Code Red

by Amy Noelle

After getting hurt in college by a gorgeous man, Nicole Magette vowed never to risk losing her heart again. Now she lives a structured and satisfying life. Her work is easy, her friends are her family, and the only consistent men in her life are her two cats, Winchester and Huntington Peabody the Third. She doesn't date, and she hooks up only with losers—men she has absolutely no risk of falling for. But if she finds herself in danger, she has her old fail-safe in place—the Code Red.

In college, she and her four best friends came up with the system as a way to keep away the good-looking bastards that might worm their way past their carefully constructed walls. Seven years later, three of her friends have succumbed to their last Code Reds and are happily married. Now it’s just Nicole and her closest friend, Jen, who are still on their own, and Nic is just fine with that.

That is, until Joshua Daniels is transferred to Nicole’s office from New York and assigned to work with her on a special project. He's everything she's avoided and everything she claims she doesn't want, so why can’t she get him out of her mind? He's persistent, dangerously handsome, and sexy as sin. In other words, he’s her worst nightmare. She turns to her friends to help her resist Josh’s considerable charms and the inescapable draw she feels every time she gets near him. Can the Code Red save her this time, or will Josh send her perfectly balanced life into chaos?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Humor

264 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2013

About the author

Amy Noelle is a thirty-something single woman with two cats, Lily and Logan. Though she contends that she is not a crazy cat lady, she freely admits to being a crazy football fan. You can find her glued to the couch every fall weekend, cheering on her Seminoles and Buccaneers.

After attending Florida State University for two years, she transferred to Northern Illinois University and graduated in 1997 with degrees in Journalism and Political Science.

She was born in the Azores Islands, Portugal, and lived as a military brat from the west coast to the east coast of the United States, though she's found her permanent home in Tampa, Florida, for the last decade. Besides football and writing, her other loves are television, movies, the beach, thunderstorms, and her family and friends.

Reviews

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between 3 and 4 Cute, Funny and Sexy Stars

What's a girl to do when she encounters a guy who’s dangerous, one who could tempt her and make her forget what jerks men are?

She calls in her girlfriends for reinforcement, who will come running and make sure she doesn’t give in to temptation.



Nicole Maguette



A 26 years old woman, who has sworn off relationships.
She got burned once by a cheating jerk and despite gaining two best friends in the process, she is against love, marriages and HEAs. Not even the marital bliss of her friends can persuade her to change her mind. She is adorable, funny, sarcastic, clueless and a wee bit stubborn.



She writes manuals for a living, she has a standard date with Supernatural every Friday (a girl after my own heart...) - interrupt her and perish, she hangs with her girlfriends, she goes one-night-stand hunting on Saturdays (not every Saturday... there is always BOB for emergencies) and she lives with two alpha males.

A fat orange tabby named after my TV boyfriend Dean Winchester from Supernatural, who loved nothing better than to curl up and snuggle with me and Huntington Peabody the Third—a handsome, sleek, black cat—was moody, unpredictable, and insanely possessive of me.



Her world is turned upside down when her new assignment involves working with Joshua Daniels.



This sexy, irresistible, determined man, will make her reconsider her beliefs, second-guess herself and make stupid decisions in the process, until she realises that LOVE deserves a chance.



This is a quick and sassy read about modern relationships, womanhood and friendship. It's adorable and funny, realistic and kinda frustrating. You can't help but exasperate, dealing with Nic's slightly neurotic behavior, inability to deal with her feelings and make a decision.



And when she does.....



**ARC provided by The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.5 RED-ALISCIOUS STARS!!!!!!!!! ***

LOVED IT. LOVED IT. LOVED IT! This was AWESOME! It was the cherry atop a delectable sundae, the fudge icing atop a gooey brownie, the cream atop a cafe latte!! YES! you guessed right, it was SWEET!

This was a story about how two people came together through fate and fell in love. Nicole has sworn off men. Or at least getting seriously involved with them. After her heart was broken in college by a multiple-timing douche bag, she bonds with her friends and ultimately develops the CODE RED.

A code red is meant to deflect a blossoming relationship with a swoon-worthy guy so the girl doesn't get hurt. It only works if the girl senses she might fall hard and succumb to the guy's charms. Once she issues a code red, her friends enter the picture and stop anything from happening and therefore saving the girl potential relationship turmoil.

Sounds good right? Especially if you're not looking to get your heart broken. Well, six years later things have changed for Nicole and her friends. Aside from her and her BF Jen, everyone else is married. But Nicole is fine with that. Instead she sleeps with nerdy types that have no chance in hell of getting her to issue a code red.

UNTIL JOSHUA DANIELS HITS THE SCENE!

As a consultant brought in to help develop the how-to guide behind some new and exciting technology, he is partnered with Nicole for three months and upon meeting each other for the first time:

SPARKS FLY! ELECTRICITY IGNITES!!!

He was a man Nicole never saw coming and forces her to re-examine her life and what she truly wants. From there it is a hiliarious and often touching story of love. What can I say? I LOVED IT!

NO ANGST!? WHAT? YES! NO ANGST!!!! Finally, FINALLLLLLYYYYY! A book that covets a blossoming relationship without all the extra helpings of bullshit and over-the-top angst--and honestly, I do like angst, but not every relationship is meant to be angsty--. Although it may have taken some time to take off, the relationship between Nicole and Josh was pure and heartfelt. She didn't cheat on him. He didn't go all dominant caveman on her. They didn't break-up then make-up enough times to make your head spin...NO. They progressed naturally and beautifully for which I am eternally grateful!

Josh was the MAN. He was patient, tender, loving, thoughtful, honest and SEXY-AS-HELL!! He was a knight in shining armour for her! He had ethics and values that made him all the more attractive and alluring.

Nicole was cute and funny. Getting her heart broken really did a number on her and it was nice to see her vulnerability after her shell was ever so masterfully chipped away by Mr. incredible--that would be Josh! Because when she finally emerged, their love blossomed beyond belief!

BEAUTIFUL BOOK! BEAUTIFUL FLOW AND FANTASTIC EPILOGUE! Ha!! it's a stand-alone! can it get any more perfect??? NO! IT WAS PERFECT AS IS!!!

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book. But the cover, it's seriously awful! And it gives off this weird vibe, that for me doesn't at all correspond to the feeling I got from this book.

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Add three fantastic girlfriends, two single gals with protective walls, a hot new guy in the office, his equally hot friend and some double dates and you get a thoroughly enjoyable book. It is somewhere between contemporary romance and chick-lit. It has a 1-POV - check for chick-lit. There is a lot of gossip - check for chick-lit. There is a heavy focus on romance - check for CR. It is pretty tame - could be both.

