OUT NOW THE LOVE THEOREM!
(PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS TO THE STARS AND BACK NOW RE-EDITED WITH 10K EXTRA WORDS)
A STEMinist Romantic Comedy That Will Bring You LOVE LIKE IN THE MOVIES…
Are a rocket scientist and Hollywood’s brightest star a match made in heaven or is it a catastrophe headed for a crash landing?
Lana loves four things: science, her cats, her friends, and her books. She’s on her way to earning her PhD when she finds out her long-term boyfriend has been sleeping with her best friend! That discovery has her hiding in the broom closet at a posh hotel. Only, it turns out broom closets are the place to be these days.
Christian Slade, America’s sexiest man alive (as voted by fans), in a desperate attempt to escape the paparazzi finds himself in a broom closet with one sobbing occupant. Unable to leave a damsel in distress, he offers help, only to realize she has no idea who he is! It’s like he’s been given a gift. A smart, beautiful woman, who isn’t after him for fame and fortune . . . Soon Christian is buying a Tesla to impress his scientist with his eco credentials and taking her on dates where no one will recognize him.
But as Christian falls in love he worries what will happen when Lana finds out who he is?
A STEMinist romance with an unforgettable meet-cute perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood!
Available in eBook:
Available in Audiobook:
DUAL NARRATION WITH MALE AND FEMALE ACTORS
READ CHAPTER ONE – (NEW FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION)
One – Lana
I hear footsteps outside the door and wonder if the clandestine occupation of a hotel broom closet is a crime punishable by law. Even if it were, no jury would have the heart to convict me after the morning I’ve had.
Mitigating circumstances—a failed lab experiment, finding out I’m surrounded by liars, almost being run down by a car in my mad dash to downtown LA—would make the case for me. What would the police even charge me with, anyway? Excessive sobbing? Undignified self-pitying?
The footsteps near, and I hold my breath. Whether or not I’m convinced of my justified presence in this closet, I’d rather not have to explain myself to a stranger.
But thankfully whoever was out there walks past, none the wiser about me having taken residence in one of the supply storage rooms of the Peninsula Beverly Hills.
I unlock my phone to check if something has changed—it hasn’t. The proof that my life is in shambles is still there, spelled in colored pixels. My eyes have barely adjusted to the bright light when I lock the screen again, plunging the tiny room back into darkness.
Emotional and physical distress mingle in the shadows, making it hard to discern what’s real from what’s imaginary.
The sensation that my brain is about to explode from the million thoughts swirling inside it? Probably a mental projection.
The burning in my throat? I’d say fifty-fifty. It could be from all the sobbing or, equally possible, an emotional manifestation.
The sharp edge of the rack behind me boring holes into my shoulder blades? One hundred percent real. And the only symptom I could fix.
When I can no longer stand the discomfort, I shuffle toward the rear of the room, opting to lean against the back wall in a less thorny position. Also, my butt is hurting from sitting so long on the hard floor. I finger the shelves in the dark, until I come in contact with fluffy towels and stash a couple underneath me.
That’s also when I realize I’m impossibly hot. The air conditioning of the hotel doesn’t extend to its closets apparently. I lean away from the rack and remove the blue lab coat I hadn’t realized I was still wearing. How did I even keep it on until now? The adrenaline must’ve been cooling me. Ha! Maybe I should introduce it as a new bio-coolant in my research. Nah, hormones and rockets don’t mix.
As I sit in near total obscurity, the only light coming from the sliver of space underneath the door, I contemplate all the wrong life choices that brought me to this moment.
There was that time as a two-year-old when I thought it’d be a good idea to befriend the neighborhood’s twin kids. That decision at least half backfired on me as one of the twins just stabbed me in the back.
Then there was school and my natural predisposition for scientific subjects that led me to pick aerospace engineering as my major in college. So far, something I’d solidly filed in the pros column of my qualities. Now, I’m reconsidering. A philosopher would be better equipped to deal with the situation and take it, well, with philosophy. Or at least use the experience as a case study for deranged humanity and the loss of common social values like friendship, loyalty, basic decency…
But I’m digressing. The gold medal of poor life decision has to go to that day in freshman year when I assumed it’d be harmless to sit next to the hot, dark-eyed nerd in a Statics and Strength of Materials lecture. He was lounging in the first row of the auditorium, acting as if he owned the place. That should’ve been a red flag for selfish, egocentric tendencies.
In my defense, attractive, non-socially awkward engineers are a rare breed. Most of my fellow freshmen fit best into the nerdy nerd category. Skinny, thick-glassed introverts who are more at ease solving partial differential equations than talking to women—not that I’m famously an extrovert.
Even so, is it really my fault that I sat next to the tall guy with broad shoulders, cute dimples, and dashing smile who also gave the impression of being a decent conversationalist?
I’d rather call it a series of unfortunate events that started in year two of my life and culminated in year twenty-eight with a neurotic meltdown in a broom closet.
But, hey, the greatest fantasy saga of all time started with the protagonist living in a broom cupboard. I’ve only been here an hour. What if this is the beginning of my story?
Yeah, right. Not going to happen. I read too much fiction. Not how real life works.
No matter the angle I consider the situation from, I can’t put a positive spin on it.
The sting of the betrayal resurfaces, and fresh tears spring down my cheeks.
Before I can get the waterworks under control, outside noises distract me once again from my misery. Someone is thundering down the hall in a hurry.
I relax. No one could be that hard-pressed to reach cleaning supplies.
The moment I dismiss the threat, the pounding footsteps stop abruptly outside my hidey-hole.
