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Love Is an Algorithm
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26“Joyful, generous and smart.”
—Holly Gramazio, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands
Take the uncertainty out of love with Pattern, it's more than just a dating app!
Eve wants to make music that's fueled by love, passion, and rage (feelings!). She trusts her gut and her friends and in no way wants to rely on technology, let alone AI, to tell her how she feels. Danny is anxious—about his dad, his dating life, his coffee order (why is it twelve dollars?), and about the dating app he helped create, which seems determined to serve him terrible matches.
When Eve and Danny start dating, it feels like the solution to all of Danny’s worries—except when it doesn’t. Is she happy? Should he be doing more? Or less? This becomes the catalyst for a revolutionary new version of Danny’s app that promises to quantify relationship health and potential, helping users understand what's really going on. Problem solved!
As Pattern and Bug, the ever-so-friendly AI assistant, catch fire, users everywhere begin outsourcing major life decisions to Danny’s algorithms. But as Danny reckons with his newfound success, Eve—whose career relies on her ability to write her emotions into song—grows increasingly skeptical of the app’s impact on genuine connection. Their relationship becomes the ultimate modern experiment: How do you fall and stay in love in the digital age?
—Holly Gramazio, New York Times bestselling author of The Husbands
Take the uncertainty out of love with Pattern, it's more than just a dating app!
Eve wants to make music that's fueled by love, passion, and rage (feelings!). She trusts her gut and her friends and in no way wants to rely on technology, let alone AI, to tell her how she feels. Danny is anxious—about his dad, his dating life, his coffee order (why is it twelve dollars?), and about the dating app he helped create, which seems determined to serve him terrible matches.
When Eve and Danny start dating, it feels like the solution to all of Danny’s worries—except when it doesn’t. Is she happy? Should he be doing more? Or less? This becomes the catalyst for a revolutionary new version of Danny’s app that promises to quantify relationship health and potential, helping users understand what's really going on. Problem solved!
As Pattern and Bug, the ever-so-friendly AI assistant, catch fire, users everywhere begin outsourcing major life decisions to Danny’s algorithms. But as Danny reckons with his newfound success, Eve—whose career relies on her ability to write her emotions into song—grows increasingly skeptical of the app’s impact on genuine connection. Their relationship becomes the ultimate modern experiment: How do you fall and stay in love in the digital age?
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
12 people are currently reading
5251 people want to read
About the author
Laura Brooke Robson
4 books196 followersLaura Brooke Robson is the author of Love Is an Algorithm and A Curse for the Homesick. She lives in New York.
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February 28, 2026I've never done audiobooks before so this is my first ALC. A little unfamiliar in that territory but hope to enjoy it.
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Duration: 8 hours 56 min
Many thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin Audio and the author, Laura Brooke Robson for an early ALC.
Publication date: March 31, 2026
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Duration: 8 hours 56 min
Many thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin Audio and the author, Laura Brooke Robson for an early ALC.
Publication date: March 31, 2026
February 10, 2026
4.5 stars rounded down. Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins!
This book explores love in all forms: familial, platonic, & romantic. What effect does AI have on our interpersonal relationships? Does AI hurt or help us in the long run? The AI in the book, Bug, is essentially ChatGPT, so the underlying messages are extremely relevant and current.
I loved our FMC, Eve. Her character was so realistic, dynamic, and relatable. Her fears and wounds were so real. Her growth and evolution were so fun to read, I was rooting for her. Our MMC, Danny, was great in his own way but I didn't feel as close to him as I did Eve. I think his personality rubbed me the wrong way but in the end it all made sense why he was the way he was.
This book is hilarious, sweet, inspiring, and thought-provoking. There is a love story, but there is also a warning about the rise of artificial intelligence. I found this book hard to put down and I wanted to keep reading. I very much enjoyed it!
This book explores love in all forms: familial, platonic, & romantic. What effect does AI have on our interpersonal relationships? Does AI hurt or help us in the long run? The AI in the book, Bug, is essentially ChatGPT, so the underlying messages are extremely relevant and current.
I loved our FMC, Eve. Her character was so realistic, dynamic, and relatable. Her fears and wounds were so real. Her growth and evolution were so fun to read, I was rooting for her. Our MMC, Danny, was great in his own way but I didn't feel as close to him as I did Eve. I think his personality rubbed me the wrong way but in the end it all made sense why he was the way he was.
This book is hilarious, sweet, inspiring, and thought-provoking. There is a love story, but there is also a warning about the rise of artificial intelligence. I found this book hard to put down and I wanted to keep reading. I very much enjoyed it!
January 14, 2026
4.5 stars *
This might be a work of fiction, but it feels uncomfortably close to the reality we’re already living in and the trajectory we’re clearly heading toward.
‘Love Is an Algorithm’ is a beautiful yet deeply unnerving exploration of love in the age of AI. It imagines a world where artificial intelligence sits at the center of everything: how we date, how we communicate, how we maintain relationships, and even how we create art.
At the heart of the story are Eve and Danny, who have existed on the edges of each other’s lives since college. After their respective relationships end, they finally take a tentative step toward something romantic. But their connection doesn’t exist in a vacuum—especially since Danny and Eve’s brother, Julian, are co-founders of a wildly successful dating and relationship app. The app promises to predict compatibility before you even go on a date and helps couples maintain a “healthy relationship score.” You can even chat with its built-in AI, “Bug,” for relationship advice…think ChatGPT, but as your couples therapist.
