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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
So I am not big on suspense romance but this one looked funny so I took a chance and received an ARC. It was funny. Dove looks very similar to her sister, who unbeknownst to Dove works for the CIA. An operative mistakes her for her sister and hands her a briefcase with documents and then someone immediately kills the operative. She runs. Mendez works for the CIA and is looking for Dove's sister. They believe she has turned on the CIA. Dove knows she would never turn her back on her country but how in the world can she prove it. Sparks immediately fly between Dove and Mendez but now they have to go to Prague to find the bad guy and hopefully Dove's sister. Dove is a penetration tester. (I had to ask my IT husband if that was a real thing or just made up for this romcom. It is really called that.) She tests company's security systems on their networks to make sure they are safe from hackers. It is very fast paced and the romance just involves flirting and kissing which I definitely would have liked more action in that department but they are running for their lives. I will definitely check out more from this author. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters.
-"Well, I am a penetration tester. Most guys have their own theories about what that means."
-"Well, I am a penetration tester. Most guys have their own theories about what that means."
I love watching spy movies like James Bond, Kingsmen, Argyle, Jason Bourne, etc. Reading this reminded me of all of those. You got action, adventure, comedy, romance, everything you could ever want. I'm a sucker for the falling in love with the CIA agent cause you're about to die trope. There's betrayal and the double agent cliche. I loved the main couple, all the tension and back and forth banter. I can't wait for the second book to come out.
It was a cute book. The narrator was great. I didn’t feel like the first half of the book was long but then once it got going it was fun.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This felt more like a cozy mystery with a side of romance than a true romance book, so if that is up your alley, I definitely recommend giving it a read. There was a lot of action being a spy story, and I was drawn to the hilarious dialogue. I also thought the story was easy to binge, perfect when you want to escape from reality. Still, I needed something more with regard to the romance to give this a higher rating. While it was insta-love there was no spice as a pay off, and I did not find the main characters to have any chemistry!
from the synopsis, i was expecting a fast, high stakes story. however, it felt so slow paced. and i also couldn't get into the romance, it felt so forced and fake.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A spy romcom in the vein of Covert Affairs (one of my absolute favorite shows)? I was hooked and I loved that it started in DC.
It was entertaining and fairly well paced. It wasn’t super romance-y, because despite having good tension/build up, it was totally close doors. It was also kind of insta-lovey but I still enjoyed it. I’m excited that the next book has Chan as the MMC!
It was entertaining and fairly well paced. It wasn’t super romance-y, because despite having good tension/build up, it was totally close doors. It was also kind of insta-lovey but I still enjoyed it. I’m excited that the next book has Chan as the MMC!
Dove Barkley had planned to meet her sister for dinner. The two have a good relationship - some of the time. Two years younger, and orphaned when they were children, Dove's sister Madison still treats Dove like a child, rather often. However, Madison is out of the country most of the time, and home for a brief period of time, Dove is looking forward to having dinner with Madison.
Arriving early to the restaurant, Dove is soon greeted by someone who certainly is not Madison. From there on in, her life will never be the same.
Dove loved her life, a Penetration Tester, or a legal hacker who helped companies find their weak points, she is content to work behind the screen and to be at home at night - alone. Madison thinks Dove should start dating again, after Dove's last relationship fell apart.
Meanwhile, Dove is being interviewed, and the guy who is interviewing her catches her attention. A bit of flirting here and there, and she gives the guy her number. However, that restaurant meeting ...
It was truly a case of mistaken identity. Dove and Madison could pass for twins, with a few subtle differences. The guy interviewing Dove? In fact, his name is Mendez and he is actually part of the CIA. Dove gets drawn into real espionage, all because Madison is not the person Dove thought she was.
This fast-paced romantic comedy was enjoyable. I loved Dove's snarky nature, her absolutely brilliant mind and her growing relationship with Mendez. Then the twists this story had when it came to who Madison really was and why Dove got drawn into this serious case of espionage kept me tapping my Kindle in pretty much one sitting.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Arriving early to the restaurant, Dove is soon greeted by someone who certainly is not Madison. From there on in, her life will never be the same.
Dove loved her life, a Penetration Tester, or a legal hacker who helped companies find their weak points, she is content to work behind the screen and to be at home at night - alone. Madison thinks Dove should start dating again, after Dove's last relationship fell apart.
Meanwhile, Dove is being interviewed, and the guy who is interviewing her catches her attention. A bit of flirting here and there, and she gives the guy her number. However, that restaurant meeting ...
It was truly a case of mistaken identity. Dove and Madison could pass for twins, with a few subtle differences. The guy interviewing Dove? In fact, his name is Mendez and he is actually part of the CIA. Dove gets drawn into real espionage, all because Madison is not the person Dove thought she was.
This fast-paced romantic comedy was enjoyable. I loved Dove's snarky nature, her absolutely brilliant mind and her growing relationship with Mendez. Then the twists this story had when it came to who Madison really was and why Dove got drawn into this serious case of espionage kept me tapping my Kindle in pretty much one sitting.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
This would have been better if it just focused on the spy/mystery/action part. The romance part was awkward and forced and just didn’t fit.