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Joia City #1

Code of Heart

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She needs a husband to secure her future.
He needs a fiancée to keep his empire intact.
Neither expected love to be part of the deal.

Five years ago, Aurelia Douro had nothing—no family, no home, no safety net. Now, thanks to a shocking inheritance from her eccentric former boss, she has everything…including enemies she never saw coming. The catch? To claim her inheritance and protect herself, Aurelia must participate in a high-end matchmaking program that doesn’t believe in dating—only marriage.

Enter Levi Lockwood.

A billionaire CEO struggling to hold onto the reigns of his now public assistive technology company, Levi is drowning in pressure, expectations, and struggles he’s spent a lifetime masking. When shareholders demand stability—and a picture-perfect personal life—he does the only logical thing: hires an elite matchmaker to find him a real fiancée. Fast.

A marriage of convenience should be simple.
No feelings. No pasts. No complications.

But as Aurelia and Levi navigate fake smiles, very real chemistry, and the unexpected intimacy of living together, the lines between business and desire blur fast. With old trauma resurfacing, dangerous secrets closing in, and emotions neither of them planned for, they’ll have to decide if this marriage is just another contract—or the one thing worth risking everything for.

A laugh-out-loud billionaire romantic comedy featuring an arranged marriage, forced proximity, sharp banter, disability representation, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Perfect for fans of fake dating, marriage-of-convenience romances, and billionaire heroes who fall hard.

This book features:
~Billionaire romantic comedy
~Marriage of convenience
~Elite matchmaker
~Forced proximity
~He falls first
~Trauma healing
~Disability representation
~Happily Ever After

357 pages, ebook

Published August 15, 2025

6 people are currently reading
42 people want to read

About the author

T.M. Polak

2 books9 followers
T. M. Polak writes spicy, swoony, and emotionally layered romantic comedies that embrace both the magical and the meaningful. Her stories are not limited to one theme, and explore anything from arranged marriages, unexpected inheritances, rock stars, billionaires, and newly imagined magical worlds—all woven together with inclusive representation, disability awareness, and just the right dose of fantasy.

As a neurodivergent parent raising a young daughter and a son with Autism alongside her amazing husband, T. M. believes in writing love stories that reflect the world she knows: beautifully imperfect, wildly creative, and full of unexpected joy. Her career in HR project management by day and her work as a community volunteer and parent advocate by night have shaped her deep understanding of resilience, growth, and connection.

A New England native, she’s always got a project in motion, a stubborn streak in action, or potentially a cheesecake in the fridge. Also, (believe it or not) she once managed to lick her elbow, which she considers a superpower and a testament to her unwavering determination once she sets her mind to something.

Her debut novel, Code of Heart, launches the Joia City Series on August 15, 2025. You can find her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook sharing bookish updates, behind-the-scenes chaos, glimpses of her daily life, and sneak peeks of what’s next.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Martina.
54 reviews
July 7, 2025
Code of Heart is a wonderful romcom in three acts, that will keep you on your toes! I have had the pleasure to read this book as an ARC reader and honestly I loved it. As an avid romcom watcher and reader, Code of Heart finds its place on the shelf naturally. The story is fluid, I could not put the book down, funny, and captivating. I love seeing disability representation and self made characters: this book has them both!
Aurelia and Levi have a great chemistry and the rest of the characters are so lovable, you’ll come to adore them too.
Honorable mention to Owen: we should all have an Owen in our lives!

Can’t recommend this book enough!!!!!
1 review
July 23, 2025
This book is fabulous! After the first chapter I was hooked and finished reading it in one day. I had to find out who, I mean how, I mean what… kidding no spoilers here but yes, there are twists and turns you’re not going to see coming.

I feel like this book was a movie playing in my mind as I read it due to the wonderful detail in the scenes and characters. I really enjoyed how the author introduces the love interests separately with their own story lines and secondary characters. Their stories are so well developed you're invested in them separately before they ever meet. The secondary characters have such well developed personalities and the banter between the characters is so entertaining!

With Code of Heart you get all the feels plus plenty of spice and a HEA! You'll be so mad and angry at points but then you're laughing so hard you're crying. By the time you're done reading you're going to want more. I can't wait to read more from this author. I hope we get Owen's story next, he is such a fun lovable character.
Profile Image for Jasmine Petznick Wright.
46 reviews
July 20, 2025
5 pages in and I’m already in love with Eleanor? A planned party in replacement to a funeral? Count me in.

I pretty much read 75% of the story in one day. I love anything, even as intense as this story, that can keep me engaged and leave me wanting more.

I want to live in this made up city and swim in a lagoon and buy a house that only feels like home with my husband in it. Sigh…. Guess I’m hooked for the next books in these series!

The golden retriever best friend Owen was a great comic relief and the best friend you’d always want to have your back.

I definitely knew something was off about cough from the jump BUT not to that extent until half way through and I was still pretty shocked at the end of it. I appreciated the closure on that story line at the end of the book. Multiple happy endings in my book!

Also, we love non damsel in distress FMC.

A good read, one I would re-read, and one I would invest in hearing more about these characters and group of friends.
Really crossing fingers book 2 expends on either Auri’s kickboxing friend and/or our matchmakers next future perfect couple!
1 review
July 27, 2025
Once I started Code of Heart, I could not put it down. The buildup to a funeral, aftermath that unfolded and the buildup to a love story kept me engaged and wanting to find out what came next. The integration of different lives and personalities kept me moving quickly through the book. The book read like a movie in my mind with all the details given and I cannot wait to see what comes in book 2 and which storyline gets continued. My new favorite romance author will keep me coming back for more!
Profile Image for Danielle McGuire.
43 reviews2 followers
July 11, 2025
I have so many words to describe this book but also none at all. This book made me laugh to the point of tears and made me actually cry. The loyalty in this friend good is unwavering in all the struggles that Aurelia & Levi face. Plus this was a SOLID plot twist that I did not see coming!! Absolutely loved this book!
Profile Image for Zulma.
168 reviews2 followers
August 3, 2025
Aurelia story begins as a personal assistant for Eleanor. but when tragedy strikes, Aurelia must work through the fire to survive. Levy is the ceo of a company that aims at helping people with disabilities especially dyslexia. they meet through a match making company. their trials and tribulations take them on a roller coaster ride. the characters were built with such realness and so relatable. I related so much to Aurelia and felt all the emotions reading this book. I loved it. I even loved the epilogue, which I always feel authors rush this one didn't.
Profile Image for Apryl.
57 reviews
October 22, 2025
Incredible debut! So many twists and turns once things revved up! Aurelia & Levi have great on page chemistry and Owen 😍 gimme more please!

Only drawback? No aliens… I did enjoy the senior citizen rave though 😂
Profile Image for Missy C.
44 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2025
ARC Reader for This book!

I have to say, I was excited about this read, and the Cover drew me in at first! It kept me READING!

I love the characters and the storyline. I can relate to some of them. The mystery, the love, the banter, the emotions, and the twists! It is all so great!

Aurelia is such a great character. The chemistry She and Levi has is so great. 🔥. You can relate to them and just cannot help but fall in love!
Profile Image for Sara Rodriguez.
3 reviews
August 12, 2025
Wow! T.M Polak what an Amazing debut. I was given the honor to ARC this book and it was indeed that, an honor. From the beginning I was clutching pearls with the senior’s secrets being revealed and it had me laughing out loud. Polak takes us on a journey with Aurelia who had a traumatic past, is given a second chance by her boss. She was given a job and a great career. Once her boss passes away, she left her in the will. But there was a secret. She had to get married to gain an inheritance!
I didn’t know what to expect when reading this, and I don’t want to spoil it, but it took me to places that were heart warming, gut wrenching, and LOL laughing.
With this being her debut, I look forward to the second one and most definitely look forward to what she brings to the table in the future. Polak hit nails that I think will hit home for many people including how trauma can affect you, the loss of a loved one, fake friends, and wanting to be loved. She does a fantastic job on highlighting the real problems people who have dyslexia experience and gives a sense of hope.

14 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Funny, raw, and utterly unforgettable

From the first page, Code of Heart had me — and it never let go. Aurelia is a heroine built for survival. Growing up in foster care, she’s had to fight for every scrap of stability, and it shows in the way she moves through life. She’s smart, resourceful, and so deeply human. Watching her slowly realise that not everyone in her inner circle is truly a friend is heartbreaking and powerful.

Eleanor — her boss, mentor, and the closest thing to family — is an absolute force. Even after death, she’s savage, hilarious, and fiercely protective, pulling off a posthumous masterclass in making sure Aurelia is set up for life. And yes, there is an elderly rave scene that is so gloriously unhinged I had to put the book down because I was laughing too hard.

But this isn’t just humour (though it will make you laugh out loud more than once). It’s gritty and real. Domestic violence is addressed here in a vivid, aching way, along with cheating and betrayal, and the emotional weight hits hard. It’s not a fairy tale — there are real consequences, and that’s what makes the romance so satisfying.

Levi isn’t a perfect man, and that’s exactly why he works. The connection between him and Aurelia feels lived-in and earned. There’s enough spice, enough softness, and enough bite to keep you hooked. And Owen? Absolute favourite. Every scene he’s in is gold.

For a debut, this is extraordinary. T.M. Polak has built a story that’s equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful. She’s a true master of her craft, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Profile Image for Samantha Bennett.
84 reviews
August 18, 2025
I had the privilege of arc reading this book. I was sucked in from the first chapter. Even though It started with a memorial, it's a memorial for the books! Eleanor's last video that revealed so many secrets had me laughing picturing the chaos that had erupted.
Aurelia was to inherit Eleanor's legacy with one stipulation. She wasn't happy about it, but knew there there was a reason for this stipulation. After an outburst in a board meeting Levi put his foot in his mouth when he claimed to have a fiance knowing he didn't have one. After both our MMC and FMC meeting with a match maker they matched and married within a week. Neither knew very much of each other, but worked hard to make this contract marriage work. Aurelia wanted to feel safe and Levi wanted to feel at home. Through their journey that's what the give to one another. This book was well written, it had me laughing, crying, and screaming at Levi a few times. If you're looking for a good contemporary romance that's going to have you feeling like you just watched a Hallmark movie then you will love this book!
42 reviews
July 8, 2025
This books certainly did not disappoint! I received my copy as an ARC and am I glad I did!

I will begrudgingly say that this book was touch and go for about 30-35 percent of the beginning. Not because of the writing, but because of my. I like books where right off the bat the love interests meet. This one took a bit of build up to get Aurelia and Levi on the same page, literally, but I ended up loving it.

I love the humor. I loved Owen and his obsession with romance movies. I loved the banter. I loved how Levi was so understanding of Auri’s past and I loved how she was able to admit when she wasn’t as understanding and she was in the wrong.

The journey these two went on of self discovery while trying to build a lasting relationship and trust as everything you want in a romance book.

Profile Image for Shannon Binegar-Foster.
2,819 reviews20 followers
August 13, 2025
She is an assistant to a wealthy socialite and has a troubled past. He is a CEO struggling to keep his company. Her surprise inheritance and his untimely announcement at a heated board meeting has them both seeing a matchmaking service in search of a spouse. They are off to a rocky start after a whirlwind marriage, when her past comes back to haunt her and his company is on the edge of destruction. Will the events be too much for them to handle? Will they find their way back together after a horrible misunderstanding? I absolutely loved this story. The characters were fantastic. The dynamic, engaging. I especially loved the supporting characters Owen, Ivy and Grace…everybody needs friends like them. So much emotional turmoil with just the right amount of spice and humor. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by bookfunnel.
Profile Image for Pauline Walters.
Author 4 books16 followers
July 22, 2025
ARC Review
Thanks T.M for trusting me with your baby!
This is a sweet romcom, with hot smut, some dramas, and two broken main characters.
Their relationship takes a little while to start but as they are both dealing with their past it's pretty realistic and really well written.
My favorite part is still the first one, at Eleanor's funeral :D and I think Eleanor should deserve her own prequel.
The author's sense of humor must also be my favorite thing in this book, and I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times.
Profile Image for Stephanie Rivera.
6 reviews
July 23, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! Its a sweet story with a few twists and turns that definitely keep you interested.
Also the humor! I love the mix of sarcasm and lovingly teasing. It was very complementary to the drama.
It was not all comedy or all drama. It mixed well to keep from getting too dark or too heavy.
It was on the lite spicy side. Nothing that's going to make you blush when reading in public or have you "embarrassed" if some asks questions.
Its a sweet, spicy, untraditional love story that will make you laugh and feel happy.
Profile Image for Allie Grey.
Author 4 books12 followers
July 17, 2025
This one DOES have a bit of a slow burn in the beginning to set the scene, but once it’s on IT IS ON!! I finished it in two days. I can already tell this author will be one of my go to romance authors. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series and this one isn’t even out yet!

The humor, the spice, the banter, the love story… it’s allllllll there. I love me a badass FMC and this story had it.

5/5
Profile Image for Stephanie Garcia.
243 reviews3 followers
July 23, 2025
Where do I start? This book was so captivating and I couldn't put it down. Aurelia & Levi love story was of my favorites both have trauma and he was so patient with Aurelia.

The humor, banter, and spice... Chef's kiss!!

How could you not love Eleanor? Her funeral omg lol.

Then theres Owen he was my favorite and his love for romance movies. I laughed out loud when it came to him lol. I hope he gets his own book!!

Thank you T. M. For allowing me to be apart of your Arc team.
59 reviews3 followers
July 27, 2025
ARC review of Code of Heart by T. M. Polak

What a roller coaster. I had no idea what to expect when I signed up for an ARC Reader for this book. It literally takes you through all the emotions. Tears were shed……a few times. There is also plenty of moments where you chuckle out loud. Such a great love story. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR. The are some triggers so be sure to check those first.

#codeofheart
#tmpolak
Profile Image for Mikayla Standley.
9 reviews
August 4, 2025
This book had a little of everything! It took a little bit for me to get into it, but once I did.. ✨magic✨

I loved Levi from the start. I found so much about him hilarious and charming. Aurelia took some time to grow on me, but maybe that was intentional— someone who doesn’t let others in easily, but who shines when the moment is right. And Owen. OMG Owen. I loved every bit of him.

This book gave me the warm and fuzzies.
1 review
August 11, 2025
Oh my goodness! I got chosen as an ARC reader for #codeofheart!

The author's, T.M. Polak debut novel did not disappoint! Slow burn in the beginning with great character development, a witty cast of friends with unbreakable bonds, of course just enough spice to make you keep turning those pages! If you want to jump into the #joiacity drama, fall in love with the characters and watch the #reckoning unfold... be sure to scoop up a copy on August 15th!!!!
Profile Image for Jurnee Mccarty.
144 reviews6 followers
August 21, 2025
Umm okay I see you, this was amazing 🤩 and I definitely recommend everyone READ it. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I can’t believe how insane that was. My mind is still reeling. I LOVED IT. Thank you for letting me read this early. I enjoyed it so much. 🖤 can’t wait to see more of your work.
Profile Image for Katie.
98 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2025
This book was super funny and spicy but had so much more AND a surprising ending that elevated it past a funny rom/com to a story with a ton of heart. The side characters in the book are so much of what makes this what it is (Owen HELLO IM IN LOVE) and I'm so excited for the continuation of the series!
1 review
June 26, 2025
This book was captivating and I couldn’t put it down. It was refreshing to read a book with a main character that had a disability and the struggles and triumphs that come with it. The book kept you on your toes and had some fun plot twists and turns! I can’t wait for more books from this author!
Profile Image for Lara Sydney.
7 reviews
September 16, 2025
Amazing!!!

This love story will have you laughing and crying within pages of each and in the absolute best way!! Both Aurelia’s and Levi’s stories come together perfectly and he has the greatest group of friends!! Highly highly recommend!!!!!
Profile Image for Avery.
61 reviews
August 27, 2025
This book is absolutely jam-packed with a little bit of everything. Humor, romance, corporate takeover, revenge, old people at a rave, and delightful friends. 😊
Profile Image for Allison.
22 reviews3 followers
September 26, 2025
This story has everything you could possibly ask for in a book. Romance, humor, mystery and adventure. Can’t wait to see what’s next! Hoping to hear from Bertrand again :)
Profile Image for Amanda.
298 reviews11 followers
August 5, 2025
A book that is full of heart! If you love romcoms, I can't recommend this enough!

The banter between the main couple was delightful, not to mention the comradery shared by the cast of friends. Or the unhinged antics of a group of senior citizens!

Then there was the hardships - overcoming traumas and disabilities - learning who they were together and apart. it was a beautiful journey ❤️.

Now, I'm not above begging - please, please, please tell me that Owen is getting his own book!!! 🙏 I looooved his joking around but when he got fierce and protective towards the end 🔥 dear baby Jesus that is a lethal combo. I could see a woman bringing that man to his knees 😉.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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