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abookishbginning 's review for:
The Spy and I
by Tiana Smith
This one had an intriguing premise and a couple with electric chemistry, and yet there were still some elements that fell flat for me.
Similar to The Blonde Identity, this book follows a woman who gets wrapped up into an international espionage scheme with a handsome stranger after the discovery that her sister, with whom she bears an uncanny resemblance, is a spy. However, the strong point of this story is undoubtedly the dynamic between Dove and Mendez. Their chemistry felt believable on the page from early on, and their interactions were some of my favorite moments throughout the book.
And yet the parts I enjoyed were not executed as well as I would have liked. While Mendez and Dove had a fun dynamic, it felt like their relationship developed much too quickly. The main issue for me is that their big conflict in the story happens within the same day as the biggest steps in their relationship. Such an extreme back and forth got to be frustrating.
Another of the things I struggled with was Dove's internal monologue. She's an ethical hacker of sorts, which is a fun trait for a leading character to have, but I felt like her narration became bogged down with *too* many technical details. I understand wanting to bring a level of authenticity to the character, but too much technical jargon can take me out of a story (which may be more of an issue with me than with the book itself). Dove also spent a lot of time second guessing and agonizing over whether Mendez was genuine with his feelings. This is another train of thought that I, on some level, understand. But it felt like at times that she spent too much time wondering about Mendez's feelings when there were more pressing things at stake.
All in all, I do not think that this was a bad book at all. The first third hooks you immediately, but unfortunately the rest dragged for me. That being said, knowing the character pairing for book two, I am excited to pick that one up when it comes out.
Ultimately, I think this should be one you read and judge for yourself, but if you want my recommendation for a good spy romance, I would encourage you to pick up The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter instead.
Similar to The Blonde Identity, this book follows a woman who gets wrapped up into an international espionage scheme with a handsome stranger after the discovery that her sister, with whom she bears an uncanny resemblance, is a spy. However, the strong point of this story is undoubtedly the dynamic between Dove and Mendez. Their chemistry felt believable on the page from early on, and their interactions were some of my favorite moments throughout the book.
And yet the parts I enjoyed were not executed as well as I would have liked. While Mendez and Dove had a fun dynamic, it felt like their relationship developed much too quickly. The main issue for me is that their big conflict in the story happens within the same day as the biggest steps in their relationship. Such an extreme back and forth got to be frustrating.
Another of the things I struggled with was Dove's internal monologue. She's an ethical hacker of sorts, which is a fun trait for a leading character to have, but I felt like her narration became bogged down with *too* many technical details. I understand wanting to bring a level of authenticity to the character, but too much technical jargon can take me out of a story (which may be more of an issue with me than with the book itself). Dove also spent a lot of time second guessing and agonizing over whether Mendez was genuine with his feelings. This is another train of thought that I, on some level, understand. But it felt like at times that she spent too much time wondering about Mendez's feelings when there were more pressing things at stake.
All in all, I do not think that this was a bad book at all. The first third hooks you immediately, but unfortunately the rest dragged for me. That being said, knowing the character pairing for book two, I am excited to pick that one up when it comes out.
Ultimately, I think this should be one you read and judge for yourself, but if you want my recommendation for a good spy romance, I would encourage you to pick up The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter instead.