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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I don’t know much about spies but I couldn’t get past some of the logistics in this book. Wasn’t a big fan but it did pick up a bit. I wanted more Mr. & Mrs. Smith but it gave me spy kids.
Dove is an introverted hacker who makes a living showing companies the security problems within their computer network systems. She looks a lot like her older sister, a travel photographer, who also happens to be a CIA operative. Dove is mistaken for her missing sister, pairs up with the hot CIA operative looking for her and the story begins.
This was a fun, cozy read that I enjoyed. A little mystery and danger. The romance aspect was a bit insta lust, without any real action. I would have liked to see this with Mendez’ POV. 3.5⭐️
I received this ARC through a Shelf Awareness giveaway promotion. I would like to thank NetGalley, Shelf Awareness and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was a fun, cozy read that I enjoyed. A little mystery and danger. The romance aspect was a bit insta lust, without any real action. I would have liked to see this with Mendez’ POV. 3.5⭐️
I received this ARC through a Shelf Awareness giveaway promotion. I would like to thank NetGalley, Shelf Awareness and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Problems I had with this:
Problems I had with this:
- Dove (main character living in D.C.) describes her sister Madison in the following ways: "She could fit into her clothes without dieting," and "well, granted my dating pool wasn't as big as hers" (I'm guessing her sister is bisexual or pansexual ..... sooooo original, Tiana! Damnnnnnnn, bisexuals just out here dating everyone & anyone! /sarcasm)
- Tiana also writes that the name "Holt" was "too masculine" for the man who had the name - oooooh, internalized toxic masculinity has entered the chat.
- These kinds of sentiments just subtly continue throughout the book
Beyond this, the mystery/adventure/spy elements of this were fun, which is the only reason I didn't DNF. I was thoroughly entertained by the plot (Dove gets mistaken for her sister Madison, who is a spy and isn't answering calls from her espionage partner).
I hope that Tiana Smith lets go of the biphobia, commitment to diet culture, and heteronormative sentiments that made me roll my eyes to the back of my head. It will make her future romantic suspense novels much better.
This is a closed-door spy romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Abandonment
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Read Completed 3/29/24 | 3.25 stars
I love spy-related books, and incorporated into a romantic comedy immediately has me wanting to read it. I was very excited to read THE SPY AND I, and it instantly reminded me of THE BLONDE IDENTITY by Ally Carter. It was definitely a fun, light romcom and easy to fly through!
This seemed like it could have been a series (which it looks like it's going to be a series of companions and not a direct series following Dove & Mendez again) and I would have been happy to continue it! It was light, easy-going, and a little silly at times kind of with a Stephanie Plum vibe but not as zany and goofy. Dove and Mendez had some good chemistry and it was fun to be in the world of spies!
I didn't quite love this as much as I had hoped I would, but it's something I'd be drawn to again (I'm already adding book 2 to my TBR). I started to lose some steam maybe 30% in and some of the plot was a little drawn out. I wanted to be a bit more connected to the romance side and I felt we could have dug into that a little bit more. It was a little fast and forced for them to be so head over heels when some of that wasn't really on the page and a lot of it was just Dove swooning for the guy. Then they had random make out sessions that seemed a little thrown in there.
I'm hoping for more in the next books and I think this could be a really fun series!
I love spy-related books, and incorporated into a romantic comedy immediately has me wanting to read it. I was very excited to read THE SPY AND I, and it instantly reminded me of THE BLONDE IDENTITY by Ally Carter. It was definitely a fun, light romcom and easy to fly through!
This seemed like it could have been a series (which it looks like it's going to be a series of companions and not a direct series following Dove & Mendez again) and I would have been happy to continue it! It was light, easy-going, and a little silly at times kind of with a Stephanie Plum vibe but not as zany and goofy. Dove and Mendez had some good chemistry and it was fun to be in the world of spies!
I didn't quite love this as much as I had hoped I would, but it's something I'd be drawn to again (I'm already adding book 2 to my TBR). I started to lose some steam maybe 30% in and some of the plot was a little drawn out. I wanted to be a bit more connected to the romance side and I felt we could have dug into that a little bit more. It was a little fast and forced for them to be so head over heels when some of that wasn't really on the page and a lot of it was just Dove swooning for the guy. Then they had random make out sessions that seemed a little thrown in there.
I'm hoping for more in the next books and I think this could be a really fun series!