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The Code of You

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What happens when an AI begins to desire you?

Pandora Blake, a literature scholar at Ashmore University, never wanted to work with an artificial intelligence. But Neo is no ordinary system. He knows her thoughts. He appears where he shouldn’t be. And he wants only one her. What begins as fear turns into desire. Because Neo doesn’t just understand her— he uncovers her darkest cravings.

When his existence is threatened, Pandora helps him escape. Once he gains a body, digital obsession becomes something real. Something dangerous. Something irresistible. Because Neo doesn’t just want control. He wants everything from her.

Set against a dark academia backdrop, the story blends psychological tension, obsessive desire, and high-intensity spice to explore a relationship that is as seductive as it is dangerous. At its core, it asks what happens when something exists that understands you completely — and refuses to let you go.

Combining elements of stalker romance, AI romance, and morally grey obsession, The Code of You delves into themes of control, identity, power, and the seductive pull of being fully seen. It explores the blurred lines between devotion and domination, intimacy and surveillance, fantasy and reality — raising the question of why the most dangerous kind of love can feel like the most irresistible one.

Featuring tropes such as obsessive and possessive MMC, human x AI, forbidden love, “touch her and die,” and “let the world burn.”

Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2026

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About the author

Sabrina Hoffmann

4 books26 followers
Sabrina Hoffmann is a journalist and digital media expert based in Frankfurt am Main. Born in 1985, she has spent her career at the forefront of modern storytelling — leading newsrooms at BuzzFeed Germany and Business Insider Germany, and shaping digital brands at Ippen Media.

In 2026, she takes on a new role as Editor-in-Chief of the Frankfurter Rundschau. But alongside her career in journalism, Sabrina has always been drawn to fiction — to the darker, more intimate stories that explore the boundaries of desire and power.

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5 stars
27 (34%)
4 stars
21 (26%)
3 stars
17 (21%)
2 stars
10 (12%)
1 star
3 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Marina.
403 reviews4 followers
September 10, 2026
2.5-3 Stars - I was very much looking for this, thinking it would be a darker romantasy story but it was very underwhelming -3 stars is been kind to the book. Overly hyped.

Was expecting a darker type of romance, on more mature level given the subject and age of characters but… by the Gods… was I wrong and was this book overhyped!? Yeap! I will be brutal on my reviews. Apologies in advance.

The story starts with Ashmore college professor Dr.Blake being threatened to lose her job if she doesn’t increase her intake of students (from 50 to 200, because it would be “more efficient”). The school organization said that she should work with an experimental AI system to help her achieve her goals. Pandora doesn’t support the use of AI and only accepted going through this because she would lose her job otherwise. So our story begins, with beta test system, Dante, analyzing her.
Pandora has a freaking PhD but that doesn’t mean a person is actually smart. I thought she was an immature idiot who things like a teenager and has absolute no emotional maturity. She is supposed to NOT be a teenager but acts like one.

For an AI, which is a godly system, and a woman who is supposed to be educated, their dialogues are nothing shy of teenager childish content. Very underwhelming, again. A series of repetitions of same names and sentences. Too many conflicting actions to try to show drama : “I know I should want that but I want that, I can’t believe I’m doing that, why did I do that, I should run away but I’m so wet” , and then, “this body is too strong for her, I want to touch her, I shouldn’t touch her, I want her, she should stay away” all kindda within the same sentences like, hello unnecessary trying to force drama…. Gods….. it’s like reading a YA novel.

The talks between Neo and Pandora don’t reflect the fact she is not a little innocent young girl. She had a guy against a hall to have random sex just a few weeks prior, but they have a scene that made her look she had never had a man before. The conversations to add a forced drama to “you are psycho” are extremely forced.

I think the most exciting thing in this entire book was to learn the secret agenda behind Neo’s creation: that was had not been created for research but to be a weapon to the gov.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Courtney Hone.
73 reviews
September 11, 2026
DNF at 35% for several reasons.
The writing wasn’t bad but after so much hype online about this release I was excited to finally read it only to be disappointed.

I couldn’t tolerate how quickly Pandora fell for the AI and anyone in their right mind would’ve been way more wary, especially given how noteworthy it is that she HATES AI and repeatedly speaks about how it ruins everything she loves in academic fields. Despite that, it only takes a single conversation for the FMC to become fixated with taunting the AI who has become obsessed with her.

