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Tech-nically Love #1
The Love Hack
Originally published as Disaster Girl
Just when Tess Greene’s life is finally almost perfect, her past springs one last surprise on her. Targeted by an internet predator whose sleazy website is known for publicly humiliating women, Tess has one month to stop his ambush before her reputation is forever ruined.
As an IT disaster recovery specialist, Tess has always handled challenges on her own, but this calls for serious geek backup.
Max Hampshire, a brilliant hacker, is exactly the lifeline Tess needs. But she’s pretty sure she doesn’t need Max himself—certainly not his quick wit, sexy black-framed glasses, or all-around sweetness. The last guy who helped Tess left with his life crushed and his heart broken, so she knows that keeping her emotional distance from Max would be safer for both of them. But safety isn’t an option when love gets involved.
Just when Tess Greene’s life is finally almost perfect, her past springs one last surprise on her. Targeted by an internet predator whose sleazy website is known for publicly humiliating women, Tess has one month to stop his ambush before her reputation is forever ruined.
As an IT disaster recovery specialist, Tess has always handled challenges on her own, but this calls for serious geek backup.
Max Hampshire, a brilliant hacker, is exactly the lifeline Tess needs. But she’s pretty sure she doesn’t need Max himself—certainly not his quick wit, sexy black-framed glasses, or all-around sweetness. The last guy who helped Tess left with his life crushed and his heart broken, so she knows that keeping her emotional distance from Max would be safer for both of them. But safety isn’t an option when love gets involved.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2021
About the author
Michelle Dayton
14 books84 followersThere are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
December 4, 2022
4 stars. TBH, this is one of those reads that makes me want to give it 5 stars, but it was lacking an epilogue. Even so, I enjoyed this quite a lot and am looking forward to the next in the series. This is a romantic comedy and I absolutely LOVE how modern and relatable this story is. The heroine is strong and the hero a sweetheart. Totally random Hoopla find FTW!
Unfortunately, I’m very behind on writing reviews, so I’m just leaving (longer than usual) safety deets and moving on.
Just a warning, safety contains many spoilers, and while I call this one SWE, I personally wasn’t overly bothered by anything. And I’m usually a picky bitch… sooooo… 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
🔹Heroine not a virgin, she has a healthy sex life with short term boyfriends and also many ONS. There were times when she came off as extremely promiscuous, which may bother some, but I LOVE that role reversal. 👏🏻👏🏻
🔹Heroine was engaged when she was younger and cheated on her fiancé, this is all many years in the past and in memories, and she still feels a lot of remorse. I usually dislike cheaters but I thought the circumstances with this one (she only did it once) were understandable.
🔹There is some OM drama when the heroine considers hooking up with someone after meeting the hero, nothing ends up happening.
🔹This story’s main storyline revolves around a sex tape with the h and a ONS from 5 years prior. It’s being shared without her consent. Some details of that ONS are given with semi-explicit memories - mostly just remembering the circumstances that led to her making the tape.
🔹Hero was also engaged and him and his ex are still good friends 1.5 years later, she is VERY present in his life, there are some misunderstandings and quite a bit of OW drama. This was all resolved very satisfactorily for me.
🔹Hero not a manwhore but he says he had several ONS after his breakup.
🔹No cheating between the MCs, no scenes with OM/OW besides the memories I mentioned of the heroine’s past.
🔹TW: cheating recounted, misogyny in side characters, revenge/ non-consensual porn.
Unfortunately, I’m very behind on writing reviews, so I’m just leaving (longer than usual) safety deets and moving on.
Just a warning, safety contains many spoilers, and while I call this one SWE, I personally wasn’t overly bothered by anything. And I’m usually a picky bitch… sooooo… 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
🔹Heroine not a virgin, she has a healthy sex life with short term boyfriends and also many ONS. There were times when she came off as extremely promiscuous, which may bother some, but I LOVE that role reversal. 👏🏻👏🏻
🔹Heroine was engaged when she was younger and cheated on her fiancé, this is all many years in the past and in memories, and she still feels a lot of remorse. I usually dislike cheaters but I thought the circumstances with this one (she only did it once) were understandable.
🔹There is some OM drama when the heroine considers hooking up with someone after meeting the hero, nothing ends up happening.
🔹This story’s main storyline revolves around a sex tape with the h and a ONS from 5 years prior. It’s being shared without her consent. Some details of that ONS are given with semi-explicit memories - mostly just remembering the circumstances that led to her making the tape.
🔹Hero was also engaged and him and his ex are still good friends 1.5 years later, she is VERY present in his life, there are some misunderstandings and quite a bit of OW drama. This was all resolved very satisfactorily for me.
🔹Hero not a manwhore but he says he had several ONS after his breakup.
🔹No cheating between the MCs, no scenes with OM/OW besides the memories I mentioned of the heroine’s past.
🔹TW: cheating recounted, misogyny in side characters, revenge/ non-consensual porn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2025
I stand by all the reasons I almost DNFed, but the hero made me get back to this book. I’m glad I did because the romance was awesome, and Max was a nerdy golden retriever with glasses, and I loved him. 😍
————
Dnf at 38% for now
There are sweet moments in this book, and Max is definitely book boyfriend material, but I’m not sure yet if I will continue. The sex tape drama is disturbing; Tess’s buddies told her that she’s at risk because they subscribed to that shit, so they enable that predator. They are not her close friends, but still, how can she hang out with people who think nonconsensual porn is cool?! How can these people be described as harmless?!
The misogyny at work is absolutely disgusting, and I hate that a guy had to save her in a work crisis, triggering AF.
————
Dnf at 38% for now
There are sweet moments in this book, and Max is definitely book boyfriend material, but I’m not sure yet if I will continue. The sex tape drama is disturbing; Tess’s buddies told her that she’s at risk because they subscribed to that shit, so they enable that predator. They are not her close friends, but still, how can she hang out with people who think nonconsensual porn is cool?! How can these people be described as harmless?!
The misogyny at work is absolutely disgusting, and I hate that a guy had to save her in a work crisis, triggering AF.
March 7, 2023
Inna... thank you sooo much! I loved this book and am so glad I saw your review.
4.8 stars. This was idealized in the best way. At the end, there were so many satisfying wrapup events/conversations that made me feel so fulfilled and happy and just filled with evil joy. I loved that we got some great resolutions on some family drama and the person who should apologize most did apologize and work towards a solution.
There is a little bit of a heist feel to the outside drama.
Sometimes you "meet" characters and you just admire and love them intensely. That's how I felt about Max and Tess. They have had some rough stuff in their lives and done some things but, at their hearts, they are AMAZING people.
I loved the relationship and character development here. These two people work so well together and have some mistakes and complications to their backstory that is fed to us slowly throughout the book. We get set up for multiple challenges; in their work, personal lives, and relationship to each other. For the most part, this book responds super well to all of them. I loved her direct boss. Unlike so many workplace romances, the issue of dating each other never becomes a huge blockage. She is able to be honest (even though it reveals slowly) to him, to her family, to her boss.
While Tess has been self-destructive in some ways, she also has had a lot of therapy and has worked through a lot. In general, she is a very intelligent, socially-capable, self-sacrificing (but also self-protecting), amazing, loving human being. And Max is a sweetheart and accepting, clever and spicy. They've both played the field a bit and accept the other's past without a lot of angst.
I really enjoyed that, while we get imperfect reactions from various folks, we still got satisfying resolutions to most things.
The only thing that this book lacks for me is a comeuppance for her boss-boss. That asshole basically told her he wouldn't promote her unless she could prove she was worthy through winning a particular client. Not sure if the author even saw the misogyny in this action, but I do. She was the most capable candidate and if they didn't promote her, I can bet you that whoever they DID hire wouldn't have been put through this sort of testing. I can tell you multiple times that I was given a task to prove like this before I would be considered for a promotion. And yet, men around me were given promotions without even asking. One story that really shows this is how one of my coworkers told me how he was promoted. "One day, I came into the office and my business cards were accidentally printed with 'Senior' Associate. I went to my boss and asked him about it and he said, 'oh. I guess you're a Senior Associate now.'" And all I could think while listening to this was "Really!? He didn't even have to ask!?"
And that's the thing in this book that never gets resolved. She shows that she can win that client and gets promoted while her boss-boss continues being toxic in multiple ways. Sadly, I wanted to see him get some learning. And he didn't.
There are some more books in this series so I'm hoping I get to see some comeuppance for some of the side characters that were douchey in this one.
4.8 stars. This was idealized in the best way. At the end, there were so many satisfying wrapup events/conversations that made me feel so fulfilled and happy and just filled with evil joy. I loved that we got some great resolutions on some family drama and the person who should apologize most did apologize and work towards a solution.
There is a little bit of a heist feel to the outside drama.
Sometimes you "meet" characters and you just admire and love them intensely. That's how I felt about Max and Tess. They have had some rough stuff in their lives and done some things but, at their hearts, they are AMAZING people.
I loved the relationship and character development here. These two people work so well together and have some mistakes and complications to their backstory that is fed to us slowly throughout the book. We get set up for multiple challenges; in their work, personal lives, and relationship to each other. For the most part, this book responds super well to all of them. I loved her direct boss. Unlike so many workplace romances, the issue of dating each other never becomes a huge blockage. She is able to be honest (even though it reveals slowly) to him, to her family, to her boss.
While Tess has been self-destructive in some ways, she also has had a lot of therapy and has worked through a lot. In general, she is a very intelligent, socially-capable, self-sacrificing (but also self-protecting), amazing, loving human being. And Max is a sweetheart and accepting, clever and spicy. They've both played the field a bit and accept the other's past without a lot of angst.
I really enjoyed that, while we get imperfect reactions from various folks, we still got satisfying resolutions to most things.
