tragedy is the root of Bee’s deep fear of abandonment, which manifests in her “avoidant attachment” relationship style. Over the course of the story, the reader learns that Bee’s cheating ex-fiancé has made her even more wary about relationships, which puts the potential for her future with Levi in jeopardy. Bee persists in her belief that her relationship with Levi is casual despite all evidence to the contrary, including his explicit declarations of interest in her. She does not factor him in at all when the possibility of losing her job arises and prepares to leave Houston without giving a thought to their future.

Levi has his own share of early childhood and family experiences that influence the way he approaches relationships. He describes his home environment growing up as hostile and uncommunicative, which led him to behave similarly as an adult, especially during grad school. Levi’s needs and desires are neglected by his avid hunting and military-oriented family. They want him to suppress his personality and conform to their idea of who he should be. As a vegan and a civilian, Levi is a disappointment to them despite his accomplishments and his genuine character.

Unlike Bee, Levi shows maturity and insight by recognizing that these experiences have negatively impacted his relationships, and he avails himself of therapy to work out some of these issues. His sensitive and respectful behavior towards everyone around him, including Bee when she meets him again at NASA, and his ability to articulate these experiences and their impact on him (as Schmac does to “Marie”), is proof that it is possible to transcend the negative impact of early childhood and family relationships. Fittingly, Bee, too, eventually confronts her fear of abandonment, and when she decides to commit to the relationship, the couple receives their happy ending.