The star rating for this book is unnecessarily harsh. Do not judge this book by its star rating! While not what I would call a traditional romance, as much of the "romance" does not take place between the hero and heroine, but rather by a bad relationship in the heroine's past, this is a satisfying work of women's fiction...and the publisher should probably shelve it as such if they don't want to keep getting backlash to this title! It's got Sophie Kinsella vibes, which means it may have romance in it but it's 100% women's fiction.

this book is about Lucy who has been sacked from her old job on a magazine and gets a new one at that same paper as the editor of the "ask Adam" column, which is basically her posing as a man giving men advice.

Lucy has had experience with a workplace romance with an older man which went bad. and I'm being so honest, more than half of this (till the very end!!) we were still getting flashbacks about the old romance. quite frankly, I really didn't care about it and it was tiring, repetitive, and pulled the plot backwards.

so about the characters:
Lucy was nosy, quirky, annoying, made mad decisions and not really likable. her character was stuck up, nonchalant and was an overthinker. and not an ovethinker in a good way of things you have to actually be worried about, but she imagined situations that were just impossible.

Ross who is the love interest (oh poor Ross). I feel, like he was barely mentioned in the book because why did Lucy think more about the good times with her ex than him?? Ross is very cute, kind and soo soo sweet. I felt so bad for him because he didn't know he ended up with a psychopath in the end😔🥲

the plot/ romance:
there was barely any romance in this book in my opinion because when did she even start liking him, accepting her feelings, trying to show that she liked him that he even flew to New York to meet her and they did the doing thing??? i was so confused because there were so many gaps in the plot, and it was just very exhausting.

I don't know if it's just me, so I hope everyone reads this to validate my opinion that this book just isn't that good.


some of my notes while reading this
damn, even in fiction andrew tate is being mentioned😭😭

I have no idea when the transition from not wanting to be in a work place romance to liking Ross and even crying happened???

I imagined this book being set in 2010 or 2011 in London because of the imagery and especially the slang. who says "phwoar" still?

there's literally nothing goingnonnabd we're already past the half mark

half the book was spent talking about her ex

Lucy really needs to mind her own business. she doesn't have to go there to catch Zack. she should go to visit her sister because wtf

I spent more than half of this book waiting for the romance cus what even was this?

The Love Hack by Sophie Ranald

When Lucy is about to lose her job at the magazine Fab! as a technical writer due to the change to an online platform, she follows her sister's advice and pitches the idea of Ask Adam - an online agony uncle.

Though she feels like she cannot understand men, she manages to answer their problems with the help of her sister and an AI tool.

But when her own life starts to shake with problems related to men, she is not sure how to move ahead.

I did not expect this story to be so good. I had low expectations due to the previous novel I read and because I was not familiar with the author's writing. But I am pleasantly surprised! I enjoyed the book throughout and loved the story.

Lucy is logical, sensitive, and a brilliant cat mom, who is very compassionate and considerate of the feelings of people around her. I loved her personality and how emotionally mature she seemed even when dealing with her insecurities.

The story is told in first person from Lucy's perspective. Usually, I prefer dual points of view in romcoms, but this is an amazing exception. I was very engaged throughout, reading how she navigated through the curveballs thrown at her.

I loved her relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. The way she was so sensible and understanding was very admirable. The undeniable chemistry between Lucy and Ross was very cute!

I loved the writing throughout. The Ask Adam thing was especially creative.

I hope there will be a sequel, but focused on Amelie's story. I would love to read that one!

Give this book a try if you enjoy a slow burn, friends to lovers romcom!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The characters were super relatable and I enjoyed the FMC. A fast paced rom com with just a little too much drama than I expected. I like happier romantic books to cleanse my palate after an intense thriller.

A good rom com where the main character has depth and is relatable. I liked most of the book but felt there was a lot of unnecessary drama mixed in.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.

"The Love Hack" is like a breath of fresh air in the rom-com scene. Lucy Hack, the main character, feels just like someone you might know in real life, making the story super relatable. Her gig writing for the Ask Adam column adds a cool twist, giving us a peek into how guys think about relationships. But, there were a couple of things that didn't sit right with some readers, like the whole drama with another woman and Lucy's sister Amelie, who could've used some more likability. Still, despite these bumps, the book keeps you hooked with its realistic characters and Lucy's journey of self-discovery. It's a cozy romance that you could easily devour in one sitting, perfect for a lazy day at the beach.

