What do you think?
Rate this book
Frostfire #2
Code Mages & Empty Pages
Dawn just wants out: out of her empty house, out of her writer’s block, and out of excuses. Taking a new admin job at Frostfire Real Estate isn’t exactly her dream, but anything is better than staring at a blank page. She knows she has another book in her—now she just needs the red thread to pull it together.
When a structure-eating fungus takes over her hallway cupboard, everything seems lost. Then her colleague Luc offers his guest room, and suddenly Dawn finds herself in a slow burn, roommates-to-lovers situation she never expected.
Lucien Atkins joined Frostfire’s IT department for a fresh start, trading in his old life for something quieter. But the new team assistant glitches his carefully coded boundaries. Between barefoot cooking, late-night gaming, and the fairy cat he insists Dawn adopt, Luc realizes that hurt and comfort can coexist—and that the woman sharing his space might be the one he wants for good.
Code Mages & Empty Pages is a cozy monster romance novella with sugar, spice, and a guaranteed HEA. Perfect for readers who love wolf man romance, roommates-to-lovers tropes, and a younger hero with a dad bod and a cinnamon-roll heart.
The second book in the Frostfire series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone.
When a structure-eating fungus takes over her hallway cupboard, everything seems lost. Then her colleague Luc offers his guest room, and suddenly Dawn finds herself in a slow burn, roommates-to-lovers situation she never expected.
Lucien Atkins joined Frostfire’s IT department for a fresh start, trading in his old life for something quieter. But the new team assistant glitches his carefully coded boundaries. Between barefoot cooking, late-night gaming, and the fairy cat he insists Dawn adopt, Luc realizes that hurt and comfort can coexist—and that the woman sharing his space might be the one he wants for good.
Code Mages & Empty Pages is a cozy monster romance novella with sugar, spice, and a guaranteed HEA. Perfect for readers who love wolf man romance, roommates-to-lovers tropes, and a younger hero with a dad bod and a cinnamon-roll heart.
The second book in the Frostfire series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 30, 2025
KU Read
178 Pages
Paranormal Romance
Established series & worldbuild
Workplace Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Human X Lupine
Friends with Benefits
Knitting
This follows the familiar pattern of a lot of Rhea's books and they have become comfort reads for me. Short dopamine hits of sweet Romance with a bit of spice set in a world like no other I've read before.
Dawn has started to work in the same IT department as the quiet and reserved Luc who she is determined to win over only when her home is in need of work, he is The one bold enough to offer her a place to stay.
Their time together was only meant to be temporary but after a few short weeks, his house is a home filled with warmth that he wants to keep.
178 Pages
Paranormal Romance
Established series & worldbuild
Workplace Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Human X Lupine
Friends with Benefits
Knitting
This follows the familiar pattern of a lot of Rhea's books and they have become comfort reads for me. Short dopamine hits of sweet Romance with a bit of spice set in a world like no other I've read before.
Dawn has started to work in the same IT department as the quiet and reserved Luc who she is determined to win over only when her home is in need of work, he is The one bold enough to offer her a place to stay.
Their time together was only meant to be temporary but after a few short weeks, his house is a home filled with warmth that he wants to keep.
October 30, 2025
Always cute
KU Read
178 Pages
Paranormal Romance
Established series & worldbuild
Workplace Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Human X Lupine
Friends with Benefits
Knitting
This follows the familiar pattern of a lot of Rhea's books and they have become comfort reads for me. Short dopamine hits of sweet Romance with a bit of spice set in a world like no other I've read before.
Dawn has started to work in the same IT department as the quiet and reserved Luc who she is determined to win over only when her home is in need of work, he is The one bold enough to offer her a place to stay.
Their time together was only meant to be temporary but after a few short weeks, his house is a home filled with warmth that he wants to keep.
KU Read
178 Pages
Paranormal Romance
Established series & worldbuild
Workplace Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Human X Lupine
Friends with Benefits
Knitting
This follows the familiar pattern of a lot of Rhea's books and they have become comfort reads for me. Short dopamine hits of sweet Romance with a bit of spice set in a world like no other I've read before.
Dawn has started to work in the same IT department as the quiet and reserved Luc who she is determined to win over only when her home is in need of work, he is The one bold enough to offer her a place to stay.
Their time together was only meant to be temporary but after a few short weeks, his house is a home filled with warmth that he wants to keep.
September 25, 2025
Thank you to the author for the free e-ARC! This is my honest review!
Code Mages & Empty Pages is the second book in the Frostfire series. You do not need to read Howling Hearts & Printer parts first but if you find yourself interested in Desmond then I absolutely recommend giving that one a read!
This story follows Dawn, a writer who is currently suffering writer's block and sadly finds mold in her house. Luckily, her work colleague Luc offers up his guest room to her....but when Luc hits his heat he offers Dawn a steamy solution for them to work off their frustrations.
This story had as much IT-nerdiness and charm as HH&PP! I absolutely love both characters and how they can't stop touching each other! Also Luc as a cat-daddy is SOOOOOO adorable! <3
I loved seeing other characters from not only the first book in the Frostfire series but the Scales & Steam series as well! Rhea writes some of the most comforting characters and love how she builds her worlds to have them all connect and be friends while also ensuring each couple gets their own shine! <3
If you are looking for a short, nerdy, yet heartwarming romance, this is the book for you!
Code Mages & Empty Pages is the second book in the Frostfire series. You do not need to read Howling Hearts & Printer parts first but if you find yourself interested in Desmond then I absolutely recommend giving that one a read!
This story follows Dawn, a writer who is currently suffering writer's block and sadly finds mold in her house. Luckily, her work colleague Luc offers up his guest room to her....but when Luc hits his heat he offers Dawn a steamy solution for them to work off their frustrations.
This story had as much IT-nerdiness and charm as HH&PP! I absolutely love both characters and how they can't stop touching each other! Also Luc as a cat-daddy is SOOOOOO adorable! <3
I loved seeing other characters from not only the first book in the Frostfire series but the Scales & Steam series as well! Rhea writes some of the most comforting characters and love how she builds her worlds to have them all connect and be friends while also ensuring each couple gets their own shine! <3
If you are looking for a short, nerdy, yet heartwarming romance, this is the book for you!
November 27, 2025
Roe & Comet ♥️♥️♥️
Wished it was longer, I wanted more juiciness. But good book overrall. I love everything ugh. Love the relationship they have. ♥️♥️♥️
Wished it was longer, I wanted more juiciness. But good book overrall. I love everything ugh. Love the relationship they have. ♥️♥️♥️
September 27, 2025
That was a cute read. I was waiting for this one to come out. I knew of some series by the author, but that's my first book, so I don't have the whole background of some characters/references.
I liked the setting and the characters. A bit grumpy x sunshine, even if Luc is not really that grumpy and mostly shy. The office romance bit was fun, the nerd stuff with the pun shirts was cute, I just had a bit of ick with the nicknames at the beginning, until it was cute again toward the end. I like how Dawn takes care of Luc when he works (swooooon).
A cozy read during these dark and cold autumn nights.
I liked the setting and the characters. A bit grumpy x sunshine, even if Luc is not really that grumpy and mostly shy. The office romance bit was fun, the nerd stuff with the pun shirts was cute, I just had a bit of ick with the nicknames at the beginning, until it was cute again toward the end. I like how Dawn takes care of Luc when he works (swooooon).
A cozy read during these dark and cold autumn nights.
November 27, 2025
*****Spoilers*****
This was more a 2.5 I thought.
Dawn started a new office job as an IT administrator. She organizes tickets for the IT professionals to work and brings her great attitude along with her. Luc is hot and cold with her so she wonders what she did wrong and hopes to fix it because everyone usually likes her. For his sake, Luc likes her a lot and tries not to creep Dawn out by being too obvious which is the reason for his behavior. They and other coworkers start hanging out and Luc is there to solve Dawn's housing issue when she needs a place to stay for a few weeks while her home is ridden of some dangerous fungus. While she's at Lucy's he goes into a rut and asks if they can be co-workers with benefits. Fast forward and things feel real between them before they make it official. There's no drama or angst, it's an easy story in that sense.
It's hard to put an exact finger on why I was mostly detached. Part of it is because I felt like I was thrown into the deep end and wasn't given a helping hand out. The story starts okay for the first few paragraphs, but then we just get non-human characters thrown in all of a sudden with no world building. One minute Dawn is a human woman coming to work, the next, her boss has blue skin and she's talking to a hybrid of something I can't recall. No explanation. No information about the difference between species of whatever the beings to are, just silence. I was also puzzled because the book opens on her regretting taking the job because her first day was terrible, but the horrific was never realized, at least to my expectations. A slow computer system and frustration with how it worked inefficiently was the workplace from hell from what I could determine so I was left wanting and confused.
