3.5 rounded up 💫

I love me some Denise Williams but this one wasn’t a favorite for me! Here’s what you can expect :

✨second chance romance
✨workplace romance
✨dual POV + dual timelines
✨women who code! and empowering underrepresented kids to pursue careers in tech 👏👏
✨a mentorship program (Tye - I love you🫶)
✨steam 🔥
✨a woman who puts her career first!!!
✨swooonworthy MMC 🥹

My biggest qualm with this one is it felt overly repetitive! But it’s still suuupper solid, I loved the past character cameos, and it’s great on audio!

This isn’t my fave of her books but it was better than her last one. I never connected with the main characters and hated their names lol…pearl just sounds like an old lady.

A sweet and sexy tech romance. Pearl and Cord worked together at his company in Chicago many years ago while Pearl was in college. They had a spark then…he loved her and maybe she loved him but followed her head instead of her heart and accepted a great job in California Now she’s back in Chicago having turned down an offer of marriage because she knew he wasn't the right man….Cord always was. Pearl is taking on the exec director of a non-profit that just had a huge scandal involving a sexual relationship with the previous director and board ember plus some financial improprieties. The board president asked Cord to join the board and Pearl is very frightened to acknowledge her feeling for Cord and possibly repeat of another director-board member scandal. She has supportive but very nosy sisters and a teenage niece who Cord mentor sat the nonprofit. It’s messy and charming and steamy.

The connection seemed a little too rushed for me. I know there was a past history but I have a hard time wrapping my head around I haven't to seen you in 5 years to I'm going to go down on you in the woods at a work retreat in a matter of weeks.

Years ago, Cord fell in love with a woman he couldn't have. He’s never forgotten Pearl. Now she's back in his life and the sparks between them are still there.

I was so excited to get the story for Pearl, an independent, career-driven woman, and Cord, a cinnamon roll who is so patient and supportive. When they met in The Fastest Way to Fall, I loved the chemistry and flirting between the two FitMi employees. Unfortunately, a career opportunity took Pearl to the West Coast.

Technically Yours opens with Pearl and Cord meeting again for the first time in seven years. I’m a sucker for a second chance and these two have the same draw to each other. And they are once again going to be working together. Is Pearl willing to risk her career for a chance with Cord?

I really liked Cord. Not only did he fall first and hard, but Cord was willing to do anything for Pearl and often his best interests took a back seat to hers. With her “head before heart” mentality, Pearl was independent to the point of her detriment at times. I did appreciate Pearl’s drive and a strong desire to do work that matters by helping underrepresented youth in technology.
Pearl’s teenage niece and roommate Tye stole the show for me. They were so funny and their mentoring relationship with Cord was so special. I loved Pearl’s sisters too; their group chats were a humorous highlight. I also enjoyed Britta and Wes from The Fastest Way to Fall (and my favorite characters from this author) having significant roles as they served as an important support system for Pearl and Cord.

Technically Yours is a unique “it was always you” love story that is perfect for those interested in a forbidden workplace romance with diverse characters.

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.

It’s so refreshing to read books that are very inclusive and diverse. This is (believe it or not) the very first Denise Williams book I’ve read (despite owning 50% of her books (dang you never ending TBR pile!)). And I am thoroughly satisfied. The writing is amazing, the supporting characters were written well, and Cord (I died multiple times seeing the emoji associated to his name) and Pearl were amazing characters with perfect chemistry. I am always a sucker for Second Chance Romances and this book definitely lived up to my expectations!
Off to pick up another Denise Williams book!!

Pearl is an independent woman who has worked her way up in the tech world. When the nonprofit she works at is rocked with a scandal, she's promoted to the director role she's coveted for a long time. But then a blast from her past returns - Cord Matthews, her former boss and the big "what if" in her life. What if she gives love a chance instead of always leading with her head?

This book was really sweet and I LOVE a cinnamon roll MC like Cord. I could have done without the "scare" about 3/4 of the way through the book, but I thought the rest of it was great.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Technically Yours by Denise Williams
Narrators: January LaVoy and Joe Arden
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 12/5

Nothing excites me more than a second chance, “it’s always been you,” love story. Add in workplace romance, a cinnamon roll hero, and he falls first, and I am SOLD. For most of this book, I was completely in love with the story. But unfortunately, this ended up falling a little short for me.

Seven years ago, Pearl and Cord worked together at Cord’s company. What started out as a flirty workplace friendship turned into real feelings for both of them. But then Pearl moved to California for a new job, convinced she needed to lead with her head and not her heart. When she returns, her friendship with Cord picks back up where they left off, and it turns out that neither of their feelings have changed. However the situation is complicated because another workplace conflict keeps them apart. Will they ever get their HEA?

This book had me hooked from the first page. It’s told in dual POV and alternating timelines, so we can witness these two falling in love twice! The flirtation and tension between them were incredible, and the steam was just perfection! I loved the witty banter, Pearl’s meddling but tight-knit family, and Cord is just a dream. He’s such a cinnamon roll, and I loved how genuine he was…I just wanted to eat him up! Joe Arden and January LaVoy are my favorite narrators, making my listening experience extra special and even more enjoyable.

BUT…somewhere around the 70% point, Pearl really started to drive me nuts. Her inability to commit while stringing Cord along was not enjoyable to read. Her character fell flat next to Cord’s sweet but dirty-talking personality, and her inner dialogue was repetitive. And while I can usually appreciate a third-act breakup that moves the plot along, this wasn’t that. This issue felt dragged out, and the lackluster ending didn’t help. I’m sorry to say that Cord deserved better.

This book has a 4.13 average rating on Goodreads, so don’t take my word for it! I love Denise Williams. She writes relatable and well-rounded characters with whom I could easily see myself being friends with. I loved How to Fail at Flirting and The Fastest Way to Fall, and I will absolutely read her next book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for my advanced copy and PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Read if you like:
*second chance
*workplace romance
*dual timeline
*dual POV
*cinnamon roll MCs

Oh hey now, I’ll be yours, Cord!!!!

 I pulled an all-nighter last night, and woke up without an alcohol hangover, but a BOOK HANGOVER.

I set myself up for a little date (with myself). I needed to set the mood and channel my inner romantic. I haven’t read a rom/com in a bit and I was excited to get it right. Anyway, I poured myself a glass of wine, lit some candles, and jumped in the tub.

Denise Williams , my girl, you have done it again.

You have once again, rocked my world.

They say second chances are for suckers, but what if that second chance could end up being your soul mate?

Aghhhh Pearl and Cord!!! I can’t go into detail without spoiling anything but my god these two are so vivid and REAL!!!

Will they get their happy ending?

Denise, if someone told me that you wrote the phone book, I would be reading that as well. I can not rave more about Technically Yours!

Can I give this book 10 stars ? No? Fine!

Five Stars it is! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Check out this teaser :

Eight years ago, he fell in love with a stranger he couldn’t have—today, she’s back in his life and the sparks between them threaten to set her career on fire.

Pearl Harris has learned the hard way to be careful in work and in love. She has the chance to make lasting change at OurCode—a nonprofit aimed at inspiring high schoolers to code—but a recent scandal puts its reputation at risk. Further complicating things, Pearl didn't expect the one man she never stopped thinking about to join as the newest member of her board of directors.

Cord Matthews fell for Pearl when they met in an elevator eight years ago. She’s just his type: smart, capable, and makes him laugh, but when she broke his heart, he decided love wasn't for him. When they reconnect after years with no contact, Cord is tempted to consider breaking his ban on serious relationships. But going public with a romance between them might derail Pearl’s career and the progress she’s made at OurCode.

While Pearl and Cord are both hesitant to trust their feelings and take a risk, it soon becomes impossible to keep ignoring the electricity between them. Cord is a skilled programmer, but a workplace romance might spell disaster for both of them--and love isn’t easily debugged.

3.5 rounded up! Cute enough but not a fave. The guy was kinda obsessive and not in a good way… and some of the conflict etc was so repetitive I almost think they’d be better off not together. Was pretty spicy which is always a plus and the epilogue was sweet!

I don’t know how I feel about this book because the beginning started off rough. I typically read all of my books in the blind, not reading the book summary, so I can have the full experience. So I didn’t know that this romance book was a second-chance romance trope in the beginning. It’s not my particular favorite trope to read.

As I kept reading it, I soon realized that this book was going to have dual POVs. I particularly don’t like past POVs. Sometimes, the past tends to take up the majority of the book rather than staying in the present. Unfortunately, this became the problem in this book. I understood that they had a past with each other, but that doesn’t mean to go back to the past so much. They shared feelings and attraction for each other, but they never went anywhere with it in the past. There was no need to keep going back to the past.

Besides my endless rant about past perspectives in romance books, I truly felt no connection between the two characters, Pearl and Cord. There wasn’t a spark between them. I knew that Cord fell for Pearl so many times, but I don’t see the attraction of Pearl to Cord. She seems disconnected from him. She mainly debates about her career and her choices.

I wanted to fall in love with Pearl and Cord. Ultimately, it just wasn’t it. I absolutely love Cord because he always loved her from the beginning, even for the second time. The problem is Pearl. I understand that it’s hard to be in charge when you are a woman of color in the tech industry. It doesn’t mean that you have to self-sabotage yourself. And that’s what Pearl does through the whole book. It just doesn’t vibe with me.

Pearl Harris returned to Chicago for her dream job only to run into a man, Cord Matthews, who asked her to stay in the city for him five years prior. Her new job is working as the director at OurCode after the person who previously had the job left in scandal. It turns out Cord is on the company board. He has never gotten over Pearl's rejection - keeping other people far enough away they can't get close to him. Originally, Pearl said no since he was her boss and now he's on the board for the company where Pearl is working. Can they keep it professional as they are forced to work together?

Technically Yours has some of the most heartfelt scenes I've ever read. If you have ever pined for someone, Cord's feelings are so relatable and definitely aww-inducing. He wants to support her, but not stop her from living for her dreams.

As with all of Denise Williams' romances - there are some sexy, swoony scenes! She has become an auto-buy author for me.

I just reviewed Technically Yours by Denise Williams. #TechnicallyYours #NetGalley

I simply adored The Fastest Way to Fall earlier this year and was so excited to learn about this spin-off book!

Short Synopsis:
After being gone for five years, Pearl returns home only to confront the man she may love once more. She lives by a set of rules though and won’t let herself fall.

My Thoughts:
This was so cute. Cord was the perfect combination of charming, sweet, sexy and smart and I adored his character.

I love second chance books when we get flashback chapters and this was done so beautifully.

I will say some of the actions of Pearl annoyed me and this was spicier than I prefer, but it was cute.

Read if You Like:
🔌 Second Chance Romance
🔌 Workplace Romance
🔌 He falls first
🔌 Dual POV
🔌 Supportive sisters
🔌 Charming nerds

Technically Yours was a fun, quick romance read set in the world of tech/apps/development/nonprofits. (Aka not a world I know much about but that I enjoyed learning more about.) Since they first met in an elevator years ago, there has always been the potential for "something" between Pearl and Cord, but while she worked for him, it was a bad idea, and then she got a job across the country. When he asked for more, she turned him down.

But now they find themselves once again in the same city, He's on the board of directors at the new nonprofit she joins, and despite their work connection, like magnets, they can't deny their attraction. They begin to date secretly, and everything feels wonderful--until reality comes crashing down on them both.

The third act in this one actually honestly bugged me...a lot. Pearl was soooo strongly committed to not wanting help from someone else, so firmly opposed to "being taken care of," that she couldn't accept Cord's help or listen when he tried to explain why he wanted to help. Their breakup felt totally unnecessary and completely one-sided. I'm normally firmly on side "Girl Power," but I wanted to knock some sense into her long before she finally figured things out for herself.

But if you don't mind drawn out angst, then maybe it wouldn't bug you as much as it did me. I'm a huge advocate for clear, open, and honest communication, and that didn't happen, and it drove me crazy.

But the spicy bits were delightfully spicy. So there's that. ;) 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Denise Williams is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I struggled getting into this one and I think it was because if the time shifts. Cord and Pearl were strong characters but I had a hard time keeping track of their relationship. Not my favorite of hers but still.a solid romance that I know my patrons will enjoy.

When I first started reading this book, I didn't realize that it was a sequel. I immediately went to read 'The Fastest Way to Fall', and if you haven't read that book, you definitely should! In that book, we are introduced to Cord and Pearl when they start working together, and it adds a lot of context to their relationship in the past. While this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading both books together.

Cord has been in love with Pearl since he first met her eight years ago. Through that time, he and Pearl worked together and became friends, but there was always something more between them. When Cord expressed his feelings to Pearl, she had already accepted a job across the country. Five years later, Cord is reunited with Pearl when he comes on to help at her new job.

Pearl has always missed Cord, but she decided a long time ago that she needed to choose her head over her heart. She doesn't want a relationship, and she and Cord agree to a casual situation. Both of them have trouble with this arrangement because of their developing feelings for each other. There is so much history between them, but can they move into something serious together?

I also loved the updates about Mason, Britta, and Wes from the first book in the series. It's great to see how they are doing too.

I loved the mentorship between Cord and Tye. Pearl is Tye's aunt, and Tye lives with Pearl for part of the book. Cord and Tye have such a strong bond, and I loved to see how supportive Cord was of them. The non-binary rep was very important in this book, and I think that Tye's character added so much to the story.

Don't let the cartoon cover fool you- this is a steamy story! There's a few scenes on a camping trip that are so steamy!

Overall, I had so much fun reading Pearl and Cord's story. It shows how strong of a connection that they have, and they want to be there for each other. I loved their dynamic. I recommend this book, and I can't wait to read more books from Denise Williams.

This is my second book by Denise Williams and it didn’t disappoint! I love how Denise makes FMC’s that are BRILLIANT women who can stand on their own but deserve to be loved properly by the MMC’s. This book might be my favorite so far. It was cute, a little spicy and filled with love. Excited to continue to support Denise!

I just couldn't get into this one. I put it down and picked it up several times trying to get into it. It was just too much show and not enough feel. I wanted to care. The first chapter of the book gave you so much and then you get left with a lot of empty book that just didn't work and then they were having sex. I just didn't like it.

Technically Yours was my first Denise Williams but I look forward to going back and reading the others in her series.

Pearl has always put her heart/head before anything else in life. She adores her job at OurCode, the business that helps high schoolers realize their love of code, even through a recent scandal. With Pearl rising up to support the company, she doesn't expect her ex lover to be a newer member of the board.

Cord fell hard in love for Pearl eight years ago. When she broke his heart, he swore off love forever. Yet, seeing her speak on stage brought back sparks for him. He can't keep his hands off her and she him although they CANNOT under any circumstances go public with their relationship. She may be "technically yours" but is she truly?

While I enjoyed parts of Denise Williams's Technically Yours, there were other parts that were cringe worthy and had me quickly flipping the pages to do to the next scene. I wasn't fully invested in Cord and Pearl's relationship and found the office plot to be rushed. While I found this book to be an enjoyable read, I'm unsure if I will immediately want to pick up another Williams book in the near future.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for providing advanced copies to the Joyful Chaos Book Club. I have read all of Denise’s books, so I was looking forward to revisiting familiar characters and getting Pearl & Cord’s story.

I think this was a classic case of “not the right time” for me to read this. I didn’t love the alternating timelines (usually one of my favorite writing tools), and the second chance romance fell flat. Even though she provided content warnings, I didn’t realize that it would be the third act breakup/conflict point and it did not sit right with me at all. I will keep reading Denise’s work because I think she is talented in storytelling, but this one was a miss for me.