Meanwhile, Eve is finding her footing as a singer-songwriter. She believes in creating art that moves people: raw, emotional, unfiltered. But in a world increasingly optimized by algorithms, she feels mounting pressure to use AI to refine her music, to make it more polished, more marketable, more guaranteed to succeed.
Beyond the love story (which is there, I promise), this book carries a much larger message. AI becomes unavoidable, embedded into every corner of life, to the point where humans start to believe the solution to every problem is simply more technology. It’s unsettling to watch characters turn to a bot for relationship guidance instead of talking to the person they love. Even more unsettling is how easily the definition of “reality” begins to blur.
Thought-provoking, emotional, and quietly alarming, this was a story that I enjoyed in its entirety.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
This might be a work of fiction, but it feels uncomfortably close to the reality we’re already living in and the trajectory we’re clearly heading toward.
‘Love Is an Algorithm’ is a beautiful yet deeply unnerving exploration of love in the age of AI. It imagines a world where artificial intelligence sits at the center of everything: how we date, how we communicate, how we maintain relationships, and even how we create art.
At the heart of the story are Eve and Danny, who have existed on the edges of each other’s lives since college. After their respective relationships end, they finally take a tentative step toward something romantic. But their connection doesn’t exist in a vacuum—especially since Danny and Eve’s brother, Julian, are co-founders of a wildly successful dating and relationship app. The app promises to predict compatibility before you even go on a date and helps couples maintain a “healthy relationship score.” You can even chat with its built-in AI, “Bug,” for relationship advice…think ChatGPT, but as your couples therapist.
Meanwhile, Eve is finding her footing as a singer-songwriter. She believes in creating art that moves people: raw, emotional, unfiltered. But in a world increasingly optimized by algorithms, she feels mounting pressure to use AI to refine her music, to make it more polished, more marketable, more guaranteed to succeed.
Beyond the love story (which is there, I promise), this book carries a much larger message. AI becomes unavoidable, embedded into every corner of life, to the point where humans start to believe the solution to every problem is simply more technology. It’s unsettling to watch characters turn to a bot for relationship guidance instead of talking to the person they love. Even more unsettling is how easily the definition of “reality” begins to blur.
Thought-provoking, emotional, and quietly alarming, this was a story that I enjoyed in its entirety.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
October 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
4.5 stars, rounded down. I actually kinda loved this book. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I first started it, but it really grew on me. I loved Eve. Her personality was amazing, and I’m so impressed with her ability to love and be loved despite her upbringing. I loved her relationship with Julian, and I loved the descriptions of her music career. She stayed true to herself and hilarious throughout.
Danny was more of a struggle to me. I feel like I finally understood him by the end, but his anxiety made him a not-great person/partner at times and I didn’t really like him because of it. I kept getting glimpses of who he wanted to be, mostly based on Eve’s perspective of him, and he grew on me by the end. Despite my iffy feelings on him, I will say that he was very relatable.
The concept of this book was unique and quirky, and it kept me on my toes. It was a fairly easy and enjoyable read overall, but a book being written in present tense always annoys me, and that was definitely the case with this book. That was a big factor in my lack of 5 stars.
There were some sad and painful topics in the book. At times, it felt raw and heartbreaking. The author’s ability to evoke emotion was excellent, and the ending was a little mysterious but somehow still satisfying. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book!
4.5 stars, rounded down. I actually kinda loved this book. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I first started it, but it really grew on me. I loved Eve. Her personality was amazing, and I’m so impressed with her ability to love and be loved despite her upbringing. I loved her relationship with Julian, and I loved the descriptions of her music career. She stayed true to herself and hilarious throughout.
Danny was more of a struggle to me. I feel like I finally understood him by the end, but his anxiety made him a not-great person/partner at times and I didn’t really like him because of it. I kept getting glimpses of who he wanted to be, mostly based on Eve’s perspective of him, and he grew on me by the end. Despite my iffy feelings on him, I will say that he was very relatable.
The concept of this book was unique and quirky, and it kept me on my toes. It was a fairly easy and enjoyable read overall, but a book being written in present tense always annoys me, and that was definitely the case with this book. That was a big factor in my lack of 5 stars.
There were some sad and painful topics in the book. At times, it felt raw and heartbreaking. The author’s ability to evoke emotion was excellent, and the ending was a little mysterious but somehow still satisfying. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book!
February 16, 2026
Love is an Algorithm is a thought provoking romance read, with a very topical theme
Eve has dreamed of making music her whole life, against the wishes of her parents, she is determined to succeed and to create meaning full and honest music. As the world is caught up in Ai she ponders if Ai can really give her music the edge
Her brother Julian and his best friend Danny are about to launch a dating app called Pattern. The app is designed to predict compatibility in a relationship and scores the potential couple and helps them maintain a healthy relationship score
Having known each other for years, Eve and Danny take the next step and start dating. While immediately it feels right for both them, there seems to underlying concern that the other person is not completely happy
This gives Danny and idea, and a new version of Patterns, giving users an AI chat named Bug, and not to they only get insight into their relationship via the score but now they get an AI therapist. Will this solve all relationships problems?