Both Dawn and Lucien aka Luc were decent characters and Luc was endearing with how much he liked Dawn. Although I like them, their relationship felt disjointed. Luc is hot and cold, Dawn doesn't know where she stands but is increasingly attracted to Luc but neither really does much. Then Luc's rut comes, he proposes that they start hooking up no strings, Dawn thinks it over for an hour, and then they're in bed together. I wanted more of a connection between them I guess.
The book is okay overall.
This was more a 2.5 I thought.
Dawn started a new office job as an IT administrator. She organizes tickets for the IT professionals to work and brings her great attitude along with her. Luc is hot and cold with her so she wonders what she did wrong and hopes to fix it because everyone usually likes her. For his sake, Luc likes her a lot and tries not to creep Dawn out by being too obvious which is the reason for his behavior. They and other coworkers start hanging out and Luc is there to solve Dawn's housing issue when she needs a place to stay for a few weeks while her home is ridden of some dangerous fungus. While she's at Lucy's he goes into a rut and asks if they can be co-workers with benefits. Fast forward and things feel real between them before they make it official. There's no drama or angst, it's an easy story in that sense.
It's hard to put an exact finger on why I was mostly detached. Part of it is because I felt like I was thrown into the deep end and wasn't given a helping hand out. The story starts okay for the first few paragraphs, but then we just get non-human characters thrown in all of a sudden with no world building. One minute Dawn is a human woman coming to work, the next, her boss has blue skin and she's talking to a hybrid of something I can't recall. No explanation. No information about the difference between species of whatever the beings to are, just silence. I was also puzzled because the book opens on her regretting taking the job because her first day was terrible, but the horrific was never realized, at least to my expectations. A slow computer system and frustration with how it worked inefficiently was the workplace from hell from what I could determine so I was left wanting and confused.
Both Dawn and Lucien aka Luc were decent characters and Luc was endearing with how much he liked Dawn. Although I like them, their relationship felt disjointed. Luc is hot and cold, Dawn doesn't know where she stands but is increasingly attracted to Luc but neither really does much. Then Luc's rut comes, he proposes that they start hooking up no strings, Dawn thinks it over for an hour, and then they're in bed together. I wanted more of a connection between them I guess.
The book is okay overall.
June 10, 2026
Steamy Feel Good Office Romance!
This was such a fun read! Both of the main characters are so relatable and unsure of the other that it feels extra cozy when they settle into their routine.. then routine of extra convenience… then eventual relationship. It feels like you know them, you’ve been in this relationship.
The depth of how well Luc knows Dawn is so romantic. He even knows that when she parks on a certain side of the road… yeah it’s for convenience so she’s going the right direction when she leaves next… but also it’s an indication that she’s stressing. At the same time Lucian is vulnerable, anxious and working on breaking a generational habit of how poorly men in his family treat women.
Lastly, I love when animal-like characters do things that remind you they aren’t like regular people. There’s the obvious fur and knot (yum) or anything omegaverse related, but I’m obsessed with the authors explanation of Luc’s ears twitching and flattening during certain scenes or the involuntary movements of his tail. I LOVE IT!
This was such a fun read! Both of the main characters are so relatable and unsure of the other that it feels extra cozy when they settle into their routine.. then routine of extra convenience… then eventual relationship. It feels like you know them, you’ve been in this relationship.
The depth of how well Luc knows Dawn is so romantic. He even knows that when she parks on a certain side of the road… yeah it’s for convenience so she’s going the right direction when she leaves next… but also it’s an indication that she’s stressing. At the same time Lucian is vulnerable, anxious and working on breaking a generational habit of how poorly men in his family treat women.
Lastly, I love when animal-like characters do things that remind you they aren’t like regular people. There’s the obvious fur and knot (yum) or anything omegaverse related, but I’m obsessed with the authors explanation of Luc’s ears twitching and flattening during certain scenes or the involuntary movements of his tail. I LOVE IT!
September 28, 2025
Fox always provides a solid sweet and spicy read
Whether the girl next door or the dragon man from who knows where, Fox always delivers characters that are more realistic and relatable than most contemporary books. Fox’s Frostfire series, like her interconnected cryptid books, provide relatively low to no angst while still touching your heart, and quite often simply giving you some swift ( but gentle) kicks right in the feels.
This book was super low conflict, standalone, and explores the spicy office romance of a human woman (Dawn) and grumpy wolf man Luc. If you’re looking for complicated plot, move along little doggy, but if you was a spicy, short, simple, well written fun time coated in sugar, with some cameos from some of the interconnected books/series, this is a lovely place to come for a palette cleanser.
