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Hacking the Odds
443 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2026
About the author
Amanda Lore
1 book1 followerAmanda Lore writes Urban Fantasy Romance about complicated people, impossible odds, and falling in love against your better judgment.
Based in Ontario with my family, I spend my time reading, writing, playing video games, and stepping into fairy circles hoping one will finally work as advertised. (So far the Fae are ignoring me. Rude.)
My debut novel Hacking the Odds is an enemies-to-lovers heist romance featuring a thief who manipulates probability, a hacker who lives on a houseboat, and the kind of banter that happens when two people are trying very hard not to care about each other.
Spoiler alert: they fail.
Based in Ontario with my family, I spend my time reading, writing, playing video games, and stepping into fairy circles hoping one will finally work as advertised. (So far the Fae are ignoring me. Rude.)
My debut novel Hacking the Odds is an enemies-to-lovers heist romance featuring a thief who manipulates probability, a hacker who lives on a houseboat, and the kind of banter that happens when two people are trying very hard not to care about each other.
Spoiler alert: they fail.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Hayling Bookstorm Ltd for the early access to this beautiful read!
Characters:
Each character introduced, whether main or secondary, draws your attention in some way, shape of form. All characters are BEAUTIFULLY described in a way as if you’re physically looking at them as you read. Amanda Lore did a fantastic job writing and providing descriptions down to the seemingly most “insignificant” mannerisms and traits of the characters!
Plot:
A true enemies to lovers story! The story goes from hesitant enemies to unexpecting lovers. A slow burn that keeps your attention with every detail on each page. The main characters’ development is heart warming as well as attention grabbing through the whole book! The undeniable tension between the main characters will have you sitting the edge of your seat and practically yelling at the pages for the characters to “hurry up and express your feelings”. The tension between the main character can literally be cut with a butter knife!
Thoughts:
As a reader who isn’t very fond of slow burn reads this book was BEAUTIFULLY written; from the character descriptions, the environments, and the little moments between the main characters it felt like as the reader you were a “fly on the wall” with front row seats to every detail! The gradual evolution of the relationship between the main characters kept me on edge and craving more with each page I read! I had difficulties having to pause my reading to perform my adulting duties!
Overall Review:
This was a great slow burn like read! Amanda Lore did an amazing job writing this and pulling the reader into her mind and depiction of the story she wanted to tell! If you like magic, unlikely teams and attention to detail I would highly recommend this to others to read! This read hit all of my points in a great book; good plot, easy digestion of the story, great characters and descriptions of them, held/commanded my attention, kept me wanting more and a satisfying ending! GREAT debut book!
Characters:
Each character introduced, whether main or secondary, draws your attention in some way, shape of form. All characters are BEAUTIFULLY described in a way as if you’re physically looking at them as you read. Amanda Lore did a fantastic job writing and providing descriptions down to the seemingly most “insignificant” mannerisms and traits of the characters!
Plot:
A true enemies to lovers story! The story goes from hesitant enemies to unexpecting lovers. A slow burn that keeps your attention with every detail on each page. The main characters’ development is heart warming as well as attention grabbing through the whole book! The undeniable tension between the main characters will have you sitting the edge of your seat and practically yelling at the pages for the characters to “hurry up and express your feelings”. The tension between the main character can literally be cut with a butter knife!
Thoughts:
As a reader who isn’t very fond of slow burn reads this book was BEAUTIFULLY written; from the character descriptions, the environments, and the little moments between the main characters it felt like as the reader you were a “fly on the wall” with front row seats to every detail! The gradual evolution of the relationship between the main characters kept me on edge and craving more with each page I read! I had difficulties having to pause my reading to perform my adulting duties!
Overall Review:
This was a great slow burn like read! Amanda Lore did an amazing job writing this and pulling the reader into her mind and depiction of the story she wanted to tell! If you like magic, unlikely teams and attention to detail I would highly recommend this to others to read! This read hit all of my points in a great book; good plot, easy digestion of the story, great characters and descriptions of them, held/commanded my attention, kept me wanting more and a satisfying ending! GREAT debut book!
September 28, 2026
Before anything else, I want to thank Amanda Lore and Hayling Bookstorm for the opportunity to read this book in advance.
This book was very interesting from the start. Readers are immediately thrown into a situation where we meet Amieek and begin following her journey after she discovers her book and the person who stole it. Knowing that she cannot simply turn to the authorities, Amieek decides to take matters into her own hands. Along the way, she assembles an unlikely team to help her, making for an interesting group dynamic as the story unfolds.
Overall, this was an okay read for me. I really liked the way the story was written. The writing was simple, straightforward, and easy to follow, which made it a pretty good way to introduce readers to the world and its characters. One thing I particularly enjoyed was how the author managed to blend together several tropes that I honestly never imagined could work together. The combination was unexpected, and it added an interesting element to the story. I appreciated the creativity behind bringing these different ideas together and seeing how they worked within the overall narrative.
While the book was not a complete standout for me, I still found it to be an interesting read, especially as a starting point. I am curious to see what more Amanda Lore can offer in her future books.
This book was very interesting from the start. Readers are immediately thrown into a situation where we meet Amieek and begin following her journey after she discovers her book and the person who stole it. Knowing that she cannot simply turn to the authorities, Amieek decides to take matters into her own hands. Along the way, she assembles an unlikely team to help her, making for an interesting group dynamic as the story unfolds.
Overall, this was an okay read for me. I really liked the way the story was written. The writing was simple, straightforward, and easy to follow, which made it a pretty good way to introduce readers to the world and its characters. One thing I particularly enjoyed was how the author managed to blend together several tropes that I honestly never imagined could work together. The combination was unexpected, and it added an interesting element to the story. I appreciated the creativity behind bringing these different ideas together and seeing how they worked within the overall narrative.
While the book was not a complete standout for me, I still found it to be an interesting read, especially as a starting point. I am curious to see what more Amanda Lore can offer in her future books.
October 4, 2026
I love heists and I love romance. I never thought I'd find a heist romance read.
This is such a fun read and incredible debut! It is a bit futuristic and the writing immediately explains how the world works in the prologue so I didn't have to spend too much time on world-building and could focus on the heist itself.
I enjoyed both MCs immensely and thought their slow burn romance was absolutely worth it. The MMC had a particular tragic backstory and the read does focus on how much work he put in to be better individually and a better partner all around. I found myself rooting for their romance on one of their later encounters. The FMC is so level-headed and capable that I adored her abilities and honestly the stronger character to admire between the two.
Overall, I enjoyed this read a lot! Thank you Hayling Bookstorm for the ARC!
This is such a fun read and incredible debut! It is a bit futuristic and the writing immediately explains how the world works in the prologue so I didn't have to spend too much time on world-building and could focus on the heist itself.
I enjoyed both MCs immensely and thought their slow burn romance was absolutely worth it. The MMC had a particular tragic backstory and the read does focus on how much work he put in to be better individually and a better partner all around. I found myself rooting for their romance on one of their later encounters. The FMC is so level-headed and capable that I adored her abilities and honestly the stronger character to admire between the two.
Overall, I enjoyed this read a lot! Thank you Hayling Bookstorm for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A thief, a hacker, a heist, danger, magic, and of course romance all wrapped together in one of the most creative stories I’ve ever read! It’s all seems unlikely, and yet it will pull you into a reality where you believe it could happen. The hacker Amieek, so real with her extreme knowledge of computers, code and technology. She might be a newbie at theft but she definitely has the ability to think with a clearly criminal mind. Jacques is a master thief, but he didn’t count on being the one who was robbed from the moment he met her. Together they are unstoppable, if they figure out how to be together that is.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Hayling Bookstorm Ltd. for my copy.
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tropes:
💻Hacker FMC
🎲Thief MMC
💻Slow Burn
🎲Dynamic Duo
Thoughts: I can’t believe this is a debut novel, it is absolutely phenomenal and reads as if this author has been writing forever. I will admit, it’s a SLOW BURN, but the writing is great, the flow perfect, and the banter between the two main characters is off the charts. Can’t wait to read more by this author.
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tropes:
💻Hacker FMC
🎲Thief MMC
💻Slow Burn
🎲Dynamic Duo
Thoughts: I can’t believe this is a debut novel, it is absolutely phenomenal and reads as if this author has been writing forever. I will admit, it’s a SLOW BURN, but the writing is great, the flow perfect, and the banter between the two main characters is off the charts. Can’t wait to read more by this author.
September 21, 2026
Amieek & Jacques - read it!
This is an incredible book. It is REALLY good. That this is a debut is incredible to me. It's written so well, so fluidly, so well-crafted that I felt like I was reading a book by a well-established author with multiple books (I'm talking 10+, and a natural talent for writing) under their belt. No clunky texts or awkward inner monologues here!
Amanda Lore has created a world which is almost ours, barring one event which gives certain people and object special abilities. I was blown away by the detail with which this world is described. It's fascinating, the reader is introduced to it from the start in a natural way and there are no knowledge jumps at all. I don't read Urban Fantasy/Romantasy very often and feel lucky that I picked up this book. Initially, the world in Hack the Odds is very similar to ours. Only as the story progresses do you realise that there are more differences than meet the eye. I am extremely impressed by Amanda's inventiveness and creativity, in developing the MCs, describing their 'adventures' together and the environment/world.
Amieek is a super-hacker. Nothing is safe from her keyboard and she's extremely talented and fast, while also just being human (and a lover of historical romance, from the sounds of things!). She lives on a houseboat, which makes her both isolated from the rest of the world and mobile/independent, as Jacques finds out to his detriment when he tries to find her. A book (not a historical romance!) that Amieek's been patching up as a hobby gets stolen from her boat one day, and she needs it back so desperately that she turns to Jacques.
Jacques is a crafty thief who can bend the odds to his will and needs. He senses when luck is on his side and always has dice in his pocket that change colour, possibly reflecting his emotions. Once he meets Amieek the dice are more often than not blue, matching Amieek's hair colour (infer from that what you will!). Jacques is from New Orleans and speaks with a cajun accent (which is reflected in his speech in the book). He's initially pleasantly surprised that Amieek is truly a partner when they work together to get her book back. As the story continues, he realises that she's not just a partner, and that he would actually quite like to be together with her... always and in all ways.
The banter between Jacques and Amieek is amusing and entertaining and is one of the things that keeps the story moving forward. The book is written in third person but has chapters/ sections devoted to each MC's actions, still giving the reader an impression of their thoughts and feelings without you being informed of them in the first person. There's a ton of action in this book - I'm not talking spice, but actual events, 'adventures' that Amieek and Jacques go on, including getting her book back (which is just the first of many). Slowly but surely Amanda builds in the odd reference or hint that Jacques and Amieek are developing feelings for each other, but believe me when I write that this is a MEGA slow burn with a spicy scene right at the end. I didn't mind this at all, except that I was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough pages left for them to get together - which I was really hoping would happen given those earlier hints and the tension.
I am so very glad that I was granted the opportunity to read an ARC of Hacking the Odds. I will happily read more books by Amanda! If you like stories with aspects of magic, action, with detailed descriptions then this is the book for you. I've seen some suggestions that this is an enemies-to-lovers trope, but I never had the feeling that they're really enemies (after all, Amieek hires Jacques to get her book back). They just don't trust each other initially, which makes sense given that she's hiring a thief and he doesn't know who she is at all.
Thank you to Amanda Lore and Hayling Bookstorm Ltd for the ARC.
This is an incredible book. It is REALLY good. That this is a debut is incredible to me. It's written so well, so fluidly, so well-crafted that I felt like I was reading a book by a well-established author with multiple books (I'm talking 10+, and a natural talent for writing) under their belt. No clunky texts or awkward inner monologues here!
Amanda Lore has created a world which is almost ours, barring one event which gives certain people and object special abilities. I was blown away by the detail with which this world is described. It's fascinating, the reader is introduced to it from the start in a natural way and there are no knowledge jumps at all. I don't read Urban Fantasy/Romantasy very often and feel lucky that I picked up this book. Initially, the world in Hack the Odds is very similar to ours. Only as the story progresses do you realise that there are more differences than meet the eye. I am extremely impressed by Amanda's inventiveness and creativity, in developing the MCs, describing their 'adventures' together and the environment/world.
Amieek is a super-hacker. Nothing is safe from her keyboard and she's extremely talented and fast, while also just being human (and a lover of historical romance, from the sounds of things!). She lives on a houseboat, which makes her both isolated from the rest of the world and mobile/independent, as Jacques finds out to his detriment when he tries to find her. A book (not a historical romance!) that Amieek's been patching up as a hobby gets stolen from her boat one day, and she needs it back so desperately that she turns to Jacques.
Jacques is a crafty thief who can bend the odds to his will and needs. He senses when luck is on his side and always has dice in his pocket that change colour, possibly reflecting his emotions. Once he meets Amieek the dice are more often than not blue, matching Amieek's hair colour (infer from that what you will!). Jacques is from New Orleans and speaks with a cajun accent (which is reflected in his speech in the book). He's initially pleasantly surprised that Amieek is truly a partner when they work together to get her book back. As the story continues, he realises that she's not just a partner, and that he would actually quite like to be together with her... always and in all ways.
The banter between Jacques and Amieek is amusing and entertaining and is one of the things that keeps the story moving forward. The book is written in third person but has chapters/ sections devoted to each MC's actions, still giving the reader an impression of their thoughts and feelings without you being informed of them in the first person. There's a ton of action in this book - I'm not talking spice, but actual events, 'adventures' that Amieek and Jacques go on, including getting her book back (which is just the first of many). Slowly but surely Amanda builds in the odd reference or hint that Jacques and Amieek are developing feelings for each other, but believe me when I write that this is a MEGA slow burn with a spicy scene right at the end. I didn't mind this at all, except that I was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough pages left for them to get together - which I was really hoping would happen given those earlier hints and the tension.
I am so very glad that I was granted the opportunity to read an ARC of Hacking the Odds. I will happily read more books by Amanda! If you like stories with aspects of magic, action, with detailed descriptions then this is the book for you. I've seen some suggestions that this is an enemies-to-lovers trope, but I never had the feeling that they're really enemies (after all, Amieek hires Jacques to get her book back). They just don't trust each other initially, which makes sense given that she's hiring a thief and he doesn't know who she is at all.
Thank you to Amanda Lore and Hayling Bookstorm Ltd for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Going into this book as a fan of Hiest and Hackers and magic with a touch of dystopian stories, I was honestly impressed. I've been reading more romance lately, and I wanted something that screamed "I'm the book you've been looking for." I was happily impressed. This book started with an explanation of the world dates going back to 1923, which got my attention real quick. Amieek with her blue hair and Jacque being touched Cajun was perfect. You can see that they both have scars and bad experiences and that they're built differently. If this were a movie, it'd be a mix of dystopian movies and all the best hacker/heist movies, which would be awesome. I loved that she lives on a houseboat and that he has dice that change colors. I'm doing my best not to spoil this book, but it was the perfect mix of a romance and, like, an action movie, which is awesome. It's a book I'd recommend to a person getting into romance. I also liked that they didn't always get along and that they actually had arguments, and then they would work it out, which made the relationship healthy, which I loved. It had a spice at the end; I would say about a 4 to 5 level. Very happy to be an ARC reader; this book was right up my alley.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
The mix of magic and tech in this book is incredibly cool, and it felt totally different from the usual sci-fi or urban fantasy. Amieek just wants to be left alone on her houseboat, but her whole life gets messy when someone steals a book that literally hums and rewrites its own pages. Since going to the cops isn't an option, she has to go back underground and hire Jacques, a Cajun thief who is pretty dangerous to be around.
