This HaBO is from Donna, who is looking for this (possibly) category romance:
I’m dating myself but 35-40 years ago there existed a book imprint that published romances that were “out there”.
One such book detailed a story about a programmer given notice who, for petty revenge, uploaded changes to her company’s operating system. These changes she had worked on for years were a personal wish list of how she wished computers and humans interacted. “Please” and “thank you” were mandatory for both parties. The computer would send birthday and anniversary gifts. The company hired a contractor to “fix” the problem but the changes were too systemic. So they hired a PI to track down the programmer thinking they would force her to fix the issues.
So the book had the two emailing. They are attracted. At the end the PI realizes she’s the programmer, but by then the company realizes that productivity of the OS is too good and so they don’t want to undo to changes.
I can’t remember the book title or the imprint just that another great title in the imprint line was Serendipity which was the first time I learned the word. The books had pale yellow covers and were similar to Silhouette Special Edition (which were lavender). The imprint was very limited as I only remember seeing them for maybe a year. I imagine the weirdness restricted their appeal but I enjoyed them.
Sound familiar to anyone?
I remember this book and I just moved and went through all my old paperbacks. I thought for sure it was a Cendlelight Ecstasy Romance. But, when I went through the boxes, I found Behind Closed Doors by Diana Morgan. It is a Silhouette Romance (#293). The blurb is:
After Emily Moreau was fired she decided that the computer which had replaced her needed to be taught manners. So she created a new program–ESMERELDA–and its old-fashioned etiquette wreaked havoc with the company.
Free-spirited troubleshooter Spencer McIntyre was called in, and he hired Emily back to help him untangle the mess. But what would he think if he found out that his diligent partner was responsible for the crime? And though ESMERELDA hadn’t been programmed for computer dating, she seemed determined to get Spencer and Emily together … one way or another!
Oh, I forgot to add this one was published in 1984 according to the copy I have sitting in front of me. 😉
Thanks Lisa, I knew I had read this book too. It was driving me crazy trying to remember- I knew it was before 1985 because I read it in college.
Thanks Lisa, I knew I had read this book too. It was driving me crazy trying to remember- I knew it was before 1985 because I read it in college.
I remember that book! She did the programming, and the tapes moved, inch by inch (a great visual image).
Also, the computer responded to report requests in nursery rhymes.
Hickory Dickory Dock, the market is shorting our stock . . .
This sounds like fun, I would love this story.
Being a geek, this sure sounds like a fun story. Glad this was solved!
I’ll have to get my scripting guy to start working on some nursery rhymes for report requests. LOL