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My Spy #1
The Spy and I
Right place. Wrong person. After a case of mistaken identity, one woman must work with her sister’s sexy spy partner to save the world in this heart-pounding romantic comedy.
The first thing to know about Dove Barkley is that, even though she works as a cyber security analyst, she is one hundred percent not an undercover CIA operative. But when a group of bad guys mistake her for her super-spy sister (news to her!), Dove gets roped into a dangerous government mission that she’d very much rather be left out of, thank you.
Too bad Mendez, the man who claims to be her sister’s partner, says she's in too deep to back out now. He’s smart, capable, and has a body almost distracting enough to make Dove forget about the team of trained assassins after her.
Dove has information that can help prevent a national tragedy, but there’s mounting evidence that Mendez might not be who he claims. More importantly, she's running out of time to save her sister. Because the last thing Dove wants is for either of them to go out with a bang.
The first thing to know about Dove Barkley is that, even though she works as a cyber security analyst, she is one hundred percent not an undercover CIA operative. But when a group of bad guys mistake her for her super-spy sister (news to her!), Dove gets roped into a dangerous government mission that she’d very much rather be left out of, thank you.
Too bad Mendez, the man who claims to be her sister’s partner, says she's in too deep to back out now. He’s smart, capable, and has a body almost distracting enough to make Dove forget about the team of trained assassins after her.
Dove has information that can help prevent a national tragedy, but there’s mounting evidence that Mendez might not be who he claims. More importantly, she's running out of time to save her sister. Because the last thing Dove wants is for either of them to go out with a bang.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 13, 2024
About the author
Tiana Smith
4 books257 followersTiana Smith is a web designer turned novelist who grew up in the Rocky Mountains. She graduated from Westminster University with double degrees in Honors and English with a focus in creative writing. In her spare time she’s learning sign language with her hard of hearing husband and she volunteers with special needs individuals attending the bi-weekly activities for Utah County’s SNAP program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
February 8, 2024
The Spy and I
by Tiana Smith seems to be marketed as a romantic comedy. I feel it is more of a romantic suspense and action novel with it being heavier on the suspense and action. There is attraction and an eventual romance mixed with a little humor. While the story starts and ends in and around Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, most of the book takes place in Prague, Czech Republic.
Dove Barkley is a cyber security analyst who is mistaken for her sister Madison, who happens to be an undercover CIA operative. Dove gets pulled into a government mission by Mendez who claims to be Madison’s partner.
Dove is confident and feels powerful when coding, but not when she’s back in reality. She’s socially awkward, competent, lonely, talented, and generally optimistic. Mendez is smart, capable, charming, and can easily switch his outward personality traits.
The narrative flows well with a twisty and absorbing plot and a story that captivated me from the first chapter to its conclusion. My main quibble is that I wish the world-building for Prague was more in-depth. It seemed like the book could have taken place in any city. Themes include secrets, mistaken identity, trust, subterfuge, relationships, power, murder, rejection, fear, and much more.
Overall, this entertaining and fast-paced novel has great characterization with likeable characters as well as solid action and thrills. Readers who appreciate romantic spy novels will likely enjoy this novel.
Berkley Publishing Group and Tiana Smith provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 13, 2024.
------------------------------------------
My 3.98 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Dove Barkley is a cyber security analyst who is mistaken for her sister Madison, who happens to be an undercover CIA operative. Dove gets pulled into a government mission by Mendez who claims to be Madison’s partner.
Dove is confident and feels powerful when coding, but not when she’s back in reality. She’s socially awkward, competent, lonely, talented, and generally optimistic. Mendez is smart, capable, charming, and can easily switch his outward personality traits.
The narrative flows well with a twisty and absorbing plot and a story that captivated me from the first chapter to its conclusion. My main quibble is that I wish the world-building for Prague was more in-depth. It seemed like the book could have taken place in any city. Themes include secrets, mistaken identity, trust, subterfuge, relationships, power, murder, rejection, fear, and much more.
Overall, this entertaining and fast-paced novel has great characterization with likeable characters as well as solid action and thrills. Readers who appreciate romantic spy novels will likely enjoy this novel.
Berkley Publishing Group and Tiana Smith provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 13, 2024.
------------------------------------------
My 3.98 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
March 7, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Was definitely a little disappointed with this one. I really like the premise and it actually started out pretty good. I liked Dove's character, socially awkward homebody introvert but who was a badass with computers. And then we got into the meat of the story and she was incredibly naive and couldn't operate daily without swooning once every hour for a man she didn't even know she could trust.
I also thought Mendez came on really strong at the beginning, despite him saying he wasn't trying to seduce her for the operation and his past experience with a civilian. So why tf was he all over her as soon as they were alone? Weird.
Some of this was absolutely entertaining, but I think the execution was off.
Was definitely a little disappointed with this one. I really like the premise and it actually started out pretty good. I liked Dove's character, socially awkward homebody introvert but who was a badass with computers. And then we got into the meat of the story and she was incredibly naive and couldn't operate daily without swooning once every hour for a man she didn't even know she could trust.
I also thought Mendez came on really strong at the beginning, despite him saying he wasn't trying to seduce her for the operation and his past experience with a civilian. So why tf was he all over her as soon as they were alone? Weird.
Some of this was absolutely entertaining, but I think the execution was off.
March 5, 2024
This was SUCH a fun romance where the heroine's twin sister is a spy and she gets roped into spy shenanigans and falls for another spy! The middle was a bit slow and the romance was insta-love, but I had so much fun?? They traveled the world, fought off bad guys, and had to uncover a traitor among the spies. I just really enjoyed the audiobook and am really glad I picked this up!
Want to read
August 20, 2023Right place. Wrong person. After a case of mistaken identity, one woman must work with her sister’s sexy spy partner to save the world in this heart-pounding romantic comedy.
After recently reading 'The Blonde Identity' by Ally Carter, and coming across this book coincidentally which has a similar plot and is coming out next year, I had no other choice but to add it in my tbr-list.
After recently reading 'The Blonde Identity' by Ally Carter, and coming across this book coincidentally which has a similar plot and is coming out next year, I had no other choice but to add it in my tbr-list.
February 13, 2024
happy release day!
the spy and I is a super fast-paced romantic suspense. after dove is mistaken for her sister, she gets thrown into a highly dangerous game of cat & mouse with cia agent mendez. they end up in prague and the action never stops.
I had so much fun with this one! dove was so relatable and mendez in all his special ops glory was such a fun mmc. there were so many secrets and twists and turns and I couldn’t wait to find out what happens.
read if you like
✨ romantic suspense
✨ spy thrillers
✨ twisty and secretive plots
thank you to berkley romance for the gifted copy.
the spy and I is a super fast-paced romantic suspense. after dove is mistaken for her sister, she gets thrown into a highly dangerous game of cat & mouse with cia agent mendez. they end up in prague and the action never stops.
I had so much fun with this one! dove was so relatable and mendez in all his special ops glory was such a fun mmc. there were so many secrets and twists and turns and I couldn’t wait to find out what happens.
read if you like
✨ romantic suspense
✨ spy thrillers
✨ twisty and secretive plots
thank you to berkley romance for the gifted copy.
April 5, 2024
4/5 🌟
1/5 ❤️🩹
3/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
3/5 🔎
3/5 😰A
0/5 🎭T
3/5 🎭C
0/5 👻
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Violence
Gun Violence
Murder
Death
Blood
Kidnapping
Physical Abuse
Mention of Torture
Abandonment
Injury/Injury Detail
Mild Sexual Contact
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Right place. Wrong person. After a case of mistaken identity, one woman must work with her sister’s sexy spy partner to save the world in this heart-pounding romantic comedy.
The first thing to know about Dove Barkley is that, even though she works as a cyber security analyst, she is one hundred percent not an undercover CIA operative. But when a group of bad guys mistake her for her super-spy sister (news to her!), Dove gets roped into a dangerous government mission that she’d very much rather be left out of, thank you.
Too bad Mendez, the man who claims to be her sister’s partner, says she’s in too deep to back out now. He’s smart, capable, and has a body almost distracting enough to make Dove forget about the team of trained assassins after her.
Dove has information that can help prevent a national tragedy, but there’s mounting evidence that Mendez might not be who he claims. More importantly, she’s running out of time to save her sister. Because the last thing Dove wants is for either of them to go out with a bang.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 136 REVIEWS
Moods
adventurous 82%
lighthearted 58%
funny 52%
mysterious 50%
tense 23%
emotional 9%
challenging 4%
relaxing 4%
dark 3%
hopeful 3%
informative 1%
Pace
fast 55%
medium 41%
slow 3%
Plot- or character-driven?
Plot: 51% | A mix: 46% | Character: 2%
Strong character development?
No: 50% | Yes: 30% | It's complicated: 16% | N/A: 2%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 73% | It's complicated: 14% | No: 11%
Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 53% | No: 34% | It's complicated: 6% | N/A: 4%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
No: 54% | Yes: 23% | It's complicated: 21%
Average rating
3.48
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This book was fantastic!! This should be a chic flick!! The whole time I was reading, I could see it playing out in my head and this book would make a great rom com movie.
I loved the angst and the chemistry between Mendez, Nick, and Dove. The relationship Dove has with her sister is good too. Dove has no clue about her sister, Madison (Mads), true career. She thinks her sister is a photo journalist jet setting all over the world. Well, one part of that is true…her sister is a jet setter but she’s way off in Mads career.
There was one part that kinda stuck out as a plot hole. Dove is meeting Mads for dinner but Mads prior engagement shows up to the restaurant and mistakes Dove for Madison. The reason why this stands out I would think that “the bad guys” would’ve vetted Madison and know that she has a sister that is almost undetectable. Unless, and this just occurred to me, the CIA really scrubbed all of Mads real life data from the real world. I guess it’s possible. Anyway, this is a solid 4 star read.
Ya gotta read this. It wasn’t gut busting comedy but there were some funny parts. Definitely a fun, fast paced read. I started this book this morning. I need to check out a few more of Tiana Smith’s work. This was my first novel by her.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy- based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky/Creepy -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
1/5 ❤️🩹
3/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
3/5 🔎
3/5 😰A
0/5 🎭T
3/5 🎭C
0/5 👻
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Violence
Gun Violence
Murder
Death
Blood
Kidnapping
Physical Abuse
Mention of Torture
Abandonment
Injury/Injury Detail
Mild Sexual Contact
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Right place. Wrong person. After a case of mistaken identity, one woman must work with her sister’s sexy spy partner to save the world in this heart-pounding romantic comedy.
The first thing to know about Dove Barkley is that, even though she works as a cyber security analyst, she is one hundred percent not an undercover CIA operative. But when a group of bad guys mistake her for her super-spy sister (news to her!), Dove gets roped into a dangerous government mission that she’d very much rather be left out of, thank you.
