You ever start reading a book and immediately go "Oh, this was definitely written by a white dude who thinks he's better than everyone else and has never had a healthy relationship with a woman in his life?" Yeah. That's what this mess was.

Thanks Celadon for the ARC of this book! It....was something.

This isn't even about unlikeable characters--I LOVE a good unlikable character and unreliable narrator. But this was just a mess and...gross? There's entire sections of this book with a lot of thinly veiled misogyny and racism (homebody is a white man who ghostwrites raps and thinks he's better than everyone else for it. And there's absolutely no reason for this to be as big of a thing in this story as it is). There are a LOT of lines in this book that lead me to believe there's a lot of resentment for women in general that lead to the creation of this book, and just...yikes. All around. There's literally an appendix in the back of the raps this man wrote. I just can't.

On top of it all, this book is both not at ALL what it claims to be, and also a hot mess in terms of structure for what it is. This isn't a book using AI to understand the human condition, or using AI as a tool for managing emotions. The AI is literally just a plot device that comes and goes to justify the relationship between the MMC and FMC. The structure of this is all over the place and reads like a draft zero to me versus a finished novel. There's no cohesive structure, no real running themes tying sections together. But it's also not a stream of consciousness that justifies the meandering and randomness of the story. I truly don't understand what the author was going for here, because it doesn't even feel like an attempt was made to tell a cohesive story. It feels more like.... random diary or journal entries told in a narrative that were randomly placed together in an attempt to tell an overarching story?

With the increase usage of AI for literally everything, there was SO MUCH opportunity to write the book that was actually described--a book about what happens when we outsource human experience and human connection to AI/robots, and what that means for our human connections. But instead we got some sort of weird vanity project that spends a lot of time and pages venting about nothing.

I hate giving an ARC a bad review, but to say that this book was a massive disappointment is probably being too kind.

The start of the story had me so interested, but it very quickly fizzled out.

The writing style is chaotic, all over the place. It feels very hard to follow because there are so many characters, and none of them feel noteworthy, as they’re all pretentious assholes. The whole marketing ploy of the book about the AI therapist doesn’t pan out - it’s just a lot of navel gazing that these folks would likely still be doing without it.

I could not wait for this book to end, and it felt like a cruel trick that the countdown timer for the audiobook was somehow wrong, and it went on an hour longer than the NetGalley app said it would.

If you want a book with a tech and relationship vibe that actually pans out, check out AnnieBot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced audiobook.

I think this one was one me - I did not fully understand the premise of this book. It was both over my head and a bit boring. Not for me. :(

Sike by Fred Lunzer follows Adrian, a ghostwriter for rappers, who turns to an AI therapy app after a painful breakup. As he navigates love, fame, and self-discovery, the story dives into how technology can shape—or even replace—emotional healing and human connection.

I ended up DNF-ing this one at 32%. I don’t usually read the blurb before starting a book because I like to go in blind and avoid spoilers—but I made an exception here, and was disappointed after sort of finishing the book.

I expected the book to lean more into romance, explore how AI could play a role in modern relationships, and how AI can feel intrusive and how people sometimes look to tech for answers instead of trusting their own emotions. That concept could’ve been interesting, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The writing felt a bit robotic, and I couldn’t connect with the characters or the storyline. It lacked the emotional depth and warmth I usually look for in a book.

I think Fred Lunzer’s writing style just isn’t a good match for my taste, especially since I tend to gravitate toward contemporary romance.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Yeah I don’t think this was for me. At all.

I don’t think the writing style is for me, the story is not at all what I thought it was going to be (judging from the synopsis), and it was honestly quite boring. If I hadn’t gotten an ARC for this I think I would’ve DNF’d it pretty early on. By the end I felt like I was in the exact same place where I started with this.

I thought this was going to be an interesting look into this slow growing dependence on AI that we’re currently seeing. Here AI is used as a therapist where you can buy a subscription and get access to it, rather than seeing a human therapist. Interesting points could be made here, I’ll take it.

