I am so ready for this one. *cracks knuckles*

I really want to have a conversation with the person that decided this book should be marketed as a romance, without warning people that the man is a cheater. There is no excuse, he is a cheater. While at the same time this book takes the time to compare weak knees at meeting him with "Supermarket Romance". How can you use derogatory reference to romance and want to market this trash of a book as romance and expect positive reviews? Please, explain it to me.

I understand 100% why this book has mostly 3-1 star reviews. I read some of them before picking up the book and thought I should give it a try. I still hated it.

I think the romance aspect was barely there, since the backstabbing was the main plot line. I understand family dynamics and I can understand being in an uncomfortable situation with your wife as your going through a divorce/separation, I just won't forgive it.

I also think I could've like this book more if when it came down to it he chose his wife over FMC when shit went down, cause at least the wife "picked him". I thought it was so gross. I guess you can't pick who you fall in love with, but that man needed to grovel more.

If you like romance, don't read it. if you like general fiction, read it.

I thought this was a cute romance. I really enjoyed the mmc, and I really, really enjoy tech romances but this just wasn't rom-com-y enough for me.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6148278289

This is a fairly typical romance novel - girl meets boy, various obstacles come between them via a fairly flimsy/preposterous plot etc etc. As a result it falls into the usual three star category for this sort of thing - a reasonably fun, light read but not one that will stick in the mind for long when you put it down. That said, it did earn an extra star for a protagonist in her late thirties with a bit more about her than your average romantic heroine, and for not going too overboard on the smultz.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I was really interested in the book summary, but in practice struggled to get into and finish the story. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review

First, thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Okay, so honestly, it wasn't a book for me and maybe because of the cheating trope, I ended not liking it at all.
The supposed hero is just garbage he had shitty decisons like all the time...
And the heroine simply accepts it because she likes him?

So yeah, this plot was not really for me, I found it too dramatic and with little love (if you know what I mean).

About the writing... it was also a no for me. Since I started reading the book, I felt like it was reallyyyyy slow and the writing wasn't helping because it wasn't fluid and that easy to read.

I had a lot of expectations since I read the synopses but unfortunatly I ended not liking it.

I enjoyed this book! Leonie and Jack have a definite chemistry despite the age gap. Their no sex one-night stand in Paris was unforgettable. They were strangers, but there was a level of intimacy between them when the met and as their night moved along. Ngl though, there were some parts that got me confused. As someone with a limited tech knowledge, I got lost in the technicalities. I felt like there were also so much going on at the same time between the secrets and misunderstandings between the MCs.

Other things:
> Not a fan of Leonie's stepbrother
> I liked the NorCal setting
> Supportive female friends
> Hollywood/ pop culture references

Even though I was getting lost in some parts, I still highly enjoyed this read!

Leonie uses an app to meet someone whilst visiting Paris, which results in a one night stand with Jack. Expecting to never see him again she is therfore stunned when she finds him working at the start up company she has been asked to help project manage. Cue an opposite attracts / one night stand trope.
This book gives an insight into the world of app development and the struggles associated with it, although the techie stuff is difficult to understand I did enjoy that part of it. I have worked with many project managers in the past and the good ones are worth their weight in gold, and she certainly sounds like one of those. There are some quite spicy moments whilst the two explore their mutual attraction, but both blow hot and cold at times in their relationship - but it would be a much shorter book if this didn't happen. Leonie's group of friends sound a bit wild, but are very supportive. In summary a book to try if you fancy something different, but won't be to everyone's taste.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Sadly, this book was my first "not for me" of 2024.

I haven't read this author before and I always reading something new by an unknown author as you can find some gems. Unfortunately, whilst the book had a great premise - I was left feeling a bit icky.

Leonie is just such a passive voice. She neither wants to get out of her own rut or accept the help of her friends to do so. The friends she surrounds herself with are not friends I'd want or myself. Whilst they come from all walks of life and around the world, they all felt really pushy and "I know best". I really struggled to like any of them if I'm brutally honest.

Our MMC Jack was also a hard sell. I tried to love him but again his character just grated against all my nerves. He seemed both uber-confident and riddled with insecurities - sometimes at the same time. And the big reveal at about 75% was a big no no for me.

I thought the concept and storyline were great just the characters were not for me. The secondary characters such as Leonie's family were lacklustre and her step-brother I'd never tire of punching in the face!

As usual this is only my opinion and I'd never dissuade anyone from reading what they want but I'd have rather read this as a love-story with no HEA than as a RomCom.

An opposites attract rom com with ample angst and chemistry! Both of our main characters are carrying chips the size of the Grand Canyon on their shoulders and that makes it hard to see what is right in front of them. This book is also a grand example of how lack of communication and assumptions create massive havoc on relationships of all kinds. It was a fun read and even though I don't understand code speak or tech speak, I was able to follow along well enough to enjoy the read. If tech is your jam, you will probably enjoy the book even more than I did. Overall, it is a fun rom com with humor, angst, chemistry galore and lots of banter. Good friends make a supportive foundation for our intelligent and successful female lead, so it is a well-rounded story.

A fun and light hearted romance, I loved every second.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

As a STEM girly, I was excited about this one and how the female main character worked in STEM. And I really do appreciate the author for choosing that! Although I do not work in tech, I still enjoyed hearing some of the app/coding talk-that gave the book a little more umph and dynamic to it. I thought the romance was fine-there was cute banter but some of the fighting seemed a little immature. I also didn't think it was that steamy which isn't good or bad in my opinion. I had no problem with the cheating/married man trope, but I know that bothers a lot of people. Overall, it was a fine book. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting due to the reviews, I have already seen but it wasn't my favorite romance book.

I tried very much to get into this book but it just wasn't for me.
I'd been drawn in by the blurb and the premise of a one-night stand turned workplace romance with comedy elements.
In my opinion, this was not a rom-com. My first hurdle was the 'humour' from the MC's friend group, specifically the borderline homophobic jokes made towards Kristin who just got engaged to her girlfriend.
I did not like the love interest, Jack, at all. I didn't feel any chemistry between them and then to find out he has been married the whole time was the nail in the proverbial coffin. It wasn't even that he's been separated he was still living with his wife! The 'happy ending' felt like she was settling because the women in her life, including her 'friends' and mother, all suggested she stop being picky.
I'd personally have ran from Jack as soon as I found out the truth.
This wasn't for me. I know some people like messy relationships and the initial premise was good but I couldn't connect with the story.

I’m sorry, but I really struggled to find any redeeming factors. The romance & chemistry between the two main characters were non-existent, the secondary characters were extremely irritating and we didn’t even find out that the MMC was married until 74% of the way in.

There was way too much coding & technical language included to be effective in what is marketed as a rom-com, and I was pretty bored the entire way through. This was my first ARC of 2024, and I’m sorely disappointed with it.

----I was kindly given an early copy of this book via Netgally in exchange for an honest review----

In this story, we follow Leonie and Jack, two very different characters who experience a one time only encounter in Paris thinking they won't be seeing each other again but find themselves in a difficult situation when they have to work together in a very demanding project. I won't lie, sometimes I didn't see how these people were meant to be together but the chemistry developed throughout the story and made it believable.

I really enjoyed this book. At the begging the characters didn't feel very authentic, especially the main character's friends, I guess it took me one chapter to finally immerse myself into the story and find all characters lovable. I specially enjoyed the age gap dynamic in this story, it added a touch of novelty and it was a nice twist that made the romance stand out from the age gap stories I've read recently.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC. I enjoyed this book very much. Our two main characters met and instant chemistry. They are brought together by an opposite attract dating app and only supposed to have one date. Turns out fate has other plans. At times the app making language tripped me up but the romance was awesome. A must read.

A delightful opposites attract romance. to be honest I found it hard to follow in some places because of all the analytical language. However, I just skipped over these and got right back to the romance! A very interesting read with some new concepts but it was an amazing romcom and I will definitely be reading more from Clara O'Connor

Im sorry to say but this was terrible.
Very difficult to get into. The "hero" was HORRENDOUS. He was just a jerk.

Once Upon an Algorithm had caught my attention because the cover is so cute and I'm a math girl. i utilize algorithms daily. I thought yes! This is going to be great!

And the beginning does give a spoiler because the male says something about how they shouldnt be together and she says what? are you married? and he says no one would care or something.

Anyway, the way the wife is portrayed and the interactions with the female main character are just not enjoyable.

I personally would skip this one.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK's One More Chapter and Clara O'Connor for the arc copy of Once Upon An Algorithm to review in exchange for a fair review.

Once Upon An Algorithm sounded a great STEM romance, with a bold confident career woman protagonist and a workplace enemies to lovers scenario. As a whole, the premise delivers and I enjoyed reading 90% of the story and I thought author did an amazing job representing the dynamics of an AGILE software development environment. Top marks for realistic portrayal about the highs and lows of product management and software development.

An interesting story with a majority of likeable and relatable characters, however somewhere in the middle things got strange. I couldn't get stay with the story after it plunged into the bizarre and cringy as the skeletons came out the closet. Some of the bumps in the road got a little far fetched for me and I felt Leonie became a little too passive in the story, especially when she had been a strong lead at the start. I liked Jack as a romantic counterpart to start, but to be honest by the end I hoped Leonie would run a million miles away. I don't think the ending redeemed him enough for me as a love interest either. This wasn't the romance for me in the end.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One more chapter, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first “stem” romance novel so I went in super excited, but it just didn’t deliver for me. The story line was a bit of a tumultuous read because the two main characters were just so aggravating. Their chemistry and connection didn’t really seem to be there, and then we find out the MMC is actually married and I was just done with the story. I did finish reading because I had to see how it ended, but the ending was somehow even more of an underwhelming disaster.

Leonie is 40 and has spent so much time with her work she hasn’t found love. During a weekend in Paris her friends talk her into meeting Jack; a guy from an app, who has been tagged as the opposite of what she’s looking for. Feeling brave she meets him, and they spend the night together.

Fully prepared to never see him again, she is shocked to walk into her stepbrothers new start up company where she is helping out to find Jack working there as well. What ensues is a long and tedious timeline of them working overtime to launch the startup, her stepbrother being extremely inappropriate in his work expectations of her, and a confusing back and forth of her and Jacks feelings.

So basically she is a hard main character to like because she makes a lot of strange choices. Jack is a slime ball who is married. Her stepbrother Mike is a full fledged bully. And her Mother and friends all pepper her very questionable “advice”.

I gave two stars because I did enjoy the “stem” parts of the storyline, but the character and character development was really off for me with this book.

Gosh, I really wanted to like this one. I give it 1.5 stars and I truly debated rounding up or down. But I really couldn’t get into it.

Spoiler ahead:

And once I found out that the main male character was married, I was kind of checked out. It had the potential, until that point. It did end happily, but I would have liked it more without the marriage and cheating aspect. Even if the marriage was of convenience for a green card….