Cord and Pearl have a history together and when they meet again the sparks fly, but should they risk their jobs in favor of a hot romance? That is the big question and despite their attempts to resist their feelings they just couldn't stay apart. Second chance and forbidden love aren't my favorite tropes, but Denise writes such interesting characters that I couldn't help but be swept along in their love story. I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the two timelines in this story and the dual points of view narrated by the amazing voice actors January LaVoy and Joe Arden.

Pearl has vowed to put her head before her heart. She's been burned before, and despite her history with Cord, and their attraction to each other, she refuses to entertain a relationship with him. It doesn't help that Pearl's nonprofit just had a scandal that involved an employee and a board member, and Cord has volunteered himself to be on the board of the company. They can't be together, but their attraction can't be denied.

As always, the diversity and representation in this novel was great. And women in STEM? We love to see it.

Denise Williams is usually my GOAT when it comes to romances. Unfortunately, this one wasn't my favorite. I really wanted to love the characters and the romance, but it fell flat for me. The book is well written, as always, but it just didn't grab me like her work usually does.

If you like a good second chance romance and hot nerds (lots of coding content), you will probably enjoy this book. I will say that sometimes second chance is hit or miss for me depending on the reason for the breakup. This really felt like right person, wrong time and wasn’t an ugly breakup.

I really enjoyed Pearl and Cord as their own characters and as a couple. The side characters were all great as well, including some appearances of characters from Williams’ previous books. I’m a big fan of her books so I was excited to see some familiar names.

Rating represents 3.5 rounded down~

This was an interesting reading experience because while I didn't find myself invested in the romance (the split POV was helpful, the dual timeline, not so much), I very much enjoyed the diversity and representation in the cast of characters, and the issues discussed, like the lack of those things in many current STEM workplaces etc.

Cord and Pearl (I love these character names, together they could make a necklace, haha!) are mostly so-so on-page. But them taking care of Tye together, and their spicier scenes, were among their best moments.

Pearl was an interesting character, and very realistic in how she followed her feelings. Many readers seem baffled she would accept a position whose last occupant left it under a cloud of scandal, but I saw this as her showing sincerity and a desire to help advance the field, serve as a role model, help others.

Cord was much more dimensional than a lot of contemporary romance leads I've read lately. He has a cat, Peach, who he adores, who wears custom sweaters advertising his company and acts very enjoyably catlike the whole book. He's also in a situationship for a while with Abby, a lovable nonbinary character, and I found that super refreshing, even if briefly counterproductive to the main romance.

In fact, there were multiple they-them characters presented in the story, much to my delight from a mainstream traditionally published romance. A diverse and casually queer ensemble of characters, their stories set in the world of coding, mightily improved this book for me.

We love a STEM romance! (Oops, was this a sequel?)

The best part of this book was Pearl's family and friends, especially Ty. I also adored the work Pearl was doing to help young disadvantaged people who were interested in STEM careers.

Unfortunately I didn't really feel the connection between these characters, but I did enjoy their banter and the steam. I like this author's writing so I think it was just the tropes that didn't work for me--I'm not the biggest fan of second chance romance and I was worried for Pearl's job security!

4.5 ⭐️

After a chance meeting in an elevator, falling in love, Cord and Pearl couldn’t be together because Pearl was moving to California to pursue her career dreams. Years later, as Pearl serves as the director for her nonprofit STEM company to support high schoolers, Cord sits on the board. They’re transported back to when they fell in love, but Pearl can’t risk everything she’s worked so hard for, not to mention move past her previous workplace relationships. How will Cord and Pearl now move forward?

Loved the STEM! Loved the strong FMC and the MMC who will do anything for the woman he loves. There were 2 POVs and a past and present timeline which developed Cord and Pearl’s characters beautifully. Definitely enjoyed this one more than the last book.

Technically Yours by Denise Williams is another one of her wonderful romance stories. The main characters are Pearl Harris and Cord Matthews, who we got a glimpse at in a previous book (The Fastest Way to Fall), with Cord very much in love with Pearl. But she broke his heart five years ago, when she walked out of Cord's life for a job opportunity in California that she had been waiting for.

Now Pearl is back in Chicago, with a job she loves, and to her surprise, she discovers that Cord has just joined the board of Pearl’s company, OurCode; a nonprofit organization aimed at inspiring high schoolers to code. Cord is happy to see her, and privately tells her he still has feelings for her. Pearl is determined to keep Cord at a distance, especially since her ex-boss was fired, due to having an affair with a board member, causing issues from members and the board. Pearl did not want to mix relationships that are personal and professional; and now she was promoted to Executive Director at OurCode. A romance between them would cause severe damage to her career and the progress she’s made at OurCode.

The POV’s between Cord and Pearl go between the flashbacks in the past, when they met and loved; and the present time. Cord immediately told Pearl about his feelings, but in a short time she also gave into her feelings, as their chemistry was off the wall. Pearl tries to keep their relationship quiet, as she feared she would lose her job. The secondary characters were all very good, as I did like her family and friends, as well as Cord’s friends. Tye (15 years old) was great, with her working with Cord on the codes, and Cord’s cat, Peach was cute.
What follows is a wonderful, fun, emotional and sexy romance, with a fantastic couple we loved. Pearl was a fabulous heroine, who also had strong feelings for Cord. At the same time, Cord was determined to protect Pearl, especially with her concerns about her job and keeping her director position. Cord would do anything to help Pearl, even if she did not want his help.

Technically Yours was an emotional ride, that was also delightful, fun and engaging. Technically Yours was very well written by Denise Williams. I fully suggest if you enjoy pure romances, that you read this book.

Technically Yours is a fun and steamy contemporary romance that follows two people in STEM careers who, when put together on a new project, have a second chance at love.

Pearl is a strong and independent woman, and Cord is a golden retriever MMC. The pair has a ton of chemistry and complement each other well. Plus, their banter is fantastic. It’s pretty clear from the start that there are unresolved feelings between the two, and their angsty romance is great. I like that the story includes flashbacks to their relationship seven years ago, too, which provided a lot of context to their friendship and feelings. The story also has a dual pov, which I always enjoy. It puts so much into perspective when you get the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of both main characters.

And I have to take a minute and talk about Cord because I might be a little in love with him. He fell so hard for Pearl all those years ago, and the feelings never went away. He is such a cinnamon roll, and his belief in her and desire to support her is super swoon-worthy. He’s nerdy and charming and sexy, and he has a cat!

I enjoyed this romance. The characters are layered and interesting, the secondary characters are great, and I love the diversity and representation as well as the STEM-based setting. I didn’t love the third-act break-up and miscommunication, and there were parts where I didn’t love how Pearl acted, but I did enjoy the overall love story. Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This is exactly the kind of story I like, a strong, capable woman figuring out what she wants and being brave enough to go for it.

Pearl and Cord worked together years ago and had a connection that went beyond work. At that time Pearl was trying to pull her life together and working to create the life she wanted and she took a job across the country. Now Pearl is back and Cord just walked into a gala for an organization she works for. He has had a lot of casual relationships because Pearl broke his heart. Sparks fly but there are complications with work and family and trusting each other. Can they figure out how to be together without losing everything they have worked for?

Read if you like:
💋 Interracial Couple Romances
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ rep with supporting characters
📥 Workplace Romances
🥈 Second Chance Romances
🤷🏻‍♂️ He Falls First
3️⃣ predictable 3rd act breakups

Overall, this one wasn’t my favorite, but I still enjoyed it. For me I struggled with the fact that this was a second chance romance with them going into the second chance romance as coworkers after a huge scandal in the company and someone leaving that created their opportunity to come back together again and to be in that workplace situation again and still going forward with dating and not disclosing it to the powers that be and the fact that the FMC knew this would be problematic but did it anyway?!

It just felt like there was no rational thought for her about her career which she claimed was her top priority especially since we had a very clear he fell first and fell first again situation. Basically the math wasn’t mathing for me and I couldn’t suspend my belief for her decisions.

All in all even with that said there were such great aspects to the book I loved with the inclusive language, the racial and female workplace dynamics, etc, the only thing that didn’t work was the communication around decision making given who the FMC was at her core.

Thank you to Berkley for my ARC in exchange for my review!

Seven years. Seven years ago these two fell for each other but it wasn’t meant to be. Pearl hasn’t seen Cord in all those years but when they come back into each other’s lives they both are hesitant. This one has a bit of everything. Dual pov, workplace romance, alternating timelines, second chance romance and stem romance. This one was full of emotion and had me rooting for them.
.

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Oh man. This was adorable. A little on the spicier side but it definitely added to the story. I really enjoyed both characters. Sometimes Pearl frustrated me with how stubborn she was being but I totally could understand why she was. Cord was just amazing. He was just so sweet and understanding. I adored him. I really couldn’t recommend this book anymore. It really is such a cute and fun read.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We finally get Pearl and Cord's story. I mostly listened to it as Joe Arden and January Lavoy are amazing narrators. They actually helped me to get into the story even more.

Cord and Pearl were a missed connection five years ago. She left town before anything could really happen. Now, she's back in town and sees Cord at a work event. He still has the same feelings for her and she for him, but he is part of the Board of Directors at her work, and it would be inappropriate.

I really enjoyed Cord's character and how much he was still really into her. He was so patient with Pearl and her relationship hang-ups. Pearl's chats with her sisters were quite funny, too. The addition of the mentorship program and Tye was a nice added subplot. Tye had some funny lines. I've read all of this author's books and this one seemed the steamiest of her books, yet.

Read this if you like:

Second chance romance
Dual POV
Past and present timeline
Women in STEM
Steam
Cinnamon Roll MMC

Thanks for the free audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner and to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC.

“‘I like it when you touch me,’ I repeated, staring up at the stars. ‘And when you talk to me. And when you look at me.’ I inhaled the scent of her hair. ‘And when you’re nearby. And when you’re far away but I know you’re coming back.’” 💕💕 So always, then? 😆

3.5 stars! This is a sweet second chance romance with a couple that is hot hot hot and brings some serious steam to the story. I loved Cord and Pearl, although Pearl was a bit annoying at times with her lack of communication skills. Sometimes I wanted to shout JUST TELL THIS MAN WHAT YOUR ISSUE IS! But it does add to the drama for sure.

My only slight issue when listening to this one is that, when the author gave one of the characters a plural pronoun I had a very hard time following who was being discussed. When you’re talking about one person but constantly saying “they” my mind halts and I struggle to stay lost in the story because I keep subconsciously wondering who the other people are. But I’m hoping that is something that gets less distracting over time. 🙂

“‘So, head before heart.’ ‘Head before heart,’ I agreed, catching someone walking toward us. ‘Reminds me to never rely on others too much.’”

Thank-you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Denise Williams for the eARC!

Me @ Denise Williams: Hey, Queen! Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. I’d say I’m surprised but I know who you are. I’ve seen it up close and personal. Girl, you make me so proud, and I love you.

As you can see, within MINUTES of finishing this book I was already INSISTING on another one, which truly cements miss Williams as one of my fave romance writers. Whatever she writes, I will read 100% of the time.

Somehow, Denise Williams managed to include several tropes that I generally don't care for in Technically Yours and I still loved Pearl and Cord's romance. If that doesn't show the power of great writing and wonderful character development, I don't know what does. What may be even more important than the romance in this book is the fantastically diverse and inclusive representation within the computer science/STEM fields. I absolutely loved seeing that featured so prominently within the story.

Pearl and Cord were just really well done main characters. I loved everything from their rocky past to the way they worked through their present-day issues. There were a lot of important discussions for these two, from ethical work relationships to where a man like Cord could even fit in at an organization like OurCode. As art imitates life, it was great to not only see this type of dialogue happening on the page, but also see their different approaches and solutions to inclusive advocacy.

I love seeing inclusive STEM representation in books; however, I am not very STEM-minded on my own. That being said, Williams didn't include any overly scientific terms that would take readers out of the story. Even when coding jargon was used that went over my head, it was used in a way that didn't affect my overall understanding of the scene itself.

Technically Yours might just include some of my favorite spice that Williams has ever done. I loved a lot of the things that Cord and Pearl got up to, and I loved the people they became in those scenes: hopeful, but realistic.

Support systems were important to both Cord and Pearl, and that stability was definitely a plus in this story. Cord had friends like Wes and Britta (whom readers might remember from The Fastest Way to Fall), and Pearl had her sisters and her sister's teenage kid, Tye. I loved seeing both main characters not exist in a silo when it came to their romance.

Overall, Technically Yours was a fun, steamy read that kept the importance of diversity and inclusion in STEM at front and center. I love romances with heart, and Cord and Pearl definitely had it.

I always enjoy @nicwillwrites books and this one was just as good! Her women in STEM stories are so fab! I loved Pearl and Cord’s story! Second-chance romance is such a sweet trope and this one definitely delivered! I loved having both Pearl and Cord’s POVs and thought they were well done! The inclusivity throughout this one was fantastic as well. Definitely grab this one!

Pearl Harris has learned the hard way to be careful in work and in love. When she is appointed acting director of OurCode, a nonprofit aimed at inspiring high schoolers to code, she has a chance to make lasting change for the organization, but a scandal has put their reputation at risk. Further complicating matters, Pearl didn’t expect the one man she hasn’t stopped thinking about in seven years to be the newest member of her board of directors. Cord Matthews fell for Pearl when they met in an elevator seven 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. After five years with no contact, their connection is immediate despite the many roadblocks in their way and Cord must 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. Pearl and Cord both are hesitant to trust their feelings and take a risk as they grow closer, but it 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.

Denise WIlliams is quickly becoming one of my favorite auto-buy authors. We've got the wrong place wrong time second chance, workplace romance! Pearl was a strong independent woman with strong family values. Cord is like a golden retriever, always happy and ready to help out. It had a great balance of plot, steam, and romance. I loved how this book pulled in characters from her previous books. It is heavily focused on tech( in particular coding) and diversity in the tech field. I love a nerdy romance y'all! I also enjoyed the presence of non-binary characters, especially in her nibling. They played an integral part of their romance and I loved the role they played.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest opinion. This book releases 12/5

Thanks to Let's Talk Books Promo and Berkley for this ARC!

A diverse and inclusive STEM romance, Denise Williams delivers with Pearl and Cord's second-chance romance. As a nerd with a nerd husband, I always enjoy reading a love story between two science-and-math-focused people. Pearl and Cord are both involved in programming and mentoring highschoolers who are learning to code, and I LOVED the empowerment of both women and kids in this book. There's lots of romance, but also lots of good plot with a scandal at OurCode, and an "every Board member MUST be above reproach" line when Pearl and Cord are clearly digging each other.

Read if you:
- are in STEM
- love second chance romance
- like a set of diverse characters

Thanks to Netgallery and Berkley Romance for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I first met Cord and Pearl while reading The Fastest Way To Fall, and I loved them ever since. Their small moments in that book made me eager to see them have their own story told. Technically Yours is a second chance romance between two people that despite the distance, other relationships and time have never managed to forget their connection.

I adored Cord and Pearl's chemistry, yes their relationship is the "It has always been you" and although I don't gravitate towards those types of books, this one had me believing that when done correctly, it can work. They are magnets and they brought out the best of one another. Their inhibitions and worries dissipated when they were together. Despite their relationship possibly being forbidden, the need and want they had for each other was greater.

I liked Pear a lot, although I did had my issues with her around the 70-80% mark of the book. She has been hurt before and while I do understand how hesitant and scared she was of loosing herself to a new relationship, my problem with her was the fact that she stringed Cord along. Cord was open and honest about what he wanted with her, he was in love and she knew it, so when she mentioned the whole "lets have a casual thing", well it rubbed me the wrong way. AGAIN, I understand her fears and she did mentioned them to Cord, but I think if she allowed herself to love him before, why not now?

Cord...he is truly one of the cutest, most lovable and endearing characters I've read in a while. He was kind and head over heels for Pearl. That man knew boundaries, knew what to do and tried so damn hard to be exactly what Pearl needed. He did make mistakes but honestly, he tried to fix them right away. I think part of the reasons he made mistakes, was because of his fear to loose the only person he has truly loved in years. My man was walking on eggshells for so long.


Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I think is a great addition to this interconnected series. Loved how inclusive and diverse the book is. I've enjoyed Denise Williams writing in her short novellas and The Fastest Way to Fall, so I want to continue to read her work.



READ THIS IF YOU LIKE:
- Second chance romance
- Diverse characters
- Forbidden romance
- He falls first, AND harder
- Golden retriever MMC.

Again, thanks to Netgallery and Berkley romance for this ARC.