But that’s not at all what I got from this experience. We follow Adrian and Maquie through certain parts of their life and relationship, and the AI is there for them to talk to sometimes.

And all the references were getting a bit annoying. I was getting so tired of looking up the ones I didn’t understand… and it’s no exaggeration when I say that there’s way too many of them.

I had a pretty hard time with this book, honestly. I'm not sure if it would have been better if I had gotten an ebook instead of an audiobook arc but it was just not it for me. I got to about 50% and realized I had no clue what was going on, so I restarted. Hit the 50% mark again and still had no clue.

This is marked as boy meets girl meets AI but it wasn't what I was expecting. I wanted to know more about this weird AI program that people were allowing insane access into their information for, but instead I got a story of two fairly unlikable people and their relationship. I was not able to root for any of the characters, the MMC Adrian was kind of insufferable. I don't mind an unreliable narrator but there just weren't any redeeming factors for me. This review has gotten much harsher than I intended. I'm sure someone will enjoy this, it just wasn't me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read this early!

I am very intrigued by books with AI themes so I immediately requested this audio. Since the description of this book states "A story of boy meets girl meets AI therapist" I thought there was no way I wouldn't like it. Right from the start I found myself hesitating to listen to it because I kept zoning out while doing so. I am not sure if it was the writing style or the story but sadly I just could not get into this one. I am sure there will be an audience for this book and reading is subjective so please take this review with a grain of salt.
I did enjoy the narrator Ilan Goodman.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced audiobook.

After a relationship ends badly, Adrian tries Sike: a new AI-driven therapy app that tracks people's emotions. in the meantime, he falls for Maquie, a venture capitalist looking for a business as successful as Sike, while refusing to use the app herself.

I struggled through this book from the first page (I probably would've DNFed it if it wasn't an ARC). Part of the issue was the writing--while the premise sounded interesting, I think the comps of KLARA AND THE SUN and Sally Rooney are apt, because I find both of those too slow for my taste. The other part that made this a struggle of a read was the narrator on the audiobook. There was a grating tone to the voice that just didn't work for me.

This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t mind the author’s writing style, but I found it difficult to follow the thread of the plot, if there was one at all. The AI part had intrigued me, and I was hoping there would be more insight into how the platform worked, but that felt a little bit underdeveloped. There was far too much discussion of rappers for me, which fell flat because I am not familiar with their work. The last bit in the Japanese bar seemed really disjointed from everything else that was going on.

I believe this book is best read by men in tech who love rap, which are rather plentiful if a certain VC/author is to be believed. You kind of need to be a true believer that tech can solve emotional problems in order to really enjoy this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and provide an honest review.

This book had all of the ingredients for a fun novel but unfortunately fell flat for me. Once you realize this is not a love story but a novel about characters on a journey through change and self discovery; the book has its moments.

While it wasn’t what I expected it did have a fresh take on mental health and AI. If you enjoy a more tech driven novel told from a male main character. Sike is worth the read.

Review of Sike by Fred Lunzer, Narrated by Ilan Goodman
Sike started off strong and immediately caught my attention. Ilan Goodman’s narration was a standout—his voice was clear, engaging, and easy to understand, which made the listening experience enjoyable right from the start.
One moment that really made me smile was the mention of everyone wearing glasses that functioned like headphones. I had just gotten a pair myself, so it felt oddly personal and relatable. I also appreciated how the book explored the meanings behind certain songs—it added emotional depth and context that I found really thoughtful.
The concept of the Sike app was especially fascinating. Described almost like a therapist but even better, it genuinely intrigued me. The way it was explained in the story made me wish it actually existed—I would’ve signed up on the spot, no matter the cost!
While the premise had great potential and I believe it will resonate with many readers, it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me. I found my interest waning around chapter five and decided not to continue. That said, I think others may find the themes and innovative ideas more compelling.