For the overthinkers and list-makers who map out every single detail, and the chaotic souls who love to mess them up, proving that the best things in life happen entirely off-script.

About the Book

The master of lesson plans meets the king of schoolyard chaos.  

Clara Williams has a rule for everything. As Oakridge Elementary’s most fiercely organized fourth-grade teacher, her entire life is mapped out in flawless color-coded matrices and laminated routines. For three years, her meticulous methods have kept her students' scores in the ninety-fifth percentile and her own past carefully contained. She doesn't do surprises, she doesn't do uncalculated risks, and she certainly doesn’t do noise.

Then Jack Davis storms her hallway.

The new gym teacher is six feet of broad-shouldered, whistle-toting disruption who thinks running full-court sprints down primary corridors is "a standard Tuesday." To Clara, his loose, unbothered smirk represents a total system error. But beneath Jack's easy grin lies a guarded defensive wall that suggests he is running from a past he refuses to talk about—and he has zero intention of letting a rigid classroom teacher try to change his style. 

When the tyrannical administration forces this volatile clash of opposites to co-chair the school's high-stakes fundraising gala, Clara's perfectly calibrated ecosystem faces total collapse.

To shield her department’s vital funds from an administrative scalpel, Clara must survive six weeks of forced collaboration with the one man who defies all her logic. But as their rival worlds collide behind closed doors, forced proximity and late-night emergencies start exposing the real vulnerabilities hidden beneath their protective armor.

When the dust settles on the court, Clara makes a terrifying discovery: the one variable she failed to calculate is the only one she can no longer live without.

The Science of Hating Jack Davis is a laugh-out-loud, grumpy-meets-sunshine, forced-proximity workplace romantic comedy. It is Book 1 in the Oakridge Workplace Romance Series but can be read as a standalone. It features a hyper-organized heroine, a charmingly chaotic hero with a hidden heart, zero third-act breakups, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Why readers are falling in love with this book:

If you crave the ultimate grumpy-meets-sunshine, workplace enemies-to-lovers romance, this book is your next must-read. Packed with forced proximity, electric banter, and a high-stakes setting, it delivers all the heart-melting romance tropes you crave—with absolutely zero third-act breakups.

Get a front-row seat to master-level communication in action!

Clara Williams isn't just an organized teacher; she is a master strategist in human connection. As you watch Clara handle the school's most chaotic challenges, you’ll witness brilliant, real-world communication strategies play out on the page. Whether you are looking for bulletproof hacks for classroom management, ways to handle disruptive students, tactics for neutralizing annoying coworkers, or scripts to survive a strict principal, you will see exactly how to navigate high-stress, everyday conversations with flawless grace and confidence.

About ZOE BELLAVIE

Zoe Bellavie writes fast-paced, laugh-out-loud workplace rom-coms that keep readers turning pages late into the night. A firm believer in the power of grumpy-meets-sunshine dynamics, she specializes in crafting characters who fight their attraction until the very last page. By weaving her background in effective communication and behavioral profiling into realistic, high-friction situations, she gives readers a front-row seat to practical relationship strategies while delivering the perfect happily ever after.

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