Whether the girl next door or the dragon man from who knows where, Fox always delivers characters that are more realistic and relatable than most contemporary books. Fox’s Frostfire series, like her interconnected cryptid books, provide relatively low to no angst while still touching your heart, and quite often simply giving you some swift ( but gentle) kicks right in the feels.
This book was super low conflict, standalone, and explores the spicy office romance of a human woman (Dawn) and grumpy wolf man Luc. If you’re looking for complicated plot, move along little doggy, but if you was a spicy, short, simple, well written fun time coated in sugar, with some cameos from some of the interconnected books/series, this is a lovely place to come for a palette cleanser.
October 7, 2025
Always a must read!!
I've never not liked a Rhea Fox book. So cozy and the spice is always perfect. Ya know those books that make you lose time? The ones where you'll look at the clock and it'll be seven pm and then you look later and its definitely passed your bedtime? Yeah, these are those books
I've never not liked a Rhea Fox book. So cozy and the spice is always perfect. Ya know those books that make you lose time? The ones where you'll look at the clock and it'll be seven pm and then you look later and its definitely passed your bedtime? Yeah, these are those books
November 11, 2025
Cute. Nerdy. Semi forced proximity
Praise kink? Yes please! I need an emotional support wolf.
Dawn is very emotional after her fiance breaks things off. She moves, changes careers, and finds herself again.
Lucien is a nerdy tech guy. He keeps his distance mostly but dawn draws him in.
Praise kink? Yes please! I need an emotional support wolf.
Dawn is very emotional after her fiance breaks things off. She moves, changes careers, and finds herself again.
Lucien is a nerdy tech guy. He keeps his distance mostly but dawn draws him in.
August 26, 2026
Liked how this was similar to prior works but something different at the same time. Dawn and Luc were so cute together. They fell into a love and relationship that was everything the other needed. Loves seeing their relationship grow evolve into such a beautiful, healthy part of both their lives. Liked the introduction of new characters and how things just worked towards such a natural HEA.
October 1, 2025
beautifully nerdy
I love disgustingly sweet books and this was just perfect ❤️
I love your books they’re so amazing and they’re brilliant pick me ups when the world feels dark and loveless ❤️
I love disgustingly sweet books and this was just perfect ❤️
I love your books they’re so amazing and they’re brilliant pick me ups when the world feels dark and loveless ❤️
October 24, 2025
Nerdy Girls Dream!
This book was so nerdy cute and I loved every line! It was sexy, fun, happy, and had the D&D feel of adventures and dice! So fun!
This book was so nerdy cute and I loved every line! It was sexy, fun, happy, and had the D&D feel of adventures and dice! So fun!
January 5, 2026
just reading these fur a fun time between my serious books
September 26, 2025
Colleagues-with-benefits to something so much more!
This was a cozy, long-angst, slow burn romance. I enjoyed the connections with the other series from Rhea Fox; makes me want to go back and read all those stories again. I enjoyed how determined Dawn was to make Luc like her when he was already falling for her and trying to hide his feelings. Their roommates/colleagues-with-benefits situation was doomed to fail from the start and I loved watching them fall harder for each other. Another winner from Rhea Fox!
This was a cozy, long-angst, slow burn romance. I enjoyed the connections with the other series from Rhea Fox; makes me want to go back and read all those stories again. I enjoyed how determined Dawn was to make Luc like her when he was already falling for her and trying to hide his feelings. Their roommates/colleagues-with-benefits situation was doomed to fail from the start and I loved watching them fall harder for each other. Another winner from Rhea Fox!
October 10, 2025
I adore a Rhea Fox romance. They're always going to be low angst, high heat, and have positive body representation.
If you enjoy a workplace romance where the MCs agree to a colleagues with benefits situation for "research purposes," then this is right up your alley!
If you enjoy a workplace romance where the MCs agree to a colleagues with benefits situation for "research purposes," then this is right up your alley!
September 25, 2025
Yet another amazing book by Rhea! I love this sweet and spicy workplace romance. Add in the temporary roommates thing. Perfect storm of adorableness. And then the fae cat. Stupid cute.
September 30, 2025
Rhea Fox NEVER MISSES !
Truly love all the Monster Romance - Paranormal romances they offer us 😭🙌
Truly love all the Monster Romance - Paranormal romances they offer us 😭🙌
September 30, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fun and spice all the things I love.
October 11, 2025
Why is there so much winking. I don’t think I’ve winked so much in my life as they did in two pages
December 8, 2025
it was really good till the end when it started getting really ... really boring.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews