This book would be a really good fit for someone wanting something steamy but lighthearted. I didn’t get lost in it the way I would have liked to, I think maybe the chemistry just wasn’t there for me, but I can see how it would be up someone else’s alley. I might give it another go in a few months to see if I can get more next time.

Thanks NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for letting me read this one.

The Code for Love is a true “STEMist” novel. It follows Pandora, a computer programmer who is passionate about her work and determined to succeed in a challenging environment. Right from the start, I was rooting for Pandora, but I also found myself wishing her character had a little more dimension beyond the familiar trope of the dorky, unseen woman in STEM. There are strong women in STEM too, and I know there is so much need for female representation in these fields that I was left hoping that we could see women who are confident and unapologetically assertive. I wish Pandora was not just brilliant but also brave enough to take up space. She let people walk all over her throughout the story, and while that made her relatable in some ways, I wanted her to stand up for herself more. Feeling unseen is, unfortunately, a relatable experience in this world, but it would have been even more satisfying if she had found her voice before hitting her breaking point.

Now, Ozzy is a definite highlight and steals the show if you ask me, and well, you're here, so you kind of are asking. He is the kind of hero who doesn’t just swoop in to save the day, but helps Pandora see her own strengths and makes it clear he respects her choices. Ozzy has golden retriever energy, is supportive, encouraging Pandora to make her own decisions, and always reminding her of her value. I really appreciated that about him, and I honestly think he deserves more credit. He might be underrated by those around him as just a pretty face, and ex-surf god, but his softness, patience, and insight were just what Pandora needed.

Anne Marsh gives us all the nerdy love we could want, the STEM world feels authentic but never inaccessible, and Pandora’s internal struggles will resonate with anyone who has ever felt overlooked at work either in a STEM field or another field entirely. Mooreghan Martin’s narration adds an extra layer of warmth and relatability, pulling you right in.

My only real wish for this story is that the aftermath of Pandora’s actions in the professional setting had been fleshed out more. The resolution is a bit quick, and I would have loved to see even more growth for her, especially after finally making her voice heard.

Thank you for the ACL.

I did NOT like the narrator. She spoke with a lisp. Nothing against lisps, except for audiobooks. (The s’s were driving me crazy.)

I think the first chapter was supposed to be funny, but it wasn’t.

There was no dialogue until 10 minutes & 48-ish seconds in. Or in other works, the first 2% of the book droned on and on.
Then, after 1 line of dialogue, we get, “yes, pretty boy, you can be delicious people sushi” and then she thinks about how she wants to taste him. I’m not opposed to characters tasting each other in a sexy way, but it didn’t work for me after you spoke about human sushi (even if it was about sharks eating people).
Then we get his first line “I like to live dangerously”
…ugh

Way too much narration in the beginning, including too much telling instead of showing. There are 3 or 4 lines of dialogue in the first 17 minutes of the audiobook.

The humor in this book is not for me. It was “ugh” and “ick” IMO.

4.5% - he kisses her even though he doesn’t know her name and her thought was “ew.” I would agree, but these are the 2 main characters, so…

4.6% - she wraps her self around him, wanting more. And he’s hard.

Ok, I’m done. I just can’t. I don’t mind fast romances but this was bizarre.

The Code for Love has a cute premise but it just wasn't it for me. I think it just starts off on a weird foot because the main female character, Pandora, acted really juvenile towards the main male character and I know it was setting it up as an rivals to lovers but it felt implausible and then for the rest of the book I was just kind of annoyed by Pandora.

Thanks Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for this advanced copy of The Code for Love in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of good things to say.

This book feels like it was written by AI in the beginning. It tries REALLY hard to be funny but the style comes off clunky and disjointed. The pacing is bizarre and makes the main character feel unlikeable.

I don’t understand the connection between the two leads at all, and the break up at the end feels so out of left field I felt like I missed parts of the book?

Just really not good.

Overall; 1.5/5 Stars

She hates him for forgetting her, but this is a common problem with her. Everyone forgets her, was fired from previous job and coworkers still ask her to check their code even though she doesn’t work there anymore. She came across as a black cat and him as the golden retriever. I didn’t get enough enemy support to classify this as an enemies to lovers. Lots of pranks but they were not fun or funny the way they came across.
For being an introvert Pandora is very outspoken. Premature to sleep together before their road trip because she kept repeating how she knew his body or he knew her body over and over to the point it was a bit annoying. I found it very cute how a Owen calls her Panda Bear because her name is Pandora, he does it to irritate her but it shows his carefree personality.

DNF’d.

25% into the book and nothing is coming together. I don’t feel like I have any understanding of any of the characters and the pacing is off. All I’ve learned is the FMC loves code and work is her entire life. Not enough to keep me motivated to continue.

Mooreghan Martin’s narration is charming and engaging. The only thing that kept me reading as long as I did.

As a huge fan of rom-coms, I went into this book with high hopes, but unfortunately, it just missed the mark for me. The storyline felt a bit flat, and I struggled to stay invested in the characters. I also didn’t connect with the narrator, which made it even harder to fully enjoy the experience. While it had a few cute moments, overall it just didn’t hit the spark I look for in a great romantic comedy.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

**spoiler alert** This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review This review may contain spoilers.

I enjoyed this audiobook, but as someone who reads a lot of romantic comedies, it didn’t stand out as one I’d pick up again.

I really liked the neighbors to lovers portion of the book, and I also loved the road trip romance in the second half. But the two parts felt like almost different books, seeming a bit disjointed. I would have loved if we’d either stayed in the apartment setting or started with the unexpected road trip dynamic. I’m not sure the two arcs meshed well into one cohesive story–at least, not for me.

Ozzy is the definition of a golden retriever. I found him entertaining and delightful as a leading man. His nicknames for Pandora—Panda, Panda Bear, Dora—were endlessly endearing.

Pandora, however, was a bit tricky for me. I know nothing about coding, and it felt like much of her personality was centered around that. She also came across as immature, and she repeatedly mentioned her curvy body type to the point where it became distracting.

I wish the author had gone deeper into Ozzy and Pandora’s emotional connection. The second chance element felt unnecessary—their initial kiss didn’t really play a significant role beyond being a plot device to make them “enemies.” I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more if Ozzy had simply been introduced as her new neighbor. His pranks, building-scaling, and chaotic neighborly interactions would’ve been enough to create tension without the need for a past incident.

I don’t seek out romance for spice, and I found Ozzy and Pandora’s relationship pretty one-note. Some of the language in the intimate scenes didn’t work for me and bordered on cringy, though that may be a matter of personal preference.

The third-act breakup also felt abrupt. I would’ve liked more setup for Ozzy’s involvement in Pandora’s work—maybe I missed it on audio, but it didn’t feel well-seeded earlier in the story.

On a positive note, I loved the surfing subplot. Ozzy’s hesitation to get back on the board added depth, and I’ve never read a rom-com that involved surfing before—it was a unique and refreshing element.

I received the audiobook version of this ARC, and I do wonder if I’d have enjoyed it more in print. The narrator’s voice didn’t match Pandora’s age—she sounded more middle-aged than twenty-something—which made some of the younger, modern slang feel out of place. I love audiobooks, but this mismatch was hard to overlook.

All that said, while this wasn’t the right match for me, I think fans of banter, golden retriever MMCs, coding, pranks, and neighbors to lovers will enjoy this one.

The Code for Love by Anne Marsh (July 29, 2025) - Thank you to HTP Hive and HTP Audio for the gifted digital and audio copies. With themes of women in STEM and a roadtrip romance, I was super excited to grab The Code for L

This one, unfortunately, didn’t land for me. From the very beginning, I found myself waiting for the story to “click,” but it never quite found its footing. The plot felt underdeveloped, the character arcs lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for, and overall, it just left me wanting more—more tension, more chemistry, more stakes.

I’m someone who often finds audiobooks can elevate a reading experience, but in this case, the narration didn’t add the dimension I was looking for. The characters weren’t voiced in a distinct or emotionally engaging way, making it harder to connect with their perspectives.

While I always appreciate fresh takes in romance, The Code for Love just didn’t meet my expectations this time. That said, every reader connects differently with a story, and this one may resonate more for you than it did for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance listener copy.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. I liked the premise—a woman in STEM and a sweet, upbeat love interest—but I had a hard time getting into the story. The plot felt unrealistic at times, and it made it tough to stay engaged.

I also didn’t enjoy the narrator’s performance, which I found distracting. That made it even harder to connect with the characters. I did appreciate Pandora’s intelligence and how friendly and positive Ozzy was, but overall, the book just didn’t click for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an advance listening copy of #TheCodeForLove. Road trip with a surfer and a coder competing for the same position. 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC.
I honestly went into this one blind and unfortunately this did not work for me. The pacing was all over the pace and I did not buy the romance for a second.
Narration:
Listening Speed: 2X
Narrator: Mooreghan Martin
Feedback: I believe this is my first time listening to this narrator and I enjoyed her light tone which was perfect for this audiobook.

I really wanted to love this book. First off, I am a female software engineer and have been wanting to read more books featuring women in STEM. Second, the cover was pure perfection. Third, I love the grumpy/sunshine trope. This book just didn't do it for me.

I did think it was a fun touch to make Pandora's ex-coworkers not notice that she was fired. I thought it was funny that she still had access to the codebase and that her old coworkers were still asking her for code reviews. Typically, you don't have access to the code after you leave, but I think that added to how invisible she was to her coworkers.

The chapters just didn't seem to flow, and I felt like there was too much in here that didn't make sense. Some of these tropes seemed forced. Pandora was making out with him on the beach, then they became neighbors and had prank fights, then they worked for the same company, then forced to go on a trip together? It just seemed like every trope piled in one book. I wasn't a fan of everything being forced. I think alot of the flow problem was the narrator. She made Pandora seem more whiny and less grumpy.

This book had an interesting premise and dynamic that I was excited to read. The first meeting of the characters felt abrupt and a little strange, but it did really suck me into the story. Plus, I love a FMC that’s a woman in STEM. That said, I found the MMC a bit one dimensional and there were a lot of plot points that I found to be too much of a stretch — the app at the center of the plot is a terrible idea (the liability would be insane!) and I really can’t get behind the idea of a “Chief Play Officer” job for which a retired surfer and a coder are hypothetically equally qualified. Your mileage may vary, but this was not a hit for me.

2.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 Sorry, but this was not what I wanted it to be.

The premise of this sounded SOOO good and that made me so excited when I was approved for it on NetGalley. But this did not deliver.

I also think that I would have enjoyed this way more if the audiobook narrator was not who it was. Her voice annoyed me so much. Sorry if that is mean, but you really do need to be careful when picking a narrator. Whiny and over the top voices have never worked for audiobooks. Sorry! I feel like that was kind of rude, but I did have to skip sections because the voice just grated on me.

I think I would have been able to ignore some of the weird parts of this book if there was a different narrator or if I read it (not as an audiobook). But there were some weird parts.

The characters really did not have any chemistry (and that made their whole relationship and every kiss feel so weird and random and uncomfy), they have no boundaries (and it gave me the ick), they refer to things weirdly, they're both very annoying people (it's giving theatre kid, iykyk), their nicknames make no sense, and they are into AI.

The premise of this sounded like it could be so good and so much fun, but it really did not work out. Sorry.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I ended up DNFing around 25% of the way through. I couldn't quite follow the story and didn't feel a strong connection between the MCs. Additionally, I hated the FMC's casual use of ChatGPT, as well as the fact that her best friend sent her a pirated copy of a book??? I kept reading for a while after that, but by that point I knew it was a DNF.

I thought the narrator did a good job, but I was confused about the FMC's apperance/race. The cover shows a tan white woman, the book describes her as very pale (in the one brief description we got in the quarter of the book I read), and the narrator is clearly Black. With this book being in first person and so many different clues as to the FMC's looks I was just very confused.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC. I was lucky enough to receive an early audio copy of The Code for Love by Anne Marsh, and I really wanted to enjoy it—but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

The concept had potential: Pandora, an engineer working on an app to connect solo travelers, crosses paths with Ozzy, a retired pro surfer. But right from the start, things felt disjointed. Their first interaction is a completely random makeout on the beach—with no introduction or context. Then suddenly, Ozzy is her neighbor, they’re in a prank war, and she hates him… but they also decide to hook up to “get it out of their systems”? The tonal shifts were dizzying.

Then came the road trip (because of course they match on her app—forced proximity, check!), a surprise job competition subplot, and a sick-day caretaker moment thrown in. Don’t get me wrong—I love a good caretaking scene, but there was just so much going on that it felt like too many tropes were crammed into one story without the necessary development.

To top it off, the audiobook narration didn’t help. The voice felt mismatched with the characters and tone—more corporate training video than romantic comedy—which made it harder for me to stay engaged. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me.

I appreciate the opportunity to listen and review, and I do think the premise had promise. But the story lacked cohesion, and the pacing and character development never quite landed for me.

This book wasn't my favorite. The female protagonist was immediately dislikeable and unrelatable. I also did not like the assumptions made about the male love interest - just because he's a handsome surfer doesn't mean that he immediately hates the female protagonist. I DNFed this book a little over halfway through because I kept wanting to get into it and just couldn't.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ALC in exchange for an honest review— thank you! 🤗

I think the story itself maybe just wasn't for me. As a statistics and computer loving girl myself, I just felt that Pandora was too... on the nose being a software engineer. Like we were halfway through the book and she was still mentioning that this completely normal quirk was because, you know, she was a nerdy software engineer. And then you have the "opposite" side of the spectrum with Ozzy being super hot so of course he has to be a dumb player and have nothing else to live for besides surfing. Everything was very surface level.

As for the narration, it was okay. I wasn't encapsulated by it but it could have also just been because of the story.

In general, not a horrible book but not... my cup of tea.