I liked Nic. But I wanted to smack her on the head with the whole Code Red. The idea that you should stay as far as possible away from love is foreign to me.

"Complicated" wasn't heavy enough word for this. He was my coworker. That was strike one. He was gorgeous. That was strike two. And he lived in New York City. Strike three, you're out. The Code Red was for both of our protection. He'd just never know that.

Josh is hot. And he has the hots for Nic. I loved that he put it all out there.

"My parents met at work. My mom worked for my grandfather's construction company. Dad took one look at her and knew he had to have her. They've been married for thirtyone years. I like Chicago, and it wouldn't be hard to transfer here, if things worked out."

Luckily, she comes around after about a half the book - and it sure picks up after that! And s someone who meet my own husband-to-be in the "office", I could surely relate.

As chick-lit books goes it was a very sweet, funny and enjoyable diversion.

Thanks to Netgalley and Writer's Coffee Shop for providing me with an ARC. It was my pleasure!

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

Here is my take on this one, to summarize: It is sweet, it is humorous, it doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Now let me back up a bit. "Code Red" is a funny, low angst romance about a 26 year old girl, Nicole, who has sworn off relationships after getting burned by a player guy. When a sexy new co-worker comes into the picture, Nicole has to try very hard to keep her distance from the delectable Josh.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I thought Nicole's girlfriends were funny and I also related to the story by being around their ages. However, there were some things about the story that bugged me. I found the concept of calling a "code red" when you want to avoid getting involved with a guy to be a bit gimmicky and thought that it didn't add much to the story. It felt like the author named her book that and then felt like she had to weave it into the plot. My other issue is that I found Nicole's relationship with her friends to be bit co-dependent and on the immature side. It was a smidge odd to me, to be honest. The pacing could also be improved. It dragged a bit towards the end.

I don't want to give off the impression that I didn't enjoy this book. It really did. I found myself smiling while reading and rooting for Nicole's happy ending. However, while this one was good, it just didn't knock my socks off.

[Traceys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posting review early, not out till April 11th but wanted to write about it now because I loved it.

FIVE STAR READ *****


Did you like Wallbanger? If so I'm sure you will love this book. Even if you haven't read Wallbanger or similar books this is not to be missed.

Nicole is a witty and funny 26 year old woman, who has been scorned by a 'greek god' and has sworn off good looking guys, she has the best girlfriends, their conversations are very funny and just so realistic. She is one of two out of there group to still be single, she prefers to to have one night stands with not so good looking guys, she has also invented the 'the code red' with her friends for when she fears she may fall.

Enter Josh, there is a spark between them immediately, so code red is enforced, then to make it worse she has to work with this demon man!!!

Can her friends help her enforce her code red as he tries to woe her.....will they want to...does she want them too really?

It's a really lovely story, not angsty and Josh is a dream boat, Nicole well she is one stubborn woman. Jen is her best friend who as had her heart broke too, so supports her friend to a limit.

Please read this book when it comes out, it's funny, romantic, sassy and sexy a perfect read, I loved it. Add it to your tbr list you won't be dissapointed.

It's also a stand alone book, yes no cliffhanger, just a perfect ending book.



*i received this book via netgalley for an honest review*

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicole was a bit childish and immature to my liking. She whined and whined and was never happy with anything. For a 26 year old woman needing to skype and text about man problems to her close girlfriends (every few hours) was too much for me.

He said my shoes were nice, what do you think he meant by it?
Should I flip my hair two times or four times to let him know that I'm interested?
He'll like my skirt micro or mini, do you think?
He wants to kiss, that means with tongue right?

GAH! Can you not figure everything out without your posse's feedback, woman? Are you that clueless, Nicole? You should cut out on the fretting and moaning about everything bit and focus on what was dangling in front of you. The delicious Joshua, that's what!

I didn't enjoy this. I wanted to slap Nicole so many times that I could not make myself to like her even a little. Bad bad heroine.

[Ellelou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love at first sight!!!

Code Red was invented back in college when Nic and one of her soon to be best friend were two timed by a Greek God, all looks and obviously no scruples. The idea behind it was that if you met someone and were in risk of getting too involved you'd call Code Red and your friends will come to the rescue. It sounds good in principle but it didn't do our poor Nic any favours. Over the years, while two of her friends found their true love and settled in happy married lives, she jumped from one meaningless one night stand to another. Yes, you've read that right. She completely cut the emotional aspect in any endeavours she had with the opposite sex. In fact she only pursued helpless cases and losers, this was to prevent her for getting emotionally attached and consequently hurt. Yep, a self destruct button from the moment go. But while this has been working fine for her so far, giving her a reputation of being easy , it is not what she really wants deep down.

So one day, whilst at work and fighting the boredom she start compiling a list praising all the virtues of BOB (Battery Operated Boyfriend) and pros and cons compared to a real boyfriend.

This is a long and very descriptive list and if you look at it very carefully you'd see that's she really craves intimacy and a real relationship even though she doesn't know it and won't accept it. As she is about to send it to one of her best friends in comes Mr Gorgeous, a new guy from NY who's going to take over a new and lucrative project.

This is the beginning of many embarrasing moments, did he or didn't he catch her sending a private email but most importantly did he read its contents?

There is an instant attraction between Nic and Josh, you could see the sparks fly. He's sexy, confident and has great sense of humour. What's more he's going to be working very closely with her, as in a secluded office with just the two of them. This calls for immediate Code Red!

Her friends are hilarious and a bunch of fun, but also very supportive of her and they want what's best for her. In this case Josh! He is everything she really wants in a man, everything she needs, but having had her emotions switched off a very long time she doesn't know how. Considering that she doesn't even date there is a lot for her to learn. It is very difficult to come out of her comfort zone.

But thank god for Josh. I loved him for his unrelenting persistence. In fact that was his best feature and added to his sex appeal . Why can men in real life be so forward and open to feelings?

Josh is a true gentleman, he puts up with her "neurotic" behaviour. I liked the way he coaxed her into the right direction with patience and love.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a romantic comedy and a pick me up with the right amount of fun, drama and heat.


There is a lot of sizzling chemistry, good humour and great banter. What more can you want? Well I know what I want, I want scrap that, I need a Joshua for myself.

Go on, pick up this book and read it, you'll enjoy it.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also available on My Fiction Nook.

Very cute romance about a sports-loving girl who's been burned before and the hunk who breaks through her defenses.

