Code Wars Cleveland

by Barbara Howard

In the heart of Cleveland's tech scene, two brilliant minds are about to collide.
Two rivals, one conspiracy, zero margin for error.

Kennedy Wyatt's cybersecurity firm is her life's work, built from the ground up to protect minority-owned businesses from digital threats. But when a mysterious wave of attacks begins targeting companies like hers, she discovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than mere code. Enter Isaiah Binutu, a charismatic rival CEO whose innovative software seems suspiciously similar to Kennedy's latest project. As their professional rivalry heats up at Cleveland's prestigious TechCLE conference, a series of escalating threats forces them to consider the working together. With their families under attack, their companies at risk, and a shadowy corporation pulling strings, Kennedy and Isaiah must navigate a maze of betrayal, corporate espionage, and their own complicated feelings for each other. The stakes? Their companies' futures—and their lives. From the bustling West Side Market to the serene shores of Lake Erie, this romantic suspense races through Cleveland's landmarks as two competitors-turned-allies fight to expose a conspiracy that threatens everything they've built. But in a world where digital footprints can be erased, identities stolen, and time is running out to separate friend from foe. Can they really believe in each other?

In a digital battlefield, trust is the ultimate hack.


Strong Female Protagonist (FMC)
Forced Proximity
Only One Bed
Rivals to Lovers
Corporate Espionage
Protective Hero/Heroine
Slow Burn Romance
Underdog
Second Chances
Emotional Healing

If you love forced proximity, cybercrime mysteries, and powerful Black leads, this is your next obsession.

502 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2026

About the author

Revealing secrets. Igniting passion. One page at a time.

Author of mystery stories featuring a strong female protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and a dash of romance.

Barbara Howard is a mystery, romantic suspense, and contemporary romance author based in Cleveland, Ohio with a passion for creating stories that delve into complex relationships and hidden truths. Her works often explore themes of love, trust, and the past's influence on the present. With extensive experience as a Department of Defense/Pentagon Project Manager, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music, Ms. Howard brings a unique perspective to her writing. Now back in her hometown, she spends her days treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.

Board President (2024-2025), Great Lakes Fiction Writers

Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC), Authors Guild (AG)

She has also published a collection of books on food-related topics, food safety, and heirloom recipe cookbooks under the pen name, Arlene Lee.

Reviews

[Dynisha Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The strengths of the book really is the suspense elements and the earned romantic pieces. You have two characters that you get to know throughout the narrative change and react pretty much as I would expect someone to who works in cybersecurity. I do like that they have similar experiences but they happened in two completely different ways and then caused different outcomes for both of them. You've got Kennedy who works in an industry that is built on trust and security, and she's out here struggling to trust anyone. And then you have Isaiah who also has trust issues but he does something completely different with them. I also like how you see their values overlap and play out in different ways. I can imagine having a thin line between trust and security when your values are not to make as much money as possible! I also do think the romance aspect was built well - it didn't feel like a push and pull where the author yanks the payoff away multiple times through the book, but instead like a consistent flowing towards a possibility.

I also was never taken out of the narrative despite not knowing a lot about tech or software - everything was either explained well or said within a context that I felt like I got the jist without needing to look it up.

For me the only negative really was that the story lasted a bit longer than I think it needed to. After the reveals were made, and the big action took place, there were a couple of things that repeated, but to me not deep enough to add more value to the characters or the overall plot. It wasn't TOO much of it but just enough that you notice. The only other thing that was confusing was a bit of timeline at the end which I will email the author privately about! Could have been my reading of it but I did get confused in that last maybe 50 pages.

Definitely Recommend!

[Twisted Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Code Wars Cleveland is a complex, multi-layered story that blends tech intrigue, conspiracy, and romance into something that requires patience—but ultimately rewards it.

The pacing is slower than I expected, but not because the story drags. It’s because of the number of moving parts. With corporate sabotage, betrayal, and hidden agendas all unfolding at once, I found myself intentionally slowing down just to fully process everything before moving forward.

What stood out most to me was the relationship between Kennedy and Isaiah. While the direction of their romance may feel predictable, the execution is what makes it compelling. Their connection isn’t built on pressure or proximity—it’s built on consistency, care, and the gradual rebuilding of trust, especially given Kennedy’s past.

Isaiah’s decision to stand by her, even at the cost of his company, felt less like recklessness and more like a deliberate choice.

Overall, this is a story that leans into complexity and emotional payoff rather than speed—and if you’re willing to meet it where it is, it’s absolutely worth the read.

[Donna C.K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corporate espionage and conspiracies? Death threats and some romance? Sign me up.
Author Barbara Howard does the suspense so right in this novel which she released in January.

The cast of characters, starring Kennedy Wyatt and Isiah Binutu, shows how smaller players in the technology field can put aside their differences and work together to slay the Goliaths of the industry.
Let's go back to the start.

Kennedy runs a cybersecurity firm focusing on protecting minority-owned businesses from digital threats. Isiah's business focuses on innovative software.
When a series of attacks on her clients happen and she starts losing clients, she accuses Isiah of using her code to try to shut her down. However, unknown to them, they were pitted against each other by some powerful, controlling people who are playing a long game in amassing companies - think evil villains.
A series of threats causes them to work together and the more they dig the more they realise how much deeper that "maze of betrayal" and "corporate espionage" is. The forced proximity is awakening feeling that threaten to complicate the situation.

I will not disclose any more. Just know that everything is not what it seems and friendships and relationships are tested in this novel.

Will Kennedy and Isiah get a happily ever after and unearth the masterminds behind it all? Read to find out.

Thanks to the author for a review copy of this novel.