Too bad Mendez, the man who claims to be her sister’s partner, says she’s in too deep to back out now. He’s smart, capable, and has a body almost distracting enough to make Dove forget about the team of trained assassins after her.
Dove has information that can help prevent a national tragedy, but there’s mounting evidence that Mendez might not be who he claims. More importantly, she’s running out of time to save her sister. Because the last thing Dove wants is for either of them to go out with a bang.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 136 REVIEWS
Moods
adventurous 82%
lighthearted 58%
funny 52%
mysterious 50%
tense 23%
emotional 9%
challenging 4%
relaxing 4%
dark 3%
hopeful 3%
informative 1%
Pace
fast 55%
medium 41%
slow 3%
Plot- or character-driven?
Plot: 51% | A mix: 46% | Character: 2%
Strong character development?
No: 50% | Yes: 30% | It's complicated: 16% | N/A: 2%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 73% | It's complicated: 14% | No: 11%
Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 53% | No: 34% | It's complicated: 6% | N/A: 4%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
No: 54% | Yes: 23% | It's complicated: 21%
Average rating
3.48
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This book was fantastic!! This should be a chic flick!! The whole time I was reading, I could see it playing out in my head and this book would make a great rom com movie.
I loved the angst and the chemistry between Mendez, Nick, and Dove. The relationship Dove has with her sister is good too. Dove has no clue about her sister, Madison (Mads), true career. She thinks her sister is a photo journalist jet setting all over the world. Well, one part of that is true…her sister is a jet setter but she’s way off in Mads career.
There was one part that kinda stuck out as a plot hole. Dove is meeting Mads for dinner but Mads prior engagement shows up to the restaurant and mistakes Dove for Madison. The reason why this stands out I would think that “the bad guys” would’ve vetted Madison and know that she has a sister that is almost undetectable. Unless, and this just occurred to me, the CIA really scrubbed all of Mads real life data from the real world. I guess it’s possible. Anyway, this is a solid 4 star read.
Ya gotta read this. It wasn’t gut busting comedy but there were some funny parts. Definitely a fun, fast paced read. I started this book this morning. I need to check out a few more of Tiana Smith’s work. This was my first novel by her.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy- based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky/Creepy -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2024
This is a NetGalley arc review. Thanks as always to NetGalley and the publisher for these opportunities to provide honest, pre-release reviews!
3.75✨
0.25 🌶️ (no spice, but alluded to adult language and multiple kissing/make out scenes. I would’ve called this upper YA, and you can if you want, but the characters are all upper 20s/early 30s, so I’d call this NA even without open door or even any spice at all)
So, I know this book isn’t technically the author’s debut but rather their third book (at least according to Goodreads!), but…
🚨AUTHOR TO WATCH ALERT🚨
A few flaws and missteps notwithstanding, THIS is how you do a New Adult romance! After a few hugely unsuccessful NA reads I’ve been trying, I was starting to think something was wrong with me, or that, at newly 29 years of age, I had officially aged out of new adult – UNHOLY SCREECH.
But then I remembered that I don’t believe that shit at all – HAHA. I’m personally under the belief that you don’t “age out” of reading anything; your reading tastes just change, ebb and flow, over time. I can still go back to childhood reads and enjoy myself immensely, and same with (good) YA books. So I’ve come to realize that I do still totally enjoy the new adult genre, when done right.
And readers, I think that The Spy and I by Tiana Smith is done pretty right!
Smith came out swinging right out of the gate with a strong start that both introduced you to the main FMC Dove, our “penetration tester” hacker by immediately solidifying her personality in the reader’s head, as well as presenting the action and setting up the plot fairly early.
While the spy and government coverup overarching theme is a nice touch to spice up a contemporary NA romance, don’t go in expecting a 24 level of attention to detail. This plot is more so used as a vehicle to facilitate the meeting and carry the romance between Dove and our MMC, the CIA spy Nick Mendez.
Speaking of the romance, I enjoyed the chemistry between our leads. My only gripe is that they acknowledged and acted on their lust a little too fast; I wish the tension between their push and pull was teased out longer. There is the page count here to do it, to turn it a little slower burn, and maximize all you can from the reader in terms of the unresolved sexual tension. The dynamics are all there for a perfect and agonizing slow burn – spy and civilian trope, bodyguard-ish trope… it’s all there!
But overall, this was seriously fun. This is what new adult can be when it leans into its tropes and sometimes campiness, like the awkward middle child between YA and adult. When your NA is fun, I can almost guarantee you’ve already won half the battle, at least for me. There was a good balance of pop culture or modern references without going overboard. The use of song name dropping was particularly masterful, because it got them playing in my head during key scenes that almost made the experience feel like a movie playing out in my head.
If you feel like a NA romance that brings in a fun spy romp plotline, I would wholeheartedly recommend checking this out.
However, I will leave one last piece of reader-to-author advice:
3.75✨
0.25 🌶️ (no spice, but alluded to adult language and multiple kissing/make out scenes. I would’ve called this upper YA, and you can if you want, but the characters are all upper 20s/early 30s, so I’d call this NA even without open door or even any spice at all)
So, I know this book isn’t technically the author’s debut but rather their third book (at least according to Goodreads!), but…
🚨AUTHOR TO WATCH ALERT🚨
A few flaws and missteps notwithstanding, THIS is how you do a New Adult romance! After a few hugely unsuccessful NA reads I’ve been trying, I was starting to think something was wrong with me, or that, at newly 29 years of age, I had officially aged out of new adult – UNHOLY SCREECH.
But then I remembered that I don’t believe that shit at all – HAHA. I’m personally under the belief that you don’t “age out” of reading anything; your reading tastes just change, ebb and flow, over time. I can still go back to childhood reads and enjoy myself immensely, and same with (good) YA books. So I’ve come to realize that I do still totally enjoy the new adult genre, when done right.
And readers, I think that The Spy and I by Tiana Smith is done pretty right!
Smith came out swinging right out of the gate with a strong start that both introduced you to the main FMC Dove, our “penetration tester” hacker by immediately solidifying her personality in the reader’s head, as well as presenting the action and setting up the plot fairly early.
While the spy and government coverup overarching theme is a nice touch to spice up a contemporary NA romance, don’t go in expecting a 24 level of attention to detail. This plot is more so used as a vehicle to facilitate the meeting and carry the romance between Dove and our MMC, the CIA spy Nick Mendez.
Speaking of the romance, I enjoyed the chemistry between our leads. My only gripe is that they acknowledged and acted on their lust a little too fast; I wish the tension between their push and pull was teased out longer. There is the page count here to do it, to turn it a little slower burn, and maximize all you can from the reader in terms of the unresolved sexual tension. The dynamics are all there for a perfect and agonizing slow burn – spy and civilian trope, bodyguard-ish trope… it’s all there!
But overall, this was seriously fun. This is what new adult can be when it leans into its tropes and sometimes campiness, like the awkward middle child between YA and adult. When your NA is fun, I can almost guarantee you’ve already won half the battle, at least for me. There was a good balance of pop culture or modern references without going overboard. The use of song name dropping was particularly masterful, because it got them playing in my head during key scenes that almost made the experience feel like a movie playing out in my head.
If you feel like a NA romance that brings in a fun spy romp plotline, I would wholeheartedly recommend checking this out.
However, I will leave one last piece of reader-to-author advice:
December 15, 2023
This was a pretty fast-paced spy rom-com that was fun to read. The main character works in cyber security and one day gets mistaken for her twin sister who is an undercover CIA agent. This leads to her getting into a spy mission with her sister's CIA partner and they travel around the world trying to escape the assassins after them and also find the CIA double agent.
There's a lot of adventure, action, spy talk, banter, and lightness even though assains are after the main characters lol. I liked how light and easy to read this was, the spy aspect was something different for a rom-com and it kept me interested in the plot. I like a little mystery in a rom com its always a good addition to the story. The romance was good both Dove and Mendez had great chemistry and banter i just wish there had been more to it. It felt like their relationship was surface-level sometimes and Mendez the love interest wasn't as developed as I would have liked. I would have loved a dual POV just to see what was going through his head and what he was feeling.
Overall I liked this and If you want a spy romance that has the same vibes as The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter then you should check this out. Thank you Berkley for this arc for an honest review. Out Feb 2024.
Rating: 3.75/5
There's a lot of adventure, action, spy talk, banter, and lightness even though assains are after the main characters lol. I liked how light and easy to read this was, the spy aspect was something different for a rom-com and it kept me interested in the plot. I like a little mystery in a rom com its always a good addition to the story. The romance was good both Dove and Mendez had great chemistry and banter i just wish there had been more to it. It felt like their relationship was surface-level sometimes and Mendez the love interest wasn't as developed as I would have liked. I would have loved a dual POV just to see what was going through his head and what he was feeling.
Overall I liked this and If you want a spy romance that has the same vibes as The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter then you should check this out. Thank you Berkley for this arc for an honest review. Out Feb 2024.
Rating: 3.75/5
February 25, 2024
I found this to be absurd and just plain fun! I could find the bits that I really enjoy when I read the Stephanie Plum series in this without it being just like those stories. The book was truly refreshing and gave me those moments of laughter I so enjoy. I have to say, I cannot wait to pick up Tiana Smiths Mr. Nice Spy!
March 16, 2024
I like spy romance stories, so my expectations for this book were pretty high. However, I nearly DNF’d it after Mendez and Dove were being ultra flirty with each other and having innuendo-ridden conversations literally minutes after meeting. Mendez had no personality other than being so hot. Dove was pretty clueless and I had trouble suspending my disbelief to follow the story. Sadly, I was disappointed in this one.
February 20, 2024
What is it with spy books always having an FMC with a twin sister who’s a spy and she didn't know😭
Slight spoilers below:
The story felt more like a mystery romance, which I usually love but unfortunately this one didn't do it for me. There were too many plot holes for me to fully connect with the story. The characters were very surface level. We didn't know much about them other than their jobs and a little background info.
The romance was...no. Just no. Everything was happening way too fast. It felt like insta lust than love. Dove describing Mendez's appearance got so repetitive I just wanted her to stop. Like girl, I get it, you like his arms but damn😭
Dove is a cybersecurity analyst and basically loves hacking into systems. But omg she was stupid. I didn't expect her to have the brains of a spy but where was her common sense? When she attempted to escape from a man who works for the CIA, I lost it. Like how was that a smart decision...& it's mentioned that she's a hacker but does literally zero hacking the entirety of the book expect once at the end. I was waiting to see some badass girl who loves hacking but no. We got nothing. A lot happened but at the same time nothing happened at all?
Their relationship felt very forced. They literally fell for each other after 5 conversations. Everything happened between a few days, which was unrealistic. Towards the end, I was so bored everything they did frustrated me. Her sister was possibly kidnapped and is being tortured somewhere and here they are making out on the counter like bffr💀
I'm not even gonna start with the number of plot holes. Overall, I thought this story was very under-devolved. So many things could've been explained more. I think this would've been better as a YA novel because there wasn't any steamy scenes.
Anyways, I'm glad I'm finally done with this. At one point my annoyance was the only thing keeping me entertained lol. ( I'm sorry to my family bc they had to hear me yell at this book❤️)
Thank you Berkley for sending me a free copy!💜🫶🏽
Slight spoilers below:
The story felt more like a mystery romance, which I usually love but unfortunately this one didn't do it for me. There were too many plot holes for me to fully connect with the story. The characters were very surface level. We didn't know much about them other than their jobs and a little background info.
The romance was...no. Just no. Everything was happening way too fast. It felt like insta lust than love. Dove describing Mendez's appearance got so repetitive I just wanted her to stop. Like girl, I get it, you like his arms but damn😭
Dove is a cybersecurity analyst and basically loves hacking into systems. But omg she was stupid. I didn't expect her to have the brains of a spy but where was her common sense? When she attempted to escape from a man who works for the CIA, I lost it. Like how was that a smart decision...& it's mentioned that she's a hacker but does literally zero hacking the entirety of the book expect once at the end. I was waiting to see some badass girl who loves hacking but no. We got nothing. A lot happened but at the same time nothing happened at all?
Their relationship felt very forced. They literally fell for each other after 5 conversations. Everything happened between a few days, which was unrealistic. Towards the end, I was so bored everything they did frustrated me. Her sister was possibly kidnapped and is being tortured somewhere and here they are making out on the counter like bffr💀
I'm not even gonna start with the number of plot holes. Overall, I thought this story was very under-devolved. So many things could've been explained more. I think this would've been better as a YA novel because there wasn't any steamy scenes.
Anyways, I'm glad I'm finally done with this. At one point my annoyance was the only thing keeping me entertained lol. ( I'm sorry to my family bc they had to hear me yell at this book❤️)
Thank you Berkley for sending me a free copy!💜🫶🏽
January 31, 2024
I was pitched this book in comparison to The Blonde Identity and that's pretty much all I needed to know. I was low key obsessed with TBI and was ready to jump back into a spy story.
I liked Dove and Mendez well enough. They both have some past hurts in the relationship area and have an instant interest in the other. For Dove, everything about Mendez and her attraction to him take over her thoughts. Yes, there is some concern about the spy stuff, but she always comes back to his shoulders, his hair, his kisses, etc. Everything felt superficial between them (perhaps it's just the slice of time); however, Mendez does seem to be as obsessed as she is, so I guess there's that.
Plot wise, it was okay. There's a good amount computer/hacking talk that felt way over my head and while that is the only time Dove's inner monologue is confident, it did make me skim sections. The story does seem to be fast paced (while also seeming to have nothing happen) and I was disappointed that it didn't have the tension or air of mystery that I was expecting. There are no real fight scenes, no spicy scenes, and even the explosion is off the page.
Overall, it was a quick read and I was interested in how it ended, but I probably could have set it down without finishing.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Dove and Mendez well enough. They both have some past hurts in the relationship area and have an instant interest in the other. For Dove, everything about Mendez and her attraction to him take over her thoughts. Yes, there is some concern about the spy stuff, but she always comes back to his shoulders, his hair, his kisses, etc. Everything felt superficial between them (perhaps it's just the slice of time); however, Mendez does seem to be as obsessed as she is, so I guess there's that.
Plot wise, it was okay. There's a good amount computer/hacking talk that felt way over my head and while that is the only time Dove's inner monologue is confident, it did make me skim sections. The story does seem to be fast paced (while also seeming to have nothing happen) and I was disappointed that it didn't have the tension or air of mystery that I was expecting. There are no real fight scenes, no spicy scenes, and even the explosion is off the page.
Overall, it was a quick read and I was interested in how it ended, but I probably could have set it down without finishing.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
March 13, 2024
The Spy and I
Oh what a fun time
I cannot lie
Oh and did I mention
There was lots of good fun tension
Their chemistry was off the charts
be still my beating heart.
Read this please
or I will fall to my knees
and die.
jk I'll just cry.
Oh what a fun time
I cannot lie
Oh and did I mention
There was lots of good fun tension
Their chemistry was off the charts
be still my beating heart.
Read this please
or I will fall to my knees
and die.
jk I'll just cry.
Read
April 8, 2024This was a fun listen
January 15, 2024
Review coming soon.
February 7, 2024
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!
March 10, 2024
"The Spy and I" turned out to be a delightful surprise! Dove Barkley, a self-professed non-spy, gets unwittingly tangled up in a high-stakes mission when she's mistaken for her sister, who happens to be a super-spy. Alongside Mendez, her sister's partner with a distracting physique, Dove finds herself navigating a world of espionage to prevent a national catastrophe.
While the premise feels familiar, the story takes unexpected twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages. It's a perfect blend of action, suspense, and romance that had me thoroughly entertained. If you loved "The Blonde Identity" this is another fun mistaken identity with sister plot.
If you're in the mood for a romantic comedy with a thrilling edge, "The Spy and I" is definitely worth adding to your reading list!
While the premise feels familiar, the story takes unexpected twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages. It's a perfect blend of action, suspense, and romance that had me thoroughly entertained. If you loved "The Blonde Identity" this is another fun mistaken identity with sister plot.
If you're in the mood for a romantic comedy with a thrilling edge, "The Spy and I" is definitely worth adding to your reading list!
February 13, 2024
Get it here:
Amazon US * Aamzon UK
This reminded me of one of those hallmark style mysteries where the romance is more subtle and at times pushed to the background. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing, but for me as a romance reader it was a little disappointing to see some very good opportunities to add a little bit of something extra between the characters go to waste.
But I did enjoy the overall story and I really liked getting to see the more action-y aspects of it. Dove was an intriguing character for me since she was clearly very smart but could also be naive at times when it came to trying her hand at being a spy and I thought that was actually pretty intriguing. Especially when her character was up against Mendez the more experienced operative.
Amazon US * Aamzon UK
This reminded me of one of those hallmark style mysteries where the romance is more subtle and at times pushed to the background. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing, but for me as a romance reader it was a little disappointing to see some very good opportunities to add a little bit of something extra between the characters go to waste.
But I did enjoy the overall story and I really liked getting to see the more action-y aspects of it. Dove was an intriguing character for me since she was clearly very smart but could also be naive at times when it came to trying her hand at being a spy and I thought that was actually pretty intriguing. Especially when her character was up against Mendez the more experienced operative.
Read
March 9, 2024this one was just too cheesy for me 😭
DNF at 70%
DNF at 70%
February 12, 2024
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.
March 9, 2024
I am so thankful to this book for bringing me out of a years long romance novel reading slump. I've felt so disconnected to the genre lately, which makes me sad, because I love romance. But this book has an effervescence and an easy flow that kept me interested. I was genuinely engaged with the romance and I wanted the couple to end up together somehow. I am a sucker for spy plot elements, thrown into any other genre and besides. This storyline isn't that new or anything, but the way it was done was very charming. I loved the characters. Dove is pretty authentic in that she doesn't automatically become a badass, but she equips herself pretty well in the situation she lands in. Oh man. Mendez was a top tier hero. He was tough and badass, but also so sweet and so validating to Dove. I loved the small moments they shared. They had great chemistry, and just reading scenes where they talk to each other and nothing else made me happy. The spy stuff was great too. The bad guys are genuinely evil and frightening. In the suspense moments, things feel real and high stakes.
While this book isn't revolutionary, it's so well done and such an easy, flowing read that impressed me. I read so slow on my phone/kindle, so it did take me a while, but whenever I picked this up, I was just sucked right into the story. I definitely recommend it. Can't wait to read the next book about Mendez's friend and coworker.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars>
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of Berkley Publishing group.
While this book isn't revolutionary, it's so well done and such an easy, flowing read that impressed me. I read so slow on my phone/kindle, so it did take me a while, but whenever I picked this up, I was just sucked right into the story. I definitely recommend it. Can't wait to read the next book about Mendez's friend and coworker.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars>
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of Berkley Publishing group.
February 7, 2024
*my review is borderline spoiler-y with regards to the romance*
This was fun. The action and the mystery had me more interested than the romance. I thought that Dove was cool, loved that she is a coder. Mendez was just fine I guess. I liked him when he was first introduced but then was confused about his motivations the further into the story we got. You don’t get his POV in this, but I get why it wasn’t included cause it would take away most of the tension.
The book takes place over a week or so leading to it feeling like insta love, well I should say lust instead cause they never really were together in my opinion until the very end. (No spice in this one, just a few kisses.) So technically no third act breakup, but you can’t have a breakup if they aren’t actually together. Cause of this I kinda view this story to be a happy for now rather than a happily ever after.
The mystery element was fun and there were some twists and turns along the way. I did enjoy the writing style as well. It felt witty and just fun. I do plan to read whatever the author writes in the future.
😊 strangers to lovers
💕 insta love (but they never say I love you…)
👥 close proximity
💻 woman in stem
🔎 a bit of mystery and action
single POV
3.5/5 stars ⭐️
0/5 spice level 🌶️
This was fun. The action and the mystery had me more interested than the romance. I thought that Dove was cool, loved that she is a coder. Mendez was just fine I guess. I liked him when he was first introduced but then was confused about his motivations the further into the story we got. You don’t get his POV in this, but I get why it wasn’t included cause it would take away most of the tension.
The book takes place over a week or so leading to it feeling like insta love, well I should say lust instead cause they never really were together in my opinion until the very end. (No spice in this one, just a few kisses.) So technically no third act breakup, but you can’t have a breakup if they aren’t actually together. Cause of this I kinda view this story to be a happy for now rather than a happily ever after.
The mystery element was fun and there were some twists and turns along the way. I did enjoy the writing style as well. It felt witty and just fun. I do plan to read whatever the author writes in the future.
😊 strangers to lovers
💕 insta love (but they never say I love you…)
👥 close proximity
💻 woman in stem
🔎 a bit of mystery and action
single POV
3.5/5 stars ⭐️
0/5 spice level 🌶️
February 12, 2024
2.5⭐️
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for the advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I was really excited for an action rom-com featuring a female hacker. Unfortunately this just didn't quite hit the way I had hoped.
Let's start with what I did enjoy.
I have no idea if Tiana Smith has a background in programming, but she actually did a great job with the programming aspects. The heroine is an ethical hacker (or penetration tester) and while simplified somewhat, her tactics were actually accurate.
As a professional programmer, I'm always nervous reading a book about coding because it's not always... quite right. But this book did a great job and I was really impressed.
I also thought that the chemistry between the characters during close scenes was written fantastically. This book doesn't ever feature on page sex, but the characters had palpable tension and chemistry from the get-go.
Unfortunately the romance and plot itself didn't deliver in what I wanted.
This book is about spies, mistaken identities, hacking, and undercover ops. By definition, it should have been fast paced and engaging. But somehow it dragged the whole way through.
The opening scene where Dove is drawn into the scheme, was fantastic. But everything from there on dragged.
I felt like we spent more time in Dove's head listening to her inner monologue than anything else. Rather than experiencing things first hand, we listened to her describing things second hand. With long, long tangents about her feeling for her, her situation, her sister, and Mendez (over and over and over again).
It became repetitive and also lost the action feel because we didn't get to experience the action ourselves.
And this internal monologue led to my other issues with this book. Dove was constantly repeating herself, going on long tangents about Mendez's forearms during chase scenes, crying over her sister during fights... it was just bizarre.
Instead of being focused on a car chase, she describes the way the hero's hands look grabbing the window. So the actual action scenes felt cheapened and less dangerous.
Overall I just don't think this book committed to a tone. It wasn't necessarily rom-com-y. There weren't laugh out loud, silly moments. It didn't play into the silly chaos. But it also didn't go action heavy either.
So in the end I was just feel very underwhelmed by the entire thing. How can a book that ends with a building explosion be boring? No idea... but this one succeeded...
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for the advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I was really excited for an action rom-com featuring a female hacker. Unfortunately this just didn't quite hit the way I had hoped.
Let's start with what I did enjoy.
I have no idea if Tiana Smith has a background in programming, but she actually did a great job with the programming aspects. The heroine is an ethical hacker (or penetration tester) and while simplified somewhat, her tactics were actually accurate.
As a professional programmer, I'm always nervous reading a book about coding because it's not always... quite right. But this book did a great job and I was really impressed.
I also thought that the chemistry between the characters during close scenes was written fantastically. This book doesn't ever feature on page sex, but the characters had palpable tension and chemistry from the get-go.
Unfortunately the romance and plot itself didn't deliver in what I wanted.
This book is about spies, mistaken identities, hacking, and undercover ops. By definition, it should have been fast paced and engaging. But somehow it dragged the whole way through.
The opening scene where Dove is drawn into the scheme, was fantastic. But everything from there on dragged.
I felt like we spent more time in Dove's head listening to her inner monologue than anything else. Rather than experiencing things first hand, we listened to her describing things second hand. With long, long tangents about her feeling for her, her situation, her sister, and Mendez (over and over and over again).
It became repetitive and also lost the action feel because we didn't get to experience the action ourselves.
And this internal monologue led to my other issues with this book. Dove was constantly repeating herself, going on long tangents about Mendez's forearms during chase scenes, crying over her sister during fights... it was just bizarre.
Instead of being focused on a car chase, she describes the way the hero's hands look grabbing the window. So the actual action scenes felt cheapened and less dangerous.
Overall I just don't think this book committed to a tone. It wasn't necessarily rom-com-y. There weren't laugh out loud, silly moments. It didn't play into the silly chaos. But it also didn't go action heavy either.
So in the end I was just feel very underwhelmed by the entire thing. How can a book that ends with a building explosion be boring? No idea... but this one succeeded...
April 7, 2024
While I liked the initial premise and most of the beginning, it went downhill pretty quickly. The execution was off. The characters were super surface level. The romance pieces were clumsy and happened way, way, way too fast. It was insta-lusty, but also mistimed. Mendez saves her once and then he’s kissing her and she’s “in love” and trusting this spy for no reason. Saying that their relationship felt forced is an understatement. Everything happened in just a few days.
I liked the idea of Dove's character, a homebody who was a genius with computers. But once the story actually begins, Dove is incredibly naïve and inept, even with computers. Her entire personality transforms into swooning over Mendez. Then all her reactions are inverted so that the lusty, romantic part of her brain is the only thing activated. For example, she almost gets killed and sees a man shot in the head and learns that her sister is a spy, but instead of being in shock or something reasonable, she’s kissing Mendez, even though we have been told multiple times that she’s awkward romantically. She should be suspicious of Mendez because she knows nothing about him and her sister gave her info that meant she should not trust him, but she’s going to kiss him and make cookies.
Also, weird gripe, but her name is Dove. But in most books that I read, dove is a pet name and that is how my brain took it every time someone said her name and it skewed every conversation to a weird place.
Mendez was pretty bland, just a pretty face. And we get that he’s pretty. We got soooooo many descriptions of him, again inappropriately timed for the situations they were in. Smith tried to give him the whole tragic backstory thing, but that didn’t work in any way.
For the life of me, nothing Madison, Dove’s spy sister, was doing made sense. Why would she invite her sister to a restaurant where she was going to do spy stuff? (Especially since they are nearly identical in appearance) If she wanted Dove to escape Mendez, why not give her tools and information and maybe a distraction to do that? Did she really think her sister could escape a trained spy when she has the social skills of wet toilet paper? And on and on and on.
The majority of the action happened off page, which ruined the spy stuff. But the spy stuff didn't make sense anyway. Zero effort was put into establishing the setting. It could have happened anywhere.
I liked the idea of Dove's character, a homebody who was a genius with computers. But once the story actually begins, Dove is incredibly naïve and inept, even with computers. Her entire personality transforms into swooning over Mendez. Then all her reactions are inverted so that the lusty, romantic part of her brain is the only thing activated. For example, she almost gets killed and sees a man shot in the head and learns that her sister is a spy, but instead of being in shock or something reasonable, she’s kissing Mendez, even though we have been told multiple times that she’s awkward romantically. She should be suspicious of Mendez because she knows nothing about him and her sister gave her info that meant she should not trust him, but she’s going to kiss him and make cookies.
Also, weird gripe, but her name is Dove. But in most books that I read, dove is a pet name and that is how my brain took it every time someone said her name and it skewed every conversation to a weird place.
Mendez was pretty bland, just a pretty face. And we get that he’s pretty. We got soooooo many descriptions of him, again inappropriately timed for the situations they were in. Smith tried to give him the whole tragic backstory thing, but that didn’t work in any way.
For the life of me, nothing Madison, Dove’s spy sister, was doing made sense. Why would she invite her sister to a restaurant where she was going to do spy stuff? (Especially since they are nearly identical in appearance) If she wanted Dove to escape Mendez, why not give her tools and information and maybe a distraction to do that? Did she really think her sister could escape a trained spy when she has the social skills of wet toilet paper? And on and on and on.
The majority of the action happened off page, which ruined the spy stuff. But the spy stuff didn't make sense anyway. Zero effort was put into establishing the setting. It could have happened anywhere.
March 9, 2024
I love that spy romances are becoming popular. They're so much fun and make my heart so happy.
However, I will say that if you read The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter... there's really no reason to read this one. They are basically the same book, but The Blonde Identity is better. This one is fun and cute but I kept comparing it to The Blonde Identity because it is the same exact plot.
Dove is the FMC in The Spy and I and she is basically Penelope from Criminal Minds. She is an awkward, yet smart computer/tech person who gets involved in the CIA. She was a fun FMC and I always love spy romances with a civilian who gets caught in all these spy issues ends up with an actual spy.
The only issue was that Mendez was such a bland MMC. I didn't feel any of the tension or chemistry of a romance between the two of them. I didn't believe they actually loved each other because the romance plotline was such an annoying will they or won't they moment. There wasn't enough romance for this to be considered a romance book.
The Spy and I is a fun book, but not a fun romance.
However, I will say that if you read The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter... there's really no reason to read this one. They are basically the same book, but The Blonde Identity is better. This one is fun and cute but I kept comparing it to The Blonde Identity because it is the same exact plot.
Dove is the FMC in The Spy and I and she is basically Penelope from Criminal Minds. She is an awkward, yet smart computer/tech person who gets involved in the CIA. She was a fun FMC and I always love spy romances with a civilian who gets caught in all these spy issues ends up with an actual spy.
The only issue was that Mendez was such a bland MMC. I didn't feel any of the tension or chemistry of a romance between the two of them. I didn't believe they actually loved each other because the romance plotline was such an annoying will they or won't they moment. There wasn't enough romance for this to be considered a romance book.
The Spy and I is a fun book, but not a fun romance.
January 4, 2024
This was a super fun romantic suspense spy thriller featuring twins, mistaken identity, espionage, a swoony male spy lead, a female expert coder and a bad guy they need to track down/apprehend. Twisty and full of romance, I absolutely loved this one. Perfect for fans of Blonde identity by Ally Carter and great on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
March 13, 2024
This was not good. For a hacker, the FMC was quite daft and being in her thoughts was miserable. She came off as having zero critical thinking skills and extremely gullible.
September 13, 2023
Interesting romance with strong action and suspense elements. Dove is minding her own business when she is interviewed by a "journalist" who turns out to be a hot spy who works with her sister, who unbeknownst to her, does work for the CIA. This is mostly a romance book so expect a lot of sexual tension. The action part gets tidied up fairly well. The banter and the writing style is fun
Preview copy was provided by the publisher.
Preview copy was provided by the publisher.
January 19, 2024
After reading this book, I will need all the “spy romance” genre recommendations y’all have! I inhaled this wildly entertaining mistaken identity romance-espionage-adventure book in a day.
Dove and her twin sister Madison are total opposites. While Madison circumnavigates the globe as a travel photographer, Dove is a happy introvert. Her job as a security analyst allows her to live her life behind the comfort of her laptop. While Madison is in town, they make dinner plans, but when Dove shows up early, happens to know a quote from The Princess Bride, is passed a secret briefcase, and ends up in the middle of a shootout, she finds her life is irrevocably changed. With Madison missing, Dove is launched into a complex international hunt for a rogue spy with Mendez, a dashing and mysterious man claiming to be her sister’s CIA partner. As the danger intensifies, so do Dove’s feelings for Mendez. But in a world of spies, can anything they say be trusted? And since when is her sister in the CIA?
This fun, fast-paced adventure kept you guessing until the end. It read like an action movie, with many cute and funny moments mixed in with the action. Seeing Dove and Mendez combine brawn and ingenuity to solve the mystery and save Madison was a blast. It was a fantastic time.
Dove and her twin sister Madison are total opposites. While Madison circumnavigates the globe as a travel photographer, Dove is a happy introvert. Her job as a security analyst allows her to live her life behind the comfort of her laptop. While Madison is in town, they make dinner plans, but when Dove shows up early, happens to know a quote from The Princess Bride, is passed a secret briefcase, and ends up in the middle of a shootout, she finds her life is irrevocably changed. With Madison missing, Dove is launched into a complex international hunt for a rogue spy with Mendez, a dashing and mysterious man claiming to be her sister’s CIA partner. As the danger intensifies, so do Dove’s feelings for Mendez. But in a world of spies, can anything they say be trusted? And since when is her sister in the CIA?
This fun, fast-paced adventure kept you guessing until the end. It read like an action movie, with many cute and funny moments mixed in with the action. Seeing Dove and Mendez combine brawn and ingenuity to solve the mystery and save Madison was a blast. It was a fantastic time.
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