Code Red is Amy Noelle's debut novel, but if you've been lucky enough to have read her other writing before, you won't be at all surprised to hear that I was delighted to receive the ARC from the publisher for a review.

Actually, let's be honest, I begged for the ARC and was lucky to get it.

The book opens with Nicole Magette catching her college boyfriend leaving another girl's room. She dumps his sorry ass, of course, but also immediately befriends the other girl who also had no idea that Damien, the Greek bastard, was a two-timing player. With three other girls, they form a great and lasting friendship. As part of the aftermath, the girls implement a safeword of sorts, called a Code Red, something to be called if one of them meets a guy for whom she could fall.

Fast forward a few years, and Nicole is living and working in Chicago, still single after having built a wall around her heart to protect herself from another rat bastard like Damien hurting her. She's still friends with the four girls from college, three of which are married now. She picks up men in bars who all fall in one category - nerdy and not boyfriend material. She takes them home for a bit of fun and then sends them on their merry way. Her two cats are the only males she loves, and she is seemingly happy with her life. Oh, and there's BOB who's, according to Nic, better than a real life boyfriend for a variety of reasons.

Enter Josh, from NYC, who's assigned to work with Nicole on creating an instruction manual for a hot new smartphone. The attraction is immediate and mutual, and thus begins a dance of push and pull and push some more.

I was almost immediately vested in the story. Nicole drove me batty at times, with her waffling and calling the Code Red on Josh and not wanting to listen to her friends' advice and not willing to risk her heart again. I felt sad for her that she had been hurt so badly that it seemed to prevent from ever opening herself up again.

Josh was swoon-worthy, almost too perfect to be real. He seemed to realize quickly what's cooking with Nicole and adjusted his approach accordingly, until he got what he wanted - for Nicole to figure out that he's safe and trustworthy. There were times when I wanted to shake the girl and smack her for being stubborn and scared and pushing Josh away. And during the climax, when he lays it all out for her, I was loudly cheering him on.

The writing flows nicely and easily, though I found a few editing/proofing errors that I hope will be corrected prior to publication. The plot also has a nice flow, never slowing down, but also not being rushed. The story is being told entirely from Nicole's point of view, so we only get glimpses of what her friends and Josh might actually be feeling and experiencing, and thus their character become a little one-dimensional on occasion, though that didn't make me like them any less. Nic's friends are great in how they are portrayed here. Realistic in that they have marriages and kids and work of their own, and also don't shy back from telling her exactly how they feel about her calling the Code Red. They dish out tough love when needed, but also support and encourage her when the situation warrants it.

As I said earlier, this was a sweet romance with a bit of naughtiness and made for a quick read. It's an excellent book to pick up on a summer's day for a read on the beach, or a cold afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite reach five stars for me. I had a difficult time suspending my disbelief at a girl who'd seal off her heart for so long due to a cheating college boyfriend. Josh was also a wee bit too patient for my taste, and I didn't completely buy his reason that he could see how scared she was from the beginning and just knew how to handle it. But that's just me, and that shouldn't stop you from reading this book.

I look forward to future offerings by this author.

I received a free ARC directly from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Code red is a funny and romantic look at love at its absolute best, and at its absolute worst.

The main characters Nicole has been burned by love in the past. She and her friends decide to help each other out and swear off good looking and suave men. They develop a "code red" system where any friend can call in the troops at a moments notice to save them from making a terrible mistake and falling for a player.



This system works, sort of. Nicole meets Joshua at work and is instantly attracted to his amazing good looks. She is forced to work with him and fears that she will fall for him. She calls the "code red". Her friends rally around and try and save her from another huge mistake. Or is it a mistake to fall for the most amazingly romantic, charming, sweet and loyal man around?



I really wanted to give this book five stars. I liked the characters, I thought the idea was original and the love was swoon worthy. The thing I did not like was the dialogue when the girls would get together. I imagine it's hard to scene where group discussion is taking place but there just wasn't enough description to set the scene. Perhaps it's just me as others didn't seem to find this a problem. Great debut from a new author. Hope to see more!

4 hopelessly romantic stars!


***A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.***

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

April 11th...............OH MY GAWD! Finally a book with a great leading couple, who the girl has some issues, but the main guy is hot, sweet and knows what he wants and doesnt mince words. Nicole was burned when when she was in college by a guy who was Greek and very good looking. Since then, she has sworn off dating and good looking men. Cut to 7 years later and in walks Josh, and they have been partnered to work together. Josh was immediately attracted to Nicole, but she was keeping up her wall. Luckily for her, her 3 girlfriends from college dont want her to call Code Red (youll learn what that means when you read the book!) Nicole and her friends are hilarious, and it was fun to read their banter, as they dont mince words either when it comes to Nicole.Josh has had his sights set from the get and I'm so glad he did. Finally they get on the same page and its truly beautiful. Nicole finally realized she had been closed off for no good reason. Josh was written so beautifully. He was sexy, confident and sweet. It was quite refreshing reading these two characters. Not all angsty and drama. I gave this a five star rating. I liked Jen and Ryan getting together, but glad they were on the back burner and didn't take away from the main couple.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first ARC ever and it was such a great book that it may have spoiled me for others to come (hopefully). Thank you Amy Noelle and The Writers Coffee Shop.

In Code Red we meet Nicole and her four BFFs; Jen, Kim, Mandy and Ashley... this group of girls are hilarious! Their banter throughout the the book is funny and witty and sarcastic.

Where do I even start with Josh... swoon! He's everything Nicole needs (and wants, but getting her to admit that is difficult) Josh and Nicole do their share of bantering as well and again, its filled with sarcasm and fun. But when they get their sexy times on... HOT!

I laughed, giggled, blushed, got teary, laughed, swooned, snorted and did I mention laughed? while reading Code Red. It was such a great story and I'm looking forward to future books Amy may share.

[Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Code Red: It was our way of forming a support group and to keep ourselves from falling for Mr. Wrong.

Someone had recommended this book to me stating that it was similar to Alice Clayton. I, being a huge fan of Ms. Clayton, couldn’t resist the draw of a contemporary romance with a ton of laughs. This book had a lot of potential: Hot Hero, likeable and relatable heroine, building sexual tension, and a ton of kick ass secondary characters. I couldn’t wait to dive in.

Good-looking men were my kryptonite, and my friends were the antidote. I needed them.

Nicole needed her circle of friends more than ever. Her last relationship ended in disaster. After that, she vowed never to let any man get close to her ever again; she will never be hurt again. This is when Code Red was first implemented. With the support of her friends, she can withstand any man. However, as the years passed, her friends have slowly succumbed to the whims of man and are now happily married. Out of her circle of friends, only her and her BFF Jen remain single.

