engineer

A Latte Like Love

by Michelle C. Harris

coming March 17, 2026

(3 / 5)

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

This one is a tough one to rate. At first I really enjoyed the book and was easily pulled into the story. But somewhere along the way it lost me. I think a lot of it was that the book just felt so much longer than it needed to be, especially since not a lot seemed to be happening with the plot. The biggest conflict was in a flashback, so it felt pretty anticlimactic when I reached the epilogue. The epilogue itself was very long, rehashing things that had already happened from a different perspective. For me, it just felt a little repetitive. As for the relationship between Audrey and Theo itself, I was rooting for them, but then things really seemed to move alarmingly fast, especially considering Theo’s mental state. A lot of the story centers on Theo’s recovery after an accident and coming to terms with significant scarring. I was glad to see growth in Theo’s character over the course of the story, though Audrey didn’t really seem to develop very much. In the end, the book had a lot of promise but just didn’t quite deliver for me.

The Roommate Experiment

by Camilla Isley

Released today!

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Roommate Experiment! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

The Roommate Experiment is the 3rd book in the Funny Feelings series. I’ve read all of the books, but I feel like this one could easily be read as a standalone. I think it was my favorite book in the series!

Hunter has been in love with her friend’s brother, Dylan, for years, but she’s just an acquaintance to him. Now they’re going to be roommates, but things are even more complicated because Dylan has a new girlfriend. The book alternates between both of their points of view, so we see the story unfold from both perspectives. I thought both of the main characters were likable and relatable, with each of them having struggles they had to face. The romance was definitely a very slow burn, especially since MMC had a girlfriend and that took a while to resolve. I still enjoyed the journey though, with lots of awkward situations that gave the book a lighthearted and fun feel. A couple parts annoyed me a bit, but overall I enjoyed the story. Plus it was fun to see more of the characters from the previous books!

May 27, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Not Safe for Work

by Nisha J. Tuli

coming May 20, 2025

(4 / 5)

I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Tris is an engineer who has been selected to go on a company retreat to Hawaii for a chance to advance her career. Unfortunately, her biggest rival in the office, Rafe, is also attending.

Not Safe for Work was an enjoyable read that kept me interested until the end. We follow Tris, who is a woman of color working in a male-dominated industry. It really dives into some toxic workplace behavior that can be pretty eye-opening. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance that develops, even though some aspects of the situation seemed a bit hard to believe (coworkers forced to share a room with one bed). The fighting between them felt a little unprofessional at first, but I enjoyed the characters getting to know each other better as the story progressed. It’s a bit of a slow burn for a while, but it eventually turns up the heat. Plot-wise there wasn’t anything all that surprising and things pretty much went the way I expected them to, but it was still a fun escape.

March 12, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Time Loops & Meet Cutes

by Jackie Lau

coming May 6, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

I received a free digital ARC copy of the book through NetGalley. All opinions are completely my own.

I’ve been reading a lot of romance lately, so the time loop in this story made it refreshingly different. It’s definitely one of my favorite romance reads so far this year. We follow Noelle, whose life has pretty much been revolving around work, with no close friends or romantic relationships for a while. When she finds herself in a time loop, it gives Noelle an opportunity to leave her comfort zone without the fear of consequences, since everything will just reset at the end of the day anyway. It’s an interesting way to watch a character grow, build relationships, and try new experiences. It’s not surprising that at times things get a little repetitive since we are repeating the same day, but it makes the story feel authentic and relatable. The concept definitely kept me curious about what could have caused this phenomenon and how it might eventually end. I wasn’t expecting how much the story was able to surprise me at times. As for the romance, I thought it was very sweet (while still offering some spice). I could really feel how the time loop could make it freeing yet also frustrating. Bonus points for the friendship that Noelle finds along the way – I think I may have enjoyed that relationship as much as the romance! A big indication of how much I liked the book: when I finished it, I found myself wanting to read parts of the beginning again, just to see it from the new perspective of knowing how it ends.

March 8, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

If the Ring Fits

By Camilla Isley

Coming January 25, 2025

(3.5 / 5)

When Rowena finds out she’s pregnant and lost her job in the same day, a chance encounter with a multi-millionaire who’s trying to impress his boss leads to an agreement that could benefit both of them… by getting married. If the Ring Fits is the 2nd book in Isley’s Funny Feelings series, though it can easily be read as a stand-alone. Fans of Isley’s may recognize a few familiar characters from her True Love series as well!

If the Ring Fits was a quick, light read that kept my interest well enough. Sometimes situations seemed a bit too convenient to be truly believable, but it’s all explained in a way that makes sense. I enjoyed the moments of playful banter between the main characters, and overall found both of them to be likable. As a former software engineer, I liked seeing the representation of a woman in STEM.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of If the Ring Fits! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

January 5, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

It Started with a Book

By Camilla Isley

Coming July 5, 2024

(4 / 5)

After getting ghosted yet again, Leigh is fed up with dating. A mysterious romance book turns out to be the perfect escape, and her dreams bring her back to the fictional world and the gorgeous billionaire cowboy, Killian. But one morning, she wakes up to Killian physically there in her apartment. Is it too good to be true?

First off, I loved Leigh as a character, and I felt an extra special connection to her as a fellow avid reader, book reviewer, and woman in computer science. I went into this book knowing that I’d have to suspend reality a little bit, but I really enjoyed the interesting experience of “book character comes to life.” I liked the story within the story aspect and how it all became intertwined. This book hits on just about every romance trope you can imagine, but it doesn’t feel cheesy at all because the characters are actively pointing it out and joking about it. I loved watching Killian and Leigh adapt to their crazy situation. The romance is definitely a slow burn, but I think the character development along the way validates it. It was great to see Leigh gain a sense of trust and the ability to speak up. This was just an overall enjoyable, quick read from an author who doesn’t disappoint!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of It Started with a Book! The opinions in my review are completely my own.

May 15, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle New Adult Romance 0

The Love Algorithm

By Camilla Isley

Coming soon on April 26, 2024

(4 / 5)

Reese Campbell is a robotics engineer who has worked hard to have a successful career at Mercer Robotics. Thomas Mercer is the billionaire son of the head of the company and soon going to be the new CEO of Mercer Robotics. To learn more about the company, Thomas is assigned to follow Reese, but she considers it to be more of a “babysitting a billionaire” situation. When they meet, sparks fly, but with Thomas on track to become Reese’s boss, it makes for a complicated situation.

The Love Algorithm is the 3rd book in Camilla Isley’s True Love series. It could easily be read as a standalone, but it runs parallel to the other two books, so we get to see some previous characters along the way.

I’ve already read and enjoyed several of Camilla Isley’s books, and The Love Algorithm did not disappoint. This book follows the points of view of both main characters, and I found them to be very likeable. I love seeing successful women in engineering, and Reese was a great representative. Thomas was very down-to-Earth despite his billionaire background. I loved the interactions between Reese and Thomas. A special gem in this book was K-2P, a droid that Reese designed and had so much personality and sass, giving some literal laugh-out-loud moments. This was an overall enjoyable story that was a quick read and hard to put down!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Love Algorithm! The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

April 13, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Love Theorem

By Camilla Isley

Coming Soon on June 13, 2023

(5 / 5)

This book was previously published as To the Stars and Back as part of the First Comes Love series. I never read that version, so I don’t know if many changes were made, but I do know I really enjoyed reading The Love Theorem. I’m excited that the series will continue to follow some of the supporting characters we met in this book.

I was pulled into this story from the first chapter, and it kept my interest throughout. I found both main characters felt relatable, even if they were different from me personally. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Lana, an intelligent woman engineering student. The chapters alternated between the points of view of the two main characters (Christian and Lana), and I thought the author did a good job at giving the characters different voices. While this wasn’t one of the most complicated or unpredictable books, it was a great relaxing read that was exactly what I was looking for when I read it. I’m excited that I’ve already been approved to read an advance copy of the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Camilla Isley for the free advance copy of The Love Theorem. My review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

June 10, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0