The Mathematics Of Love

Equations of the Heart

In The Mathematics of Love, Emma Darwin intertwines two remarkable love stories separated by more than a century yet bound by fate and numbers. When modern-day mathematician Isobel Lewis discovers a series of coded letters in her grandmother’s attic, she is drawn into the heartfelt correspondence of nineteenth-century amateur scientist Thomas Jamieson. Through cryptic equations and tender sketches, Thomas reveals a profound affection for a young woman he can scarcely approach. As Isobel deciphers each symbol, she finds herself living parallel emotions—longing, hope, and the thrill of intellectual discovery—proving that some patterns of the heart transcend time.

Across Generations

Darwin’s deft prose shifts seamlessly between Victorian laboratories and contemporary university lecture halls, breathing life into two eras of inquiry and passion. Isobel’s meticulous research is mirrored by Thomas’s experimental zeal, and both uncover unexpected truths about courage and vulnerability. Secondary characters—Isobel’s pragmatic colleague who fears commitment, a kindly archivist harboring his own secret sorrow, and Thomas’s determined sister whose scientific ambitions clash with convention—add depth and warmth. As the narrative unfolds, readers witness how past and present inform each other, illuminating the universal mathematics of human connection.

Solutions and Surprises

With a series of elegantly constructed narrative “proofs,” Darwin leads us toward a stunning revelation: the final letter Thomas sent never reached its intended recipient, altering two lives forever. In Isobel’s world, this discovery prompts a daring decision that echoes Thomas’s unspoken declaration centuries before. Moments of quiet reflection—in dusty libraries, rain-spattered cobblestone streets, and under lamp-lit chalkboards—build to an emotionally charged climax where logic and love converge. The Mathematics of Love is both an intellectual puzzle and a tender celebration of serendipity, inviting readers to solve the greatest equation of all: the sum of two souls.

Author’s Description

Emma Darwin is an award-winning novelist whose richly layered stories fuse history, science, and the complexities of the human heart. A passionate historian and teacher, she lives in England with her family, continuing to explore love’s infinite permutations through her evocative storytelling.