One damn smile, one stupid touch, and I was ready to throw him down on the desk and mount him.

When Josh Daniels storms into Nicole’s life, she feels not only feels the tingles of lust and desire, but something else as well…something, more. To say Nicole is freaking out would be an understatement. She’s called a Code Red. This is going to get interesting.

“You terrify me. You have from the first moment, because I think I knew I was going to fall for you. And I did.”

I loved Josh. The only thing that bothered me about him was that he was almost too patient with Nicole. She is such a hot mess. She tried and tried to do whatever she could to not fall for Josh. Code Reds were flying everywhere in this book. It was actually starting to get ridiculous.

Could a person die of sexual frustration? Because if they could, I was going down, no lie.

I liked this story. It had a good amount of humor, plus Nicole and her friends were awesome for the most part. I could easily picture myself as part of their group. They are a hilarious group of girls. However, as much as I loved the connection between all of them, it wasn’t enough for me. I started to get frustrated. You knew where the story was headed, but MAN, did it took FOR-EV-EVER to get there. This was definitely one sexually frustrating story. Nicole’s character, as much as I liked her, I wanted to smack some sense into her. There were countless times where I was just like, “What the frick is your problem?! Can’t you see how into you he is?!” Gahhhh!! And when, finally, Josh and Nicole finally got together, it felt like it was a little too late. It kinda lost its entire muster. **sigh** Anyway…like I said, for the most part, this was an entertaining read with an HEA that left me smiling.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Writer’s Coffee Shop for the ARC**

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I received this book from Netgalley forever ago. So it’s been on my kindle for a long time. And with so many books coming out and books for the blog, this kept getting pushed back and eventually forgotten about. And that really sucks because it ended up being a really good book.

When I started this book I was in the beginning stages of a book funk. I can’t say this book pulled me out of it completely (that remains to be seen when I go to pick the next book to read), but I really enjoyed this book.

One of the things I was looking for was adult characters. I was tired of college aged characters and the drama that comes with NA books that this was refreshing. Yes, it starts out in the prologue with Nic and her friends still in college. That sets up the book for what’s to come and it worked for me.

I really liked Nic and her friends. Each of her friends reminded me of my friends and I could easily see those conversations happening in real life. They felt natural.

Josh is one of those guys that you’ll probably never find in real life. He’s a genuinely good guy. I wouldn’t classify this is a insta-love book, but from the first time he sees Nic, he knows that he wants her and that there could be something good between them if she’ll just give them a chance. So he sets out of flirt and eventually woo her. But Nic isn’t down with that. She was burned badly in college by a hot guy and has sworn off good looking guys, settling for geeky guys that she can easily dismiss when she’s done with them.

From the moment she saw Josh, she knew she was in trouble. So she called a Code Red, asking her friends for help resisting him. And here’s where things get interesting. While her friends were supportive of her, they were also extremely honest and called her on her fear of falling for Josh and pushed her to just give in and give him a chance. Of course, she didn’t; and she almost blew it.

I liked Nic and Josh together. I thought they had great chemistry and loved the banter between them. And of course, I love any character that shares my love of baseball. And Nic is a woman that totally gets what it’s like to love a baseball team that’s NOT the home team.

I would definitely be interested in reading more from Amy Noelle.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

I can't tell you how excited I was to have been given an advance copy of Code Red by Amy Noelle to read.
My excitement was well warranted as it was such a great read.

After getting her heart broken in college Nicole Maggette and her BBF's making a pact that they will not go out with guys that are good looking as they only end up getting their hearts broken.
The girls think it's a great safety net, when one of them finds herself in danger of falling for a hot guy all she has to do is send out a Code Red and the all girls step in to stop her from falling for him.

Now seven years later Nicole lives a very structured life, she has her work, her friends who are like sisters and her two male cats.
She doesn't date, and she only hooks up with guys she knows nothing will ever come from it.
Life is exactly as Nicole likes it, that is until Joshua Daniels walks in.
Nicole is instantly attracted to him, she goes into panic mode when she's told she will be working with the gorgeous Joshua.
This strong attraction scares Nicole and it doesn't fit in with her structured lifestyle so she calls out a Code Red.
Her girlfriends come running and this is when I fell in love with all the girls.

They each had their own individual crazy about them.
Kim wants Nicole to live a little and just go for it, Nicole dismisses her :)
Ashley thought they had abandoned Code Red as three out of the five girls are now happily married so she's no help to Nicole.
Mandy is a new mum whose hormones are raging and tells Nicole if she doesn't jump Joshua she will, this does not sit well with Nicole hahaha
Then we have the only other single girl, Jen.
Jen is Nicole's best friend and understands the fear her friend is going through.
I seriously loved seeing the girls get together, whether it was by phone, skype, or email they would reach out and have their say.
They have such a great relationship, their banter and bitchiness had me laughing and wishing I could be part of their group :)
They were honest and didn't hold back with their thoughts on what Nicole should do.
Even though Nicole would argue with them she knew in her heart they were right but she was so stubborn she didn't listen to them.

As we get to see Joshua is one persistent guy, he knows Nicole has a huge wall up but he's determined to bring it down.
It wasn't easy but once Nicole allowed herself to go with her feelings they make such a great couple.
Joshua is perfect for her, even her two picky & stuck up cats have fallen for Josh.

But as we all know the road isn't always smooth, when something happens that makes Nicole to put her protective wall back up and go on shut down I couldn't help but wonder how was Josh going to make Nicole see how in love he was with her and that he wasn't going to run away.
But our boy has moves, I'm not going to ruin it by saying what exactly goes down but Joshua had me swooning and wishing he could be mine!

Sigh... I just didn't want it to end, the epilogue had me crying happy tears.

What a great entrance into the publishing world Amy Noelle has made.
For her first book she has delivered a great read and I'm looking forward to reading more books from her in the near future.
If you are looking for a fun, romantic read this book ticks all the boxes.

Thank you to The Writer's Coffee Shop for an advance copy of this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tenía muchas ganas de leer este libro por el simple hecho de que esta autora en una autora en Fanfiction y la sigo hace un par de años y cuando dio el aviso sobre su libro no podía esperar para poder leerlo.

Y como lo pensé siempre, el libro no me decepciono para nada.