I was all in to the story very quickly. Eve and Danny are wonderful characters, together or seperate they are smart, real and flawed. With interesting and at times scene stealing side characters this page turner kept me hooked as I became invested in their story.
It really left me thinking about AI and how it really is embedded in our daily life. Does it really have the answers for everything.. even love?
Thank you Text Publishing for my gifted ARC
Eve has dreamed of making music her whole life, against the wishes of her parents, she is determined to succeed and to create meaning full and honest music. As the world is caught up in Ai she ponders if Ai can really give her music the edge
Her brother Julian and his best friend Danny are about to launch a dating app called Pattern. The app is designed to predict compatibility in a relationship and scores the potential couple and helps them maintain a healthy relationship score
Having known each other for years, Eve and Danny take the next step and start dating. While immediately it feels right for both them, there seems to underlying concern that the other person is not completely happy
This gives Danny and idea, and a new version of Patterns, giving users an AI chat named Bug, and not to they only get insight into their relationship via the score but now they get an AI therapist. Will this solve all relationships problems?
I was all in to the story very quickly. Eve and Danny are wonderful characters, together or seperate they are smart, real and flawed. With interesting and at times scene stealing side characters this page turner kept me hooked as I became invested in their story.
It really left me thinking about AI and how it really is embedded in our daily life. Does it really have the answers for everything.. even love?
Thank you Text Publishing for my gifted ARC
October 11, 2025
Love Is an Algorithm is a thought-provoking look at life and love in the age of AI. Eve is a singer/songwriter who makes music driven by emotion. Danny is the co-founder of a dating app that uses an AI chatbot which analyzes and scores users’ relationships. The two begin dating and the book begs the question: does AI make connection easier or harder?
Laura Brooke Robson explores how much we rely on technology and how that dependence might make it more challenging to communicate in our relationships. Can technology quantify something messy and human as love? I found this book refreshing, insightful, and surprisingly human for a story about algorithms. It left me thinking about how connection and communication have evolved, and what we might be losing along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Laura Brooke Robson explores how much we rely on technology and how that dependence might make it more challenging to communicate in our relationships. Can technology quantify something messy and human as love? I found this book refreshing, insightful, and surprisingly human for a story about algorithms. It left me thinking about how connection and communication have evolved, and what we might be losing along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 rounded up. LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM is the kind of genre-mash that takes the best of both of its parents! I’m not much of a romance reader, I tend to find the emotionality exaggerated and the emphasis on the relationship over all else in their lives unrealistic, but I love near future soft sci-fi, so I gave this a shot. It comped to THE HUSBANDS, so that sealed the deal for me.
The outcome? Warm fuzzies + super intriguing discussion around AI, critical thinking, differing expectations on male vs. female and tech vs. art public figures, and relationships in the digital age. I loved this!
Premise - Eve is a passionate musician, Danny is an anxious tech boy, and they’re in love. Great, right?
But Danny can’t get out of his head. He second guesses everything, so he develops an AI assistant, Pattern and Bug, to outsource all the emotional work of relationships to. It catches on like wildfire, but can love persist when you hand the reigns to a machine?
Oh. My. Goodness. I think this book really drove home how much I loooooove a love story, even if I've been in a multiyear ick with Romance. Romance as it stands is *rife* for an AI takeover, because it's often so formulaic and paint-by-the-numbers already. Is it craft? Absolutely! Do I have a ton of respect for Romance authors? Of course! Is it pushing me to think in new ways? Never and nope!
We need a small 'r' romance genre, in which the couple's HEA isn't guaranteed (because foregone conclusion crushes any sense of stakes), the romance develops alongside the plot as a strong mover and not *as* the plot, and where it's not trope soup (miss me with the 'my Smalltown Cinnamon Roll Neighbor is stuck in a One Bed hotel room with me while we overcome our Enemies to Lovers prejudices against each other in order to save my Best Friend's Wedding'). And can we skip the extreme emphasis on physicality, unless it's actually erotica? I read to stimulate the senses that film can't reach (and to get that good, good internal monologue), not to read paragraphs upon paragraphs about how tiny-yet-curvy she is and how huge-yet-hard he is.
Anyway, this is a rant, but the point is: LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM brings the sort of high emotional stakes I'd want to find in romance for it to win me back (I realize the genre is doing just fine without me, but this is my review so it's egocentric).
I genuinely cared about Danny and Eve, and I fevered alongside their romance because of how real and human it felt, how unpolished and uncertain, and how the interplay between their personal and professional lives could have consequences on a global scale (especially given Danny's app). This is real! This happens! And isn't it terrifying how the future might hinge on some beep-boop boy's love life?
I listened to the audio ARC, narrated by Karissa Vacker. She did an amazing job, even with the male characters. Highly recommend!
The outcome? Warm fuzzies + super intriguing discussion around AI, critical thinking, differing expectations on male vs. female and tech vs. art public figures, and relationships in the digital age. I loved this!
Premise - Eve is a passionate musician, Danny is an anxious tech boy, and they’re in love. Great, right?
But Danny can’t get out of his head. He second guesses everything, so he develops an AI assistant, Pattern and Bug, to outsource all the emotional work of relationships to. It catches on like wildfire, but can love persist when you hand the reigns to a machine?
