I received this book as an ARC and really enjoyed this spicy friends to lovers story!
Namaste and Code All Day is the second book in the Love and City Lights series, and of course, as is usual for me, I didn’t read the first one. But I don’t feel you need to read the first one before reading this one. However, I will be going back and reading Things We’ve Lost and Found because I need to read Annabel and Charlie’s story!
Namaste and Code All Day begins with Gabi and Zeke as friends, brought together by their mutual best friend Charlie. Zeke walks Gabi home after girl gang outings and boys’ game nights, worried about her safety in the city. Gabi is still following questionable advice her father gave her when she was eight and is feeling hesitant towards men and relationships after some bad experiences. Zeke is flourishing in a job he created for himself, after letting go of someone who tried to make him something he wasn’t. Soon Zeke is walking Gabi home all the time, and their friendship evolves into something deep and meaningful as they both fall hard and question their beliefs on love and life.
“I’d burn down cities to be needed by her.” Zeke says and I believe him. He’s encouraging and caring, willing to sacrifice almost anything for Gabi. Gabi, however, is scared, and she’s worried she’s just like the one who tried to keep him from his dreams. She’s been hurt, in various ways, and she really doesn’t want to hurt him. Gabi learns to open up and lean on her friends, sister, and Zeke. Zeke was one of those swoon-worthy book boyfriends and Gabi is the independent woman we all sort of wish we were.
What I loved most about this book was the relationships between all of the characters, not just Gabi and Zeke. Charlie was fiercely protective of Gabi while also loving and affectionate with his girlfriend Annabel. There was no jealousy, no “men and women can’t be friends.” Their friend group was fun and supportive and when things fell apart, they were all there to help, along with Zeke’s hilarious younger sister Kelly.
The thing that was slightly different about this book is the couple got together, like *actually* got together, before the halfway point. That’s rare in romcoms, and it was nice reading more about their relationship than the pair tiptoeing around one. Their falling in love felt natural, not forced. The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was the amount of drinking the characters did. It wasn’t excessive, but enough that I began to notice how much wine, beer, and whiskey were mentioned. But that’s a personal preference and didn’t really impact the story, it was just something I noted.
I really enjoyed Namaste and Code All Day and now I might just have to pull my yoga mat out and do some sun salutation!