Debo decir que Nicole quien es el personaje principal (creo que tenemos en común mucho mas ademas del nombre) y su mejor amiga Jennifer (resulta ser que mi mejor amiga se llama Jennifer, para nada coincidencia) me gustaron bastante, su amistad es algo especial y creo que me sentí identificada en muchas cosas. Si agrego el grupo de amigas que tienen hacen la mezcla perfecto. Me reí bastante con todas las tonteras que decían y sobre todo Mandy quien para mi es la gran amiga loca que todos tenemos.

Ahora bien, pasando al sexo masculino, Josh, Josh, Josh, en serio, es que este hombre no puede ser mas perfecto, lee, le gusta ver series, le gusta el deporte, no le importa lo locas que podemos llegar a ser y como dice Nic es todo un galán arriba de su corcel con su brillante armadura listo para rescatar a la damisela en peligro, así que si, suspire bastante por este hombre, el cual es perfecto para mi y creo que para todas.

El libro no me defraudo para nada, es bastante corto, lo que si quede con gusto a poco con el final que tuvo.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I was pleasantly surprised at what a good read this was! The book was very well written and the chemistry between the main characters Nic and Josh was wonderful! The book was light and airy, in the sense that there wasn't too much drama and everything that Nicole felt with Josh was almost realistic..

I appreciated the fact that this wasn't just a smut book, but a good story about how two people can find each other and let their guards down. The relationship that Nicole has with her friends is also one that is very realistic. I could her friends in all of my friends and I enjoyed the book that much more because of it.

The sex was written in a tasteful, but very descriptive manner that gave you the opportunity to enjoy everything written.

I'll definitely recommend this book to my readers for a change in the type of books we normally read!

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just went on my favorites shelf! I had a goofy grin on my face the WHOLE time I read it. Josh was a total swoon worthy hero and made his way onto my list of top book boyfriends...he was sweet, romantic, kind, protective, funny and patient. Nicole had her moments where she aggravated me by fighting her feelings for Mr. Perfect, but in the end she couldn't help but love him.

A great fluffy story that will make me read more by this author!! :)

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that a friend of mine wrote this and I got it as an ARC ... However, even if my friend hadn't wrote it I STILL Would have given it 5 stars.... I absolutely LOVED this book!! I loved the banter between the characters and Josh was just super smexy! I can't wait for everyone else to read it...Definitely a must read!

[Jamie *Gypsy Smut-a-teer* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an arc, I snuck in while I was doing a buddy read. I was so pleasantly surprised how good this book was.

Meet my Josh.

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Source: google.com via Sage on Pinterest

I must say the second I read his description this face popped in my head.

This is the story about what happens when girls get burned by guys. Sometimes they wrap their hearts up so tight that when true love finally comes around, they are so scared of getting hurt again they let it slip away.

Years before, Nicole was in college and decided to run to her handsome Greek boyfriend's to be sweet and make him some cookies while he was busy away studying. On her trip to his room, she ran into him leaving Mandy's room looking quiet rumpled. The douche didn't even try to hide what Mandy and him had been up to. Of course caught, he skeedaddled leaving the girls behind destroyed, ONLY, Mandy and Nic decided they should heal together along with all of their friends making them friends for life. But to protect their hearts they came up with CODE RED. This is for whenever you meet a guy you simply can't control yourself around, you call the code and the other girls help you through. I for one, wish I had had this when I was young, but ya know...

Now, present day, all of the girls except Nic and her bff Jen have settled and married. Nic is happy with how her life is. She has a schedule she likes, Supernatural on Friday nights, a job that gets her by, 2 male cats that adore her, best friends for life, and a slew of one night stands that she kicks out the minute the she's done with them. Then she meets Josh. He is her new co-worker/partner/boss and she knows the moment she sees him he is her code red.



This book, was so fun, heart-warming, and just made me smile. Nicole's friends don't exactly go along with her Code Red. They think he's hot and simply think he's the one for her. They are hilarious and very blunt. Josh also sets his sights on Nic and decides he has to have her and all of this cause Nic to starting slipping out of her comfort zone and straight into slighty crazy, slightly needy, and majorly confused Nic. This leads to plenty of texts, emails (including one hilarious email of why BOB boyfriend is better than any other boyfriend), phone calls, skype conversations and even shots of tequila leading to a major hangover.

"You've had me since the moment I saw you."

I loved all of the characters. Nic's friends were so funny and supportive in their own way. Josh was amazingly patient, sweet, and sexy. This was a different feel than what I have been reading lately but I really enjoyed it. Josh ended up being so gentlemanly. He starts by being just sexy and fun to be around, but then things change and he announces his intentions, but when he scares Nic off he pushes her into a date with another guy that goes horribly wrong but incredibly right as well.

"Maybe Mr. Right might have overreacted because he was jealous. You should ask him out so he knows you're interested."

But then, Josh turns into the perfect gentleman, including walking her to her door for goodnight kisses, and dinner dates. Something Nic was not used to doing.

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Source: Uploaded by user via Laura on Pinterest

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are looking for a little lighter read. There is angst and frustration getting these two together, but there is also plenty of laughs, and one so very hot, so very determined, so very patient awesome man.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House in exchange for an honest review.

[djdavis~*Sivad*Sex Pocket · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightfully humorous and lighthearted!
3.5 Stars
Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review
Read more of this review and others @ The Book Wranglers

So I've been trying this new genre New Adult Contemporary and so far I've read a little over 35 stories and have been pretty happy. However, it seems that only 1 out of every 5 books I read in this genre really captures my attention and leaves a lasting impression. So I decided to list some of the characteristics that make a New Adult Contemporary Romance receive 4 plus stars, and leave a lasting impression on me.

1- The Plot- the plot needs to be captivating. This normally happens when a new story (uncharted issues) are introduced. One that hasn't been covered a zillion times and you can already guess what will happen. (This is a hard one because so many issues have already been covered) It can't be overly cheesy with unrealistic outcomes.
2-Lovable Characters- of course interesting characters are needed, but the creation of a strong background helps the development of the character throughout the story and cements my interest. The stronger the background the more likely I will become invested in the character and their plight.
3-Action moments- these moments are so important to keep my attention from wavering. They come in the form of an angsty love triangle, a forbidden love, a combustible reaction between two or more characters, an emotional break-up or breakdown, or the loss of someone or something that affects the main character, thus creating an emotional attachment/reaction in me.
4-The Closing- the closing can either destroy the entire book (dropping the rating) or pitch it to the top of my favorites list. So many stories fizzle and fail in this area. A strong closing consist of tying up most of the lose ends that may still be flailing around. It's nice to have some type of closure when the story is about to end (even if there is a sequel that will follow). I don' t mind the happily-ever-afters, and actually enjoy when I don't get one, however certain doors should be closed (on characters or situations) before moving to the sequel (if there is one). A great ending to a story is one that I cannot guess, I'm left wondering if things could change at the last minute. CLIFFHANGERS are always welcome!

All that said, when I found Code Read on NetGalley and read the synopsis I immediately couldn't wait to see if it would live up to my expectations... It was so close.

College student Nicole Magette is deliriously happy with her beautiful charming Greek boyfriend. She's finally found someone that's captured her heart, that is until she realizes that she's been living in a fairy tale. Unfortunately, Nicole's heart is shattered when you catches her boyfriend leaving another girl's dorm room. This is a pivotal moment in her life, she vows that from this moment on she will never risk losing her heart to a beautiful man that sends her heart racing. She and her friends create an agreement–Code Red– that states they can call on one another when they are in dire need of escaping some beautiful man that has the potential of capturing and crushing their hearts.

Fast forward a few years. Nicole and her friends have grown up, three are married and starting their families, leaving just Nicole and her best-friend Jen at the singles table. Her life as a young woman is simple and satisfying, with friends, family, and easy work, but she's not really dating. She purposefully goes out with men that have no shot at capturing her heart– they serve the purpose of passing time.

All hell breaks lose and CODE RED is thrown back on the table when Joshua Daniels enters her life though. Nicole's firm has brought Josh in from the New York office to help with a new line of products, and he'll be working closely with her. Josh is everything that Nicole has been hiding from since college. Her immediate reaction to the sexy, sophisticated, charming and outgoing man before her scares the living hell out of Nicole and has her scraping for anything that will make her feelings/ reaction towards him disappear. Josh knows that Nicole is trying so hard to ignore their chemistry, but he's determined to show her that he what he feels is real and he means business. He begins to slowly tear down her walls despite CODE RED and her team of girlfriends to help. Finally, there is one man worthy of Nicole's heart and one that won't let her run him away.

The Best Thing:
This was such a cute Contemporary romance! I found myself laughing one minute and anxious and turned on in the next. and anxious all at once. Although the story line isn't the freshest and certain aspects (like their job) was a little boring, the banter and chemistry between these two was perfect. (I loved the build up) It kind of reminded me of a LIFETIME movie *in a good way*.

The girlfriends in Code Red were very funny and believable–they definitely kept me entertained! I also liked how they rallied around Nicole to help her realize that Josh is not her ex and what she was experiencing was love, andthat it was okay to be in love with him.

The Worst Thing:
To refer to the first paragraph of this review, there were some vital things that were either missing or fell short that aided to the rating for Code Red. The plot, while somewhat interesting, did include some cheesy moments for me. (I guess this is inevitable in this type of story).

I love that this isn't a series, but a stand alone (so far), but in saying that I wish the ending of Nicole and Josh's story was stronger. Maybe play-out the misunderstanding between Nicole and Josh a little longer or throw a curve ball in there or something. It just ended somewhat abruptly for me.

[Tessa Teevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my first ever ARC for NetGalley, I couldn't be happier with my selection. Code Red by Amy Noelle was a fun, sexy, light-hearted book that I just could not put down.

Nicole's heart was crushed when she was in college, so she's decided to forgo relationships, opting for simple sex and nothing more. She and her friends, Amy, Kim, Ashley, and Jen came up with a plan: Code Red. Anytime one of them got to close to a man that they were afraid would hurt them, they'd call Code Red and the others would get her back on track.

Flash forward seven years later. Nic's a successful technical writer who wears yoga pants and ponytails to work. She doesn't do relationships; she has sex with losers that she knows won't be able to get into her heart. Amy, Kim, and Ash have married their Code Reds, and wish she'd put and end to her Code Red and find a man with whom she can settle down. Nic and Jen remain single, something that Nic is perfectly content with.

While waiting to meet the "new Suit" that's being sent to Chicago from New York, she begins a hilarious e-mail to Jen outlining all the ways her BOB (battery operated boyfriend) is better than a real man. As she's typing, the Suit sneaks up on her and catches her off guard. Way off guard. Nic soon learns that Josh Daniels, the sexy new Suit, is there to partner with her to write a manual for a new electronics product. They'll be spending weeks sharing an office while working on the manual.

There's an instant attraction between the two, and the chemistry is undeniable, so of course, Nicole is quick to call her girls and declare: CODE RED. It's up to Josh to break down the walls around Nicole's heart so that she can finally experience love once and for all. The question is, will she let him?

I loved this book. I was grinning like a loon throughout most of it. The friendship amongst the group of girls had me rolling with laughter quite often. The playful, sexy banter between Josh and Nic was fun to read. Josh is a completely swoon-worthy book boyfriend, and Nicole's a hilarious, sweet and sassy hot chick. Their romance was such a fun one to read. Now, they weren't without their issues, but they were seemingly normal relationship type issues. There wasn't any crazy, angsty drama, and that was such a nice change. This book was simply a beautiful, funny, light-heart romance that I'd recommend to any of my friends. I truly cannot make one single complaint about this book. I will definitely be looking forward to more of Ms. Noelle's work.

Favorite Lines (Quotes are subject to change upon publication):
You're smart, and funny, and maybe a little weird, but I wouldn't change a thing about you. I don't care if you're a lady or not. You're what I want.

You cloud up everything so I'm completely full of you.

At least he didn't steal any hearts. Josh did. He's a thief, too. A cat burglar. (This scene had me in stitches)

**ARC was provided by NetGalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House in exchange for an honest review

[Ellen W-S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author has a great writing style. It took about 65% through for it to get cooking for me. Good thing I am stubborn with my books. I am not a DNF girl, in this instance I am glad I didn't give up on this book. Nicole is single living in Chicago working as a technical writer of manuals. In walks a sexy man in a suit from the NY office to work temporarily on a project with Nicole. Josh is a successful upstart in the company and has just procured a new smartphone client. To ensure they get future business from this company, Josh is assigned to work with Nicole, the most talented writer on staff. The connection is immediate and Nicole promptly calls a "code red" state of emergency. Code red is a defense mechanism where all her girlfriends are to protect each others heart from getting crushed that started back in college when Nic's Greek stunning boyfriend Damian was seeing other girls as while dating her. Enacting code red means putting all the walls up around her heart when she fears she is truly attracted and in grave danger of falling in love.

Josh is wonderful, considerate and smokin HOT. The initial introductory handshake was electric and now Nic is in free fall to love. Convincing Nicole that she can abort her code red status falls to her protective friends but she is stubborn but she is no match for Josh's heart which is already falling hard for Nic whose casual flings usually involve mediocre uninteresting men who can scratch her sexual needs itch from time to time. She doesn't do relationships.....until Josh persistently wins her over anD wants to show her the fine art of dating, hence the slow build of couple hood.

I loved this authors banter between Nic and Josh, what a fantastic character she created in Josh. I loved him on his first page. Their first night together was one of the best sex scenes I have ever read. It was truly swoon worthy! The story progressed from there as a sweet love able story by this new to me author. The beginning was frustrating with all the girl talk which I found annoying and excessive but once Josh and Nic became an item, the story was smooth sailing.

I definitely will read this author again, and I didn't think I would be saying this at 30% mark. 3.5 for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read new authors and review this ARC.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was funny, witty and sexy.I enjoyed so much the banter among Nicole and the girls and her and Josh.
Nicole's boyfriend cheated her at College and in order to protect her heart and sanity she and her friends invented the Code Red, to prevent them to fall for handsome and dangerous guys (or so they thought). After seven years only her and former roomate Jen are single... Enter Josh, hot coworker sent from NYC to help her with a new secret proyect. From the first time they met we can feel the chemestry and sparks between them but Nicole will fith the pull she feels toward Josh because she doesn't do handsome guys, she doesn't date and only try "safe" one night stands with nerdy yet ugly guys to protect her heart.
I fell in love with Josh, he is not only hot but smart and funny, he has lost of patience for her crazy behavior and even though he is not perfect, they fit together. In his words, they are a great team :) I love that he knows what he wants and he won't run away and won't let her unless is what she truly wants. I just love mature and asertive guys like him!
If you're looking for a romantic comedy with a great sense of humor and a pinch of drama you got the right book.
I was lucky to read the ARC before it goes out in exchange for an honest review.

[Jimena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicole Magette finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, when she sees him walking out of another girls dorm room. After that she vowed to never let anyone break her heart like that. She and her friends came up with a system to keep away the good-looking bastards that might worm their way in their hearts. When any one of them feels their starting to fall for a good-looking bastard they send out the Code Red and the girls will intervene.

Now it’s seven years later and Nicole and her closest friend are still on single. Their other three friends are happily married. There hasn’t been a Code Red in years, until Joshua Daniels is transferred to Nicole’s office from New York and assigned to work with her on a special project.

Nicole isn’t very mature for a 26 year old woman, she needs her friends for every decision. I love my friends but I’m not going to bother them with everything by texting or Skype. I do totally respect her loyalty to Supernatural! And you gotta love Joshua for accepting her being a Supernatural-fan girl. This is an enjoyable chick lit.

I received a free ARC via Netgalley

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

Disclaimer: Snark and gifs.

I hated this book.

First of all, there is nothing wrong with being a happily single woman who loves Supernatural and has two cats.



The love story was inane, and the characters were hardly developed enough for me to give two craps.




Also hated the supernatural name drops, as a supernatural fan. This book peed on what I love.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should probably disclose that my friend wrote this book...and I read it as she wrote it. But even if I didn't know the author, I'd still give it 5 stars. It is funny, and sexy, and so much fun to read!

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with a college girl Nicole Magette, being devastated when she catches her boyfriend in such a state, that she comes to the realization that he was cheating on her. To make matters worse, he tells he that she can share him, and they can still have fun together. Nicole is devastated, as is the girl that he was cheating on Nicole with, Mandy, because she also thought that he was her boyfriend. This seals Nicole, and Mandy's friendship, along with Mandy's roommate, Ashley, Nicole's roommate, and best friend Jen, and Nicole's other friend Kim. The five girls become inseparable, and develop a close-knit friendship from this point on. Nicole was so heart broken by being cheated on by her two-timing boyfriend (or more actually, she finds out that he was cheating on her with half of the girls in the dorm,) that she develops a way to never get fooled or heart broken by another guy ever again. "So what does this Code Red entail? Kim asked. I grinned. Finally, a good question. Simple. It's a support system. Any time one of us encounters a guy who's dangerous, one who could tempt us and make us forget what jerks they are, we call in the others for reinforcement, who will come running and make sure we don't give in to temptation." (EARC LOC. 86) Years later, three of the friends are married, and all that are still single is Nicole, and Jen. Nicole believes that she is happy living alone, with her two cats, her vibrator that she lovingly refers to as, "BOB" and her frequent one night stands. However, fate has a way of changing things when the gorgeous, charming, flirty, and fun Josh Daniels enters the picture. He comes into her life when he is needed to collaborate with Nicole on a work project, and the two are set sharing a small office space day after day. Nicole immediately calls a "Code Red," because she knows that she is in over her head, and could get hurt, and get her heart broken with the amazing full package Josh represents!


I loved Code Red. It was an entertaining and fast-paced read. I loved the fun dynamic between the 5 best girl friends, thought their conversations were hilarious, authentic, and reminded me of how me and my girlfriends act, and talk when we get together. I also loved the chemistry between Nicole and Josh. They were fun, flirty, and very playful with one another. The "Code Red," really never had a chance, because Josh was the amazing full-package. He had the looks, personality, intelligence, humor, ambition, was playful, and cherished Nicole by treating her like a Queen. I fell in love with Josh, and I think that all of the ladies that read "Code Red," will fall in love with him too! I enjoyed how Nicole wasn't the cliche' naive, pure, virgin, that got seduced by the bad boy. She was sexually experienced, independent, ambitious, self-sufficient, and intelligent. Nicole didn't need a man in her life, and she was a good looking, and independent woman. Men were attracted to her, she just didn't want to get her heart broken again, so she had a huge wall up in order to protect herself.


I recommend Code Read, for a fun, light, fast-paced, feel good read! If you are a fan of Alyssa Rose Ivy's, Clayton Falls Series, than Code Red is a great read for you! It doesn't have a bunch of angst or drama, but it also doesn't need it! You will be entertained, laughing, consumed with the delicious Josh, and swept away in the great story! I can't believe that this is Amy Noelle's first novel. Most debuts that I have read this year have not impressed me, with the exception of The Collector, by Victoria Scott. Code Red was a pleasant surprise! I especially loved how well Amy Noelle incorporated humor into her story! I can't remember the last time a book really made me laugh, and made me have so much fun connecting to the secondary characters! Read this one! It's a great read, and I'm so excited to add another author to my reading list!


