Review: Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe
I was really looking forward to Love at First Sighting. Mallory Marlowe’s previous novel, Love and Other Conspiracies, was a charming blend of humor, heart, and light paranormal romance, so I was eager to see where she’d take this quirky, X-Files-flavored universe next. While the setup here is promising—UFOs, secret intelligence agencies, influencer culture, and a slow-burn romance—the execution left me feeling disconnected more often than not.
The plot kicks off when El Martin, a successful but quietly unfulfilled influencer, captures footage of what appears to be a UFO. Enter Carter Brody, the reluctant agent assigned to keep tabs on her. What follows is a mash-up of romantic comedy and mystery-thriller: a little bit Men in Black, a little X-Files, with the bones of a sweet opposites-attract love story. The premise is fun, fresh, and ripe with potential.
However, I struggled with the pacing. The book spends a lot of time on descriptions—of settings, social media content, and El’s aesthetic lifestyle—which ultimately stalled momentum and often felt like filler. As a result, the romantic and emotional arcs didn’t have enough room to truly breathe. The plot doesn’t pick up until much later in the book, and by then, the emotional stakes felt underdeveloped.
Carter is arguably the more compelling of the two main characters. His backstory—losing his father under mysterious circumstances linked to a UFO sighting—is handled with nuance, and his guarded personality makes sense within the world Marlowe builds. He’s a quiet, grounded presence with a good heart and a clear arc of growth.
El, however, felt somewhat hollow in comparison. The book hints at a complex past—former child pageant star, strained family dynamics, loneliness beneath her polished exterior—but those elements are only lightly touched on. Instead, her emotional depth is often implied rather than explored. Her relationship with Carter is sweet, but the emotional connection feels sudden and unearned. There’s a leap from “strangers with secrets” to “ride-or-die partners” that lacked the slow build I needed to believe in it fully.
Tonally, Love at First Sighting walks a line between rom-com and sci-fi mystery. While this blending worked in Love and Other Conspiracies, here it felt slightly uneven. At its best, the story has a quirky charm and a creative world that could easily anchor an entire series. But the structure, pacing, and underwritten character arcs held it back from reaching its full potential.
That said, I am still interested in where Marlowe goes with this loosely connected series. Her voice is unique, and I appreciate her willingness to take risks within the genre. I’m especially intrigued by the hinted shift to a Boston-based setting in the next book, and I’ll definitely give it a shot.
Final thoughts:
Love at First Sighting has a fun premise, clever moments, and a love interest worth rooting for—but ultimately, the story’s slow pacing and lack of emotional depth kept me from fully connecting. Readers who enjoy light paranormal elements and conspiracy-driven romance may still enjoy the ride, especially if they’re more patient with slow-burn storytelling than I am.
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
🛸 Sci-fi-lite romances
📱 Influencer heroines with hidden depth
🧑🤝🧑 Grumpy/sunshine pairings
🧠 Conspiracy theories and secret agency tropes
🎬 Tonal blends of rom-com and mystery/suspense
Content Warnings: Grief (loss of a parent), emotional repression, strained family relationships
Other books by the author- For Becky’s review click below