The handle rattles and my heart jumps into my throat. Then the door opens in a flash of blinding light that prevents me from seeing who the invader is before they close the door behind them just as quickly.
That’s weird. Am I now confined in a broom closet with a serial killer? Who else would shut themselves in a storage room without turning on the lights? Except for me, of course.
Would anyone hear me if I screamed? Maybe, but then again, what would I say to my rescuers? Help, someone broke into the closet that I have no right to occupy?
“Is someone in here?” a deep male voice asks in a sexy British accent, cutting through my thoughts.
Do serial killers have sexy accents?
Praise for The Love Theorem:
Cute, sweet, and fun! Zoe – Whats Better Than Books?
I completely fell for Christian in this book and its been ages since I last felt like this about a book boyfriend. Rachel – Rachel Random Reads
A fabulous, sweet and funny read. Fede – ItaPixie’s Book Corner
This book had me smiling away to myself!! It has the perfect mixture of sweet, passion, drama and courage! Michelle – Come Read With Me
A fun read filled with humor, heart, and love big enough to reach…to the stars and back. Recommended read for Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit, and Romantic Comedy fans. Get ready to be starstruck… Gina – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
A fantastic romantic read that I devoured in one sitting. Kay – Coffee and Kindle Book Reviews
An addictive page turner… with an absolutely wonderful meet-cute. Julie – Romantic Reads and Such
An exciting, heartwarming story… perfect for Paige Toon fans. Michelle – Baker’s Not So Secret Blog
This is a book I couldn’t stop smiling throughout. FNM – Book Reviews and More
This is a super read which has lighthearted moments as any good romcom should have. Marianne – Books, Life and Everything
I am not happy with this book… this because… I want more!!! Tiziana – Tizi’s Book Review
You can definitely feel the chemistry between main characters. They are so different but they are perfect for each other. To the Stars and Back is an adorable rom-com that made me smile a lot. San – Behind the Sentence
He did the little things that count. Not some big grand showy thing that money buys. He did things that were meaningful to her. Why can’t more guys be like this? Proud Book Reviews
It’s not everyday the female lead is revered more for her high intelligence, than her beauty…It was nice to see that dynamic between Lana and Christian…the inner workings of going against the grain and following what the heart wants… Sara – Chick Lit Central
I adored these characters… Penned in my favorite dual POV, the writing style was crisp and engaging, yet also perceptive and loaded with wry wit and clever touches… I zipped through their star-crossed storylines. Honolulubelle – Books & Bindings
I loved the interactions from them at the start, they are worlds apart and it was mesmerising to see how things progressed… and lived for the Notting Hill type moment… Bernadette – BRMaycock’s Book Blog
Get swept away for a few hours and fall under the spell of these wonderful characters and see if love can conquer all. Laura – Laura’s Interests
This was such a fun story to read, and one I was able to lose myself in very quickly. If you’re into highly romantic, boy meets girl type of novels, ‘To the Stars and Back’ would be right up your street. Kaisha – The Writing Garnet
I couldn’t put it down anymore and I was blown away by all players in this story. Fany – In de Boekenkast
I loved, LOVED this book. Ami-May – Reading Through The Pain
I flew through ‘To the Stars and Back’, every spare minute of the day I picked this book up and didn’t want to put it down. Hannah – Love Books Actually
This is a delicious romcom with misunderstandings, clashings of different lifestyles, friendships, loyalty and betrayals, temporary heartbreak and then permanent happiness… Stephanie – Books are Cool
The perfect weekend read… This was such a fun lighthearted story with some pretty darn fabulous characters! Berit – Audio Killed the Bookmark
I didn’t want to put it down. Kate – Everywhere & Nowhere
This novel is a fun, quick and easy read perfect or an afternoon in the sunshine! For fans of Paige Toon and Giovanna Fletcher. Lisa – A Girl With Her Head Stuck in a Book
It’s a light-hearted romantic read. Two people getting to know each other without the world interfering. How long can the good times last? Cheryl – Cheryl M-M’s Book Blog
If you are looking for a purely indulgent and romantic light read to cure the blues or to to read out in the sun then this is perfect… I completely devoured this fun romance novel… Lana and Christian are both highly likable characters. Christian is a man in touch with his feelings and will appeal to many readers whilst Lana… I was delighted to read about a beautiful and strong woman with a high flying STEM career. This book was just the perfect escape for me and I was really sorry when it ended. Kerry – Herding Cats
The book is perfect for fans of Rom-Coms and with two more books in the series being planned this is a fabulous series to invest your time in. Stacey – Whispering Stories
This was the first time I have read a book by Isley and what a magical experience it was. I loved this sweet and funny read. Jolene – Babydolls and Razorblades
I adored the absolute contrast between our main characters – a superstar, Hollywood actor and a super smart rocket scientist who has absolutely no idea of who she happens to meet in a cupboard and who she has that instant connection with. Who wouldn’t like the romantic gestures a Hollywood heartthrob could throw your way?! … I read it in one sitting because I was really involved. It’s an easy read, light and a really sweet tale. In keeping with a rom-com film. I will look forward to reading more. Jenn – The Comfy Chair
From a storage room meet-cute, there springs an unlikely relationship — a rocket scientist and a film star — that involves a lot of laughter and hurdles, of course… An easy, quirky read that will keep you glued to the end even if you are quite sure of the Cinderella ending. Finitha – Know Your Books
The plot was really good, it was fun, sweet and a genuinely feel good read. The characters were well developed and their personalities were great, I loved the contrast. I loved being able to follow the story with them, seeing them developed and the ending was great- the book had the perfect mix! Donna – Donna’s Book Blog
Camilla Isley 