I give Code Red, by Amy Noelle a Fun, Flirty, and Fab 4 Stars!!! This was an excellent debut novel, that had my attention from start to finish! If you love New Adult Contemporary Romance, that includes lots of laughs, close-knit friendships, and a swoon-worthy male lead that will melt all of your defenses, and take your heart hostage right along with the main character, then Code Red is the perfect choice for a light, and feel good bookish escape!

For more book reviews, visit A Bookish Escape at Http://www.abookishescape.com

[Jen Mcnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC

Code Red
Written by: Amy Noelle
Tentative release date of April 11, 2013


The old adage, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ holds true for Code Red. You’d assume by the shockingly vivid red cover, and title, that this book would be some erotic BDSM sex-fest. Well, you’d be wrong. What you’d find instead is a stimulating and exceedingly ingenious read with lovable characters that will keep you giggling and your toes curling throughout the book.

Let’s meet our alluring female lead, Nicole Magette, or as she prefers, Nic. Miss Magette is a 26 year old mother of two…cats, Huntington Peabody the Third and Winchester. Nic is also a bona fide watcher of Supernatural on Friday nights. She is a self-declared, “…smart, independent woman who doesn’t need a guy to make her happy.” Instead she fills her sexual needs with random, nerdy, one night stands who her friends feel are “below her”.

While born and raised in a tiny Southern Illinois town, Nic moved to Chicago for college and decided to stick around. It was while dating Damian, a cheating, “Greek asshole”, in college that Nic met Kim, Ash, Jen and Mandy, the girls who would become her very best friends and members of a support system called “Code Red”. A plan to ward off guys that had the potential to make them forget what jerks men could be.
“You only call it if you don’t want to fall for the guy.”

Years later, we find Mandy, Kim and Ash happily married, which leaves Jen and Nic the only single ones left. Jen, because she finds it hard to trust after a relationship ended badly years prior, and Nic because she had her heart broken once by the cheater, Damien, and intends to never fall for a guy again, or so she thinks.

Here is where we welcome Joshua Daniels, but don’t call him Joshua unless he’s in some sort of trouble. Josh is a handsome 29 year old sales rep for a fancy New York agency temporarily based out of Nic’s place of employment for several weeks. Nic’s boss then decides to pair the two up since Nic is the best technical writer the company has, of course.

Now that you have the back story, here is where things start to heat up. Both Josh and Nic seem to be instantly attracted to one another, but Nic is desperate to fight it and calls several Code Reds. Her friends, while supportive, think she’s over exaggerating. Nic fights the attraction with all she has, but sometimes, real attraction that’s more than skin deep can be hard to ignore.

The banter between the male and female lead in Code Red is very entertaining, and it certainly helps establish a comfortable, relaxing relationship between the reader and the characters. Their bond is believable and honest, and while their love scenes are passionate and tender they’re also sexy and alluring.
I enjoyed Code Red immensely and while this was Miss Noelle’s debut novel, readers will be salivating for more. Visit the writer’s blog at: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/au... for news and updates from this author.

[D.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

ABOUT THE BOOK: After getting hurt in college by a gorgeous man, Nicole Magette vowed never to risk losing her heart again. Now she lives a structured and satisfying life. Her work is easy, her friends are her family, and the only consistent men in her life are her two cats, Winchester and Huntington Peabody the Third. She doesn't date, and she hooks up only with losers—men she has absolutely no risk of falling for. But if she finds herself in danger, she has her old fail-safe in place—the Code Red.

In college, she and her four best friends came up with the system as a way to keep away the good-looking bastards that might worm their way past their carefully constructed walls. Seven years later, three of her friends have succumbed to their last Code Reds and are happily married. Now it’s just Nicole and her closest friend, Jen, who are still on their own, and Nic is just fine with that.

That is, until Joshua Daniels is transferred to Nicole’s office from New York and assigned to work with her on a special project. He's everything she's avoided and everything she claims she doesn't want, so why can’t she get him out of her mind? He's persistent, dangerously handsome, and sexy as sin. In other words, he’s her worst nightmare. She turns to her friends to help her resist Josh’s considerable charms and the inescapable draw she feels every time she gets near him. Can the Code Red save her this time, or will Josh send her perfectly balanced life into chaos?

REVIEW: This book is an example of the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Code Red, which in today’s world where a lot of erotic romance gets attention, could also give someone a different opinion of what’s inside. However, on both aspects, the cover, and the title, gendering a guess before reading, would prove the reader’s initial assumption wrong.

I was pleasantly surprised and found this piece hard to put down. I’m not really a fan of first person, but this book written in any other POV would not have worked. Ms. Noelle managed to get it just right and get us really deep inside of Nicole’s head. Not only that, but even though we didn’t see intimately into Josh’s head, his emotions and genuine warmth were understood as well.

I liked the development of these two and the drama and conflict seemed genuine. Ms. Noelle knows her characters very well—and that comes through on paper. I found their relationship very believable and the writing very smooth to get through. Not only that, but the humor in the voice was a prime example of needing a bit of everything in a good read.

Overall, I’d give this 4.5 stars out of 5, and only a little mark on the situations in which I wanted to strangle our dear Nicole. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good read to tackle over the weekend. Very nicely done and I can’t wait to see more from Ms. Noelle.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So after waiting a couple weeks to gather my thoughts on this book I decided to bump it up to 5 stars because I could not think of a single glaring fact about it that would have bumped it down a star. I really loved everything about this book, the relationship between Nicole and Josh and especially the friendship between the women.

So let's talk about Nicole, though she drove me a little crazy at times, I really understood her reservations in dating Josh, though her whole "dating under" was so sad and you could really feel how hurt she had been in college. As I said towards the end there I wanted to yell at her to just turn on and pick up her damn cellphone, but I think the fact that I was so invested in her says something about the quality of the story.

Josh, can I order one of him please........or maybe two or three? He was so sweet and just really knew what he wanted and went after it. Though in real life eavesdropping and coming to the bar Nicole was at may seem a little stalkerish but in the book it was sweet. He was so willing to put up with all of Nicole's shit and saw through her scared to the real her. I really can not say more than he was just so swoon-worthy and sweet, but also put his foot down when it was something that really mattered to him.

Nicole's group of friends I really loved. I seriously want to go and hang out with them. They knew when to give her tough love and when she needed a shoulder or lots of alcohol ;) The author really made them realistic, most of them had careers, husbands and/or children. They might not have been able to be there in person all the time but they were always able to take the time to participate and when the big stuff hit they were there for her.

I really can not wait for more to read froom Amy.

ARC from The Writer's Coffeeshop via Netgalley