I had a tough time with this book. I really wanted to love it, but I just didn't. Maybe it was the british slang used that made things difficult to understand (I'm American), maybe it was that I was expecting more romance based on the title, or maybe because the challenges the characters faced hit too close to home (let's be real, I read romance to escape from reality not have it hit me head on). The book was not terrible by any means and there were some very funny parts but it was not my favorite. The grand gesture where the MMC travels across the ocean to declare his love was sweet and expected out of romance. The conversations between the FMC/MMC where they opened up about their past heartbreaks (toxic relationship and death of a parent) were great additions and really helped develop the characters further.

However, I expected more romance. The relationship between the FMC and MMC, I felt, should have had a lot more tension building up to the point where they confess their feelings to one another. I didn't feel much tension there. I also found it odd that the MMC was described as "average" in the beginning which made me think he wasn't a main character. I suppose the author wanted to capitalize on the idea that love blooms over time and isn't always based on physical attraction which is wonderful, but that initial attraction to another person is usually based in physical response so it felt odd. I also hated that the MMC was in a relationship that he clearly wasn't interested in throughout majority of the book while holding a torch for another woman. It seemed a bit sleazy, he should have broken it off much sooner. I also hated the cheating amongst the supporting characters but that's personal preference.. I can't stand reading about cheating in books but it did add to the story and helped develop the FMC further so it served a purpose. I just wish it hadn't gone so far.

All and all, I think the title of the book was misleading which may have led to this feeling I have that the book fell flat. I expected more. But if the description and title was toned down a bit and didn't make it seem heavy on the romance and more of a general/women's fiction book my response would probably be very different.

I enjoyed this book, but the miscommunication and lack of self-esteem tropes are my least favorite, and those came up very frequently in this book. I enjoyed following the main characters along and the characters were all likable (except the one you're NOT supposed to like!). I also really enjoyed the setting being in London (and a brief stint in NYC, which was also cool).

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Love Hack is a cute workplace romcom about Lucy, who gets a new job as an agony "uncle"- Ask Adam. There she meets Ross, who at first glance seems entirely average, but once she looks closer looks like her dream man. The romantic aspect of the book starts of pretty slow and ends up feeling a bit rushed towards the end. Overall very enjoyable though.
The thing that held my attention the longest though was the relationship between Lucy and Amelie, as someone who grew up with only brothers, I've always yearned for this type of sisterly love. Lucy feels most like a fully fleshed out character when she's with her sister. Amelie brings out the complexity in Lucy and vice versa.
The book is not groundbreaking by any means, but I genuinely enjoyed it and looked forward to reading it.

Lucy, a rookie advice columnist who prefers Netflix and her cat over dating, until she meets Ross, her charming coworker.
That is, until she meets Ross, her new co-worker who makes her snort with laughter at his silly jokes and sets off butterflies in her stomach when his hazel eyes meet hers over his laptop. After her last work boyfriend broke her heart, Lucy swore she'a never fall for someone in the office again.
Full of laughter and tears, this romantic comedy explores love, work, and modern technology.
"The Love Hack" offers a lighthearted and entertaining take on office romance and modern dating dilemmas. While the premise is intriguing and the characters are relatable, it was a bit of a slow burn and rushed ending. However, Sophie Ranald's witty writing style and charming storytelling make for an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of romantic comedies.

This one was quick and smooth, things were happening one after another. I loved the office setting but it could have been used more successfully. Liked the female lead and her relationship with her sister, however the male lead was an idiot.

The Love Hack is a cute little romcom that takes place in the UK. The FMC is a writer for a magazine that is going online, and she's about to lose her job if she cannot think of another position for herself at her magazine's online counterpart that the company will allow her to handle. She ends up pitching writing an "Ask Alice" column, but for men instead of women. She will pose as this "Adam" and dish out advice to the men who write into the magazine. She ends up having two issues: #1. She ends up with a major crush on the man seated at the desk across from her, but he's already dating one of her sister's friends. #2. She doesn't actually know how to answer most of these men, and decides to ask an online AI bot for help.