The probability manipulation aspect was definitely a highlight for me during the heist scenes. Jacques and Amieek have a great, snappy back-and-forth, and the romance is a massive slow burn while they are scrambling to dodge close calls. It moves fast, skipping any slow setup, and keeps the focus purely on the heist and their partnership.
If you want a fast fantasy heist with a unique technological edge, this is a great pick.
The probability manipulation aspect was definitely a highlight for me during the heist scenes. Jacques and Amieek have a great, snappy back-and-forth, and the romance is a massive slow burn while they are scrambling to dodge close calls. It moves fast, skipping any slow setup, and keeps the focus purely on the heist and their partnership.
If you want a fast fantasy heist with a unique technological edge, this is a great pick.
October 2, 2026
I didn’t know what to expect with Hacking the Odds. I’m not a techie/paranormal kinda girly. But this was so fantastic! Lore did such an amazing job combining romance, technology, paranormal all based in New Orleans. Amieek isn’t your usual tech person. Jacques is not your typical con. Their friendship/romance in this is so smooth. You know they’re gonna end up together. But how much do they really have to endure before that happens. There’s the paranormal side with the Midnight Court, who is ready to kill to keep their identity quiet. There is also Beaumont. Who tries to take both Amieek & Jacques out for the count in an alternative world. There are so many twist and turns in this, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. I caught myself still awake at 1:30am doing the “one more page” thing. lol
September 29, 2026
I love, love, loved this book!
Amanda is a good friend of mine, and I was honored to be an early reader for her debut novel.
When she was telling me about her book, I was immediately intrigued. I have never read something quite as genre-bending as this story.
I loved the playful banter between Amieek and Jacques. The slow burn was absolutely delicious!
Amanda did an amazing job of building the world and helping the reader visualize the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me 😅
Amanda is a good friend of mine, and I was honored to be an early reader for her debut novel.
When she was telling me about her book, I was immediately intrigued. I have never read something quite as genre-bending as this story.
I loved the playful banter between Amieek and Jacques. The slow burn was absolutely delicious!
Amanda did an amazing job of building the world and helping the reader visualize the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me 😅
September 30, 2026
I really enjoyed Hacking the Odds! It was such a refreshing and exciting read, and I found myself getting more invested as the story went along. There’s something really enjoyable about discovering a new author and being pleasantly surprised by how much you connect with their work.
Amanda Lore has created something that feels fresh, fun, and wonderfully engaging. I’m so glad I gave this one a chance, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what she writes next. Such a wonderful debut!
Amanda Lore has created something that feels fresh, fun, and wonderfully engaging. I’m so glad I gave this one a chance, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what she writes next. Such a wonderful debut!
October 8, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
A fantastic new discovery for me! I don’t think I have read a book quite like this one, it blends technology and magic together to create a very unique experience. I really enjoyed the story. The book is very descriptive, some instances I felt as though I was right there with Aimeek and Jacques. If you like a slow burn grumpy meets sunshine story you will enjoy this one. It will leave you wanting more.
A fantastic new discovery for me! I don’t think I have read a book quite like this one, it blends technology and magic together to create a very unique experience. I really enjoyed the story. The book is very descriptive, some instances I felt as though I was right there with Aimeek and Jacques. If you like a slow burn grumpy meets sunshine story you will enjoy this one. It will leave you wanting more.
Review of advance copy
Big thank you to Hayling, Bookstrom, and Amanda for the chance to read this as an ARC reader! I’m obsessed with the cover.......that’s what grabbed me first. Then I started reading and fell in love with the characters. It was such a fun, easy read and I literally couldn’t put it down. I had a blast with this one and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
October 8, 2026
Thank you Hayling Bookstrom for allowing me the chance to be an ARC reader for thia book. It has a very unique storyline. The characters are great and work together. I love the mix of magic and tech. I also love that it took place in New Orleans.
September 29, 2026
Just finished this book and it is a great story. Lots of character development, lovely city to write this kind of story and very creative approach to a will they won't they!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews