Thank you to Net Galley and Wattpad Books for the chance to read an ARC of The Bro Code by Elizabeth Seibert.

My first reaction to this book was the cover, and how awesome it looked, so I went on to read the description. It sounded like an ordinary high school romance with a twist of something: The Bro code.
As I started reading this book, I could not connect with anyone, let alone the main character and his inner thoughts. Every interaction felt flat, and forced, even though I could relate to the situations and everyone's feeling, the writing did not help me build a sense of wanting to know what would happen later.

Maybe it was the fact that some rules did not make sense at all, or maybe how the concept of someone's life to be controlled by some silly rules, I did not connect to anything in this book. As for the romance, I did not feel the usual chemistry among the characters. Their conversations were not magical, or realistic. At one point, the book became predictable and I found it hard to finish.

I wish I had liked this book as much as I initially thought.

I wish I liked this more. The bro code the guys live by is pretty ridiculous and sexist, although occasionally funny. The story felt a bit disjointed at times and didn't flow well. There's also a reveal at the end that ruined two of the characters for me and I had a difficult time caring after that.

The rules of bro code in general are known, but some of these were so random. A bro must like dodge ball, a bro must always finish telling his joke, things like that I found funny and there were a few laughs throughout. Nick is a pretty good guy and I liked his character. He's a good friend and his feelings for Eliza were sweet and honest. He works hard for what he wants and puts up with subpar parenting without much complaint.

I feel like this book could have taken a stronger stance against sexism, harassment, and rape and chose to be funny instead. I was disappointed with how the revelation towards the end was handled, basically oops a guy made a mistake, oh well. With the climate we're in right now, I hoped for more female unity and accountability, but it's about 'bros' so I should have lowered my expectations.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book. Overall, the story is great. I loved Eliza and identified with her way more than I would normally admit. My one major complaint is probably expected if you read the title. It is very “bro” focused, where the main character is completely blind to social issues and his attitude seems outdated. While the ending tied it up well, there are aspects (one in particular regarding “borderline rapists”-direct quote) that bothers me beyond belief. Throughout there are learning moments where Nick realizes social norms of men and women are unbalanced, but it feels like it was all brushed under the rug when he remains friends with the “borderline rapists”. If you can move past these issues, the book is great. Like I said before, Eliza is wonderful. She is like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in the 1950s.

I received an arc from Smith Publicity titles through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Bro code was delightfully funny and I enjoyed reading about all the off-limit romances and a bromance gone wrong. It is definitely written for a younger crowd in mind and despite being witty from the start there were some minor flaws. Powerful lessons such as consent and male supremacy were not given its moment to shine but were rather a sub-theme to the overarching romance. While ultimate love was the end goal there were hints of promiscuity and I wasn’t sure which direction everything was going. Despite this, I liked the characters and saw true potential in developing their storylines a bit more in future books.

I received a ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bro Code is about a group of high school boys who are navigating and surviving their senior year of high school while following the rules of the bro code.

The book starts off with a letter from Eliza to Nick explaining when they first met, first spoke to each other and then hints at the current struggle between Nick and Carter. Then the book jumps back in time to fill us in on the event leading up to Eliza and Nick getting together and the problems it causes with Carter.

I enjoyed The Bro Code and found myself laughing at some of the antics of Carter and Nick. I was hoping that we would get to see more of Nick and Eliza's relationship together, however, it seemed like once they got together, that was the last we got to see of them together except for a few sentences in the epilogue. There also didn't seem to be as much chemistry between them as I thought there would be considering the fact that they couldn't stay away from each other and risked their relationship with Carter for it.

The topics of toxic masculinity and consent are desperately needed in YA books, and I commend the author for choosing to write about it. I thought she did a great job of showing the boys mature and acknowledge their faults when it came to the bro code. However, I was disappointed with how the author only briefly talked about it and then brushed it under the rug. There should have been more discussion about it since it was a major factor in many of the characters lives.

