THE MARRIAGE CODE

Two co-workers battle workplace animosity and meddling matchmaking relatives while on a trip to Bangalore in this contemporary romance debut.

Emma Delaney is passionate about one thing and one thing only: her job as an engineer launching a literacy software program called Helix. Unfortunately, the product's launch wasn't as successful as predicted and Helix is in danger of being given to the app development team based in Bangalore, India. Rishi Iyengar is an app dev visiting the Seattle office for a few weeks from Bangalore, and his introduction to the Helix team doesn't go over well. Emma assumes the app team is trying to steal her software while Rishi harbors resentment that Emma got the promotion he was promised. But if Emma wants Helix to succeed, she'll need to get on board with transitioning to an app format, move to Bangalore, and coax Rishi to be her lead developer. They agree to a truce of sorts. If he agrees to be part of the team, she'll help him with one of his biggest concerns, and that's making his family happy by finally finding a wife. Of course, with both Emma and Rishi working in tech, they think the easiest way to accomplish this is by developing a marriage algorithm. There's a lot to like about this romance: a heroine who works in STEM, a workplace rivalry that feels authentic, and a setting we don't often see in the genre. The biggest weakness, unfortunately, is Emma's obliviousness and cringeworthy comments. In one scene, the Kama Sutra somehow appears in her luggage and pops out at an inopportune moment. Emma’s initial insensitivity is a hurdle readers may or may not get over, but there’s an appealing earnestness in her willingness to learn, absorb, and embrace the experiences Bangalore has to offer.

A cute premise from a lively new voice in romance.