The Boyfriend Algorithm

Dr. Clara Vance is brilliant, disorganized, and on the verge of a hardware breakthrough that will change the world. There’s just one problem: Nexus Innovations’ mandatory new AI matchmaking system, E.R.O.S., has flagged her as a "critical psychological risk." To secure the premier penthouse lab she desperately needs to finish her prototype, she doesn't just need a flawless grant proposal. According to the machine, she needs a statistically compatible boyfriend.

Julian Hayes is the rigid, data-driven Lead Architect of E.R.O.S. He despises chaos, avoids germs, and operates on pure, unadulterated logic. But when his own algorithm flags his executive synergy score as unacceptably low, Julian faces the dismantling of his life’s work by a ruthless board of directors. He needs a high-profile success story to prove his matchmaking matrix works.

What he gets is Clara.

Forced into a mutually beneficial fake relationship to cheat the system they both despise, Clara and Julian draft a rigorous contract with strict parameters for public hand-holding, perceived intimacy metrics, and an ironclad exit strategy. But outsmarting a hyper-intelligent, bio-responsive smart-apartment that forces them to share a single, heat-sensitive bed proves infinitely harder than compiling code.

As the fake touches linger, their witty STEM-grounded banter softens into vulnerable late-night confessions.The intrusive AI begins registering a skyrocketing compatibility score, and Clara and Julian are forced to confront a terrifying reality: they are failing to spoof the system because the undeniable, magnetic chemistry between them is entirely real.

The Boyfriend Algorithm is a laugh-out-loud sci-fi rom-com blending a grumpy-sunshine dynamic, high-stakes corporate espionage, and a swoon-worthy startup fake relationship. Perfect for readers who love sharp banter,forced proximity, and a slow-burn AI matchmaking tech romance where human intuition finally beats the machine.