My favorite part of this book was definitely Eliza! She was fabulous character that I wish we got to see more of.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and would most likely recommend it to one of our teen readers.

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assualt

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't enjoy it either.

I didn't enjoy the writing and I did't believe the relationship between the two main characters, Nick and Eliza. The plot was predictable and I am sure I won't remember a thing from this book in a week.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bro Code was filled with endless bro codes. Oh lord, the whole bros before hoes was nauseating to deal with but eventually these little douches figure a way to pull their heads from their own asses. That being said, towards the end.. I eventually ended up liking Eliza and Nick.

I get it, they are in high school and have the rest of their lives to live. Yet, some of things that were vaguely mentioned or happened in this book were not okay. The whole taking advantage of a her girl without her consent rubbed me the wrong way. Even if alcohol was involved.

Then there's Eliza and she definitely got Nick to change his ways. Heck, maybe even Carter and Austin are going to be better people in the end. Other than that, it was pretty predictable and completely cheesy at parts.

In the end, I'm glad I got to dive into it even if I was expecting something completely different to go down.

Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC of The Bro Code by Elizabeth Seibert!

This story was a fun and fluffy romantic comedy that not only tackled the friends-to-lovers trope, but also spoke about the power of friendship, revamping the sexist 'Bro Code' and speaking about the #metoo movement.

Our story follows our main character Nick MacGuire who has been best friends with Carter O'Connell since they were in Kindergarten. The two "bros" are on the soccer team together and do everything together, including apply and try out for the same soccer team at a college that they are both hoping to get full-rides too. The catch? Carter has a younger sister Eliza who has always been "off-limits" but the more time Eliza and Nick spend together, the deeper their feelings become and the romantic tension between them grows.

Oh and fun fact? Elizabeth wrote this book originally in 2012 (when she was still in high school) on Wattpad and it was so popular, a publisher picked it up and thus we have her debut novel hitting shelves on September 22, 2020.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot. I thought it was fun to follow each of the characters and Nick's POV was hilarious. There were a lot of pop culture references and jokes (especially Harry Potter) and the author tackled the #metoo movement very well and integrated it into the overall story line making it more than just a fluffy romantic comedy, providing depth for the reader. We also see how powerful friendship can be, and each chapter is labelled after one of the Bro Code rules (ex: Rule Number 22: A bro shalt cheat only on his homework. Never on an exam, a girlfriend, or himself) which I thought was super creative! At the end of the book we see new Bro Code rules that Austin, Carter and Nick create to pass along to the soccer team once they graduate.


I enjoyed this book overall. I liked how complex the story line was, and the themes that were present intertwined within themselves throughout the story. I found myself invested in the characters because they were so relatable and their relationships with one another were so realistic and fun. I would love to see a companion novel following Austin and his sexuality, or even Carter's POV as he starts college with Nick. I could see this book becoming very popular and a hot topic of conversation because of the themes that Elizabeth tackles in regards to sexism and sexuality. It was inspiring and I honestly was rooting for each of our main characters, except Nick's dad because fuck him.

Overall, this is a solid 4 star book for me!

I received a ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much that I could not put it down. It was funny, romantic and kept me wanting to know what came next.

The themes of this book ranges from toxic masculinity, how far is too far and changing how women are treated,
I was happy with the character development...that Nick found Eliza instead of having more hookups that had no meaning, Carter owning his mistakes and Austin finding his identity. I was glad that the bros changed their view on their code. I thought there was a little too much sex and alcohol use.

This book definitely needs heavier editing, There a lot of typos, spacing and grammatical errors.

I recommend this quick YA book for anyone.

Nick is handsome, charming, popular, and a star on the school soccer team. But he has a big problem. After knowing each other and being friends for years, he suddenly finds himself falling for his best friend's younger sister, which is completely against the Bro Code......

I had a hard time getting into this book at first, because honestly, all the "Bro Code" stuff really started wearing on my nerves fast, but I stuck with it long enough to realize that was the whole point. This story takes on toxic masculinity and the whole idea of a "Bro Code" with a bit of humor, and a lot of heart as we see former playboy Nick start to understand that sayings like "Broes before hoes" are not just harmless fun and how that and similar attitudes are not only demeaning, but really do harm girls and women. It also shows that women can be strong and independent and make their own choices, and don't need anyone, no matter how well-intentioned, to tell them who they can or cannot date.

While this story does have a message, it is not a heavy read and I would say would be a great summer read, except the book is not scheduled to be released until after the summer. It is written from the POV of the male main character, and hopefully YA boys will read it as well as girls.

I had a hard time deciding what to rate this book, as it is not quite a 4-star for me, but definitely more than 3. Somewhere around 3-2./3

[I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

This book is definitely great for young adults. It is written in their lingo. I usually do enjoy YA books, but this was very young for me. The book is about how a boy falls in love with his best friends sister. I did have an advanced copy from NetGalley, so there were many errors in spacing & typing. If the editor needs specifics, just reach out to me & I would be happy to discuss. It was a cute novel, but definitely for young teens. It definitely makes you feel like you are back in high-school. I did enjoy how each chapter was set up with a different "BRO Code" and the chapter pertained to that code.

I read The Bro Code years ago on Wattpad, it was actually one of my favorites which is why I was interested in re-reading it when I saw it was being officially published! I read it so long ago that I didn't remember anything except the basic plot: a teenage boy starts to like his best friend's sister which is against "the bro code." I remember eagerly waiting for the next chapter to be posted.

Nick is super close with his best friends Austin and Carter. When Carter's younger sister comes back from a foreign exchange program in Australia, Nick starts to develop feelings for her which is clearly against the bro code. He is torn between the girl that he's falling in love with and the two guys that are like brothers to him. He feels like no matter who he picks, he's going to end up betraying someone.

I'm a big fan of the "dating-my-best-friends-brother" trope and this is like the og of it. Since I read the original on Wattpad so long ago, I don't remember how different or similar they are to each other. There is a trigger warning for sexual assault.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a contemporary YA romance that fell a little flat for me. The writing seemed stilited and at some points too juvenile. I loved the cover of this novel and was hoping for something better. Eliza and Maguires relationship seems to happen out of thin air. I didn't care for the #metoo references in this book. The coming out of Austin was kind of cliche. Overall not the best of YA novels I've read recently.

TW: Sexual Assault
I received an eARC of The Bro Code by debut author Elizabeth Seibert in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Wattpad Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

I am pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book; that is not to say that this book was perfect, but it was an enjoyable read. The Bro Code follows a group of ‘bros’: Austin, Carter, and Nick through their senior year of high school. When Carter’s younger sister Eliza returns from a year abroad in Australia, Nick is forced to confront what the Bro Code really stands for while simultaneously navigating the trials of college admission, the value of friendship, and love.

The pace of Eliza and Nick’s relationship is not only realistic but it was a healthy relationship consisting of healthy communication which pleasantly surprised me. I found Nick’s character growth to be realistic and consistent. Throughout high school, he was able to remain oblivious to the struggles that the women and girls in his own life have had to face and how his actions perpetuate misogyny and sexism, even if that isn’t his intention. When I started this book and made note of certain comments and actions such as rating girls by bangabilby and the evident toxic masculinity, I may have made note of them but I did not expect for this behavior to be addressed, and I especially did not expect for this behavior to be one of the major themes of this book. The growth that Nick (as well as Austin and Carter) goes through is centered not around his relationship with Eliza but rather his internal toxic masculinity. There were some areas that I felt could have been handled better, specifically the conversations surrounding sexual assault, I think that this could have been handled in a more realistic and more impactful way.

I think that this book would benefit from heavier editing, there were many blatant typos, grammatical errors, and format errors. The writing style was not the most appealing to me; I disliked the use of abbreviations in actual verbal conversations. I also was not a fan of the narration, Nick often addressed the reader directly or used phrases such as ‘this is because of so and so, of course’, however this is a personal dislike. Some of the writing came off as juvenile and slightly awkward but I was able to look past the errors and enjoy the plot.

I'm not sure why, but after reading the back of this book (which made me have to read it) it didn't occur to me right away that I'd be reading from the perspective of a teenage boy. That was new for me, and I was surprised with how well it was done. And the fact that I was able to relate and empathize for the main character Nick.

The male point of view was new and interesting. I've read from the male perspective before, but mainly with alternating points of view between other characters as well. Having the entire novel be in the first person POV (and that being a teenage boy), gave me the experience of being in the mind of a character I wouldn't normally see. It was fun and well done to say the least.

In all honesty, this book took me a little to get into, but after the first five chapters I was completely drawn in turning page after page. Maybe it had to do with getting used to the casual "bro" language, because that took some adjusting and for me that was new. I can say I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it didn't take away from the overall story, and for that I was grateful.

I enjoyed this story. It was different, cute, and kept me wanting to know what came next. All the characters were fun in their own way too. None of them really bothered me and usually I'm able to find at least one, but I found myself wanting to know more about Madison in particular. Her past and what made her the way she was, and where she would go in her future. Her past was hinted at once or twice, but I think her own story would be really interesting to read as well as a couple of others.

As for Nick and Eliza, I was rooting for them the whole time. The way they were around each other made it clear they were into one another, and I felt like cheering out loud when it finally happened.

Overall, I would read this again, and I would like to see more of these characters in the future. My favourite rule from the "Bro Code" is 'A bro shalt decide for themselves which rules are worth following'.

I do love a good "falling for my best friend's sister" romance, and this one was a pretty cute read.

Told from the point of view of a teenage boy, it wasn't the easiest thing to read at times! However, it definitely had some serious highs and teachable moments.

There were some strange tangents and I was really enamoured with any of the characters, but it was a quick and fun book to while away an afternoon with.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and will be submitted to Amazon after release.

The book started a little disjointed - I am not sure if it was the device I was using to read it on. But once I got past the first few pages, I really got into this book. I had a hard time putting it down. I wanted to find out what happened next. Who won the soccer game, why was the dad such a jerk, I had so many whys. The book did a great job of keeping my interested in the book. I also want to thank the author for rewriting the "Bro Code" at the end of the book - that was spot on.

This book seriously made me question my sense of humor. I don’t understand so many of the jokes and it was a little lame in my opinion. This was still a pretty enjoyable book tho it took me a while to get into it..

The bro code was a unique take on a subject of vast importance. Ranging from how far is too far and the actual definition of toxic masculinity, this is a book that every kid, boy, girl or robot should read to better understand the climate of today’s gender equality. I was impressed with the growth of Nick, Austin and Carter and the ability to recognize and change their outlook.

To be honest, when i discovered this was from Wattpad, I thought this was going to be another one of those cheesy romances. The usual bad boy falling in love with the goody two shoes. BUT THIS BOOK REALLY EXPLODED MY MIND! It was AMAZING! I practically fell in love with Nick Maguire while reading this. It's interesting to read about a character that is loved by his peers, but internally is not doing well due to family stress. Also, the fact that friendships are put to the test due to love and commitment really gave the climax of the book. This novel is an example of true love overcoming any obstacles that may come one's way. The minute Carter realized that his sister was IN LOVE with his best friend, he decided to be the good person and be there for his loved ones. We do get the usual bad boy scenes, where at the beginning we see Nick, Austin and Carter (the bros) being the boys who just dated girls but never committed, but then we also see character growth. Nick finding someone who he actually falls in love with, Austin discovering his identity, and Carter owning up to his past. Also, Carter's protection over his sister Eliza was absolutely adorable. The ending had me in tears; saying goodbye to high school and to the people you grew up with was heartwrenching. But, true friends and true love will always be there no matter how far you go. I WILL RECOMMEND THIS STORY TO ANYBODY WHO LOVES HIGH SCHOOL ROMANCES!