Nina Jacobs has learned to maneuver through corporate Silicon Valley with her job in marketing at Panopteia, the world’s most powerful technology company. Having worked tirelessly to climb the corporate ladder, she risks everything when she (literally) bumps into Vincent Stone at a work event, spilling champagne all over the genius engineer behind Panopteia’s foundational code. When they cross paths again, Nina impulsively invites herself along on one of his retreats. Their relationship quickly progresses, and Nina is soon spending nearly all her time at his apartment, where the lighting and coffee machines automatically calibrate to her exact preferences. This frictionless existence leads Nina to begin wondering whether her choices are really her own or merely engineered algorithms. She must reconcile the promotional doublespeak she creates for Panopteia with the reality of surrendering her freedom to technology. The narrative offers timely speculation on the ramifications of AI and how we allow it into our daily lives. Alder weighs the pros and cons of Panopteia’s groundbreaking products alongside Nina’s feelings as she notices their seamless intrusion into her life and how they facilitate her relationship with Vincent. “The walls were not listening in the dramatic way people said….They were listening in the Panopteia way: carefully, usefully, with permission broken into so many small pieces no one remembered giving it.” Vincent emerges as an enigmatic figure who uses technology to manage his life with Nina but presents the culture of surveillance he creates as a show of love and care. Nina questions the fine line between care and control, a dilemma that could alter her life’s trajectory. Readers interested in corporate culture and tech ethics will appreciate the novel’s sharp reflections.