This book moves along as expected, and is pretty surface level as far as the characters go. Since it's a romcom, there aren't any earth shattering revelations for these characters, but it's well written from beginning to end and is entertaining enough to have held my attention throughout. If you enjoy romcoms with the teeniest, tiniest bit of open door scenery, then this will be worth picking up

The description from The Love Hack does not cover the story. The story has definitely more depth than the description entitles. Sure, the story is about Ross and Lucy. You get to know them from the POV from Lucy. However there is more to tell. Lucy starts with 'Ask Adam' where she finds help from AI and her sister. Nonetheless, Lucy gets disconnected from her sister and is determined to find out why. An email to 'Ask Adam' makes her journey somewhere else, where she connects with Ross.
I think the story has potential and should finds lots of other readers to love this story. But this one wasn't one for me. I can't explain why, but perhaps I couldn't connect with the characters.

Initially I really enjoyed the premise and the characters of this book, then it slowed down and felt very repetitive, and I really struggled with the last 2/3 rds of the book. The "Ask Adam' components were really funny and it would have been great to see the momentum from the 'work' moments translate into the rest of the book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This one was just ok for me - its a slow burn romance type for me & I typically enjoy that trope. I think many people would enjoy The Love Hack by Sophie Ranald- it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley & Storm Publishing for an ARC copy of this book.

This is an adorable, slow burn romance that could be read in one sitting, something about it just flows.
Lucy Hack is about to lose her current position at a magazine, so in order to keep her creativity and paychecks flowing, she becomes the voice of "Ask Adam", a mens advice column.
Lucy is NOT a man, and has NO business giving male advice, but with the help of zany friends and AI, she presses on.
See, Lucy has not had the best luck with men, and typical of rom-coms, has always felt "less than" her pretty, successful sister.
Enter Ross.
He's funny, she gets butterflies when around him, too bad he isn't single.
So there is your plot arc, and while I really enjoyed every minute of her column writing, there were moments that felt very similar to other office romance, will they/wont they books.
The highlight for sure is her column and the made me wonder how I would answer the questions posed.
This will be a great beach read, and it is release June of 2024, so it's perfect timing.

This book took me a little by surprise. The story captured my attention, and I was excited to keep reading but hesitant to get to the end. The story took on some twists and turns that I was not expecting bringing depth and complexity to the characters and plot. Definitely not what I expected, but in the best of ways.

I really enjoyed this book. The author was very insightful and the romance was very deep. It was nice to have a love interest who was not toxic and very considerate of the main character. I enjoyed the Ask Adam entries; it was very deep and meaningful.

Lucy is faced with a difficult situation as the new online advice columnist, "Ask Adam," providing relationship advice for men, despite knowing nothing about them. Adding to her stress is her coworker Ross, who constantly makes her blush with his subtle gazes. Despite her determination to stay single due to a past betrayal, Lucy finds herself drawn to Ross.

As her sister prepares to marry a man Lucy disapproves of, she supports her sister through the wedding planning. However, during the bachelorette party, Lucy sees Ross kissing a bridesmaid, causing her to question her feelings for him. To protect herself, Lucy decides to keep her distance from Ross, but working closely with him proves to be a challenge.

As Lucy gains a better understanding of men through her advice column, her relationship with Ross deepens. However, Ross is still seeing the bridesmaid casually, complicating Lucy's feelings for him. How will Lucy navigate her growing attraction to Ross when she wants more than just friendship? This book is filled with interesting moments, especially Lucy's cluelessness about men and her own self-worth.

However, albeit the unique and somewhat entertaining premise, I couldn't find myself to love the book oevrall even though I realky wanted to because I appreciated the unique-ness about this story, but I just found Lucy so immature and her relationship with Adam, lack lustre that I couldn't just fall in love with it unfortunately.

However I am interested to see what the author is gonna out out next! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Predictable rom-com, with a few laugh out loud moments. Main characters well fleshed out. Especially enjoyed the Ask Adam sections. Thanks for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my review.