I really like the premise of this story but I felt mislead about our main female character due to not knowing her age and that this is an age gap romance. I personally don’t like age gap so I would have loved to know that up front before reading. Because of that I just couldn’t connect to the MFC like I was hoping to. While her emotions in parts connected to me there were others I couldn’t relate to. I did think this had some funny moments with her friends and the banter she and Jack have. But unfortunately because this played on a trope I don’t like much at all it was a no from me. This though would be a perfect book for those that do love a stem romance with an age gap.

It started very well. In her late 30s woman, with high standards and confidence. She went to Paris with her friends and she met through dating app with Jack. They spent the night together and then there was a lot of miscommunication. Which irritated me all the time.

It was also too tech for me. I skipped a lot, I understand some stuff, but not much.

I was promised a romance rom-com. But I got a sad story. And I was so angry. I wanted to punch Jack all the time. In the end, I would punch in the nuts and walk away. I would have been happier if this wasn't HEA. If it had a dramatic end.

But still, I wanted to read it, it was entertaining and kept me on hook. I was so angry all the time. At Eric, at Jack at Leonie. You were supposed to be strong and smart woman and you let some rich stepbrother walk over you, not okay.

The writing style was good and the story was fast-paced. I think I gave it 3 stars because I was angry with the characters. But anger is better than no emotion, right?

*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollinsUK

Okay so the blurb and cover of the book were looking promising but unfortunately I wasn't feeling this book. The language was pretty complicated and the writing was hard to get into. Then there were these long monologues of Leonie which went on and on and I really lost my interest at that. Also, the side characters were terrible especially her mom and stepbrother. I did not like them one bit. Her friends too were too eccentric and I couldn't imagine them as people in their forties because they were way too immature and their behaviour was very weird tbh. Then comes the issue with Jack, he was a cheater and I can't stand those. Hard to believe he was the MMC because there was nothing likeable in home, at least to me. And he did not even tell her that he was married, she had found out after her stepbrother told her. Seriously, not any single character was remotely likeable and this book has potential but it got completely ruined. I wish I had read all the reviews before getting into this book because it was nothing but a huge waste of my time. I quit reading after I found out that he was married and lied about it.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I will always stand by a romance! Nice fun little read, read it in one sitting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

This is not going to be very constructive criticism, but after having received this book from NetGalley, I decided to read the reviews. “Cheating MMC” and “Warning: Do Not Read” scared me and honestly gave me a bad taste in my mouth even before starting the novel. Why do we praise such tropes?? So gross. I attempted to read this, but the knowledge of that trope made me DNF it after 10%. This isn’t a very valid review, but I want the author to consider these comments when writing their next novel. Which I hope does not include a cheating mmc!

Ps why can’t we give 0 stars boo

I was really enjoying this book, until about 69% through and then I had to force myself to finish it. Honestly, it broke my heart, and not in a good way. There was nothing romantic about the book, as hard as I wanted to find it, and the comedy went out the window as soon as (insert spoiler here) happened and I just, I wanted to love this book but I was left really wishing for a different *gestures to multiple parts but I don't want to spoil it for those that do read it and love it* than this one had.

E-arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

Tried my best to give this an honest chance but it just ain’t it for me. The synopsis sounded so exciting but this failed to hit the mark. The writing was slow and I just couldn’t connect with the characters and the plot, especially Jack. Also the fact that he’s married? MARRIED?? And whatever happened did so while he was married? What a mess

I absolutely love these kinds of storylines, and was so excited to get started. Unfortunately it did take a little bit for me to get into it, but a few chapters in I was hooked, and couldn't put it down. It was an easy romance with some great laugh out loud moments, and was able to finish in a day.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC of this book. I wanted to love this so much but it just really fell flat for me. I didn’t like the fact that the MMC was married. I didn’t like their dialog it felt awkward and unnatural. I didn’t really like either character all that much. I do think that the author has potential as the premise for the story is good.

I was very excited to read Once Upon An Algorithm based on its promotional copy. Given the comps (Ali Hazelwood and Sally Thorne) I was expecting lots of geekery, smart writing, plenty of steam, and even more emotion. When I stopped reading 20% in - a rarity for me - I had found none of that so far.

I've been trying to figure out why and, really - I just didn't connect with the narrator. Leonie is meant to be from California, but to my American sensibility she feels British, a minor but distracting issue. More importantly, we just don't know much about her beyond her age and a general idea of her profession. There are a few allusions to her past, but they're vague; most of this first part of the book is spent in a foreign city with a strange man, so we have no chance to see what her day-to-day life looks like. She's meant to be approaching 40, but she really does feel like the blank slate she and Jack are pretending to be - and that isn't a good thing.

And... Jack. Obviously he's the male lead, but we know literally nothing about him except that he's several years younger than Leonie, very good-looking, and sexually magnetic-yet-mysteriously-ambivalent (a la early Hugh Grant). I realize this is an opposites attract trope, but a modest age difference doesn't make two otherwise completely generic characters "opposite".

I realize I bailed out early, and perhaps the story eventually gets good. But there are too many books that start out good to take that chance.

I really enjoyed this book, but Jack should have groveled more at the end. It seemed to be too quick of a resolution. The man chose his wife he didn’t love over her and shows up a month later and expects Leonie to choose him? Heck no, Jack lost all trust and should have worked to earn it back

In Once Upon an Algorithm, Leonie is an American living in London. On a girls trip to Paris, her friends convince her to go on a date with “Mr. Wrong” through an app that pairs people up based on the idea that opposites attract. She meets up with Jack and has an amazing night in Paris, but a misunderstanding in the morning leads to Jack storming off and Leonie fuming at his unwillingness to let her explain. Upon returning home to London, Leonie finds that her next job (a favor she’s doing for her stepbrother) is an app on which Jack is one of the coders/developers. A workplace rivals situation ensues, and Leonie and Jack have an on again/off again romance throughout the moth it takes to get the app on the market.

While the premise of the story is something I can get behind and was excited to read, this book ultimately fell flat for me for a few reasons. There was a lot of app/tech speak that made it difficult for me to really follow the parts of the plot that happened in the office. It is next to impossible for someone who doesn’t know the ins and outs of app development to understand what Leonie’s job even is, let alone what she and Jack are working on in the office. The book is billed as a spicy romance, but had very little to no spice. The main couple broke up 1-2 times too many for me to really feel they were right for each other (misunderstandings, secrets, and lack of communication abound). And some of the things they fought about are, frankly, pretty unforgivable in a relationship in my opinion.

Thank you to Net Galley, Harper Collins UK, and One More Chapter for the ARC.

‘Once Upon an Algorithm’ by Clara O’Connor was mine, and I’m sad to say that it didn’t really start the new month off stunningly for me. It has a beautiful cover and was billed as a STEM rom-com for fans of Ali Hazelwood, but it really wasn’t my cup of tea at all.

I liked the fact that the FMC was an independently successful woman of almost 40 and I enjoyed the familiar descriptions of locations in South West London and being swept away to Paris.

However, I disliked the FMC’s friends, wasn’t 100% sure on the FMC, and HATED the MMC for a variety of reasons I can’t articulate in a spoiler free review. I didn’t want to DNF but I found myself skimming parts just because I have other books on my TBR that I am eager to get to, and I wasn’t really enjoying this one.

Overall, I am giving this two stars and I hope the author creates more stories without some of the elements that gave me the ick as I did enjoy parts of the writing style.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this even though it ended up not being my fave…

1.5 stars rounded up
This book started out fun. I really liked Leonie's friends- they were supportive and encouraging while trying to push Leonie out of her comfort zone. Right off the bat, I didn't really understand Jack's attitude. This was explained as the book went on but his reactions, responses, comments, etc. really annoyed me the entire book. There were some family dynamics that appeared early on and were really frustrating. I felt like Leonie was a doormat and allowed herself to be manipulated.

There were movie quote references between Leonie & Jack that were meant to be cute and endearing but it got to be a bit much for me. Maybe because I didn't have the same feelings about the movies they were quoting? Either way, this just didn't feel like a rom-com to me.

Leonie has an algorithm set for love, full of ten things that she thinks will make for a perfect romance. But after a one night stand in Paris, everything gets thrown out of proportion. When she starts a new job and runs into Jack, the same one from Paris, again, she doesn’t know what to do with herself.
This book wasn’t for me. It just wasn’t. In theory, I probably should have read reviews before starting it because it turns out everyone who’s read it has the same ideas.
The book was really boring at first, to the point where I almost DNF’d it, and then at the 40% mark everything just shifted. It felt like a whole other author wrote the last 60% of this book. I mean, it still wasn’t good unfortunately but it made me keep reading out of curiosity sakes.
Although I really wish I hadn’t, and as much as I hate to say that it really is true. There was just so much talk about her job and it was boring, so I was skimming through that. And then it was revealed that Jack was cheating on his wife, and refused to divorce her. Now, I cannot STAND cheating so that just settled in my distaste and dislike for this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an eARC of this book

Okay to start off I just have to say there were SO MANY things wrong with this book.
1)It was not romantic.
I really really want to know who had the audacity to straight up lie to the authors face and tell her that this book was romantic because it just wasn't. The male lead does so many unlikeable things that I'm not going to spoil but they undoubtedly make anyone who reads this book uncomfortable.
2)Nobody is likeable
Following up from my last point there is not a single person in this book who at the very minimum I tolerate-not even the female lead's friends.Infact,they were the worst part.They were just always saying the wrong things at the wrong time and encouraged the male lead's actions and if you can't tell already he is insufferable.

TW: Cheating MMC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up "Once Upon an Algorithm" with high hopes for a spicy STEM romance drawn in by the promise of a unique love story set against the backdrop of tech innovation. However, my initial enthusiasm waned as the story unfolded.

The premise of a dating algorithm leading to unexpected chemistry had potential, but the execution left much to be desired. The protagonist, Leonie, starts as a strong, self-assured woman, only to be disappointingly manipulated by a character who takes advantage of her vulnerability.

Moreover, the revelation about Jack's marital status felt like a betrayal of the reader's trust. While the author hints at his past, the lack of clarity regarding his current relationship status is misleading. The handling of this aspect diminishes the authenticity of the characters and their connection.

The narrative's climax, where Leonie extends a thoughtful solution only to face rejection, adds another layer of frustration. Jack's eventual turnaround lacks the depth readers need to invest in their reconciliation fully.

Despite a promising start and the potential for a compelling tech-infused romance, "Once Upon an Algorithm" ultimately falls short, leaving readers with a sense of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential.

The MMC was married and cheated, so right off the bat, this is a big fat NO for me. I just can't root for someone like that. The MMC is also sexist and misogynistic and said really inappropriate things to the FMC. She herself is really annoying, as are her friends. I don't think there was any chemistry between the two main characters and in fact, they just seemed to hate each other and that was it. I truly can't believe this is considered a romance, when it so clearly is not. It was a total miss for me and a real disappointment.

"Once Upon An Algorithm" by Clara O'Connor invites readers into the world of modern romance and the unpredictable nature of love. The story revolves around Leonie, a woman who relies on a carefully crafted dating algorithm to find her perfect match. The initial criteria seem straightforward—over 6 ft tall, funny, and well-traveled. However, when Leonie encounters Jack, a brooding stranger in Paris, who doesn't fit her algorithmic checklist, she realizes that there's more to love than a set of predefined characteristics.

The novel cleverly explores the tension between relying on algorithms and the unpredictable, often inexplicable, nature of human connection. Leonie's realization that chemistry is a vital component of a successful relationship adds depth to the narrative. The unexpected encounter with Jack challenges her preconceived notions, making her question the limitations of her algorithmic approach to love.

The incorporation of a tech startup setting adds a contemporary and relevant backdrop to the story. Jack's role in the tech world, as the man behind the code, introduces an interesting layer, blurring the lines between technology and personal relationships. The unexpected reunion at Leonie's workplace adds an element of surprise and sets the stage for potential complications and romantic tension.

The narrative seems to offer a balance between humor, romance, and the exploration of the role of technology in shaping modern relationships. The story's premise suggests an engaging and relatable exploration of love in the digital age, where algorithms can guide but not guarantee the complexities of the heart.

Readers who enjoy contemporary romance with a touch of humor and a reflection on the intersection of technology and love are likely to find "Once Upon An Algorithm" a delightful and thought-provoking read. The novel promises to be a journey of self-discovery and the discovery of love beyond the constraints of algorithms.