The only thing that this book lacks for me is a comeuppance for her boss-boss. That asshole basically told her he wouldn't promote her unless she could prove she was worthy through winning a particular client. Not sure if the author even saw the misogyny in this action, but I do. She was the most capable candidate and if they didn't promote her, I can bet you that whoever they DID hire wouldn't have been put through this sort of testing. I can tell you multiple times that I was given a task to prove like this before I would be considered for a promotion. And yet, men around me were given promotions without even asking. One story that really shows this is how one of my coworkers told me how he was promoted. "One day, I came into the office and my business cards were accidentally printed with 'Senior' Associate. I went to my boss and asked him about it and he said, 'oh. I guess you're a Senior Associate now.'" And all I could think while listening to this was "Really!? He didn't even have to ask!?"
And that's the thing in this book that never gets resolved. She shows that she can win that client and gets promoted while her boss-boss continues being toxic in multiple ways. Sadly, I wanted to see him get some learning. And he didn't.
There are some more books in this series so I'm hoping I get to see some comeuppance for some of the side characters that were douchey in this one.
May 20, 2021
Disaster Girl by Michelle Dayton is the story of Max Hampshire and Tess Greene. This was a funny read that took you into their story pretty quickly. Tess is a hot mess but is working toward just being hot but she doesn't need a revenge video getting ready to go up onto a porn site. So her friends sets her up to get help from Max. That when things really took off. Enjoyed their story.
May 25, 2021
This contemporary romance has a mix of laugh out loud moments and ones where you cringe – usually on behalf of Tess. She’s had a lot to overcome in her life, made some poor decisions and suffered what she recognises as disasters – but she’s survived them and come out the other side stronger and more independent. Now, however, just when she thought she’d got her life sorted, she discovers that someone she was with for just one night five years ago is going to share a video of them together on the internet, without her permission in a month’s time on a site where the man in question is making money from sharing films of his close encounters with women from around the states. Desperate to prevent this, she enlists the help of Max Hampshire, a skilled hacker to prevent it happening. What she hadn’t expected was to fall for Max . . . Is this another disaster in the making?
I really liked how Max helped bring the perpetrator down and Tess gets her revenge – but I’m not telling you how, that’d be spoilers. Tess seems to be her own worst enemy at times and I admit to struggling to empathise with her at times . . . though some of her motivations become much clearer and more understandable as the story progresses. Max is a sweetheart – brainy, possibly nerdy, handsome, kind hearted and caring, protective without being stifling, but will Tess recognise this? The ending is great and definitely brought a smile to my face.
Thank you to Tule Publishing for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed,
I really liked how Max helped bring the perpetrator down and Tess gets her revenge – but I’m not telling you how, that’d be spoilers. Tess seems to be her own worst enemy at times and I admit to struggling to empathise with her at times . . . though some of her motivations become much clearer and more understandable as the story progresses. Max is a sweetheart – brainy, possibly nerdy, handsome, kind hearted and caring, protective without being stifling, but will Tess recognise this? The ending is great and definitely brought a smile to my face.
Thank you to Tule Publishing for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed,
Read
June 6, 2021Tess Greene's life is all about disasters and how to cope with them. From her life is a list of dating disasters after she broke up her engagement to Daniel on the day of their wedding by sleeping with someone from his wedding party to covering for her mum and protecting her younger sister and then for her job, Tess helps create disaster recovery programs for businesses Tess is also like Anna Faris's character in the movie "What's Your Number?" where her romance is a revolving door of one-night stands and sexscapades. That is until one of her one-night stands ends up with a sex tape that soon the whole of America is about to view. The timing couldn't be worst as she is also up for a job promotion and this tape could ruin her, the other thing was that the sex wasn't even that great. One of Tess's workers Abigail has a friend Max who is great at hacking and now Tess has paired with Max to try and get rid of the sex tape before it can air to the public. Of course, though Max and Tess have this connection, what happens when Tess's insecurities come creeping back and she feels she doesn't deserve Max and will try to save him from hurt but in the process of breaking her own heart? Can Tess discover that she deserves happiness just like everyone else and now it is time for her to stop protecting everyone and worrying about everyone else and put herself first.
Find out in this fun romantic comedy/ women's fiction read by Michelle Dayton.
Find out in this fun romantic comedy/ women's fiction read by Michelle Dayton.
April 8, 2025
Gonna be honest, this one got to me. It kept me from sleeping (worrying over bad choices and the consequences). It's more of a 3.75 but I couldn't quite jump to a 4 star rating. Interesting characters and family relationships. Max is a treat.
June 6, 2026
Cure love story, easy summer read
June 14, 2026
This book is a blast and deserves more recognition!!
May 21, 2021
Excellent Book!!
In reading the blurb for Disaster Girl, I didn't know what to expect. Definitely not the witty, get what she wants, ball buster like Tess. She was freaking awesome!! And Max wasn't so bad either.
Honestly, I thought this was going to be a book about a girl with a disaster of a life and boy, it was the complete opposite. Tess was written, strong, smart and sexy. She is the person that is called when disaster strikes. This was a chick that didn't care if you liked her or not and I liked her. She finds herself in quite the disaster of her own with some revenge porn and finds the perfect guy to help her out.
The meeting of Max and Tess might be my favorite of all time. I am a huge fan of witty banter and these two have it in spades. They just clicked from the second they met and it seemed right. One hundred percent chemistry between them and that is rare for me in a book. Max is the strong, nerdy type that fit perfectly with the sarcastic Tess. He's smitten and doesn't hesitate to help her with her online problem.
While we are working with removing the video from hell, we are also dabbling in the past and present of both characters. They do have some baggage that makes them who they are today and it was interesting to see how it was all going to play out.
The book is well written and kept my attention from the first to the last page. It's my first book by Michelle Dayton and I will definitely see what else she has going on. There is something about her writing style I really found myself enjoying.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
In reading the blurb for Disaster Girl, I didn't know what to expect. Definitely not the witty, get what she wants, ball buster like Tess. She was freaking awesome!! And Max wasn't so bad either.
Honestly, I thought this was going to be a book about a girl with a disaster of a life and boy, it was the complete opposite. Tess was written, strong, smart and sexy. She is the person that is called when disaster strikes. This was a chick that didn't care if you liked her or not and I liked her. She finds herself in quite the disaster of her own with some revenge porn and finds the perfect guy to help her out.
The meeting of Max and Tess might be my favorite of all time. I am a huge fan of witty banter and these two have it in spades. They just clicked from the second they met and it seemed right. One hundred percent chemistry between them and that is rare for me in a book. Max is the strong, nerdy type that fit perfectly with the sarcastic Tess. He's smitten and doesn't hesitate to help her with her online problem.
While we are working with removing the video from hell, we are also dabbling in the past and present of both characters. They do have some baggage that makes them who they are today and it was interesting to see how it was all going to play out.
The book is well written and kept my attention from the first to the last page. It's my first book by Michelle Dayton and I will definitely see what else she has going on. There is something about her writing style I really found myself enjoying.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
May 18, 2021
I was pulled into this book with every page I turned. Tess Greene was a unique character and with this uniqueness she brought a whole lotta attitude to life. When that attitude brings disaster into her life, Max Hampshire shows up. Boom! Storyline explosion!
Michelle Dayton is new to me author and Disaster Girl was a dazzling first read. This book was a seamless balance of emotions. The desperation Tess finds herself in, the connection to Max and the chemistry between them all flow within the storyline to a completion that will not only satisfy you but leave you smirk that says yeah, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
I highly recommend this book for everyone that is looking for a compelling, gratifying read. This is the book you want. 5 Stars #2OCCMS
Michelle Dayton is new to me author and Disaster Girl was a dazzling first read. This book was a seamless balance of emotions. The desperation Tess finds herself in, the connection to Max and the chemistry between them all flow within the storyline to a completion that will not only satisfy you but leave you smirk that says yeah, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
I highly recommend this book for everyone that is looking for a compelling, gratifying read. This is the book you want. 5 Stars #2OCCMS
January 10, 2023
I found Tess to be incredibly endearing and her love interest to be the perfect match. The end does feel a bit unfinished, like perhaps both Tess and Max have unfinished business. Some of the dialogue was a little cringy too… but overall, it’s a fun read!
July 9, 2025
I loved the book but I will say I’m extremely confused - is the name of the book Disaster Girl or The Love Hack? 😳
February 7, 2025
Didn’t finish after chapter 9. It’s just not for me. I just didn’t really love Tess. She wasn’t horrible or anything, but I just felt like the author was trying a little too hard to tell us how exactly what she wanted us to think of her. We most definitely know that she’s with a different guy every weekend and has a lot of sex/one night stands. It’s emphasized a lot. I guess maybe it’s supposed to play into her having issues with a past boyfriend or something? I don’t know. But she just is so sure of herself and she flaunts herself. It’s good to be confident, but her personality is a little off putting to me. She brags about not being a nice girl, whatever that means, and she makes sure everyone knows.
I also hated the way Tess and max first meet and interact. It reminded me of the movie Hitch where those two love interests meet. I hated that too. Where both characters are just so smooth with it. The conversation feels so contrived. So perfectly crafted to be something that is supposed to show us just how special and perfect the two are for eachother. Tess tells us she made sure to wear a shirt where her boobs show in order to help make max want to help her and she catches max looking and just eats it up and there are just so many small details like this that just give me a weird vibe. Like she curates her whole personality carefully. She isn’t just who she is, she’s purposeful in trying to be a certain type of way. She just didn’t feel genuine. Just like the girl in hitch. Where she tries to be this “different” overly clever catch. Anyway I think I thought max would be different. He’s described as nerdy but he did not come across that way at all from how he comes onto Tess and his behavior toward her. Nerdy guys usually don’t pick up women in bars and kiss them ten minutes after meeting them. So I had expected their first interaction would be actually different. But it wasn’t. It felt like how any of Tess’ other conquests would probably be.
And I just don’t like insta lust. I just don’t see the point of a romance novel when the premise of it is: he sees her and likes her. She sees him and likes him. And that’s it. I mean, a two year old could write that. Isn’t there anything more interesting authors could come up with? Use some imagination and write a romance. If their lust is that easy and that unoriginal I’m just not pulled in or compelled to keep going.
Also, I could not believe how that guy got Tess to do that sex tape. I was prepared for her to say she had no idea she was being filmed at all. Or that she had filmed it with a guy she had been dating for awhile or an old boyfriend or something, someone she somewhat trusted. And then the tape was stolen and sold or whatever. At least then I wouldn’t have thought she wasn’t a total moron if that was the case. But the way it happened made her seem like an idiot. It was so creepy. I was creeped out just reading it, let alone if I had been in her place! I understand her being young and naive, but come on that was too much. You’re telling me that you’re in a bar, as a woman, already vulnerable because of that fact alone, and a guy blatantly picks you up to have sex, so fast and so forward that it almost felt like a hooker situation, (especially because she agrees instantly), and then you go to his HOTEL room, not even his home where you at least know he keeps a residence at and isn’t someplace where he is easily hidden and not able to be found, and he’s immediately asking to film the two of you having sex. Like…. I would have immediately run out the door. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of there fast enough. Not because of the sex tape thing itself, but because of the way it all went down. She has known this guy like 20 minutes. Why would he ask to film her if his intentions truly were just to only watch it right after the sex and then delete it. That is the most unbelievable thing I have ever heard. I can’t imagine anyone falling for that unless maybe you were like 15 years old or something. Even if you did believe he deleted it, I would be so paranoid that there were hidden cameras somewhere else because of his behavior. And I would not truly trust that him deleting it would actually delete it. There is no way that a guy that acts like he did would not be saving that thing any way he could to jack off to later and whatever else he wanted. What would be the point of filming sex if you’re going to immediately delete it? So that annoyed me especially when I already don’t like her that much.
But aside from all that it was just a bit boring. I struggled to keep going. It’s not horrible, so it may be enjoyable to some.
I also hated the way Tess and max first meet and interact. It reminded me of the movie Hitch where those two love interests meet. I hated that too. Where both characters are just so smooth with it. The conversation feels so contrived. So perfectly crafted to be something that is supposed to show us just how special and perfect the two are for eachother. Tess tells us she made sure to wear a shirt where her boobs show in order to help make max want to help her and she catches max looking and just eats it up and there are just so many small details like this that just give me a weird vibe. Like she curates her whole personality carefully. She isn’t just who she is, she’s purposeful in trying to be a certain type of way. She just didn’t feel genuine. Just like the girl in hitch. Where she tries to be this “different” overly clever catch. Anyway I think I thought max would be different. He’s described as nerdy but he did not come across that way at all from how he comes onto Tess and his behavior toward her. Nerdy guys usually don’t pick up women in bars and kiss them ten minutes after meeting them. So I had expected their first interaction would be actually different. But it wasn’t. It felt like how any of Tess’ other conquests would probably be.
And I just don’t like insta lust. I just don’t see the point of a romance novel when the premise of it is: he sees her and likes her. She sees him and likes him. And that’s it. I mean, a two year old could write that. Isn’t there anything more interesting authors could come up with? Use some imagination and write a romance. If their lust is that easy and that unoriginal I’m just not pulled in or compelled to keep going.
Also, I could not believe how that guy got Tess to do that sex tape. I was prepared for her to say she had no idea she was being filmed at all. Or that she had filmed it with a guy she had been dating for awhile or an old boyfriend or something, someone she somewhat trusted. And then the tape was stolen and sold or whatever. At least then I wouldn’t have thought she wasn’t a total moron if that was the case. But the way it happened made her seem like an idiot. It was so creepy. I was creeped out just reading it, let alone if I had been in her place! I understand her being young and naive, but come on that was too much. You’re telling me that you’re in a bar, as a woman, already vulnerable because of that fact alone, and a guy blatantly picks you up to have sex, so fast and so forward that it almost felt like a hooker situation, (especially because she agrees instantly), and then you go to his HOTEL room, not even his home where you at least know he keeps a residence at and isn’t someplace where he is easily hidden and not able to be found, and he’s immediately asking to film the two of you having sex. Like…. I would have immediately run out the door. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of there fast enough. Not because of the sex tape thing itself, but because of the way it all went down. She has known this guy like 20 minutes. Why would he ask to film her if his intentions truly were just to only watch it right after the sex and then delete it. That is the most unbelievable thing I have ever heard. I can’t imagine anyone falling for that unless maybe you were like 15 years old or something. Even if you did believe he deleted it, I would be so paranoid that there were hidden cameras somewhere else because of his behavior. And I would not truly trust that him deleting it would actually delete it. There is no way that a guy that acts like he did would not be saving that thing any way he could to jack off to later and whatever else he wanted. What would be the point of filming sex if you’re going to immediately delete it? So that annoyed me especially when I already don’t like her that much.
But aside from all that it was just a bit boring. I struggled to keep going. It’s not horrible, so it may be enjoyable to some.
November 15, 2024
Tess is sitting at her favorite bar trying to erase what she saw on her sister's Facebook page. It is especially upsetting since Kat had canceled their standing weekly brunch.
She was forcing herself to pay attention to her friends when it hit her that instead of being focused on their beers and the football game on the flat-screen TVs through out the bar they were huddling on their phones whispering in low voices.
She finally demanded to know what they were doing and they looked up clearly uncomfortable, but told her about a guy who started an amateur sex tape site. Every month he releases tapes sent to him and at least one of his. He sends out a newsletter with teasers and when the tapes will go live.
She rolls her eyes when she realizes they are watching porn until they freeze at what is on their screen and everyone looks up and stares at her. When she demands to know what is wrong with them her friend Micki pulls her aside and shows her.
“Check out my Windy City Good Time!!!” And then there was a countdown timer. “25 Days, 3 Hours, 48 Minutes.”
But the reason that the guys had gone quiet was because the teaser shows an obviously naked woman looking out at the Chicago skyline. A woman who they recognized from the anchor tattoo on her back. She stares in horror when she realizes that a one-night stand that she had five years ago is getting ready to be all over the internet.
I loved Tess and Max's story! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable! Tess is facing the nightmare of having a one-night stand streaming online for everyone to see. Max is her only hope to make the nightmare go away.
This book is action-packed and steamy hot. You will love Tess and Max and all the other characters in this book! Her neighbor Roz will keep you laughing! Highly recommend!
She was forcing herself to pay attention to her friends when it hit her that instead of being focused on their beers and the football game on the flat-screen TVs through out the bar they were huddling on their phones whispering in low voices.
She finally demanded to know what they were doing and they looked up clearly uncomfortable, but told her about a guy who started an amateur sex tape site. Every month he releases tapes sent to him and at least one of his. He sends out a newsletter with teasers and when the tapes will go live.
She rolls her eyes when she realizes they are watching porn until they freeze at what is on their screen and everyone looks up and stares at her. When she demands to know what is wrong with them her friend Micki pulls her aside and shows her.
“Check out my Windy City Good Time!!!” And then there was a countdown timer. “25 Days, 3 Hours, 48 Minutes.”
But the reason that the guys had gone quiet was because the teaser shows an obviously naked woman looking out at the Chicago skyline. A woman who they recognized from the anchor tattoo on her back. She stares in horror when she realizes that a one-night stand that she had five years ago is getting ready to be all over the internet.
I loved Tess and Max's story! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable! Tess is facing the nightmare of having a one-night stand streaming online for everyone to see. Max is her only hope to make the nightmare go away.
This book is action-packed and steamy hot. You will love Tess and Max and all the other characters in this book! Her neighbor Roz will keep you laughing! Highly recommend!
November 13, 2024
Tess has issues. In her personal life, but not at work. At work, she's a take charge, brilliant executive who is slotted to become VP when her boss retires. But she's had a history of sleeping around and drinking heavily. When her past becomes an nightmare reality, she desperately looks for a hacker to address a monster who posts videos of women having sex with him. Of course, these women never agreed to have those videos posted and many of them have had their lives ruined.
What Tess finds is a very talented programmer/hacker who is attracted to her and she to him. He pokes around and believes that he's found a way in to the monster's servers. But Max is in a strange relationship with his ex-fiancée. He's also been blacklisted by a very powerful man.
Tess' family offers even more complications in her life.
Will he be able to help her, technically? Can they work through their own issues?
This is a sexy romance about people who have serious things to deal with, but you get the feeling that there is a happily every after coming.
What Tess finds is a very talented programmer/hacker who is attracted to her and she to him. He pokes around and believes that he's found a way in to the monster's servers. But Max is in a strange relationship with his ex-fiancée. He's also been blacklisted by a very powerful man.
Tess' family offers even more complications in her life.
Will he be able to help her, technically? Can they work through their own issues?
This is a sexy romance about people who have serious things to deal with, but you get the feeling that there is a happily every after coming.
February 17, 2025
i was def hooked from the beginning!
at first i was like “hmmm” but by the end, everyone won me over😭max is a really good match for tess and the way she loves him is so cute
i’m so happy things ended up well for her like she had it rough from day one bro. it feels like people never tried to understand her but things worked out, her family is set, her video was never published and the guy got arrested so no more videos, her and max worked out and he acknowledged his passiveness. actual perfect ending and its deserved. i have no questions about the story lingering either like everything was cleared to me
i’m bummed it’s the end bc i’d love to see the two together forever but also, it’s not necessary. the author knew when to stop and how to conclude the story realistically and i’m enjoying it. and i’m happy that despite how things went, max still cared enough to show up for her and hear her out. good egg!
i’m also happy tess worked on herself. she needed someone close to call out how she really is. she’s someone i truly admire 👉🏾👈🏾
at first i was like “hmmm” but by the end, everyone won me over😭max is a really good match for tess and the way she loves him is so cute
i’m so happy things ended up well for her like she had it rough from day one bro. it feels like people never tried to understand her but things worked out, her family is set, her video was never published and the guy got arrested so no more videos, her and max worked out and he acknowledged his passiveness. actual perfect ending and its deserved. i have no questions about the story lingering either like everything was cleared to me
i’m bummed it’s the end bc i’d love to see the two together forever but also, it’s not necessary. the author knew when to stop and how to conclude the story realistically and i’m enjoying it. and i’m happy that despite how things went, max still cared enough to show up for her and hear her out. good egg!
i’m also happy tess worked on herself. she needed someone close to call out how she really is. she’s someone i truly admire 👉🏾👈🏾
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2024
Honestly I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish this book. For me the beginning was very slow going but I persevered and glad I did. The rest of the book was great and I loved how Max and Tess developed not just in their relationship but as characters.
Max has been blacklisted by his ex employer after taking advantge of a glitch in their system and agrees to help Tess stop a sex video being posted online in return for a job. Once inside Tess's company he thrives and wins over the other employee's including Tess's boss but when it comes to a perminant job his past catches up to him.
For Tess her mission to stop the sex tape becomes more urgent when a sneak preview is threatened. With Max to the rescue Tess and the others girls identities are saved plus a little suprise in store for the website owner.
There is the usual relationship ups & downs and you get the HEA. The characters grow on you and there are some funny moments with the minor characters. Great little read when you just want a straight forward read.
I received this as an ARC and am leaving my own review.
Max has been blacklisted by his ex employer after taking advantge of a glitch in their system and agrees to help Tess stop a sex video being posted online in return for a job. Once inside Tess's company he thrives and wins over the other employee's including Tess's boss but when it comes to a perminant job his past catches up to him.
For Tess her mission to stop the sex tape becomes more urgent when a sneak preview is threatened. With Max to the rescue Tess and the others girls identities are saved plus a little suprise in store for the website owner.
There is the usual relationship ups & downs and you get the HEA. The characters grow on you and there are some funny moments with the minor characters. Great little read when you just want a straight forward read.
I received this as an ARC and am leaving my own review.
November 20, 2025
“The Love Hack” is an excellent start to the “Tech-nically Love” series, bringing a mix of romance and cyber intrigue. An online predator threatens Tess Greene’s reputation, an IT disaster recovery specialist. Together with Max Hampshire, a brilliant and charming hacker, they will try to find out who wants to hurt Tess.
Michelle Dayton does not disappoint! Her story has high-stakes suspense, vulnerable scenes, and a strong and relatable heroine. The relationship between Tess and Max evolves naturally, and the pacing kept me hooked. A heads-up: there’s a lot of tech jargon, and it may feel overwhelming for some of you, but it maintains the authenticity of our characters.
Overall, The Love Hack is a smart and sexy read, an excellent start for the series. The mix between STEM and romance, the investigation, and the twist all make this book hard to put down! Loved it!
Michelle Dayton does not disappoint! Her story has high-stakes suspense, vulnerable scenes, and a strong and relatable heroine. The relationship between Tess and Max evolves naturally, and the pacing kept me hooked. A heads-up: there’s a lot of tech jargon, and it may feel overwhelming for some of you, but it maintains the authenticity of our characters.
Overall, The Love Hack is a smart and sexy read, an excellent start for the series. The mix between STEM and romance, the investigation, and the twist all make this book hard to put down! Loved it!
June 20, 2026
I mean, I wasn’t able to see the fmc’s VP, career obsessed side and her reckless, sleeps around and parties all weekend self coincide as the same woman ever… like how can you be both…? I just haven’t met or seen anyone make VP without some serious sacrifices and social life outside of work is one of them.
Also at work she’s calling all the shots and is making all the right decisions, accurately assessing everyone and every situation. Buttt when it comes to literally every other aspect of her life she is always making bad decisions and going about it as if her actions have no consequences. It’s so weird. The character was so poorly written.
I made it through 51% of the book though! Skimmed through a large part of it I’ll be honest.
Also at work she’s calling all the shots and is making all the right decisions, accurately assessing everyone and every situation. Buttt when it comes to literally every other aspect of her life she is always making bad decisions and going about it as if her actions have no consequences. It’s so weird. The character was so poorly written.
I made it through 51% of the book though! Skimmed through a large part of it I’ll be honest.
November 4, 2024
The Love Hack ~ Tech-nically Love #1 by Michelle Dayton
This is my first introduction to this author, but it won't be my last, I loved this book with its wonderful characters that pop from the page, they feel so real.
The believable storyline had me engaged from the first page until the end.
I found The Love Hack to be written well; it has an interesting storyline that could happen in real life.
I highly recommend this book to all, and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read, Great world building, Happily Ever After, Page-turner, Romantic, and Wonderful characters
This is my first introduction to this author, but it won't be my last, I loved this book with its wonderful characters that pop from the page, they feel so real.
The believable storyline had me engaged from the first page until the end.
I found The Love Hack to be written well; it has an interesting storyline that could happen in real life.
I highly recommend this book to all, and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read, Great world building, Happily Ever After, Page-turner, Romantic, and Wonderful characters
November 10, 2024
The Love Hack, the first book in the Tech-nically Love series is funny with its believable plot and strong witty characters. Poor and rash decisions come back to possibly destroy Tess and the only person that may be able to help her is computer hacking genius Max. I love that Tess is strong, independent, and refuses to let herself be taken advantage of even when she is running out of options she continues to fight and asking for help shows so much strength. The moment Max enters the picture it is obvious he is the perfect match for Tess but they both definitely have some things they have to get past but the support they provide each other had me rooting for their HEA. This is a cute and relatable Rom-Com that I recommend reading. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
April 16, 2025
I've kind of grown tired of rom-coms lately, but this book has been sitting in my Kindle for a while so I thought I'd clear it out. I honestly really really liked this book. I think this is the first one I read where the male lead isn't described like another Henry Cavill. Max is described as "wiry" like a soccer player with navy eyes. Love story and internal family drama aside, I thought the writing was easy to read. Like I said, I've grown tired of rom-coms, but this was easy to read and I genuinely wanted to find out how it turned out. Although the ending was definitely predictable, I still enjoyed getting there.
May 31, 2025
I adore this book! I think the flaws the characters, even supporting, had were so real and raw. They truly reflected the vulnerabilities us humans carry with us into each relationship we encounter, and how they can affect the way we see ourselves and others 💙 Max was just the most beautiful and caring MMC, so deliciously compatible with Tess it’s magical ✨
The line which truly gutted me but also made me completely fall in love with this book and our our MCs:
“Don’t get involved with me, OK? I’m not a nice girl.”
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, “I don’t think you’ve been ‘a girl’ for a really long time.”
The line which truly gutted me but also made me completely fall in love with this book and our our MCs:
“Don’t get involved with me, OK? I’m not a nice girl.”
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, “I don’t think you’ve been ‘a girl’ for a really long time.”
October 24, 2024
The Love Hack (Tech-nically Love Book 1) by Michelle Dayton
What I love about this book si that it's so technical and it's realistic that yes it could and does happen in todays world.
Tessa is losing her sister to a job in CA so she helps get a party together for her leaving. Tessa's boss is retiring and she has the chance to take over his position. She has to attend meeting with clients who don't really see a woman doing the right job for them. She is able to put them in their place.
She also gets help from a lawyer about her x rated photo/video being released to the public. without her permission... she tells her sister and she has a friend that can help her. Love how he gets paid and she ends up getting him into her company with the chance to become permanent in a few weeks time. He's super friendly and helpful but he has secrets that get out...
Tessa is also dealing her mother depression, has been for years and she knows what she has to do. More secrets from her sister. There is no easy way around everything she wants to get done.
Love ending and how it all went down, didn't think it was really possible.
Love this series a lot, so informative and entertaining.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
What I love about this book si that it's so technical and it's realistic that yes it could and does happen in todays world.
Tessa is losing her sister to a job in CA so she helps get a party together for her leaving. Tessa's boss is retiring and she has the chance to take over his position. She has to attend meeting with clients who don't really see a woman doing the right job for them. She is able to put them in their place.
She also gets help from a lawyer about her x rated photo/video being released to the public. without her permission... she tells her sister and she has a friend that can help her. Love how he gets paid and she ends up getting him into her company with the chance to become permanent in a few weeks time. He's super friendly and helpful but he has secrets that get out...
Tessa is also dealing her mother depression, has been for years and she knows what she has to do. More secrets from her sister. There is no easy way around everything she wants to get done.
Love ending and how it all went down, didn't think it was really possible.
Love this series a lot, so informative and entertaining.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
November 1, 2024
This is book 1 in Dayton's Tech-nically Love series and was previously released under the title Disaster Girl. I like this cover and title better! A well written romance read that features main characters Max Hampshire and Tess Greene. I loved these characters, their connection and chemistry were great. The storyline was captivating and flowed well. A great read, I can't wait for more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 24, 2025
I never review books, but I feel like I was duped by this one. If I had known that it used to be called Disaster Girl and had the 'edgy' cover instead of the cutesy one I wouldn't have read it. The covers are attracting two completely different types of reader!
As a woman in tech I was intrigued by the idea of the story, and I quite liked the MMC. But I found the FMC completely unrelatable, it felt like she was written to be deliberately 'not like other women'.
This book just wasn't for me!
As a woman in tech I was intrigued by the idea of the story, and I quite liked the MMC. But I found the FMC completely unrelatable, it felt like she was written to be deliberately 'not like other women'.
This book just wasn't for me!
November 10, 2024
This is an entertaining nerd techy romance book that grabs your attention from the beginning and holds it to the end. The storyline is intriguing as the elements unfold. The characters are well written with strong chemistry together. I enjoyed this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 27, 2025
I almost didn't continue with this after the first chapter, as I didn't think Tess was going to be my kind of book heroine. But actually she had a complexity that was intriguing. And Max...well, he was a delight to read about! I ended up loving the whole thing, was rooting for Max and Tess, and I'm really glad I didn't give up.
June 4, 2026
kinda an HFN?
This is an interesting premise for a story. Plot is good. How the story unfolds with Tess’s family is leaked out over chapters that it’s kind of confusing. Didn’t really like any of the women in this story— especially Kat and the mother. While Tess was supposed to be no nonsense/fun/rebel type…she often came off hurtful. Max written as a good guy.
This is an interesting premise for a story. Plot is good. How the story unfolds with Tess’s family is leaked out over chapters that it’s kind of confusing. Didn’t really like any of the women in this story— especially Kat and the mother. While Tess was supposed to be no nonsense/fun/rebel type…she often came off hurtful. Max written as a good guy.
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