The Bro Code by Elizabeth A. SEIBERT is a story about a group of friends who live their life by following The Bro Code. So when Nick falls for his best friend sister that goes against The Bro Code. So they start meeting in secret.

I found this so cheesy and so repetitive. The saying Bros before hoes was repeated so many times that I found it so insulting to be reading this in a young adult book. I just couldn't give this a higher rating especially since Nick annoyed me so much.

Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad for a copy of this book for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: mentions of previous sexual assaults, car accidents, and divorce

SYNOPSIS:
Nick and his "bros" follow a bunch of rules called "The Bro Code." One of the rules is that you can't date your bro's sister, but Nick is starting to have feelings for Eliza ever since she got back from her year abroad. The bad thing is that Eliza is Carter's sister, and Carter is one of Nick's bros. Nick soon finds himself having to choose between following the bro code or getting the girl.

WHAT I LIKED

- Eliza & Nick were likable characters and had lots of cute moments together
- Some of the dialogue was pretty funny
- There was character growth in relation to toxic masculinity
- The story was told from a guy’s POV (I typically read stories from girls’ POVs)
- I was invested enough in this story that I read it really quickly
- It was mostly fluffy (even though it was pretty predictable)

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

- Even though it was told from a guy’s POV, I could tell that it was written by a female author since many things didn’t seem realistic to guys I know
- Some serious issues like sexual assault were brushed over too lightly in my opinion
- The “bros” still had a lot of messed up thoughts that they weren’t really held accountable for

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Even though some parts were problematic for me, I would still recommend this book to others.

This was super cute! I want more romcoms from a teenage boy perspective because the good ones are few and far between.

I hate to say this was a DNF for me. There was very little plot. I felt like I was just following around a random immature teenage boy. I really tried to finish, but there were no stakes keeping me invested in the story.

This book is amazing!!! Such a cute YA contemporary romance! I loved the author writing from the male character’s perspective! That is not a common factor in young adult books so it was a welcome change! In this book we get to explore the friendship rules of guys who follow the “Bro Code” and how that affects their relationships. And how they rewrite it on their own terms! It was interesting to read how guys feel about certain things that happen in high school! Especially as a female reader, it made me see the other side of situations! Nick and Eliza make great lead characters! Both funny and filled with quick wit, they will have you laughing out loud! This was a great read that kept me on my toes, and I can’t wait to read more from this talented author! I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends!

e-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Bro Code follows a group of “bros” who follow a specific set of rules. It's not something Nick Maguire has ever had to worry about until his bro Carter's sister, Eliza, returns from Australia, and Nick almost immediately falls head over heels. I generally enjoy YA but this one wasn't for me. I kind of struggled to enjoy and concentrate on this book.

I really thought that I would enjoy this a lot more than I did. There was just a lack of connectivity for me as a reader because of the narration style of this book. while I understand that the entire basis of this book was based on "bro culture," it was different to read everything from such a bias lens. And I didn't really have any particularly strong connections with any of the characters, because the story felt a bit disjointed at times and didn't flow well especially the "bros" and how their behavior was always excused for in certain ways which to me just seemed like an excuse for blatant sexism. While the general idea of The "Bro Code" are well known there were some in this book that felt a little rando and didn't really add anything to the storyline of this book. Even though I had a problem with the bro's I found Nick to be so sweet and his romance with Eliza to be really honest and it felt like a high school coming of age romance which I semi appreciated for having to read through all the bro stuff.

I feel like this book could have taken a stronger stance against sexism, harassment, and rape but instead chose to make light of it instead and for that, it was disappointing. The revelation towards the end was also handled very poorly. Like oh a guy made a mistake, well oops, he's a boy, and boys will be boys. With what's going on right now, I had hoped for more accountability, especially since it was a book through a lens of a 'bro.' but with that, it's also a double-edged sword of I, as a reader shouldn't have expected so much

DNF #7 127 pages (47%)
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for sending me a free early copy to review!
I've been on a serious romance kick so I was really excited to give this one a chance I love when a wrench is thrown in the romance plan, but this one just wasn't for me. The story and the characters were good but I just wasn't hooked by the story and I just couldn't get into it no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't connect to the characters or the story no matter how hard I tried. The whole focus on the bro code felt really juvenile and it was just really frustrating to watch the character go on and on about these rules that didn't even really make sense to me. I think a lot of people will enjoy this one it could be a fun romance especially for people that like this type of set up. You can pick up The Bro Code on September 22, 2020!

I thought this book was OK. It was interesting to have a book that was from the male perspective. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters, but that might be because I am older? Not sure. I think this is definitely a good book for the teen/ YA age group!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book.

So yes the book is called Bro Code, and yes there were too many bro codes, but yes it's sad but true as many men have bro codes. Are they always right? Not always. This book took me a while to read because of all the bro codes, was I offended, no it would take a lot more to offend me.

I can appreciate what the book was trying to do, the bros were trying to grow up throughout the book. Some succeeded more than others, some were quicker than others. I love that they had strong friendships throughout the books, but sometimes there is more to life than those strong friendships, it's good to keep them but you also have to be happy with yourself.

I don't really want to give too much away but I'm glad realizations were made, friendships were made stronger, and relationships blossomed.

Overall the book was a good read, quick even though it took me a while with distractions in life. I just with the content went a little deeper as it all felt very surface simple.

Thank you to the author, Wattpad Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I would give YA another go - and I wish I had left it for another day/book. This was supposed to be a fun, light rom-com, but instead it tackled really heavy issues like toxic masculinity and sexual assault. I'm all for that, I just wish it had been done better. The plot was top-heavy with the whole "Bro Code" thing - endless rules, many of them cringe-worthy and annoying. The dialogue was very obviously an adult trying to sound like a teenager, which was another distraction.

I'm sure the author had good intentions, but the execution was not so good. Great was the fact that toxic masculinity and white male privilege were called out, not great was the fact that the females involved and their feelings, got swept under the rug. I also felt that the revelations about sexual assault should have been handled with much greater care, if that is going to crop up as part of the plot. These issues were all resolved much too quickly, IMO.

This book reminded me why I don't usually read YA romance. I really tried with this book, but it wasn't for me. I found the bro codes at the beginning of each chapter to be annoying. The dialogue was the biggest hurdle for me. It was eye-rolling and cringe-worthy at times. The main characters talk as if they were parents trying to fit in with their teen children. The amount of times the word "bro" appears in this book is ridiculous. I don't think teens talk like this nowadays. Then again, I'm not a teen anymore, so what do I know?

The main character Nick is hard to like at times. The author adds in problems at home to make us feel for him. But I just couldn't root for him. I did like Eliza, but there wasn't much to her character with what I had read.

I DNF'd this book mainly because of the writing. The writing style was not my type and I couldn't get through the dialogue.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to review The Bro Code! I love the Best Friend's Brother/Brother's Best Friend trope so the plot sucked me right in. Coming from the point of view of the guy in the love story was another plus for me. The way the story unfolded, following the different rules of the code and how they were applying to the guys in the group, felt fresh and full of humor. I'm not sure if the formatting of the text was off due to it being an ARC, but the way the sentences ran together or broke in odd spots was distracting to my pacing and reading flow, making the process feel laborious. The love story had me swooning as it started to develop, the perfect unfolding of romance between the two. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

The Bro Code starts slow and unfortunately I got bored pretty quickly. Where was the internal conflict? Where was the inciting incident?

When I first requested this from Netgalley I was pretty excited! It sounded like one of those cute YA contemporary novels that warm your heart and I was looking forward to starting it... but I was disappointed when I did.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy this more than I did.

Nick had been best friends with Carter and Austin his whole life. They did everything together including Nick and Carter going to college together and looking after Carter’s kid sister Eliza. When Eliza returns from a year living in Australia Nick sees her in a different light and that is not good. Nick is bound by the Bro Code and one of the most sacred rules is that sisters are a no go. Nick fights his feelings for Eliza but it is a battle he is losing and he must chose between losing his life long friend Carter or the girl he has fallen in love with, Carter’s sister Eliza.
This was a great coming of age story about 3 teens who are trying to grow up in a small town and make something of themselves. It is about friendship, love and all those angsty emotions that teens deal with during this time. There is some trigger warnings for sexual assault which I still have some mixed feelings about in the way one of them was addressed. But the other one although still not great was dealt with a bit better.
I enjoyed reading about the growth all three of these teens went through and how they addressed some of the issues that did arise particularly around their attitudes towards women and how they are treated.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review
3.5*

This book was super cute and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Bro Code is about best friends who find themselves at an impasse after one of the "codes" is broken. Of course, it's all for the better but the journey is the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light, easy and cute read. I was able to get through this book in 2 days and felt invested in the characters.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I liked this book. Mostly. The characters were cute but often annoying *cough* Nick *cough* (they are high schoolers, so of course they'd be annoying, I know, BUT).
Some serious subjects felt glossed over when there was room to explore. And the ending resolve didn't feel very real (rushed).

The story itself was very entertaining though, I love the trope, you'll probably find me reading a similar one on my death bed. And I'm happy that the romance worked out at the end (not a spoiler, y'all knew it was gonna happen) and that the bro code got updated.

This was overdone with the whole Bros before Hoes things and it really dragged the story down. I felt that this was a hate and shame title and it just didn't work out at all. Overall, I hated the characters, the story was wack with its non consent etc. just made it a story I could not enjoy as well as I can not recommend it.

The bro code

Ok, I just hoped this was some cute YA read.
And yes it was cute, but too much code and bro code for my taste, maybe I am old and don't get it... But truly just didn't do for me.

2.5 stars

Loved this story it brought back many high school memories. I couldn’t stop reading the story was so enjoyable and exciting. Loved that in-deep look on guys friendship. Loved how Eliza’s and Nick relationships evolved. Incredible romcom fir a summer read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

TW: sexual assault

Perhaps the author had good intentions but for me, it wasn't well-executed. I think I would've enjoyed reading this book more if the issues in it, like toxic masculinity and sexual assault, were handled in a better way. I know The Bro Code was supposed to be a fun, light, rom-com but some issues just had to be taken seriously, for example the revelation about some characters near the end of the book. I felt like it was resolved too quickly, even though it was a serious subject that should've been handled with care. The other offhanded comments about LGBT and the #MeToo movement also made me uncomfortable.

It's such a shame because I genuinely enjoyed the first half of the story. Nick and Eliza were cute, even though sometimes our narrator, Nick, and his endless list of bro codes could be quite annoying. I liked that throughout the book Nick learned to call out his peers for their sexist words and behaviors and he was also aware of his privilege as a 'straight, white, bro'. The plot itself was nothing special, and the author brought nothing new to the age-old trope of dating your best friend's sister.

To sum it up, I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the idea of tackling issues like toxic masculinity in a high school rom-com book but too bad, the author handled it carelessly and I felt like it backfired.