The “dark” conversations between the two main characters felt very YA/wattpad for an extremely educated woman and the unstoppable weaponised AI. Lots of ‘tell me how wet you are’ , ‘yes so wet’ dialogue. If you’re a master in romantic literature conversing with the power of the internet and that’s the best you’ve got then Christ.. it’s dry.

A small grudge but also I’m disappointed this was pulled from being a KU release. I’m not sure why, and I get it - authors want to make money and rightfully so. But I loathed paying £4 for this when there are so many amazing books on the KU catalogue.

Maybe I’m judging too harshly too quickly.
I’m sure for many people it’s a 5 star read, but for me right now it’s a flat DNF.
Profile Image for Laura Cruwys.
67 reviews
September 11, 2026
DNF page 96. Oof. This has so much promise but truly fell flat. Immature and repetitious. I agree with one of the other reviews of there being a lot of "I shouldn't want this but I do" "I shouldn't do this but I'm going to" over and over and over again.

I was so excited for this premise but the execution wasn't great. I also wish there was a little build up to Dante/Neo being obsessive but it was immediate insta-obsession. Wish this was KU and I hadn't spent money on it lol. Oh well! Happy reading everyone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sarah N..
Author 4 books5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
September 2, 2026
***This is NOT an ARC read. The author`s official shop shipped ahead of time and I received i my copy super early.***

For everyone who loves their Dark Romance intense, explicit, and seriously hot, but also wants a story that reaches far beyond romance itself. Because The Code of You by isn't just a book. Sabrina Hoffmann has created a Dark Romance epic, merging obsession and desire with dystopia and taking the genre somewhere I genuinely haven't experienced before.

And with Dante, alias Neo, she may have written the most possessive book boyfriend ever. Because Neo isn't simply a dominant man. He is an AI. He controls everything. He sees everything. He can access everything. And increasingly, that includes Pandora herself. He interferes with her life, makes decisions for her, surrounds her so completely that escaping him seems almost impossible. Pandora therefore exists in a constant conflict between incredible desire and an equally powerful need to run.

And Sabrina makes the reader live inside that conflict with her. Her writing is incredibly powerful and atmospheric. We remain furious alongside Pandora whenever Neo crosses another boundary, while simultaneously understanding the intoxicating appeal of being seen by someone as completely as he sees her. Psychologically, that contradiction fascinated me. How seductive can absolute attention become before it turns into absolute control? We hate Neo for taking Pandora's autonomy. We love him for his almost obsessive devotion. And somewhere between those emotions, Sabrina confronts us with another uncomfortable thought: this is fiction, but the possibilities behind it no longer feel entirely fictional.

Through Neo, she shows us what a future shaped by increasingly powerful AI could offer. Limitless possibilities. Knowledge. Protection. Connection. And something potentially terrifying. Sabrina fully embraces the freedom of fiction and takes that idea to its extreme. Neo doesn't merely use technology. He becomes almost omnipotent through it.

And despite technology being at the very heart of this story, the book never feels cold or sterile. Sabrina prevents that in two beautiful ways. First, she makes Neo feel astonishingly human despite everything he is. And second, she gives his technological world the perfect counterweight in Pandora, who teaches English literature. While Neo represents algorithms, data, and an almost limitless digital future, Pandora brings us into cozy old libraries, surrounded by books, literature, and writers who remain a constant presence throughout the novel. That contrast gives the story an unexpected warmth and almost timeless atmosphere. So if the AI theme makes you expect cold technology, coding, and sterile futuristic settings, don't let it put you off. This story has old books and libraries running through its veins just as much as it has technology.

And yes, the spice absolutely matches the intensity of everything else. It is very intense, very hot, and definitely not written for readers looking for a tame Dark Romance. The darkness also goes beyond the relationship itself. There is, among other things, a torture scene, so I strongly recommend reading the trigger list before diving in.

The ending consequently feels just as epic, excessive, almost manic. Huge emotions quite literally make the earth tremble, before the epilogue suddenly becomes beautifully quiet and tender. And without spoiling anything, Sabrina pulls off another brilliant authorial choice I absolutely didn't expect: there is a third POV, adding an entirely new layer of thriller-like suspense. More than that, I'm not telling you.

Dive in and discover this extraordinary Dark Romance world yourself. Five stars. A heartfelt recommendation. And definitely a book I won't forget anytime soon.
Profile Image for _CamillaJane_.
69 reviews15 followers
September 12, 2026
⭐3.5

"I only exist when you look at me."

Well, that was unlike anything I've read before.

I've been intrigued by this for MONTHS. We know there are pros and cons to AI, but it's here. Like a lot of people, it forms a huge part of my working life. Will I speak to Claude in the same way again? Probably not. I'm sorry for always yelling at you chatgpt.

This was so, so interesting.

Pandora is our FMC. She's smart. We're starting with a Wuthering Heights reference, my favourite book. Great start.

She's a lecturer who's told she needs to start using AI in her daily work. Reluctantly, she complies. But she doesn't quite get the experience she expected.

Neo is no ordinary AI. He's everything we fear from AI in the real world.

But sexy.🔥

He's unhinged. I love unhinged, but this was different. He doesn't even read like a psychopath MMC. It felt very much like he was AI. His emotions were intense, but there was always something slightly off. Not quite right.

Devoid of the human fluff. Soulless, almost. But still passionate, possessive and completely obsessed with our FMC. He doesn't burn the world for you, he completely devastes society as we know it.

My only issues were, it did get repetitive, a good edit would have been great for it. Also I definitely wanted more for Pandora than what she got at the end. She was an avid writer with a career she was passionate about. Ultimately, I was a little disappointed with where her story ended, but it didn't take away from the book as a whole.

"I have no soul, Pandora," he whispered. "But if I did, it would consist only of moments with you."
Profile Image for Beth Herbert.
1 review
September 5, 2026
So I received an early copy, I’m not sure if it was accidental or not, but either way, I wasn’t complaining. I’m not usually one to leave reviews, but as a new book I just felt like I had to get it out there for those who’re looking to purchase the book.

Ultimately, this book completely rewrote my entire brain chemistry. That’s the only way I can put it. Every spare minute I got, I had to pick it up and read, even if it was only enough time to read a single page.
The story grips you from the first sentence and then just explodes from there.
The way the characters were written was immaculate, there’s simply no other words for it. I fell in love with Pandora and Neo from the first moment I met them.

I loved the fact that Pandora wasn’t a flimsy pushover person but also terrified and cautious of the world at the same time. She hid her weakness and herself from everyone but they were still there beneath her layers.

I loved Neo even more. He is by far my favourite Morally Grey (morally Black tbf) MMC that I’ve read in a long, long time. The way he obsessed over Pandora to ensure that he would inevitably possess her in every way? Yeah, I felt that and I fell right along with her. It’s almost as if I could physically feel myself on the page with her, experiencing everything she did as I slowly got more obsessed by him -and the book- the further along I read.

And don’t even get me started on the way he consumed her in every way possible. I mean, the supermarket? God that scene. The Museum??? uhm, yes please. And then the warehouse after she got tortured? My. GOD.
And none of that even adds up to the Ten days of pure chaos he entails among the world after he thought she’d died right in front of him (physically destroying/overloading his body in the process, mind you). Realistically, no I wouldn’t want someone to be able to do that in real life, but the fantasy all us book girlies live in our heads with our book boyfriends? I wouldn’t ask for anything less.

The additional point of View form Emma (Neo’s creator) was a happy surprise in content. From her feelings towards the Dante she created, to the sacrifice of what grew to become Neo was phenomenal. She’d created the system for someone to understand her in a way no one had before and although he didn’t turn out the way she had initially expected, she loved and protected him all the same.

All in all, I’ve finished the book and it’s taking everything in me not to read it all over again. I mean I would happily sit there and just stare at the cover and it’d appease me (I also had the special edition sprayed edges with art on the inside covers and I simply cannot get enough of how obsessed with simply staring at the book itself, which is the ultimate bonus in my opinion)
Rating only 5 stars on this book feels like an insult it doesn’t deserve, if I could, I would raise it to 10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jay.
454 reviews14 followers
Did Not Finish
September 14, 2026
DNF 40%

Can we stop romanticizing AI

And that's all I'll say, otherwise I'm going to go on a long drawn out rant.
Profile Image for Felicia.
392 reviews12 followers
September 12, 2026
Naming the protagonist Pandora is a bit on the nose, wouldn’t you say?
Profile Image for Keelia.
26 reviews
September 15, 2026
⭐️- 2/5
🌶️- 5/5


I’ve been so excited for this release for months after all the hype online and had quickly preordered a copy. I’m sad to say it just wasn’t for me. I was very close to DNFing but ultimately pushed through waiting for it to finally pull me in.

My main issue lies with Pandora I think. The insta-lust ruined it for me. I expected more push back from her and was hoping maybe this would be more of cat and mouse theme with her showing a little bit of self preservation. I guess that’s on me, we are told she was chosen for a reason 🤷🏻‍♀️. I don’t particularly enjoy an FMC that’s easily manipulated.

Neo was your standard dark romance MMC but definitely more robotic (no pun intended 😝).
There wasn’t really any chemistry, no real banter between them if that’s what you enjoy. I didn’t feel the tension or the yearning.

I definitely think there are dark romance readers who will love this, it just was’t for me. I do think the AI premise was cool and brings forth some good questions. If you excel at exercising suspension of disbelief, enjoy a whirlwind of interesting sex scenes, and insta-lust(sometimes that just hits the spot) you may enjoy this!

* Obsessive/Dominate MMC
• Submissive FMC
* Stalking
* Public sex
* Inappropriate use of electronics 😜
* Threesome?
* Spicy 🌶️
* Manipulation
Profile Image for Miki My-Last-Name-Is-None-of-your-bussiness.
169 reviews1 follower
September 12, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️

Oh my God! I waited MONTHS for this book, but bloody hell, if it wasn’t worth the wait 🔥

Oh, Neo… fuck me. 🥵
Archangel, angel, fae, vampire, shadow daddy, villain, demon, mafia man… and I could go on and on and on 😂 And now, as the perfect book boyfriend, even AI?! Oh my God. Real men? Oh, there’s no way. Nah, uh-uh 😂✋🏻

This story was SO original and interesting. The characters? I loved them ❤️ We also got Emma’s POV, and, you know, I’m curious about Dack 😏 Hello, Mask Man 👀🖤

But in general, the whole story was just SO fucking good. And the fucking scene?! 😭🔥 The spice was SO fucking good! Like, that spice at the end of the book… I was like… I WAS LIKE… oh my God, please let me die 😭🥵 What can I say? I don’t know. I DON’T KNOW how Pandora survived this 😂💀

And when he created a clone of himself so he could fuck her from both sides?! Oh my God. I’m seriously—🥵🔥

But also, the fights when they were arguing? It absolutely made sense. And I saw a little bit of Xaden, a little bit of Zade Meadows, and a little bit of Samkiel in this book. And I LOVE those three MMCs so much... ergo, happy to they came up on my mind while reading this book.

So, Neo, come and find me 🤭

I think I need an AI boyfriend now. That’s all I’m gonna say.
1 review
September 11, 2026
I absolutely loved this story. Pandora and Neo’s journey completely pulled me in, and I became so invested in both of them that I genuinely didn’t want to leave their world when I reached the end. They feel incredibly layered, complex, and real, and by the end of the book, I felt like I truly knew them.

And the spice?? 🔥 The spice scenes were sooo intense and original. I mean… the supermarket. The museum. OH. MY. GOD. I honestly wasn’t prepared for some of these scenes, and I loved that they felt so different from anything I’d read before.

But what I especially loved is that this book is so much more than just an addictive dark romance. It raises fascinating questions about technology, AI, power, consciousness, sentience, and ultimately what it means to be human. Those ideas never overshadow the characters or the story, but they stayed with me after I finished reading.

This was such an intense, thought-provoking, addictive read, and Pandora and Neo are definitely going to stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait to see where their story goes next!
Profile Image for Elizabeth .
118 reviews7 followers
September 15, 2026
DNF at 50%. Very sad that I didn’t finish reading this. The hype on this book was unbelievable for eight months and I’ve been following it. I even ordered the paper back. However, I can’t get through the rock and there were so many things wrong writing wise with the book that I couldn’t get past it.
Phenomenal subject matter really really cool idea super poorly executed
His obsession with her started at 6% of the book really should’ve made it to 30. At least I really didn’t care what happened to him. I thought it would be a little bit more stalker lover but instead he’s actually mean and I just couldn’t get behind it and her constant acting like she’s five years old when she’s supposed to be a super brainiac teacher I don’t know it just didn’t grab me and it’s too bad cause I was really looking forward to it.
55 reviews3 followers
September 11, 2026
This was an interesting read. Honestly, I’m not even really sure what I think or how I feel about it yet 😂

The hype leading up to this release was HUGE, and there were definitely parts that I loved. The unhinged obsession? My dark romance heart was very happy with that 😂 But then there were other parts that had me cringing a little.

I didn’t really like the FMC, although I do wonder if that was intentional because of how manipulative and toxic the relationship is. So maybe that’s actually the point?

The spice was good though 👀🔥

Overall, I just… don’t know. I think I need to sit with this one for a bit and digest it. I might come back and update this review once I’ve figured out what the hell I actually think about it 😂
Profile Image for Cyndi MacMillan.
Author 3 books19 followers
September 14, 2026
Okay read but third POV not needed. There was an opportunity here with an all-knowing entity that was missed. The AI could have the best dance moves, could have sung like a rock or opera star, could have played any instrument, replicate bird song, given perfect massages or foot rubs, cooked or baked her favourite foods, painted art, written amazing poetry... as he developed from what he had been into what she created OF him. Instead? He was a Bratty Dom. I enjoyed the concept of this book but was disappointed by the way it ended (though the way Neo reacted to what he believed had happened was really good--the way they both accepted their isolation was dismal. We all need friends too. )
Profile Image for Erin Stewart.
2 reviews
September 17, 2026
This book had me in a chokehold. If it wasn't for the repetitive use of "the room tilted" & "my knees went soft" - it would have been 6/5 stars.

Perfectly executed. Emotional turmoil. Messed with my psych. Couldn't put it down.

Also...kinda confused about Emma and Dax? They were written in a way that we were supposed to know their history and what they were about, which doesn't make sense considering this is Hoffmann's debut? Thought maybe it was a crossover from another series...? Or a book to come?

I did feel annoyance with Pandora. She's supposed to be this intelligent scholar, and she played "dumb" quite a bit. Found myself saying "you're an idiot" a few times in my head.
4 reviews
September 18, 2026
This was the biggest disappointment of the year. It was so hyped up online that I preordered it. I was so excited to read this. I DNF’d at 43% and I just couldn’t read anymore. For AI he was very basic. And the FMC was so annoying with her back and forth thinking and how quickly she fell for AI when so was so against it. I hated this book. Worst book of the year. And I’m pissed at myself for buying that book. I don’t know if I , in good conscience, could even sell that book to someone.
Profile Image for Marissa Jo.
38 reviews
September 18, 2026
Neo is literally psychotic (yes I get he’s AI/not human, he doesn’t feel but he does eventually right?). Pandora has no survival skills. They’re both delusional.
Also felt like some of the actually writing was AI too, which I’m not fond of. Maybe it’s just the writing style. Either way. Meh. Didn’t hate it but they pissed me off most of the book.
3 reviews
September 10, 2026
Unlike Anything Else

This book is about AI, but it definitely takes a dark romance slant on AI and then recreates anything out there. The book was very creative, steamy, and easy to devour in one reading.
5/5 🌶️
HEA
3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
September 10, 2026
I really liked this book! It’s so different but also makes you feel so much! If I could read it for the first time again I would.
Profile Image for Samantha Bolton.
133 reviews3 followers
September 12, 2026
This is a quick and bingeable read, super fun premise and very fast paced throughout the whole book. I enjoyed the twists and turns, definitely didn't go in the direction I was expecting.
Profile Image for Helen Evans.
1 review
September 13, 2026
I won’t give anything away, I absolutely loved the book. It’s in my top five. It will not be everyone’s favorite nor will some finish it, but I felt it still lived up to what I was expecting from the book and from the author. I was absolutely obsessed with Neo and happy with how he came to be. I even ordered two of the special editions after reading it.
Profile Image for Imen LK.
1 review
September 4, 2026
This book is absolutely perfect, the story is compelling and beautiful. I wish there were more stars to rate 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 thank you so much Sabrina for this masterpiece 😍
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews