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Love Is an Algorithm
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26
Pattern is more than just a dating app—it’s your friendly relationship coach. It will tell you whether you should invest in learning your partner’s love language (quality time!) or pull the escape hatch (red flags galore!). The latest version of Pattern includes Bug, a friendly AI chatbot guaranteed to give you bespoke relationship advice and help revitalize that spark. Take the uncertainty out of love!
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 How do you fall and stay in love in the digital age?
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 How do you fall and stay in love in the digital age?
- GenresRomanceScience Fiction
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
282 people want to read
About the author
Laura Brooke Robson
5 books185 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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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews