Hard Byte

A Geeky Fake Date Romantic Comedy

By: Misha Bell, Dima Zales, Anna Zaires

Narrated by: Ava Erickson, Aiden Snow

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of facial hair must be in want of a shave. And tidying. And a fake date.

My name is Holly Hyman. I love order and prime numbers - and I’m in trouble. The company I work for is pivoting, and not in a way I like. Our new management? Alex Chortsky, a gorgeous, scruffy Russian devil. Our new direction? VR entertainment of the spicy kind.

Maybe I wouldn’t mind it so much if my life’s work wasn’t meant for children. Or if I hadn’t accidentally hooked up with a VR version of my wickedly handsome boss.

The only way to save my dream project is to make a Faustian bargain. For one night, I pretend to be Alex Chortsky’s girlfriend.

What could possibly go wrong?

Note: This is a stand-alone, raunchy, slow-burn romantic comedy featuring a quirky, nerdy Anglophile heroine, a scorching hot Russian hero, and an unruly, oversized puppy. If any of the above is not your cup of tea, run away now. Otherwise, buckle in for a laugh-out-loud, feel-good ride.

©2021 Misha Bell (P)2021 Misha Bell

So Funny and Cute!!

I was so excited to read about Alex “the Devil” Chortsky after reading the first two books in the series. This was wonderful and hilarious from beginning to end. I absolutely loved Holly and Alex. They were both quirky and geeky about numbers and coding. It was so cute to see them bond over the most nerdiest things. Holly’s obsession with prime numbers and britishisms were weirdly adorable. I loved her infatuation with Downtown Abbey, it was the best British show ever!! How can I forget the nickname she came up with for Alex. Haha! Crusty!! That scene was so funny and cute. Alex’s reaction was priceless. Alex was so swoon worthy. I loved how protective he was of his sister and her new venture. He was a bit of an alpha, with slight possessive tendencies when it came to Holly. He just got Holly and understood & accepted all of her, odd quirks and all. The epilogue from Alex’s POV was great! I wish there was more from his POV.

Ava Erickson did a wonderful job narrating the bulk of the book. She was fabulous as Holly, bringing all her weird quirks to life. Her slightly accented Russian Alex voice was perfect. She did a phenomenal job with this story and portraying all the characters beautifully. Aiden Snow narrates the last chapter of the book from Alex’ POV. His voice and Russian accent as Alex was on point. I could definitely picture it.

But overall, this story had me in stitches and was a fantastic romcom. It was slow burn, sexy, and entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading more by Misha Bell and can’t wait for Tiger and Gia’s story.

A fun listen

This book is a fun and silly addition to the series. I really enjoyed seeing the couples from the previous books and how they all interact with each other.

What a riot!

I've been secretly pining for Alex's story ever since he showed up in book 1. I don't know what it is about him, but I've been drawn to his character from the start. And I love who he ends up paired with. Holly is just perfect for him.

This whole series has been hilarious. The Chortsky family is nutty and I get such a kick out of Alex's parents, Natasha and Boris. Their family dinners that have appeared in each book just makes me laugh.

I listened to the audiobook version and would highly recommend it. The narrators Ava Erikson and Aiden Snow are two of my favorite narrators. They did a fantastic job with this book.

Super cute and super funny

Such smart humor and funny laugh out loud moments. It’s definitely worth a listen. Narration was on point.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ROM COM GOLD.. HERE IT IS

What a fun, enjoyable, light, slow-burn as Holly tries to keep her ovaries from melting every time she sees or thinks about her her new sexy Russian Boss. Trouble is, testing and talking about a new virtual sex suit has her treacherous libido kicking her mantra of “keep it professional” to the kerb. Sizzling chemistry flares and Holly’s lust-filled swoons continue while she also gets to know Alex through family fake dates, business lunches/dinners and teaming up for a very sexy work project. Holly has her quirks.. she’s obsessive, everything must be in prime numbers and her Britishisms run through every chapter with ease making her even more loveable.. and perfect for Tetris loving Alex.

Worth a credit? Yes, a nicely paced, humorous, entertaining listen that’s told from Holly’s POV (Aiden only did the Epilogue).. it’s not drowned by sex or angst and it brings a smile to your face.