Pages

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Book Review: Technically Yours

By Sara Steven

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. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I really enjoyed Technically Yours. I thought it was interesting that both characters share the same viewpoint when it comes to love and commitment, even though neither appears to see it that way. This creates a continual push-pull relationship, with Pearl doing everything she can to keep from falling deep into Cord, and Cord doesn’t want to forget the pain Pearl had put him through when she broke his heart years ago. Despite that, it’s hard to steer clear of one another. The fact that they work together makes it all the more difficult.

They decide to pursue a secret relationship–one that fulfills their surface wants and needs, without betraying the initial pact to keep from falling in love. The author provides background by giving the reader a past POV from both characters, while also bringing it back to the present, so we’re able to see the changes Pearl and Cord have made over the course of several years. Pearl notices how refined Cord has become. How much more self-assured and confident he is. Cord appreciates Pearl’s work ethic; it’s what he remembers, but she has grown into her own and appears to know her worth as a valued employee. It’s all the more reason to tread lightly, in order to preserve the jobs they have and all of the hard work they’ve put in to get to where they are in their careers.

I think people can often delude themselves into thinking they can keep their distance from those they care for, by putting up pseudo walls as a means of self-preservation. Pearl and Cord think they can work around their intense feelings and past, but they can’t, and it brings on chaos and potential heartbreak. I felt the scenarios presented here are realistic and are often scenarios that couples face when it comes to choosing between their hearts and their careers. And, should we ever feel like there has to be a choice, anyway? 

Technically Yours offered up a sweet experience between two former lovers who are given the chance to rekindle what they had, as changed characters. Pearl often laments over wanting to focus on her mind, vs. her heart given everything she’s been through in her former relationships, and the same goes for Cord, due to Pearl. Through it all, the reader gets to witness potential growth for both characters as a couple–with plenty of steamy scenes to add some extra spice to the mix! It was a definite five-star experience for me.

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Denise Williams:

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.

Listen to this book on Speechify!

No comments:

Post a Comment