Oh. My. Goodness. I think this book really drove home how much I loooooove a love story, even if I've been in a multiyear ick with Romance. Romance as it stands is *rife* for an AI takeover, because it's often so formulaic and paint-by-the-numbers already. Is it craft? Absolutely! Do I have a ton of respect for Romance authors? Of course! Is it pushing me to think in new ways? Never and nope!
We need a small 'r' romance genre, in which the couple's HEA isn't guaranteed (because foregone conclusion crushes any sense of stakes), the romance develops alongside the plot as a strong mover and not *as* the plot, and where it's not trope soup (miss me with the 'my Smalltown Cinnamon Roll Neighbor is stuck in a One Bed hotel room with me while we overcome our Enemies to Lovers prejudices against each other in order to save my Best Friend's Wedding'). And can we skip the extreme emphasis on physicality, unless it's actually erotica? I read to stimulate the senses that film can't reach (and to get that good, good internal monologue), not to read paragraphs upon paragraphs about how tiny-yet-curvy she is and how huge-yet-hard he is.
Anyway, this is a rant, but the point is: LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM brings the sort of high emotional stakes I'd want to find in romance for it to win me back (I realize the genre is doing just fine without me, but this is my review so it's egocentric).
I genuinely cared about Danny and Eve, and I fevered alongside their romance because of how real and human it felt, how unpolished and uncertain, and how the interplay between their personal and professional lives could have consequences on a global scale (especially given Danny's app). This is real! This happens! And isn't it terrifying how the future might hinge on some beep-boop boy's love life?
I listened to the audio ARC, narrated by Karissa Vacker. She did an amazing job, even with the male characters. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Love Is an Algorithm by Laura Brooke Robson felt like it was set five minutes in the future — close enough to reality to make you uncomfortable, but just far enough away to call it fiction.
At its heart, this is a love story between Eve and Danny. Eve is a singer-songwriter who believes art should be messy, emotional, and deeply human. Danny is anxious, analytical, and one of the creators of Pattern — a dating app designed to predict compatibility and measure relationship health. When they finally start dating after years of orbiting each other, it feels almost inevitable. And yet… it’s anything but simple.
What I loved most about this book is how it explores insecurity in modern relationships. Danny doesn’t just feel uncertain — he wants data to solve it. If there’s tension, why not quantify it? If there’s doubt, why not optimize it? The evolution of Pattern — especially with the introduction of the AI assistant, Bug — is both fascinating and deeply unnerving. Watching people outsource emotional labor and intimate conversations to an algorithm felt disturbingly plausible. In fact, I can almost guarantee it’s already happening.
Eve’s arc was incredibly compelling. As someone trying to build a music career rooted in authenticity, she’s constantly confronted with the question: if AI can polish, predict, and perfect art, what happens to raw human feeling? Her resistance to optimization becomes one of the emotional anchors of the story.
The romance itself is tender and believable. Eve and Danny are flawed in ways that feel painfully real — miscommunications, overthinking, the quiet fear of not being enough for the person you love. Their chemistry is strong, but the tension comes from something more existential than a typical third-act breakup. It’s about trust — not just in each other, but in human instinct.
This isn’t a light rom-com. It’s a reflective, slightly alarming exploration of what happens when we start believing technology can answer questions that are supposed to remain uncertain. Can love survive being measured? Should it? By the end, I felt both satisfied and unsettled — which I think is exactly the point. If you enjoy romances that dig deeper into big ideas while still delivering emotional payoff, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and HTP | Park Row for this eARC!
At its heart, this is a love story between Eve and Danny. Eve is a singer-songwriter who believes art should be messy, emotional, and deeply human. Danny is anxious, analytical, and one of the creators of Pattern — a dating app designed to predict compatibility and measure relationship health. When they finally start dating after years of orbiting each other, it feels almost inevitable. And yet… it’s anything but simple.
What I loved most about this book is how it explores insecurity in modern relationships. Danny doesn’t just feel uncertain — he wants data to solve it. If there’s tension, why not quantify it? If there’s doubt, why not optimize it? The evolution of Pattern — especially with the introduction of the AI assistant, Bug — is both fascinating and deeply unnerving. Watching people outsource emotional labor and intimate conversations to an algorithm felt disturbingly plausible. In fact, I can almost guarantee it’s already happening.
Eve’s arc was incredibly compelling. As someone trying to build a music career rooted in authenticity, she’s constantly confronted with the question: if AI can polish, predict, and perfect art, what happens to raw human feeling? Her resistance to optimization becomes one of the emotional anchors of the story.
The romance itself is tender and believable. Eve and Danny are flawed in ways that feel painfully real — miscommunications, overthinking, the quiet fear of not being enough for the person you love. Their chemistry is strong, but the tension comes from something more existential than a typical third-act breakup. It’s about trust — not just in each other, but in human instinct.
This isn’t a light rom-com. It’s a reflective, slightly alarming exploration of what happens when we start believing technology can answer questions that are supposed to remain uncertain. Can love survive being measured? Should it? By the end, I felt both satisfied and unsettled — which I think is exactly the point. If you enjoy romances that dig deeper into big ideas while still delivering emotional payoff, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and HTP | Park Row for this eARC!
December 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC.
3.75/5
Is it possible to find real love in a time of AI, algorithms, and apps?
Yes, but it does make everything terribly complicated.
Dating is hard, especially with all of the access we have to technology today. “Love is an Algorithm” lets us in on all of the ups and downs that come with trying to find something real when we’re inundated with the never ending change of ever adapting technologies.
This is certainly an important novel for modern romances. It reflects the messiness of real life when we’re inundated with so many different apps and websites that help us live our lives. But I never truly found myself falling in love with the story.
Eve and Danny do share a sweet yet very realistic sort of love. They’re imperfect humans who make both good and bad decisions and feel the consequences of their choices. The characters’ dynamics all feel extremely real: complicated, messy, and interesting. They feel like friend groups we’d see in real life.
While I enjoyed the characters, something in the style held me back. It’s told slightly non-linear—we see moments from both Eve and Danny’s past—while also watching the relationship play out in real time. It works for the novel, but I didn’t find myself falling in love with it. The chapters are all different lengths: some are as short as a paragraph and others will be multiple pages. It sets an interesting pace, being both a quick and relatively slow read. I do wish we saw more of Danny’s dates from the app. They felt entirely too realistic for those of us stuck searching through IRL dating apps.
Although this wasn’t the one for me, it serves as a fascinating commentary on modern dating in an age of rapidly updating technology.
3.75/5
Is it possible to find real love in a time of AI, algorithms, and apps?
Yes, but it does make everything terribly complicated.
Dating is hard, especially with all of the access we have to technology today. “Love is an Algorithm” lets us in on all of the ups and downs that come with trying to find something real when we’re inundated with the never ending change of ever adapting technologies.
This is certainly an important novel for modern romances. It reflects the messiness of real life when we’re inundated with so many different apps and websites that help us live our lives. But I never truly found myself falling in love with the story.
Eve and Danny do share a sweet yet very realistic sort of love. They’re imperfect humans who make both good and bad decisions and feel the consequences of their choices. The characters’ dynamics all feel extremely real: complicated, messy, and interesting. They feel like friend groups we’d see in real life.
While I enjoyed the characters, something in the style held me back. It’s told slightly non-linear—we see moments from both Eve and Danny’s past—while also watching the relationship play out in real time. It works for the novel, but I didn’t find myself falling in love with it. The chapters are all different lengths: some are as short as a paragraph and others will be multiple pages. It sets an interesting pace, being both a quick and relatively slow read. I do wish we saw more of Danny’s dates from the app. They felt entirely too realistic for those of us stuck searching through IRL dating apps.
Although this wasn’t the one for me, it serves as a fascinating commentary on modern dating in an age of rapidly updating technology.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went into this book fully expecting a romance, and while there is romance, what I got was something so much deeper and more meaningful. The story blends humor with heavy, emotional moments in a way that feels natural and honest. The writing is strong and easy to get lost in, but it never shies away from important topics. Eve and Danny first meet ten years earlier through Julian (Eve’s brother) who was Danny’s best friend and college roommate before eventually becoming his business partner.All of the characters are connected in one way or another, and those overlapping relationships add so much depth to the story. The author unpacks what happened over those ten years in a smart, engaging way that shows how tightly the past and present are woven together and keeps you fully invested.
What really makes this book stand out is how deeply it explores Eve and Danny’s “mommy” and “daddy” issues and how central those experiences are to who they’ve become. Their family histories directly affect how they communicate, how they handle relationships, and how they show up for each other and for everyone around them. Danny, in particular, was incredibly likable, and I genuinely connected with the way he thinks and processes the world. On top of all of that, the book quietly pushes you to reflect on the role of AI in our lives and how it influences the way we think and how it may eventually start shaping our decisions in ways we don’t even notice. This book surprised me in the best way and I'm so thankful I was able to get an early copy.
What really makes this book stand out is how deeply it explores Eve and Danny’s “mommy” and “daddy” issues and how central those experiences are to who they’ve become. Their family histories directly affect how they communicate, how they handle relationships, and how they show up for each other and for everyone around them. Danny, in particular, was incredibly likable, and I genuinely connected with the way he thinks and processes the world. On top of all of that, the book quietly pushes you to reflect on the role of AI in our lives and how it influences the way we think and how it may eventually start shaping our decisions in ways we don’t even notice. This book surprised me in the best way and I'm so thankful I was able to get an early copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and more specifically to Justine from HarperCollins for emailing me a widget when I requested an arc.
If you know me, A Curse for the Homesick became my all-time-favorite book last year. I felt incredibly connected, and I adore the story. I hoped this would at least be similar. I find the topic of AI to be so poignant, and I adore books that bring up dystopian dating themes (it has been a hyper-focus of mine at the moment), but unfortunately, even this didn't quite scratch that itch. I felt as if this book truly gives nothing beyond the bare minimum for me, but I also believe that is my personal opinion.
I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I don't believe they are written to be likable, but I also don't think they're hate fodder. While this is realistic, I just didn't find any sympathy for them as someone who is strongly anti-AI. I found Eve to be annoying. Danny is fine, but his character points out the flaw in AI reliance, which is another one of my pet peeves. I did find the ending really interesting, but I also feel as if it undoes a lot of the work the author does to show us how harmful AI can be.
The thing I struggle with the most about this story is the fact that this has all the puzzle pieces of making a great story, yet it seems like we have three different puzzle's pieces at once, and we're also missing at least 20.
If you know me, A Curse for the Homesick became my all-time-favorite book last year. I felt incredibly connected, and I adore the story. I hoped this would at least be similar. I find the topic of AI to be so poignant, and I adore books that bring up dystopian dating themes (it has been a hyper-focus of mine at the moment), but unfortunately, even this didn't quite scratch that itch. I felt as if this book truly gives nothing beyond the bare minimum for me, but I also believe that is my personal opinion.
I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I don't believe they are written to be likable, but I also don't think they're hate fodder. While this is realistic, I just didn't find any sympathy for them as someone who is strongly anti-AI. I found Eve to be annoying. Danny is fine, but his character points out the flaw in AI reliance, which is another one of my pet peeves. I did find the ending really interesting, but I also feel as if it undoes a lot of the work the author does to show us how harmful AI can be.
The thing I struggle with the most about this story is the fact that this has all the puzzle pieces of making a great story, yet it seems like we have three different puzzle's pieces at once, and we're also missing at least 20.
October 14, 2025
Love is an Algorithm feels like a concerningly real story of people of all ages turning towards AI to be the answer to all kinds of tough relationship moments. Danny and Julian start by making an AI dating app which quickly goes beyond helping you to meet your match to grading the relationship and guiding along. I think it would have been very easy to turn the story of Danny and Eve (Julian’s sister and Danny’s eventually girlfriend) into a ‘Black Mirror’-esque dystopian tale of AI making it so humans never have a real conversation again but I think that Laura Brooke Robson gives us insight into a more realistic (and therefore scarier) future.
Love is an Algorithm is hard to put down - the prose glides along nicely the pace is enjoyable and it’s easy to get sucked in. I enjoyed how the book is separated into little sections, sometimes only about a page in length, but still keeps a rhythm throughout. I have yet to be disappointed by Brooke Robson and although this is in a much more contemporary (and conventional) setting then previous works Love is an Algorithm still delivers with an engaging story told in a lovely way.
A big thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Love is an Algorithm is hard to put down - the prose glides along nicely the pace is enjoyable and it’s easy to get sucked in. I enjoyed how the book is separated into little sections, sometimes only about a page in length, but still keeps a rhythm throughout. I have yet to be disappointed by Brooke Robson and although this is in a much more contemporary (and conventional) setting then previous works Love is an Algorithm still delivers with an engaging story told in a lovely way.
A big thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
November 7, 2025
The author of this book, Laura Robson, is doing some genuinely interesting work both in this novel and her newsletter grappling with the incursion of AI into creative pursuits and evaluating how AI "produces" creative work. I don't think that LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM sets out to, or answers, any of those questions, but it is a very interesting creative work addressing them. LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM is the story of Eve, a singer-songwriter and Danny (it's not short for Daniel), an app developer. They're connected through Danny's co-founder Julian who is Eve's brother. Danny and Julian develop a dating and relationship app with an AI chatbot, Bug, that is meant to answer questions, provide advice, and evaluate the strength of your connection. No matter what your opinion on the incursion of AI into daily life is, I thought that LOVE IS AN ALGORITHM accurately depicted how the ways AI can affect life, work, relationships, and does it in a way that, I believe, leaves the decision up to the individual reader whether utilizing AI was the right choice or not. There is a sorta-third act plot twist that both feels shoehorned in and also very fitting, given the unpredictability of life that makes us truly human.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went in expecting a light, techy rom-com, and while it is fun and witty, it also made me pause and think about how much we rely on data to tell us how to feel. Watching Eve and Danny navigate a relationship where one of them literally builds algorithms to define love felt uncomfortably familiar at times.
I really connected with Eve’s resistance to being measured and optimized — that desire to just feel things without explanation. And Danny, while frustrating at moments, felt painfully human in his anxiety and need for reassurance. Their dynamic felt real, messy, and very “modern dating,” especially in a world where we constantly look for validation outside ourselves.
The pacing lagged a bit for me in places where the tech side took center stage, and I sometimes wanted the emotions to dig a little deeper instead of being analyzed. But overall, the heart of the story landed. By the end, I was genuinely rooting for them — not just as a couple, but as two people learning to trust themselves instead of an app.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
I really connected with Eve’s resistance to being measured and optimized — that desire to just feel things without explanation. And Danny, while frustrating at moments, felt painfully human in his anxiety and need for reassurance. Their dynamic felt real, messy, and very “modern dating,” especially in a world where we constantly look for validation outside ourselves.
The pacing lagged a bit for me in places where the tech side took center stage, and I sometimes wanted the emotions to dig a little deeper instead of being analyzed. But overall, the heart of the story landed. By the end, I was genuinely rooting for them — not just as a couple, but as two people learning to trust themselves instead of an app.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
November 19, 2025
This was a poignant yet fun read. Romance-themed but not a romance. The first couple pages had me hooked and the short chapters made this compulsively readable. The author still manages to say a lot even in those quick little chapters. I found the pacing lagged a little around the 3/4 mark and the plot started to get a bit repetitive by the end. Once everything came to a head though the story wrapped up succinctly. However, there were a couple details that I feel like I didn't get the answer to.
The characters were decently well developed albeit a little annoying, which I imagine was in part intentional by the author. Danny's insecurity got very tedious after a while.
What I liked most was the commentary on how modern relationships function compared to a generation ago, cyber-bullying, the use of AI in art, and how deepfakes and disinformation make it so hard to tell what was truly real.
Overall I really enjoyed this and I'm excited to recommend it to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author and the publisher for the ARC.
The characters were decently well developed albeit a little annoying, which I imagine was in part intentional by the author. Danny's insecurity got very tedious after a while.
What I liked most was the commentary on how modern relationships function compared to a generation ago, cyber-bullying, the use of AI in art, and how deepfakes and disinformation make it so hard to tell what was truly real.
Overall I really enjoyed this and I'm excited to recommend it to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved Love Is an Algorithm and especially related to Eve and Danny. I was totally invested in their journeys, their doubts about love and relationships, and all the little anxieties that come with trying to build an authentic relationship in a world that feels engineered for convenience. The way Robson captures modern dating, creative ambition, and the nervous “what if this doesn’t work?” vibe hit close to home.
What I loved was how real this book was, and how it reflected modern-day relationships and the impact of early 20-something’s in trying to develop relationships that are genuine and not just “for show” in the digital age. It also has such a unique lense on how AI impacts people trying to find love, and addresses some serious issues with “mismatches” and modern day dating.
Definitely a 5-star read from me! Laura Robson did a fantastic job crafting characters that I emotionally connected to, who are trying to make their own happiness. Will definitely be rereading it!
What I loved was how real this book was, and how it reflected modern-day relationships and the impact of early 20-something’s in trying to develop relationships that are genuine and not just “for show” in the digital age. It also has such a unique lense on how AI impacts people trying to find love, and addresses some serious issues with “mismatches” and modern day dating.
Definitely a 5-star read from me! Laura Robson did a fantastic job crafting characters that I emotionally connected to, who are trying to make their own happiness. Will definitely be rereading it!
November 20, 2025
A compelling exploration–with a lighthearted touch–of modern love and how our increasing reliance on technology can distort our decision making abilities and how we view ourselves.
Eve and Danny like each other. Everything in their relationship is fine, right? How can they make it even better? Is everything actually okay? How much human connection and communication can be outsourced to AI instead? These are some of the questions Danny asks himself when he develops an app to help couples strengthen their relationships. Can Eve and Danny survive in a world where relationships are scored?
This is a delightful read. I loved the author's writing style and humor infused throughout. Recommended to readers looking for a fresh and thought-provoking (love) story.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
Eve and Danny like each other. Everything in their relationship is fine, right? How can they make it even better? Is everything actually okay? How much human connection and communication can be outsourced to AI instead? These are some of the questions Danny asks himself when he develops an app to help couples strengthen their relationships. Can Eve and Danny survive in a world where relationships are scored?
This is a delightful read. I loved the author's writing style and humor infused throughout. Recommended to readers looking for a fresh and thought-provoking (love) story.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.
March 2, 2026
Imagine if you could use AI to analyze your relationship and give you a score. That’s exactly what the dating app our male main character, Danny, has created. Eve, our female protagonist, is a budding musician who is skeptical about technology and AI. As they begin dating, Danny and Eve must wrestle with the benefits and downfalls that the app and its AI assistant, Bug, bring. This is the story of insecurities, hope, family drama, and love with current and future technological advances reimagined. Fans of modern, quirky romances will enjoy this tale.
Thank you, Laura Brooke Robson, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced listener copy of this book! The sound quality was great. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, was familiar and did an excellent job of bringing the story to life!
Thank you, Laura Brooke Robson, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced listener copy of this book! The sound quality was great. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, was familiar and did an excellent job of bringing the story to life!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
•𝐀𝐋𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝘄•
[Love Is An Algorithm]
🔥 Release Date: Mar 31 2026 🔥
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
★★☆☆☆
I requested this for the AI matchmaking and dystopian dating vibes. Unfortunately, it falls very flat. The pacing is so fast it gave me whiplash. Big emotional moments happen and we barely sit with them before jumping to the next thing. Because of that, I didn’t really care about anyone. And for a story about love and algorithms deciding connection, that part really matters. The writing style just isn’t for me, I fear. And while the ideas are interesting, I wish we had slowed down enough to explore them. I wanted to love it, and instead I spent the whole time trying to catch up.
[Love Is An Algorithm]
🔥 Release Date: Mar 31 2026 🔥
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
★★☆☆☆
I requested this for the AI matchmaking and dystopian dating vibes. Unfortunately, it falls very flat. The pacing is so fast it gave me whiplash. Big emotional moments happen and we barely sit with them before jumping to the next thing. Because of that, I didn’t really care about anyone. And for a story about love and algorithms deciding connection, that part really matters. The writing style just isn’t for me, I fear. And while the ideas are interesting, I wish we had slowed down enough to explore them. I wanted to love it, and instead I spent the whole time trying to catch up.
October 9, 2025
I read this as an ARC through Netgalley!
Two words: compulsively readable. Laura Brooke Robson once again demonstrates her masterful command of humor, tone, and character work. Everyone in this story was so lovable and forgivable and human. I saw myself in every one of them, even Fletcher, the embarrassing ultra runner ex-boyfriend who won’t use brand names for things. I thought the satire of tech was sharp, original, and funny; the love story was vulnerable, honest, and sweet. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
Two words: compulsively readable. Laura Brooke Robson once again demonstrates her masterful command of humor, tone, and character work. Everyone in this story was so lovable and forgivable and human. I saw myself in every one of them, even Fletcher, the embarrassing ultra runner ex-boyfriend who won’t use brand names for things. I thought the satire of tech was sharp, original, and funny; the love story was vulnerable, honest, and sweet. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25⭐ This read like a really character-driven take of how (current day) AI can slowly infiltrate our relationships. I enjoyed the cast of characters (aside from, trigger warning, the horrendous parents) and quite liked the writing, easy to follow but not simplistic. The short chapters make it feel quick to read. A quote I liked about Eve's repeated pull towards music: "They tried so hard to make her into a different person, and she kept becoming this one instead."
Overall, this was somehow both heartbreaking and uplifting.
Overall, this was somehow both heartbreaking and uplifting.
November 4, 2025
I read a lot about AI and sometimes feel like I'm aware of all the issues that can be raised about it, but this book gave me new things to thing about, plus a fun romance, witty banter, and great characters to love or be exasperated with. A thoroughly enjoyable read with just the right balance of fluff and seriousness.
January 30, 2026
4.75⭐️
Beautiful story about love, grief and complicated modern relationships in the time of IA.
I could not put it down and I’m amazed about how the author was able to weave this story in such a short book.
Highly recommend!
Beautiful story about love, grief and complicated modern relationships in the time of IA.
I could not put it down and I’m amazed about how the author was able to weave this story in such a short book.
Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the love story of Eve and Danny. It's a witty, clean, and engaging story. I thought the writing will done and the narrators did a fabulous job!
4 stars
Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
tbr-arc
October 3, 2025can't wait to find out! talk nerdy to me.
*thank you to Park Row for the ARC*
*thank you to Park Row for the ARC*
November 6, 2025
Danny is everything.
Review of advance copy received from Author
you can tell the author tried her best
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Going in, I had high hopes for this one. I love AI, I love matchmaking services, and when I was younger this kind of idea felt like a passion project. That curiosity about whether algorithms could really understand love immediately pulled me in. I actually loved the short chapters, but the frequent time jumps and experimental structure made it harder for me to stay emotionally anchored, and I often felt a step removed from the story. I’m deeply fascinated by attachment styles, especially anxious attachment, and I appreciated seeing it explored here, but the execution didn’t quite land for me. At times it felt repetitive rather than revelatory, which dulled its emotional impact. Overall, it’s an interesting and timely book, just not one that fully worked for me or matched my personal taste.
Narration is perfection though!
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for the ARC and ALC.
Narration is perfection though!
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for the ARC and ALC.
Want to read
October 3, 2025The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing, publisher of Love Is an Algorithm.
‘A cutting satire of tech startups, New York City, and dating, the novel is necessary reading for anyone trying to figure out who they are and what they want in the era of social media.’
Kyle Chayka, author of Filterworld
‘Warm, funny, emotional, propulsive and real—a beautiful love story.’
Jessica Stanley, author of Consider Yourself Kissed
‘I loved this book! Smart, funny, immensely readable, and deeply insightful about how we make art, fall in love, and connect with each other in the age of AI. With its sharp humour and delightful dialogue, Love is an Algorithm was exactly the book I needed—I tore through it. You will too!’
Else Fitzgerald, author of Everything Feels Like the End of the World
‘Robson has crafted a compelling love story examining intimacy, vulnerability, and communication in the modern age.’
Margarita Montimore, author of The Dollhouse Academy
‘A cutting satire of tech startups, New York City, and dating, the novel is necessary reading for anyone trying to figure out who they are and what they want in the era of social media.’
Kyle Chayka, author of Filterworld
‘Warm, funny, emotional, propulsive and real—a beautiful love story.’
Jessica Stanley, author of Consider Yourself Kissed
‘I loved this book! Smart, funny, immensely readable, and deeply insightful about how we make art, fall in love, and connect with each other in the age of AI. With its sharp humour and delightful dialogue, Love is an Algorithm was exactly the book I needed—I tore through it. You will too!’
Else Fitzgerald, author of Everything Feels Like the End of the World
‘Robson has crafted a compelling love story examining intimacy, vulnerability, and communication in the modern age.’
Margarita Montimore, author of The Dollhouse Academy
December 8, 2025
It just didn't vibe with me.
Okay, so the premise is so relevant. Love vs. algorithms, AI butting into relationships. Super modern concept, and I wanted to like it.
But for me, the execution felt… off. The writing style gets pretty experimental in places, and honestly, it just wasn't my cup of tea. It kinda took me out of the story instead of pulling me in.
It has cool, big ideas about our digital age and love, which I appreciate. But overall? The way it was told made it hard for me to really connect. Felt a bit like a great tweet that got stretched too long.
Maybe you'll click with it if you're into that more avant-garde style, but for me, it was a miss.
Okay, so the premise is so relevant. Love vs. algorithms, AI butting into relationships. Super modern concept, and I wanted to like it.
But for me, the execution felt… off. The writing style gets pretty experimental in places, and honestly, it just wasn't my cup of tea. It kinda took me out of the story instead of pulling me in.
It has cool, big ideas about our digital age and love, which I appreciate. But overall? The way it was told made it hard for me to really connect. Felt a bit like a great tweet that got stretched too long.
Maybe you'll click with it if you're into that more avant-garde style, but for me, it was a miss.
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